A ceremony was held over the weekend at the National Police Training Academy during which more than two hundred recruits joined the ranks of the Police Department. The officers are now charged with upholding law and order, performing their duties with honesty and integrity. Here is News Five’s Andrea Polanco with a report. Andrea […]
A preliminary report of the investigation into the helicopter crash that killed four soldiers, Majors Adran Ramirez and Radford Baizer, along with crew members, Corporals Reynaldo Choco and Yassir Mendez, was released this afternoon. It is a first report, so there are still many questions as the investigation moves forward. The report was presented by […]
As to the actual communication involving WhatsApp messages, the content of those critical messages will not be released to the public or family for reasons of national security. Minister of National Security Michael Peyrefitte says that there is a limit to what the public can know, but it is established that the last communication was […]
Following the minister’s presentation they fielded questions from the press. One of the main points covered today was the issue of usage of cell-phone during the message. According to the Minister’s presentation, communication on the day of the mission was all done on cell phone through WhatsApp messages. Now, the content of those messages, we […]
While it is being questioned as to why the men didn’t have radio communication with them, Brigadier General Steven Ortega says that that decision and the use of cell phones for communication would be a matter taken up by JIOC. Ortega says that JIOC coordinated the mission and they made certain determinations that day based […]
Family members of the deceased Belize Defense soldiers, who perished in the helicopter crash, were provided a copy of the preliminary report of the investigation before it was released to the nation. The four families along with their attorneys, Audrey Matura, Dean Molina, and Stacey Castillo met with National Security Minister Michael Peyrefitte, Chief of […]
After having read the preliminary report, the families will meet again with Minister Michael Peyrefitte and Admiral John Borland next week to discuss the findings. Attorney for three of the families, Audrey Matura emphasized that the investigation remains in its preliminary stage and two more investigations, one from the company that manufactured the helicopter and […]
Brick by brick contained in bales of cocaine seized during a recent huge anti-drug operation were incinerated this afternoon at a safe location. The B.D.F. and police made the bust on the morning of February twenty-seventh off the Coastal Road, confiscating sixty-nine bales of the drug containing two thousand three hundred and ninety-four kilos that […]
Assistant Commissioner of Police Marco Vidal has been tapped as lead investigator into a criminal probe involving former Minister of National Security John Saldivar. The Belmopan Area Representative resigned from Cabinet on February thirteenth, amid a scandal in which he initially denied accepting monies from incarcerated Armenian/American fraudster Lev Dermen in 2013. While he is […]
Back to the press conference on the B.D.F. helicopter crash. As you’ve heard at the top of the newscast, the issue of communication onboard the chopper that morning of the tragic crash remains a matter of contention. Both the Minister of National Security and the Commander of Belize Defense Force have expressed concerns about the […]
This evening, at six, the Ministry of National Security issued a twenty-three-page written report that was produced by the Honduran Air Force Team. The ministry offered to host the media in a Q and A session after they have reviewed the report. We’ll have more on this in Wednesday’s newscast. But back to today’s briefing, […]
In Belmopan this morning, senators sparred over the recently tabled Government Contracts (Validation) Bill, 2020. The controversial bill has a retroactive effect on seven multimillion dollars contracts that the Barrow Administration failed to have the House approved prior to its signing. The bill comes after Leader of Opposition, John Briceño wrote to international lending agencies, […]
Senator for the unions, Elena Smith, made it quite clear today in Belmopan that the National Trade Union Congress of Belize cannot and will not support the Government Contracts (Validation) Bill 2020. The debate got testy and during Smith’s presentation, U.D.P. Senator Michael Peyrefitte pointed out that the bill is not a result of the […]
Supporting the bill today was Senator for the Churches, Ashley Rocke. According to Rocke, he does not believe that a law was broken in the biblical sense. In fact, Rocke said that he would not dare to criticize Prime Minister Dean Barrow or say that PM Barrow broke the law. Ashley Rocke, Senator for […]
Strongly opposing the Government Contract (Validation) Bill was Private Sector Senator Mark Lizarraga. Lizarraga told the government senators that during every Sitting of the Upper Chamber, social partners continue to remind the government that the requirements outlined in the Finance and Audit Reform Act must be followed. Lizarraga says it is like talking to the […]
The Public Utilities Commission held a press conference today, following the submission of an application by Belize Electricity Limited for a Full Tariff Review Proceeding for 2020 to 2024. The F.T.R.P., as it is known, is a review and subsequent determination by the P.U.C. of the regulated values, mean electricity rate, as well as tariffs, […]
Over the next five years, B.E.L. plans to invest almost three hundred million dollars in the national electricity grid to connect new in-country renewable sources of energy, introduce smart grid technologies in order to improve the reliability, quality and efficiency of service to customers. It is an eighty percent increase in capital expenditures compared to […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow proceeded to deliver his final budget estimates on Thursday, but the Opposition side of the aisle was empty, as the area representatives had vacated the chambers before the presentation. The budget is titled “Making Every Dollar Count” and in this an election year, the estimates call for more spending on infrastructure, […]
Operations have normalized at the Port of Belize Limited with stevedores resuming work. Both parties came to an agreement after days of industrial action on the part of the stevedores and strike action by the staff at the Port. The stevedores have been protesting since Monday, following reports that A.S.R./B.S.I. would be exporting raw sugar […]
The staff of the Port of Belize Limited also had issues with P.B.L.’s management and joined the stevedores. For the staff, the most serious issue is the lack of progress towards concluding a new collective bargaining agreement to replace the existing agreement which has been in place for over seventeen years. Staff representative Wayne Lambey […]
Chief Executive Officer for the Port of Belize Limited, Arturo ‘Tux’ Vasquez says that the Port, which is in receivership, has suffered financially and the decision by B.S.I. to use Big Creek Port will be based on the quality of service that is provided. Vasquez says that he does not see any justifiable reason as […]
The last Belize Defense Force soldier who died in the helicopter crash was buried today. Major Radford Baizar, a highly trained and accomplished pilot and instructor of the B.D.F. Air Wing received a funeral service with military honours. Today, city residents and a number of public officials gathered to pay respects to the fallen soldier. […]
The debate on the motion of no confidence tabled by the Opposition was the final agenda item during Thursday’s Special Sitting of the House of Representatives. Debate lasted until ten o’clock in the night with members from both sides of the floor offering criticism or defending their party’s position on a number of socioeconomic issues […]
Cayo South Area Representative Julius Espat, who also chairs the Public Accounts Committee, slammed the Barrow administration for failing the people of Belize after twelve years in office. That point was fervently supported by Opposition Leader John Briceño who zeroed in on Belize City’s south side where a consolidation of the most powerful government ministers […]
Sitting way to back after leaving Cabinet, Belmopan Area Representative John Saldivar also weighed in on the no confidence motion by drawing comparisons between the present government and the P.U.P. government of the past. It is a juxtaposition that has long since become trite, to the point that it lacks any real punch, but for […]
