The U.D.P. lost eight of its seats and at times during the night it appeared that the P.U.P. might have won. The PM admitted it was a close call and he even considered what he would say to the media if the tide had turned. But what caused the loss in of so many U.D.P. […]
He hasn’t formed a new Cabinet and we will not know which of the seventeen representatives will get a portfolio. He did announce that not all of the elected members of the U.D.P. government will sit in Cabinet. Four others will be brought through the senate, which means that the new Cabinet will be fifteen […]
The United Democratic Party was returned to government with a significantly reduced margin. Of the twenty-five seats held by the U.D.P., it lost seven. The pendulum swept completely in the south and the opposition also gained ground in the north and west, giving it a stronger voice in parliament. We’ll look at those details later […]
There were over a hundred campaign promises made by both the P.U.P. and the U.D.P. And now that Barrow is in for his second term, he intends to fulfill a promise that he says wasn’t on the manifesto. He wants to explore the possibility of a national oil refinery. Barrow also intends to seek write-offs […]
The prime minister announced at a press conference that he will take the oath on Friday for his new term in government, but the People’s United Party says it’s not conceding the elections. According to P.U.P. leader, Francis Fonseca, the elections were neither free nor fair and that the electoral process was tainted with irregularities. […]
The P.U.P. is filing three challenges, which Fonseca says might overturn the results. Two petitions are on the razor thin results in the Cayo District and the other relates to Lake Independence where Yolanda Schakron’s nomination was rejected by registering officer, Noreen Fairweather. The director of communications cited allegations of irregularities and abuse. Lisa Shoman, […]
The Electoral Observation Mission coordinated by the Organization of American States has concluded its report on the March seventh dual elections. The team of twenty-two men and women, representing thirteen OAS member states, arrived in the country last Thursday at the request of the government to scrutinize the General and Municipal Elections. Members were deployed […]
While observers noted that there aren’t any laws governing political financing, they also took notice that the rule defining the hundred yard boundary between supporters and the polling stations was not being respected. In all instances there were dozens of campaigners gathered near the entrance to the various polling stations where they heckled their opponents […]
The comments made by the OAS Observer team were not out of the ordinary. The OAS observer mission was well received and felt the experience showed a working democracy. The PM, however, says that some of the suggestions are impractical and that elections are free and fair… but not perfect. Dean Barrow “They want to […]
Wednesday’s dual elections will be the culmination of weeks and in some cases months of vigorous door to door campaigning. While electioneering will not be allowed on the day the U.D.P. and the P.U.P. are tonight busy making last-minute preparations in order to mobilize their supporters to come out to vote. It is expected that […]
In the blue corner, the P.U.P. has been persistently covering ground in all reaches of the country since the date for General Elections was set for March seventh. Despite recent poll results which indicate that the P.U.P. will be returned to office, the party isn’t taking any chances. According to Chairman Henry Charles Usher, the […]
In the last minute pitch to electors, Leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca appeared this morning on Open Your Eyes. Fonseca touched on a wide range of issues and we asked him about relations with Lord Michael Ashcroft. The U.D.P., in one of its latest political ads, claims that Ashcroft has stepped in at the […]
Those legal problems Fonseca is referring to, includes the lawsuits that resulted from the takeover of Belize Telemedia Limited and Belize Electricity. So we asked for his take on the nationalizations and if elected, would he reverse them? Francis Fonseca “On nationalization, I’ve made it absolutely clear and I’m very happy to make it clear […]
And with just a matter of hours before the polls open, we also asked Fonseca what Belizeans can expect going forward under his leadership, if the People’s United Party is to clinch the elections. Francis Fonseca “I think we can expect a government that is moving with a sense of urgency. I want people to […]
Now, it would be safe to say that the municipal elections have been eclipsed by the general elections and independent candidates have had insignificant political advertising. Independent mayoral candidate Stephen Okeke was still working the streets of downtown Belize City at midday this afternoon where he was distributing copies of his manifesto. Okeke is a […]
At City Hall, it was Mayor Zenaida Moya’s last day and this afternoon mayoral hopeful Darrel Bradley told News Five that all systems are a go with his U.D.P. City Council team. After several weeks on the campaign trail Bradley says the reception from the electorate has been very warm. Darrel Bradley, Mayoral Candidate, U.D.P. […]
Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales, or Prince Harry as he is commonly known, is now in Jamaica, the third stop in his first solo tour representing the Royal family. His journey started on Friday, with a whirlwind visit to Belize for a packed itinerary. He was only here for twenty-three hours, but it […]
They say every vote counts. Well, the opposition has picked up an endorsement from a group of artists from Dangriga. Nineteen musicians from the culture capital have signed off support to the P.U.P. According to their release they “consider the P.U.P. to be best party to advance the agenda to develop the music industry.” Says […]
Caren Robinson had been in the first set of persons to move to Fresh Pond, a small community on the Boom Road. But she was struggling financially, and did not feel it was safe to leave her young daughter alone in an area with few people while she was working. So she decided to move […]
When elections draw near, politicians are always eager to be in front of the cameras. News Five has had its share of calls about the generosity of politicians who wish to have their small acts of goodness televised for the evening news. Those politicians are also very keen to speak about the injustices that occur […]
Moses Sulph, the former president of Citizens Organized for Liberty Through Action, has been a vocal force advocating for meaningful social and political reform to improve the lives of Belizeans. Sulph has been on the forefront of numerous protests, spanning the tenure of both major political parties over the past nine years. Most recently he […]
Prince Harry is now the Prince of the Jewel. In his twenty-three hour visit, he won the hearts of many. The Prince arrived on Friday on his first official visit as grandson of the queen. In that relatively short time, he wooed Belizeans as he mingled in the capital with the crowd that waited to […]
On Saturday morning, Prince Harry, the third in line to the British throne, headed to the Adjacency Zone near the Belize/Guatemala border. After an explanation on the work of the OAS, he was treated to a cultural presentation by both Belizean and Guatemalan primary school students. The Prince’s next stop was Xunantunich. Here’s News Five’s […]
The Belize Police Department has had a rocky relationship with at risk youths in certain areas, particularly in the city. But that may soon change, with the help of a partnership between Restore Belize and two US organizations; Partners for Democratic Change and the North American Family Institute. Together they are implementing a program that […]
Prince Harry touched down at the Philip Goldson Airport in a private aircraft a few minutes earlier than anticipated this afternoon. It is first solo trip and his first official visit to mark the Queen’s sixtieth year of reign. Other members of the royal family are similarly being deployed to countries in the Commonwealth where […]
