While Ivan Ramos was making his announcement in Dangriga, Prime Minister Dean Barrow was making it on the podium at Darrell Bradley’s endorsement convention in Belize City. That fact hasn’t escaped the PUP’s attention, and has helped to fuel their conviction that Ramos was bribed to step down. Ramos’ financial woes made centre stage when […]
Ivan Ramos didn’t have much favors with the party after he accepted the controversial Petrocaribe Father’s Day Cheer from G.O.B. Deputy Party Leader Julius Espat went on record to condemn the acceptance of monies because the party is suing the government on the grounds that the use of the monies is illegal since it did […]
In the aftermath of the resignation, Ivan ‘Macca’ Ramos has no kind words for the P.U.P.; after all he says that the P.U.P. had no kind words for him. According to Ramos, it may very well be that he was set up to step down. He says he has no regrets with his decision, but […]
On Sunday, Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley was officially endorsed as U.D.P. Standard Bearer. As far as conventions go, it was a low-key political event since Petrocaribe made its entry into politics. There were about three hundred and fifty persons there and only a few political shirts…but there were heavy hitters present to herald Bradley’s […]
And one more piece of political news…This isn’t exactly a great time in the P.U.P.’s long history, or even a particularly good time. So of course, the PM couldn’t resist poking some not-so-good natured fun at Francis Fonseca who he says is breaking up the P.U.P. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “Francis deh bout […]
Transparency and accountability on how the Petrocaribe monies are spent have become the rallying cry in many sectors. Just recently, residents of the Caribbean Shores were among those who enjoyed the sweets of the Petrocaribe funds, via the Mother’s Day Cheer. This morning Mayor Darrell Bradley confirmed that he did receive funds. But did Bradley […]
Another issue addressed by the Mayor had to do with claims that there is a lack of transparency and accountability at the City Council. Earlier this week, Deputy Party Leader of the People’s United Party, Julius Espat, said that the city is not getting bang for its buck as it relates to the cementing some […]
This coming Sunday, the United Democratic Party will be having a convention in Caribbean Shores where Belize City Mayor, Darrell Bradley will be officially endorsed as the standard bearer for the constituency. Now, it took some time for the mayor to secure his candidacy in the division and it only happened after the sitting area […]
According to Bradley, several former and current Caribbean Shores soldiers and other officials from the U.D.P. hierarchy will be at the convention this weekend. But is the mayor getting the support from sitting area rep., Santiago Castillo Junior? As we said, after three years in office, in mid-April of this year, Castillo Junior formally announced […]
As standard bearer for the U.D.P. in the upcoming general elections, Darrell Bradley will be facing the P.U.P.’s Kareem Musa. Both by profession, are attorneys, live rather successful lives, and are well known personalities. By all accounts, both are going into the elections as strong and worthy opponent with good track records. Bradley once said […]
E arlier this evening, Espat consulted with his legal advisors after reading the release issued by government clarifying the uses of Petrocaribe financing. This is in light of a lawsuit brought against the prime minister regarding the usage of the monies. According to Espat, the Finance and Audit Reform Act is explicit in language, stating […]
P .U.P. Dangriga Area Representative Ivan Ramos recently requested monies from government as part of the Father’s Day Cheer. The request for twenty-five thousand dollars to be distributed among his constituents flies in the face of a principled position taken by the party that the unaccounted use of the Petrocaribe funds is unlawful. Equally, the […]
The opposition, People’s United Party, is taking the government to court for the controversial Petrocaribe Loans Act seeking a declaration that it is an illegal piece of legislation. Government has now circulated an amendment which it proposes to take to the House in June presumably to silence and give comfort to critics who are concerned […]
As we mentioned earlier, P.U.P. Deputy Leader Julius Espat has commenced legal proceedings against the prime minister in respect of the perceived illegalities of the Petrocaribe Loans Act. After carefully reading the revised bill, Espat maintains that government continues to muddy the waters by implementing only sections of the Finance and Audit Reform Act. He […]
In light of Wednesday’s meeting between the prime minister and the unions, we asked Espat if he has reached out to the social partners for their position on the proposed amendments. While the P.U.P. is yet to do so formally, a special meeting will be held on Friday where all interested parties have been invited […]
There is turmoil in Guatemala tonight where they have been mass firings of government ministers by the embattled President, Otto Perez Molina who is under pressure to resign. Still yet, a government delegation is planning to travel to Guatemala City this weekend where an amendment to the Special Agreement will be ratified before outgoing OAS […]
According to Shoman, the PUP cannot endorse government’s position to amend the Special Agreement since there has not been any input by the opposition or public consultation on the matter. Lisa Shoman “At that time, as far as the Leader of the Opposition was confirmed this was not yet answered in the affirmative. In […]
During the prime minister’s press briefing last Thursday, he told the media that Belize would have an advantage were Guatemala to proceed with individual referendum in November. Our vote, he said, would hinge on the outcome of Guatemala’s decision. That position, is seemingly not a shared one, since Shoman says that it’s a departure from […]
As you heard earlier, the opposition will not be present in Guatemala on Monday when the government proceeds to sign an amendment to the special agreement. But tonight the situation is volatile in Guatemala where President Otto Perez earlier today fired several senior government officials, including the ministers of the interior, energy and environment. The […]
In the wake of the Petrocaribe Act 2015, dubbed the god-maker in some quarters, there has been a sustained outcry from virtually all sectors. There’s really no problem with the Petrocaribe initiative, conceptualized to assist the poorest of the poor through medium and long-term social programs. But there is a huge problem with the Petrocaribe […]
The VIP is undertaking to carry out an education and awareness campaign on Petrocaribe, and one organization which has already signed on is the BNTU. But today’s press conference was about more than Petrocaribe. The VIP is also vocal about re-registration and told the media today that they have written to the Elections and Boundaries […]
BNTU President Luke Palacio, in an interview with the media last week, said the prime minister attempted to mislead the nation when he stated that teachers and public servants were also beneficiaries of the Petrocaribe rollout. While Palacio’s comment was made in the context of the much talked about salary adjustment, P.M. Barrow, during a […]
The People’s United Party held a press conference at Independence Hall in Belize City to announce the first in what the party says will be a number of changes to be made before the next general elections. But all did not go down as the party expected. We start with area representative, Ivan Ramos, who […]
Taking up the mantle from Ivan Ramos is former career educator and historian, Anthony Sabal. Sabal spoke in English, Spanish and Garifuna after he was glowingly introduced by the party Leader, Francis Fonseca who described him as a man of high integrity. Anthony Sabal, New Standard Bearer, Dangriga “Mister Ramos what you wanted to […]
Now the P.U.P. controls all the seats in the south, but the results of an audit show that all is not well so changes are anticipated elsewhere in the south where representatives are not considered viable going into the next election. Three weeks ago, Ramos heard that the tide was turning against him because highly […]
