Effective July first, employers and employees will begin paying a higher contribution to the social security fund. The new contribution and pension reform, approved by Cabinet, is essentially to save the Social Security Board from crashing. The new rates will be phased over the next three years with an initial increase of point five percent […]
There has been an apparent spike in crimes, especially armed robberies, across the country and fatal shootings, mostly in the Old Capital. While the Ministry of National Security reported a decreased in murders from the period of January to May of this year when compared to the same period last year, there has been an […]
There is a level of difficulty when addressing the issue of crime. It is a problem that should be addressed in a multi-faceted, inter-agency approach. According to Briceño, for crime to be successfully tackled, the government needs to focus on reforming the Belize Police Department, strengthening the prosecution branch and reducing the level of poverty. […]
Last week, Andre Vega, son of former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega, appeared in court for a civil trial initiated by the Government of Belize. The government is attempting to recover four hundred thousand dollars which was paid to Vega as land compensation. The land in question is located along mile four of the Philip […]
The Leader of the Opposition also took on Minister of Health Pablo Marin over exercise equipment. In May, Minister Marin handed over exercise equipment, which was donated by the Taiwan Embassy, to five municipalities. Valued at around twenty-two thousand U.S. dollars, the equipment was handed over to the Mayors of Punta Gorda, Santa Elena/San Ignacio, […]
Belize City police broke up a protest this morning that unfolded along the Philip Goldson Highway. Residents of Belama Phase Four showed up in front of Fen Lan Company Limited which is owned by Alex Chang. Chang is also the so-called owner of one point six-six acres of Belama land. In January, Chang served the […]
U.D.P. Standard Bearer Orson ‘OJ’ Elrington, who was involved in negotiations at the early stage, says that residents refused to take Chang’s proposals. According to Elrington, Chang was willing to lease the property to the Belizeans at a cost of one dollar a month for three years. Orson ‘OJ’ Elrington, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Freetown […]
According to Elrington, a land registry report shows that the land was privately acquired on October twenty-fourth, 1991. It was on October twenty-sixth, 2018 that the power of attorney was granted to Alex Chang. Orson ‘OJ’ Elrington, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Freetown “For those who might not know in 1991 it was P.U.P. government. Not […]
Health Minister Pablo Marin has taken offense to comments made by Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner on the distribution of exercise equipment, donated to his ministry from the Taiwanese Government. Mayor Wagner claimed that mayors of three municipalities controlled by the P.U.P. were overlooked when the equipment was being issued. The mayor questioned why the […]
So, did Mayor Bernard Wagner jump the gun? Minister Pablo Marin says that he will honour his commitment and provide a second set of exercise machines to Belize City. But Marin went a step further and asked what Mayor Wagner has done to improve health and wellness in the city. Pablo Marin, Minister of […]
On May eighth, an overwhelming majority of Belizeans took the decision to take the Belize Guatemala dispute to the International Court of Justice for final resolution. In Corozal Bay, however, there was a resounding no, despite its area rep being U.D.P. minister Pablo Marin. Today, we asked the Health Minister whether the results meant that […]
While we had the opportunity, we also asked Health Minister Pablo Marin about who he will be supporting for the leadership convention for the United Democratic Party, whenever it is called. As has been reported, there are two known aspirants, Deputy PM Patrick Faber and National Security Minister John Saldivar. Today, Marin would only say […]
Is central government playing party politics with a donation of exercise equipment gifted by the Taiwanese Embassy earlier this week? According to Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner, the mayors of three municipalities controlled by the People’s United Party were intentionally left out of the distribution of the equipment, despite the Mayors Association having signed on […]
The race for Caribbean Shores has narrowed down to two U.D.P. candidates, as former area representative Santiago Castillo Junior has formally withdrawn from the upcoming convention in that constituency. His retreat, however, is not without resentment as his bid to represent the United Democratic Party as standard bearer going into the 2020 general elections would […]
At Tuesday’s special sitting of the Senate, President Lee Mark Chang announced his resignation as head of the upper house to pursue his political ambition of representing the United Democratic Party as a standard bearer going into the November 2020 general elections. His candidacy in Caribbean Shores, however, is contingent upon a victory at an […]
Lee Mark Chang is no longer the President of the Senate. Chang resigned today in pursuit of his political ambitions to represent the Caribbean Shores constituency under the U.D.P. banner. But before he gets to that stage, he’ll need to defeat Leila Peyrefitte and Santiago Castillo Junior – considered to be two formidable opponents. After […]
A more than favorable outcome in the May eighth I.C.J. referendum has led many to believe that the U.D.P. government will ride the wave of an overwhelming ‘yes’ vote to a snap general election should one be called before the scheduled November 2020 timeline. In fact, Prime Minister Barrow has gone on record immediately following […]
While there won’t be any general elections held before November 2020, there is still time for a few candidates to find a constituency should they be interested in representing the United Democratic Party. So, will Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte, who lost in a convention to former councilor Phillip Willoughby in Port Loyola, be placed in […]
Opposition Leader John Briceño, the only member of the People’s United Party to address the amendment in the house today, spoke on the P.U.P.’s willingness to work with the Barrow administration on behalf of the country. Aside from calling for transparency and accountability, Briceño also supports the allocation of financial resources to cover all expenses […]
A heated political race within the United Democratic Party to select a standard bearer for Caribbean Shores is underway, as three candidates have since signed up to contest an upcoming convention in June. Senate President Lee Mark Chang, former Area Representative Santiago Castillo Junior and former City Councilor Leila Peyrefitte are offering themselves to represent […]
On Monday, government will introduce the Maritime Areas Act (Amendment) Bill during a special Sitting of the House of Representatives. In the amendment, the government will claim all of Belize’s territorial waters. The 1992 Act was crafted during negotiations between Belize and Guatemala. At the time, the Maritime Areas Act was passed in order to […]
P.U.P. Leader John Briceño confirmed today that the Prime Minister has proposed to appoint a four-member committee as the country moves forward with taking the dispute to the International Court of Justice. The committee will be comprised of Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington who acts as chair and Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte, both from the government […]
Last Wednesday, the people of Belize voted in favor of taking Guatemala’s unfounded claim to the International Court of Justice. For political observers, it’s a nod of approval for the U.D.P. by the people. But for Opposition Leader John Briceño, it’s not about scoring political points. Since the results, reports have surfaced that there might […]
Cayo South Area Representative Julius Espat has filed separate claims before the Supreme Court against the Government of Belize. Those lawsuits are in addition to pending litigation in the high court, following a decision by the Court of Appeal on Thursday. The bench ordered that a previously dismissed matter involving the firebrand politician being thrown […]
Parliamentarians will meet on Monday for a Special Sitting of the House of Representatives. The special sitting will be to primarily amend the Maritime Areas Act. While this step was expected given the May eighth I.C.J. results, it was not until earlier in the week that government announced that Cabinet had approved the amendment. In […]
