And while that may be the biggest bombshell out of today’s public hearings, what exactly happened out west over that holiday period in 2012 has only been obliquely told. In Tench’s version of events to the Commission, he clarified the nature of the handover from the previous shift and what was the tell-tale sign that […]
The investigation widened to include other persons. According to Tench, they tried their mightiest to get the agent identified as selling the foils to Chang and Tillett to confirm other’s involvement, but only one “Khaddafi” from Corozal, known to Tench himself, came forward to assist in the investigation. Mark Tench, Former Supervisor of Immigration, […]
Tench told the Public Service Commission that his advice to Edgar Cano and Vernon Leslie to call the police in relation to the missing foils was not taken. Instead, he was brought up on disciplinary charges of misconduct in relation to violations of the Financial and Stores Orders for not properly reporting the loss of […]
This afternoon, it was the turn of Tench’s former supervisor, Vernon Leslie, to appear. He will retire in December after completing thirty years on the job, which he says he will miss. His name is in the Auditor General’s Report as the compiler of the report into the missing visa foils from December, 2012, and […]
As we have reported, former deputy Mayor of Belize City Eric Chang and financial controller with the Belize City Council, Patrick Tillett, declined an invitation to appear before the Senate Special Select Committee. But with all the times their names have been called in recent weeks, the Committee has seen fit to summon them for […]
The Social Security Board has given preliminary approval, through its Investment Committee, for a purchase of thirty-five million dollars in shares for Belize Telemedia Limited and twenty million dollars in Belize Electricity Limited, which pending final approval raises their stake in each company to thirty-three and thirty-four percent respectively. As reported by C.E.O. of the […]
The Social Security Board has publicly indicated its intention, pending final approval, to offer its third seat on the Boards of both B.T.L. and B.E.L. to members of the trade union and business sector. That’s good news for former member Mark Lizarraga, who says it would restore a seat taken away by Government at the […]
Regional coordinators from various United Nations agencies within the Caribbean have concluded a two-day conference in Belize where they met at length to discuss the implementation of the United Nations Multi-country Sustainable Framework. The underlying set of ideas focuses on four priorities areas that have been collectively agreed on by participating member states. The objective […]
The framework provides a platform for countries to access global expertise and experience of the United Nations System at both the country and sub regional levels. Bruno Pouezat assumed chairmanship of the regional steering committee at the conclusion of the conference. He identified a number of similarities that are shared by participating countries in respect […]
The lifeless body of a female was discovered this evening off the coast of Ambergris Caye. The body has been identified as twenty-nine-year-old Rickilee Michelle Mercer; an accountant of Texas, U.S.A. The body was transported to the K.H.M.H. where it awaits a post-mortem. Initial reports suggest that Mercer drowned out at a sea following a […]
The number of preschoolers is on an upward trend. Today, there are over two hundred and twenty-nine preschools across the country with over seven thousand five hundred students enrolled in early childhood centers. That figure is a combination of three and four year olds referred to as level one and level two students in the […]
Five-time Mister Belize, Rigo Vellos left the country today for Ohio, U.S.A. Vellos and two other Belizean bodybuilders will be competing at the Arnold Classic this Friday. The professional bodybuilding competition is one of the segments of a weekend-long event of different categories of fitness competitions. This is not Vellos’ first time to the competition […]
Youths between the ages of fourteen and twenty-nine over the years have been experiencing trauma due to a number of reasons, including violence on the streets, at home or school. Stakeholders who come in contact with the affected population also experience the psychological effect of trauma. The Department of Youth Services has engaged Belizean American […]
There are many forms of trauma and those social workers, police officers and teachers who are in the fields endure what is known as compassion fatigue. In turn, they subconsciously release their frustration on their loved ones. Doctor Depaz speaks about how this trauma and crisis can be addressed. Dr. Alex Depaz, Psychotherapist “In […]
The brothers Seawell – Mark, Gary and Duane – have been a staple of Belizean newscasts for more than a decade now. That’s how long they have been fighting extradition to the United States. Authorities from Ohio allege that they ran a marijuana and cocaine business involving so-called “shoe mules” between 1994 and 1997, when […]
Government of Belize chief press officer, Dorian Pakeman is due back in court on March tenth. He faces a charge of causing death by careless conduct for the traffic fatality that took the life of a Biscayne mechanic, Dean Dawson, back in March of 2016. There was no objection to bail when he was finally […]
Where is Andre Vega, son of former Minister of Natural Resources, Gaspar Vega? The Government wants to know, because it has been looking for him for months to serve him with papers for a court claim in relation to four hundred thousand dollars of tax payers’ monies that he received in compensation for the takeover […]
The Senate Special Select Committee will be meeting in public on Wednesday, March first, with two witnesses scheduled to testify. News Five has learned that those witnesses will be Immigration Officers Mark Tench and Vernon Leslie. Leslie has been identified as the whistleblower in the case of the eight missing visa foils from the Western […]
Eleven million shares, valued at fifty-five million Belize dollars – seven million in Belize Telemedia Limited and four million in Belize Electricity Limited – are up for purchase by the Social Security Board on behalf of contributors. It comes as the Government seeks financial windfalls to shore up its projected gap in revenue for the […]
The former Government C.E.O. does not claim to know the Government’s motivations for making this offer at this time, although Prime Minister Dean Barrow confirmed last week that Government always intended to sell more of its capital in B.T.L. and B.E.L. to S.S.B. and considered opening up to “the small man” – though that plan […]
It has been five years since thousands of Belizeans voted in an unofficial referendum called “The People’s Referendum” coordinated and spearheaded by The Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage and Oceana Belize. The initiative was to send a clear message to Government about how the people felt about offshore oil drilling; the result was overwhelming […]
The use of drones has become more prevalent—both for private and commercial use. Today, a notice was issued to drone operators by the regulatory body charged with oversight of aviation activities in Belize’s airspace. In its advisory, the Department of Civil Aviation says that the operation of drones are prohibited within a five mile radius […]
There are general rules that apply for all drone operations. The aerial vehicle can only be flown to a maximum height of four hundred feet and closer to aerodromes, that altitude is reduced. Among a long list of guidelines, it is prohibited for drones to be flown over persons and only to be operated during […]
Pensioners have been granted a five-percent increase in their monies offered by the Social Security Board for those earning more than three hundred and twenty dollars per week, to match the rising cost of living. But for a second five-percent increase to be granted, it may mean an increase in contributions across the board. The […]
Precinct Three Police today recognized an outstanding cadet from their corps of thirty. After performing exceptionally well, an eleven year old was selected as the best cadet for the month of January. Today we spoke with Assistant Superintendent Anaceli Petillo, the Deputy Commander of Precinct Three, who told us that the work the cadets do […]
