Two weeks ago, Forestry Minister Lisel Alamilla revealed on national television that G.O.B. sold containers of rosewood to exporters for fifteen thousand dollars. That’s a giveaway, especially since a container of rosewood has a market value of over two hundred thousand dollars. According to Alamilla, she got tired of the back and forth with exporters […]
And while P.M. Barrow says he didn’t know about the rosewood cheap sale, the PM admits to knowing about the Fresh Pond lots giveaway by his deputy and Minister of Natural Resources, Gaspar Vega. The situation got public attention after C.E.O. in the Ministry of Housing Lawrence Sylvester was escorted out of the Natural Resources […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow has gone out of his way to express his fullest confidence in Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. Vega’s name keeps coming up whenever there is controversy, scandal or whiffs of corruption in government. Today Barrow defended Vega again, even though the man who benefitted the most from the almost-giveaway of the […]
On Wednesday, the People’s United Party submitted a motion for inclusion on the order papers for a House Sitting scheduled for next Wednesday. The motion is for a restructuring of the composition of the Public Accounts Committee to include the Senate and take away the majority from either the government or the opposition. Prime Minister […]
Steven Buckley was shot in the head by a Police Inspector on April twenty-eight, 2010, more than three years ago. The shooting was unjustified and Buckley was in the hospital clinging to life for more than a month. Today Buckley is a far different man than he was back then. Because of his injury he […]
And wrapping up his interview which lasted just over an hour, Prime Minister Barrow also spoke at length about litigation in which government is currently involved. The PM commented on litigation with the Belize Bank over Universal Healthcare Partners. Barrow says that in that particular case, he is inclined to settle. Prime Minister Dean […]
The sixteen annual national Belize Police Youth Cadet Camp is being held at the Edward P. Yorke Compound on Princess Margaret Drive. Since the twenty-seventh of July, some two hundred and thirty young cadets from across the country—both boys and girls between the ages of eight and seventeen years old—have been hosted at the one […]
The government newspaper reports today that Prime Minister Dean Barrow has confirmed that Minister Erwin Contreras will be signing a memorandum of understanding with Norwegian Cruise Lines on behalf of the government. While the specific date for the signature has not been announced, it is only a matter of days before that takes place. Late […]
The Harvest Caye project has come under heavy opposition by environmental groups because it is believed that NCL is getting the better of the deal. There is no word as to how the seven U.S. dollar head tax will be divided, since the draft proposal calls for four U.S. dollars to be given back to […]
Today the remains of what is believed to be the body of Orange Walk taxi-man Hugo Moreno were laid to rest by his grieving family and friends. The forty-two year old taxi-man was reported missing on Monday after he failed to come home Sunday night. On Tuesday afternoon his car was found burned about a […]
There’s a peaceful demonstration planned for Orange Walk this weekend and it’s all about the gender policy. If you first reaction is – pro-constitution march AGAIN you would be wrong. This time it’s just the opposite. A group calling itself TikkunOlam Belize is organizing an event for Saturday which supports the gender policy as it […]
Forty-eight persons from the public and private sector attended the third part in a business fraud seminar at the Biltmore Hotel today. The organizers say that accountability and honesty in keeping businesses legitimate are important to the development of the private sector. Fraud can severely stress the financial stability of a business and can even […]
The Maya Leaders Alliance has issued its first statement on the customary land rights case, since the Court of Appeal handed down a split decision in the matter last Thursday. The statement succeeds a meeting held with village leaders from all thirty-eight Maya communities in the south. The ruling was delivered by President Manuel Sosa […]
While the membership of the Maya Leaders Alliance was not represented in court on Monday, former chairman Ligorio Coy led a contingent of past Alcaldes from Dolores, Otoxha, Santa Ana and Crique Sarco to Belize City. That group has since defected from the MLA and is now seeking the removal of their names from a […]
There are reports reaching our newsroom tonight that missing siblings Fanny and Jairo Romero have been located in Copan, Honduras and will soon be reunited with their family. The children, who live with their mother in Cowpen in southern Belize, were reported missing on July twentieth. They were last seen in the company of their […]
On Tuesday’s newscast, News Five showed you the brand spanking new transfer facility which makes the old garbage dump look like…well, garbage. These transfer stations have been constructed in San Ignacio and Belize City. And as the name implies, the garbage dropped off at the transfer stations will be transferred to another new and very […]
Progress brings problems is as clichéd as it is true, and Belize City residents have been pushed up close to that truth with the ongoing works on streets. But while inconvenience and congestion are problems, they are short term problems. Parking, or lack of access to parking, isn’t so short term and isn’t so easily […]
On April twenty-eighth, 2010, Stephen Buckley was shot twice to the head by the police; he was left paralyzed to the left side of his body and unfit for work. In a public statement, then Commissioner of Police, Crispin Jeffries promised that assistance from the department would be provided to Buckley. It’s been three years […]
Two of the three escaped prisoners are back behind bars at the Belize Central Prison. Around two-thirty this afternoon near mile twenty-eight on the George Price Highway, all three men were seen by a motorist who reported the sighting to the police. Quick response led to the capture of Guatemalan national Hector Nectali Garcia but […]
Following reports of labour infractions including unfair terminations at the privately managed Belize Central Prison, a report was commissioned by Minister of Labour Godwin Hulse. The man chosen to investigate the allegations was Labour Commissioner Ivan Williams, and his report is finally concluded. Today Hulse confirmed that he has received the report, and he told […]
In early June, Belizean, Carlos Murga, was detained by Cuban authorities after he flew into Jose Marti Airport carrying Chinese passports with Belizean visas. It was suspected at the time that Murga was part of a ring which provided illegal immigration and courier services for Chinese nationals intending to come to Belize before moving on […]
An Indian national who arrived in the country on Monday via Taca at the Philip Goldson International Airport was detained soon after he set foot in the Jewel. Instead of experiencing the natural beauty of Belize, twenty-two year old Lovepreet Singh Dhaliwal was held overnight and this morning he was arraigned for attempting to use […]
A Canadian company is currently recruiting Belizean students to study in Canada. Actyl first gained attention last November when its representatives came to Belize looking for persons to work in Canada. The company is attracted to Belize, because of language skills and the level of education. Today, News Five’s Isani Cayetano was at Actyl’s office […]
Blind since birth, fourteen year old Rowan Garel has taken on another grueling and if not the most daring challenge, that many others who are sightly wouldn’t dare. He has climbed Victoria Peak, Walked Across Belize and over the past weekend, Rowan took on a Dive into the Blue Hole. Family, friends and a host […]
Woodrow West and Ian Gaynair notified CONCACAF about the match fixer who was offering them thousands of dollars to lose the game at a specified score. CONCACAF recognized the players’ “bravery and commitment to preserving the integrity of our game.” Following Belize’s participation in the tournament, they were invited to Chicago to watch the finals […]
