On Thursday August fourth the Belize Council of Churches, in a letter to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, stated its position on the proposed Ninth Amendment Bill. And while the Council does support protecting state ownership of the utility companies, it does not support the changes to Sections Two and Sixty-Nine of the Constitution. That view […]
A Belize City family is mourning tonight because they lost a brother and a son and even worse, they could not host a proper funeral service. The pain that they felt when they lost thirty eight year old Adam Kuylen was magnified after the public health system failed them in their time of need. According […]
And though the next story is not classified as handling stolen goods, residents of Toledo would like someone to be charged for the illegal cutting and shipment of rosewood out of the District. The illegal harvesting was overlooked for months, until the Maya Leaders Alliance recently brought the issue to the forefront. Today the Ya’axché […]
There was more opposition than there was support to the Ninth Amendment at Wednesday night’s consultations at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. There was also plenty politics at play. Those who oppose the amendment base their objections on the removal of the right to access the court for full ventilation of claims to future amendments […]
The Maya Leaders Alliance has been investigating a situation of illegal logging in Toledo. It has documented the incidences and has met with the Forest Department about putting an end to the rape of rosewood from forests surrounding Mayan Villages. There are two situations that the MLA is facing. Firstly, the extraction of the lumber […]
Over the last year the wholesalers and retail vendors at the Michael Finnegan Market have had their own share of woes with flooding, imposed fees, security issues, you name it. Well, today the wholesalers say they are going to set up shop at the pound yard, which was once the temporary market. Up to this […]
As we go into the weekend there is another critical issue on the front burner; one that can potentially change the livelihood of farmers in the north. The Belize Cane Farmers Association is convening a general assembly this Sunday at Escuela Mexico to present their findings on consultations held with district branches on the proposed […]
When they appeared on OYE on Thursday, the BSCFA reps said Banco Atlantida also needs to get their perspective to minimize risks. Oscar Alonzo, C.E.O., BSCFA “The issue is I think the investor has not gotten full information as to how the thing is operating here from the side of the farmers. They have been […]
The B.D.F. summer camp this year attracted more than the anticipated number of enthusiasts. For four weeks the six hundred youths engaged in a number of activities; one common thread was weaved throughout, discipline. When News Five’s Delahnie Bain visited at the end of the programme today, she found a happy set of campers. Delahnie […]
By all accounts, the public consultations on Wednesday night at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall, was a political sideshow. Operatives worked the room drowning speakers at the podium and clouding the gravity of the proposed ninth amendment. There were others, however, who went with prepared positions such as the Bar, the Council of Churches and […]
And if anyone was wondering what the true motive is for this Ninth Amendment Bill that has stirred a hornet’s nest in Belize the answer was provided by Minister John Saldivar, Acting Chairman of the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday night. Minister Saldivar made the comments to answer the other Saldivar, Arthur the […]
The emerging consensus over the proposed ninth amendment seems to favor nationalization but there is strong objection to the far reaching amendment that would deprive fundamental rights and freedoms. The National Trade Union Congress of Belize, President, Dylan Reneau, says he could not get into Parish Hall, but here is their position. Dylan Reneau, President, […]
While concern grows about the frequent incursions by Guatemalan loggers in the Chiquibul, villagers in the Toledo District are also reportedly extracting rosewood without permits. The Maya Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Alcaldes Association told News Five at the end of July that there was rampant extraction of rosewood in the south and they were […]
So while the extraction of rosewood is an issue in the south, residents of Caye Caulker are complaining that owners of beachfront property are obstructing sections of the seashore prohibiting pedestrians to access other parts of the island. Harrison Cadle, who has owned a parcel of land on the northern end of Caye Caulker for […]
UB Councilor and Lecturer, twenty-eight year old Leon Leslie was once again picked up from his home and charged for keeping prohibited material. It all stems back to January sixteenth when police claimed they found a bulletproof vest in his vehicle. On July twentieth, the arresting officer failed to show up to testify and Senior […]
The CYDP in partnership with Restore Belize and Community Rehabilitation Department closed off their annual Summer Camp at the Yabra Green Football Field this afternoon. Over the past three weeks, at risk youths in the under seventeen and under fifteen categories were engaged in sports and life skills training. Director of CYDP, Edward Broaster says […]
The occupational safety and health draft legislation is still on the drawing board and consultations with representatives of the different industries are essential to the formation of that piece of law. The International Labor Organization is holding a three day symposium with trade unionists, government departments and utilities representatives to be able to identify hazards […]
The first round of public consultations on the proposed ninth amendment is scheduled to start shortly at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. From what we gather, the turnout is expected to be large despite trepidation that the proceedings will be railroaded by hotheads. Employees of the Ministry of Works told us that they have been […]
On Tuesday, Rhett Fuller and his wife Ann, got the bad news that the Privy Council dismissed his appeal for an extradition request by the United States government. Fuller has been in an out of the courts fighting extradition for the alleged murder of Larry Miller in Florida USA way back in 1989. The Privy […]
In its ongoing series called “Did You Know” the Chamber of Commerce unearths a scandalous increase in the budget of our diplomatic mission in Brussels for this year. According to the tid-bit of information, the government approved a budget of more than three-quarter million dollars for Brussels in the sum of eight hundred and twenty […]
A two-day workshop organized by the International Organization for Migration and the Labor Department got underway today. The aim of the seminar is to sensitize over fifteen labor officers on human trafficking, legal framework pertaining to trafficking, detection of traffickers and highlighting the importance of seeking help for trafficking victims. Diana Shaw of the IOM […]
The City Council has embarked on a project to name new streets in the Old Capital, primarily in areas where the city has expanded. A number of Belizeans who have had distinguished careers in the public service will see their names affixed to the streets. Three hundred streets will be named and so far, one […]
As we said earlier, the first round of consultations on the proposed ninth amendment is taking place in the city at this time. Citizens turned out in numbers and there’s not even standing room at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall where strict security measures are in place. Persons were checked and frisked on arrival and […]
June to November, that’s the hurricane season which experts say will be active this year in the region. While we have been spared so far, Haiti, which is still recovering from previous disasters, was battered by Tropical Storm Emily last week. The Belize Red Cross is currently conducting a risk reduction project for a number […]
Over the last five years crimes committed using firearms have increased at an alarming rate. In an effort to combat crime and the illegal trafficking of guns around the region, the OAS implemented a program for the Latin America and Caribbean territories. Today, Belize was gifted with a firearm marking machine as a part of […]
