John Briceño has unfailingly linked the issue of crime to economic activity and opportunity or the lack thereof. But with the resurgence of major crimes, particularly in south side Belize City under new leadership, on Tuesday he asked police and government brass where it is that they wish to take Belize in tackling and solving […]
He wasn’t noticed in all the chaos over the simultaneous crowning of two Queens of the Bay, but Opposition Leader John Briceño was officially absent from the Tenth of September official ceremonies in Belize City. It doesn’t happen very often, and he was asked about it today. His response was simple: after the events of […]
In diplomacy, ‘appeasement’ is a dirty word dating back to Neville Chamberlain and his accommodation of German dictator Adolf Hitler’s expansionist ideals, which led directly to the Second World War. It has been used before in relation to the current Government’s policy on Guatemala by opponents, and in the wake of the Guatemalan Armed Forces’ […]
Former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega and his family are embroiled in a seemingly endless land scandal, a different episode surfacing in the media virtually every week. The excessive land grab led to Vega’s resignation as Minister of Natural Resources in October 2015 and his seat as second in command of the United Democratic Party […]
Funding for the ongoing senate inquiry into findings contained within the Auditor General’s Special Report on the Immigration and Nationality Department comes to an end in November. That follows an announcement by government that it will not expend any additional resources for the investigation. While members of the Senate Special Select Committee have indicated an […]
The Prime Minister’s decision to stop allocations of funding to the Senate Special Select Committee on Immigration past November appears to be final. But not if the social partners and opposition, who have been active in questioning witnesses, have any say about it. In addition to condemning the Prime Minister’s decision, Opposition Leader John Briceño […]
Two weeks ago Opposition Leader John Briceño wrote Prime Minister Dean Barrow in the wake of the Amy Forte/Darlene Padron argument over the deed of conveyance for land on Caye Caulker allegedly swapped with Andre Vega, who turned it into private land on Mosquito Caye with help from his dad Gaspar’s Ministry of Natural Resources. […]
The news according to Orange Walk North area representative Gaspar Vega that he is considering running for another term put a cat among the pigeons in the United Democratic Party’s plans. The Opposition People’s United Party is salivating at the prospect, but not so fast. While Vega can run even though he is discredited, Elrington […]
The Orange Walk North area representative made his first televised interview in several months during Wednesday’s protests, but was careful to skirt the issue of activities at the Ministry of Natural Resources. As we have reported, he appeared to balance whatever irregularities have been observed in the scads of documents released to the press since […]
On Wednesday, during the rapture of public support from his constituents, Orange Walk North Area Representative Gaspar Vega stated that he would contest his seat in the House of Representatives should there not be a suitable replacement by 2020. It’s a bold declaration that may not be supported by the United Democratic Party, including its […]
Gapi Vega, in recent times, has become a pariah within his own party, causing a wider chasm to drawn between aspiring leaders Patrick Faber and John Saldivar. The two have been engaged in a social media exchange, taking sides on the issue of corruption within the U.D.P. But what’s Aragon’s position on his colleagues? […]
Two of the most powerful men in the ruling United Democratic Party appear at odds over support for embattled Orange Walk North area representative Gaspar Vega. Deputy Prime Minister and first Deputy U.D.P. Leader Patrick Faber wrote on Facebook on Wednesday from Belize City that “For those wondering, especially on a day like today, I […]
But before the police would descend on the protestors, by nine this morning, thousands gathered along the San Lorenzo Road where the march kicked off. Their call was for the resignation of Area Rep Gaspar Vega who presided over large scale land grab benefitting his family and friends. But not too far away, only a […]
As we’ve mentioned, beleaguered Orange Walk North Area Representative Gaspar Vega was met by a group of supporters outside of his residence this morning. While those numbers paled in comparison to what his political opponent was able to draw, Vega says he’s satisfied with the show of support. Gaspar Vega, OW North Area Representative […]
Vega, during a brief interview with the media, also attempted to explain the situation at the Lands Department while he was in office and the many efforts he purportedly made to encourage Belizeans to purchase and own properties across the country. Gaspar Vega, Area Representative, Orange Walk North “If you review all the messages […]
Standing firmly in Vega’s corner is Belmopan Area Representative John Saldivar. Saldivar has been an ally of Gapi Vega since his unsuccessful attempt at deputy leadership of the United Democratic Party. Not only does Saldivar say that should Vega offer himself once again for candidacy in Orange Walk North that he would win, he also […]
The Senate Special Select Committee resumed public hearings this afternoon and we will have details of the testimony of Director of Immigration Diana Locke shortly. But first, the Government of Belize has sent its strongest signal yet that it wants an early end to the Committee’s deliberations, targeting their finances. In a letter dated August […]
The battleground over the continuing scandal in the Ministry of Natural Resources shifts north to Orange Walk Town. On Wednesday, the Opposition People’s United Party, led by its Northern Caucus and Orange Walk North executive committee, is assembling constituents at nine to protest the behaviour of area representative and former Minister of Natural Resources, Gaspar […]
Outrage has been widespread in the twenty-four hours since the Government of Belize’s announcement on Monday that fuel prices are to go up once again for the fourth time in several weeks. It is not yet known by how much prices will go up and when the new prices take effect, but officially, the situation […]
The People’s United Party last Wednesday threw its unquestioned support behind Belmopan resident Amy Forte, who directly wrote Prime Minister Dean Barrow to clear her name concerning the allegation of a deed of conveyance transferred in her name for beachfront land on Caye Caulker to Andre Vega. Vega parlayed the Caye Caulker property into the […]
According to the Opposition Leader, Prime Minister Dean Barrow has not responded to his letter last Friday that outlined his demands with regard to the land issue. But that does not mean that the pressure is off, or that the P.U.P. is willing to give up. John Briceño told News Five this afternoon that there […]
On Monday’s newscast, we questioned why Andre Vega would be compensated with public land on a private caye in the extreme north of Belize for privately-owned land in which a transaction did not go through on Caye Caulker. It has not been established how Vega approached the Ministry of Natural Resources, but Opposition Leader Briceño […]
Earlier this week, the Opposition People’s United Party went after the Government, calling for among other things, the return of all Vega-titled properties and a full investigation and commission of inquiry as well as a case of misfeasance against Gaspar Vega. The Leader of the Opposition John Briceño has put this in writing to Prime […]
The United Democratic Party continues to roll out its roster of candidates in various cities and towns ahead of the March 2018 municipal elections. This morning in Belize City, the U.D.P. Seven for Orange Walk Town was formally introduced, with former mayor Philip De La Fuente leading the charge once again. Joining him are six […]
Offering himself once more as mayoral hopeful for the United Democratic Party is a return to form for Phillip De La Fuente who parted ways with the U.D.P. in 2015, to run for the Belize Progressive Party. Despite his estrangement from the U.D.P., De La Fuente maintains that his values as a patriot and a […]
