On the face of it, the move may appear to be little more than a slap on the wrist – to improve the optics of the situation, to borrow a term from the PM. For Saldivar, though, the optics and substance of the shuffle are bad – perhaps even a death blow for his dream […]
The Ministry of Natural Resources, arguably the most powerful portfolio, is in the hands of an unelected newcomer to politics, Attorney-General Vanessa Retreage. That had to have made for an interesting dynamic this morning in Cabinet, simply because there are tried and true, battle-tested and elected U.D.P. ministers with much more seniority and creds than […]
The Prime Minister claimed that he made the decision to remove Saldivar largely because of the optics. He was the Minister of National Security in charge of the Police conducting the investigation into William Mason, a great friend of Saldivar and the Police. But by that token, what of the Police conducting the investigation, since […]
As to the actual investigation, PM Barrow says that whether he says it out loud or not, the mandate of Minister of Police Godwin Hulse, especially where the Mason investigation is concerned, is explicit. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “With respect to your point about suspicion of the police and their ability to carry out […]
Senator Minister Godwin Hulse seems to have become, in the PM’s words, Government’s firefighter – first in Immigration, then Natural Resources and now the Police. But has he really been outing those fires or just blowing smoke to cloud the corruption. Reporter “Sir if I could be completely frank without being disrespectful. You basically […]
This morning, News Five was able to confirm with multiple sources that NEMO C.E.O. Ruth Meighan was denied entry into the US and turned back to Belize. It allegedly happened on Friday and is significant even if only because Meighan is a very senior and respected C.E.O., at least in government circles. She didn’t answer […]
As we said earlier, it is known that William Mason was also highly connected with senior members of the police department. Today, ACP Edward Broaster also acknowledged that he met the accused murderer once, back in 2014. But Broaster claims he was never at the house on Intelco Hill nor at the farm, Outback Ranch, […]
Back to the Prime Minister’s press conference. The Opposition and other organizations have maintained the call for an independent investigation into the gruesome murder of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas. They say this is necessary because of Mason’s now evident ties to Cabinet Ministers and Police officers. The speculation is that in one scenario, those Police officers […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow has done the improbable – securing a third term for the United Democratic Party. But now he has to make it through that third term with his Party intact. He stated once before, in a somber moment, that corruption could bring down his government. So what is he saying now? […]
The tenure of Glenford Ysaguirre as Governor of the Central Bank of Belize comes to an end in September when his contract expires. Ysaguirre, who assumed the post in 2008, told News Five today that he will not be renewing his terms of employment. During his term in office, he played a critical role as […]
The dismal state of Belize’s economy remains an area of grave concern for the business community, particularly in light of a recent letter by outgoing governor Glen Ysaguirre to Financial Secretary Joseph Waight. The four-page document succeeded a request by G.O.B. for Central Bank to make available an additional seventy million U.S. dollars towards the […]
The issue of foreign exchange was also highlighted by Central Bank Governor Glenford Ysaguirre. He warned that domestic adjustments are needed to further protect the exchange peg rate. Lizarraga says that so far government has made no mention of the prescribed adjustments. Senator Mark Lizarraga, Business Community “But it makes some very bold and […]
There was a fire on Friday evening in Burrell Boom that left a forty-year old Customs Guard homeless. Brian Estrada and his family are tonight without a roof over their heads after the wooden structure they called home went up in flames. Fighters responded shortly after the blaze started, but by then everything had been […]
Emancipation Day is celebrated to mark the freeing of slaves in various former colonies of Britain. The day is celebrated in different forms and on different days. In the City today, the Belize Archives and Records Service collaborated with the Museum of Belize on an exhibition in which they provided relevant records on slavery in […]
A second cohort of children from the south side of Belize City is today starting a week-long summer camp hosted by the Community Policing Unit of Eastern Division South. The program captures at-risk youths who are vulnerable and are being recruited by gang elements across the city. Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams spoke of […]
According to ACP Chester Williams, some of the participants are already playing a role in gang activities. Last week, he had an intervention with parents and the reality is damning. ACP Chester Williams, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South “In the intervention that I had last week with some of the young people. And I […]
So no clear evidence means no repercussions for Saldivar, or any other cabinet minister, just yet. The PM admits that there is corruption in government and will always be corruption in government, but claims that as he has on some unspecified occasion or occasions in the past, he will deal with it. Mike Rudon […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow returned to Belize today, and by this afternoon was seated in the hot seat facing a barrage of questions on a variety of very pressing issues. Chief among those is the saga of conman, extortionist, accused kidnapper and murderer William Mason, believed to be the mastermind behind the bizarre beheading of […]
It is believed that much of what Mason purports to have would involve Minister of National Security John Saldivar. Saldivar, by his own admission, was very close to Mason – so close that Mason contributed more than fifty-thousand dollars to Saldivar’s football team, the Belmopan Bandits. Saldivar also introduced other Ministers to the man now […]
The Prime Minister pointed out that realistically speaking, many people from every walk of life – including politicians, police officers, pastors, businesspersons and common folk – were taken in by Mason. Notwithstanding that, he admits that Saldivar is paying a huge political price for that relationship. Still, he maintains that based on what has come […]
The PM also maintains that if evidence surfaces which contradicts what Saldivar has said – that he cut ties with Mason in September 2015 – then all bets are off and the Minister of National Security will be fair game. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “The Minister has told us that immediately upon discovering that […]
Where the investigation into the murder of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas is concerned, there have been more questions than answers. Because the public is well aware of the accused murderer’s connections very high up in the Police Department, his connections to the Minister of National Security and his connections to other U.D.P. ministers, there is much […]
In the sensational interview prior to his arrest for Unlawful Sexual Intercourse, Flowers alleged that he had been set up by the Minister of National Security. Whether he was set up or not, it’s a significant fall from grace for the man who has claimed love for the Prime Minister and has been seen at […]
The Prime Minister has stated that he will absolutely not meet with accused murderer William Mason, who says he has evidence to provide. Mark Flowers has basically made the same claim, and has also stated that he will request a meet with the PM to provide that information. So will that desired session come to […]
Following incessant and expensive litigation over B.T.L. since 2009, the PM declared the half a billion plus final payment for the utility company a vindication and a victory for the government and people of Belize. If there was any very tiny silver lining in that dark cloud, it was that litigation was ended. But it’s […]
