The Political Reform Committee met for the first time this afternoon. The Commission, which was appointed in December by Prime Minister Said Musa, will review Belize’s system of governance and make recommendations for its improvement. The Prime Minister, who addressed the members this afternoon at the WASA conference room, told the committee they have a […]
Chairman of the Political Reform Committee Dylan Vernon says although this is the committee’s first working meeting and they have yet to identify areas of priority, he believes there are several issues which will definitely be addressed. Dylan Vernon, Chairman, Political Reform Committee “We have a broad mandate: to look at the entire system. But […]
Her name briefly surfaced during last year’s general election campaign in Belize and now a similar controversy is dogging Jennifer Laszlo across the Caribbean. Laszlo, a U.S. based political consultant with close ties to President Bill Clinton, caused a stir last year when it was discovered that she was negotiating with the United Democratic Party […]
On Friday the Prime Minister of the Republic of China, Taiwan Vincent C. Siew and a delegation of government ministers, business people and journalists will arrive for a brief visit as part of a regional tour. Today the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the government press office released the itinerary of the visit which includes […]
During their weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday in Belmopan three amendments were approved to legislation affecting local government. The Towns Property Tax Act was amended so that the Belize City Council could continue to levy property tax based on the annual rental value until the transition to a system based on the market value of the […]
The Prime Minister of Taiwan will visit Belize next week as part of a three nation tour. Prime Minister Vincent C. Siew will head a delegation of officials, journalists and entrepreneurs who will arrive on the fifteenth. First Secretary of the Taiwanese Embassy Benjamin Ho tells News Five the one day visit which is reciprocal […]
The United Democratic Party held a press conference this morning hosted by Michael Finnegan to outline three areas they say are cause for concern. Finnegan claimed that he has received information that the Social Security Board is engaged in secret negotiations with Vernon Harrison Courtenay and W.H. Courtenay and Company for the payment of a […]
A release from the Fisheries Department announces the implementation of a new licensing and registration system for all anglers and their boats. In an effort to improve the organization of our fisheries resources, the Ministry says, all fishermen will be required to obtain a laminated identification card. All fishermen are asked to report to the […]
In a press release issued about a month ago, the Ministry of Housing said they would be demolishing thirty derelict buildings they believe pose a threat to our community. The Ministry says that these structures are often abandoned by their owners who have left for the United States. As a result, they become hideouts for […]
Today the Ministry of National Security and Immigration closed the Refugee Department. According to the Ministry the traditional source of refugees to Belize, Latin America has progressed to democratically elected civilian governments and the last war ended two years ago removing the causes of the refugee problem. Because of this the United Nations High Commissioner […]
While people in Barbados are looking forward to their elections, Belizeans are looking back at the changes and challenges of 1998. Today the Prime Minister Said Musa gave his New Year’s message and said the government will spend 1999 making positive changes for the nation. Said Musa, Prime Minister “The pop artist formerly known as […]
Security at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and Hurricane Mitch rehabilitation were among the topics discussed at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting in Belmopan. Today’s briefing reports that Cabinet decided that the Ministry of Health should hire a security company for the K.H.M.H. and that a rental system should be created to allow private doctors access to […]
On Sunday the People’s United Party announced its slate of candidates for the March City Council Elections. David Fonseca will be running for mayor and there are nine nominees for councilor including incumbent Mayor Marshall Nuñez. Most of us didn’t think much about it because traditionally there have been nine members of the council, but […]
Although the election is not until March, the People’s United Party held a convention this weekend to select their roster of candidates. David Fonseca emerged as the candidate for Mayor. Marshall Nuñez who had fought so determinedly against Merilyn Young to become Mayor after the position was vacated by Jose Coye in September told News […]
It was like taking one of those tests in which you answer your own questions and then give yourself a grade. Not surprisingly, at the first post election “People’s Assembly” last night the P.U.P. awarded itself an “A”. News Five’s Stewart Krohn was in the audience as the report cards were handed out. The crowd […]
While many will spend this Sunday decorating their homes or making other preparations for the holidays, the People’s United Party will hold a convention to select their slate of candidates for the City Council elections in March. Incumbent Mayor Marshall Nuñez and Councilor David Fonseca intend to face off for the Mayoral nomination, while two […]
Among the decisions made at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, the privatization of the management of the Belize City Centre. Chief of Staff in the Prime Minster’s office Godfrey Smith was appointed to oversee the project to enhance the sporting complex. In the Ministry of National Security it seems that the pleas of Julian Cho’s family and […]
The Prime Minister Said Musa met with the Association of Senior Managers of the Public Service this afternoon in Belize City to answer their concerns and questions about working with the new government and public sector reform. He referred to the code of conduct signed by all government ministers upon taking office and the promise […]
With the Prime Minister off on a conference which opened today in Miami, yesterday’s Cabinet meeting was brief and today’s press release from the P.M.’s office was even briefer. There were only two items, the announcement that there will be a People’s Assembly on the sixteenth at St. Mary’s Hall to mark the government’s first […]
In his wrap up of Police Week last Friday, Minister of National Security Jorge Espat announced a number of changes and improvements to the Police, B.D.F. and Immigration Departments to deal with the crime problem. Among these is the appointment of a Strategic Security Review Committee to recommend a national policy for Belize’s defense and […]
In government news several decisions of Cabinet were announced in today’s weekly press briefing. Among them is a breakdown of the fifty scholarships offered by the government of Cuba. Medicine and vocational skills head the list with five places each while four scholarships each are offered in hospitality management and sports. The first students will […]
The two benches on the government side were lengthened… and some hastily upholstered chairs were added, but there was no hiding the fact that the architects who designed the National Assembly building did not contemplate a parliamentary split as radical as twenty six to three. Still, life in Belmopan goes on, and while their numbers […]
There are big changes ahead for several government departments which had formed the Ministry of Culture. The Department of Museums, the Department of Archaeology, the Belize Archives Department, the National Arts Council and the Belize Library Service will become divisions of the National Institute of Culture and History. Also included will be a new body […]
If you thought after October thirty first that you would hear nothing at all when you tuned your radio dial to 88.9 or 91.1, you may be wondering why there is still music on Radio Belize and Friends FM. Today News Five spoke with the B.C.B.’s Acting Programming Director Adrian Harris who says that it […]
Like so many other things scheduled for the week of October twenty-third, the tour by Attorney General Richard Bradley to inspect the Hattieville Prison was also put on hold until today. News Five was on hand for the inspection. Attorney General Richard Bradley’s tour did not only include an inspection of the facilities at Hattieville […]
