The quality of water that runs through the pipes isn’t the only issue that is pressing on economies of islands like San Pedro and Caye Caulker. The lifeline of the cayes are divided between tourism and fishing. And as it turns out, cleaning the reef is a niche market that is mostly unheard of in […]
We have been reporting on the illegal loggers from Guatemala who have been invading the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. But in the Toledo District, Rosewood is also being extracted without permits and it went under the radar until a few months ago, when the increased logging caught the attention of the Maya Leaders Alliance and Toledo […]
In the last few months we told you about the surplus of onions, but rice has also been produced in excess. In April of this year the Belize Marketing Development Corporation (BMDC) announced that they would be purchasing approximately two million pounds less than they did in 2010 because of an existing surplus. It’s a […]
On Wednesday, Nora Sierra visited our newsroom to make a complaint against the Kolbe Foundation. Nora says her twenty-two year old son Joel Sierra, who is incarcerated at the Belize Central Prison, has been diagnosed with Tuberculosis and despite recommendations from a doctor; Kolbe is refusing to allow her son to receive proper medical treatment. […]
On Wednesday night the P.U.P. Standard Bearer of the Cayo West Division, Oscar Sabido spoke of the lack of developmental infrastructure in that constituency. As a result, Sabido said he is bringing an economist to assess the Cayo West with the objective of formulating a policy for economic development. Oscar Sabido, P.U.P. Standard Bearer, Cayo […]
Youth Voices has embarked on a yearlong program that seeks to inspire youths to write, speak, and complete video productions. The program funded by a U.S. State Department grant, has been nurturing the minds of its participants while keeping them from the city streets. This afternoon, the youths were treated to an internationally recognized and […]
The ninth amendment bill, on its surface, aims to enshrine the government’s majority control of shares in utilities. But several attorneys, including those from the Human Rights Commission of Belize, the Bar Association of Belize and Senator Godwin Hulse, have all spoken about grave concerns on the Belize Constitution (Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2011. On Wednesday, […]
The bar issued a statement on Wednesday in which it says “the bar does not support the proposed amendment to the extent that it seeks to deny rights of property owners to access the courts to challenge nationalizations.” But according to the Foreign Minister, any aggrieved party would still be able to access the court. […]
In addition to Minister Elrington and the Bar Association, Senator Henry Gordon, who represents the Council of Churches, also spoke about the Proposed Ninth on Open Your Eyes. Gordon said that because of government’s super majority in the House, even if the Senate is granted a thirteenth senator, the ninth amendment would still allow parliamentary […]
And while the report card on the joint patrols in the Chiquibul show that a lot needs to be done to solve environmental issues and prevent poachers, the report card on another sector is also pointing out some weaknesses. A recent report about the performance of prosecutors in Belize showed failures in proper education of […]
Conflict of interest is only one of several ethical issues that are waiting to be tackled, which is why ABA ROLI dedicated Wednesday afternoon to the police prosecutors. According to ABA ROLI’s Country Director, Antoinette Moore, seventeen of the eighteen prosecutors from across the country attended the training session. Antoinette Moore, Country Director, ABA ROLI […]
Over the past week there has been a lot of discussion over the proposed ninth amendment. Meanwhile we’ve been hearing from the attorneys and politicians, but the grassroots organizations have been out of sight. That is because they have been preparing for a massive demonstration this Saturday. The event, which is being organized by Belizeans […]
News Five does not only track the tumultuous courtroom sessions, but also creatures of the sea. While the Chairperson of the Gales Point Wildlife Sanctuary has not found Nemo, he is also looking for turtles. According to Kevin Andrewin, his group is tagging turtles that are laying their eggs in Gales Point. Kevin Andrewin, Chairperson, […]
Summer Camps aren’t the only staples that we report on regularly in July and August. It’s also a time when parents are trying hard to cut down on expenses while looking for extra income to pay for the upcoming school year. Books, fees, and uniforms are only some of the baggage that parents carry with […]
Are you still trying to locate your college or sixth form books? If so, then you can head out to the BTALCO parking lot this Saturday and exchange some of your used books for the ones you need. Shari Williams, one of the facilitators of the book exchange program, tells us more. Shari Williams, Facilitator, […]
The Belize Workers Union met with Prime Minister Dean Barrow at his Coney Drive office this afternoon to discuss the issue of shares it holds in the debt-burdened Belize Sugar Industries (B.S.I.). The employees trust currently owns eighty-one percent of the company, despite not having received dividends for investments in over ten years. With the […]
The country’s constitution has been under much debate and discussion on morning talk shows and nightly newscasts. The proposed ninth amendment is getting its fair share of protest, but earlier today the Bar Association of Belize sent out a twenty-five page concept paper that thoroughly discussed the merits and demerits of the Belize Constitution (Eighth […]
We also asked Marshalleck about the Bar’s position on the Belize Constitution (Ninth Amendment) Bill, which is the new hot button issue in G.O.B.’s saga of controversial bills. Jose Sanchez “What is your understanding of the proposed ninth amendment to the constitution?” Jacqueline Marshalleck, President, Bar Association “Ahm, I would prefer at this stage not […]
If the bill is passed into law, it would bar all legal challenges to future constitutional amendments. If you’re still unsure of what it all means, Attorney Audrey Matura-Shepherd broke down the legal jargon into a digestible and understandable format on this morning’s Open Your Eyes. Audrey Matura-Shepherd, Attorney “What is being proposed now is […]
The Prosecutorial Reform Index (PRI) is the current in assessment tools developed by experts in criminal law reform at the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI). And after months of dialogue with attorneys, judges, police officers, media, and stakeholders in the justice system, the ABA ROLI team, headed by its Country Director, […]
While the ABA ROLI team were examining and questioning members of the judiciary, change was occurring in the system. After the presentation, the President of the Bar offered comments on how public prosecution can be strengthened while the legal advisor for the Ministry of Police and the Police Department said that some training for public […]
On Monday, July twenty-fifth, Reginald Cumberbatch was charged with one count of aggravated assault after he allegedly tried to sodomize a fourteen year old boy. The incident took place on Thursday night in the western village of Succotz. The minor went to accompany Cumberbatch out to the road after his mother completed a transaction with […]
You’ve just heard one politician’s view about developments in the area where Reginald Cumberbatch is accused of taking advantage of a youth. But who exactly is Reginald Cumberbatch and why was the Belize City man offering services in Succotz? Believe it or not, Cumberbatch is a Justice of the Peace. According to the President of […]
The hit American reality show “Gene Simmons Family Jewels” was in the Jewel back in May, filming in San Pedro. That episode was the show’s season finale, which aired Tuesday night on the A&E cable channel. Simmons, the rock and roll legend from the band Kiss, has long proclaimed that he would never get married, […]
If family time for you is not sitting in front of the television watching reality shows, then perhaps one of summer’s litany of camps is what your child needs for stimulation. News Five Isani Cayetano reports on a football camp. Isani Cayetano, Reporting Dog days for primary school students are usually accompanied by a cornucopia […]
