But why are so many victims reluctant to testify in court? Branker-Taitt says there’s a legitimate reason and that has to do with the very sensitive issue involving perpetrator and victim, particularly in sex offences. It’s a frequent problem that not only the D.P.P.’s office faces but also relevant agencies, like the Ministry of Human […]
Earlier in the newscast we reported on the alarming number of cases that fail because of evidence tampering. In his opening speech at the Supreme Court on Monday, Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh urged the use of provisions in the law to deal with persons who threaten or intimidate witnesses and to also deal with witnesses […]
But there is one way in which prosecutors may be able to successfully present a case without depending solely on fearful or embarrassed witnesses to appear in court. Branker-Taitt points to a section of the Jamaican Evidence Act and hopes that it can be applied in Belize to help get convictions. Cheryl-Lynn Branker-Taitt, D.P.P. “There […]
We reported last week that the consortium of companies called NEWCO sent out a press release revealing that it was taking civil action to collect its nine million dollar arbitration settlement. At a press conference on Wednesday, responding to the release, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said that they haven’t paid NEWCO because the two parties […]
But one issue that is still unresolved is a bodega well within southern Belize. Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent out a press release confirming that the illegally erected bodega near Jalacte is within Belizean territory. And while Belize, Guatemala, and the O.A.S. agree that it needs to be dismantled, the O.A.S. was […]
She passed away on October fourth, 2008 after an asthma attack but Therese Felix’s work continues as one of her sons, Terry Felix, hopes to revitalize the programme she started. But as he told News Five, the ideals of Mothers Organized for Peace will now be carried out under a different name, and the first […]
It’s been a thorn in the side of Belizeans since December and tonight the governments of Belize and Guatemala have officially been informed that the bodega near Jalacte is entirely within Belizean territory. An on-site verification of the storage container, constructed illegally by Guatemalan Leonel Arellano, was conducted by the O.A.S. office at the Adjacency […]
If you would like to support a worthy cause and have a good time while you’re doing it, then this coming Friday night there is an opportunity. CareBelize, the Belize Palliative Association and BlissfulSage Foundation have joined up for Bandaid, a dinner with live music and a silent auction. Raquel Battle, President of the Blissful […]
It’s a non-governmental organization assisting parents of children with disabilities that has been around for more than a decade. It is the Parental Association for Children with Special Needs which is currently run by 2008’s Unsung Hero, Hector Romero and today with the help of Cisco Construction, Johnson International, the International Women’s Club of Belize […]
The NICH agreement with Cruise Solutions is back in the news and yet another interest has thrown its hat into the anti-concession agreement ring. On Tuesday, attorney for Jaguar Paw, Elson Kaseke dispatched a letter to acting-President and Chairperson of the NICH board, Herman Byrd, demanding that NICH immediately cancel or declare the Cruise Solutions […]
Mothballs, not a topic you expect to hear about in the news, but today is a rainy day and the Ministry of Health did fax us a warning about the health dangers of swallowing moth balls. Apparently there is a particular brand of moth balls, Power Moth Balls manufactured by the Jieling Corporation in China, […]
The ten year agreement between NICH and Cruise Solutions’ was ventilated by the media for days unending and while NICH president Diane Haylock was suspended by Cabinet for a month, it doesn’t mean that the issue has gone away. Haylock is now having her say about the public spat between her and Minister of Culture […]
The plight of a Belize City young man has gone international and tonight his mother is pleading for assistance for her son who is in the United States undergoing a string of surgeries to remove a tumor. Twenty-one year old Belize City resident, Christopher Bowman, has been battling with a very large and growing tumor […]
If you have recently visited downtown Belize City, you would probably be both amazed and amused at the sight of Battlefield Park. The historic park, you see has been denuded of trees, the birds no longer come to the park as they did for years and now the park is home to some unconventional colored […]
Motorists on the Western Highway need to exercise caution when driving home tonight. Just before news time, we received word that a culvert near mile eleven on the Western Highway has collapsed and traffic has been moving slowly in the area. Minister of State in the Ministry of Works, Edmund Castro gave us a phone […]
The garbage issue in Belize City continues unresolved and has been fraught with problems between the City Council and its contracted partners Belize Maintenance Limited and Belize Waste Control. And now CITCO is threatening to not renew its contract with the B.W.C. as it claims it has revenue collection problems, which makes payments to providers […]
Two toddlers did not live to see their third birthday … and it appears that malnutrition was at the root of both their deaths. In the case of Dalissia Chable, the cause of death is bilateral pneumonia, chronic acute dernatis, and malnutrition syndrome. The other child, Charlin Galvez Diaz, died from asphyxia as a result […]
In October the Transport Department introduced new bus schedules for the Western and Southern routes that were supposedly designed to iron out glitches in the system, but tonight a mountain of problems remain. The new system has produced overcrowding, non-compliance to schedules, late arrivals and departures from terminals, while traffic officers who are supposed to […]
It has been in the news for days and today the issue came up again in Cabinet and the verdict is that except for what amounts to a slap on the wrist, Diane Haylock will remain as President of NICH; that is the word from the Cabinet. Haylock appeared in front of the cadre of […]
Employees of the Belize Waste Control Limited (B.W.C.) took to the streets yesterday to protest the City Council’s lack of payment for garbage collection services. One of the cheques issued by the City Council just before Christmas was turned down by the bank due to insufficient funds. But today there is some progress and the […]
Since the implementation of the new bus system in October, the Ministry of Transport has had no end of problems and complaints… and tonight there is another gripe coming out of the capital. For two years Radiance Thompson has been selling her burgers and pastries at the bus terminal in Belmopan, but with the new […]
NICH President, Diane Haylock, returned to work today and as we reported last week, she found herself in the middle of a war waged with clear battle lines. Haylock’s boss, Minister Marcel Cardona and the NICH Board members want her removed as president and Prime Minister Dean Barrow is standing up in her defense. News […]
It was déjà vu for the Belize City Council this morning as workers from the Belize Waste Control showed up at their North Front headquarters wielding placards. The issue once again was the council’s outstanding debt to B.W.C. Last week Tuesday the company sent out a press release expressing its frustration at Mayor Zenaida Moya […]
At seven weeks in arrears the City Council owes B.W.C. two hundred and seventeen thousand dollars. Today it was revealed that CitCo also has five weeks of outstanding bills with Belize Maintenance Limited, which at seventy-three thousand per week adds another three hundred and sixty-five thousand dollars to its debts. When News Five tried to […]
The New Year has started in earnest with more internal problems for the Barrow Administration. Early this afternoon, Minister of Culture Marcel Cardona was summoned by Prime Minister Dean Barrow. The trip to Belmopan has to do with the ongoing saga involving a contract between NICH President, Diane Haylock and David Gegg’s Zip Line Adventures […]
