Over the last three days, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma was in Belize on a working visit. His stay was kicked off with the Commonwealth Local Government Forum. During his stay, Sharma met with Prime Minister Dean Barrow, Leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca, Cabinet Members and other leaders. Sharma told the media […]
One hundred and fifty representatives from throughout the Caribbean are in Belize for the annual congress of the Caribbean Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CARAIFA). The congress, which will be hosted at Coco Beach Resort in San Pedro, starts on Sunday and runs until next Wednesday. It is expected to be four days of […]
A hundred and twenty youth from Central America are in Belize as a part of the Rotaract Annual Conference. Rotaract Belize works alongside another group that together encompasses seven countries; Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panamá. On a yearly basis, Rotaract hosts a Bi-district conference for all Rotaractors from these countries […]
Trinidad & Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s maiden visit to the Jewel was a brief working call during which she attended the Commonwealth Local Government Forum launched at the Princess on Wednesday morning. Despite her delayed arrival the Trinidadian head of government was on hand for the launch of a twenty-three million dollar initiative to […]
The Commonwealth Local Government Forum opened in Belize City today. Trinidad’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, flew in for the event as did the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma and other representatives from numerous member countries. Canada announced a twenty-three million dollar initiative for local economic development in the fifty-four member state organization that […]
The Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, began the first of his three day visit to Belize on the occasion of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum. Prior to arriving in the country, Sharma was in Mexico City with President Felipe Calderón, the Chair of the G20. Dialogue between Heads of the Commonwealth and the G20 are […]
The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar will be in Belize this Wednesday. It coincides with the visit of the Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma who arrived earlier today. Belize is hosting both a Commonwealth Local Government Forum and CARILED, the Caribbean Local Economic Development, on new initiatives to start in Belize. Persad-Bissessar […]
At the headquarters of the Organization of American States in Washington, delegations from Belize and Guatemala agreed to hold simultaneous referenda on October sixth, 2013. The citizens of both countries will decide if forwarding the territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will be the final measure to resolve the issue. But it […]
Trade relations between Belize and Mexico have been described by local and foreign investors as anemic despite legions of nationals from both countries crisscrossing the Belize/Mexico Border to conduct business on a daily basis. In an effort to strengthen those ties the Trade and Investment Mexican Agency, ProMexico, is partnering with the Embassy of Mexico […]
An online report of an incident in the United States has caught the attention of the diplomatic corps. A bomb threat in Wilmington, North Carolina earlier today forced occupants of a two-storey office building, which houses the honorary consulate for Belize, to evacuate the premises. Around eight o’clock in the morning, Belizean Honorary Consul Ed […]
Belizeans love their rice and beans, but half of that equation is getting a bad rap in the Caribbean. According to the Jamaica Observer, their government has seized another imported shipment of food deemed unfit for consumption. The article says, “Approximately twenty-two point seven-three metric tonnes of red kidney beans (red peas), valued at more […]
With national elections now behind in both Belize and Guatemala, the first round of discussions on a timeline for a referendum in respect of the territorial dispute will take place later this week. Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington earlier today departed for Washington where a ministerial meeting will take place with Guatemalan Foreign Minister […]
There is some other good news to report tonight that places Belize among world class tourism destinations. CNN International is citing the Blue Hole among the top dive sites in the world. The folks at the Belize Tourism Board say that the famous Blue Hole is being recognized as the seventh best dive spot among […]
Heads of government from the Western Hemisphere, including those from the United States and Canada are converging in Colombia for this weekend’s Summit of the Americas. The Belize delegation is led by the Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega and includes Foreign Minister, Wilfred Elrington. Elrington met this morning with the Secretary General of the OAS, […]
Belizean, Rebecca Stirm of Roaring Creek is hitting it big in a Caribbean fashion designer show. Stirm, who heard about the reality series through a friend, auditioned and was accepted as one of the competitors vying for three million Jamaican dollars or over thirty thousand U.S dollars in prizes including the opportunity to show at […]
US billionaire, Bill Gates, the second richest man in the world, and his wife Melinda along with other family members are vacationing in the Jewel. News that his yacht was moored nearby sent the residents of the island speculating whether the Gates would drop in to enjoy the island’s charm. Gates arrived this morning on […]
Secretary General Juan Daniel Aleman Gurdian of the Central American Integration System (SICA) ended a brief working visit to Belize this afternoon during which he met with Foreign Affairs Minister Wilfred Elrington. Their discussion included a range of issues and regional initiatives such as the establishment of a SICA office here in Belize. Following the […]
According to Aleman and Elrington, establishing a regional SICA office in Belize will make certain that the political and security issues facing the nation will be addressed in a timely manner. Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs “It’s an initiative to set up two sub regional offices here in Belize to strengthen the […]
The Under Secretary of State Maria Otero is the highest ranking U.S. diplomat to visit Belize in recent times. Otero is responsible for foreign relations on civilian security issues; including democracy, human rights, trafficking in persons and counter-narcotics. Since Otero arrived on Wednesday, she has been meeting with Non-governmental organizations and government officials to discuss […]
Under Secretary Otero’s portfolio also includes human rights. Otero also met with human’s rights groups in Belize one of which is UNIBAM, the gay rights group fronted by Caleb Orozco. Otero, while seated next to U.S. Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally, explained to a media gathering at the House of Culture, that the U.S. isn’t trying to […]
The Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) has made contributions to the Belize Defense Force as well as the Belize National Coastguard. During her press conference this morning, Maria Otero spoke of the accomplishments by law enforcement in Belize resulting from the relationship with the United States. Maria Otero, Under Secretary of State “The […]
With escalating violence in the region, decriminalizing the transportation of drugs heading to the US has become a hot topic. The idea was first broached by the Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina. He has been lobbying for support because he believes that in the war on drugs, US assistance has not reduced the drug trade […]
Elrington says that the discussion caught most country representatives off-guard and that the situation was somewhat confusing as some representatives thought it might have been a Central American Integration System (SICA) meeting. But how does Belize fit in? Elrington’s response was that the meeting should not be held without the United States which considers drug […]
A regional security meeting was held over the weekend in Guatemala. It was billed as a summit but only two heads of government attended. Panama’s president Ricardo Martinelli and Costa Rica’s President Laura Chinchilla were in Antigua for the meeting. Belize was represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington and Minister of National Security […]
Belize is not just a travel destination for overnight tourists or cruise ship tourists. It is becoming a home for some of those individuals who are adventurous to leave the concrete jungle for the humid tropical forests of the region. Recently the Cayo District was featured on HGTV’s House Hunters International. Two biologists were seeking […]
