In February thirty-seven Belizeans, members of an expedition led by the Northern Territorial Volunteers, were seized by Guatemalan military in Belizean waters and forced to go to Livingston, Guatemala. They were returning from an expedition to Gracias a Dios, where they had refurbished and placed a plaque on the border monument there. But now pictures […]
Easter holiday is upon us and it means that many of us will be hitting the beach and some of the popular destinations locally and across the border. There’s one group that wants you to go to Caye Caulker this year for the invitational regatta on April fifth and sixth. Sailing Clubs from across the […]
The Court of Appeal delivered a significant judgment ruling in favour of Great Belize Productions/Channel Five, Channel Overseas Investments Limited, Katalyst Developments Limited and Thames Ventures Limited along with several former directors of Belize Telemedia Limited. The appeal by the directors and the companies was over the acquisition and financing of Great Belize Productions, the […]
Day two of the budget debate, for the most part, was as unremarkable as day one. The Opposition side criticized every aspect of the Budget and the government side criticized the Opposition and praised the Budget. This morning’s opening presentation was done by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Attorney-General, Wilfred Elrington. He explained that while […]
Elrington was followed by the Area Representative for Orange Walk South Jose Abelardo Mai, who criticized the budget because he says it offers nothing for the agricultural sector, and no programs to assist the farmers of Belize. According to Mai, the budget is short-sighted and lacks vision, since G.O.B.’s only plan to raise revenue is […]
Following that back and forth Cayo South Area Representative Julius Espat, definitely not a favourite of the Barrow administration, got up to make his presentation on the budget. When the inevitable heckling from the government side died down, Espat gained no favour by claiming that the document disguised as a budget is useless. Julius […]
The debate on the very controversial Petrocaribe Bill, introduced in the House on Thursday, was scheduled to follow the debate on the Budget. But Espat got in some early shots before he was closed down by the Speaker, saying that where Petrocaribe is concerned, the Prime Minister is behaving like an addict. Julius Espat, […]
In related news, the Court today bid farewell to long-standing jurist Justice Dennis Morrison of Jamaica, who served just shy of eleven years on the bench after more than three decades in practice. Justice Morrison in his final address to the court said he had not expected to become a judge but believes the chance […]
Earlier in our newscast, we brought you some of the highlights of a budget debate which was largely uninspiring and lacklustre. Still, the Opposition managed to get in its jabs at the government and at a budget which it called a “Tax, Borrow and Spend” budget. The budget does indeed make reference to increased spending […]
Former P.U.P. Albert Area Representative and current United Democratic Party insider, Mark Espat, may have left the overtly political arena years ago. But there’s no doubt his parting has left open wounds in the P.U.P. Espat’s name came up in different presentations, most pointedly in Julius Espat’s presentation. The current P.U.P. Area Rep took the […]
Today, the Eastern Division of the Belize Police Department held a BLACK March. It’s an initiative to take back the city, which has been consumed by gang warfare in the north and south sides. An estimated thirteen hundred persons participated in the march that started from the Community Policing Offices on Caesar Ridge and ended […]
About two weeks ago we told you about a shooting in Ladyville that sent Kenroy Arnold to the hospital for gunshot wounds to the back and hand. Well, since that shooting two men were arrested and charged for the crime. Thirty year old Alrick Smith and twenty nine year old Ronald Michael were slapped with […]
If there is one place where work is mostly play, it’s in the classroom; a preschool classroom, that is. But it’s not just any kind of play; it’s one that the Quality Assurance and Department Services (QUADS) is harnessing to meet the learning needs of young students. A thousand preschoolers from the city and rural […]
Day one of the Budget Debate was uneventful and, as predicted, bursting at the seams with much political rhetoric and very little substance. We’ll have some of the highlights, such as they were, for you a little later. But first the Petrocaribe Bill – that little piece of new legislation which has sparked such outrage […]
The Prime Minister reserved a special dose of vitriol for Public Accounts Committee Chairman, Julius Espat. Espat on Wednesday said that the Bill, if passed, would in effect allow the Prime Minister to write a one million dollar check to his family. That got the PM’s attention in a hurry, and it was clear he […]
With that out the way, P.U.P. Leader Francis Fonseca got the budget debate started. He lashed out in short order, stating that not only was the 2015-2016 Budget the shortest ever, it is also the emptiest. According to Fonseca who pointed to the rising cost of basic goods, PM Barrow’s budget is actually devoid of […]
Fonseca ended his presentation on a passionate note, claiming that the People’s United Party may be down, but they are not out. Rolling on the Petrocaribe bounty and unprecedented spending, Government has boasted that it will win a historic third term whenever general elections are called. But while Fonseca stops just short of saying “Call […]
Former Prime Minister and Fort George Area Representative Said Musa this morning echoed the words of Party Leader Francis Fonseca, claiming that the budget is all glitter and no substance, a borrow and spend budget. According to Musa, while rhetoric is one thing, the reality on Belize’s streets is that the rich are getting richer; […]
One particular area of interest to Musa is the debt profile of the country. He says that in 2008, the U.D.P. met manageable debt, and in less than ten years they have racked it up to a point where it is unsustainable. Said Musa, Area Representative, Fort George “When the U.D.P. came into office […]
Rice producers have finally spoken on the hot button issue of the importation of rice from Guyana. Since last week, it came to light that in May 2014, more than three million pounds of rice were imported in Belize at sixty nine cents per pound, re-bagged and then retailed at far above the controlled price. […]
We haven’t heard much about NCL’s multimillion dollar tourism development project on Harvest Caye lately, but they have been working on getting the island ready for what they have said would be the end of the year. Well, their activities haven’t gone unnoticed. Pictures surfaced online a few days ago showing rocks on coral colonies. […]
Like with most things political, facts depend on who’s doing the talking. Earlier in the newscast, you heard Fort George Area Rep, Said Musa, say the P.U.P. did well where debt is concerned and that it is the U.D.P. which has taken it to unsustainable levels. But Collet Area Representative, Patrick Faber, got up to […]
We end today’s coverage of the Budget debate with the presentation from member for Orange Walk Central John Briceño, who broke down what he says are severe deficiencies in an empty budget. Briceño took issue with the U.D.P.’s mantra of transforming Belize, saying that in this budget, and by its actions, this government is about […]
The police has been making their media rounds for the past two weeks leading up to this Friday’s BLACK March in Belize City. BLACK, is the acronym for Be Loving And Cease Killing. It is an initiative to bring together the youths from the different areas and the communities to stop the killing and violence […]
There will be changes in command of the police department. News Five has been informed that in early April an announcement will be made by the Commissioner of Police of replacement and transfer of officers at the various police formations across the country. We are told that Superintendent Dennis Arnold, who is currently in command […]
