On Tuesday, the government had to defend the blacklisting of Belize by the European Union as a Non-Cooperative Jurisdictions for Tax Purposes. Today, the Human Rights Report by the U.S. State Department is giving Belize a black eye. The twenty-two-page report cites allegations of corruption among public officials as well as abuses by the police […]
In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission revealed what it calls “the largest overseas real estate investment scam” and unfortunately for Belize, the scammers used its name and landscape to attract victims. As we have reported extensively, the FTC alleges that a group of companies including Sanctuary Bay Belize under lead scammer Andre Pukke and their […]
Twenty-four residents of Arenal Village along the Western Border today gladly accepted certificates for their participation on agro-ecological capacity building exercises. The training was conducted by Friends for Conservation and Development which has been working with the community since November 2018. Due to the location of Arenal Village and its proximity to the Vaca Forest […]
The number of women in the police department is still on the low side, but that may improve now that the department is planning to recruit women to join its ranks. The encouraging news is that female offices have been deployed across the country and are serving in top posts. This morning, one of the […]
There is an open call for businesses to submit ideas and plans for the development of a large tract of barren land in the vicinity of Lake Independence Boulevard. To be overseen by Belize Infrastructure Limited, the project will be a partnership between the public and private sectors and will see the area transformed into […]
Today was the final day to register for the April tenth referendum. In Belize City, long lines were formed at various registration centres as electors waited to apply to be placed on the voters list. Only those persons who applied for registration will be able to vote yes or no on whether to take the […]
Belize is among ten new jurisdictions blacklisted as tax havens by the European Union. These include: Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Dominica, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu. The measures were announced today in Brussels due to shortfalls in rules that could favour tax evasions in other countries. It means that these […]
Belize City police are investigating the sudden death of a one-month-old baby girl. Her name is Rhynaye Alexandra Rowland and she was found dead in her bed at her home on Kelly Street, Belize City, at around three o’clock on Monday morning. According to the mother, Simbiat Garnett, they went to bed at around eleven […]
The team from NICH established itself as a force at the start of the four-day Ruta Maya River Challenge race. Covering as much as one hundred and eighty miles, sixty-one teams took off from San Ignacio on Friday and paddled their way to Belize City on Monday morning. NICH would go on to win the […]
Thousands of teachers gathered today at the UB gymnasium in Belmopan to take part in an I.C.J. forum fully sponsored and organized by the Belize National Teachers’ Union. The four-hour forum saw the participation of more than three thousand, five hundred teachers who listened to presentations from three invited guests. Ambassador and YES proponent Assad […]
There are thousands of Belizeans living and working outside of the country who will not be able to participate in the upcoming I.C.J. referendum. Notwithstanding the criteria for eligibility that has been put forth, many are unable to return home and remain here for at least two months, only to return sometime later to cast […]
The deadline for re-registration is March eleventh and across the country eligible voters are making last-minute efforts to ensure that they are able to cast their ballots on April tenth. But while many have successfully done so, they are still without a Voters ID card tonight and do not know when those cards will be […]
During the Prime Minister’s Business Forum on February twenty-first, the head of government took advantage of an opportunity to chide the court system, taking particular aim at a sitting judge. PM Barrow’s keynote address dealt with a deprivation of roughly fourteen million from government’s treasury, monies that were offset from Belize Bank’s taxes. Not only […]
Many questions have been asked relating to Assad Shoman’s recently formed non-governmental organization. Citizens for the Defense of Sovereignty was formed less than three months ago and its primary objective is to ‘promote the sovereignty of peoples and the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality.’ In fact, the most urgent object of the movement today […]
During the forum today, Ambassador Assad Shoman explained what steps will be followed if a YES vote is secured on April tenth. According to Shoman, Belize will exercise its rights to ask the ICJ to implement provisional measures such as issuing a stop order to Guatemala from aggressing Belizeans who traverse the Sarstoon. Assad […]
So what happens if there is a NO vote? Well according to Assad Shoman, there is no clear plan as to what steps will be taken. Shoman says he cannot predict what will happen, prompting backlash from Attorney Audrey Matura and Former Border Commissioner Lindsay Belisle. Assad Shoman, Citizens for the Defence of Sovereignty […]
One of the most repeated questions relating to Guatemala’s claim over Belize has to do with the historical role of England and future intervention. Some feel that Belize inherited the claim from England and as such, England and Guatemala should resolve the dispute between themselves. So today when Ambassador Assad Shoman was asked about it, […]
Today, March eighth, is International Women’s Day. The day is set aside to celebrate women and advocate for gender equality. Non-profit group ‘Promoting Empowerment Through Awareness for Lesbian and Bisexual Women’ hosted a forum to discuss the criminalization of sexual and reproductive health related activities, as well as the age of consent dilemma in Belize. […]
The twenty-second Belikin La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge began today at the foot of the Hawkesworth Bridge in Santa Elena. Sixty-one teams of paddlers registered to take on one hundred and eighty miles of river in four days. The longest leg was completed today; after forty-nine gruelling miles of paddling, defending champions, NICH, won […]
A team of painters, all employees of Unicomer Belize, has been working diligently to give Cleopatra White Polyclinic a much needed facelift. It is part of their annual celebration of Unicomer Volunteer Week. News Five stopped by the health center today and saw the team in action. Isani Cayetano, Reporting For the past several […]
Earlier this week, the newly upgraded Hopkins Village Main Road was officially opened. The road was rehabilitated under the Banana Accompanying Measures Programme 2013, and was jointly funded by the European Union and the Government of Belize. The project is valued at approximately two point eight- six million dollars. The newly completed project is of […]
Tonight there are more details about a suit against the government. Leader of the Opposition John Briceño and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Julius Espat have launched a lawsuit against Prime Minister Dean Barrow, Finance Secretary Joseph Waight, and Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte. PM Barrow is named as the first defendant as the Minister […]
The fiscal year ends on March thirty-first, which means government has to present a budget for the new financial year. Espat also touched on the upcoming budget. According to Espat, the presentation of the General Revenue and Appropriation Bill 2019-2020 was originally scheduled for Friday, March eight, but the budget reading was pushed back to […]
On Monday members of the Christian Workers Union, who are employees of the Social Security Board, participated in an organized in-office show of solidarity against the administration of the Board. Employees are not happy with the Board’s plan to convert their pension scheme into a private company. They say that the process is moving too […]
Over the past few weeks, various works of art, sculptures depicting the wildlife of Belize, have been popping up at parks and other recreational spaces across the city. Today, a pair of turtles was officially introduced to the public by Mayor Bernard Wagner and attorney Estevan Perera. The installations are the brainchild of Perera who […]
