Failure to quickly clear up some of the finer points of the proposals to end the Guatemalan claim is threatening to scuttle the plan’s bipartisan support. On Thursday, the thirty-day deadline for the United Democratic Party’s conditional endorsement of the proposals expired and this morning, the U.D.P. issued a statement to the press expressing concern […]
Today, Prime Minister Said Musa embarked on the first leg of a nationwide tour, signalling the start of what promises to be a long election campaign. The mission started in Corozal Bay this morning where the P.M. toured parts of the Corozal district with Minister of Works and area representative Vildo Marin. The government officials […]
On the local political scene, members of the People’s United Party gathered Sunday in the village of Silk Grass to select a candidate for the Stann Creek West constituency. That spot was created by the decision of current representative Henry Canton not to seek re-election. When the ballots were tallied, Rodwell Ferguson emerged victorious in […]
Anyone who’s ever been married knows that at some point the honeymoon must come to an end. That moment in the marital relationship between Government and Opposition arrived this morning when UDP Leader Dean Barrow, while admitting that his spouse was not a bad person, laid down a list of changes that would have to […]
In the coming months, Belizeans across the country can expect a deluge of political propaganda as the various parties herald their candidates. But in the sea of faces, it would be easy to confuse who is running for which party and in which constituency. Tonight, we introduce each of the fifty-eight politicians from the United […]
If your lamppost isn’t covered with political paraphernalia yet, wait, it will come. Election season is now in full swing, marked by the official launch of the UDP campaign on Tuesday night. Estimates vary as to the numbers, but a conservative headcount suggests that approximately one thousand party supporters gathered at the foot of the […]
Exactly four years ago today Belizeans went to the polls to vote in the general elections. After the ballots were tallied, the People’s United Party won twenty-six of twenty-nine seats. Since then the United Democratic Party has played the part of Opposition, but tonight they say they begin their countdown to victory. According Patrick Faber, […]
With the gun having sounded to mark the unofficial opening of what promises to be a yearlong election campaign, the politicians and their legion of supporters will be working overtime. Over the last few weeks, News 5’s Janelle Chanona has been making the rounds to find out exactly what keeps them going. Janele Chanona, Reporting […]
It is not an easy task to report on a fellow member of the journalistic profession, let alone a colleague who until very recently worked at this station. But it’s no secret that former News 5 reporter, Ann-Marie Williams, wants to be the next Mayor of Belize City. Today she formally announced her intention to […]
And while the name of Laura Esquivel may be a new one for Belizean voters, that of her father Manuel is not. While the former Prime Minister and UDP leader will not be running this time around, it has been widely rumoured that he would play a prominent role in any future UDP administration. Today […]
Meanwhile, back on the passport beat, the public aspect of the controversy is turning from the criminal to the political. News 5’s Janelle Chanona reports. Janelle Chanona, Reporting Ever since this document was released on Monday morning by Prime Minister Said Musa, the PUP government has argued that it proves that then Minister of Immigration […]
For those inclined toward biblical metaphors, it resembled the story of Daniel in the lion’s den. Movie buffs would be reminded of the climactic scene in Gladiator….while sports fans might have seen a young Muhammad Ali in his second fight with Sonny Liston. This morning Prime Minister Said Musa took a deep breath, planted his […]
The United Democratic Party today followed the lead of several independent media houses in calling for the resignation of Minister of Home Affair Maxwell Samuels. In a release today the opposition party stated that whether Samuels was involved in the illegal sale of Belizean nationality or simply incompetent in allowing it to happen, he deserved […]
When we last tuned into the long running soap opera entitled “the selling out of Belize”, we left one Justice of the Peace beating a hasty retreat and another pleading confusion as an excuse for violating his oath of office. Today in our continuing investigation into the illegal sale of passports, News 5’s Ann-Marie Williams […]
It may not rank with the dispute between Israel and Palestine or the controversy over the status of Northern Ireland… but by Belizean standards the battle between the Government and Opposition over the land at the foot of the Bel-China Bridge is just as intractable. Or rather was…because today, in one of those exceedingly rare […]
It is a scandal that spilled onto the floor of the House of Representatives on Friday and shows no sign of immediate resolution. The subject is passports and it is alleged by the Opposition that although the sale of economic citizenship has been halted by a constitutional amendment, a booming illicit trade in Belizean nationality […]
As for Rudolph Thimbriel, the J.P. who signed sixteen of the twenty-four applications, also at the behest of Affif, Ann-Marie found him at his place of business in Belmopan. Unlike Santos, Thimbriel decided that it is better to run than attempt to explain. Ann-Marie Williams “Afternoon, Mr. Thimbriel here? Mr. Thimbriel, just a minute.” Rudolph […]
In other news from the Ministry of Works of perhaps a different kind of flood, late this evening we have confirmed that Minister of Works Henry Canton will be stepping down from his present position as early as September. Canton has worked out an agreement with Prime Minister Said Musa to remain area representative for […]
The story was all over the media yesterday, but today the United Democratic party made it official: Diane Haylock will be the party’s standard bearer in Pickstock. Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting No one knows for certain when national elections will be called. However, everyone now knows that the Opposition United Democratic Party has finally added a […]
A day after the official UDP announcement that Kenny Morgan was being rinsed as standard bearer in the Pickstock Division, it appears that a replacement has been anointed by the party hierarchy. According to reliable sources, that candidate is none other than Diane Haylock. Haylock, a long time community activist associated for many years with […]
Leader of the Opposition Dean Barrow has consistently maintained his party’s right to replace standard bearers if it was deemed necessary… and today the first casualty of that policy was announced. Kenny Morgan, UDP candidate in the Pickstock Division has been asked to step down by the National Party Council. A UDP release did not […]
Minister of Local Government Valdemar Castillo is currently on a familiarisation tour of the country’s town and city councils. Castillo travelled to Belmopan on Tuesday where he visited several sites including the proposed locations for a new bus terminal, orphanage and expansions to the University of Belize campus. While in Belmopan, Minister Castillo also swore […]
As expected, this morning’s proceedings inside the National Assembly Building were dominated by the usual political rhetoric. But before things got underway today, Speaker of the House, Elizabeth Zabaneh, tried to do some housekeeping and instructed the members to refrain from the use of certain words that, by all accounts, have been part of the […]
And in one final note from the House, Cayo Central representative and Minister of Agriculture Dan Silva this afternoon ended all speculation about his future when he told the nation that while all is not perfect in his government, party and Cabinet, he will take the path of reformation instead of resignation. Dan Silva, Minister […]
Today, the United Democratic Party claimed nation-wide bragging rights after their candidate was successful in the Benque Viejo town council by-election. Official results from the Elections and Boundaries Commission show that Said Badi Guerra won by a margin of one hundred and forty votes over PUP hopeful Leandra Chulin. Voter turnout was high with more […]
