1998 has not been a good year for police public relations. The failure to catch Winty Mangar and Douglas Williams combined with two recent shootings of unarmed civilians by officers on special duty, have tarnished the department’s image, which wasn’t particularly polished in the first place. Today comes more bad news. An eighteen year old […]
In other crime news, police have broken up what they call a crime ring responsible for a number of burglaries in Belize City and Orange Walk. Approximately five thousand dollars worth of stolen property has been recovered and five Belize City residents arrested. They are twenty year old William Garcia, eighteen year old Edward Westby, […]
Other November deportees on the latest police list include forty one year old Glenford Gray of Belize City. He did time at Riker’s Island in New York for heroin possession. Thirty eight year old Frank Garcia, also of Belize City, was deported from L.A. after serving a total of twelve years in various prisons for […]
In crimes of an economic nature, the Government of Belize has for the first time awarded a development concession to an enterprise going into the business of… cable television. Northern Cable Network Limited in Orange Walk will now be subsidized by taxpayers to bring the good citizens of that town more sex, violence and consumerism […]
There was some excitement at the International Airport this morning as an Aerovias flight from Guatemala apparently lost its hydraulics after landing and went off the side of the runway. Little or no damage was caused to the twin engine Nord 2-6-2 aircraft, which carried only its four person crew. The plane was towed onto […]
If you tried to take a shower this afternoon and got only hot air you were not alone. Thousands of city residents were left high and dry for several hours when the Water and Sewerage Authority interrupted service for what a spokesperson says were emergency repairs to the main transmission line on the Northern Highway. […]
A broken pipe was not the only problem on the Northern Highway as motorists continue to complain of danger caused by tons of clay which have been spilled on the asphalt surface by careless trucks. For the past week dump trucks have been filling several acres of land near mile four. Drivers arrive either too […]
What to do with the rest of your life is a question that all of us periodically ponder, but the question has more immediacy for those about to graduate. This morning News Five’s Jacqueline Woods went back to school to see what’s available in the world of work. It’s the time of the year, when […]
G. Michael Reid is known around town as a pretty hard guy…. But tonight we find out that News Five’s roving commentator has his romantic side as well. This weekend is February the fourteenth which means Valentine’s Day and since Belize these days seem to be very much a part of this global sanctification of […]
It’s day two in the latest war of nerves and words between our two main political parties. And as usual the controversy boils down to how you want to look at it. The U.D.P. says that Marconi Matus is a liar. His specific statements about meetings with Manuel Esquivel have been proven false and thus […]
What a difference a week makes! This morning when a cruise ship dropped anchor in Belize City Harbor there were no protests, no police barricades, no vicious dogs—and if there were any gay men they kept it to themselves. The M.V. Sea Breeze discharged over six hundred passengers on a gloriously beautiful day at the […]
The Society for the Promotion of Education and Research, SPEAR, has teamed up with the Virginia based “For Children Incorporated,” to undertake a program of assistance to local Non-Governmental Organizations. Under the program, says SPEAR’s Support Director Dean Roches, used computers are re-built in the states and sent down to Belize fully equipped. After initial […]
The study of science is not a traditionally strong subject for most Belizean schools, perhaps because the job opportunities in scientific research here are so limited. But much of the success of science education has to do with the way it is taught. Earlier this week I accompanied a group of Belize City students and […]
There’s hardly a week that goes by without our receiving at least one missing person report, either from the police, a distraught family or both. Usually the missing person turns out to be a rebellious teenager or a wayward spouse…who is soon reunited–or at least located–by relieved relatives. But the story we bring you tonight […]
The rough and tumble world of politics returned to its best Belizean form today as the opposition made dramatic accusations against some of this country’s highest elected officials. News Five’s Stewart Krohn heard the evidence and tries to separate the smoke from the fire. The People’s United Party went back on the offensive this morning, […]
While his allegations fell somewhat short of accusing Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel of directly offering him a bribe, Marconi Matus did allege that the P.M. signaled his approval of the deal and even confirmed the details. This occurred, he said, both in person and over the telephone. But the Prime Minister had a different story…. […]
Motorists who travel the Kings Park area of Belize City and use St. Thomas Street will tell you that the condition of that road literally takes the joy out of driving. But it won’t be for much longer as Government has announced improvements that will benefit not only drivers but residents as well. On Tuesday […]
The upper levels of Belizean basketball have always been rich in raw talent but somewhat less so in organization. Today the people in charge of the Belize National Basketball Association announced plans that they hope will put this country at least on the regional map. Patrick Jones reports. It may never measure up to Madison […]
At the same time the politicians were making their charges at the Radisson a short distance away, a much larger group of people were making some noise of their own on Freetown Road. Today, the staff and students of Belize Technical College spent most of day outside of the classroom demonstrating against what they say […]
For a while it seemed like Police Commissioner Ornel Brooks was more like Larry King Live, ready to call in the cameras at a moment’s notice to announce even the smallest victory in the nation’s war on crime. But in recent weeks a good number of the accused criminals have been wearing the uniform of […]
In news of another shooting by police, this one a week earlier in Ladyville, wounded security guard Deon Smith is reportedly improving following surgery in Chetumal. Doctors there have treated swelling in Smith’s brain but have not removed the bullet still lodged in his skull. Smith is conscious and has been talking to family members. […]
In other police news authorities report that a fisherman of Seine Bight appeared to have drowned on Monday. Witnesses say that around 10:30 am 19 year old Clifford Arzu was fishing from his dory about a hundred yards offshore when it started to take in water. Arzu then jumped out, went under and was not […]
A new president of the Belize Court of Appeal has been appointed. Kenneth Montague George replaces Professor Telford Georges who retired at the end of last year. Justice George was sworn in Monday by the Governor General. A native of Guyana, who was that country’s Chief Justice from 1981 to 1988 and President of its […]
In economic news the Citrus Growers Association and Belize Food Products limited have signed a six year agreement on fruit prices. The pact, which takes effect immediately, is based on a price formula similar to that used in the sugar industry. That is the price will vary depending on the revenues received from citrus concentrate […]
While Belizean citrus growers have finally agreed on a price formula, growers of sugar cane in Barbados are still wrestling with problems in that island’s centuries old industry. The C.B.C.’s Tracy Knight reports. Hands that have toiled for over forty years, helping to build this country’s sugar industry. He’s one of a dying group of […]
