Opposition Leader John Briceño this evening released a prerecorded video statement responding to the ruling of the Court of Appeal and remarks made by Prime Minister Dean Barrow following that ruling. Briceño did not touch on his recent letter to P.M. Barrow, but rejected statements that the PM attributed to him while defending the judiciary […]
According to AG Peyrefitte, the membership of the United Democratic Party has been expressing its readiness to go to the polls. Of course, this was prior to the Court of Appeal’s decision late this evening. While he did not comment on the controversy surrounding Belizeans in Diaspora, Peyrefitte spoke on those U.D.P. stalwarts who returned […]
As you heard, attorneys for P.U.P. parliamentarians and the Government went before the Court of Appeal this afternoon for case management ahead of arguments on Monday. To put things in perspective, News Five’s Isani Cayetano looks back at the interim injunction granted on Wednesday by the Chief Justice which has triggered another round of legal […]
So what is happening at City Hall? P.U.P. Belize City Councillor Ryan Elijio caused quite a stir on Thursday night after a post on his personal Facebook profile alluded to him resigning from the council. Posted on Elijio’s Facebook was “I work too hard for my name and I will never need it up for […]
Due to the volume of news on Wednesday, we didn’t cover the following matter, which involves attorney Lisa Shoman. Her future of attorney as a member of the People’s United Party has been queried ever since she decided to represent the Government in a case involving the holding of the I.C.J. referendum on April tenth. […]
While the Leader of the Opposition is prepared to respect Shoman’s decision, she says she has not relinquished membership in the People’s United Party. According to Shoman, the matter of her political allegiance is irrelevant. Instead, she acknowledges that Belizeans are a more formidable opponent of Guatemala when there is a bipartisan effort to stand […]
While the Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin heard arguments after the P.U.P. filed an application for an interim injunction to halt the referendum on April tenth, outside the courtroom the P.U.P supporters gathered. They were bussed in from the districts to the Battlefield Park under the banner “Vote No to the I.C.J.” According to Leader John […]
On Thursday for some seven hours, senators analyzed the 2019-2020 Budget that had been passed in the House days before. The agro-productive sector is seen as an important factor with a driving force to boost the economy. But according to P.U.P. Senator, Eamon Courtenay, the Government’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year, gives little importance […]
Meanwhile, Private Sector Senator, Mark Lizarraga called out the government, asking “what happened to all the boom in tourism?” Tourism is known to be one of the main drivers of the economy with arrivals reportedly above the million mark. Lizarraga pointed out that the figures contained in the budget as it relates to the tourism […]
Following its passage in the House of Representatives, the budget for 2019/2020 went to the Senate floor today. Debate in the upper house started with a robust statement from private sector senator, Mark Lizarraga. The senator noted that the figures do not add up and there was no accountability of how the people’s money was […]
Earlier in the year a female teacher at Muffle College High School in Orange Walk Town was asked to resign after nude pictures of her were circulated. The teacher resisted and the matter is expected to go before the courts. Today in the Senate, B.N.T.U. President Elena Smith brought up the issue, alleging that one […]
During his budget presentation, Private Sector Senate Mark Lizarraga touched on Belize Telemedia Limited and Belize Electricity Limited, both companies nationalized by the government. Senator Lizarraga reminded the government of the glorious returns that was expected after the nationalization of B.T.L. He said that he has seen no record of any projects, prompting a response […]
For several weeks, Caribbean Shores Area Representative Kareem Musa has been pushing for the introduction of a piece of legislation under the Private Members Bill that would consider the eligibility of Belizeans in the Diaspora to participate in the upcoming I.C.J. referendum, notwithstanding existing requirements. Late Tuesday night, during the final minutes of the budget […]
Following the no vote for the Diaspora Bill, at around eleven o’clock on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Barrow closed off the exhaustive two-day debate of the 2019-2020 Budget. After responding to the criticisms from the Opposition, the PM continued to tout the budget, lauding government’s track record for improving the economy and the spending on […]
At news time, the budget debate is still ongoing at the National Assembly. This morning, Cayo South’s Julius Espat started the debate, which will be wrapped up later this evening by Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Espat and other members on his side of the House hammered the budget, touching on a wide range of issues, […]
The judiciary has seen a considerable chunk of its annual budget being slashed in the upcoming financial year. In contrast, additional allocations are being made for the Attorney General’s ministry, despite a very poor record of winning major cases in court. It’s a point that was highlighted by Caribbean Shores Area Rep Kareem Musa who […]
Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington has taken a backseat in the I.C.J. campaign, giving way to the Referendum Unit and Citizens for the Defense of Sovereignty to lead the charge in educating the public on the upcoming national vote. In fact, his absence from the usual media rounds is noticeable. Today, during the budget debate, Elrington […]
In responding to claims made by the Opposition, Foreign Minister Elrington called out parliamentarian Kareem Musa whose father, himself a former Foreign Minister, is in favour of Belize taking the Guatemala territorial dispute to the I.C.J. for resolution. Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Foreign Affairs Minister “The son, the member from Caribbean Shores, is vying for […]
The agro-productive sector remains a key feature in the annual national budget and is an area of particular interest for Orange Walk South Area Representative Jose Abelardo Mai, who is an agronomist. During his presentation, Mai focused on the overall performance of the agriculture industry and government’s failure to support local farmers in recovering from […]
In taking the Attorney General’s Ministry to task, Kareem Musa called out the daughter of Mesop Area Rep Michael Finnegan whom he says was involved in a land issue representing government. He said that at the end of litigation, Justice Michelle Arana ordered government to pay out over sixteen million dollars. Well, attorney Agassi Finnegan […]
Day-one of the budget debate got underway this morning and will continue on Tuesday, Government has a week before the end of the financial year on March thirtieth and the start of the new on April first. The estimates were presented on March fifteenth by Prime Minister Dean Barrow, giving the other side of the […]
The Office of the Contractor General has remained vacant since 2018, when government chose not to renew its agreement with Godwin Arzu who failed to submit six annual reports during his term of office. In the absence of that government-appointed individual, contracts have instead been directed to the Solicitor General’s office for revision. While it […]
Never one to pass on an opportunity to land a few solid jabs on his political opponents, former Prime Minister Said Musa also went in on government for its infrastructure-heavy budget. While PM Barrow boasted about the estimates for infrastructure, the excess borrowing, says Musa, will continue to bloat the national debt by almost ninety-six […]
Former Opposition Leader Francis Fonseca, after reviewing the budget for the approaching fiscal year, criticized government for failure to reduce the exorbitant cost of fuel, a campaign promise that dates back to 2008. The price of fuel, across the board, remains above the ten-dollar mark and government last week announced a one cent reduction on […]
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, was not spared the sharp wit of former prime minister Said Musa who, in his casual humour, took square aim at the ministry for claiming it had opened an embassy in Caracas, as well as the ministry opening a call center in Chicago and the […]
