There are many articles written about Belize internationally, some good and some not too good, and some we report on. This past Monday, the Washington Times published an article that takes a comparative look at two countries: Belize and the Cayman Islands. The writer draws parallels between the two and then draws conclusions on why […]
According to a report in Prensa Libre, this past Saturday, Guatemalan police confiscated a sizeable amount of contraband sugar. The police stopped the vehicle, shown in this photograph, transporting one hundred and forty sacks of contraband sugar originating from Belize. The bust took place at a check point near the village of Paxcaman; the vehicle […]
This Saturday, the new president of Guatemala, Otto Perez Molina will be sworn in to replace outgoing president Alvaro Colom. Perez Molina, a former army general, will have to tackle security issues and is giving priority to ending a long-standing U.S. ban on military aid imposed due to concerns about abuses during Guatemala’s thirty-six year […]
It was announced in mid December of 2011 that the royal family would be embarking on a worldwide tour in 2012 as part of celebrations for Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee. On his first solo tour, Prince Harry is expected to visit Belize, the Bahamas and Jamaica. But there is another high profile woman who has […]
In a press release from Belize House in Belmopan, the Office of the Governor-General issued a list of six of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second’s 2012 appointment to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. The Order of the British Empire CBE to be ordinary commander of the civil division of the said […]
Thousands of Jamaicans converged on the polls today to choose between the incumbent government of the Jamaican Labour Party and the People’s National Party under the leadership of Portia Simpson Miller. The electoral process which began this morning was not without its share of hiccups as at least a hundred and sixty-three of the six […]
There is one man who has been boldly going where no man has gone before. And though he has gone beyond borders, he has been honored for it. Doctor Arlie Oswald Petters was recently honored with a Caribbean American Heritage Award at its eighteenth gala in Washington D.C. for his contribution to science. Added to […]
More than one hundred of Belize’s brightest primary school students, selected by the Mexican Embassy, travelled to Chetumal on Thursday to visit the new “Yook’ol Kaab” Planetarium and the Museum of the Mayan Culture. The students, ages ten to thirteen years old, were treated to a fun lesson on astronomy and Mayan culture. At the […]
In the past couple years, there have been an unusually high number of international fugitives being caught in Belize. News Five reported on many of those captures, but one wanted man whose arrest went under the radar was sixty-five year old Robert Widdowson, a resident of Texas who was on the run for over twenty […]
Operation Milagro has been around for a few years, it’s an initiative by the Venezuelan government that provides free eye care for needy Belizeans of all ages. So far hundreds have traveled to Caracas to undergo surgery. As a way of thanking those that collaborate in putting the program together, the Venezuelan Embassy today hosted […]
A Belizean teen has received life saving surgery oversees and the case is so touching it made on international news. Thirteen year old Riley Armstrong is now receiving physical therapy sessions that are giving him a new chance at leading a normal teenager’s life. Riley was born with severe scoliosis, a condition that would almost […]
There is an official royal visit in the making; these occasions are usually planned well in advance and executed with high protocol. The British royal family will embark on a global tour in 2012 as part of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The announcement went viral today and according to a report in the United […]
A Mexican entrepreneur travelled from Merida to share her experiences as an entrepreneur with Belizean women. The workshop called Women´s Empowerment took place at the Embassy of Mexico today. The goal to provide participants with basic training and tools to open a small business and enhance self-esteem, by all accounts, was a success. News Five […]
The Central American Black Organization (CABO) was formed in Dangriga in 1995. The organization, which boasts representation of all Central American countries, has been steadily organizing and growing, while focusing on its mandate to redefine how afro-descendants identify themselves. CABO representatives recently returned from Panama where the Belizean members were appointed as the Chair of […]
Turning to a story that has been persistently in the headlines; that’s the case of Caleb Orosco and UNIBAM versus the Attorney General. UNIBAM is challenging section fifty-three of the criminal code that states that sexual intercourse against the order of nature is punishable by up to ten years imprisonment. Two days before the start […]
The IMF country report was released late last week. It follows consultations conducted in August with Belizean officials on economic developments and policies. There are two issues that stand out in respect of social indicators. The report recognizes the high poverty rate of forty-one percent and says that despite a five point seven percent spending […]
Belize has gained a reputation for environmental tourism. That landscape has been changing and on a smaller scale, the country is also gaining reputation for medical tourism. Medical tourism is sought out particularly by Americans who want to complete medical procedures at an affordable price. For some time there has been speculation among the medical […]
Delegates from across the region attended the two-day seminar that also focused on Innovation in the Service Sector while looking at opportunities for the Caribbean. The Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Network is a network of policy makers responsible for science and technology policy in Latin American and Caribbean countries. The STI Network forums are […]
Amongst the topics discussed at the Science, Technology and Innovation Caribbean Network Series was Regional Integration. Because Belize has a unique geography and history, it is hoped that the Jewel can bridge the networks of both Caribbean and Central America. Flora Montealegre Painter, IDB Science and Tech. Division Chief “Regional integration is a priority of […]
BELTRAIDE, the investment promotion arm of the government, signed up today with the International Development Bank for a major grant as part of the Compete Caribbean Program. The forty million US dollar private sector development program is jointly funded by the IDB, the United Kingdom Department of International Development (DFID) and the Canadian International Development […]
Many Belizeans travel across the border for weekend shopping and also to break their routines. But before Belizeans can reach popular destinations such as Plaza De Las Americas and Calderitas, they usually wind up spending hours in a line at Subtiniente Lopez because Mexican immigration officials have instituted a go-slow. And if you didn’t know […]
Tourism is one of the top foreign exchange earners for Belize’s economy. This year the industry remained steady in overnight visitors but in cruise ship, the figures have been going down for a number of reasons including the protracted dispute months ago over tenders. Today, stakeholders sat down to discuss the current state of affairs […]
And since there wasn’t much bad news to report at today’s AGM, the focus was on the new marketing strategy… telling the story of Belize’s cultures and attractions through as many mediums as possible, drawing in prospective visitors from across the globe. But while they try to share the positives, Jim Scott says there’s one […]
The Mexican Embassy earlier today launched an initiative targeting bright primary school students. The selected students are in for a special treat; they will get to spend a day across the border at two prestigious institutions that will expand their knowledge on astronomy and the Mayan culture. It’s an all expense paid trip just before […]
For most Belizeans, no meal is complete if it’s not topped with hot sauce and luckily, there are several local brands to choose from. But one has bragging rights for winning first place and taking the gold in the condiments category of the first annual Gourmet Products Awards. Hot Mama’s Pepper Sauce earned international recognition […]
