There’s more tonight on the eleven protocols that were presented to Guatemalan officials. On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington asserted that there is an unofficial understanding at the Sarstoon, a sort of agreement to keep the peace. In fact, Elrington claims that the understanding has been in place since March fifteenth when both parties met […]
While the discussion on the new Sarstoon protocols was no doubt the primary item on the agenda of last Friday’s meeting at the O.A.S., it wasn’t the only one. Both parties, Belize and Guatemala, are also in earnest talks to source funding which will allow the O.A.S. to maintain a presence in the adjacency zone […]
A second Belize Sign was installed today in the area of the Baron Bliss Lighthouse in the City. The first, which is erected at Buttonwood Bay, has been evoking nationalism and pride so much so that the City Council decided to put up two others at strategic areas in the City. The launch was held […]
The Council has been working closely with the Belize Tourism Board and the National Institute of Culture and History on a series of programs to enhance the character of Belize City. These include projects to address the issue of sanitation as well as working with the police to ensure a reduction in crime and making […]
Classes on Friday for primary schools across the country have been cancelled as all teachers are expected to head west to Benque Viejo to attend a forum on the Belize/Guatemala differendum. The meeting is to discuss ongoing tension between both countries due to recent hostility along the southern border at Sarstoon. The objective of the […]
According to Palacio, it is now necessary to revise the existing curriculum to reflect a broader knowledge of the civics and history of Belize. Luke Palacio, National President, B.N.T.U. “We are hoping that they will also make a commitment or at least give an indication as to what other activities they would be engaged […]
The weekly meet and greet exercise conducted by Belize City police was concentrated in the Saint Martin’s area this afternoon where officers of varying ranks descended on the streets of that neighborhood. While the men and women of law enforcement made their rounds, they were being commended on the implementation of a recent curfew for […]
High-level government and military officials from Belize and Guatemala met at O.A.S. headquarters in the adjacency zone to discuss rules of engagement in the Sarstoon last Friday. The draft rules were formulated and presented by the Belizean team to their Guatemalan counterparts in the hope that they will form some basis for future handling of […]
On the face of it, those proposals should be a tough sell considering Guatemala’s recently very aggressive position in the Sarstoon. At the highest levels of government in that republic, the stance has been that the entire river belongs to Guatemala and they will do whatever is necessary to control all area within their sovereign […]
Seasoned negotiator and expert in the field of Guatemala dispute, Ambassador Shoman, explained that nothing at this point is set in stone despite first perception. Still, he asserts that the goal is to push Guatemala into treating the Sarstoon situation as a matter of extreme urgency and that means setting very tight deadlines for a […]
Since we had the experts in the room, News Five also asked about the mysterious current protocols governing the Sarstoon. We’re referring to those purported protocols which dictate that Belizean military and civilians who wish to enter the Sarstoon must first go over to the Guatemalan base there and ask permission. Guatemala has stood by […]
The official jury is still out on the shooting of B.D.F. Staff Sergeant Richard Lambey on Holy Saturday. There has been progress in the multiple subsequent investigations, enough for a determination that it is very likely the shooters were Guatemalan residents of a small community known as La Rejoya. But there is also a suggestion […]
The Friends for Conservation and Development is responsible for the monitoring and management of the Chiquibul, an area roughly the size of Belize City. It’s a challenging task, to say the least, and Manzanero says that part of the challenge is that the dynamics of encroachment are constantly changing. Rafael Manzanero, Executive Director, FCD […]
Illegal milpa farming may be the biggest challenge facing rangers in the Chiquibul, but the most dangerous one is drug cultivation which has been on the rise. Manzanero says that in some areas which are hotspots for marijuana growing, rangers stay away. He continues to call on the Belize Defense Force to have an active […]
And our question for tonight is: Do you think the Guatemalan Armed Forces can be stopped in exerting sovereignty over the Sarstoon? 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 your comments to questions@channel5belize.com
Several Belizean artists and bands have been selected for an opportunity of a lifetime; to represent Belize in the 2016 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Popularly known as the Jazz Fest, Belize and our artists will be featured in the event that runs from April twenty-second to May first. Artists such as Supa G, […]
The festival is set for next week and the Belizean artists are to head to New Orleans next Monday. But there’s a major hiccup because all members of TR’s band were granted visas; that is except for the lead singer himself, TR Shine. TR holds both Canadian and Belizean passports, but last week Wednesday after […]
An elderly Sand Hill resident was hit on the head with an axe in a family dispute this past Sunday in the village. Eighty-four year old Nicholas Ozaeta Senior had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment by his son and later requested court action against his own daughter, Lily Ozaeta. Lily was detained […]
Businessman Jitendra Chawla was in the headlines and in court earlier this year over rice importation. Today, Chawla took three employees to court for stealing from his store a pack of Triple AAA batteries, valued at two hundred and eight dollars. The three employees are David Fuller, Jose Moralez, and deft mute, Oliver Flowers. Moralez […]
There are still no charges being brought against six men who were detained for the murder of Maya Mopan resident, Luis Ortiz. Ortiz was killed on Sunday morning; his body dumped in the river near the Agripino Cawich Bridge in Camalote. His vehicle was also discovered partially submerged in the Belize River. His friend, Jose […]
Dangriga Police are currently awaiting the results of an evaluation to determine if a minor in that jurisdiction is able to provide a statement to them. The minor has cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder which affects the part of the brain that controls muscle movement, coordination and speech. Her mother reported to Police that on […]
The firestorm that erupted in the wake of inflammatory comments made by Pastor Scott Stirm about Garifuna spirituality has since died down. However, the issue is very much alive within the wider Belizean community. This morning, at a press conference held to commemorate the anniversary of the two hundred and nineteenth arrival of the Garinagu […]
The Maya land rights case over the entitlement of the indigenous community to occupy and use land communally in southern Belize remains before the high courts. Despite a landmark ruling a few years ago and a recent affirmation of that decision by the CCJ, litigations between the Maya community and the Government of Belize is […]
Aurora Saqui is a versatile Mayan woman who has taken on numerous creative roles. Today, she donned her hat as a writer and released a book on herbal remedies following on the steps of her great uncle Elijio Panti. Now, the Mayas were pretty much advanced as it relates to the use of herbs for […]
A second Belize sign, similar to the multicolored monument prominently on display at the Seashore Children’s Park in Buttonwood Bay, will be inaugurated by the Belize City Council on Wednesday. A brief ceremony is set to take place near the Baron Bliss Lighthouse at ten a.m. and finishing touches were being applied to the sign […]
