On Tuesday, the Prime Minister said that while he would do the courteous thing and offer written congratulations to the new president elect of Guatemala, he would also be stern with Jimmy Morales for his imprudent statements about reviving the territorial claim to Belize. Calling him a novice, PM Barrow said he would not be […]
A delegation of leaders of the Maya Communities in the south sat today in the chambers of Justice Michelle Arana where by teleconference a decision was delivered by the Caribbean Court of Justice. The ruling was delivered by a panel of six justices headed by CCJ President, Sir Denys Byron. The CCJ reaffirmed that the […]
How did San Pedro developers Grand Belizean Estates get a hold of land conservatively worth at least four million dollars for only three hundred and fifty thousand dollars? And where does Minister Manuel Heredia Junior fit into the mix? The story goes back to 2011 when directors of San Pedro Junior College approached Heredia Junior […]
Heredia Junior insists that his participation was only minimal – just facilitation. He also maintains that Grand Belizean Estates paid far more than what was paid for similar fifty-acre parcels. Still News Five has managed to get hold of a reference to a Lands’ assessment which claims that at the time the land was transferred […]
On Thursday, News Five sat down for an extended interview with Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai. She’s been under intense scrutiny in the days leading up to general elections set for next Wednesday. The pressure is mounting, as the Opposition People’s United Party has issued Tamai with an ultimatum – full access to the proxy […]
Actually, Tamai says that all her officers are under undue pressure leading up to elections. She claims that it’s unfair, because they are all just doing a job and they see no color when on the job. Unfortunately, that’s not the perception in all quarters. There is, in fact, a healthy distrust of the Elections […]
Polls close at six pm on Election Day, and usually results would start coming out hours after – from around ten for the smallest constituency until the early hours of the morning. But things are going to be different this time, because the Elections and Boundaries Office has implemented a new system of simultaneous counting. […]
Depending on which side you ask, there would likely be a prediction of a clean sweep either way. But political observers in the know believe that of the thirty-one seats up for grabs, quite a few will be hard fought. That brings up the question of recounts for those margins that are exceptionally close. Tamai […]
Earlier this week, the Maya community of Jalacte staged a peaceful protest against the inauguration of an Agriculture Learning Center in the village. The building was constructed by the Ministry of Agriculture and was set to open its doors on Wednesday. While the grand opening has been called off, residents are incensed that government would […]
Mis goes on to make a comparison between the recent situation in Jalacte and the existing issue in Santa Cruz where Rupert Myles and residents of that village are presently before the courts for wrongful imprisonment due to unlawful occupation of communal lands. He gave an update on the Uxbenka situation. Pablo Mis, Program […]
The Museum of Belize was closed for business today, and it isn’t a public and bank holiday. We’re told at least twelve members of staff just did not show up for work, and credible reports are that they are angry at Director of the Museum Sherilyn Jones. Those reports indicate that frustration with Jones has […]
Finally for pre-election coverage tonight, at least where the Elections and Boundaries Department is concerned, Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai confirmed for us that the election will be observed by a team of US Embassy Representatives. They join the O.A.S. observer mission already on the ground. Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer “It’s the U.S. […]
A resident from Teakettle is free of the charge of murder after spending twenty-four years in jail for the killing of his father in 1991. Leroy Arnold was set freed today by Judge Adolph Lucas, ending more than two decades of imprisonment. A number of factors led to his freedom. During a trial after the […]
Two other men were also freed today after being accused of kidnapping a youth near Faber’s Road. Businessman, Amir Reid and Construction Worker Alexander Lopez, were accused in March of this year of forcing Abel Lara Junior into a vehicle. Lara Junior also claimed the men took him up the highway and before they could […]
A “Basic Intelligence Analysis Training” for officers attached to the Belize Police Department concluded today at the Best Western Biltmore Plaza. The training, which is being coordinated through the Central American Regional Security Initiative, CARSI, is designed to improve the officers’ abilities to analyze data gathered from their communities. But the course takes it a […]
While the training is to enhance the criminal justice system, for corporals Jane Usher and Jermaine Hyde of the Belize Police Department, the training will allow them to better their reporting to the top brass of the department as well as the public. Cpl. Jane Usher, Belize Police Department “We’ve learned a lot of […]
The K.H.M.H. has been boosted significantly this week. Aside from a new wing for pediatric care, the Riverview Rotary Club of Edmonton Canada today donated incubators to the hospital. This donation has been made possible by Dr. Roman Bayrock and is being channeled through the Rotary Club of Belize – Sunrise and the Rotary Club […]
Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai has come under some scrutiny after a letter bearing today’s date accuses her of serious elections irregularities in the last stretch to the November fourth General Elections. In a nutshell, the letter, signed by P.U.P. Cayo Central Campaign Manager Horace Grant, claims that on Tuesday U.D.P. Chairman Alberto August entered […]
Tamai says that whether August had blank proxy forms in his possession or not is not her concern, since the forms are available to the public on their website. But she says that she did not, and would not ask any registering officer to sign blank forms. Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer “I have […]
Finally, Tamai told us that she didn’t realize that August had her on speaker-phone, but denies giving any instructions at all to any Elections and Boundaries staff member through August’s phone. Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer “I did not know anything about being put on speaker phone because whatever it was…and I will tell […]
The People’s United Party has called on the Elections and Boundaries Office to provide transparency where the register of proxy voters is concerned and to allow them to inspect the proxy registers. That’s because the P.U.P. says it has received credible reports of elections shenanigans where proxies are concerned. Today, Tamai explained how the system […]
A fresh round of protests began today by employees of the CIBC First Caribbean Bank. As early as seven-thirty, employees who are members of the Christian Workers Union, demonstrated in front of the bank on Albert Street in the downtown area. The bank has not disclosed when it is closing for good having sold its […]
Viola Pook, the woman who doused her common-law husband Orlando Vasquez with kerosene on New Year’s Eve of 2008, and set him on fire was sentenced today by Judge Adolph Lucas. The judge imposed eight years in prison on her less time she has already served. Pook has been diagnosed with Battered Women Syndrome after […]
Guatemala’s territorial dispute has become a highly charged political issue exacerbated by recent statements made by the new leader of Guatemala. COLA has been leading the charge against the government for being soft on Guatemala. Today President Geovanni Brackett was asked about the tongue-lashing that the Prime Minister Dean Barrow gave to president-elect, Carlos Jimmy […]
Today, the media was called out to the launch of a new multi-purpose sports building to be located at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex in Belize City. It will be funded totally by the government of Mexico, and the concept was cemented in 2012 when both countries agreed on the plan. The new building catering […]
