Earlier in our newscast Financial Secretary Joseph Waight explained that to deal with a deteriorating fiscal position GOB will have to tighten its belt and control expenditures. But there’s one looming expenditure over which they have no control. That’s the arbitration award for the nationalization of B.T.L. What we know so far is the assessment […]
Over the years, we have covered the adventures of young Rowan Garel, an amazing and extraordinary young man who has been blind since birth. His approach has not only been about testing his limits, but to raise funds for others affected by blindness. His bucket list includes a climb of Victoria Peak and a dive […]
For months now the media has been following the silt situation at the Southern Foreshore. It’s gotten progressively worse, to the point where there is a real threat that the waterway would be completely blocked. Two weeks ago Mayor Darrell Bradley explained that they are looking into the very expensive but only option of dredging. […]
The Miss Universe pageant is the most prestigious in the world. Last year alone, the beauty pageant was viewed on television by more than eight million viewers. But of the delegates that participate annually in the event, only eighty-six countries send representatives. It’s been almost a decade since Belize has had representation, following a ban […]
The 2016 Miss Belize winner will be chosen at a pageant on September tenth. Today a call was made for aspirants to become an ambassador of beauty for Belize. At the press conference, Director and Pageant Coordinator, Opal Enriquez spoke of the requirements for participation. Opal Enriquez, Director/Pageant Coordinator, Queen of the Jewel “Delegates […]
Is there a very serious divide in the ranks of the U.D.P. following Sunday’s Convention? A movement which we can call G-fourteen to follow tradition of political mutiny? That was the word out of Belmopan today as reports emerged that John Saldivar held a pre-Cabinet meeting at his home with the Ministers who supported him, […]
Shortly after the Convention results were announced, John Saldivar posted a note of congratulations to Patrick Faber on his victory. And then shortly after that, another post in which Saldivar pointed out that his dream lives on, a clear indication that in 2020 he still intends to contest for the post of U.D.P. leader when […]
That convention for leader, if there is one, won’t be for another four years, and Faber isn’t looking that far ahead. For now it’s about healing any bad feelings arising out of the deputy leader campaign and the Convention, and Faber says that will be his priority going ahead. And just in case you were […]
News Five also managed to get comment from Minister John Saldivar this evening, and asked him about that meeting at his house. His response – what meeting? He also denied all reports of any bad blood between camps, hostilities in Cabinet or demands made on the Prime Minister. According to Saldivar, this battle is over. […]
You’ll notice that Saldivar said the battle, and not the war, is over. That’s because as we told you, he has all intention of contesting Faber for the post of leader when that time comes around. He told News Five today that he doesn’t expect to lose any of the support he has in Cabinet, […]
While Minister Saldivar denies any ultimatum to the Prime Minister, there are other reports that one of the demands to be made was the removal of Godwin Hulse from the powerful Ministry of Natural Resources. But indications are that it didn’t happen after all. So how bad is the fallout in the wake of Sunday’s […]
Finnegan says that the process of healing within the rank and file of the U.D.P. is underway and that reconciliation among the Saldivar and Faber factions began this morning. Isani Cayetano “Mister Finnegan…is the United Democratic Party at this moment a house divided, as a result of what has taken place?” Michael Finnegan, […]
There is a backlash to the election of Patrick Faber as first deputy leader, which is being felt across the United Democratic Party. Ladyville resident Ingrid Hernandez is an avid supporter and had been employed by Area Representative Beverly Castillo as a campaigner in Belize Rural Central. She claims she worked tirelessly for Castillo to […]
As we told you earlier, Ministers coming out of Cabinet today cut a wide path when approached by the media. Those we managed to get even a word from told us that what happens in Cabinet is secret and they would not discuss it. One Minister who spoke to us was Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez. He […]
Patrick Faber will be the new Deputy Prime Minister next week when current DPM Gaspar Vega returns from high-level meetings. So Vega is no longer Deputy Party Leader and very soon will no longer be Deputy Prime Minister which would seem on the face of it to be significant loss of political power in the […]
There is an outbreak of Bovine Rabies in the Cayo District. The Belize Agricultural Health Authority along with the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health and Belize Livestock Producers, issued an advisory informing that livestock in the Cayo District is affected with the rabies and there are suspected cases in the areas along the Macal […]
The World Health Organization is pressing for plain packaging to reduce the attractiveness of tobacco products. On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, the W.H.O. Director-General, Doctor Margaret Chan, says it is appropriate for a product that kills people. Activities organized today by the National Drug Abuse Control Council had the same message. News […]
The Big Deal versus the Real Deal – kind of sounds like a WWE Wrestle Mania event, but it wasn’t. The U.D.P. convention on Sunday saw John Saldivar going against Patrick Faber for the vacant post of First Deputy Leader of the U.D.P., signaling an end to more than two months of very massive campaigning. […]
With the decided underdog declared victorious, it remains to be seen if time will heal the rift between camps. Much of the campaign was heated some of it very pointed and personal. Saldivar commanded the support of a majority of the so-called powerbrokers within the Party, including Gaspar Vega, Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez, Erwin Contreras, Rene […]
In our newscast on Friday we reported that eight fishermen had been detained and were being processed by immigration authorities in Guatemala. The group was detained on the beach of Punta Manbique for illegal entry. Seven had fishing licences, but the eight fishermen did not hold any identification document. The fishermen are Jeffery Gongora, Manuel Flores, […]
Guatemala has issued a formal letter of protest to Belize with reference to a trip to the Sarstoon last Friday. Tonight, we can say that Guatemalan Ambassador to Belize Manuel Roldan has outrightly disputed our version of events. Just for some clarity, on Friday morning News Five attempted to go down the Northern Channel of […]
Based on the incident in the Sarstoon last Friday, today the People’s United Party issued a very strong release demanding that the government, “Act to re-establish full sovereignty and control over the Belizean internal waters of the Sarstoon River and Sarstoon Island.” The release called the interception of Belizean media in the Sarstoon illegal a […]
There continues to be much reference to what was referred to in a government release last Tuesday as an informal acceptance of a situation in which, “there will be untrammeled traffic for Belize’s military and civilians along the Sarstoon.” The wording is a little ambiguous, and since Courtenay was in Istanbul when this so-called agreement […]
You’ll notice that while Guatemala did not reject the assertion by Minister Elrington, they didn’t accept it either, so therein may lie the confusion. As was stated by Prime Minister Dean Barrow on Friday, there are also frequent claims by Guatemala that decisions made in these high-level meetings do not always reach the Sarstoon. Courtenay […]
The P.U.P. release issued today also specifically issues a call for the appointment of a, “national team to competently manage Belize/Guatemala.” So is the P.U.P. saying that the current team is not competent? We asked Courtenay since he is speaking for the P.U.P., but is also a member of the current team in negotiations with […]
