The City Council and municipal elections are months away. The conventional wisdom is that the results will be a barometer of the 2013 general elections. Both parties are already gearing for the local elections. It is known that for the U.D.P., attorney Darrel Bradley will be unopposed in his bid for mayor since Councilor Philip […]
Belize Defense Force volunteers assist the B.D.F on a daily basis with routine work and also provide an invaluable service alongside commissioned soldiers. The volunteers are called out to serve their country in hurricanes and times of conflict. So their preparedness to respond is critical, which is why every year the volunteers gather at Camp […]
Mexico’s new Ambassador to Belize has received congressional approval. He is career diplomat Mario Velázquez Suárez, who previously served as the deputy chief of mission in Finland. Velázquez was confirmed on Thursday and is expected to assume his new spot in Belmopan in the next two months. The jewel will be Velazquez’ first posting as […]
The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry met in emergency meeting on Wednesday night. The Chamber and its president have already been flogged on the airwaves and in the House, by government for its views on the re-acquisition of Telemedia and the nationalization of Belize Electricity Limited. Notwithstanding, the membership of the influential private sector […]
The discussion on the nationalization of B.E.L. and B.T.L. will not subside anytime soon. But the man, who approved the accommodation agreement that allegedly sparked the current prime minister into seizing Telemedia two times, has added his opinion to the national debate. Former Prime Minister Said Musa, at Wednesday’s P.U.P. press conference, defended the infamous […]
The People’s United Party did not attend the Special House sitting when the Government acquired Belize Electricity Limited on June twentieth and its parliamentarians walked out of the House this Monday when the Barrow Administration re-acquired Telemedia. Their viewpoint on the government acquisitions was found in press releases but the party’s position on whether or […]
During Monday’s Special Sitting of the House, Prime Minister Dean Barrow gave a close replay of his 2009 speech when he first nationalized Telemedia and chastised Briceño’s family for selling business interests in SMART to companies related to Lord Michael Ashcroft. Briceño explained that there is nothing illegal with that, and instead he turned the […]
After discussing nationalization and the rule of law, the crime wave sweeping the country also came up at the P.U.P. conference this morning. The increasing body count and casualties became a solemn but passionate topic for the party. Attorney Anthony Sylvester rose to speak about the anti-crime initiatives, particularly preventative detention, which he believes will […]
There’s a new Solicitor General in Belmopan who took up the post as of July first, when Oscar Ramjeet’s term ended. According to a release from the Press Office, Cheryl Krusen, who holds both Jamaican and Belizean nationality is eminently quality with over thirty years of experience in the legal profession in Jamaica and Belize. […]
Wholesale vendors operating along Hicatee Street just outside the Michael Finnegan Market are again up in arms over the deplorable conditions they are enduring from the rains in the past few days. On Tuesday’s newscast several vendors complained about flooding in the area, saying that there isn’t adequate shelter for them to do business. Today […]
This morning’s press conference lasted well over two hours at the Biltmore Plaza. John Briceño, the P.U.P. party leader zeroed in on a number of pressing issues, but his leadership also came under question. Two elected representatives have been absent from party appearances, including Briceño’s Team 31 Convention in Orange Walk Town a week ago. […]
The nationalization of the utility companies was also a particular sticking point for the P.U.P.’s Fort George Area Representative. Former Prime Minister Said Musa, took the podium and gave a memorable quote from popular culture in relation to the attacks on him in the House. His version of No Watch Me Watch Yourself, a slogan […]
Whether you are a fashionista or not, we recommend you head out to the Biltmore Plaza where emerging designers are displaying a range of fashion items. From ethnic styles to contemporary looks or hot trends, bags and hats; you can find it all at the Belize Design Marketplace. It’s the first of a kind and […]
On June twenty-fourth, the Court of Appeal found that the government of Belize did not have sufficient evidence to take control of Belize Telemedia for a public purpose. Nevertheless, government used the security forces to dislodge the rightful owners from control of the company. And then on Monday, the Government went back to the National […]
Flooding is a usual occurrence during the rainy season and Monday night’s torrents caused many parts of the old capital to be affected by the downpour. One particular group that has been confined to the streets, the wholesale fruit and vegetable vendors, are steaming mad with the Belize City Council about the poor conditions. News […]
Earlier you heard angry vendors cast blame for the loss of produce squarely on the shoulders of the Belize City Council. Councilor Phillip Willoughby, who is responsible for markets, says that’s not quite so. Willoughby contends that works have been carried out in the area and vendors affected by the rain could have sought a […]
We told you earlier that the reacquisition of Telemedia on Monday would trigger more litigation. Well true to form, according to the Belize Telemedia Employees Trust, it will continue to fight for ownership of the company. In a release today, the Trust, which has twenty-three percent of the issued share capital in B.T.L., said that […]
On Monday Senator Godwin Hulse abstained from voting on the B.T.L. acquisition because the new legislation had been provided just prior to the meeting. As recent as June twentieth, the government nationalized B.E.L. and again there were complaints of last minute availability of the paper work or legislation to be decided upon by the House […]
The debate on the acquisition of Telemedia is still raging. One of the most stated arguments deals with the rule of law. Did government disregard the rule of law when it took back control of the company after the ruling of the Court of Appeal that declared the acquisition null and void? This morning, we […]
Government has already indicated that it will appeal the court ruling to the Caribbean Court of Justice. Shoman questions what’s the point of the appeal? Lisa Shoman, Senator/Attorney “If di first time yoh tek it yoh neva tek it fi wha good reason, how you wah come long and she I wah change di reason […]
The new legislation does not yet have wide circulation. News Five spoke via phone to Godfrey Smith, attorney for Dean Boyce, who represents the Trusts that had majority shares in Telemedia. Although he only had opportunity for a cursory glance at the bill, Smith believes that there will be further litigation. Via Phone: Godfrey Smith, […]
Now back to today’s House sitting. Marcel Cardona, the area representative for Orange Walk East, made a second appearance since he was dumped by the U.D.P. There was little debate in the House, but Cardona, now unaffiliated, was not quiet with his view on the re-nationalization. Call it unbridled emotion or whatever you like; Cardona […]
Last week, leading up to today’s sitting, the government made the point on the airwaves that it had the people’s support to re-acquire Telemedia and toward the end of the week, it publicly called its supporters to Belmopan. Transportation was made available but the turnout fell shorter than anticipated. The crowd was one of the […]
QUADS and the U.S Peace Corps are hosting a workshop on teaching Health and Family Life Education (HFLE). The workshop, which is being done in two phases, is seeking to train upper division teachers on health and life skills. According to the Peace Corps Programming & Specialist Trainers, the aim is to train some six […]
With less than two weeks into the summer holiday, a number of students are signing up for summer camps. The annual YWCA Summer Camp started today and there are spaces still available. Lisa Coleman of the YWCA says students have a wide number of activities to choose from. Lisa Coleman, Business Administrator, YWCA “Well every […]
