If there is one part of its manifesto that the People’s United Party government seems committed to, it is the pledge to build 10,000 houses. With a Cuban housing factory and low interest loans, the Ministry of Housing is making it possible for virtually anyone with a steady job to own their own home. Likewise […]
In related news the Ministry of Natural Resources is reviewing its policy on the leasing of house lots, particularly the time in which a lessee must build on the land. At present the time frame is 3 years to complete a house, after which time the lease may be cancelled if no construction has been […]
While the YWCA is this week heavily involved in putting the finishing touches on its “Miss Y” pageant Saturday at the City Centre, today it took time out to take pride in its considerable accomplishments in the field of education. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting There was reason to celebrate at the YWCA preschool today. The pre-school, […]
If you’ve ever had any questions about rastafaranism, the man to talk to is Professor Barry Chavannes. Tonight Chavannes, an Anthropologist from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, will be talking about the religion and its relation to reggae music. Chavannes says culturally, rastafaranism has been an important factor in the lives of […]
The ads on television, featuring Vanessa Williams in the movie “Dance With Me”, make it look like wall to wall excitement. The question is: will the action at the City Centre version of “Dance With Me” give the Belizean audience that same feeling? Nessie Rivero, Organizer “I didn’t want to have a Punta contest because […]
Different countries celebrate it at different times…and it seems that Belize has opted for the U.S. tradition of the second Sunday in May. That’s this Sunday and if you haven’t started thinking about the importance of mothers in your life, I’d like to jog your memory. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting From dawn to well past dusk, […]
They came, they worked hard and soon they’ll be gone but New Horizons 2000 will not be forgotten by thousands who will benefit from their labours. Reserve officers of the Louisiana National Guard have been in Belize for the past 4 months digging wells and building schools in the Stann Creek District. At the project’s […]
The schools and wells were very much appreciated but sometimes there’s no substitute for cash. That’s what Prime Minister Said Musa received this afternoon from the government of the Republic of China on Taiwan. In a short ceremony in Belmopan Taiwanese Ambassador Charles Tsai presented the P.M. with a cheque for a quarter million U.S. […]
If you live anywhere in Belize other than the coast, chances are that even as you watch this newscast you can’t help but notice the smell of smoke. From Hondo to Sarstoon, fires are burning, making the oppressively hot dry season even more uncomfortable. Some of the fires are deliberately set to clear land for […]
Woody, the ailing manatee who was rescued 7 months ago in the waters near Belize City, was today visited by a high powered doctor. Veterinarian Dr. Greg Bossart of the University of Miami and Miami Seaquarium made the trip to Sarteneja where Woody has been convalescing. He will perform a medical assessment and help train […]
It’s been a highlight on Belize’s cultural calendar for years, and while the millennium edition of the event faces some special obstacles, the quality of the show is as good as ever. Janelle Chanona, Reporting This year the hard work of over 1,000 students from 15 primary and 2 high schools in the Belize District […]
It started out 7 years ago as something of a lark. Today the “Miss Y” contest may be the most popular pageant in Belize. This afternoon News Five’s Janelle Chanona dropped by a rehearsal session where the contestants are warming up for Saturday’s big event. Janelle Chanona, Reporting On Saturday night, 6 extraordinary ladies from […]
It is sometimes called the forgotten district, but as improved infrastructure, transport and communications services bring Toledo closer to the rest of Belize, the media is paying more attention. This morning I made a quick trip south and with the help of the Belize Zoo discovered that Toledo is home to a growing number of […]
It was an audacious crime but tonight police in San Ignacio have 3 of the 4 suspects in custody. A 16-year old student and a 20-year old man, Dennis Castillo, have been charged with burglary while 18-year old Shane Espat has been charged with handling stolen goods. The charges arise out of a break in […]
Police have detained two men in connection with a brutal abduction which occurred on Sunday. Around 7:00 in the evening a 36-year old Ladyville woman was hitchhiking back home from the Crooked Tree cutoff on the Northern Highway. She told police that a car pulled up to offer her a ride, she recognized two of […]
A man from Roaring Creek is in the hospital tonight after he threatened a police officer with a knife on Sunday morning. According to police reports, a police officer working at a softball game saw 19-year old Nigel Neal, a suspect in a burglary, and decided to approach him. It is alleged that Neal got […]
Since the Ombudsman’s office was opened in August of 1999 it has been working closely with the Belize Human Rights Commission. Today, both offices formalized that relationship in order to better defend the rights of the general public. The parties, in a memorandum of understanding, agreed to establish a joint understanding on how they can […]
Distance learning in Belize is fast becoming the best alternative for those desiring to continue their education while keeping their jobs. That’s one of the reasons the branch of the University of the West Indies is popular in Belize. This week, board members of the university’s committee on distance learning education will be meeting in […]
At one time turtle shell jewelry could be found all over Belize, not to mention the rest of the world, but that was before an international convention called CITES banned the trade in the endangered hawksbill turtle. Today the Coastal Zone Management Authority reports that last month a proposal to ease that ban was defeated […]
Its name is synonymous with the romantic luxury of a holiday in a Caribbean paradise. And while promoting that image has made Sandals one of the most successful tourism operations in the region, the company also has a more practical mission: that of ensuring that the Caribbean environment stays healthy. To find out how they’re […]
The weekend which has just passed may one day be looked back on as the point at which Chinese merchants in Belize stopped being victimized…and started taking the law into their own hands. The result is that a 22-year old man is dead following an attempted robbery on Saturday night. The incident took place at […]
Meanwhile, a remarkably similar incident occurred in the Stann Creek District. 52-year old Martin Tzu, of Dangriga, who is not Chinese, told police that on Saturday morning he went to his farm at mile 2 on the Stann Creek Valley Road. However, Tzu says when he got to the farm he saw a sack of […]
They came in a multitude of shiny new vehicles as well as on foot…all to pay their respects to a fallen friend and public officer. Fifty-two year old Mike Mena was laid to rest today in an official ceremony that began in Belmopan and ended in San Ignacio. Mena, who served as Belize’s Ambassador to […]
They are usually our first point of contact with the health care system, and today Belize’s nurses showed the public why they deserve our respect. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting The Open Day held under the theme: Nurses Always There For You”, exhibited the equipment nurses have used and the progress made to provide the best care […]
A trade and investment mission from the twin island republic of Trinidad and Tobago is in Belize today to promote stronger business relationships between the countries. Represented in the mission are the Trinidad branch of the Bank of Nova Scotia, members of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA) and the Tourism and Industrial Development […]
