According to Figueroa, the bottom line is that there is a critical need for a new hospital in the Capital since the current hospital is the regional facility for the west. On the Phone: Dr. Ramon Figueroa, Director of Health Services “We have just had an evaluation done by the Pan American Health Organization […]
The Senate met this morning in Belmopan following the House meeting on Wednesday which was primarily convened for passage of the Electricity Acquisition Settlement Bill. The House approved seventy million dollars to be paid to Fortis as compensation for B.E.L. The deal, which also includes thirty three point three percent of shares for Fortis, will […]
Are residents of the Caribbean Shores paying significantly more in property taxes than others elsewhere in Belize City? It’s an assertion that Mayor Bradley’s political opponent, Kareem Musa, has made and which he describes as an unfair assessment. But the mayor says that properties on the north side, particularly in that constituency, are seemingly larger […]
This past Wednesday, all eyes were on the Fortis settlement, but there were other significant matters which passed through the House. One was a motion for approval for a Caribbean Development Bank loan for the purpose of education infrastructure. According to Minister of Education Patrick Faber, at least thirty-five schools that will benefit – twenty-two […]
Faber took some time to list all the areas which will benefit from the construction of pre-schools, primary schools and secondary schools…stretched out all across the country in answer to a growing demand for classrooms to house students. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education “Preschools will be established in twenty-two areas as I have explained…Valley […]
For years now, the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute, through the Belize Manatee Conservation Program, has been creating awareness on the death of manatees caused by boaters in no wake zones and other specific areas that the mammals frequent. In 2014, a total of thirty-four Antillean manatees, which has its highest population in Belize, […]
The workshop, organized by the Belize Tourism Board, is a certification course for the tour guides and boat captains. There is a need for this says, Galvez, because stakeholders in the tourism industry, as well as fishermen, are sometimes negligent in no wake zones and other areas. But there are hefty fines that can be […]
A resource center on Kelly Street, which is on the fringes of Caribbean Shores in Belize City, opened today for the third time. The center initially opened when Carlos Perdomo was representative for Caribbean Shores years ago. It closed and reopened under Santiago Castillo Junior, but was short-lived. Mayor Darrell Bradley, the aspiring candidate for […]
Mas Camps for the Carnival Road March 2015 concluded with a bang on Thursday night in Belize City. The remaining bands were visited by three of five international judges, who will determine the champ for the junior and senior divisions on September twelfth. But the winners will be announced on the thirteenth following the road […]
But the mas camps were not without incidents. On Wednesday night there were several violent fights and threats made between rivaling gangs in proximity of one particular camp. The GSU got involved and warning shots were fired in the air. The music was turned off and orders were given to members of the camp and […]
Exactly two years ago, on September second 2013, the National Bank of Belize opened its doors for the first time in Belmopan. The mandate was clear cut – the provision of mortgage financing…primarily to public officers, but also to low and middle income Belizeans. Today, the Bank celebrated its second anniversary with the opening of […]
The region’s focus is on Guatemala, and on elections there set for September sixth. But a little closer to home, there is much speculation about our own general elections. The Opposition People’s United Party has been floundering, while the ruling U.D.P. Government has been hitting the Petrocaribe piñata with regularity. So all told, political pundits […]
COLA is stepping up its aggressive campaign called Protect Belize, Build the Base Now. As its slogan proclaims, the organization wants the government to proceed with the construction of a forwarding operating base in southern waters where there has been confrontation between the Guatemalan military and the B.D.F. Buoyed with new support and financing, this […]
While COLA continues to implement what shows promise of being a very muscular campaign, the group, headed by President Geovanni Brackett, has gotten the attention of the Prime Minister. His attention…and even some back-handed encouragement as it turns out, but that’s not the same thing as saying that G.O.B. has been swayed. Prime Minister […]
COLA’s campaign has been focused on the Sarstoon and the need for a military presence at that location. It is a cry that has resonated, especially after footage last week was released which shows a Guatemalan vessel speeding behind a B.D.F. vessel out the Sarstoon. The PM today reiterated the claim that those B.D.F./G.A.F. encounters […]
The officer assigned to the PM’s wife as her personal security was arrested and charged for murder on Tuesday. The fact that police believe one of their own cold-bloodedly murdered another man is bad enough. The fact that Ryon Wagner is one of only three men entrusted with the care of the Prime Minister’s family […]
With general elections looming…less than six months away according to the Prime Minister, one of the Opposition’s main criticisms looks to be centred on Petrocaribe – or more accurately the Petrocaribe debt which is mounting daily. Still, while that is the focus of the Opposition, it doesn’t even appear to be on the Prime Minister’s […]
Day two of mas camps took place on Wednesday night with four bands showing off their costumes and revelry. The more experienced bands came out in full strength with spectacular costumes as they converged at specific locations across the city. But what does it take to win the road march on Saturday September twelfth? Duane […]
A trio of Belize City fishermen remains lost at sea tonight after being reported missing by friends and family over the weekend. What should have been a routine one-day trip to Turneffe Island almost a week ago has become a nightmare for the Usher family whose loved one, along with two others, have disappeared at […]
When the Belize Territorial Volunteers led a mission to Sarstoon Island on August sixteenth, at least one vessel carrying members of the organization came into direct contact with the Guatemalan navy along the winding tributary. While footage of a brief verbal exchange was later broadcasted by the local media, leading the charge on the other […]
A smaller BTV contingent returned to Sarstoon Island this past Tuesday, where footage of what appeared to be a high-speed chase led by the Belize Defense Force was captured by the local media. On their tail was a Guatemalan vessel in hot pursuit. That video has raised numerous questions from the public as to whether […]
So, is the BTV squandering precious resources in trekking to the Sarstoon River weekly in an attempt to shadow the B.D.F. substitution at Cadenas? On Tuesday morning, Wil Maheia, along with Yaya Marin Coleman and COLA’s liaison officer Harley Burn, headed out early in hopes of witnessing the change-over. Despite a timely arrival, the mission […]
At the launch of a spirited anti-Guatemala campaign last Thursday, COLA’s executive member Rufus X, a contractor by profession, issued an open challenge to the B.D.F. to have him build a forward operating base at Sarstoon Island. X’s offer succeeds previous comments made by Commander Jones that not only is the island inhospitable but it […]
Late this evening News Five received confirmation of very significant news which happened completely under wraps. The Ramada Belize City Princess has changed management, effective today. We are told that the Princess, which recently associated itself with the popular Wyndham Ramada brand, is now being completely leased by an Asian company known as Gray Enterprises […]
On Monday Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced a settlement with Fortis on the arbitrary 2011 acquisition of that company’s shares in B.E.L. G.O.B. will be paying seventy million dollars to the Canadian company which will also get back thirty-three point three percent of shares in the company. At the time of acquisition, it owned seventy […]
