The ejection of the media from the gallery has also raised concerns in respect of the apparent abuse of authority by members of the police department. Without verbal authorization from the Speaker of the House, police on duty inside the Assembly Building proceeded to forcibly remove reporters, cameramen and technicians from the balcony. The media […]
The People’s United Party is also calling for an appeal of the Supreme Court decision on Section Fifty-three of the Criminal Code. In the days following the landmark ruling, the P.U.P. stated that it respected the decision of the Supreme Court as the rule of law. Today, however it has made an about turn, demanding […]
The P.U.P. touched on a number of other issues. It weighed-in on the massive turnout of protestors who were present for the COLA/Evangelical Church rally in Belmopan on Friday. According to Party Leader Briceño, the opposition deliberately abstained from bringing out its membership out of respect for the church’s cause. The events on Friday, however, […]
Turning to the procedure on the naming of a member of the House of Representatives…. As you know, the House ended in utter confusion not to mention the chaos after Espat was suspended and ejected by the security forces. This morning, Caribbean Shores Area Rep. Kareem Musa relied on the Standing Orders to outline as […]
The People’s United Party has joined the B.P.P. in demanding that the Barrow administration immediately sign on the UN Convention on Anti-corruption. The urgent call for the U.D.P. government to endorse the convention comes amid the mounting scandals that the government is facing. John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition “No Mister Prime Minister; it […]
A report from experts, Doctors James Hamby of the U.S. and Doctor Patricia Trujillo of Mexico, on the killing of a Guatemalan minor back in April was released last week in Belize. The findings of the experts validate initial reports that the B.D.F. did not fire the fatal shots that took the life of Julio […]
The report of the independent investigation has incensed Guatemala. As soon as it was released, the Foreign Minister Carlos Raul Morales made comments to Emisoras Unidas, a news outlet across the border. His ire was directed at both the O.A.S. Representative and Prime Minister Barrow. Minister Morales thinks that the O.A.S.’ Magdalena Talamas is dead […]
By and large in the aftermath of the death of fourteen-year-old Julio Rene Alvarado Ruano, it was felt that the Guatemalan government was ahead in its campaign to internationalize their allegations that the B.D.F. killed the minor and in fact lacked professionalism. Well, Minister Morales is now rejecting the report by the experts on the […]
The second of three back to school drives organized by the Eastern Division South Police Department took place today at the Raccoon Police Station. Over a hundred and twenty children from the Saint Martin’s area were the recipients of school bags and supplies courtesy of the police officers. According to ACP Chester Williams, the drive […]
We have been covering House Meetings for decades, but we cannot remember one as chaotic and as dangerous to democracy as today. There was total pandemonium on Independence Hill where a sitting parliamentarian was suspended—though no knows for how long—another was manhandled and then there was a direct attack on the media. Outside of parliament, […]
As Julius Espat was being dragged out of the building, the Leader of the Opposition John Briceño attempted to intervene, telling the police that Espat was already outside of the Chambers so excessive force was not necessary. But he too was manhandled by the officers who appeared to be overextending their authority. At least three […]
Following the madness inside the meeting of the House, Leader of the Opposition John Briceño and Deputy Party Leader Julius Espat spoke candidly with the media. Briceño and Espat vehemently argued that the reason for the turmoil was simply because they chose to address the issue of the Auditor General’s report which names several government […]
The media also came under attack by the police. Colleagues were asked to leave, but stood their ground and then the police went into attack mode. The removal of the media from the gallery was an attempt to stop the recordings of the ugly scene unfolding. During that mayhem, our colleague at 7 News, Director […]
Moments later, flanked by a massive security detail, PM Barrow would exit the building. The shouting and jeering from onlookers continued as he made his way downhill towards his vehicle. We tried ardently to get a word from him concerning the pandemonium in today’s historic House Meeting. Here’s what happened. {Images of Prime Minister […]
While all the havoc was taking place inside the National Assembly, outside was no different. Just around high noon, what had been a peaceful protest on the steps of the National Assembly descended into scenes of near-riot after a protestor began firing missiles toward the Assembly building. Police responded with live warning rounds fire over […]
While the House debated, outside in the Belmopan sun, a selection of the population railed and called on the Prime Minister and his government to defend the nation from social ills and regain their rapidly fading trust. Correspondent Aaron Humes reports from Independence Hill. Aaron Humes, Reporting On this sunny Friday in the nation’s […]
The recent controversial Section Fifty-three ruling is the primary reason why almost two thousand protestors from across the country descended on Independence Hill today. Acknowledging the presence of the demonstrators outside of the House, PM Barrow reiterated government’s position that it will not appeal the Supreme Court decision. PM Barrow went on to say that […]
During today’s protest on Independence Hill, organizer of the “I Want My Country Back Movement,” Pastor Louis Wade, discussed with News Five his belief that the events of August tenth were a culmination of a secret pact made eight years ago. Wade says the agreement was between Caleb Orozco’s UNIBAM, an unnamed attorney, the University […]
At the end of our story on the protest in Belmopan, you heard COLA president Geovannie Brackett mention the silent trade union movement, but after, he told News Five that some are not entirely silent. Geovannie Brackett, President, COLA “I just got a text and I think I can be free to say – […]
Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber’s assigned vehicle, a 2013 Toyota Prado, was plunged into the Caribbean Sea near Marine Parade by an unknown driver on August fourteenth. The account given by the Minister of Education a day later was that the vehicle was stolen from his girlfriend’s house near mile four on the George Price […]
C.E.O. Candelaria Saldivar, the sister of Minister John Saldivar, remains on administrative leave over a year after vacating her office in the Ministry of Immigration. That’s because she reportedly couldn’t get along with the Heads of Department. During this time, the senior public officer continues to enjoy her full salary, as well as the perks […]
The heinous murder of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas in early July, as well as the call for an external investigation also came up in the House today. Pastor Lue was beheaded after being abducted from the home of businessman William Mason on Intelco Hill in Belmopan during a business deal gone wrong. The issue was brought […]
How much is the Prime Minister’s son, Anwar Barrow, earning as Chairman of the Executive Committee at B.T.L.? That’s what Area Representative Kareem Musa asked in the House this morning. Granted, the House of Representatives is not the place or forum for a such a question, but Musa asked nonetheless. Here’s how the PM responded […]
There has long been a call for re-registration of the electoral roll and for re-districting of the electoral boundaries. The former has only taken place in 1996 and 1997 after first being introduced while the last took place between the 2003 and 2008 general elections. Reports are that as many as ten new constituencies will […]
A hundred Belize City students will be the recipients of much needed back to school goodies courtesy of the Angelus Press. Today, at its headquarters on Queen Street in the Old Capital, Manager John Gillett handed over the Jansport school bags to representatives from the Belize Red Cross, who will be issuing the bags on […]
