As you know, PM Barrow has taken up the mantle as the new Minister of Police. Tonight there are pressing issues within the Belize Police Department to be addressed. Officers stationed in Caye Caulker are faced with substandard living conditions while working on the island. Despite an inspection by public health authorities, as well as […]
We’ve often reported on allegations of police brutality and how officers attached to the Gang Suppression Unit are accused of using excessive force—breaking into homes and beating up on residents. Well tonight, a nineteen year old resident of Burrell Boom is claiming that on Thursday morning, he was the victim of an attack by the […]
There were fires reported overnight in Belize City and Valley of Peace, Cayo District. The first took place on the George Price Highway after eleven in the evening and destroyed a bungalow house occupied by two persons who were not at home. However, a candle was left lit inside the house. We hear more from […]
The second incident took place in the early hours of Friday morning and there is very little information as to what caused a house to be set afire in Valley of Peace. Orin Smith tells us more. Orin Smith, Station Officer, National Fire Service “On arrival on the scene, a thirty by thirty-three wooden […]
Faster collection of your pay? Quicker cheque-cashing and depositing? Shorter stay at the bank, or not having to go at all? If you think it’s all a dream, then wake up and open your eyes, because it’s here and it’s happening as we speak. As correspondent Aaron Humes reports, today the Central Bank has introduced […]
Belize continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with its Central American and Caribbean neighbours on tackling the issue of de-risking that is affecting the economies. There has, however, been little progress made despite long months of lobbying. We got an update from Central Bank Governor Joy Grant this morning. Joy Grant, Governor, Central Bank […]
While early versions have existed since antiquity, the first modern cheque was introduced in 1659. And while it continues to be an important source of handling money, it is rapidly being phased out in many countries. Could Belize be next? With the advent of the Automated Payment and Securities Settlement System, the Deputy Governor of […]
Belize, through Ministry of Health and local tourism agencies, officially launched the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s tourism health and safety program to ensure the health and safety of visitors. It is a part of planning for tourism based illnesses which can have major negative economic impact on the region’s tourism dependent economies. The new system […]
Senior Counsel Michael Young will be laid to rest on Monday, following a funeral service at Wesley Methodist Church. While many are still grieving the sudden death of the respected lawyer, others are celebrating his professional achievements, as well as his contributions to Belizean society. Young was instrumental as chair of the Crime Control Committee […]
Today, the Belize Cancer Society hosted cancer survivors at a luncheon to celebrate their milestone being cancer free. The participants, from various backgrounds, shared their personal stories and the significance of this celebration. News Five stopped in at the Cancer Center for today’s event: Heather Reneau, Senior Administrator, Belize Cancer Society “Today we are […]
Tonight, a family from Punta Gorda is asking the public for assistance to save the life of popular James Bus Line driver, Tyron Coleman. According to Lovinia Coleman, and her sister Dorla Williams, her husband was diagnosed with multi-vessel coronary artery disease. Forty-four year old Tyron is currently in a critical condition at the Karl […]
People’s power – that’s what moved government into action today. For days, environmentalists and other stakeholders have been on high alert. G.O.B. had given the green light for offshore seismic testing to a US company – TGS. They collect geo-scientific data that is sold off to oil and gas l exploration companies. They say this […]
This evening members of the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage held a celebratory press briefing at the Audubon Society’s headquarters. The representatives of the Belize Tourism Industry Association; OCEANA Belize; World Wildlife Fund; Healthy Reefs Initiative; and the Audubon acknowledged, in particular, residents of the islands of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker and […]
The surveys being conducted before the suspension was announced involved two separate methodologies: multi-beam and seep sea surveys. It is the latter that has the environmental community up in arms because, as Executive Director of the Belize Audubon Society Amanda Acosta explains, the type of survey involved leads in only one direction – to drilling […]
The local fishing and tourism community is keeping an eye on the ship involved in the survey. While it is not clear where it will be berthing tonight, the World Wildlife Fund’s Nadia Bood and the B.T.I.A.’s John Burgos said eyes will be spying on them to ensure they adhere to the decision by Government. […]
Having put their strike on hold, the teachers are still facing another battle; this time, its salary deductions for the striking days. Today, the Chief Education Officer Doctor Carol Babb issued yet another memo to general managers of government and grant-aided primary schools and board of managements and principals of secondary schools and junior colleges. […]
The total monthly salary is to be divided by the number of days in the month – thirty-one; then multiplied by the total number of days the teacher is out on strike. But do they have the authority to withhold the payments for teachers’ salaries? This afternoon, we spoke with the National President of the […]
Late this evening, News Five obtained a letter from Minister Faber sent to Luke Palacio. The letter makes two proposals in which the ministry is softening its position. Faber proposes that the B.N.T.U. utilizes the strike fund to pay the teachers who were on strike and second, that the Government of Belize, through the Ministry […]
To pay or not to pay the protestant teachers; that’s the position that schools management are faced with following an eleven-day strike effected by the Belize National Teachers Union. While the industrial action was initially to compel government into addressing the three percent salary adjustment, the tone of the resulting protest quickly became a call […]
There will finally be a thirteenth member appointed to the Upper House, the Senate. However, it will come twenty days into the New Year. With little fanfare, the Government Press Office announced that Prime Minister Dean Barrow today signed the commencement order to give effect to the provisions relating to the appointment of the thirteenth […]
Opposition representative Kareem Musa acknowledges the steadfast effort of the B.N.T.U. in forcing government to sign the commencement order. However, he believes that the three-month delay in appointing the N.G.O. representative is a deliberate move to prevent another senator from being named to the Senate Select Committee. That individual, according to Musa, would also be […]
Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington is of an entirely different position. He maintains that despite introducing the idea of a thirteenth senator several years ago, it has become apparent that non-government senators often oppose any motion that is tabled simply for the sake of doing so. Elrington argues that a thirteenth senator is just […]
There is a most unprecedented case to report tonight. No other than the Speaker of the House of Representatives has launched a law suit against his own government. Michael Peyrefitte is making good on an earlier threat and is suing his government’s Attorney General Vanessa Retreage who by law is the legal representative for all […]
Four-year-old Brenae Timmons was seriously injured on January twenty-ninth when a wrought-iron gate fell on top of her while playing in the compound at the Samuel Haynes Institute. The incident left the toddler comatose for two weeks, suffering from severe injuries to the brain. Baby Brenae was reportedly struck in the head when the unhinged […]
Pickstock Area Representative Wilfred Elrington, whose brainchild is the Samuel Haynes Institute, says the unfortunate incident is being used as a political football. He dismissed the claim altogether. Isani Cayetano “There has been a lawsuit filed against several entities, including the Samuel Haynes Institute, regarding an incident earlier this year in which a wrought […]
