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Today, the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas Food Hamper Distribution Drive was slightly different than usual. From as early as seven o’clock this morning, residents were gathered at the headquarters waiting to collect their goodies to make this Christmas a joyous one. But this time around, the team over at Salvation Army were handing out vouchers […]
Written on December 20, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Food Vouchers Replace Hampers at Salvation Army
The U.S. Embassy Belize has announced that the U.S. Government-funded Millennium Challenge Corporation has selected Belize for a five-year grant to fund local programs aimed at reducing poverty and stimulating economic growth. The release says that as one of MCC’s newest partner countries, Belize will develop and lead its own projects’ design and implementation based […]
Written on December 17, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Regional / International,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Poverty Alleviation Funds from Millennium Challenge Grants
The Government of Belize has embarked on a plan to work with young men, primarily those caught up in the criminal justice system, through its leadership intervention program. It is the brainchild several people, including Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa, William Dawson from the Wagner’s Youth Facility at the Central Prison and Doctor Richard […]
Written on December 15, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Former NFL Star Ed Reed Visits Prison & Leadership Intervention Unit
Today, we found the men cleaning up on Croton Lane. They are doing different communities every week and Minister Musa says that there is already collaboration with City Hall. Now the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industries has also expressed interest. But who’s fronting the bill? The Minister of Home Affairs was asked whether G.O.B. […]
Written on December 15, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Paying At-Risk Young Men through Leadership Intervention Program
Today in San Pedro Town, the Hope Haven Domestic Violence outreach centre was officially opened in the San Mateo area on Ambergris Caye. The centre will be offering services to both women and men who are experiencing domestic violence. With assistance from our correspondent on the island, News Five’s Duane Moody files this report. […]
Written on December 15, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on San Pedro Opens Domestic Violence Centre
As far as the COVID restrictions are concerned, the Commissioner of Police also had some sobering advice for everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic, he said, is one that every Belizean should take seriously and with a population of over four hundred thousand people to just over two thousand police officers it will take responsible behaviour on […]
Written on December 15, 2021 | Posted in
Health,
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on ComPol Advises Be Responsible About COVID
While the Christmas season is usually joyous, it can result in misfortune for people who become vulnerable to thieves. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams says there will be more patrols to try to control the level of criminal activity that happens at this time of year. But aside from that, there are some do’s and […]
Written on December 15, 2021 | Posted in
Crime,
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on ComPol Has Safety Advice during the Holidays
Some people will be permitted to hold their social holiday events, as the Commissioner indicated, but the hosts will have to have strict protocols in place. Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police “The regulations do have provisions that (state) if you want to hold a social event, you can apply to the Ministry of Health […]
Written on December 15, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Strict Protocols for Holiday Gatherings
Sexual Assault – it is something that most victims do not care to talk about and perpetrators don’t want to be identified with. And the laws concerning this can be complex and difficult to understand. But today, on International Human Rights Day, with financial backing from the British High Commission, the Building People’s Movement published […]
Written on December 10, 2021 | Posted in
Featured,
Law,
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on New Book About Laws on Sexual Assault
Attorney Leslie Mendez was contracted to review the current laws that govern sexual offences in Belize. She told us that while there are various pieces of legislation, there were gaps that could be plugged. In other instances, identifying the applicable portions of law or understanding the highly-technical language in which they are written was the […]
Written on December 10, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Attorney Mendez Calls Books Easy to Understand Reference
According to CEO of Counseling and Psychological Services, Deshane Gutierrez-Lopez, victims of sexual assault live in a constant state of threat and need talk to someone who is trustworthy in order to get rid of the psychological effects they carry with them. Deshane Gutierrez-Lopez, CEO, Founder, Counseling & Psychological Services “That person is always […]
Written on December 10, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Counselor Says Victims Should be Encouraged to Talk to Get Counseling
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize is joining the international observance of International Anti-Corruption Day. This year’s theme is “Your right, your role: Say no to corruption”. To mark the day in Belize, the NTUCB is calling on the Briceno administration to take concrete action towards implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which […]
Written on December 9, 2021 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on NTUCB Calls for Action on UN Treaty
The World Justice Project has released its Rule of Law Index for 2021, which presents a portrait of the rule of law in one hundred and thirty-nine countries and jurisdictions. It provides scores and rankings based on eight factors: constraints on government powers, absence of corruption, open government fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, […]
Written on December 8, 2021 | Posted in
Featured,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Rule of Law Index 2021 Ranks Belize at 93 out of 139 Countries
The report is for policymakers, civil society organizations, academics, legal professionals and the wider public as a tool to help identify strengths and weaknesses within each country. It is also hoped these will inform policy choices. UNIBAM Executive Director Caleb Orozco feels, however, the report has not had much impact on successive Belize governments. He […]
Written on December 8, 2021 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Are Policymakers Taking Heed of the World Justice Report?
The US Government has invited one hundred and eleven countries, including Belize, to participate in the Summit for Democracy, which began on Tuesday and ends on Thursday. During the meeting, three main themes will be explored: fighting corruption, combating authoritarianism and promoting human rights. LGBTQI-specific data about each of the countries has been collected to […]
Written on December 8, 2021 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Belize’s LGBTQI Human Rights Report Card
On Monday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eamon Courtenay in his role as Senator for Government Business announced that G.O.B., through the Ministry of Immigration will be launching an Amnesty Program in 2022. It will be offered to tens of thousands of undocumented Central American and CARICOM migrants who have been living in Belize for years. […]
Written on December 7, 2021 | Posted in
Featured,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Immigration Ministry Breaks Down Amnesty 2022
Earlier this week, we showed you the work that is being done to spruce up the riverside neighborhoods in Lake Independence. That aspect of the cleanup campaign is being organized by Brandon Smith. On the other side of the community, a similar effort is underway. Led by Brandon Baptist, a group of young men chopped […]
Written on December 3, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Putting At-risk Youths to Work on Police Street
Accused of murder while still a minor, then later acquitted, twenty year old Delroy Ranks is one example of a Belizean youth transforming his life. So often the young men who end up at the Wagner’s Youth Facility are looked down on, or viewed as being impossible to change. But, Delly is on a mission […]
Written on December 3, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Delroy Cardinez: From Wagner’s Youth Facility to Youth Spokesperson
As you heard, Choko says villagers of Big Falls are prepared to continue paying their taxes to the government as they have been doing for decades. According to Choko, residents are of the view that paying taxes will lead to increased infrastructural development in their community and access to finances from lenders. He contends that […]
Written on December 2, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Big Falls Acalde Says Wrong Message Being Given to Mayan People
While Choko argues that having historic ties to the land through their forefathers does not give the Mayas the right to own the land, he asserts that the land is the sole property of the state. Now, this position is in stark contrast to fundamental beliefs of the Maya Land Rights movement. In fact, it […]
Written on December 2, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Alcalde Says State Owns Land, Not Mayas by Historical Rights
The Government of Belize has acquired the services of two law firms in Belize – namely: Courtney Coye LLP and Marine Parade Chambers – as it makes an appeal to the Supreme Court decision in which the Maya community of Jalacte, including two villagers, was awarded six point three million dollars. The village’s claim was […]
Written on December 1, 2021 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on G.O.B. Lawyers Up to Appeal Supreme Court Decision on Jalacte Road
Meanwhile, on November twenty-third, a compliance hearing at the C.C.J. level involving the free prior and informed consent, better known as FPIC, was held. While the judges recognized the efforts of the government to keep up their end of the bargain with the consent order that was handed down six years ago, Minister Dolores Balderamos-Garcia says […]
Written on December 1, 2021 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Maya Land Rights Compliance Hearing; C.C.J. Gives G.O.B. Deadline for FPIC Protocol
While with Minister Balderamos-Garcia, she also expressed the concerns of her ministry with the number of minors that have been killed. As she sympathized with the families that have lost young people to gun and other forms of violence this year, she says that during the sixteen days of activism, there is a focus on the violence […]
Written on December 1, 2021 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Human Rights Minister Concerned about Deaths of Minors
The Belize Coast Guard is presently in charge of the Joint Intelligence Operations Center, a role that is rotated between the three law enforcement organizations that comprise the country’s national security apparatus. With a rise in the number of allegations made against police officers for their purported involvement in illicit activity, particularly drug trafficking, concerns […]
Written on November 29, 2021 | Posted in
Crime,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Coast Guard Commander Takes Hard Line Stance on Information Leaks
As a part of the infrastructural and systematic transformation at the Princess Royal Youth Hostel, the Special Envoy for Families and Children paid a visit to the Rockville compound today. She took gifts along with her, including a washing machine, an industrial stove, school uniforms and an assortment of books and games. Present for today’s […]
Written on November 29, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Uniforms and Supplies for Youth Hostel
