At this morning’s launch, Ministry of Human Development C.E.O., Judith Alpuche, acknowledged that Belize maintained its tier two status on the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report for 2012, which means that country is making strides but there is still work to be done. The report looks at the three P’s of fighting trafficking […]
The Forum of Presidents of Legislative Branches in Central America and the Caribbean (FOPREL) consists of eight permanent members: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic. The Central American Initiative seeks to improve education of students by fostering healthy eating habits; a topic which took center stage at a […]
While the Prime Minister was presenting his first post election budget, outside the National Assembly building, a handful of demonstrators kept up the pressure against crime. Jasmine Lowe, the murdered thirteen year old girl from Santa Elena, was central to the demonstration. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports. Isani Cayetano, Reporting What should have been […]
While police cooled temperatures in the hot spots, a conflict resolution training was taking place at the IT-VET with the US State Department and Restore Belize. A team of instructors versed in mediation skills are conducting the workshop, which is sponsored by the US Embassy. News Five’s Delahnie Bain reports. Delahnie Bain, Reporting Representatives […]
The police department has taken a battering from the public not only to arrest, charge and convict, but also to prevent crime. Belize City has also taken an international hit as a destination to stay away from. But despite all the bad press and morning show criticisms, the men and women who wear the badge […]
The anti-crime protests that started in San Ignacio last week sparked another further west and in the City. In Benque Viejo Del Carmen, the B.N.T.U. joined students from seven schools who took to the streets this morning. The message from the hundreds was that they want to live in a safer Belize. News Five’s Andrea […]
Last week residents of the twin-towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena came out in full force to protest on the eve of the arraignment of alleged predator of young girls, Bert Vasquez, who is also the suspect in the murder of Jasmine Lowe. This morning in Belize City, another demonstration was held. Three schools […]
The National Women’s Commission in collaboration with UNICEF, Belize today launched the first phase of the desktop online database designed to facilitate access to gender-related information. For the past year and a half, the commission has been collecting data in five key areas that seek to improve and influence national development planning with readily available, […]
Positives Vibes, the artist, this morning received a cash prize for a song that captures a message of equality. The artist penned and recorded the song that was picked among twenty other entries in a competition launched by the Human Rights Commission. Students from a Cotton Tree School took the poster competition. News Five’s Andrea […]
Doctors, nurses and health professionals protested the murder of the doctor at midday. They were joined by members of the We Are One in Dignity and Human Rights Campaign. This afternoon, the organization issued a statement expressing indignation against “the unprosecuted crimes being perpetrated against those vulnerable to violence, such as women, children, and sexual […]
The recent murder of thirteen year old Jasmine Lowe has struck a chord with Cayo residents, who are now standing up against the general increase in criminal activity in the area. Today, a peaceful demonstration was held that started at Columbus Park in San Ignacio and headed over the bridge to Santa Elena. The supporters […]
Even though, the residents say that violence in Cayo has escalated to the point where some don’t even report crimes because they have lost faith in the police, the Officer Commanding the San Ignacio Police, says statistic show that crime is down. Sr. Supt. Chester Williams, O.C., San Ignacio Police “The numbers will reflect […]
Our newsroom received a desperate call on Thursday evening from a Santa Elena woman, who was afraid to go home because her common-law-husband was threatening to kill her. Maria Vasquez says she reported her abusive spouse, Manuel Aldana, to police and then spent hours on the roadside with her six children waiting for him to […]
There is another worry for the B.N.T.U., which is over crime; a huge challenge for the government. Describing Belize as a country in crisis, the B.N.T.U. says teachers and students have been victims of violent crimes, including the murders of Jasmine Lowe, Daniel Matura and teacher, Marco Thompson. George Frazer, General Secretary, B.N.T.U. “Like […]
Crime is a number one concern throughout the country. Over a dozen people have been shot since last Friday night; most of the violence took place in the city and have been labeled by the Police Department as gang related. The gang war had an upsurge of shots on Tuesday night when at least two […]
The man charged with ushering the Belize City gangs into a life of peace without bloodshed is Belmopan resident and National Security Minister John Saldivar. Prime Minister Barrow says that Saldivar has expressed his belief that a local police commissioner would be better for the job rather than a foreigner. Dean Barrow “The fight, […]
The murder conviction rate for the country by all accounts is less than three percent. The proverbial ‘old beef’ that seems to be the cause of so much retaliation amongst gang members remains unsolved and unchecked. Employment at the Ministry of Works has been one measure that would keep some youths out of criminal activity. […]
A taxi driver who was detained in connection with last week’s murder of thirteen year old Jasmine Lowe has been released from police custody. The last time Jasmine was seen alive was when she took a cab heading to her mother’s house on Monday. The western community continues to reel over the killing of Jasmine, […]
The United States Embassy says it will be providing over a million U.S. dollars towards programmes geared toward at risk youth. The funding from the CARSI initiative will go to a community policing initiative called the GREAT Program which essentially teaches children from a young age to reject a lifestyle of gangs and violence. News […]
Galvanized by the tragedy that struck the communities of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, residents addressed the media on the scene where Jasmine Lowe’s body was found. They say that it is time for action because too many young girls have been murdered and the crimes remain unsolved. Miriam Ochaeta, Concerned Citizen “It was […]
A workshop geared towards strengthening parental aptitude will be held on Saturday at the ITVET Building in Belize City. The seminar, according to organizer, Annie Palacio of Belize Kids First, is necessitated because of the current social decay, a problem she attributes to a lack of proper child-rearing. The three-hour discussion will feature an American […]
The United States Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011 has been released. Almost two hundred countries were evaluated for human rights issues. In respect of Belize, the report highlights numerous instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently of civilian control. The worst abuse documented was the use of excessive force […]
A pep rally of sorts was held this afternoon at the Queen’s room of the Princess Hotel. Organized by Restore Belize, six hundred students from primary and secondary schools gave their undivided attention to the moving stories of three renowned motivational speakers. With the youth at risk due to crime and violence, the message was […]
While the business of finding manatees can be quite a difficult task, also equally daunting is finding victims of human trafficking. The rate of convictions for the crimes of human trafficking in Belize remains fairly minimal despite an increase in the number of offenses. On March twenty-seventh, Guatemalan national Jose Alfaro was arraigned on two […]
According to Paul Holmes, a presenter at the symposium, the idea of the seminar is not necessarily to teach participants about the law, instead the aim is to provide new information on methods of conviction. Paul Holmes, International Organization for Migration “My task is to share with the justices of the Supreme Court most […]
