There’s no doubt that Vega’s departure from the political scene will have a significant effect on the U.D.P. Vega has generally held the fort in the north – pumping resources and considerable money into all election campaign machineries. Village Council elections will be held soon, and those in the know say that Vega’s heavy arm […]
There are two contenders to the slot of first deputy leader of the U.D.P.: Ministers John Saldivar and Patrick Faber. Within twenty-four hours of the national convention in Dangriga, Faber called a press conference officially launching his bid. At this early stage, he was supported by senior colleagues Michael Finnegan, Manuel Heredia, as well as […]
The Patrick Faber campaign was launched this afternoon amid much fanfare within the United Democratic Party. While a date for the convention is yet to be determined, it is expected that delegates will go to the polls no later than mid-July. But Faber is first out of the gate and is heavily supported by the […]
But what about his temper? Faber is known for his sporadic outbursts, a trait that has rubbed quite a few people the wrong way. According to the leadership candidate, it’s a character flaw he is certainly working on. Patrick Faber, Candidate, U.D.P. Deputy Party Leader “But what you need to realize Mister Vasquez is […]
Barring an official protocol governing the rules of engagement at the southern-most border of Belize, the Sarstoon, there seems little clarity on the situation there. Things came to a head just over a week ago when Guatemalan military came into Belizean waters in front of the Forward Operating Base and informed soldiers stationed there that […]
At least in the first quarter of 2016, violent crime has been on the rise, in record-setting numbers. Murders in particular have been spread out across the country, including in San Pedro, Belize’s primary tourism destination. While we’ve been the subject of various advisories in the past in which tourists have been warned to exercise […]
Two fourteen-year-olds and a fifteen-year-old have been charged within the last twenty-four hours for a most serious crime, murder. It is a damning reality because it highlights the lack of proper parenting and a breakdown in the social fabric of the Old Capital. A meeting was held today at the Raccoon Street Police Station with […]
ACP Williams says that several follow up meetings will be held to devise a protocol. The intent is to target parents, who, after a formal warning is issued to them, can very well be taken to court for neglect. ACP Chester Williams, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South “Moving forward we will be meeting again […]
On Thursday evening, Minister Wilfred Elrington, flanked by Ambassadors Assad Shoman and Alexis Rosado, hosted a press conference in Belize City. It was intended as a public briefing, following meetings at O.A.S. headquarters in Washington on Tuesday, and took on added significance in the wake of a military to military incident in the Sarstoon on […]
That confusion about the actual claim seems to give rise to some confusion about the seriousness and significance of Guatemala’s active ownership of the Sarstoon – ownership bolstered by military presence. The incident on Saturday when armed Guatemalan military came into Belizean waters to inform our B.D.F. soldiers that they could no longer go into […]
The concern by the head of government and his security council was evident following that meeting. From his words it appears that the Prime Minister intended his delegation to O.A.S. headquarters to immediately apprise our international friends of the crisis in the making, the threat to Belize’s sovereignty precipitated by Guatemala’s actions in the Sarstoon. […]
Minister Elrington maintained throughout the briefing that Belizean and Guatemalan diplomat politicians have been mature and responsible. The hard line has also been that military to military there’s absolutely no problem – peace all around. The only problem in the entire equation – the end all and be all – seems to be the Belize […]
Elrington would go further to accuse the Belize Territorial Volunteers of putting the lives of Belize’s armed forces at needless risk. According to the minister, every action has a reaction, and any increased tension in the Sarstoon has invariably been caused by the appearance of the Belize Territorial Volunteers in the Sarstoon. Wilfred Elrington, […]
Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs appears unsure about what happened in the Sarstoon on Saturday, and maintains that Guatemala is being mature, and its behavior impeccable. But interestingly, CARICOM does not share that opinion. In a very strong release issued today from the Secretariat in Guyana, CARICOM expresses grave concern over the incident, and states, […]
The original primary agenda item for the meeting in Washington, and one which is still very pertinent, is the matter of funding for the O.A.S. Office inside the adjacency zone to the west. The hemispheric body has revealed that it has no further funds to keep the office open. Both the government and the Opposition […]
The concept of a child friendly city came about in recognition of a number of significant trends. Those tendencies include the rapid transformation and urbanization of societies across the world, the growing responsibilities of cities, towns and communities for their population, as well as the increasing importance of municipalities within national political and economic systems. […]
While Belize City is not officially a child friendly municipality, it is well on the way to achieving certification. UNICEF Country Representative Ivan Yerovi says the idea is aimed at giving young people a voice to speak about their concerns and urges those in authority to help in addressing those issues. Ivan Yerovi, Country […]
In the coming weeks, Cinderella Plaza will be receiving a long overdue facelift. Following the completion of work by the Flood Mitigation Infrastructure Project, the heavily trafficked area near the intersections of Douglas Jones Street and Freetown Road had been left somewhat neglected. After a brief finger-pointing between the Belize City Council and the contractors […]
Remedial works is also being planned for a number of streets, as well as the commercial center. Viewers would recall that the rehabilitation of that public building at Market Square has been scheduled for almost two years. Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor “We’re also going to launch an approximately three hundred thousand dollar program […]
Three minors have been detained as the gunmen in two of the recent homicides in the city; it’s a reality that is frightening because it is believed that minors are being recruited by gangs to commit these heinous crimes. But Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, whose jurisdiction these murders were committed, is not taking […]
Hundreds of Belize City residents participated in a BLACK March this morning. The procession is the second of its kind and seeks to create awareness on the effects of crime and violence in the city. News Five’s Duane Moody joined in as the wave of black and white flooded the city streets and made its […]
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou departed Belize around eleven o’clock this morning, following an overnight visit during which he met with various government officials, including heads of state from St. Kitts, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. His journey to the Jewel, only the second since assuming office in 2008, was the final stop on a farewell […]
Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington is back in the country, following high-level meetings at the O.A.S. headquarters in Washington D.C. He was accompanied by Ambassadors Assad Shoman, Alexis Rosado and Pat Andrews. Based on very evident concern expressed by G.O.B. about an incident on Saturday in the Sarstoon, it was expected that that issue […]
The conference held by Foreign Minister Elrington was delayed because the Belizean delegation spent much of the afternoon briefing Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Opposition Leader John Briceño. But we can tell you that the Belize Territorial Volunteers was in the spotlight for much of it. Every area of government has maintained that the cause […]
A government release issued on Sunday, after a military to military incident in the Sarstoon on Saturday made reference to tensions being at an all time high, and spoke of hostilities and threatening actions by Guatemala military. That stance and the one taken by Minister Elrington today seem markedly different. The situation seemed so critical […]
