Today at the Radisson, representatives from various youth organizations met with officials from the Youth for the Future initiative. Their aim: to come up with solutions to the issues affecting Belize’s young people. According to Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Francis Fonseca, if we are looking for answers, we must start with […]
If the privately operated Kolbe Foundation is going to succeed in its goal of operating a secure, humane and rehabilitating prison, it will do so on the strength of its personnel. Today forty-one prison officers graduated from five weeks of instruction at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan. Inspecting the Guard of Honour at this […]
And in an update to a story we covered last month, we are relieved to report that Frank Aviella, an employee of the Belize Ports Authority who was fired from his job because he refused to cut his dreadlocks, has been reinstated. According to today’s Amandala, Aviella, who had threatened legal action, received a letter […]
Belizean boxing’s last great moment occurred when Fitzroy Guiseppi knocked out Luis “Lagunita” Rodriguez for the Caribbean and Central American title. That, unfortunately, was in 1979. A quarter century later News 5’s Patrick Jones is wondering when and if that feat can be repeated. Patrick Jones, Reporting They may not bear more than a superficial […]
It has been nearly a full year since revelations of massive scandal in the Immigration Department were made by the Belizean media. With the exception of retiring the department head and transferring the Minister to a new portfolio, government has done virtually nothing to punish the numerous wrongdoers both in and out of the civil […]
Almost a week after they ostensibly reached agreement on Social Security issues, government and unions are still having problems putting a unified public spin on the issue. A Government release issued on Monday reported three main agreements, including retention of the mandatory retirement age at sixty-five, adding one percentage point to contributions and leaving the […]
A Placencia man is dead and authorities are trying to find out why. A battered Gilbert Leslie, better known as Shaky, was found last night around eleven lying on the roadside near the village water tower. Suffering from injuries to the head, neck, ribs and hand, Leslie was taken to the local health centre but […]
After weeks of round the clock hard work, Belize Electricity Limited says those hours in the dark waiting for the lights to come back on may soon be nothing more than a bad memory. B.E.L. says their gas turbine generator at mile eight on the Western Highway should be ready to pump out kilowatts by […]
Camps are always a big summer activity for Belizean children. And one of the longest running vacation institutions is the Curlin King Track and Field Summer Athletic Programme. The camp not only helps the children to get physical, but it also encourages them to stay in school. Today, King, along with three of his dedicated […]
A look at television news over the last few weeks would have us believe that the nation’s teachers are spending the summer in protest. A few perhaps, but a significant number are actually busy improving their performance in the classroom…as News 5’s Patrick Jones found out today at St. John’s College. Patrick Jones, Reporting These […]
On last night’s newscast I reported from the archaeology symposium on the latest discoveries at a site known as Actun Chanona. Today, I found out that there’s more to local archaeology than a familiar name. Janelle Chanona, Reporting Day two of the Belize Archaeology Symposium saw more experts present their latest findings on the ancient […]
It’s a sales pitch we’ve heard before: Don’t worry…soon, soon; we’re coming; we’re ready to compete. But since its last press conference in December, we haven’t heard a peep out of Intelco and more importantly, the service that it promised would come on line in March, has yet to arrive. This afternoon, Intelco’s eternally optimistic […]
If the new developments at Intelco gave consumers at least a glimmer of hope for lower telephone and Internet rates, a decision taken by B.T.L. has dealt a severe blow to the pocketbook of some enterprising Belizeans and visitors from abroad. As of the first of July, consumers can no longer access international operators to […]
The CARICOM summit opened this evening in Montego Bay, Jamaica with a number of perennial regional projects about to reach critical mass; among them the single market and economy and Caribbean Court of Justice. One of the keynote speakers at the opening ceremony was Prime Minister Said Musa. Prime Minister Said Musa “This meeting will […]
In crime news, another high-powered weapon has been removed from the streets of Belize City. Police report that on Tuesday they seized an M-16 automatic rifle and seventeen rounds of ammunition during the search of a residence on Rocky Road. Arrested were twenty-seven year old Elroy Smith, twenty-three year old Kenrick Johnson and eighteen year […]
In an update to some recent stories, we are informed that twenty-two year old Albert Gomez, shot in his mouth by assailants at his Stake Bank fishing camp, is showing some signs of improvement. Hospital sources tell us that Gomez has been taken off the ventilator machine and is able to slowly move the left […]
Last December the Ministry of Education conducted a survey on music education in Belize. It was discovered that some schools had no musical programme, while others had varying levels of activity. The ministry decided that it was necessary to try improve the standards of music education and working toward that same end is a group […]
Learning to swim: it’s a rite of passage that, unfortunately, not all Belizeans experience. This morning News 5’s Jacqueline Woods learned that for those with the desire, it’s as easy as falling into the pool. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting Do you remember where you first learned how to swim…or at least do the dog paddle? It […]
A major archaeology symposium got underway this morning at the Princess Hotel…and as predicted on yesterday’s newscast, there was indeed some gold buried in those hills of academic jargon. I even managed to catch one lecture of profound personal interest. Janelle Chanona, Reporting They have come from all across the country, and from Universities throughout […]
Depending on how you classify two recent killings by policemen, the fatal shooting which occurred at the corner of Central American Boulevard and Cemetery Road at around ten-forty-five last night is either the thirty-first of thirty-third murder committed in 2003. But whatever the numbers, the incident is no less tragic. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods has […]
A Belizean on the run from American law enforcement authorities hit a brick wall this week and tonight is enjoying the comforts of Hattieville prison. Although he is listed as number fifteen on the U.S. Marshal’s Most Wanted List and is described as a career violent criminal, the fine print reveals that thirty-one year old […]
And in an update to the stolen car scandal, today officials from the United States Embassy in Belize informed us that further investigations by their experts have confirmed that all five luxury vehicles now in the Customs compound are indeed hot. According to Public Relations Officer for the U.S. Embassy, Edgar Embrey, the 2003 SUVs […]
On last night’s newscast we reported that the statutory instrument raising Social Security contributions would be signed sometime this week and it was not clear precisely when the new rates would be put into effect. Well, today it’s clear…that’s right, as of July first–that’s today–workers and employers will share in the payment of an additional […]
For most of us, our nation’s numerous ancient Maya sites are places you visit on a school trip or carry tourists to as a guide. As for the science of archaeology, that was usually left to foreigners who had the patience and money to spend years at prestigious universities, followed by more years digging in […]
And in news from Jamaica where CARICOM heads of government are gathering for their annual summit, reports are that November fifteenth has been selected as the date when the long awaited Caribbean Court of Justice will officially come to life. Eight countries have ratified the necessary instruments creating the court, including Belize, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, […]
