In a late evening press conference, NEMO Coordinator, George Lovell, briefed the media on their plan of action to get the fire at the dumpsite under control as quickly as possible. In fact Lovell went on record saying that they should have it extinguished in just four days. Col. George Lovell, Coordinator, NEMO “We will […]
Investigations continue into the tragic story of a newborn baby boy— delivered solely by his own mother at the Punta Gorda Hospital—who subsequently died at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after fighting for his life for seven days. The mother was scheduled to take back the dead infant to her village today for burial. The […]
What do Special Olympics Belize, St. Stevens School in Monkey River and Living Hope Preparatory School have in common? Well as of today, they are all recipients of financial assistance from the Lifeline Foundation. At an afternoon ceremony at the Radisson, Lifeline presented more than thirty-two thousand dollars—proceeds from their annual Black and White Gala— […]
The tragic story of eighteen-year-old Cenaida Reymundo starts in Punta Gorda and leaves a trail of tears all the way to Belize City. The young mother is tonight mourning because after giving birth a little over a week ago, her young infant passed away Tuesday night at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The pregnant mother […]
At a press conference held this afternoon concerning the Influenza A (H1N1), Director of Health Services, Doctor Michael Pitts was urged to respond to the allegations of negligence that led to the death off the Reymundo’s child. Dr. Michael Pitts, Director of Health Services “That investigation commenced since Friday and they are looking at all […]
If you are wondering whether the cost of bread will decrease now that the price of flour dropped by ten percent…don’t hold your breath because all indications are it won’t. Bakers say that this is because the new wholesale cost of flour of is nowhere close to the price it was prior to December of […]
Belize has the third highest rate of infection of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean and despite continued public education, the news is that the number of cases continues to escalate. Stigma and discrimination in the workplace have been identified as the major obstacles in the fight against the illness. One initiative that has come on stream […]
Earlier this year the sugar industry was brought to its knees over the issue of a core sampler. That situation reached boiling point on February second, when farmer, Antanacio Gutierrez was killed during a protest at Tower Hill. The industry is once again in trouble and caneros are angry over a decision on how millions […]
Meanwhile, a breakaway group, United Cane Farmers, comprising farmers from the two northern districts are being represented by attorney Hubert Elrington. Elrington plans to file documents seeking an injunction by the Court on Wednesday morning. He has been working with United Cane Farmers for some time and has a unique perspective about the QIP. Elrington […]
The Sugar Industry is facing another battle tonight. The latest controversy is about Fair Trade, an international movement which helps producers in developing countries to improve their crop and social life by guaranteeing a “fair price” to farmers. The sugar industry received Fair Trade status on February twenty-first, 2008 and millions were to be injected […]
Since the acquittal last week of a pastor who was on trial for raping a seven year old child, there has been public outrage at what some members of the public see as a weak justice system. Today a small group of those voices took to the streets and picketed in the vicinity of the […]
The Belize City Council finds itself in a new monetary dispute with another garbage company. It is not Belize Waste Management Limited or even Belize Maintenance Limited, it’s Sanitation Enterprises Limited. S.E.L. does not exist anymore as it went out of business and sold it’s contract to Belize Maintenance Limited. The City Council owes S.E.L. […]
In some positive news, one of Belize City’s promoters was recognized today for his sterling contribution to the community as part of Education Week. Minister of Education, Patrick Faber, presented the second annual Spirit of Ubuntu Award to Joel ‘Dara’ Robinson. Robinson, who is known for keeping the spirit of Bob Marley alive in Belize, […]
There is more trouble for B.E.L., and it is not coming from the P.U.C. This time it’s from the Belize Energy Workers Union that is fighting with the utility company over a series of issues and it is not ruling out a nationwide shutdown. Last week B.E.L.’s Corporate Communications Manager, Dawn Sampson told News Five […]
With all eyes on the B.E.W.U. News Five caught up with Prime Minister Barrow this morning and got his reaction on remarks from the union that it is restraining itself from pulling the switch for a nationwide shut-down. So how does the P.M. intend to quell the ongoing problem between B.E.L. and the union? Prime […]
And in respect of the differences between the Public Utilities Commission and the company, all is not lost and the tone this morning sounded conciliatory. According to Barrow, he’s encouraged by a recent meeting he had with B.E.L.’s C.E.O., Lynn Young. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “I asked the Minister of Public Utilities to join that […]
Allegations of questionable deals at the Lands Department, including the leasing out of portions of the Caribbean Sea and numerous other cases, have come under the microscope. And while the list is growing lengthier, P.M. Barrow stood by his Minister of Lands, Gaspar Vega this morning. The P.M. maintains that his government is committed to […]
While thousands participated in the census, hundreds backed up traffic on Albert Street this afternoon as Saint Ignatius students took to the streets in a march for peace. The rallying cry by the entire student body was to end the rampant crime and violence destroying families and communities. Instead, the youngsters are asking the public […]
The Biltmore Plaza was the venue for the last of a three-step HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy program. It is a product of the Labour Department in collaboration with the National AIDS Commission aimed at providing information on the development and implementation of workplace policies. Following the Focal Point and Behaviour Change trainings held in the past […]
The changes in the top echelons of the Police Force are not without controversy. While the Public Service Union says they have no objection to COMPOL Jefferies, it believes his appointment and other promotions were carried out contrary to Public Service regulations. President of the Union, Jacqueline Willoughby told News Five this afternoon that protocols […]
Belize was the fifth country in the world to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990. Protecting the rights of children and meeting the goals of the convention have been top on the agenda for the United Nation’s Children’s Fund in Belize. UNICEF is now in phase three of a […]
A Belize City family is homeless tonight and is urgent need of a place to shelter. For over ten years the Jones family cleared and built on a parcel of land at the end of Marcom Street in Port Loyola. Lennox Jones says he carved out his place with his own blood, sweat and tears […]
Results of a two and half year project point to poverty as the main indicator for the sexual exploitation of children and adolescence. This was revealed at a workshop at the Princess Hotel in Belize City by the I.L.O. and IPEC’s Sub-Regional Project on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children. The pilot project started in December […]
We reported April first that Cabinet had approved regulatory measures for tourism buses coming in from Mexico and Guatemala. The regulations came into effect today and are already presenting new problems to the tourism industry. The measures were designed to regulate the runs by Linea Dorado and San Juan buses entering Belize at the northern […]
In other news, the air we breathe is something many take for granted. But when that air is saturated with toxic fumes, it becomes a serious cause for concern because it goes straight into the lungs and can cause serious damage to the respiratory system. That situation is exactly what we found when we visited […]
