There are no hams and turkeys to be given away this year, at least not from your local area representatives. That’s because the annual Christmas Cheer Program, a Yuletide feature where the Barrow administration gifts thousands of Belizean families with poultry, pork and a little spending money, has been suspended. In the past, government has […]
Naia Resort and Spa – that’s the newest and certainly very plush resort in the peninsula where mass tourism is getting a significant boast with the opening up of NCL’s Harvest Caye. Naia opened to the public in November; it boasts a luxurious spa, a top-notch yoga room, restaurant and other amenities through which Managing […]
In early November, Ambassador Benjamin Ho of Taiwan completed his mission in Belize. Within days, his successor arrived in country in the name of Charles Liu. Liu is a senior career diplomat with that country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry for almost three decades. Ambassador Liu has already hit the ground running and has handed over to […]
Taiwan has been a generous partner making significant contributions to Belize in areas of education, infrastructure, agriculture and culture. Ambassador Liu says that the many programs already in place will continue and he looks to opening new doors. Charles Liu, Taiwanese Ambassador to Belize “We have been doing work together on many projects such […]
There was some boost to the bilateral relations between Belize and Chile. On Monday in Belmopan, Minister of National Emergency Management Edmond Castro received a donation of one hundred thousand Belize dollars from the Government of Chile, represented by Ambassador Maria Inés Ruiz. The donation has been earmarked to support the restoration of agriculture livelihoods […]
On Monday while in the North, Minister of Agriculture Senator Godwin Hulse opened Belize’s mandatory quarantine treatment facility at the northern border in Santa Elena, Corozal District. It is part of the Ministry’s plans along with the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) to crack down on quarantine regulations and keep all produce exported from Belize […]
The Sugar Cane Production Committee has admitted that it is tough to police transactions between farmers of sugar cane and non-farmers. A recent case is the Eloy Escalante affair, where the cane farmer left the industry three years ago and sold his production estimate or quota to the son of a Government Minister. That person […]
As we reported on Monday, sugar farmers in Corozal and Orange Walk are bracing for direct competition next year with European sugar beet farmers. Beginning in 2017, the quota secured many years ago by the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) bloc of nations will be ended. But Belize Sugar Industries and its American partner, American […]
The fifth edition of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Christmas Expo Extravaganza took place over the weekend in Belize City. Thousands of Belizeans made their way to the Ramada Belize City Princess to take advantage of the great deals available in time for the Christmas. From phones to groceries and even the ham […]
San Ignacio Police were called out to the scene of an accident between miles fifty-six and fifty-seven on the George Price Highway on Sunday night. One man was killed after a six wheeler truck collided into another vehicle and pinned him down. San Ignacio police say they have since taken urine sample which was willingly […]
Arguing that the Senate was misled into approving the appointment and “a legal nullity”, lead Senator for the People’s United Party, Eamon Courtenay, has written Leader of Government Business in the Senate and Minister Godwin Hulse. Courtenay is asking to rescind Nestor Vasquez’s appointment to the Integrity Commission. Vasquez was nominated under the Prevention of […]
Today, the 2016-2017 sugar crop in Corozal and Orange Walk began. More than one point three million tonnes of sugar cane are expected to be delivered for processing to the Tower Hill factory run by American Sugar Refining Belize Sugar Industries. There are no outstanding issues between the millers and the farmers, and all that […]
The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association continues to reel from news received last week that it would be suspended for the third time by Fairtrade managers FLOCERT. Publicly, the Association has blamed one of its own, Eloy Escalante, whom they have kicked out after he admitted to Fairtrade auditors that he sold his quota or […]
The BOOST Program through which needy families receive a conditional cash transfer from government has been cited as a success in the region. This is according to the Caribbean Human Development Report 2016 which was released today by the U.N. But that is this data is well before Belize plunged into a recession. News Five’s […]
Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington has been soundly criticized by many, including the Opposition, for the handling of the Belize/Guatemala territorial dispute. A recent motion by the Government of Belize to amend the Referendum Act, as well as the Special Agreement, is seen as yet another effort to placate Guatemala. So Government is pushing for a […]
Gay rights activist Caleb Orozco is the 2016 winner of the David Kato Vision and Voice Award. The achievement acknowledges the continued efforts of the UNIBAM founder in highlighting the struggles of the LGBT community in Belize. The award is in honor of David Kato, a human rights activist who was murdered in his home […]
During the annual general meeting of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association over the weekend, farmers were informed of the recent suspension of the association from Fair-trade. The Association claims that the suspension came about as a result of an audit which exposed three areas of non-compliance due to the wrongful delivery of sugar cane […]
Earlier this week we reported on the significant drop in employment and thousands are now jobless even as prices go up as the economy remains in recession. Figures released recently by the Statistical Institute of Belize, show that exports have dropped by at least forty-three percent and only twenty one million dollars worth of goods […]
This evening, the Institute of Chartered Accountants convened its scheduled meeting and discussed the revelations surrounding the nomination of Net Vasquez to the Integrity Commission. I.C.A. had written to the Prime Minister on November eleventh announcing that accountant Warren Coye was their choice to sit on the commission. But six days later, Prime Minister Dean […]
While National Fire Service officials promised full details on Monday of its ongoing investigation, News Five has been told that arson and electrical causes have been ruled out in the fire that consumed the Chateau Caribbean Hotel on Sunday morning. An employee told News Five earlier this week that the fire started in the kitchen […]
A few months ago the Government announced plans to fund four institutions, including the Belize Defence Force and Friends for Conservation and Development, to the tune of sixteen million dollars over four years in a project known as the Chiquibul Forest Initiative. More recently, F.C.D.’s executive director Rafael Manzanero was in London to witness the […]
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and if you want to get the jump on early holiday deals, the best place to start is the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual Christmas Expo. At least sixty members of the Chamber will be displaying promotional items for the Christmas season and there will […]
The Christmas season is now upon us, it means that the police will be working overtime to keep up with criminals. The Police Department is embarking on an anti-crime campaign to ensure at least in the commercial areas citizens are safe. Chester Williams says more boots will be on the ground. ACP Chester Williams, […]
A flash mob –or the semblance of one – cut off traffic on Albert Street today for a couple of minutes. Drivers and pedestrian were treated to a group dancing in the street – but it was a dance with a message. The flash mob is a part of the U.S. Embassy’s activities for the […]
Is Nestor Vasquez qualified to serve on the Integrity Commission? The question provoked a furious back-and-forth during Wednesday’s meeting of the Senate in Belmopan, despite the Upper House ultimately voting by majority to accept his nomination by the Prime Minister. Section three of the Prevention of Corruption Act states that, “At least one member of […]
