It is a by-election for a single town board seat that will have absolutely no effect on the balance of political power in Benque Viejo or anywhere else. But don’t tell that to the dozens of high-powered national political figures who descended on the hills of Benque like a swarm of red and blue locusts. […]
There may have been an election going on, but that didn’t stop the Elections and Boundaries Commission from holding its annual Voter Appreciation Day. Using displays, quizzes and one on one contact, the staff of the commission explained to students and the general public the mechanics of the registration and voting process, emphasising the importance […]
The Commonwealth Heads of Government have affirmed their support for Belize’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. According to a release from the government press office, the leaders meeting in Coolum, Australia have endorsed the current O.A.S. facilitation process and called upon member states to contribute generously to any fund which may be created as part […]
When the Prime Minister returns to Belize later this week, he will have one more item to add to his already crowded agenda of concerns. The Belize National Teachers Union, unhappy with the lack of progress on contract negotiations with government, has scheduled a number of demonstrations to show their displeasure. According to a B.N.T.U. […]
They are some of the earliest souvenirs of family life: those first colourful scrawls that for many parents are no less important than a Picasso or Rembrandt. Today Ann-Marie found a roomful of this special artwork. Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting These brightly coloured pieces of paper are often reduced to trash around the house, but for […]
With crime emerging as the number one concern of Belizean citizens, there is no shortage of advice on how to improve the situation. Unfortunately, most of that advice is based on little more than gut feeling and raw emotion. For the last two weeks, a team of criminal justice professionals from Northern Michigan University has […]
An overflow crowd was on hand at Club Calypso last night for week three of Channel 5’s Karaoke Television. Six contestants sang their hearts out, but only one could emerge as the winner. William Neal, Host, K-TV “Our winner for tonight is Rohjani Perriott.” (Rohjani sings “Nobody’s supposed to be here.”) Rohjani Perriott joins Osvaldo […]
It’s a part of an educational system that could easily be neglected, but in Belize is very much at the forefront. Ann-Marie Williams reports. Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting The School Health and Physical Education Services, SHAPES, met this morning to officially launch its National Advisory Council. Of the thirteen members comprising the council drawn for NGOs, […]
Foreign exchange–or the lack of it–continues to plague both the private sector and by extension, the government that rations it. Today, in an effort to lay the groundwork for the new system of casas de cambio, ten license holders and four applicants met to form an association and elect officers. While members of that body […]
While authorities try to bring the currency situation back into equilibrium, hard pressed merchants are resorting to new methods to find the U.S. dollars to pay for imports. Since last week the big Hofius store on Albert Street has posted a sign in its window offering a twenty percent discount to those customers who pay […]
When it bought over its competition and emerged as the country’s only major bus company, Novelos Ltd. was both praised as a bold entrepreneur and condemned as a dangerous monopoly. Since then, the company’s internal affairs have been under some intense scrutiny. The latest revelation is a memo dated February twenty-fourth stipulating that drivers and […]
A dead body six feet under at the Lord Ridge Cemetery is certainly nothing out of the ordinary, but when a corpse is left overnight above ground, it becomes a problem. That’s just what happened to one unfortunate soul this week. According to gravediggers, this morning they arrived at the burial ground and found this […]
His Royal Highness, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York has wound up his four day visit to Belize. This morning, after attending a tree planting ceremony in Belmopan, he was off to the village of Gracie Rock…which is where News 5’s Ann-Marie Williams caught up with him. Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting When Prince Andrew arrived at […]
Baron Bliss Day will be celebrated on Monday, but it’s never too early to begin planning for September celebrations. To that end, the venerable organisation known as the Committee of 40 has announced a name change. The former 40 will now be known as the St. George’s Caye Society. According to a release, the new […]
Usually when manatees make the news, they’ve been injured in a boating accident or become part of a fisherman’s meal. But for the next ten days, they’ll be the focus of researchers patrolling the lagoons around Gales Point as part of an annual tracking and tagging programme. According to the Coastal Zone Management Authority and […]
Over the weekend, His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, arrived in Belize for an official four-day visit. Today, the Prince toured the southern part of the country and News 5’s Ann-Marie Williams and Rick Romero were on hand for part of the day. Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting This morning, section three of the […]
Reports of shooting incidents are about as common as “dalla beer” at a political convention, but when you hear of a man being shot while inside a police station, it tends to grab your attention. And what makes this story even more compelling is that the shooter is none other than a police officer. Twenty-year-old […]
Meanwhile, Belmopan police are investigating another shooting incident that took place late Friday night in Roaring Creek. Reports are that just before midnight, twenty-nine year old Roberto Vanegas got into an argument with a security guard at Chun’s Bar in the village and was shot during the scuffle. Police have since detained the security guard, […]
Traffic accidents over the weekend on the Western Highway have left two people dead, one of them a twelve year old girl. According to police, the first accident occurred sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning. Police say around 4:00 a.m. on Saturday they found the body of man lying face down in the road […]
Belize City police are tonight investigating the cause of death of a man found earlier today. Around 3:00 p.m., a mechanic working on North Front Street went into this car for a part and discovered the partially decomposed body of his uncle, forty-five year old Frank Taylor. Taylor was last seen alive last Thursday, and […]
For their history of long time service to the country’s children, this year Belize’s teachers are to be honoured. The Teacher of the Year Award is slated to take place later this month at the Belize City Centre. Four outstanding teachers, representing pre-school, primary, secondary and tertiary level institutions respectively, are to receive awards. The […]
Good evening I’m James Adderley and this is the latest version of Sports Monday. Yesterday brought up the last playing date on the regular season schedule in the Regent’s Cup Tournament, and it found the young Acros Brown Bombers fighting to avoid relegation in a match-up against league leading Builder’s Hardware Bandits of Belmopan at […]
Today tots, teens, and all children in between took centre stage throughout the country as part of Children’s Day. In Belize City, thousands of school children took over the Belize City Centre for a morning full of performances by their peers. News 5’s Ann-Marie Williams has the highlights. Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting Over four thousand Belizean […]
Meanwhile across town, pre-schoolers on parade ended their walk at Memorial Park. That’s where Jacqueline Woods found them performing for their parents. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting The pre-schoolers, dressed in their brightly coloured Children’s Day T-shirts, paraded from the Bliss Institute to the Memorial Park. The boys and girls were not only celebrating their day, but […]
For the second time in as many weeks, a thief or thieves have robbed downtown supermarket Romac’s. According to a spokesman for the store, sometime during Thursday night’s rainstorm, persons intent on robbery attempted to get into the building by breaking a lock on the back door. But it appears the lock was doing its […]
