On Thursday, the K.H.M.H. Board of Governors, Management and the Prime Minister Dean Barrow sat at the head table of a press conference. It was to provide an update on the tragic deaths of thirteen newborns in one month after a week of intensive investigation. But the reality is that there was nothing new reported, […]
And just as there were no answers as to who will be held accountable for the neonatal deaths, there are also none available to the question – why did Imer Hernandez, nephew of the Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega, receive payments from the Ministry of Works via official vouchers for the paving of the San […]
The destruction of the northern Mayan Archaeological Site of Noh Mul is still very much front and center, even after three weeks without charges being levied. Again, Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega is caught up in a mess, since Noh Mul was destroyed by his close affiliate Denny Grijalva. And not only that, but it […]
There is also an update on the one hundred million dollar tourism project for Crawl Caye which is within the World Heritage Site. The Prime Minister on Thursday said that Placencia Tour Guides Association and a majority of residents in Placencia are in favor of the Crawl Caye Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ship proposal. Warren […]
Forty-two year old Pamela Garnett and her son, Mark Vernon, were acquitted of charges of Attempting to Suppress Evidence and Using Violence against a Witness when they appeared in magistrates’ court today. In the case, the high profile duo was accused of threatening the life of Marie Alvarez, the aunt of nineteen year old Raheem […]
There is increased scrutiny on the onshore drilling case between OCEANA and Government in the wake of the resignation of Vice President of OCEANA Belize Audrey Matura-Shepherd. Government is appealing a ruling by Supreme Court Justice Oswell Legall which declared the contracts between government and six specific oil companies null and void. But pending the […]
If you’re from Belize City, or anywhere else but the north of the country, odds are that you may not have known that today was El Dia de Los Caneros, or Cane Farmers Day. There are about five thousand six hundred cane-farmers in the Orange Walk and Corozal districts, so it is a big deal, […]
And if the mood today seemed jubilant, there was good reason. Last year’s crop season was considered an exception one, with unprecedented production and quality of cane. And this year’s figures are even more impressive. That is cause for much excitement among the five thousand six hundred cane-farmers, the association which governs them and Belize […]
With assistance from PACT, the Friends for Conservation conducted research from October to March on the effects of poaching of game species within the Chiquibil. The finding of the report shows that a large number of game meat as well as exotic birds including our national bird were being poached by illegal xateros and loggers. […]
May 2013 has probably generated more interest and controversy in the Government’s gender policy than in all the years combined since its first issue. Mired with controversy over definitions of sexual orientation, gender and gender equality, it also had passages about the possible legalization of prostitution while offering no clues about one passage that spoke […]
A new N.G.O. introduced itself publicly on Thursday; it is called Research, Education and Advocacy for Social Change. As the name suggests, REACH will be actively promoting social change. In so doing it will develop the potential of youths caught in the vicious cycle of violence; all this through the different forms of the creative […]
A partnership between the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service and the various public utilities, to provide direct support to small business owners and new startups, has resulted in the launch of what is being called a Micro-Enterprise Utility Start-up Package. The initiative is the outcome of continuing dialogue between the public and private sectors, […]
A lab at the Stella Maris Primary School in Belize City was transformed and today officially opened earlier today. It is the proud accomplishment of resourceful teachers and staff of the school who were inspired by a visually impaired activist, Hector Hoare. Fittingly so, the resource center is carrying his name. Duane Moody dropped by […]
The Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center is home to some sixty underprivileged youths at its King’s Park location. Well today, the youths had reason to celebrate as much needed supplies were handed over courtesy of the Hospital Auxiliary. The donation included mattresses, sheet and beds to make sleeping conditions more comfortable for the underprivileged children. […]
The number of infant deaths in early May at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (K.H.M.H.) has now increased to thirteen. Seven of them died from the outbreak of a bacteria inside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. At a press conference this afternoon, at which the Prime Minister was also present, K.H.M.H.’s Director of Medical Services, […]
The Director of Medical Services says the investigation is ongoing…but it is still not known where the hospital-acquired bacteria, enterobacter cloacae came from. The first case of an infant infected by the bacteria was in February, but that infant survived and went home with the mother. The investigative team, which includes doctors from the K.H.M.H. […]
The investigation still leaves unresolved questions. The Prime Minister, who sat at the head table, possibly broke his personal record for his shortest speech. In three minutes, the P.M. expressed condolences to the parents of the deceased children, committed government finances and said he will unlock funds from international donors to build a new ward […]
Audrey Matura-Shepherd confirmed today via statement and press conference that she leaves the post as Vice President of OCEANA Belize on August twenty-second. The more pressing question is – was she forced to leave, and if so, why? The outgoing Vice President says categorically that she is leaving of her own free will, but as […]
Audrey Matura-Shepherd is leaving OCEANA Belize in August. Since that news broke, the social media has been lighting up with well wishes for Matura whose advocacy on environmental issues, particularly offshore drilling, enhance consciousness about the fragility of the ecosystems. This afternoon the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage also gave kudos to Matura. […]
The cruise tourism project proposed by giant Norwegian Cruise Lines for Crawl Caye in the south of Belize is going before Cabinet for their approval, and one organization committed to the long term integrity of the reef is doing everything it can to ensure that doesn’t happen. In a letter to Prime Minister Dean Barrow […]
Earlier in the newscast, you heard Healthy Reef opposing the Norwegian Cruise Line’s interest in Crawl Caye. That mega tourism project also elicited a response from the Prime Minister at today’s press conference. The PM said that there is no contract with NCL and there is no final deal. But the government can’t ignore a […]
Since the media had access to the Prime Minister at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, after the conference all hot button issues were raised with him. First on the agenda was the Gender Policy that was the product of the Women’s Commission. The policy spoke about the legalization of prostitution and spoke of respect for […]
Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega may not have any control over family relations, but did he have any knowledge about the contract given to his nephew Imer Hernandez? Records show that Hernandez was given a contract to improve the dusty San Antonio Road in Orange Walk District. A paper trail has linked alleged payments close […]
The world watched with shock when Noh Mul, the Mayan mound was destroyed by Denny Grijalva’s De Mar’s Construction. In early May, the Orange Walk contractor’s company pulled down sections of the ancient monument with a backhoe to get material to fill roads. Grijalva, a political aspirant in the United Democratic Party, was filling roads […]
Belize’s National Team Jaguars is training hard for its upcoming matches at the Gold Cup scheduled for July seventh in the US. It’s been a long, hard road for Team Belize which has endured serious challenges in coaching and funding. But the goal is set and as part of the Jaguars’ training the Football Federation […]
