In other agricultural news from Belmopan, Orange Walk South area representative and the P.U.P.’s spokesman for agriculture, Jose Abelardo Mai, dropped a stunner during his Budget presentation. There is currently a scarcity of limes on the market, as the humble fruit has taken a beating from citrus greening disease in the south and other factors. […]
Earlier, Cayo South representative Julius Espat spoke about the PAC. He also spoke about the ways the monies are spent – and in his view, misspent – over the last decade of the U.D.P.’s administration. He sought to lay a trail back to this year’s Budget of how monies used, for instance, with Petrocaribe on […]
It hasn’t come up much during the Budget debate, but the House still has to contend with the repayment of the thirty-six million loan to Belize Bank, guaranteed by Government, for Universal Health Services. While no decision has been taken apart from the Supplementary bill presented in January while the matter is before the Caribbean […]
Like his veteran representative father Said Musa, Caribbean Shores representative Kareem Musa has become a must-see attraction during the Budget debate and today was no exception. He differed slightly from Opposition Leader John Briceño, who on Thursday said the budget lacked “Barrow-gance.” Musa assured that it’s still there, but it was more of the “punch-drunk” […]
On Thursday, the teachers protested on Independence Hill following a rally at the civic center and a march through the streets of the Capital City Belmopan. They were championing the safety of women and children, who in recent times have increasingly become victims of violence and sexual abuse. As they did back in 2016, the […]
The teachers went on to endorse Manifesto for Linda as their demands are included in the document. With the support of the Ministry of Human Development and the Speaker of the House, the proposal is to make changes for a safer Belize for our children and women, who are victims of violence and sexual abuse. […]
The national football team played its first international game on Thursday night. Though just a friendly match, the team showed its mettle when it took on Grenada’s Spice Boyz. It all leads to the CONCACAF Nation’s League set to commence in September. Once the ball got rolling at the Isidoro Beaton Stadium, the Belize Jaguars […]
Today, the U.S. Embassy in Belize organized two informative and motivational talks with students in Belize City. In the first session, Rhea Rogers of the Ministry of National Security spoke with one hundred and eighty Saint Catherine Academy students about women, peace and security. The second talk saw Belizean biochemistry researcher and PhD student Aimee […]
Flores is a biochemistry researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles who is making big waves in the research field in the U.S. As a student, Flores excelled in school locally and eventually relocated to pursue studies, where she is wrapping up a PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology. She is currently doing research […]
With a new sheriff in town at 109 North Front Street, are there any projects that were started under the previous administration that Mayor Wagner is looking to complete? That’s what we asked this afternoon, considering that many, if not all, governments come into office with their respective mandates. He says that re-floating the existing […]
The final round of competition for the Belikin Deejay Championship takes place tonight inside Club Elite. Eight up-and-coming disc jockeys from across the country are vying for the coveted title in a competition that is organized by Belize’s Musical Ambassador Shyne Barrow. For the grand finale, popular Brooklyn deejay Max Glazer has been brought in […]
The second annual “Light Our Hearts” march and rally takes place this weekend at the Memorial Park in Belize City. It is organized by Shakera Young who remains steadfast on her mission to fight for peace and humanity in the Old Capital following the murder of her son, seven-year-old Tyler Savery, which occurred back in […]
Tonight at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts, a group of artists have been pooled together for a great cause – to help eleven-year-old Jamir Valentine, who was recently diagnosed with bone cancer. Valentine is the eldest son of performing artist Positive Vibes, who has been working around the clock to put off this […]
Day-one of the budget debate started this morning in Belmopan and up to news time it continues in an energized National Assembly, that had been downgraded from cold to near-Arctic. The 2018-2019 General Revenue and Appropriation Bill was tabled two weeks ago. The P.U.P. leader, John Briceño, assailed the vision of Prime Minister Dean Barrow […]
Is the Government running a game with the share price of Belize Telemedia Limited and what the company is really worth? That’s the thinking in some sectors since G.O.B. is considering selling more shares of B.T.L. to the Social Security Board. In 2017, S.S.B. bought seven million shares at five dollars a share, despite the […]
Lake Independence area representative Cordel Hyde, speaking after Belmopan representative John Saldivar, called the budget a “slap in the face” after the recent municipal election results. According to Hyde, despite the people’s decision on March seventh, the government has insisted it will not alter course, and that may prove to be a fateful decision. […]
Later, former Prime Minister Said Musa went after the Government’s estimation of the economy. Scorning the charge that the economy was “on the rebound,” he noted that Government hoped to cover up the holes in the budget by applying the pressure of more taxes, including the addition of the General Sales Tax to data services […]
American businessman Chad Eckert has responded to a recent claim made against him by former partner Gustavo Cardenas. The cotton farmer alleges that he has been frozen out of his own agriculture venture; following a falling out with Eckert over twelve thousand pounds of West Indian Sea Island Cotton that was harvested in 2016. In […]
As the budget debate took place inside the National Assembly, across Independence Hill at the civic centre, teachers were also having their say. Their call was for an end to the violence against women and children. Among the thick crowd of educators, were victims and families of persons living with the pain of abuse. Powerful […]
At the start of his presentation on the Budget, Minister of Education Patrick Faber issued a response to the teachers. While Faber has had his issues with the union in the past and recently accused their leadership of having lost their way, today he offered somewhat of an olive branch, suggesting that the union could […]
Today’s Budget Debate was especially spicy as the main speakers went head to head. Belmopan’s John Saldivar answered Leader of the Opposition John Briceño and was in turn answered by Cordel Hyde, who was then answered by Patrick Faber. It got especially heated during Faber’s presentation as he went after Hyde on past scandals in […]
The once and current Minister of National Security, John Saldivar, reviewed the performance of his Ministry of Defense before the merger announced earlier this week and also spent some time on what his Police portfolio will be doing to address the burgeoning crime situation. In addition to the new legislation that will be debated in […]
The Deputy P.M.’s spiel was not only expelled on the P.U.P. Even a former colleague, who just also happens to have been a former area representative from Lake Independence, got his name called. Mark King has expressed interest in running to succeed Anthony “Boots” Martinez in the Port Loyola division, but Faber rubbished that idea […]
Minister of John Saldivar, took to social media on Tuesday and launched an attack on B.N.T.U. National President, Elena Smith following her comments against his appointment as Minister of National Security. Saldivar posted that Senator Smith is using her position to bully pulpit for her self-serving agenda. He also warned to be “careful of your […]
Saldivar’s Facebook post is seen as a form of cyber bullying, for which there are no laws to protect victims. Of equal concern is that Saldivar appears to be using the power of his office as minister of the security forces to threaten the senator. Attorney-at-law and former parliamentarian Lisa Shoman, in her address at […]
