There is a report tonight from Punta Gorda that two persons resigned from their post at the City Council. It involves the Deputy Mayor, Franklin Polonio and councillor Kevin Choc. Both are said to have serious differences with the mayor in the aftermath of the U.D.P. convention in which the candidate they supported lost. At […]
Every year there is some level of public outcry by cane farmers in respect to the deplorable state of sugar roads in the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts. And in recent years, the government has been allocating three hundred thousand dollars for each district to be used for the upgrading of the roads. But annually, […]
Lake Independence Standard Bearer Dianne Finnegan is representing the United Democratic Party in the 2020 general elections and is widely known for her involvement with at-risk youths through her apprenticeship programme. She first met Joseph Babb in 2016, who would later become the leader of the Backalands Crips. During those years, Finnegan would also consider […]
Not only does Finnegan acknowledge meeting with the bosses of both groups prior to her campaign rollout, she says she spoke in the context of helping them to realize their dreams as young men who have been shut out by society. In responding to Shoman’s social media post, Finnegan was steadfast in her belief that […]
In Shoman’s Facebook editorial, she writes, “Both feed off each other. The “don” gets finances, protection, recognition, turf security and favors by the association. The politician gets information, personal security, street enforcement, loyalists and voters and favors.” On the Phone: Lisa Shoman, Social Activist “It’s no secret that in Belize City certain constituencies vote […]
The beating of the two men by the police is facing outrage in various quarters. The People’s United Party is condemning what it calls the outrageous, criminal actions of two police officers in San Pedro. In a release, it states that it cannot be business as usual in the Belize Police Department. There are far […]
So on the eve of the New Year, the P.U.C. has not responded to government’s objection to the increase of forty-three cents in electricity rates. The P.U.C. chair, we are told, is away and so is the Prime Minister. But the People’s United Party is lambasting the government for the “smoke and mirrors act.” A […]
Two weeks ago, the Corozal Town Council, under the leadership of Mayor Rigoberto Vellos, released a nine-page financial report. The report focuses on the spending timeline of the previous town council and according to Mayor Vellos; there were gross mismanagement and negligence under former Mayor Hilberto Campos. Part of the audit report speaks of the […]
As it relates to assets and inventory, Mayor Vellos says that one of the first tasks the council undertook upon assuming office is to review the possessions of the council. The task proved difficult as the council was not able to locate an asset register. Therefore, the council could not determine the fixed assets that […]
U.D.P. Standard Bearer for Port Loyola, Philip Willoughby is organizing a first-of-its-kind football tournament on New Year’s Day. Dubbed the Philip Willoughby Seven-a-Side Football Marathon, it is open to the entire public, but particularly those football enthusiasts in the area to come out and participate. Football teams are invited to come out and register on […]
Corozal Town was one of the municipalities that the People’s United Party won in the municipal elections earlier this year. The current mayor is Rigoberto ‘Rigo’ Vellos who defeated the U.D.P.’s, Richard Quan. Well tonight, Mayor Vellos is accusing the former Mayor, Hilberto Campos of overspending. Vellos and his council have released a nine-page financial […]
The last sitting of the House of Representatives for 2018 took place in Belmopan and generally, the members were in good form. A number of issues came up, but we start with the rising cost of fuel, which remains a concern for Belizeans, particularly those in the productive sector where the existing cost per gallon […]
In responding to Briceño’s concerns, PM Barrow attributed the fluctuating cost of fuel acquisition to prices on the international market, anticipating that the next shipment of fuel to Belize may see a decrease at the gas pump. In respect of B.E.L.’s request for another rate increase, the prime minister says the Public Utilities Commission will […]
The Vital Statistics Unit remains under intense public scrutiny, following the termination of four employees last week who were found to have aided in the falsification of a birth certificate for alleged murderer William ‘Danny’ Mason. Notwithstanding that black-eye, the office which falls under the Attorney General’s ministry faces harsh criticism from the opposition. Today […]
The special sitting of the House of Representatives earlier today focused primarily on the passage of two bills: the Income and Business Tax Amendment Bill, as well as the International Business Companies Amendment Bill. Those pieces of legislation are critical to Belize’s compliance with international regulations ahead of a deadline set for the end of […]
After a lengthy adjournment to discuss the matter in committee, the House resumed the session at which time PM Barrow rose to move a third reading of the Income and Business Tax Amendment Bill. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “Madame Speaker, I rise to report that the Committee of the Whole has considered the Income […]
Caribbean Shores Area Rep Kareem Musa has been busy drafting a piece of legislation that if passed will see Diaspora Belizeans participating in the April 2019 I.C.J. referendum. He was unable to introduce the bill in the House today since the motion would have to be tabled during an ordinary sitting of the house, but […]
Is party politics being played with the collection of water bills in Seine Bight Village? According to Stann Creek West Area Representative Rodwell Ferguson, he had approached Junior Minister of Rural Development Frank Mena a year ago to address the issue of collection. Today, he told the House that the chairman of Belize Water Services […]
In Cayo South, residents of Armenia, St. Margaret’s and Unitedville are also experiencing a water crisis. They are having difficulty accessing potable water. According to Area Representative Julius Espat, despite the chairman of Unitedville being a member of the United Democratic Party, he is complaining about the same issue affecting the village. Julius Espat, […]
Pier One Bar is under the radar once more; the bar is located within the B.T.L. Park, a popular venue for recreation by families. For some time, we have reported on recurring violent incidents at the bar. Over the weekend a Bagdad Street resident was murdered inside the hangout as patrons socialized. Residents in the […]
The ten-year lease to principal shareholder of Pier One, Joseph Kee, speaks to the payment of three hundred and fifty dollars monthly for rent of the overwater structure. Mayor Bernard Wagner also disclosed today that the previous U.D.P. administration paid sixteen thousand dollars to repair damages to the structure as a result of Hurricane Earl. […]
Caribbean Shores Area Representative Kareem Musa had lodged a bill which, if passed, will allow Belizeans living in the diaspora to be able to vote in the upcoming referendum on April tenth, 2019. As we have been reporting, Belizeans living in other countries say they have not been able to re-register due to the two […]
Musa hopes that the bill would be tabled for first reading as soon as possible in order to allow for the necessary preparations to take place before the referendum on April tenth. A Special Sitting of the House of Representatives will take place on Wednesday, but the likelihood that the bill would be tabled is […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow has made it quite clear that he makes no apology for the distribution of what has become the yearly Christmas Cheer. U.D.P. Area Representatives are given twenty-five-thousand-dollars, while constituencies represented by an opposition member are given twelve thousand, five hundred dollars. Some have criticized Barrow’s Christmas Cheer programme, saying that the […]
Government will be disbursing six-hundred-and-fifty-thousand dollars for its annual Christmas cheer programme. At the last sitting of the House, Prime Minister Dean Barrow made no apologies about the distribution of the monies, which will see ministers receive twenty-five-thousand dollars and elected members of the Opposition will get half of that amount. That decision didn’t go […]
