And tonight’s question is: Do you support prolonged strike by the B.N.T.U. until their demands are met? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or post your vote on our e-poll at channel5belize.com. You can also send an email with your comments to questions@channel5belize.com
On Monday afternoon, a tire fire erupted on BelCan Bridge in the city in the height of the rush hour, disrupting the flow of traffic. This morning at around four o’clock, tires were set on fire on the Hummingbird Highway. While there are images of the fire, police could not confirm the incident. The B.N.T.U. […]
We can confirm tonight of a major change at the Commercial Free Zone in the north. On Monday, the Free Zone announced it was investing over two million dollars in infrastructure, but one man who will not see that development is Raul Rosado, the C.E.O., who is related to the former DPM Gaspar Vega. Since […]
Another major change is at the Central Bank of Belize. We reported back on August first, that Ambassador Joy Grant was moving up from the Financial Intelligence Unit to the Central Bank. The Bank confirmed today that effective October first, 2016 Grant was appointed Governor, replacing Glenford Ysaguirre who held the position since 2008. At […]
Back to the strike…The B.N.T.U. claimed considerable success on Monday with their planned industrial action, so much so that they extended it into a second day, today. However, some schools defied the Union’s call for national solidarity on their eight-point agenda and kept classrooms open. On the north side, Nazarene and Edward P. Yorke High […]
Before heading out to cabinet today, the Minister of Education Patrick Faber, addressed educators on the issue of curriculum reform. Faber says the current programs are outdated and need adjustment to better suit the secondary level education. News Five’s Duane Moody reports. Duane Moody, Reporting Educators as well as stakeholders in the education system, […]
Destination Belize is moving on up in the online world. At the unveiling of the country’s main tourism promotional publication, it was announced that the magazine is now complemented with the free Belize Destination App and an e-book version of the signature magazine. At the launch of the seventeenth edition of the B.T.I.A.’s magazine, it […]
More than twenty trainees received certificates in wait staff and bartender training from the Belize Training and Employment Centre in Belize City. The Wait Staff Training was geared towards those who were looking to brush up their skills or to learn new techniques in preparation of employment opportunities. News Five stopped in at today’s certification […]
Forty-five year old Sheldon Dennison of Hattieville Village is asking for your help. Dennison says he needs an urgent surgery, but he simply can’t afford it. He got injured on his job back in 2006 but his injuries have worsened over the years, so much so that he is now walking with cane because of […]
OCEANA has two new Ocean Heroes. Since 2012, every year, OCEANA Belize selects Belizeans to honor as Ocean Heroes. The winners are those who accomplish tremendous work in ocean conservation, advocacy and education. This year saw a big number of nominations, but only two were lucky enough to join the ranks of previous winners like […]
This evening, a scene eerily reminiscent of the worst of the 2005 riots greeted rush hour drivers. Perhaps the most important traffic route in all of Belize City, the BelCan Bridge linking San Cas Plaza and the Philip Goldson Highway with Central American Boulevard, was blocked by a series of tires set on fire. It […]
But the big announcement came this afternoon from B.N.T.U. National President Luke Palacio after a meeting at the union headquarters. Across the country, the B.N.T.U. teachers stayed away from the classrooms and in most cases so did the students…we’ll have that story coming up. But what happens on Tuesday. After a successful day-one, will the […]
As we said, a majority of Belize’s teachers were out of school today, in support of the strike by their union. It is a result of the Belize National Teachers’ Union’s efforts to spur up discussion on the current state of affairs in the nation, and getting the attention of the Government on current critical […]
During today’s meeting in Belize City, B.N.T.U. executive secretary Keisha Young read out the details of how many absences and school closures there were – and there were a lot of them. Keisha Young, Executive Secretary, B.N.T.U. “In Corozal Town Branch, eight schools were fully closed, five were open, but most of them were […]
The ruling United Democratic Party’s National Party Council met Saturday in a regular session at the party’s headquarters at Youth for the Future Drive in Belize City. This quarterly meeting came amidst the planned strike by the Belize National Teachers’ Union today and other pressing national issues. Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington told us […]
Our first interview with B.N.T.U. President Luke Palacio took place this morning, just before nine a.m., as he and B.N.T.U. executive secretary Keisha Young left from an appearance on the Wake Up Belize Morning Vibes show. Shortly after that, it came to the attention of show host and vocal B.N.T.U. supporter Evan “Mose” Hyde that […]
B.N.T.U. Belmopan Branch says today’s strike was a success. The teachers who didn’t go to school converged in the Capital where the eight demands by the union were ventilated by guest speakers including Doctor Louis Zabaneh. More than three-fourths of the Belmopan Branch union members, along with non-members in Belmopan ditched the classroom in support […]
Regional branches of the B.N.T.U. met simultaneously to discuss the way forward which resulted in an endorsement of day-two of strike action. In the north, where the B.N.T.U. is strong and flourishing, students closed the classrooms in support of teachers. News Five’s Duane Moody has the following report. Duane Moody, Reporting Across Orange Walk […]
But the strike action has not been without its hurdles. The Catholic Public Schools suffered an apparent communication breakdown last week. It started after infirm Catholic Bishop Dorick Wright, at a meeting of principals and representatives of Catholic management at his home, endorsed a press release that indicated his concern for the safety of students […]
The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry has issued a statement of support for the B.N.T.U. following a meeting between their respective leaderships on Friday. The Chamber reiterated its support for several of the urgent reform measures proposed by the B.N.T.U., such as the activation of the Integrity Commission, the restructuring of the Public Accounts […]
A Senate Select Committee was established last Friday; it includes only one member from the People’s United Party. Today, the Opposition called for a reconstitution of the Committee and advanced it recommendations. The P.U.P. arduously objected to a motion presented by the Church Senator which gives the G.O.B. the upper hand. The lead Opposition senator, […]
Minister of State for Finance; former Financial Secretary, and former vice-president at the Caribbean Development Bank, Doctor Carla Barnett, addressed reporters on Friday on the current state of the economy. The country has just completed its Article IV consultation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which continues to call for cuts to the wage bill, […]
Speaking more specifically on raising taxes, Doctor Barnett reiterated that the Government’s efforts are presently aimed at increasing the level of outstanding taxes it collects and closing loopholes in the system before it resorts to raising them. Dr. Carla Barnett, Minister of State, Finance “Let me put it this way. There is a need […]
Turning to the fight against crime…the Rural Eastern Division launched a non-emergency number for the public in that division. The police hope that the number will make it easier for people to report minor crimes and will result in quicker police response. Also as a part of its community efforts, patrols are now going digital […]
The conch season officially opened on Saturday, but even before then, on Friday, a joint patrol of Belize Audubon Society, Fisheries Department and the Belize National Coast Guard officers out at Lighthouse Reef came across a trio of fishermen. All three fishermen are from the village of Cooper Bank in the Corozal District. The incident […]
