Anthropologist Doctor Herbert Gayle is releasing a book on urban violence in Belize. Gayle started his studies of Belize in 2008 and released the infamous Gayle Report in 2010. This book, released six years later, is aimed at providing a comprehensive look at where Belize has moved in the time-gap between report and book. Today, […]
According to the expert, Belize has the exceptional public will to do away with violence and that’s a critical component of positive change. But the time to start moving is sooner rather than later. Dr. Herbert Gayle, Anthropologist of Social Violence, UWI Jamaica “Things are becoming better worldwide. The problem we’re having though is […]
We took the opportunity to ask Gayle about the brazen shootout in front of the Queen Street Police Station, in which a fifteen year old minor wounded four persons, one of them a Police Officer. He explained that it may not be as dramatic as it seems, but it should certainly be a wake-up call. […]
A young boy in Belize City is alive tonight, thanks to the heroic actions of three members of the Eastern Division North’s Strike Team. According to reports, the eleven year old was on Marine Parade with two young relatives when he ran up a pier and then jumped into the water. He went under, and […]
For the top brass the positive news is a boost to the Police Department, and the tribute today a necessary recognition to prompt the officers to always strive to perform above and beyond the call of duty. ACP Dezerie Phillips, Regional Commander, Eastern Division North “It’s a joyous moment for us as was alluded […]
This week’s editorial in the Reporter newspaper has managed to accomplish what little else has – accord between the Government and the Opposition. We’ll get to that, but first the apparently incendiary article on page two of the Reporter. It’s on the Sarstoon and starts like this, “There are many in Belize who still believe […]
The Opposition swung first this morning, via text from Senator Eamon Courtenay. He wrote, “The Reporter editorial of today is factually and legally wrong. It is a bizarre and possibly treasonous editorial. The Reporter owes Belizeans an unconditional apology and a complete retraction of this crude attempt at distorting reality. Once again we are making […]
As we mentioned earlier, the Reporter Editorial was written by newspaper owner Harry Lawrence. He received the letter from C.E.O. in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Sylvester this afternoon, and News Five managed to get a comment from him this evening via phone. On the Phone: Harry Lawrence, Owner, Reporter Newspaper “We will […]
Petrocaribe is celebrating eleven years in Belize, following the signing of an agreement with Venezuela on June twenty-ninth, 2005. The dream of former President Hugo Chavez was to promote regional harmony and relieve financial difficulties in Latin America and the Caribbean in the face of rising oil prices. The agreement allows for the direct sale […]
While the program under APBEL focuses on investing in Belize, there are plans for the company to branch out into the retail sale of fuel. Mencias provides a breakdown of revenues generated by APBEL as well details of its proposed foray into the retail market. John Mencias, Deputy Chair, APBEL “Remember we started September […]
The agreement provides for a portion of each invoice, known as the Financed Portion, to be paid over fifteen years at two percent interest with a two-year grace period. That is if the price of the product being purchased amounts to or is less than forty U.S. dollars per barrel. Mencias provides additional details. […]
Head of Mission Mykel Castillo Pena was also present at this morning’s Petrocaribe presentation. He explains the current hardship in Venezuela in the context of the Petrocaribe program. Mykel Castillo Pena, Chargé d’affairs, Venezuela [Translated] “The media has also made a gross lie against Venezuela. In fact, yesterday in Washington there was a meeting […]
The Public Utilities Commission announced via press release today that it has concluded a full tariff review for B.E.L. for the period July 2016 to June 2020. The final decision means that the PUC has approved the regulated values, the mean electricity rate, the tariffs, fees and charges which will be applied in the next […]
Public and private sector accountants from across the Caribbean have converged on Belize for the thirty-fourth annual Caribbean Conference of Accountants. With over three thousand seven hundred members, today, three hundred accounting professionals gathered at the Ramada Belize City Princess for the three-day summit. The event focuses on the challenges facing the Caribbean in tapping […]
To assist with the implementation of best accounting practices in the region, a consulting firm from Washington DC is establishing presence in the Caribbean with an Enterprise Resource Planning software that companies can use to manage their business. Zalena Khan, Co-Founder, Z-Cloud “The easiest way to say this is comparing it to an accounting […]
But what are the challenges that correspondent banking relations have posed to the accounting professionals? According to Conference Chair Shawn Mahler, clients have been affected drastically, and it has forced businesses to reduce their earnings or close down because of corresponding banking issues. I.C.A.C. President Jasmine Davis says that they are looking at different ways […]
The number of persons that are HIV positive is high for the size of the population. And even though men are the most affected; they are the least to be tested. The National AIDS Commission carried out testing across the country with the support of Scotiabank and PANCAP. The aim is to wipe out the […]
On Tuesday, News Five broke the story of what has every appearance of being a bailout of G.O.B. by S.S.B. at the Prime Minister’s request. If indeed it is a bailout, then there is good news for the government today because the Board of Directors met and green-lighted the investment. That’s probably not a big […]
News Five has learned that at Tuesday’s meeting Financial Secretary Joseph Waight was called into the meeting of the Investment Committee to provide some clarity on share value. There was also one other relatively major concern – that is, that S.S.B. would be guaranteed a buyback by G.O.B. in the event that it wishes to […]
Last week the P.U.P. announced that it would be withdrawing its representative from the talks with Guatemala. That move is designed to send a clear message that the P.U.P. believes that the negotiations status quo has got to go. Senator Eamon Courtenay told News Five that for the Opposition it’s anything but a game, and […]
Earlier we told you that the S.S.B. Board has approved the purchase of shares in B.E.L. The utility company held its annual general meeting on Wednesday night and is reporting net earnings of twenty-nine point four million dollars. B.E.L. also says that it has repaid the ten million dollar loan from the Social Security Board […]
Gay rights activist Caleb Orozco and members of the local LGBT community are eagerly anticipating a decision from the Supreme Court on a constitutional challenge to strikeout Section Fifty-three of the Criminal Code. The case has been languishing before the high court since 2013 after submissions had been heard by all interested parties, including the […]
Caleb Orozco, Executive Director of UNIBAM, is at the forefront of the LGBT movement in Belize. He has been long anticipating the court ruling and today he spoke of the consequences of having come this far with the challenge. Caleb Orozco, Gay Rights Activist “From an advocacy perspective, no other legal case has triggered […]
With assistance from various business houses, the police department stepped up to the plate big time. An abandoned playground in Mesopotamia got a facelift and was inaugurated today as the Daker’s Park for the use of children in one of the city’s hotspots. The police believe that the park will provide an outlet to positively […]
Over the last five years, Belize has participated in the Caribbean Regional Testing Day initiative led by the Pan Caribbean partnership against HIV/AIDS, PANCAP. And on Friday, the country joins twenty countries in the region to celebrate the day under the theme, “Increasing Testing to Create Change.” Locations within Belize Cayo and Stann Creek have […]
