A robber who lured his victim to a location by ordering a pizza has been convicted. Chief Magistrate Herbert Lord gave twenty-five year old Rommel Middleton five years in prison for his part in the hold up of Kenrick Ferguson back in 2002. On the night of December fourteenth, Ferguson went to Brighton Beach to […]
Almost seven months later, a ship that ran aground on Lighthouse Reef is finally being moved. The Belize Port Authority announced today that a salvage operation to tow the vessel “Transfer” is underway and the ship should be off the reef by Saturday. Once it is dislodged, the Port says it will be towed west […]
Calling all football enthusiasts…next week the National Sports Council will launch the pilot phase of a national goalkeeping workshop at the M.C.C. Grounds in Belize City. According to Tournament Coordinator, Marvin Ottley, participants don’t need to come with any kind of football skills to have fun and learn the game for free. This morning Ottley […]
To promote responsible pet care, this weekend the Belize Humane Society has teamed up with the Environment Health Unit to provide free rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats. The clinic takes place at the Y.W.C.A. compound at the corner of Freetown Road and St. Thomas Street on Saturday, from ten in the morning to three […]
The first leg of the Young Women’s Christian Association summer programme came to an official close this morning when a couple hundred of its participants received certificates after successfully completing various courses. According to Y.W.C.A.’s Executive Director, Sonia Linares, the response was so overwhelming that in just a short time all spaces were quickly filled. […]
We are not sure if the participants will go on to be tour guides, hoteliers, or seek other employment in the tourism sector, but that is what the Belize Tourism Board is hoping as it certified twenty young men and women following a two-week summer programme. Tracy Taegar-Panton, Director, Belize Tourism Board ?The summer youth […]
Can you imagine putting on a show after only two weeks of preparation? It might be a daunting task for adults, but children? Well, they love a challenge… and a chance to strut their stuff. Today the Bliss held a showcase of young talent from their expressive arts summer camp. News Five was there. Karla […]
The blame game continued in Belmopan today, as the Special Senate Select Committee conducted its sixth public hearing in its investigation into the investment portfolio of the Belize Social Security Board. Appearing before the senators for their second time were securitization manager Ian McMillan and S.S.B.’s financial director Rolando Zetina; as well as first timers, […]
As if the Social Security Board didn’t have enough to worry about, we are informed this week that another one of its major loans has gone bad. A notice in last weekend’s Amandala indicates that a receiver has been appointed for no less than seven companies operating in Toledo, all controlled by controversial Danish businessman […]
An American visitor to Belize died on Wednesday following a trip to Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Fifty-two year old Mary Krinich had been snorkelling with a group of fellow tourists, but reported feeling sick and began vomiting. She was rushed to the San Pedro clinic, but was pronounced dead on arrival. The body was transferred […]
For students, the summer holidays are supposed to be carefree and fun, but on Wednesday a little boy was found dead in San Roman Village after apparently suffocating in a pile of sand. Corozal police say nine-year-old Onix Correa had been playing with a group of children who were digging in the sand that afternoon […]
Police in the Stann Creek District have detained a twenty-three year old man for the molestation of a five-year-old girl. The child’s mother told police on Wednesday that her daughter had gone to visit relatives and when she came home, she noticed that something was clearly wrong. She took the child to a doctor who […]
Two men wanted by U.S. authorities for alleged drug trafficking offences six years ago will be given an extradition hearing despite some confusion about the identity of one of the men. Today Chief Magistrate Herbert Lord told attorneys for Andrew “Papa” Brown and Floyd Brown that he will proceed with a full extradition hearing and […]
A fast food restaurant in San Ignacio was destroyed on Wednesday night. The San Ignacio Fire department says they received a call around nine twenty-five but were unable to save the structure. The business named Annie’s and located on Savannah Street, was owned by Ann Bateman. Fire officials say they believe it was a case […]
Belize may have dodged a bullet with Hurricane Emily, but the storm was not without impact on Belize’s economy. We’re talking cruise ships, or rather, their absence. According to the manager of the Fort Street Tourism Village, James Nisbet, five vessels cancelled their visits this week due to the presence of Emily working its way […]
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, better known as the Mormons, has long had a presence in Belize–usually in the form of young pink-faced missionaries who could be seen walking the mean streets of Belize City day or night. But as the church grows locally, its involvement with the community is also […]
On July seventh, fifty-six people were killed when a series of what are believed to be suicide bomb blasts went off in the London underground rail system and on a double-decker bus. The terrorist acts shocked Great Britain and much of the world, but at the time we did not know that among the casualties […]
Government has concluded a set of agreements for the sale of its shares in Belize Telecommunications Limited. That’s the word from this morning’s Cabinet press briefing presented by Information Minister Godfrey Smith. And to absolutely no one’s surprise, companies controlled by Michael Ashcroft are heavily involved the sale. The breakdown of how G.O.B. will dispose […]
In other news from Cabinet, Smith reported that his government has agreed to enter into a mutual legal assistance treaty with CARICOM. The pact, which will require Senate approval, is said to be similar to treaties already signed with the U.S.A. and Mexico. It establishes mechanisms for greater cooperation in fighting crime, particularly those crimes […]
Police have arrested five men in connection with the killing of Celestino Zetina. The men, all from Belize City, who were picked up over the course of yesterday and today, are twenty-two year old Trevor Avilez of Jasmine Street; Earl Claire, twenty-five, of Violet Lane; thirty year old Andrew Williams of Marigold Lane; Eighteen year […]
It was supposed to be a routine court date and adjournment for two men charged with murder. But one of the defendants, Roland Smalls, received a surprise gift: his freedom. The news came from the prosecutor who, on instructions from the D.P.P., asked that the murder charge against Smalls be dismissed. With Smalls now a […]
A police officer convicted of manslaughter by negligence has been ordered to pay a fine of four thousand dollars. Sherwood Wade could have received five years in prison for the death of Darnell McDonald, but Supreme Court Justice Michelle Arana, after listening to testimony from three character witnesses, imposed the lesser penalty. “No useful purpose […]
In a verdict delivered late this evening, fifty year old Calbert Smith, charged with the murder of his brother Kenrick, has been found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. The twelve-person jury deliberated for four hours before reaching a verdict. The killing occurred in October 2001 at the family’s home in Belize City. Smith […]
The Ministry of Health has announced that cases of dengue have been detected in the Cayo District. According to a press release, infections have been reported in Belmopan and surrounding villages, Armenia, Cotton Tree, Valley of Peace, Unitedville, Ontario, Roaring Creek, and Camalote. Symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, rash […]
And while local officials try to nip a countrywide dengue outbreak in the bud, this week, health representatives from Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic, are in Belize to hold technical talks in preparation for a regional health sector meeting, scheduled for later this year. Known by its Spanish acronym RESSCAD, the organisation has […]
