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Venezuela thanks Belize for O.A.S. support

The fight over Venezuela also continues in the Organization of American States. Countries not aligned with the Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas (ALBA) have tended to vote in favour of resolutions condemning and censuring the Venezuelan government.  Belize is on the side of those supporting Venezuela’s right to self-determination but has condemned gambits such as […]

Negotiations for stevedores’ CBA continue, but are they really needed?

A few weeks ago, we told you about the call a few stevedores were making to ask CWU President Dale Trujeque to step away from the negotiations table. The stevedores, less than forty of them, said that they were not seeing any progress in the dialogue for the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The C.E.O. of the […]

How to Help Children in Disasters Return to Happiness

A week-long workshop by the Ministry of Local Government in collaboration with UNICEF concluded today at the Biltmore Plaza. Representatives from both private and public sector agencies and organizations that work with the youth participated in a Return to Happiness training that taught the participants with the knowhow when providing support to children, who may […]

Get Saved with Papa San and Company at Festival of Hope

Christian music fans and evangelicals are awaiting the climax of the week-long Festival of Hope on Saturday at B.T.L. Park in Belize City.  After several days of evangelism countrywide, the park will host a free all-day concert featuring the sounds of Papa San, Christafari, Evan Craft and others along with many activities for the young […]

The World Youth Conference Comes to Belize in November

The Department of Youth Services announced today that Belize has been selected as host of the upcoming World Youth Conference. It’s a big event which brings together youths from around the world to focus on the United Nations program for action on youth. In announcing the event, the Department also launched an impressive song and […]

Preparing Children for Hurricane Experience

UNICEF and government are putting children at the center of hurricane and emergency preparedness and risk management. In a “train the trainers” workshop, representatives from local government, human services, ministry of education and other agencies are learning how to provide support through educational methods to children who are exposed to pain and loss during times […]

How Local Governments Can Reach Traumatized Child Disaster Victims

Going beyond the typical post-disaster needs of victims of fires, hurricanes, flooding, crime and other catastrophes, CEMO Coordinator Philip Willoughby says local government officials need to do more for our youngest during these tough times.   Philip Willoughby, Belize City Coordinator, CEMO “There are several agencies in attendance today to see how we synchronize, collaborate, […]

D.H.S.: Abuse reports must be substantiated

The tragic death of thirteen-year-old Faye Lin Cannon under the supervision of her adoptive parents last Monday in San Pedro, has raised a myriad of questions about the role of the Department of Human Services. That arm of government deals specifically with families and children, and is tasked with responding to cases of child abuse […]

Foreign embassies assist with DHS cases

In a case where the victim is a foreigner living in Belize, the department must communicate with the respective embassy, informing them that the child, or children, is in the care of the Child Protection Services. Since Faye Lin’s sisters are the adopted children of an American couple, the United States Embassy is involved in […]

Can Cannons’ adoptive father reunite with children?

Of interest is that Anke Doehm’s former husband, David Cannon, is presently in Belize seeking full custody of the three children.  Cannon arrived in country shortly after receiving news of Faye Lin’s demise and has sought the legal services of attorney Robertha Magnus Usher.  While in Belize however, Cannon will have to receive permission from […]

UNFPA tackles teen pregnancy and family planning

Across the world July eleventh is observed as World Population Day. It is a day used to draw attention on the urgency and importance of population issues. Since the day was first marked on July eleventh 1990 in more than ninety countries, a number of UNFPA country offices and other organizations and institutions commemorate World Population […]

The Plan to Decrease Gender-Based Violence

The National Women’s Commission, the Secretariat of the National Gender-Based Violence Committee, today launched the Plan of Action 2017-2010 as the country’s national response to Gender Base Violence. This 2017-2020 plan is seen as a strengthening of the previous plan. This one lays out a three year framework in how to effectively decrease gender base […]

What happened to PC Florencio Rash? Internal probe coming

The images of a seemingly drunken cop captured by video and posted on social media has been trending all day. The cop, dressed in uniform, has been identified as Police Constable 1319 Florencio Rash.  He is attached to precinct one in Belize City, but it has not been confirmed if the incident occurred in Belize […]

Caleb Orozco upbraids “Morality Commission”

The recent fracture within the self-styled “Morality Commission” has seen the departure of Bishop Phillip Wright and Reverend Roosevelt Papouloute, two relatively powerful church leaders who sat on the government-helmed working group.  That task force was formed in the wake of a Supreme Court decision on the controversial Section Fifty-three challenge which was filed and […]

P.U.P. Senator Valerie Woods says LGBT should have been included

Also weighing in on the issue of the Morality Commission is Senator Valerie Woods.  The P.U.P. parliamentarian is a proponent for human rights, irrespective of existing differences.  She too describes the commission as a mockery, since it is unilateral in its approach to discussing standards of conduct that are generally accepted as right or proper. […]

Human rights for all; LGBT Pride Week to mark historic court decision

While the church has been a dominant force in opposing the L.G.B.T.I. movement in Belize, it has also been decried for not acknowledging the basic human rights that all members of the gay community are equally born with.  The National Evangelical Association of Belize has soundly criticized the United States government for promoting what it […]

U.S. raises LGBT flag in Belmopan

Tonight, the rainbow flag flies on the U.S. Embassy compound in Belmopan in commemoration of the L.G.B.T.I. community in the U.S. It was hoisted this morning for the second time in two years. The gay community was invited to participate in the ceremony through which the U.S. government reinforces human rights and equality even as […]

Haven House Seeks Funds Through 5K Walk Against Domestic Violence

Domestic violence against women has ended tragically in numerous cases across the country. But women continue to suffer in silence. Over the weekend, an initiative by a nonprofit organization that assist battered women and children, held a first of its kind event. Through the five-K walk, Haven House hopes to raise awareness as well as […]

Haven House Hosts Anti-Domestic Violence Walk

The Haven House is a non-profit shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. It was established in 1993 to provide support and intervention services including emergency shelter, counseling, court advocacy, referrals and transitional living opportunities for victims. In order to better serve the women and children who use the services, Haven […]

A National Agenda for our Children

The Children’s Agenda 2017-2030 was launched today, but signed on May fifteenth between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.  The document is a road map that outlines the development of children and adolescent from ages zero to nineteen for the next fourteen years. The agenda, according to the National Committee for Families […]

Youth to RISE in Dangriga

Government has secured financing from the Caribbean Development Bank to expand the Youth and Community Transformation Project to at risk communities in Dangriga, San Ignacio and Santa Elena. These communities are challenged by increasing crime and violence, anti-social behavior and limited access to social services. The new project called Youth RISE is funded through a […]

Miss Belize Universe and Tony Rath’s Controversial Exposé

Miss Universe 2016, held in Manila, Philippines at the end of January, is now several months behind avid fans of pageantry. The stellar performance of Miss Belize Universe, Rebecca Rath, galvanized Belizeans all over, despite failing to place in the top thirteen contestants. But tonight, there is controversy brewing in the aftermath of a five-part […]

Therese Rath Stands By Her Husband’s Blog

According to the husband and wife couple, they were largely responsible for the organization of Rebecca’s trip to Miss Universe, minus Enriquez’s input as country director. Furthermore, the family claims that Rebecca still has not received a majority of the prizes she won last year during the Miss Belize pageant. On the other end of […]

B.N.T.U. prepares for convention

The Belize National Teachers’ Union meets in convention beginning on Wednesday in Corozal Town. The unions use this medium to discuss usual union business for reporting to its membership such as financial reports and talks about the education system. Recently though, attention has been focused on the three-cornered race to succeed Luke Palacio who is […]

Time for the System to Work with Youth, Not Against

With peace talks underway and another ceasefire in the days ahead, is there any optimism that the truce can be lasting?  That’s what we asked Finnegan at the peace march on Wednesday.   Isani Cayetano “How confident are you that an initiative such as this, given the fact that we’ve seen several truces in the […]