The interest and outcry in the immigration scandals of passports and visas have been constant. And that’s why Minister of Immigration Godwin Hulse remains a person of interest whenever he and the media happen to be in the same room. Today was certainly no exception. The pressing questions continue to revolve around the internal investigations […]
The case against the three officers in the Passport Section seems clear, at least from the Minister’s perspective. Those three officers – Sharon Neal, Omar Phillips and Erwin Robinson, have been on suspension since late September. As we told you, the investigation into the Nationality Section was concluded on October fourth. That investigation outlined the […]
The Services Commission hearing for Sharon Neal, Erwin Robinson and Omar Phillips is set for Tuesday. There were reports that Minister of Immigration Godwin Hulse would be attending the hearing, but apparently he will not be able to do so. Today, Hulse told us that his presence there has been perceived as too intimidating. But […]
Both political parties are holding conventions even though elections are not due until 2017. In Cayo Central, the convention is set for April twenty-seventh, so that campaigns among the contenders are in the full swing. Collet Montejo ran for the People’s United Party in the last general elections in the constituency; he is currently a […]
Disgraced former Minister of State Elvin Penner might be a political pariah in public, and indeed on camera he has been declared persona non grata by his boss Dean Barrow. But while there is every move to give the perception that Penner is down, he is most certainly not out. In fact, Penner is still […]
Today is February seventeenth, the last of seven days given to Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie by the Opposition to commence a criminal investigation against former Minister of State Elvin Penner. Well it didn’t happen and News Five has tried repeatedly to get comment from ComPol Whylie. Last Monday, he told us that he had […]
The Integrity Commission is in trouble after two government appointees stepped down. They did so because under new legislation passed because of the Financial Action Task Force, they would come under scrutiny as Politically Exposed Persons. According to PM Barrow that has caused no end of problems. And speaking about problems, Belize Airports Authority checks […]
The 2014 sugar crop was delayed for two months this year due to issues over the payment of bagasse between the Belize Sugar cane Farmers Association and the Belize Sugar Industries. The mills at Tower hill finally got cranking on the twenty-fourth of January and today the first shipment of sugar was loaded on to […]
Tour operator Yhony Rosado, an outspoken member of the Federation of Cruise Tourism Association of Belize, is in the news tonight again, following an arraignment in the Magistrate’s Court on Friday on a charge of disorderly conduct. The incident purportedly transpired on Boxing Day 2013, when it is alleged that Rosado was involved in a […]
On Thursday when the Christian Workers Union gave its update on the conclusion of negotiations with City Hall and the Labour Commissioner, it was mostly positive. Most of the workers were transitioning into employment with the new security firm, Ranger Security. The rest had gotten pretty significant compassionate packages to provide a cushion during the […]
When we got to City Hall this evening, most of the workers had rushed off. We understand they all got their checks too late to take to the bank, so they had headed off to pawn shops to cash them. We also understand that most of them had been given checks which were short of […]
On Wednesday, we told you about Global Fantasies, an online site advertising Belize as a sex paradise. The website features fifteen worldwide destinations where the images of well-known Belizean women are prominently displayed as escorts. It says quote, “it offers Belize Fantasy Adult Sex Vacations” at exotic locations. The idea is that for a premium […]
Love is in the air….February fourteen is celebrated every year as the day of love, Valentine’s Day. Throughout the day, florists had a long list of orders and jewelry stores were packed with persons doing last minute shopping to show their love and appreciation. In the downtown area there was a wave of red as […]
Ras Dara’s feeding program has gotten assistance from a number of corporate sponsors since opening his kitchen to needy children across Belize City over the years. On Sunday, the well-known philanthropist held a fundraising activity to collect money and other donations in the form of nonperishable goods to provide for the students. Today, however, another […]
Valley of Peace resident, Martita Requeña, has lost two of her sons in less than a month, both of them murdered. The two brothers, Marlon Flores and Raul Balona, were allegedly being sought by Police, since they were considered suspects in the murder of Canadian missionary Brian Townsend, killed at Christmas time. The violent murders […]
The family is running scared and, obviously afraid to go to the Police Department, have turned to the Ombudsman for help. When they first went to the office in Belize City, Marlon Flores had just been killed but Raul Balona was still alive. Now both brothers are dead, and the family feels they need the […]
A jury deliberated for about five hours and when the panel emerged just before nine o’clock on Wednesday night, they found that the suspect in the murder of the popular basketball player and teacher, Audrey Lopez, was not guilty. In the two-week trial, fourteen witnesses were called to the stand, but the main witness claimed […]
After weeks of tension between Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley and Christian Workers Union President Audrey Matura-Shepherd, an agreement has been reached on behalf of security officers deemed redundant. The negotiations were concluded today after an extended session at the office of the Labour Commissioner. By all indications, it is good news for the CWU […]
The CWU will be meeting with Hiram Longsworth of Ranger Security on Friday to discuss terms and conditions under which they will be employed. They will be looking at overtime, work schedules and other employment conditions. One of the major sticking points in the negotiations, and what seemed like a sure deal-breaker at one point, […]
Today, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmer Association and Belize Sugar Industries met in Orange Walk Town for the first round of intensive discussions on the new sugar-cane purchasing agreement, of which the most pressing is the quantum of payment for bagasse. It was not expected that all negotiations would be concluded today, and it wasn’t. […]
Earlier we showed you the grief-stricken family of two murdered men. They have sought assistance and protection from the Office of the Ombudsman because they feel threatened. That’s bad enough, but it gets worse. The family feels that because of the circumstances of the murder of Canadian Brian Townsend, they are now being forced out […]
Just at about this time at the Mexican Institute in Belize City, Harpist Ada Tzab from Merida is presenting a solo recital. The twenty-three year old musician has been studying at the Advance School of Arts in the Yucatan Peninsula where some Belizean students are currently enrolled. Tzab has been invited to Belize by the […]
A huge concert to mark the official opening of the B.T.L. Park is set for Valentine’s Day, this Friday. City Hall is planning a grand opening that will see a long list of local artists taking center stage starting at seven p.m. Preparations are near completion and today, the headliner for the show, Jamaican Reggae […]
It is no secret that Belize is a popular tourist destination among cruise and overnight visitors wanting to get away from the frigid winters of North America and Europe, to enjoy their honeymoon or simply discover the many wonders of this beautiful country. But tonight, the Jewel is being marketed as a premium erotic destination […]
On January nineteenth, nineteen year old Marlon Balona was found murdered in the community of La Gracia, and on Tuesday his brother, twenty-one year old Raulito, was shot to death in Arenal. The brothers were suspects in the murder of Canadian missionary Brian Townsend in Valley of Peace at Christmas. Now both are dead, and […]
