Belize - Belize News - Channel5Belize.com - Great Belize Productions - Belize Breaking News
Home » December, 2006 You are currently browsing entries posted in: December, 2006

Deal to merge public & private hospitals short on details

The deal approved by Cabinet under which Government will assume the private debt of Universal Health Services in exchange for majority ownership of the private hospital is an ambitious undertaking–both financially and in its implications for the nation’s health care system. This morning Minister of Health Jose Coye met with the board of the Karl […]

K.H.M.H. board, staff briefed on Ministry

But what about the actual operation of two major hospitals? According to K.H.M.H. chief Alvaro Rosado, today is the first time that members of his board or staff have been briefed on the situation. Alvaro Rosado, K.H.M.H. C.E.O.

Belize Coast Guard marks first anniversary

With hundreds of miles of shoreline, scores of cayes, three atolls and a barrier reef that ranks among the world’s natural wonders you’d think that Belize would boast one of the most formidable navies in the region. Unfortunately a tiny population and slim resources have kept our marine law enforcement to a minimum. That situation […]

Injured suspect arraigned for murder of teen

One week after police shot him in the left ankle, twenty-four year old Leonard Myers, a.k.a. “Ghost,” was released from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and taken straight over to Magistrate’s Court. Myers, unassisted by the police, managed to hop his way up the steps and into the holding cell area where he waited to […]

Marion Jones, home on a visit, faces the future

Last week Belize’s sweetheart, Marion Jones, arrived in the country with her three year old son Monty. And while she did not receive the hero’s welcome that greeted her back in 2001, that doesn’t mean we love her any less. This afternoon Jones sat down with the press and spoke candidly about the past year, […]

UNICEF looks back at 25 years of service

It’s an organisation that for over half a century has expended its financial and moral resources in service to Belize’s–and the world’s–children. Today UNICEF paused to look back in celebration. Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative

Childrens

From now until Christmas not a day will go by without a party being thrown for deserving Belizean children. We’ll try to cover all that we can … beginning with three held today in Belize City. Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting There was nothing that could have been done to stop these children from smiling much less […]

Loan signed with I.D.B. for U.S. $25 million

During a brief contract signature ceremony this morning, the Government of Belize officially wrapped up more than a year of negotiations with the Inter-American Development Bank to secure twenty-five million U.S. dollars of what has become a steady stream of concessionary financing for Belmopan. The twenty year loan carries an interest rate of five point […]

New loan window will replace D.F.C.

And as the Government prepares to cut its losses at D.F.C., this morning Belmopan’s new point man on financial affairs, Minister of National Development Mark Espat, spoke of the Musa administration’s plan to create a banking institution similar to the now bankrupt agency. The idea is to ensure that students and entrepreneurs have access to […]

Creditors will now consider new bond offer

As for the latest on the progress of Belize’s billon dollar bond offer, today Espat told the press that with the National Assembly’s approval of the proposal, the ball is now in the creditors’ court. Mark Espat

Alleged triggerman charged with attempted murder

The alleged triggerman in the shooting of James Young Sr. and Kenneth “Big Tom” Flowers has been arrested and charged. Twenty-two year old Alpheus Smith has been jointly charged with Brian Brown, who was arraigned yesterday. Smith was read three counts of Attempted Murder and two counts each of Dangerous Harm and Use of Deadly […]

Family of missing tourist seeks closure

Those who have experienced the loss of a loved one know how deep the pain can reach. But how do you describe the feeling when you not only have to cope with a death but the additional complication of never finding the body of the deceased. That’s the dilemma faced by the family of a […]

House topples; occupants safe but shaken

It happens at least a couple of times a year … and with all the old wooden structures around the country, it’s a miracle it doesn’t more often. What I’m talking about is when an elevated house topples from its posts. Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting

Ground broken on Korea-financed vocational school

Today two ground breaking ceremonies were held on projects jointly initiated between the Governments of Belize and South Korea. Construction for a Central Vocational Training Centre is expected to commence shortly on the grounds of the Central Assembly of God Primary School. According to Reverend Eugene Crawford the new facility will go a long way […]

Another Lotto winner collects jackpot

Last week’s Lotto winner has come forward to claim her fifty thousand dollar prize. The lucky ticket holder is twenty-two year old wife and mother of two, Beolita Ancona of Corozal Town. This morning a happy Ancona and her family picked up their check at the Tropical Gaming office. Kendra Griffith, Reporting

Firefighters, oil company simulate gas station blaze

They say that practice makes perfect, but in the case of fighting fires we’d probably settle for practice makes pretty good. Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting Traffic along the northern highway came to a stand still at mile two on the northern highway. The disruption was caused after the driver of this truck mistakenly opened the wrong […]

Scientists measure how land pollution hurts reef

We know it as the Belize Barrier Reef, but when you add the coral formations to the north and south the entire system is referred to scientifically in broader terms. But more important than the name is the concept: that is, the marine environment in this corner of the Caribbean does not respect political boundaries. […]

One dead, two injured as gang shootings continue

Killing with impunity: that seems to be the latest style on the streets of Belize City as young men settle scores and battle for turf. We can search deeply for the causes and wonder where this is all heading, but like both the perpetrators and victims, we stay very much concerned about the here and […]

Two acquitted of kidnapping

A Belize City father and son walked out of court free men this afternoon, cleared of kidnapping charges following their trial in the Supreme Court. Thirty-four year old Oscar Bonilla and his fifty-eight year old father Manuel Chinchilla, were arrested following a report in April 2005 by twenty-two year old Alex Bautista. At the time, […]

Death row convict has sentenced reduced

A convicted murderer on death row has had his sentence reduced. Adolph Harris, convicted of murder for the 1995 killing of Lavern Orosco, will now serve twenty years in jail instead of experiencing the finality of the hangman’s noose. Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh accepted the arguments of attorneys Simeon Sampson and Antoinette Moore that Harris’s […]

New U.S. embassy opens in Belmopan

Well before the appearance of global terrorists, the old wooden house on the corner of Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street was an anachronism … a throwback to another era when embassies were places of refuge, not targets of suicide bombers. And while we in Belize know that no one here harbours such evil intentions, we […]

D.F.C. hearings postponed again

Viewers anxiously awaiting the resumption of the public hearings of the Commission of Inquiry investigating the Development Finance Corporation will have to wait a little longer. That’s the word from the commissioners tonight in announcing that sessions scheduled for this week have been postponed. According to Commissioner Merlene Bailey Martinez, several factors have influenced the […]

Kiwanis Club donates to charities

They call themselves the Kiwanis Club of Belize City. And while this might be the first time you’re hearing of them, for the last four years this small group of Belizeans has been raising funds to assist deserving children with education and health care. This morning President Pat Bennett passed a total of twenty-three hundred […]

Gimme 5 crowns big winner

For most of us here at Channel Five our annual anniversary celebration is a welcome break from the daily routine … and this year’s birthday party was no exception. But as much fun as we had, the happiest people were the prize winners and five schools that received a helping hand. Kendra Griffith, Reporting After […]

Darnell Barrow wins Alpheus Williams Classic

Good evening. I