The P.U.P. finds itself in a conundrum tonight, days after it turned sixty-one. John Briceño officially stepped down today as leader of the opposition in the House and on the eve of the deadline for the leadership of the party, the interim leader, Mark Espat, has decided he will not be running for leader even […]
Security at the headquarters of the B.D.F. was breached last week. It was a stunning revelation that has brought disrepute to the force. Forty-two weapons, including seven M-4 carbine rifles were stolen from the armory at the weapons bulk store and these are surely to end up in the dangerous streets. The date of the […]
The Bar Association came out strongly against the Ninth Amendment, followed by the Chamber of Commerce and then the Council of Churches. More recently, eight branches of the B.N.T.U. have come out against the proposed amendment. News Five has also learnt that the prestigious Atlanta-based institution, The Carter Center, has written to the government asking […]
The Belize Family Life Association, a non-government organization established in 1985 to advocate for and promote reproductive health across the country, is tonight on the brink of closing its doors. BFLA, according to Executive Director Joan Burke, is in dire financial straits. The organization, despite having grown in scope over the past decade, can no […]
The mother of a four-year-old alleged rape victim has been waiting since September twenty-seventh for answers about her daughter’s case. She has heard of rape cases that have resulted in immediate incarceration of alleged perpetrators, but justice it seems has turned a blind eye to her case. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl-Lynn Vidal, has […]
Unite Belize Initiative comprises of youths who have otherwise fallen from the wayside. Most of them are well known to the courts but they have come together for gainful employment. The youths at risk have been at work repairing the stretch of road between Albert and Regent Street adjacent to the Bank of Nova Scotia. […]
Several cases of the sexual abuse of minors have been reported in the news recently. In Sarteneja, a U.S. national has been accused of sodomizing three brothers. And in Belize City a wife has accused her husband of attempting to rape their seven-year-old daughter. In both cases, the accused men have been remanded. But before […]
On the political front, this Wednesday is the deadline for the submission of names for the P.U.P. leadership. We note that the Interim Leader, Mark Espat, is yet to put his name on the ballot because he is working on a financing plan before any announcement is made. It is also known that should Espat […]
A family is seeking the public’s assistance in locating some medical instruments that went missing from their luggage on public transportation. A team of surgeons recently completed general pediatric surgeries on group of young children. Today, one of the patients was heading home on a bus to Chunox when upon approaching Orange Walk Town the […]
He has lived a century; it is quite a feat for Edujives Velasquez, one of the oldest persons in Belize who lives in Esperanza in the west. In his lifetime he has withstood the test of time; the constant has been his wife of eighty-one years. News Five’s Andrea Polanco found Velasquez alert and active. […]
The lotto jackpot climbed all the way up to one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars for Saturday’s draw. And the lucky winner is Joyce Shaw, a teacher for over three decades from Unitedville, Cayo. Today she picked up a cheque for one hundred and forty-eight thousand, seven hundred and fifty dollars after taxes. Shaw has […]
Businessman Jitendra Chawla first gained notoriety in mid 2009 when it was revealed that he was developing within a reserve known as the Krooman Lagoon at the entrance to the City on the Western Highway. Public outrage put a halt to the potato chips factory but Chawla is back in the news. A husband and […]
As we reported on Wednesday, the House of Representatives will meet this coming Friday in Belmopan. The Prime Minister will be taking back the Ninth Amendment to the constitution which seeks to entrench government control on utilities. In the ninety days since its introduction, consultations were held nationwide. The atmosphere was extremely political as supporters […]
The deluge was heavy on Thursday night and within a couple of hours, numerous areas of the city were flooded. Schools around the city closed today and some streets were completely under water. One of the affected areas is the Jane Usher Boulevard. A resident of the area, who is also the owner of a […]
The candidacy of attorney Arthur Saldivar for the P.U.P. leadership doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Within the confines of the P.U.P. caucuses, there have been calls for him to step down. The Order of Distinguished Service, which is the arm of the P.U.P. that vets candidates, has gone further than talk. The ODS has […]
Belize and countries around the world are observing International Day for Rural Women. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it’s a day set aside to recognize the work of women from the different villages, whose contributions to the country’s development are often overlooked. One overlooked fact is that rural communities play a vital role […]
Turning to politics, the National Executive of the People’s United Party met today at Independence Hall with Mark Espat as interim leader. The attendance was almost perfect, except for the former party leader, John Briceño and his brother Jaime who are scheduled to return to the country today. The meeting concluded just before noon and […]
The unemployment statistics are staggering; almost twenty-five percent of the adult population is without jobs. That dismal figure has contributed to a high poverty rate peaking at forty-three percent. It is contributing to the uncontrollable crime wave as well as other social ills. News Five’s Isani Cayetano takes a look at how families are coping […]
On Wednesday night we reported on a land controversy in Crooked Tree Village. Earlier this week the residents said that Rose Kelly instructed workers to start development on a plot of land adjoining her property. The land she is claiming, according to the villagers, was acquired by government and distributed to them decades ago. Today […]
The dust is beginning to settle following the resignation of John Briceño last Friday as the leader of the People’s United Party that led to the ascension of Mark Espat, as the interim leader. The bid for leadership of Belize Rural North standard Bearer, Arthur Saldivar, has failed to ignite any excitement or following within […]
Public consultations on the proposed Ninth Amendment to the Constitution have concluded. Most will agree that the proceedings were divided sharply along political lines and the independent pulse is difficult to tell. During the raging public debate on the controversial amendment, there were many who felt that the proposed amendment should first be put in […]
The outspoken U.D.P. area representative Marcel Cardona, also a member of FOB, maintains that the recent consultation process did not reflect the true sentiment of the people on the matter of the proposed ninth Constitution Amendment Bill. He says that the majority of the non-partisan public sat out the sessions for fear of victimization. Marcel […]
Weeks after the passing of the Right Honorable George Price on September nineteenth, the region continues to reflect on the stature of the father of the nation. The Jamaica Observer in its edition today carries an article entitled the “Belizean PM who wanted to be a priest” penned by Ricky Singh. Singh speaks to Ian […]
FirstCaribbean Bank today revealed the names of two outstanding Belizeans as Unsung Heroes. There were twenty-five entries but Dr Beatrice Thompson and Dara Robinson emerged as this year’s champions for giving their time and effort to the community. Aside from a full time KHMH job, Thompson provides palliative care while Robinson is well known for […]
There is a land dispute raging in village of Crooked Tree that can turn ugly. A huge parcel of land under development for decades is being claimed by a Belizean American. While residents say the woman claims she will not take their homes, she wants to take back a sizeable acreage of their properties. The […]
