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In case you missed it, Government, for the acquisition of B.T.L., must pay approximately four hundred million to the previous owners of B.T.L., give or take a million or two. That means that by the eighth of July, a two hundred million payment will be due. Within a year, another payment of two hundred million […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on PM Barrow Blames P.U.P. for Majority of Award
It’s not quite as simple as that. The settlement agreement, agreed to in 2015 between Prime Minister Barrow and Lord Michael Ashcroft, does indeed stipulate that the Accommodation Agreement portion of the award, sixty percent, is to be paid in Belize dollars. But our understanding is that the money will still be under the control […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Barrow Says Takeover of B.T.L. Was Worth Every Penny
To round off his sales pitch, the P.M. then launched into a costs-benefits analysis which he maintains is complete vindication of G.O.B.’s seven years of effort and fighting the good fight. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “Under Costs to G.O.B.: shares, one hundred and twenty-eight million U.S. dollars; interest, U.S. ninety-nine million dollars; arbitration costs […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on G.O.B. Claims Analysis Shows Benefits from B.T.L. Outweigh Costs
Two hundred million in ten days, now actually nine, sounds like a big deal. But it’s not, apparently. In fact, Government says they will have absolutely no difficulty raising the money in the time given. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “Under the arrangement we made, half of the totality of the Award is payable within […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on $200 Million Due in 9 Days – Barrow Says No Problem
The Prime Minister appears to be deeply impressed with the four hundred million dollar arbitration award, but the P.U.P. is not. In a release issued late this evening the Party claimed that it is appalled by the final figures released which they say are worse than even they expected. According to the release, “Including the […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on P.U.P. Says Arbitration Award is the Cost of Barrow’s Arrogance
While all eyes will now almost certainly be turned on the arbitration award, the situation at the Sarstoon continues in limbo. Coming out of a meeting at the O.A.S. last week, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington had no real progress report because there seemed to be no real progress to report. In fact, the only timeline […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
Foreign Affairs,
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Regional / International |
Comments Off on Have Tensions in the Sarstoon De-escalated?
The People’s United Party announced on the eve of the Washington meeting that they would be withdrawing from the process because government didn’t appear to be serious in its talks with Guatemala. The Opposition proposed the formation of a national team with a clear, structured agenda and a timeline, as opposed to what they called […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
Foreign Affairs,
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Regional / International |
Comments Off on PM Wants P.U.P. to Re-Engage in Talks
The last time News Five went to the Sarstoon just prior to the Washington talks last week, we were chased out by a Guatemalan naval vessel with nine armed soldiers. Fortunately, their boat was slower, since it didn’t seem they were trying to hold on to us to offer cervezas and cookies. Government had issued […]
To referendum or not to referendum – that is the question or at least one of the questions. Another involves the amending of Belize’s Referendum Act. It’s been reported that Guatemala wants Belize to change its law so that a simple majority would pass the vote. Currently, there needs to be a sixty percent threshold. […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on G.O.B. Will Change the Referendum Act When Sarstoon Protocols Established
Today was report card day from the Statistical Institute of Belize. S.I.B. held its quarterly press conference this morning to present the most recent figures pertaining to Belize’s economic performance. Arguably the most important piece of information, as it relates to the average Belizean, is the cost of the food basket. Is it higher this […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on SIB Releases Latest Statistics
Ahead of the prime minister’s press conference this afternoon, Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action, COLA, held its own media brief to discuss the impact of the B.T.L. arbitration award. The question and answer session came on the heels of a release issued by the grassroots organization on Tuesday, in which COLA castigated government for […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on COLA Steps Up in B.T.L. Arbitration Award
Attorney Kareem Musa, who describes the entire nationalization as a political blunder, maintains that the former owners of B.T.L. should have been compensated at the time the utility company was appropriated in 2009. Prompt compensation, according to Musa, would have avoided the hefty sum prescribed by the arbitration tribunal. Kareem Musa, Attorney for COLA […]
This morning, the courts took a break from court proceedings and instead the judiciary participated in the JURIST project which is the Judicial Reform and Institutional Strengthening Project. A cross-section of stakeholders also participated in the two-day workshop. Funded by the Canadian Government, JURIST is being implemented in the region to improve the administration of […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Judiciary Participates in Reform Project
The Chief Justice says that one project that has had success in the Court of Appeal involves backlog elimination. The initiative is still in progress and involves case management methods and the streamlining of the appeal process. Kenneth Benjamin, Chief Justice of Belize “We hope that the next project initiative would be the development […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Born out of a social research known as the Gayle Report, conducted in Belize over six years ago, Like A Bushfire was officially launched at the Image Factory this morning. The book which focuses on inner city violence was co-written by several authors, including anthropologist Doctor Herbert Gayle and education officer Nelma Mortis. The social […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Herbert Gayle Launches ‘Like a Bushfire’
In 2013, Cubola Productions approached the research team with an idea to compile the results of the Gayle Report into book form. It has been three years since and the result is long in the making. With all the resources and time invested in the project, Dr. Gayle says that the work is a labor […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Gayle Says Project was a Labour of Love
Belize Water Services Limited has announced a partnership with Restore Belize’s “I am Belize” Scholarship Program, as well as the Belize National Sports Council. BWS has pledged to assist with funding for the annual academic initiative by making available a total of forty thousand dollars to be disbursed over the course of the next four […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on BWS Partners With Restore Belize
Each of the various representatives, including Roger Bradley and Ritchel Dominguez, described their respective programs. The ‘I am Belize’ Scholarship Program began several years ago and was primarily funded through the B.N.E. Trust Fund. Meanwhile it is the first time Belize is hosting the CODICADER Games. In accepting the contributions of BWS, an overview of […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on 2 Programs Benefit from BWS Contributions
The Fisher of the Year Award Ceremony was held in Belize City this morning to acknowledge fisher folks, men and women, who have been outstanding in their effort to secure sustainable small-scale fisheries. The event was held at the Coastal Zone Training Room where representatives from the Wildlife Conservation Society, as well as other stakeholder […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Outstanding Fisherfolk Recognized
Guadalupe Lampella has been a fisherwoman for over forty-five years. She was selected as the Outstanding Fisher Folk for 2016 after meeting the criteria of participating in the decision-making process, assuming her responsibility for sustainability and contributing to food security. Guadalupe Lampella, Outstanding Fisher Folk 2016 “I have to say first of all that […]
Written on June 29, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Guadalupe Lampella Is Most Outstanding for 2016
Thirty-one year old Yo Creek resident Larry Banner is spending his second night behind bars for aggravated burglary and maim following a crazy chopping incident in the northern village. Last Friday, Banner with a machete in hand chopped three adults and three minors. A fourteen-year old victim was severely wounded and tonight the sad news […]
Written on June 28, 2016 | Posted in
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On Monday evening, Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie, accompanied by Special Branch head Marco Vidal, called a press conference purportedly to brief the media on the detention of nineteen members of the Ahmad family from Hattieville last week Monday. It’s a curious case. The Muslim family was part of a major, organized sweep which targeted […]
Written on June 28, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Police Refuse to Reveal Source in Ahmad Family Mass Detention
Six homes raided in a coordinated sweep, a Muslim family detained by Police, all electronic items seized and surely scrutinized, a warrant presented based on probable cause of a Conspiracy to Damage Property and Conspiracy to Commit Murder. It all sounds like the stuff of a Tom Clancy novel. Actually, it also sounds like a […]
Written on June 28, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Was the U.S. Involved in Ahmad Investigation?
Neither the Commissioner nor Special Branch Commander would provide any tangible information on the investigation which prompted the detention of the Ahmad family. But they were both adamant that it was done within the parameters of the law and can hold up against any probably lawsuit brought by the Ahmad family. Marco Vidal, Head, […]
Written on June 28, 2016 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Special Branch Head Marco Vidal Says Officers Acted Within the Law
The decision of the three-member Permanent Court of Arbitration is in, and tonight we’ve got a first look at the figures contained in the hundred and thirty-nine page document. Just as very brief background – the Claimant in the matter was Dunkeld International Investments Limited, an Ashcroft company, and the respondent was the Government of […]
