The government continues to find itself on the defensive in regards to the Guatemalan claim to Belize and the path to the I.C.J. And when the House opened this morning, the P.M. dealt front on with the issue. He said he’s been hearing people calling in on the radio shows saying that going to court […]
Getting second readings today were bills to amend the Belize City Council Act, the Belmopan City Council Act, and the Town Council Act… all in an effort to improve the management of the municipal bodies. But where G.O.B. sees increases transparency and accountability, Leader of the Opposition John Briceño sees excessive control. Gabriel Martinez, Area […]
There will be several Bills on the table at Thursday’s sitting of the House of Representatives, which is expected to bring robust debate. Key among them is the Bill to Amend the Income and Business Tax Act to increase taxes by five point five percent on telecommunications and on Public Investment Companies from eight to […]
We asked Espat about his party’s proposals to earn the much-needed revenue. Mark Espat “Unlike the prescription that has always been handed to countries like Belize, that prescription being that in times of economic downturn, you raise interest rates, you let your company fail, you cut back on spending. What we have seen in the […]
We reported earlier in this newscast on the Bills to increase business taxes that will be debated at Thursday’s sitting of the House. And there is another Bill before the House which will deal with amendments to the existing Municipal Acts. While the U.D.P controls all municipal bodies, the amendments, according to the P.U.P, seek […]
He is a former Minister of Finance, Budget Management, Public Utilities, Police, B.D.F., Housing and a long list of other portfolios and many agree that in the height of his political career he commanded the corridors of power in Belmopan. But today Ralph Fonseca was brought to Court under heavy escort by the very force […]
Ending months of speculation of his arrest, this morning former prime minister Said Musa was brought before the courts to face charges of Theft in relation to ten million U.S. dollars gifted by the government of Venezuela late last year when Musa was head of government. When Musa returned to the nation’s capital today, his […]
This is not the first time that Said Musa has been charged criminally while in opposition. Musa faced the music before under a U.D.P regime, and came out victorious. This was the scene on the streets leading to Independence Hall on Queen Street back on November twenty-fifth, 1993 when Musa, then as P.U.P party chairman, […]
The reaction to Musa’s arrest and arraignment was swift from the Belize Bank which says in a release that whether or not there is any substance to the charge is now a matter for the courts. According to the bank, it was not a party to the discussions between Belize and Venezuela and it did […]
The reports have been circulating for some time and we have declined to report what was mere speculation, but tonight News Five has reliably learnt that the former Prime Minister Said Musa will be charged tomorrow. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl-Lynn Branker-Tait has instructed the police to proceed with the arrest of both Musa […]
You have heard about the proposed increase in business tax, and today the opposition People’s United Party, issued a release announcing that the P.U.P. will be meeting with relevant stakeholders to discuss the proposed tax hike which the government intends to impose on the banking sector and on the telecommunications industry. According to the P.U.P., […]
For months they were asleep, but now there’s no shortage of news from P.U.P. and the internal fighting between the old and new guards of the Opposition party. The last salvo has come from Francis Fonseca, who was defeated by John Briceño at the leadership fight in March and who is seen to be aligned […]
There was tough talk today coming from the Opposition People’s United Party in reaction to a convention called by the Corozal Southeast Representative, Florencio Marin, last Sunday and attended by the so called old guard of the P.U.P. And if you thought the U.D.P. was the only one fighting the old P.U.P., well think again […]
On the other side of the political fence, the issue of the salary of the Mayor had become pretty contentious just before her re-election at the convention on October fifth. Mayor Moya would not speak on camera about the matter nor would the councilors, but late yesterday the Belize City Council sent out a cryptic […]
In political news, inside the opposition People’s United Party sources say that the temperature has reached boiling point and that there is open warfare between the old and the new P.U.P.s. It is reported that at least one expulsion will be made and suspensions will follow this week. This past Sunday, the old P.U.P. went […]
At the time Telemedia was making its statements, Prime Minister Dean Barrow was leaving Belize for the scheduled twenty-fourth meeting of the Bureau of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Antigua and Barbuda. The meeting will address matters on economic partnership agreement and the negotiating of a trade between CARICOM and Canada. […]
The split in the People’s United Party has been known since the leadership change in March of this year. And every now and then there is a reminder in the public domain that the opposition party is not about to close ranks, at least not anytime soon. The squabble just now has to do with […]
The House of Representatives met this morning and by early afternoon, its business had been concluded on a wide range of issues. As predicted, at this morning’s session, Prime Minister Dean Barrow introduced a bill to alter the Income and Business Tax Act. Affected in the changes are two entities: Public Investment Companies and telecoms. […]
Mayor Elsa Paz of San Pedro is in the hot seat tonight as her Council has come under close scrutiny by the Auditor General’s office for financial irregularities under her stewardship. The report covers the period 2001 to 2006, under both a blue and a red Council. The report brings into question several areas where […]
While they had the attention of the public and the Opposition, the United Democratic Party took time out to respond to comments made by the People’s United Party at a press conference this week. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “It really is a pity that those on the other side who were non-existent during the crisis, […]
Not much has been heard of the Opposition of late, but this morning the P.U.P. came out swinging on a number of issues from the floods, to the economy, to the recent spate of firings in the public service. Flanked by deputies Mark Espat and Cordel Hyde and National Campaign Organizer, Eamon Courtenay, P.U.P. leader […]
In respect of the recent flooding and relief efforts, Briceño gave praises to N.G.O.s and the business community but was less generous with the government. John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition “This is a national disaster and P.U.P.’s, U.D.P.’s, and others are affected and require our assistance. The waters are now receding and the more […]
The government has made it known that it intends to go to the I.C.J. to settle the Belize/Guatemala dispute. But what is the P.U.P.’s view on going to the Hague? Jose Sanchez “What’s the party’s view on the government taking the Belize/Guatemala dispute to the International Court of Justice?” Eamon Courtenay, National Campaign Organizer, P.U.P. […]
While Courtney preferred to keep his personal position about the Belize/Guatemala dispute to himself, Albert Area Representative Mark Espat was vocal not only about the economy but also about the oil industry. According to Espat, this year’s budget projects eighty-three million dollars to come from petroleum exports, particularly from windfall taxes. But with the price […]
And according to the P.U.P., they are out but it’s not over. At this morning’s press conference the Opposition outlined its plan of action for the years ahead including its internal own process. Briceño advised that the P.U.P. is naming a shadow cabinet and various party members will be tasked with oversight of government activities […]
