Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber minced no words earlier today when he openly spoke out against the decision by the Caribbean Court of Justice on Wednesday. The CCJ has ordered the Government of Belize to fork over ninety million dollars to the Belize Bank Limited, after years of litigation in respect of the U.H.S. debt. […]
As you heard in the news on Wednesday, former Prime Minister Said Musa said that the matter could have been settled during his term in office and that government had indeed received funding from Taiwan and Venezuela that would have cleared the debt. But, Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber was not having it today – […]
But with all that said and done – the CCJ judgment still stands and G.O.B. must now cough up ninety million Belize dollars. And where will this money come from? DPM Faber says that for now he does not know and that will be up to the Minister of Finance, PM Barrow. But what he […]
The debate about recreational usage of marijuana continues, even after the decriminalization of possession of ten grams or less of the drug took effect earlier this month. While there is some support for tentative acceptance of use of weed for medicinal purposes, officialdom continues to frown on any attempt to make a business out of […]
Closer to home, how have things been going since marijuana decriminalization went into effect on November first? Very well, according to Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte, who told us that the effect of the law depends on responsible parents and adults to show the way. There is admittedly some lagging in other aspects of the legislation, […]
A persistent question being asked is, if the law can ease up on users of marijuana, what happens to those who plant fields and cultivate and sell “weed” for recreational purposes? As is evident from crackdowns by the Gang Suppression Unit and other elements of the Police Department, those persons remain afoul of the law. […]
Eighty-three-year-old Hubert Richards remains missing tonight, despite all efforts being expended by his loved ones in trying to locate him alive. The elderly man is said to be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and has been sighted in several areas along the Phillip Goldson Highway, including Los Lagos and as far north as the Guinea Grass […]
Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Works, Errol Gentle, says that neither roads nor bridges are to be blamed for the fatal accidents that happened between miles thirty-one and thirty-two in Saint Margaret Village over the weekend. Four men died at the same spot along the Hummingbird Highway and relatives believe that the deteriorating […]
And as we reported on Wednesday night, Ministry of Works, Cisco Construction and the Belmopan Police are putting in some remedial work at the bridge in Saint Margaret Village. These works are only temporary but is a part of the Hummingbird Rehabilitation Project that has started in some areas along the highway. Signage will be […]
Solicitor General Nigel Hawke was actually the second of two witnesses called on Wednesday by the Senate Special Select Committee. On Wednesday morning, the senators held a private, in-camera session with Kent Clare, the current Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit. In the afternoon session, Hawke was asked to comment on the state of affairs […]
We leave this week’s hearings with a reminder of just how important they have become in the eyes of some. One year ago this month, the six members of the Special Select Senate Committee convened with a mandate to, among other things, conduct an inquiry into the processes, procedures, regulations and activities of the Immigration […]
Over the next two weeks, a number of anti-violence presentations at schools, as well as health talks and an exhibition by the Women’s Department, will take place as part of the 2017 calendar of events to commemorate the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence. Today, the activities were officially launched with a ceremony […]
The CXC national committee recognized the best and the brightest in the Caribbean Secondary Education Examination and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination for Belize. The high academic achievers from all across Belize received their certificates and prizes at a ceremony in Cayo today. According to the CXC committee, the passes this year are better than last […]
Energy Week commenced this past Sunday, but today, a fair was held at the Biltmore Plaza to showcase the local energy sector and shift the focus on renewable energy sources. “RE-Thinking Energy: Shaping a Resilient Community” – is the theme for this year’s event and News Five’s Duane Moody found out that legislation is being […]
Tonight, Channel Five is bringing back an old favorite. “Veranda Tales” was an original series in the 1990’s which employed familiar faces to read to primary school-aged children. It’s part of our commitment to investing in creating children’s programs that are both entertaining and educational. So we want to promote reading to be fun, a […]
The Barrow administration has been dealt yet another crippling blow by the Caribbean Court of Justice, after losing an appeal in respect of a long-drawn-out matter involving the defunct Universal Health Services. Earlier today, the C.C.J. reversed the ruling of the Belize Court of Appeal and ordered the Government of Belize to pay roughly eighty-eight […]
According to Courtenay, a letter will be forwarded to government later this week requesting payment. Should there be no response or a refusal to pay the outstanding debt, a certificate will be sought as part of the enforcement process. Eamon Courtenay, Attorney for Belize Bank “I think it is important for the Belizean public […]
Solicitor General Nigel Hawke appeared on behalf of government and was first to express disappointment with the CCJ’s verdict. While he is awaiting further instructions, the Sol Gen maintains that government wasn’t imprudent when it decided not to honor the thirty-seven million dollar award back in 2013. Nigel Hawke, Solicitor General “It’s always a […]
The source of the lengthy proceedings is former Prime Minister Said Musa, whose administration back in 2004 entered into an agreement by signing a loan note between the Belize Bank and Universal Health Services. The People’s United Party government assumed the twenty-nine million dollar debt when UHS failed to pay the loan. When details of […]
According to Musa, the matter had been settled during his term in office and that government had indeed received funding from Taiwan and Venezuela that would have cleared the debt. Said Musa, Former Prime Minister “It was settled, as you know, by my government at the time, and indeed we had received grants from […]
Late this evening, the Belize Bank also issued a press release on the decision, stating, “In its judgment today, the CCJ granted permission to the Bank to enforce the L.C.I.A. Award in the same manner as a judgment or order of the Supreme Court to the same effect. It also ordered that the Bank have […]
Are police any closer to cracking the murder case of Michelle Anison? The decomposing body of the British expat was discovered in her apartment on Perez Road, Ladyville last Friday; her vehicle and personal effects were missing. News Five understands that Anison’s wallet, with her bank cards and I.D. was discovered on a bus and […]
The murder of Anison has left the staff and children at Liberty Children’s Home traumatized. Director Valentine says that persons have been brought in to counsel them; she also describes Anison as a humanitarian, who adopted the Ladyville community as her new home and family. Agatha Valentine, Director, Liberty Foundation “Our children aren’t really […]
Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay and Solicitor General Nigel Hawke were on opposite sides of the bar in a different forum this afternoon, specifically at the National Assembly in Belmopan where Hawke was a witness at the Special Senate Select Committee. He was questioned on various legal issues having to do with the work of the […]
The other legal opinion has to do with clarifying the status of Guatemalan nationals renouncing their citizenship in order to become Belizeans. The process of granting nationality to Guatemalans has been halted because it has not been made clear whether the renunciation of citizenship in Guatemala must take place before the Belize process is started […]
