Election Day this year will be a public and bank holiday on Wednesday, November eleventh. And that is due to the COVID pandemic. The proposal was made by the Leader of the Opposition at the last sitting of the House of Representatives. The thinking is that a holiday will make it easier and safer for […]
The United Democratic Party will formally introduce Patrick Faber as its new leader in a televised event scheduled for Thursday night. Across the country, the U.D.P. has been reaching out to constituents in a bid to persuade their vote; however, it has been forced to do so in an unconventional manner given the COVID-19 situation. […]
November eleventh, by predictions, is expected to have a low voter turnout due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditionally, general elections have drawn voters from all over, even those living in the diaspora, but with the virus still ravaging the country it is expected that many will remain at home on that day. So how does […]
Election season is in full swing across the country but the banners, t-shirts and other propaganda items that adorn all major streets in the respective municipalities are at a minimum. That’s because both parties have taken a conscious decision to tone down on the excess visibility amid the coronavirus pandemic. For the U.D.P., its members […]
The allegation made against U.D.P. Mesopotamia Standard Bearer Shyne Barrow, by his wife, continues to make headlines. The aspiring politician is accused of domestic violence, despite a retraction of a police report made by his spouse over the weekend. So how does the incident affect Barrow’s image and what bearing, if any, will it have […]
The United Democratic Party is optimistic that it will be successful at the polls on November eleventh, in its bid to a win a fourth consecutive term in office. While it is fighting an uphill battle, its new leader is confident that his area representatives and standard bearers will dominate on election day. Stopping short […]
The People’s United Party today issued a release on the state of affairs as it relates to the government. It follows on the heels of a release by the government to the effect that they retain executive powers. According to the P.U.P., the National Assembly is now dissolved and the U.D.P. ministers continue in office […]
On Tuesday night we reported on an alarming four deaths in the Orange Walk District. Those cases put the number of casualties at thirty-four, increasing the death rate to one point five percent. While it is lower than elsewhere in the region, it is still significant. According to Doctor Marvin Manzanero, of the four deaths […]
The preliminary data for today from the Ministry of Health is that the number of confirmed cases is up by sixty-seven. Three hundred and six samples were processed of which sixty-seven returned positive, taking up the total number of cases for the country to two thousand three hundred and ten. While the distribution of these […]
There is an alarming increase in positive cases among frontline workers. During today’s Ask the Expert webcast, Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero confirmed that twenty-seven positive cases were detected from a group of sixty B.D.F. soldiers at a camp in Orange Walk. There are also fourteen police officers, three were identified today. Additionally, […]
A total of seven hundred and seventy-six persons touched down at the P.G.I.A. between October first and fifth. Of those persons, majority of whom were returning Belizeans, one person tested positive via rapid test for COVID-19; that person is in mandatory quarantine at the Ramada Belize City Princess. Doctor Marvin Manzanero spoke about the processing […]
Political parties are strategizing how to get voters out on election day. But will persons who are in quarantine for COVID-19 be able to participate in the national vote on November eleventh? It’s a decision that ultimately falls on the Quarantine Authority of the Ministry of Health. According to Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai, the […]
Where it concerns Belizeans in the diaspora who are eligible to vote, Tamai also says that similarly, they too would be subjected to the same protocols as persons who are in quarantine. While they won’t be able to identify persons who are COVID positive, the same rules apply at all polling stations. Josephine Tamai, […]
With all the strict measures being put in place to ensure that voters, as well as public officers invigilating the elections process remain COVID-free, will voters be allowed to carry their own pens to the polling stations? It’s a consideration that has been made by the Elections and Boundaries Commission. And according to the Chief […]
U.D.P. Standard Bearer Tony Herrera is running in the Corozal Southeast constituency, but is presently sick with COVID-19. His wife is also hospitalized after having contracted the disease. So how will this most unfortunate development affect his chances in a constituency that has traditionally remained a P.U.P. stronghold? According to the new party leader, Herrera […]
On Tuesday, the Belize Bureau of Standards announced a change in the price of butane that became effective today. The new fixed controlled price for Liquefied Petroleum Gas for wholesale is now at two dollars and seventy-six cents; while retail LPG goes for four dollars and thirty-six cents in urban areas and four dollars and […]
According to Matura, the government has not defined what a wholesale volume is. She says that the way it is regulated – or the lack thereof – is essentially aimed at putting her clients out of business. She says that her clients have been relegated to being only retailers and so they need their own […]
The constituency of Belmopan is getting over crowded; as many as five persons are fielding their name for Belmopan in the upcoming general elections. The incumbent, U.D.P. area rep John Saldivar; P.U.P. standard bearer Oscar Mira; independent candidates, Anna Banner-Guy and Arthur Saldivar have all been on the ground campaigning. But today, a fifth person […]
But even as Menzies announced his candidacy, he is expecting that come nomination day, on October twenty-first; he will be rejected because according to the section fifty-eight of the constitution, a Belizean with dual citizenship cannot hold political office. But Menzies says he plans to challenge the law in the Supreme Court. Patrick Menzies, […]
The Belize Zoo wants to take the wildlife into classrooms in the coming weeks – virtually, that is. They are launching a brand new and exciting educational experience for teachers and students called Belize Zoo Live. Today we went to the Zoo to find out more about how the programme will work and what schools […]
So, as you heard, the Belize Zoo is launching its live experience for educational institutions and today we got a first-hand experience. During our visit we did a sampling of the lessons of four different animals’ adaptation. In the following story we share a lesson on the how the spider monkeys use different behaviours and […]
Just before news time the new figures on COVID-19 report a record breaking four deaths. The number of deaths has now increased to thirty-four. The four persons died within the last twenty-four hours and include an employee of B.S.I. and three others, all from the Orange Walk District. The total number of confirmed cases now […]
The controversial Statutory Instrument 134 is now off the books, gone. When it was surprisingly made law a few weeks ago, it compelled the Director of Health Services to surrender the names of all COVID-19 patients to the Ministry of National Security. That uncompromising piece of law had the approval of the DHS’ political boss, […]
Tonight there is also the issue of last minute government contracts. Opposition Leader John Briceño says that these contracts are being issued left, right and centre even as the current government is winding down. Briceño says that another lucrative contract is proposed for U.D.P.’s favorite contractor Imer Hernandez. The contract is reportedly valued at more […]
B.P.P. Fort George candidate, Wil Maheia is calling on ComPol Chester Williams to follow through on his word and take action against Shyne Barrow for a domestic violence incident for which Barrow’s wife made a report. Catherine Barrow gave a statement to the police saying that over the weekend, Shyne Barrow hit her on the […]
