It was announced last month and this week Prime Minister Said Musa formally green-lighted a feasibility study as part of the government’s upliftment programme for southside Belize City. During brief signing ceremonies in Belmopan on Tuesday, Musa said that the results of a four-month long probe will hopefully give G.O.B. a better idea of what […]
It’s one thing to sign a contract… and another to actually complete a project. Today some very proud educators and officials marked the culmination of yet another new school addition. It’s a process that, with our rapidly expanding population, never seems to slow down. News Five’s Jacqueline Woods reports. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting It may have […]
Belizean scientist Nicole Auil has been honoured for her tireless work with manatees. That’s the word from Great Britain where in official ceremonies at the Royal Geographical Society in London, Auil and seven other conservationists from around the world were recognised last week for their work to protect the planet’s natural resources. Auil’s honour is […]
In terms of numbers, they form the two largest components of Belize’s increasingly restive union movement. So when after days of suspense the Belize National Teachers Union and Public Service Union simultaneously announced their decision to go out on strike as of Tuesday morning, it looked like the long anticipated final offensive to unseat the […]
One reason for the light attendance at Battlefield Park may have been that a majority of the city’s teachers and public officers declined to participate in the walkout. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods visited a number of city schools and files the following report. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting Despite the call for strike by the Belize National […]
Although Belize City has been the focal point of the most recent civil unrest, in other parts of the country various union and citizens’ groups have also mounted protests. This footage, provided by Centaur TV in Orange Walk, shows a small demonstration in that town in which a few dozen protestors marched with placards on […]
If viewers are sometimes confused over exactly what the current national crisis is all about, don’t feel bad; we’re not always sure either. While the main thrust of protesters now appears to be the unconditional resignation of the government and the holding of new elections, there are other intermediate issues. The most prominent is a […]
In related news, the Director of Public Prosecutions today dropped charges against B.T.L.’s Human Resources Manager, Dale Trujeque. According to D.P.P. Kirk Anderson, he was never notified or consulted by the police prior to their levying the charge against Trujeque, namely “taking part in a strike in connection with a trade dispute without the dispute […]
Many Belizeans are in shock tonight following the death of one of our brightest scholars in Trinidad and Tobago. Seventeen-year-old Rishi Cummins was a Belizean student at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus. According to reports, around three on Monday afternoon, Cummins made his way to the roof of the three-storey Natural […]
In much of our reporting over the last several weeks, we have used the word crisis to describe the situation now facing the country. But the following story, reported by Jacqueline Woods, forces us to realize that there are things in this world more precious than political power and corporate shareholding. Things like the life […]
In news just in, the Public Service Union of Belize has officially announced its plans to take industrial action against the Government of Belize. In a letter dated today and addressed to Marcial Mes, Minister of Labour and Local Government, the P.S.U. states that this action is in solidarity with the National Trade Union Congress. […]
To strike or not to strike. That is the decision facing members of the Belize National Teacher’s Union tonight. Viewers may recall that on Friday we thought that the choice had already been made as B.N.T.U. President Anthony Fuentes told the media that an eight-member quorum of branch representatives had unanimously voted for a walkout. […]
Events are breaking very quickly on the labour front. News 5?s Patrick Jones has been standing by at B.N.T.U. headquarters and comes to us with this latest update. Patrick…? Patrick Jones, Reporting At the national headquarters of the Belize National Teachers Union, a meeting involving the Belize Branch of the B.N.T.U. is just concluding downstairs […]
While all eyes were focussed on the nation’s teachers, the controversy–or controversies?involving Belize’s telecommunications system continued on a tortuous path toward possible resolution. On the technical front, most B.T.L. services have been restored to near normal with the exception of some fibre optic links–unfortunately including those that carry this station’s television signals around the country. […]
In another facet of the B.T.L. controversy, a release from the Ministry of Finance has explained the disposition of funds from G.O.B.’s sale of fifteen percent ownership in the company to Michael Ashcroft. According to the release, Ashcroft’s Ecom Limited paid the full fourteen point five million U.S. dollars for the shares on March twenty-second, […]
“It’s been a cat and mouse game; we just have to try and get out there as quickly as we can to repair the damage.” That’s how Belize Electricity Limited chief executive officer, Lynn Young, describes the acts of sabotage affecting his company and the public’s supply of power. The latest acts of vandalism, a […]
Good evening, I?m James Adderley with this week?s edition of Sports Monday. In week thirteen of the Regent Insurance Cup Tournament, the B.P.F.L. finds itself with mounting problems as teams make that final dash to make the playoffs. In the hunt for a spot on the four-team post season roster is the Cayo Avengers who […]
The ongoing crisis over who is going to govern this country continued today, although overt acts of protest were minimal. Both the government and its opponents in the unions and political opposition used the day to regroup and plot strategy for what increasingly appears to be a long siege. News 5’s Patrick Jones was on […]
In days gone by, the adjective best used to describe the political inclinations of Belizean university students was…apathetic. Today that word no longer applies as students from U.B. and S.J.C. Junior College have been at the forefront of the effort to affect a change of government. This afternoon the nation’s most recognizable student leader went […]
In news just in, a woman’s body was retrieved from the waters off the Newtown Barracks this evening in front of the Mexican Cultural Institute. News Five was on the scene and spoke with Police Press Officer, G. Michael Reid. G. Michael Reid, Police Press Officer ?We got a call sometime after five o?clock from […]
They were instrumental in the massive anti-government protests of earlier this year, but since their demands for salary increases, political reform, and tax rollbacks were largely granted by Belmopan, Belize’s teachers have not been a major factor in the latest efforts to unseat the government. But pressure has been building both inside and outside the […]
While leaders of the teacher’s union sought to rally their rank and file, many of the children they are paid to teach found themselves walking into empty classrooms. That situation did not sit well with Chief Education Officer, Maud Hyde. Hyde made the media rounds today to tell the public that Belize’s children should not […]
The police holding cells were packed this week as scores of looters were processed through the Queen Street station. We’re not sure whether it was because of or in spite of the overcrowding, but word is that nineteen of the men arrested during the looting Wednesday night somehow escaped this morning before they were to […]
It had the potential to be a disaster of horrible proportions. But quick action by a courageous woman saved over a dozen precious lives as a fire Thursday evening destroyed a children’s home in Belmopan. Earlier today, I visited the nation’s capital to assess the damage. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting Most of the children had already […]
It may be hard for some of us to think about a hike in electricity rates at a time when we are worried about just having a steady supply of current, but come July first, our light bills are going to get bigger. B.E.L. has been granted an increase of eight point six percent by […]
