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Tonight, after more than a week of countrywide manhunts, police have detained a prime suspect in a string of murders and attempted murders that have plagued Belize City and Belmopan of late. According to police, nineteen-year-old Marlon “Fisher” Harris is now in police custody and is expected to be charged tomorrow. Harris was captured in […]
Written on February 7, 2002 | Posted in
Crime |
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As Belizeans grapple with the realisation that the streets are soaked in blood almost everyday, the rapidly deteriorating crime situation has created a community of a silence, who find solace and a sense of security behind burglar bars. Though understandable, this frustrating scenario has hampered several police investigations, such as the murder of security guard […]
Written on February 7, 2002 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Cops: community silence hampers crime solving
Also in crime news, Belmopan police are still investigating one of the bigger drug busts we get to hear about. According to reports, around 6p.m. on Wednesday, officers patrolling the Market Square saw two men acting suspiciously. Police decided to search the duo and found a box containing one kilo or approximately two point two […]
Written on February 7, 2002 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Bmp. police hold two for drug trafficking
Fresh off the CARICOM summit where fighting terrorism was a key point, Belize reiterated its pledge to combat crime on all levels. Belize’s Foreign Minister Assad Shoman was in Nassau, Bahamas today where he joined other foreign ministers for a meeting with the United States Secretary of State Colin Powell to discuss trade and economic […]
Written on February 7, 2002 | Posted in
Foreign Affairs |
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Civil society has announced its senatorial choice in keeping with the fourth amendment bill, and she’s no stranger to the television screen. Public Service Union President Margaret Ventura has been involved with unionism for several years and was catapulted to the public spotlight recently for her work with the Committee for Action on Public Utilities […]
Written on February 7, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Margaret Ventura named civil society senator
A midmorning power failure in Belize City today brought business in the downtown area to a standstill for almost an hour. A check with representatives at the Belize Electricity Limited reveals that a contractor working on a roof near Public’s Supermarket dropped a steel rod on a high tension line, causing the system to trip. […]
Written on February 7, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on B.E.L. explains Belize City blackouts
Despite efforts to the contrary, attempts to alleviate the congestion in Belize City have crashed with the simple reality that the narrow streets are no match for the number of cars hitting the pavement. This morning, one such typical street scene involving taxi drivers, buses and a congested corner threatened to erupt into much more. […]
Written on February 7, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Taxi drivers face off with Novelo’s management
As many people on the job hunt can tell you, the demand for university degrees in the work force is at an all time high. And with many aspiring students trapped by lack of finances and access, getting into a tertiary level institution is a big deal. It is within that context that this week […]
Written on February 7, 2002 | Posted in
Education |
Comments Off on Bz. students get help from U.S. universities
Police are today trying to piece together clues that may help them solve the mystery of who killed well-known contractor Phillip Chin. They are still not certain if Chin was abducted from his house at mile two and a half on the Northern Highway or went willingly with whoever decided to shoot him and dump […]
Written on February 6, 2002 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Car found but still no break in Chin murder
What should have been a wonderful trip to the reef, today turned into tragedy for a group of American tourists. According to police reports, the visitors were vacationing in San Pedro and decided to take a snorkelling trip to Sergeant’s Caye. After arriving on the island around 11:00 this morning, sixty-seven year old Eula Davis […]
Written on February 6, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on U.S. tourist dies while snorkelling
It’s not an unusual news story by any means, but the latest break in at a Belize City primary school is reminding officials that the impending installation of five thousand computers in Belizean schools will not come without problems. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting Police are still following up on information that may lead to the arrest […]
Written on February 6, 2002 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on School burglary bodes ill for computer programme
Most of the visiting dignitaries have departed, but the effects of the CARICOM-Central American Summit will remain in Belize for some time. Chief among them is the strengthening of Belize’s role as the link between the two sub-regions. On Tuesday, that status received support from an unlikely quarter: Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo. According to Portillo, […]
Written on February 6, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Guatemalan President favours self-determination
One of the key topics of discussion at this week’s CARICOM Summit was the need for bold and concrete regional initiatives to deal with crime and its underlying causes. Today, on the national level, a cross-section of Belizeans met to chart the future for the group most responsible for the crime problem and its solution: […]
Written on February 6, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Officials seek new strategies for youth
Another subject dealt with at the CARICOM summit was the temporary closure of the Caribbean Media Corporation. That non-profit company, jointly owned by the Caribbean News Agency and Caribbean Broadcasting Union, ceased operations on January fourth. As a result, the region’s broadcasters–including Channel 5–have been deprived of virtually all of their pan Caribbean programming. But […]
Written on February 6, 2002 | Posted in
Miscellaneous |
Comments Off on Caribbean “Millionaire” debuts Sunday night
Another sign that Belize is being irresistibly sucked into the mainstream of global life is the decision by B.T.L. to switch from our current five-digit telephone numbers to the internationally accepted seven-digit system. According to a release from BTL, the new scheme will be implemented on May first. Customers will keep their present numbers as […]
Written on February 6, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
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A hundred years from now when historians of the future evaluate the performance of the government led by Prime Minister Said Musa, chances are they will not dwell on the ten thousand houses, fifteen thousand jobs, rise in crime or fall of foreign exchange. Instead they will focus on an achievement, though seemingly minor at […]
Written on February 6, 2002 | Posted in
Uncategorized |
Comments Off on New museum opens to rave reviews
The historic summit between CARICOM and Central American leaders swept through Belize almost as quickly as Hurricane Iris. But instead of a path of destruction, the meeting ended with a ray of hope. News 5’s Janelle Chanona reports from the Princess. Janelle Chanona, Reporting As the thirteenth Inter-sessional meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government […]
Written on February 5, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on CARICOM, C.A. leaders wind up historic summit
It first appeared as a short paragraph on the daily press release from the Police Department. An unidentified body had been found on the side of the Northern Highway. Our first reaction was a hit and run: a drunk driver perhaps, a drunk pedestrian, or maybe both. But as the morning unfolded, it became clear […]
Written on February 5, 2002 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Well-known contractor found murdered
A record four witnesses testified this morning for the prosecution in the murder trial of Ornel Welcome. They are police forensic scientist Jenoveva Marin, Assistant Superintendent Mario Vernon, businesswoman Adelma Broaster and police armourer Albert Ciego. All four laid the groundwork for the prosecution to prove its case against the man accused of killing Therese […]
Written on February 5, 2002 | Posted in
Trials |
Comments Off on Four witnesses testify in Blake murder trial
Hurricane Iris may be four months old, but that doesn’t mean relief efforts have stopped pouring in. Both Vincentian Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and CARICOM Secretary General Edwin Carrington handed over donations to Prime Minister Said Musa today. Some twenty-eight thousand Vincentian students from primary and secondary schools contributed to the cause. Ralph Gonsalves, St. […]
Written on February 5, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Caribbean donates to Iris relief
In a time of scarce governmental resources and increased vandalism of schools, principals and teachers are hard pressed to find money to maintain educational standards. One school trying to raise money and have some fun at the same time is Central Christian on Freetown Road. On February fifteenth, the school will be holding “The Little […]
Written on February 5, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on 9 girls vie for “Little Miss Sweetheart”
“Nothing fancy, just the best.” It’s the slogan of a Belize City meat shop, but could also apply to an artist now exhibiting at the Commercial Centre. This morning News 5’s Jacqueline Woods had a look. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting Thirty-seven year old Eduardo “Papo” Alamilla is considered the pride of San Pedro. The artist who […]
Written on February 5, 2002 | Posted in
Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Artist exhibits at Commercial Centre
It benefited from little advance publicity, whether local or international, so Belizeans could be excused this morning when they awoke to find that the country had been overrun by a virtual invasion of regional dignitaries…and today was just the beginning. News 5’s Janelle Chanona reports from the Princess. Janelle Chanona, Reporting Amid the flurry of […]
Written on February 4, 2002 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on CARICOM leaders open summit
A fire in Belize City on Sunday has left two families without shelter. Today, News 5’s Jacqueline Woods looked for answers in the rubble. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting Fire officials say they still cannot determine what started the blaze, but are waiting to interview some people who were on hand at the time of the incident. […]
Written on February 4, 2002 | Posted in
Disasters |
Comments Off on Fire leaves two families homeless
Belize’s interaction with the Caribbean this week is not confined to the meetings at the Princess Hotel. In Trinidad and Tobago Belize’s Chief Elections Officer, Myrtle Palacio was today sworn in as member of a five-person commission appointed by that country’s president to inquire into the performance of T and T’s Elections and Boundaries Commission. […]
Written on February 4, 2002 | Posted in
Uncategorized |
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