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It was preceded by fears of violence and massive utility outages but day one of a planned two day national strike came off as a largely peaceful but determined protest against government financial mismanagement and the resulting increase in taxes. Today’s actions were spearheaded by teachers and unionised utility workers. Most public officers directly employed […]
Written on January 20, 2005 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Unions flex muscles in protest march
The first hint that today was not business as usual came in the form of a lack of water pressure in Belize City and municipalities countrywide. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods visited B.W.S. headquarters this morning to find out what went wrong. Martin Greenhalgh, CEO, B.W.S. ?It wasn?t a surprise, it was fairly well publicise that […]
Written on January 20, 2005 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Sabotage prompts temporary water shortage…
While the flow of water was affected as a result of the nationwide shutdown, other essential services like electricity and telecommunications remained unaffected. According to Belize Electricity Limited and Belize Telecommunications Limited, while many of their employees did not report to work, the two companies already had in place measures to secure their operations and […]
Written on January 20, 2005 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on …but electricity and phones stay on
In a roundup of how the strike played out elsewhere in the country correspondents report that in San Ignacio and Benque Veijo about half of businesses were closed. In Dangriga and Orange Walk a majority of businesses closed their doors although banks remained open. In Corozal there were slightly more businesses open although, like in […]
Written on January 20, 2005 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Strike effects felt contrywide…
Today in the capital city, preparations for the anticipated anti and pro government demonstrations on Independence Hill continued. Since Wednesday, government workers have been constructing formidable barriers as a part of the police crowd control strategy. This is in response to last Friday’s chaos during which the established police line was crossed several times by […]
Written on January 20, 2005 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on …as Belmopan prepares for Friday demo
With a career that includes a long stint as a public officer as well as a private accountant, Minister of Works Jose Coye has a unique perspective on government finance. Although he was one of the leaders of the August cabinet revolt, Coye chose to stick with the Prime Minister following the P.M.’s commitment to […]
Written on January 20, 2005 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Minister admits errors but defends budget
An eighteen-month-old child lost his life this morning in what can only be described as tragic accident in Belize City. Jarin Sankey died on the spot after he was run over by a taxicab near his home on Pelican Street around ten thirty this morning. According to the child’s mother, the baby had gone out […]
Written on January 20, 2005 | Posted in
Auto Accidents |
Comments Off on Baby killed in tragic accident
In Dangriga, police have charged twenty eight year old Sherwin Baltazar for the murder of Michael Palacio, who was shot and killed in the Back a Town area of the town on Tuesday morning. Police continue to seek for two other persons for questioning. In Belize City, police have charged sixty-year-old Francis Orellana, a Guatemalan […]
Written on January 20, 2005 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Two charged in separate murders
Police do not suspect foul play in the death of a fourteen year old girl from Kendal Village in the Stann Creek District. According to police reports, Aura Elizabeth and a twenty year old relative, Diana Pineda, went down to the river around four thirty on Tuesday afternoon to do laundry. Pineda told authorities that […]
Written on January 20, 2005 | Posted in
Disasters |
Comments Off on Teen drowns at Kendal
If you’re a Belizean student wishing to pursue undergraduate studies in Taiwan there is good news and then there is not so good news. The good news is that scholarships for undergraduate studies are currently available for this year’s intake at the Taiwan National Pintung University of Science and Technology. But the bad news is […]
Written on January 20, 2005 | Posted in
Education |
Comments Off on Taiwan offers agricultural scholarships
The nation’s unions have finally decided on a response to Government’s new tax measures: their answer? A two-day strike that is intended to bring a halt to central government operations, close the schools and curtail access to water, electricity and telecom services. At the same time, Belize’s two main private sector organisations have called on […]
Written on January 19, 2005 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Unions call for 2 day strike
With government employees being asked to stay off the job over the next two days the question arises of what about essential services like police, fire and medical care. According to Public Service Union president Dylan Reneau, there is no reason for citizens to worry. Dylan Reneau, President, P.S.U. “Being a responsible union we have […]
Written on January 19, 2005 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on P.S.U. says essential services will function
For their part, Belize’s two main private sector groups have asked their members to close their doors on Thursday and Friday. It is not clear how many businesses will comply with the request but a check around Belize City indicates that a significant number will remain open. We are assured by a spokesman for the […]
Written on January 19, 2005 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Business groups will also close shop
While the unions and business groups make their plans for Thursday and Friday where does Government stand? Today Prime Minister Said Musa, in a recorded address, castigated the Leader of Opposition as a “reckless politician careless of the harm he does to the Belizean people and to Belizean democracy.” The protests, he claims, have little […]
Written on January 19, 2005 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on P.M. says strike is politically motivated
Belize City Police are investigating a murder on Tuesday night that claimed the life of twenty-four year old Marlon Salazar. According to police, they responded to reports of shots being fired on T-Street in the Port Loyola area around seven thirty last night but upon arrival they were told that the injured man had been […]
Written on January 19, 2005 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Murder, shootings plague City
A cold north wind may have been blowing off the harbour but the action at the Palm Court of the Bliss was as hot as ever. The first five contestants in Channel 5’s Karaoke competition sang their hearts out but in the end only one winner could be declared. William Neal, Host, KTV ?The winner […]
Written on January 19, 2005 | Posted in
Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Leon Banks is week 1 KTV winner
It would normally be the leading news of the day, if not the week, but today?s second session of hearings by the Senate Select Committee investigating Social Security was largely overshadowed by other events. In the long run, however, it may prove more important. First to testify this morning was former financial secretary Joseph Waight, […]
Written on January 19, 2005 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Senate Committee continues S.S.B. probe
Murders number five and six for 2005 were recorded today in Dangriga and Belize City respectively. In the City homicide, which occurred this afternoon, it is not only a case of “whodunnit”, but also “who got it”. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods has more. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting The deceased is described only as a young Hispanic […]
Written on January 18, 2005 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Victim and killer unidentified in latest murder
The peace and quiet of the coastal town of Dangriga was interrupted by gunfire early this morning and when the dust had cleared one man lay dead. Dangriga police say that around eight thirty this morning they responded to reports of shots being fired in the back-a-town area. But when the cops got to the […]
Written on January 18, 2005 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Fatal shooting rocks Dangriga
Another incident involving gunshots, this time in Belize City, thankfully did not result in a fatality. Around six thirty on Monday night fourteen year old Rochelle Hemsley was shot in the leg as she walked on Dickenson Street. Police say Hemsley was in the company of her brother when a man on a bicycle rode […]
Written on January 18, 2005 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Teenage girl wounded by gunshot
He is no stranger to allegations of sexual assault, and today Albert Guy stands accused of another attack. Police in Orange Walk have charged the thirty-eight year old food vendor for the crimes of rape, indecent assault, aggravated assault and harm. The charges are the result of a report made over the weekend by an […]
Written on January 18, 2005 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Familiar face charged in O.W. rape
He was the victim of a shooting incident inside the bathroom of a discotheque last year and now on the eve of his graduation into the ranks of the police department, Joseph Nunez was instead given his walking papers. Citing incompletion of basic training and possible diminished physical ability as a result of the shooting, […]
Written on January 18, 2005 | Posted in
Uncategorized |
Comments Off on Dismissed police recruit seeks reinstatement
If you listened to rumours on the street you would think that by Thursday or Friday all life in Belize will come to a halt. But while citizens anxiously wait to see if the water, light and telephone service will be halted by angry utility workers, the unions and others opposed to new tax increases […]
Written on January 18, 2005 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Chamber plans next anti-tax move…
Meanwhile Belize’s union representatives continued to hold their meetings today as they finalize their response to the budget. This afternoon, Public Service Union executive Hubert Enriquez told News 5 that following discussions in Belmopan last week, each union was mandated to come up with its own plan of action for this week. Meetings are set […]
Written on January 18, 2005 | Posted in
Social Issues |
Comments Off on …as unions do likewise
It has as many twists as the Hummingbird Highway and today the sad saga of Belize Telecommunications Limited took a new turn. In a press release today the company announced that its board had decided to reverse its decision to issue twenty-four million new BTL shares and instead will acquire the assets of the bankrupt […]
Written on January 18, 2005 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Prosser changes course on Intelco purchase
