Today, the Court of Appeal wasted no time in upholding an appeal by the University of Belize’s Board of Trustees. The matter before the panel was the Supreme Court’s decision on the termination of UB Dean, Abigail McKay. McKay signed a contract with the university for three years, but claimed that because of the guidelines […]
A public meeting organized by COLA is set for Thursday night in Belize City. The venue, a parking lot adjacent to the Pickstock Hutment on New Road, was once part of its namesake constituency prior to redistricting. COLA is pulling out all the stops to unseat incumbent area representative Wilfred Elrington, who is also Belize’s […]
As we’ve mentioned, COLA insists that it is not politically aligned with any of the mass parties; it is nonetheless, a question that continues to rear its head in the media. Geovanni Brackett, President, COLA “If you notice we have never sat in any political party when they have their press conference, not even […]
Patrick Rogers may have been a little slow in publicly responding to Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington’s address to the UN General Assembly. The B.P.P.’s tardiness, however, does not take away from its firm position that Elrington must be removed from office as Belize’s Foreign Minister. According to Rogers, the Belize Progressive Party, as well as […]
Is the People’s United Party attempting to capitalize on what is being described as the foreign minister’s blunder? General elections are just a month away and whatever can be used to gain political mileage is seen as par for the course. The territorial dispute is of national importance says the Party Leader Francis Fonseca and […]
Today, employees of the Social Security Board from all branches countrywide protested for half an hour during their lunch break. The organization provides its employees with uniforms every eighteen months, but those uniforms came in very late. CWU President Audrey Matura-Shepherd told News Five that the protocol is clear that if the employees do not […]
Matura-Shepherd says that the reason the employees waited to receive their uniforms is because it is only at that point that they could calculate how much they believe they are due for a clothing allowance. As to the stance taken by S.S.B. Chairman Dough Singh, Matura-Shepherd told us that she believes he’s not being given […]
When we spoke to CWU President Audrey Matura-Shepherd in the wake of the S.S.B. protest this afternoon, she emphasized that the protest was not over the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Still, Matura-Shepherd has maintained that the Board of Directors of the S.S.B. is dragging its feet on negotiating the CBA. Chairman of S.S.B. Doug Singh disagrees. […]
Singh says any question of salary should not hold up the process since the framework places discussions on non-financials first. The CWU has condemned the S.S.B. for what they say is management delaying the process since November 2014, but Singh says they were actually presented with an amended CBA by the CWU just two months […]
Since delivering a lengthy address before the UN General Assembly on Friday, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington has been raked over the coals for failing to properly address the Belize-Guatemala dispute. For many, including the opposition and COLA, it was a final opportunity before the elections for the often criticized minister to come correct on the […]
COLA’s endgame since going on the offensive a few weeks ago is the removal of Sedi Elrington as Belize’s Foreign Minister, but that is a moot point because elections are just around the corner. While the grassroots organization has refrained from calling for his head as an elected official, President Geovanni Brackett is gung ho […]
Port of Belize Limited and the Christian Workers Union have reached significant accord in the framework to negotiating the CBA governing stevedores. That’s good news in a negotiating process which was stagnant for many months. Today CWU President Audrey Matura-Shepherd told News Five that she is surprised and pleased by the gains that have already […]
Where the negotiation with First Caribbean International Bank is concerned the news is not as good. Matura-Shepherd told News Five that the bank continues to operate in bad faith, so there is practically no progress to report. Audrey Matura-Shepherd, President, CWU “With FCIB, there’s not so good news because we feel that the staff […]
In thirty-two days candidates from two mass parties and one new entry will vie for thirty-one seats up for grabs in general elections. One of those candidates believes he is in a special position, though, since he is currently a sitting Mayor. We’re talking about Darrell Bradley, Belize City’s municipal head, who is also an […]
And since he’s so fixated on what happens when he wins, the Mayor didn’t even want to entertain any question about losing. He says that he doesn’t get into any race thinking about losing. Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor “I can’t speak to that.” Mike Rudon “Because of the transition at city hall, […]
News Five also asked Bradley about persistent reports that on the eve of general elections, there is talk in City Hall about floating another municipal bond. He refutes that report, but says that the Council is actually in a position to refloat a portion of the bond at this point – partly because of their […]
Bradley says that while he doesn’t plan to be there after general elections, he would definitely advise whoever is in the Council to look favorably on the bond program. Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor “There are so many needs within the municipality. I think that the infrastructure work has been very successful and I […]
Community outreach are often services provided by social workers and missionaries alike. It isn’t an initiative that is synonymous with policing. Nonetheless, one branch of law enforcement, particularly the Belmopan formation of the Belize Police Department has been making its rounds. On Thursday, a team of officers visited patients at the Western Regional Hospital, as […]
October first was celebrated as international day of older persons under the theme, “Sustainability and Age Inclusiveness in the Urban Environment.” Since the beginning of the week, several activities for older persons were held to honor the growing population in this region. Today, at the Sister Cecilia Home, thirty-eight seenagers were treated to meals served […]
The government of Belize has settled with both Fortis and the Ashcroft Group in the arbitrary nationalizations of B.E.L. and B.T.L. But in this case that is not the end of that. In what to our knowledge is an unprecedented scenario, the Bar Association on Wednesday night passed a resolution to apply to the CCJ […]
Since the beginning of the week, several unions including the Christian Workers Union on behalf of its Social Security Board members, the Belize Energy Workers Union, as well as the faculty and staff of the University of Belize and the staff of the K.H.M.H. have been accelerating demands for salary increases and benefits. As the […]
A full round of negotiations between the CWU-represented stevedores and the Port of Belize Ltd. is scheduled to kick off next week after a protracted delay and hard feelings. The last challenge will lie in the agreement on a framework for CBA negotiation which includes specific issues to be discussed as well as timelines for […]
President of the CWU Audrey Matura will head the negotiating team in discussions of a framework next week. She told News Five that the negotiations have come a long way, and there is hope for very successful discussions leading to a concrete CBA. Audrey Matura-Shepherd, President, Christian Workers Union “I’ve done my best to […]
As we understand, the journey to a successful CBA starts with an expedited agreement to a framework. And compromise on a framework will hinge on various issues including insurance for the workers – something which is very high on the stevedore’s list of priorities, but maybe not quite as high on the Port of Belize’s […]
The four MOUs signed by the CWU of old and the Port of Belize Limited may well turn out to be a significant obstacle on the road to CBA settlement. Both Vasquez and Matura-Shepherd have very different thoughts on the validity of those MOUs which should make the meeting next week very interesting. Arturo […]
