The children may be out on their Christmas break, but their principal and teachers are making sure that when students return in January, they will continue to receive the well rounded education they deserve. This morning the management of Stella Maris School, a learning institution for children with special needs, received a sizeable donation from […]
No Christmas in Belize would be complete without our seasonal visit to the Salvation Army’s big event. Today, as in years past, it seemed that every child in the city was crammed into the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. Jacqueline Woods reports. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting It may have been cold, wet, and windy but these children […]
The Public Utilities Commission has reached what it calls its “initial decision” on an application by Belize Water Services Limited for a raise in water rates. And while the P.U.C. did not approve the thirty-two percent hike the company requested for the five-year period beginning in 2004, it did grant a tariff structure that will […]
With last minute Christmas shipments for the nation’s merchants hanging in the balance, officials of the Christian Worker’s Union and the company that operates Belize City’s port were meeting today to avert a situation that threatens to shut down Belize’s main commercial point of entry. Patrick Jones was on hand last night as workers gathered […]
It’s one of those good news, bad news situations. The bad news is that a mother has abandoned her newborn child. The good news, however, is that the infant appears to be healthy and in the loving care of professionals. Patrick Jones has the story. Patrick Jones, Reporting Meet baby Jane Doe, blissfully asleep and […]
Crime is a staple of local newscasts worldwide and Belize is no exception… but our next story involves not the commission of crime, but an attempt to reduce its root causes. This morning I visited a familiar southside Belize City neighbourhood where a small but dedicated group of people are attempting to reverse a process […]
‘Tis the season for giving and receiving, and this evening four Belize City organizations were on the latter side of the equation, as Tropical Gaming Company handed out its yearly Christmas donations. In addition to the Salvation Army, Belize City Lions Club and Hospital Auxiliary, Manager of Tropical Gaming Carol Young says another worthy recipient […]
News 5 has been informed of two scheduled protests for Wednesday. One is planned for the Belize Port Authority where workers say they will go on strike because the Board is refusing to pay the annual five percent Christmas bonus, and is instead offering two percent. In the west, the Mayor of Benque Viejo Del […]
A regional occupational safety program got a boost today with the launch of an original song composed by Andy Palacio and performed by Supa G in English, Spanish, and Garifuna. A set of guidelines, called a toolkit, for garment factory owners to evaluate the cost benefits of investing in occupational safety and health was also […]
They are more than just a blight on the city, they can be a health and safety hazard, not to mention a base for criminal activity. But something is being done to remove unsafe, condemned buildings all over town. Today News 5 was invited on a tour of some residences scheduled for demolition. Jacqueline Woods, […]
If you missed it, you’re not alone. Today is International Day for Persons with Disabilities, and although there was no publicity marking the day, on his own initiative President of B.C.V.I.’s Youth Advocacy Group, Hector Hoare, came to News 5 to tell us that there is a serious information deficiency in the country, which people […]
They are calling it a Christmas Peace Fest, and it is an attempt to stop the street violence, or at least get us a little reprieve for the New Year. The event, scheduled for December twenty-first, will feature positive messages and work to create peace through music. Although the organisers are still in search of […]
Lots of children go to visit their grandparents at Christmas, but how many visit older persons they have never even met before to try and spread a little holiday cheer? Today News 5 was invited to join some of Santa’s littlest helpers on a very special field trip. Patrick Jones, Reporting The sound of music […]
In Belize, like almost anywhere in the world, we could not imagine life without music–especially our own music. But apart from its place in Belizean culture, music is increasingly a business…and according to musicians meeting today in Belize City, that business is shaky. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting The Music Industry Association of Belize boasts that the […]
Earlier this week we looked at efforts by the Transport Department and police to reduce the carnage on the nation’s roads. Today this effort received a boost from Belmopan. Cabinet has authorised Minister of Transport Vildo Marin to publish statutory instruments increasing the size of penalties for a number of traffic offences. When the S.I.’s […]
It is an issue that has been bubbling for years and it appears that to its credit, government is now ready to tackle the problems in the taxi industry. Today officials from the Ministry of Transport met with taxi drivers to seek consensus on how to regulate a business that has been the last bastion […]
Each year on November twenty-fifth, governments, non-governmental organisations, and private sector concerns across the globe hold activities to raise awareness about violence against women. Belize is no exception, and today a special ceremony took place at the Battlefield Park in Belize City. According to the Director of the Women’s Department, Anita Zetina, since 1985 they […]
Exactly one year ago, CARE-Belize was established to give special assistance to the disabled, especially young children. What makes the organisation’s work unique is that most of its services are conducted in the homes of the people it helps. That means its field officers must travel on the road to get their work done. Today […]
The church state system that has been the bedrock of the nation’s educational system is not without its problems. Today one persistent conflict over “who runs things” in Belize’s classrooms became the subject of public debate. News 5’s Patrick Jones has the story. Patrick Jones, Reporting The mid-afternoon press conference was called by the National […]
The timing was obviously coincidental, but this morning’s fatality occurred on the first working day of Traffic Safety Week. And with deaths on our roads becoming far too common, authorities say it’s time to crack down on the roots of the carnage. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods reports. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting In 2002, traffic accidents claimed […]
The National Committee for Families and Children today received a welcome donation from the Radisson Fort George Hotel. The money, totalling a little over fourteen hundred dollars, represents the proceeds of a September fund raising drive. This evening the Radisson’s Maria Otero handed over the cheque to N.C.F.C. Director Judith Alpuche. Maria Otero, Chief Executive […]
With the public perception that Belize City is overrun by crime, many urban residents have taken the opportunity to relocate to the countryside. But as News 5’s Patrick Jones discovered, you can run but you can’t necessarily hide. Maureen Leslie, Asst. Police Commissioner “We are trying to show that safety and security is everybody’s business. […]
Members of Belize’s legal community convened in Belize City today for the annual Bench and Bar Summit. But this year, the focus was on the changes that could lie ahead as the Caribbean Court of Justice comes on stream. Patrick Jones was on hand for the opening. Godfrey Smith, Attorney General “Today’s deliberations should not […]
It was the day for NEMO dedications it seems. This morning a warehouse retrofitted by the U.S. government was handed over in Ladyville, and this afternoon the new NEMO headquarters in Belmopan was officially opened by the Prime Minister in Belmopan. But as News 5’s Jacqueline Woods found out, the headquarters was already being put […]
It has slipped below the local news radar in the last couple of weeks, but alleged incidents of child rape in Punta Gorda remains very much a part of the social conscience of the nation. One group that has decided to take the matter outside of their circle is the Mother’s Union of the Anglican […]
