Down south, Punta Gorda police are investigating the bizarre death of an infant in the remote village of Jalacte, a Mayan community adjacent to the Belize/Guatemala border in the Toledo District. On Saturday afternoon around two-thirty, Rolando Sho encountered the grotesque sight of a dog dragging the lifeless body of a newborn in a nearby […]
We told you earlier that the reacquisition of Telemedia on Monday would trigger more litigation. Well true to form, according to the Belize Telemedia Employees Trust, it will continue to fight for ownership of the company. In a release today, the Trust, which has twenty-three percent of the issued share capital in B.T.L., said that […]
On Monday Senator Godwin Hulse abstained from voting on the B.T.L. acquisition because the new legislation had been provided just prior to the meeting. As recent as June twentieth, the government nationalized B.E.L. and again there were complaints of last minute availability of the paper work or legislation to be decided upon by the House […]
The debate on the acquisition of Telemedia is still raging. One of the most stated arguments deals with the rule of law. Did government disregard the rule of law when it took back control of the company after the ruling of the Court of Appeal that declared the acquisition null and void? This morning, we […]
Government has already indicated that it will appeal the court ruling to the Caribbean Court of Justice. Shoman questions what’s the point of the appeal? Lisa Shoman, Senator/Attorney “If di first time yoh tek it yoh neva tek it fi wha good reason, how you wah come long and she I wah change di reason […]
The Prime Minister went at lengths to explain that the bill would fix defects in the 2009 acquisition law. The Court of Appeal found that government did not provide evidence to prove the acquisition for public purpose and in the renationalization the PM is gambling that he can now make the acquisition hold together. The […]
The new legislation does not yet have wide circulation. News Five spoke via phone to Godfrey Smith, attorney for Dean Boyce, who represents the Trusts that had majority shares in Telemedia. Although he only had opportunity for a cursory glance at the bill, Smith believes that there will be further litigation. Via Phone: Godfrey Smith, […]
Now back to today’s House sitting. Marcel Cardona, the area representative for Orange Walk East, made a second appearance since he was dumped by the U.D.P. There was little debate in the House, but Cardona, now unaffiliated, was not quiet with his view on the re-nationalization. Call it unbridled emotion or whatever you like; Cardona […]
While Cardona abstained from the vote, there are results to a snap poll conducted over the past weekend by a British firm. A total of one hundred and fifty persons—eighty males and seventy females—participated in the survey and responded to nine statements ranging from the social state of the country to the nationalization of the […]
The following wasn’t a topic at today’s special sitting of the house, but it was worth some discussion with the Prime Minister. The tinting law was scheduled to come into effect on June first, but the Prime Minister indicated that there would be a one month extension, which should have afforded motorists sufficient time either […]
QUADS and the U.S Peace Corps are hosting a workshop on teaching Health and Family Life Education (HFLE). The workshop, which is being done in two phases, is seeking to train upper division teachers on health and life skills. According to the Peace Corps Programming & Specialist Trainers, the aim is to train some six […]
With less than two weeks into the summer holiday, a number of students are signing up for summer camps. The annual YWCA Summer Camp started today and there are spaces still available. Lisa Coleman of the YWCA says students have a wide number of activities to choose from. Lisa Coleman, Business Administrator, YWCA “Well every […]
This coming Monday, the government will be going back to the House with legislation to renationalize Belize Telemedia. That legislation has not been seen by most members of the National Assembly but will be introduced, fiercely debated, passed and then signed off on – all in a matter of hours. The speed at which it […]
As we come to the close of the work week, there is a sense of uncertainty and insecurity that prevails in many sectors on the quick “fix” to legislation for the government’s reacquisition of Telemedia. In so doing, many legal minds say that the government is usurping the rule of law and that’s a dangerous […]
Belize Electricity Limited was acquired by the government last Monday when the government declared it wanted to prevent blackouts since the company was bankrupt and unable to meet payments to suppliers. At the time, the Prime Minister singled out BELCOGEN saying that one of the “tipping points” for B.E.L.’s acquisition was because a debt to […]
Not only are there summer camps, but there are summer competitions for youths. The Belize Audio Video Industry Association (BAVIA) in partnership with the Belize International Film Festival and SMART have joined forces and designed a video competition for high school students. This morning participants in the SHOW ME video program began the first day […]
Less than a month ago Mega-Bingo paid out the highest jackpot ever to be won in Belize. Well, tonight there is another progressive jack pot winner who hit the grand prize of one hundred fourteen thousand and forty six dollars. The lucky winner, who bought his ticket from the Mega-Bingo office, tells us how he […]
It’s lobster season and while having one of the delectable crustaceans on your plate may be all you need to keep your belly full, the proper management of fishing grounds and fisheries is what really keeps all marine life available for local consumption and for export. With growing demands for seafood, the once open licensing […]
A group of taekwondo students are heading to Mexico City for the Copa Del Mundo de Taekwondo this weekend. The group is a mix of children, from as young as five years old to over twenty. They’ve practiced their skills and expectations are high as they take on their counterparts from Mexico. News Five’s Jose […]
How much do you know about geospatial technology like GIS and GPS? Well, you can test your knowledge with some young students who participated in the second annual Kids GIS Camp. While the technology is widely used around the world and to a lesser extent in Belize, a few kids got the opportunity to take […]
The dust has not settled at Belize Telemedia Limited. There are two boards, two C.E.O.s, and two Chairmen since last week’s ruling by the Court of Appeal that has triggered even more legal challenges for the government. The Prime Minister is now going to the House and Senate on Monday to re-nationalize the company. But […]
As the legal battles mount, earlier today a communiqué was sent out from the National Assembly notifying of the special sitting of the House and Senate this coming Monday in Belmopan regarding the re-nationalization of Telemedia. From what we gather parliamentarians have received the notice of the sittings to consider the Bill for an act […]
The law banning certain grades of tint on vehicles comes into effect at midnight tonight. So if you have fifty percent tint on the windshield and front windows and twenty-five percent on the rare windows, you are fine. If you have below twenty percent, however, you are bound to be in trouble with the law. […]
The weak economy has been wreaking havoc among businesses across the country. Belize Healthcare Partners Limited, we are told, is experiencing cash flow problems and this month a number of persons were sent home as part of a restructuring to cut back costs. The latest group of at least six employees was sent home today, […]
There are spaces available for an exciting creative arts summer program so if you want to bring out your children’s hidden talents, you need to head out to the Bliss Centre. Registration is ongoing for the Summer Arts Institute 201, which will be teaching children ages seven and older how to dance, paint, sing and […]
