In a letter written by C.E.O., Doctor Peter Allen earlier today, the ministry states, “that any potential losses to B.E.L. due to the variance between the Reference Cost of Power and the Actual Cost of Power for the period January to June 2019 should be evaluated at the subsequent Annual Review Proceeding.” For all intents […]
The Lotteries Committee has now decided to enforce a law that dates back to the early fifties. It’s a piece of legislation that governs the promotion and execution of any lottery or raffle. According to the law, any group, entity, established company or person must obtain a license or a letter of authorization for a […]
According to Samuels, any violation of this specific law and its regulations is an offence that carries a fine of three thousand dollars and/or six months in jail. Lewin Samuels, Secretary, Lotteries Committee “We have not really been receiving complaints, but we know that there are activity out there which are not regularized. So, […]
Upon celebrating his seventy-fifth birthday on December twenty-third, Justice Adolph Lucas reached his retirement age. As stated in the Constitution of Belize, the high court judge must relinquish his seat on the bench at that time of life. His departure, however, comes at a critical juncture for the Supreme Court which continues to buckle under […]
Two weeks ago, the Corozal Town Council, under the leadership of Mayor Rigoberto Vellos, released a nine-page financial report. The report focuses on the spending timeline of the previous town council and according to Mayor Vellos; there were gross mismanagement and negligence under former Mayor Hilberto Campos. Part of the audit report speaks of the […]
As it relates to assets and inventory, Mayor Vellos says that one of the first tasks the council undertook upon assuming office is to review the possessions of the council. The task proved difficult as the council was not able to locate an asset register. Therefore, the council could not determine the fixed assets that […]
The Protected Areas Conservation Trust, PACT, has awarded six point seven million dollars in conservation investments to protected areas. The investments will be made through six local conservation organizations that collectively co-manage twelve protected areas. The monies will be disbursed through the following N.G.O.s: Ya’axché Conservation Trust will receive one million dollars to be invested […]
2018 is winding down and most Belizeans, like the rest of the world, are planning that special moment—who they will spend the countdown to the new year with or what fun party treats they can pull out. From New Year’s Eve bashes to family gatherings, a glass of champagne or sparkling wine would do the […]
The New Year is just around the corner which means that thousands of Belizeans will be celebrating this joyous holiday. And to bring in 2019, the celebration starts on New Year’s Eve. During the time of such festivities, there are increased dangers that adults and children alike are exposed to. So, the National Fire Service […]
The cost of electricity is set to go up yet again, for a second time in 2018. This follows a formal request by Belize Electricity Limited to the Public Utilities Commission to recover monies that the company has been spending out of pocket to purchase energy from Mexico. The submission from B.E.L. is seeking an […]
The commission, in its decision, has approved a Mean Electricity Rate of point four-two cents per kilowatt hour. According to Avery, BEL has had to incur an increase in the cost of purchasing energy from Mexico and therefore is simply looking to recoup its funds. John Avery, Chairman, Public Utilities Commission “We expect prices […]
Director of Energy Ambrose Tillett also says that the rate increase being proposed is both wise and acceptable for the supply of service to consumers. Ambrose Tillett, Director of Energy, P.U.C. “The reason why we have to approve this increase is because a lot of these increases are actually locked in already. Pretty much, […]
On Friday, the Belize National Teachers’ Union came out swinging at some school managements, calling them the Grinch that stole Christmas. That’s because certain school managements decided to dock the salaries of the teachers who participated in the November seventh demonstration in Belmopan. More than a thousand teachers participated in the demonstration, forcing the Ministry […]
According to President Elena Smith, the docking of teachers’ salaries is not only seen as ‘downright mean-spirited,’ but also as a form of union busting. Senator Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U. “It has to be looked at seriously because we do know that when our members lose salaries or when any person loses salary […]
On Christmas morning, most of us spent the day at home with our families or out celebrating with friends. For B.E.L employees, it was a morning to keep with the tradition of preparing and serving breakfast to the homeless and shut-ins in Belize City. This holiday season marks the twentieth year since the utility company […]
U.D.P. Standard Bearer for Port Loyola, Philip Willoughby is organizing a first-of-its-kind football tournament on New Year’s Day. Dubbed the Philip Willoughby Seven-a-Side Football Marathon, it is open to the entire public, but particularly those football enthusiasts in the area to come out and participate. Football teams are invited to come out and register on […]
The inaugural flight from Minneapolis courtesy of Sun Country Airlines landed at the Philip Goldson International Airport around eleven a.m. on Saturday. The flight, which will bring tourists to Belize every Saturday, is seasonal and will only add to the already increased number of airlines now coming to the Jewel. News Five’s Duane Moody was […]
Golden Tree Hotel was temporarily closed down by the Belize Tourism Board for having violated the Hotel and Tourists Accommodation Act due to non-payment. Within twenty-four hours, the owners of the recently renovated hotel on Coney Drive, were able to clear its arrears on the mandatory hotel tax payments and was reopened. Director of Marketing […]
Back in November we told you about the shooting death of on-duty cop, Osbourne Martinez. The twenty-seven-year-old Police Constable was shot and killed when he responded to an armed robbery in downtown Belize City. Martinez ran into one of three thieves who robbed the Belcove Hotel on Regent Street that morning. The shocking and tragic […]
The joy of Christmas is being able to spend time with family and friends. The spirit of the season is rooted in the celebration of the birth of Christ, a time of year when caring and sharing is at the heart of Yuletide. Earlier today, Bishop Phillip Wright of the Anglican Diocese shared with us […]
Its four days until Christmas and people are busy with their preparations for their own version of a Christmas dinner. Downtown Belize City was extra busy today with shoppers from across the country, taking advantage of the deals at the popular stores. Christmas is a time for family reunions, bonding, renewing friendships, exchanging gifts and […]
Golden Tree, the newly renovated hotel here on Coney Drive, is back in business. Earlier this week, the Belize Tourism Board closed it down for infractions to hotel regulations contained in the Hotel and Tourists Accommodation Act. Golden Tree reportedly had not been making the mandatory hotel tax payments to the B.T.B. and after several […]
The Christmas holiday in Belize is synonymous with family get-togethers. And at the heart of the celebrations are the delicacies like the ham, Christmas cakes and the rum popo. To lead up to the holidays we want to share with you one of the Belizean traditions during this season. Rum Popo is known to many […]
On Tuesday, Guatemala announced that they have withdrawn diplomatic immunity from eleven officials who have investigated alleged corruption, including cases involving the son and brother of President Jimmy Morales. Morales ordered his Foreign Affairs Ministry not to renew the visas and diplomatic clearances of the eleven investigators assigned to the International Commission Against Impunity in […]
President Morales is accusing the CICIG of violating the presumption of innocence of those it has investigated. By refusing to renew its mandate earlier this year, the president effectively gave CICIG until the end of its current term in September 2019 to wind down operations and leave the country. His government later declared Commission Chief […]
