As we mentioned, Barnett will be butting heads against a seasoned politician, a three-time winner in Freetown, a former Minister of Education and Attorney- General as well as the leader of the People’s United Party. One would say that’s a formidable opponent for a novice to tackle, and this morning Barnett was asked point-blank if […]
Currently, there are only two women in the House of Representatives on the U.D.P. side. Both of them were brought in through the Senate, and not elected. The U.D.P. doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to women running for office on their ticket. Doctor Carla Barnett has been ushered into the spotlight […]
Today, Audrey Matura-Shepherd, flanked by the executive of the Christian Workers Union, called a press conference to give a status report after one year as President. Matura-Shepherd has come under scathing criticism lately from U.D.P. functionaries who claim that she has neglected the CWU to go meddle in sugar. The firebrand attorney and CWU president […]
Matura-Shepherd provided an update on the status of collective bargaining agreements with all entities whose workers are represented by the Christian Workers Union, including the Belize Port Authority and the Belize City Council. Those two, especially, have been in the news lately. She reiterates that for the success of collective bargaining agreements, the involvement of […]
On Tuesday we told you about OCEANA’s position on the draft Petroleum Exploration Zones and Exploration Guidelines prepared by the Geology and Petroleum Department. Today, the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology and Public Utilities came out firing at Oceana’s statements. A release issued by the Ministry states that Oceana was not accurate in its […]
Kenroy Young, a former UB student, was convicted of Forgery. Young was accused of cashing over ten thousand dollars in cheques from Regent Insurance Co. Ltd., where he worked. He was indicted on Tuesday on fifteen counts, but that number of counts was revised and he was re-indicted for five counts of Uttering a False […]
Also in court this morning, a forty-eight year old mother and her thirty year old daughter, both employed as school wardens in Belize City, were arraigned on a charge of drug trafficking after police found a bag with one hundred and eight grams of weed. Rosita Polanco, and her daughter, Doreen, were arraigned before Chief […]
The P.U.P. convention for the Orange Walk East division was held over the weekend, and when the votes were counted, Josue Carballo had edged out Dave Burgos by twelve votes. Carballo will replace P.U.P. Area Representative, Doctor Marco Tulio Mendez, who stepped down for medical reasons. He will now face the Elodio Aragon Junior, the […]
The amended Sugar Industry Act which was rammed through the House of Representatives on Monday, ratified by the Senate on Tuesday and penned into law. With that formality out of the way, the Act was published with the speed of lighting today in the Gazette. So for all intents and purposes, the amendment opens up […]
Senator Shoman made the point that the amendments to the Sugar Act will hurt the farmers and benefit the miller, American Sugar Refinery/Belize Sugar Industries. But Senator for Government Business, Godwin Hulse, says it is quite the contrary. Godwin Hulse, Senator for Government Business “In this whole process, the discussion, the agreement, document everything […]
A group of police officers have successfully completed an intensive eight day training program. It is part of the community policy strategy of the police department that is carried out under the GREAT program. The officers were taught how to sharpen their skills to keep youths away from crime at an early age. The Biltmore […]
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in the Capital on Tuesday evening for new Belize Bureau of Standards Metrology Laboratory. The building, which will be constructed by the Ministry of Works, is being financed by the European Union under the Belize Rural Development Project Two with the technical guidance of the CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards […]
The family of a missing Roaring Creek resident fears the worst tonight. Twenty-four year old Emerson Daly took off on Sunday in a vehicle belonging to his uncle promising to return it soon enough but he never did. This morning, the police found the Pathfinder in an abandoned area of Belmopan with blood stains on […]
Two brothers have been arraigned for Saturday’s murder of B.D.F. volunteer, Denver Villafranco. The siblings, Orlando and Phil Tyrone Staine from the Saint Martin De Porres area appeared before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith today after they were charged for the violent and cold blooded homicide. Villafranco was chopped to death near the Complex building […]
The Belize Barrier Reef was placed on an endangered list by UNESCO since 2009 and it remains on that list tonight. But we can report that a delegation from UNESCO’s World Heritage Center is in country to review the state of the Barrier Reef. The reef reserve system was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site […]
Over the past five years, there has been continuous degradation of the reef. Concessions have been granted for offshore oil exploration and mega tourism developments within the reef system are raising concern for environmental groups. According to the Communications Officer of OCEANA, Alyssa Carnegie, the visit by UNESCO will start the dialogue between the environmental […]
And our question tonight is: Do you think the sugar industry is better off with the amendments to the Sugar Act allowing for the formation of splinter associations? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 or post your vote on our e-poll at channel5belize.com. You can also send an email with […]
The Geology and Petroleum Department has circulated a document entitled Petroleum Exploration Zones and Exploration Guidelines. The department claims that it “recognized the need for a framework aimed at harmonizing petroleum exploration and environmental protection and tourism development in the onshore and offshore areas of Belize and the barrier reef system.” It’s only a draft, […]
When the N.T.U.C.B. hosted a press conference last week to express support for the farmers, President Dylan Reneau was conspicuously absent. Inquisitive by nature, we asked for an explanation and were told by second Vice President Adelaida Guerra that if we wanted to know why he wasn’t there, we’d have to ask him. On Monday, […]
News Five is especially pleased tonight to report that the government has started making good on payments due to young student, Janae Matute. Matute was born with cerebral palsy which was attributed to medical error. Following a protracted legal battle, in April 2014 the CCJ awarded the Matute family two point five million dollars in […]
In late 2009, the then E. P. Yorke Teacher, Cordel Gonzalez, was charged with two counts of Carnal Knowledge upon a fourteen year old student. He lost his job after a video tape surfaced purportedly showing him engaged in a sexual act with the young girl. But today in court, the charges ended in a […]
Twenty-five year old Cassian Young was charged today for the Possession of a Controlled Drug with Intent to Supply to Another. Young was intercepted by police in the area of Conch Shell Bay where the Gang Suppression Unit was carrying out anti-drug operations. According to the GSU, Young was heading to Vernon Street from […]
The prime minister has called a press briefing at U.D.P. headquarters Wednesday morning. Well, the invitation has been causing a stir since it was circulated. Sources tell News Five tonight that the U.D.P. will announce a candidate for the Freetown division which has been left vacant by Lee Mark Chang. According to our sources the […]
All stakeholders in the sugar industry are no doubt under intense pressure to get factors in place for a successful crop season. For things to work, all parties – the B.S.C.F.A., ASR/B.S.I., the new associations, the SICB and the SCPC must be on the same page. And currently they are – but what about things […]
The B.S.C.F.A.’s Finance Committee Chairman, Javier Keme, has been in the forefront of the move to hold off on signing the agreement with ASR/B.S.I. It was an unsuccessful effort, largely because farmers could not stand in the face of very real economic hardships. The agreement has been signed, and all stakeholders now more towards the […]
