Prime Minister Dean Barrow, as Minister of Finance, is being taken to court over what the Opposition says is the unlawful borrowing of two hundred and twenty-eight million dollars of Petrocaribe funds, and the use of an undisclosed portion of that total. The claimant is PAC Chairman Julius Espat and the suit was filed on […]
Government has presented a loan motion in the House under the Finance and Audit Act which states that they can give approval for a loan if it’s from a financial institution. But Espat argues that Alba Petrocaribe is not a financial institution, so G.O.B. needs to wheel and come again. Every aspect of the Petrocaribe […]
Turning to a related issue…oil. It is no secret that on the world market, the price of oil has gone down considerably. But consumers in Belize are yet to feel a relief as prices for fuel remain upwards. Since fuel drives everything, it means that there is less to spend on other things. So what […]
On May ninth, the Caribbean Court of Justice handed down a decision on behalf of gay activist Maurice Tomlinson, allowing for special leave to challenge the immigration laws of Belize and Trinidad and Tobago. The CCJ ruling succeeded legal proceedings commenced in July 2013 in which Tomlinson claims that the present laws are injurious towards […]
Danny Cononquie was executed at the Caracol Archaeological Site on September twenty-fourth. His murder sparked national outrage because it is believed that he was killed by Guatemalan encroachers; and then a memo from Assistant Superintendent of Police Diane Hall, written in January, had foretold that security was anaemic at best and that the lives of […]
The Caracol Archeological Site reopened on Monday, and for the tour guides and tourists who visited, it was business as usual. The tour guides have not told their guests about the murder of Special Constable Danny Conorquie. They say it’s not part of their spiel. But that doesn’t mean that Conorquie has been forgotten. On […]
Twenty-eight year old Yanie Cu was badly injured when a vehicle being driven by Deputy Commissioner of Police Miguel Segura slammed into his taxi on August sixteenth. Today, he cannot walk, his hip is crushed and his arm is held together by metal pins. His family is forced to beg for financial assistance to care […]
Millions upon millions of dollars are being spent on infrastructure works in the city. One such project is ongoing at Chetumal Street where a bridge is under construction and nearing completion. The Chetumal Street Bridge will flow to Independence Boulevard and connect to the George Price at Fabers Road Extension. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports. […]
James Bus Line has been providing public transportation services to the country for the past thirty-three years. But tonight, the southern bus company is going high-tech. Commuters on the express line can now enjoy internet service free of charge, at least for now. The wi-fi services will be available to passengers when they travel from […]
On August sixteenth, Benque resident Yanie Cu was driving Yolanda Valencia to the market in San Ignacio when they collided into a vehicle driven by Deputy Commission of Police Miguel Segura. Valencia, a market vendor, died on the spot, and Cu was badly injured. Segura was not hurt. He later tested above the approved limit […]
Yanie Cu left a bill of eleven thousand quetzales in Guatemalan and he will need to return there for therapy and more treatment. So far, with a complete lack of official assistance, the family has relied on the largesse of the immediate community, and the constant support of caregivers and community activist Nancy Marin. It […]
The political jousting between Dangriga Mayor Gilbert Swaso and Junior Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Santiago Castillo, during the opening of the Dangriga market on Thursday was a fiery spat. Names were called and allegations were made. Among them is former Prime Minister, Said Musa. He stands accused of signing a contract for Guatemalan […]
While we were with the former prime minister, we also broached the issue of the two hundred and twenty-eight million dollar PetroCaribe loan. The Opposition is challenging the management of the PetroCaribe funds by the Barrow administration. While the prime minister has gone on record on various occasions to talk about the seemingly unending supply […]
The appointment of a thirteenth senator to represent the N.G.O. community remains an unfulfilled promise. Former Executive Director of SATIIM, Greg Ch’oc, was selected by the N.G.O.s, but his appointment was shelved despite the passage of a law allowing for a thirteenth senator. Earlier this month, the social partners in the senator wrote Prime Minister […]
On Thursday, the Steadfast Masonic Lodge in Belize turned fifty-one years old. While many describe the lodge as a secret and mysterious society, numerous high profile personalities are members. The organization has been in Belize since 1963 and remains active in the area surrounding the Mayflower Community where its building currently sits. Two members from […]
Tonight, there are unconfirmed reports of a confrontation between a Police Patrol and Guatemalan nationals in the community of Calla Creek in western Belize. That altercation allegedly occurred when Police attempted to retrieve the body of a man they believe to be missing Guatemalan Rudy Leonel Salazar. On Sunday Police were called to the area […]
The area known as Rivera in Belmopan is one of the best creek-side recreation spots in the community – a perfect spot for swimming, hanging out, barbecues or just quality time with friends and family. But it’s also the perfect spot for breaking into vehicles while their owners are making use of the beautiful, tranquil […]
It took two and half years to complete, but the Dangriga market was finally officially opened for business this morning. The project has a price tag of one point eight million dollars, more than what it was projected to cost. And as we said earlier, the stench of corruption wafted through the project causing considerable […]
Last Friday, U.S. Department of State’s Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that they are disappointed in Belize’s decision to turn down a request to have a lab technician and her husband airlifted from the Phillip Goldson International Airport to the United States. An appeal was made on Thursday for the woman, an […]
Following the Ebola scare last week, several measures were put in place before passengers of cruise ships are disembarked to come on land. The new protocols such as screening of passports are causing huge delays for cruise ships passengers who spend an average of eight hours in Belize. On some days, up to four ships […]
Under the Petrocaribe initiative, the government has gotten access to hundreds of millions of dollars from Venezuela – two hundred and twenty-eight million to be exact. That very concessionary loan from Venezuela, just like a grant to government back in 2007, wasn’t taken before the House of Representatives. In this instance, however, there has been […]
But with all that said…is there anything that can be done? According to Espat there are two options, and the National Executive of the P.U.P. has given the go ahead to explore one of them. Julius Espat, Deputy Leader, P.U.P. “There are two options that are really available to the people of Belize – […]
With the news that the health worker aboard the Carnival Magic had tested negative for Ebola, the threat to Belize was gone. But it was a wake-up call, sent home to G.O.B. by a public driven to the edge of panic last Thursday. All relevant authorities have been spurred into action, with focus on the […]
As you heard earlier in the newscast, the Leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca he supports the decision taken by the prime minister not to allow a cruise ship passenger to disembark the Carnival Magic. This morning, when we caught up with Minister of Tourism, Manuel Heredia Junior, we asked if the government’s decision would […]
Remember Norwegian Cruise Line and their mega-tourism project on Harvest Caye. Well, the last time we heard, the government sub-committee that was set up to deal with the project had given the green light for the development to proceed. Well, the NCL project is back in the news tonight. As far as we were able […]
