The legal profession and judiciary were out in full regalia this morning for the traditional opening of the Supreme Court. With a new Chief Justice firmly on the bench, there was a different and much softer tone to the speeches this year. While it signals that relationships are on the mend, both bar and bench […]
The results of another election poll were released today and it shows that the two main political parties are neck to neck if general elections are called. Two weeks ago Glenn Tillett of the Independent, teamed up with American Pollster, Greg Strimple, and released the findings of a poll which showed that at least thirty […]
So, what do the numbers signify? Well, according to Andrews, the numbers don’t lie and an election can go either way in favour of the U.D.P. or the P.U.P. But there is a huge percentage of undecided voters. Yasmine Andrews, Technical Expert “The major indicators, in two, three sentences, that this poll gave us is […]
Last Friday, the government sought and got the House approval to guarantee a loan of sixteen million dollars with Heritage Bank on behalf of Telemedia. It went through ALL its three stages. As you know, government owns majority shares of seventy percent in Telemedia, but there are many other shareholders, which means that Telemedia is […]
The insider trading at the Social Security Board was stopped in its tracks when it became public that, from top to bottom, S.S.B. staff applied to benefit from the write-offs after reducing their loans with S.S.B. to fifty thousand dollars. An emergency meeting of the Board of Directors on Wednesday suspended C.E.O. Merlene Bailey Martinez […]
The Public Utilities Commission and the government have both announced a six point one-four percent decrease in electricity rates to come online on February first. Earlier today, Belize Electricity Limited (B.E.L.) gave its initial reaction and it doesn’t sound that they are rejoicing. According to B.E.L.’s release, it needs to “understand the P.U.C.’s underlying assumptions […]
But how will the significant rate reduction affect the already cash strapped utility company? One thing that could ease B.E.L.’s financial burden is a reduction in taxes, which Avery says is expected on April first. According to Avery, B.E.L.’s previous owners created the cash flow problems and now it is up to the new owners […]
Another pre-election gift was the Christmas disbursement program in which UDP area representatives received forty thousand dollars to spread seasonal joy. Over one point two million dollars were approved and disbursed in December for a Christmas assistance program for the poor. But not everyone was happy with the program. Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca made his […]
At today’s House meeting, aside from the reduction in electricity rates and the S.S.B. write-offs, the prime minister gave a hint that debt forgiveness could possibly extend to DFC mortgages. That is only under consideration, but with elections not far away; that may be one more plum to the electorate. Both the leader of the […]
The highlight of the sitting should have been light rate reduction and the Social Security Board mortgage write-offs. But the controversy surrounding S.S.B. employees who allegedly committed insider trading have marred the entire project. The person at the top of the S.S.B., C.E.O. Merlene Bailey has been suspended pending an investigation on the insider trading. […]
Despite the dilemma of the C.E.O., Merlene Bailey and Internal Auditor, Denise Mahler, the Prime Minister explained the merits of the scheme. Dean Barrow “When I negotiated with S.S.B. to buy these mortgages in order to write them off for Belizean homeowners, I did so on the basis that the people to be covered would […]
With the countdown to the March elections and early general elections, a mass naturalization exercise is taking place. The allegation has been due process is not being followed in the rush before the elections and earlier this week an Orange Walk resident disclosed that her house address had been fraudulently used. This morning at the […]
This Saturday, the new president of Guatemala, Otto Perez Molina will be sworn in to replace outgoing president Alvaro Colom. Perez Molina, a former army general, will have to tackle security issues and is giving priority to ending a long-standing U.S. ban on military aid imposed due to concerns about abuses during Guatemala’s thirty-six year […]
On Wednesday the board of the Social Security decided to suspend, effective immediately, C.E.O. Merlene Bailey and the Internal Auditor, Denise Mahler. It was an unprecedented move and a monumental blow to Bailey, who has generally been viewed as a model public officer. Bailey was the chair of the D.F.C. Commission of Inquiry in 2007 […]
Kim Simplis Barrow, the wife of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in early November. Since the stunning news, she has been back and forth between Belize and Miami where she has had two rounds of chemotherapy at the Baptist Hospital. There have been ups and downs as treatment progresses […]
Today the Belize National Fire Service officially welcomed a new intake of firemen. The recruits, who trained for three months will be attached to stations around the country. Aside from the lessons to tackle fires, at the ceremony this morning, they acknowledged the importance of teamwork. News Five’s Andrea Polanco was at the event, where […]
Fern Lane is located in the St Marin de Porres area of Lake Independence. It is an area that has gained notoriety for gang warfare that has ended the lives of many. Struggling to clean up their images, at risk youths have embarked on an exercise to rid the neighborhood of both the stigma and […]
Sixty wheelchairs were handed over this morning to various persons with disabilities as well as some organizations. It is part of a donation of two hundred and fifty facilitated by the Special Envoy for Women and Children, Kim Simpliss Barrow via a foundation in Taiwan. The KHMH, Voice and Stella Maris received their share of […]
The annual Revenue Tax Fair kicked off today in six locations across the country. Three departments that bring in revenue to the government coffers organized the event. In Belize City, activities were held at the Charles Bartlett Hyde Building on Mahogany where the Income Tax, GST and Customs partnered with stakeholders to educate the public […]
The third party known as Vision Inspired by the People has revealed their candidates for both Belize City and Belmopan Municipal Elections. And while they have fired up their yearning for serving their communities, the Chairman of the VIP, Robert Lopez has fired up his passion for the media. During Wednesday’s launch of VIP City […]
There is a major shakeup in the Social Security Board tonight and it is the first of a kind. The Board of Directors at an emergency meeting today, recommended that its C.E.O. Merlene Bailey be suspended from her duties at S.S.B. This comes on the heels of a story we broke on Friday of insider […]
On Tuesday the People’s United Party issued a release which pointed fingers at the senior management of S.S.B., including C.E.O. Merlene Bailey whom it said is part of the insider trading scheme. Sources close to News Five confirmed today that at the board meeting, it was disclosed that Bailey had reduced her loan to qualify […]
There’s another hot button issue that is stirring up controversy. On Friday of last week News Five broke the story of the rushed naturalization-taking place in Belmopan. Hundreds stood in line outside of the George Price Center where they were sworn in and walked away with their nationality certificates. The process is facilitated to pad […]
Aside from the use of fraudulent addresses in Orange Walk, this morning in Ladyville dozens of immigrants lined up outside a private house in the Mitchell Estate area, a stone’s throw away from the home of area representative Michael Hutchinson, where it is believed that immigration officers were on hand to facilitate the naturalization process. […]
Late last week, Marlon Skeen, stepped down as mayoral candidate for the Belmopan based Vision Inspired by the People. But by this morning, VIP introduced its new mayoral candidate and aspiring councilors for the upcoming March seventh elections. The event took place in Belmopan and News Five’s Jose Sanchez was there. Jose Sanchez, Reporting Earlier […]
