The Government has collected millions of dollars in hurricane relief funds since the passage of Hurricane Earl. Much of it will go to rebuilding efforts for the hardest-hit communities. But the agricultural and small business community is arguably even harder-hit and according to the Belize Progressive Party, there is much work to be done. The […]
Earlier this week, the Government of Belize announced that it will not be appealing Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin’s decision that Section Fifty-Three of the Criminal Code was unconstitutional. The landmark ruling, as is the controversial LGBT issue, has been met with mixed reactions. But what does the U.S. Ambassador have to say about it? Well […]
According to Ambassador Moreno, the decision sets a precedent that is being observed by Caribbean and Latin America. The legal system and the people of Belize, Moreno says, should be justifiably proud of this landmark decision. But is this a widely held international view being forced on the local population by the U.S. and the […]
Today, a closed meeting among church leaders with an attorney took place to discuss the way forward and a possible appeal of the decision by the Chief Justice that decriminalized same-sex intercourse between consenting adults. Prime Minister Barrow has indicated that the churches have the right to appeal. But can an interested party in fact […]
The political party Vision Inspired by the People says it stands in full support of Section Fifty-three of Belize’s Criminal Code and still wants the Government of Belize to appeal the decision to strike down that piece of law, despite Government saying that it will not. In a press release, VIP says that, “its support […]
In court news, twenty-three-year-old Justin Arnold of Sandhill village has been accused of domestic assault on his partner. Interestingly, the accuser is a male, sixteen years older than him, and they have been in a committed relationship for six months. It comes after last week Wednesday’s landmark decision by Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin to remove […]
The country’s largest telecommunications provider also runs one of its biggest scholarship programs. Established in 1991, Belize Telemedia Limited’s scholarship program has helped hundreds of Belizeans gain access to secondary education in the quarter-century it has been in existence. Today, Aaron Humes met with the latest cohort of scholars at the Radisson. Aaron Humes, […]
Relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Earl are ongoing. Contributions in the form of cash and other resources needed for victims to repair homes and properties continue to be made. This morning, the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, donated a hundred thousand dollars in construction material that will be distributed to victims across the […]
According to Councilor Phillip Willoughby, who also heads the City Emergency Management Organization, CEMO, there is a strict process in place to assist disaster victims. Phillip Willoughby, CEMO “What you see on the ground are windows, plycem, two-by-four type materials and that type of thing in assisting the rapid relief that we would classify […]
The Chetumal Chamber of Commerce, Services and Tourism, CANACO Servytur Chetumal, has also stepped up to assist victims of Hurricane Earl. At midday, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry received a number of relief items which were subsequently passed on to the Belize Red Cross. Those items include water, toiletry and food products, as […]
There was a fire and an accident in Ladyville and firefighters had to be called in to out the blaze, rescue victims trapped in the fire and extricate a critically wounded passenger from the motorcycle. It’s a firefighter’s worst nightmare, but luckily it was only a simulation as part of a training exercise that over […]
The annual drive to prepare primary school students for the start of the academic calendar by grooming and offering haircuts is just around the corner. On September third and fourth, children on the south side of Belize City are invited to visit Fabers Road Extension where the back-to-school event is being held. According to organizer […]
Another of the event’s organizer, Edmond Staine says that it is their humble way of giving back to the Fabers Road community. Staine says that this year, they are doing it in memory of a volunteer that was killed in a traffic accident. Edmond Staine, Inspirational Promotions “It’s all about the students, you know, […]
An art exhibit has been launched at the Mexican Institute in Belize City. Entitled “Three Generations of Graphic Art in Yucatan,” the exhibit will showcase the work of three talented Mexican artists, depicting Mexico’s position in the global landscape of art and culture throughout the years—from the aesthetics and heritage of indigenous peoples to the […]
Music, song, dance and poetry – it all took place this morning on Channel Five’s annual Summer Fest. Children from across the country converged on our outdoor stage here on Coney Drive to showcase their best talents in the creative arts. Almost packed to capacity, family and friends came out in support as the young […]
Section Fifty-three of the Criminal Code, its interpretation, as well as the ramifications of the newly modified piece of legislation, remains a trending topic in public discourse. Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, following a lengthy deliberation, has ruled that the law prohibiting carnal intercourse against the order of nature, which includes anal sex between consenting adults, […]
While members of the clergy have opined on government’s stance on appealing the Supreme Court ruling, the respective political organizations are yet to fully weigh in on the matter. So, what is the B.P.P.’s position on the striking down of Section Fifty-three? They maintain that it is a matter for the Belizean people to decide. […]
During a press conference on the Section Fifty-three decision on Wednesday, PM Barrow flatly refused to answer a question concerning his personal stance on LGBT issues, claiming that it was “not the right forum” to do so. Today, Party Leader of the Belize Progressive Party Patrick Rogers claimed that Barrow was hiding behind the judgment […]
In a letter written by the Roman Catholic Church to Prime Minister Barrow earlier this week, bishops Dorick Wright and Christopher Glancy highlighted the urgent need for appeal. They alluded to other countries where decriminalization of certain aspects of the sodomy law was successfully challenged. The church maintains that legalization gave sudden rise to gay […]
The sexual abuse of a minor by his sixteen-year-old sibling last Friday, during which the eleven-year-old boy was sodomized by an older brother is most unfortunate. The timeliness of the incident, in the wake of a landmark decision in the Section Fifty-three challenge, has certainly added to the confusion surrounding the Supreme Court judgment. That […]
Take it to the people! That is the advice of the Belize Progressive Party on issues ranging from the recent decision on Section Fifty-three of the Criminal Code, to legalization of marijuana use, to signing the United Nations Anti-Corruption Convention. In terms of background, the 2008 referendum on electing the Senate, the only one in […]
Rogers noted that the United States uses referenda at the city, county and state levels to glean the people’s thoughts on important social and governance issues. But given that the judiciary has a role to play in interpreting the law and advising on the rights of persons who feel infringed upon, as Caleb Orozco did, […]
Police continue their investigations into how Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber’s Toyota Prado ended up in the Caribbean Sea near Marine Parade on Sunday night. The Minister says it was stolen from its parking place on the George Price Highway, but many are sceptical to say the least. Today, the Belize Progressive Party’s chairman, Paco […]
In calling once again for the Government to sign the United Nations Anti-Corruption Convention, B.P.P. Political Leader Patrick Rogers declared that they are not comfortable with former comrade in the cause for political reform, Senator Godwin Hulse, being put in charge of the Police Department. Unless the Government changes its ways, Rogers said, the change […]
The Belize Progressive Party is approaching its first anniversary of formation; but as with any political party there is internal turmoil. In this case, at least one member may face internal discipline up to possible expulsion as a result of alleged misrepresentation of a meeting held with a prominent local personality. The party’s political leader, […]
