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The Ministry of Health has embarked on an exercise this week to get persons immunized from a number of preventable diseases. At schools and work places, health personnel are encouraging individuals to “Get Vax to Celebrate a Healthy Tomorrow.” The vaccinations are being administered for free. News Five’s Duane Moody reports. Duane Moody, Reporting […]
Written on April 26, 2017 | Posted in
Health,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Vaccination and How It Helps Kids Stay Healthy
Today, the Police Department carried out its weekly meet and greet on the north and south sides of the city. We went to Antelope Street Extension area where we caught up with Regional Commander, ACP Chester Williams engaging with residents. Williams told us that residents were generally satisfied with the level of community policing. […]
Written on April 26, 2017 | Posted in
Crime,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on All is Well as Police Meet and Greet on Southside Beat
In about two months, the south side top cop will no longer be walking the streets and leading the officers in Eastern Division. He will be in Belmopan behind a desk, taking up new responsibilities in the Professional Standards Branch. His replacement is former GSU leader Marco Vidal. Today, we asked ACP Williams how the […]
Written on April 26, 2017 | Posted in
Crime,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on ACP Chester Prepares for Transition Out of Southside
The Belize National Teachers Union and the million dollar payout to non-striking teachers remain in the news tonight. The B.N.T.U. executive is saying that it is not buying the story by Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber that the U.D.P. did not have a hand in the run-up to the election of a new union president […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Education,
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People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on B.N.T.U. Says Education Minister “Feigning Ignorance” on Convention Interference
Late last Thursday evening, upon emerging victorious as the new president-elect, Senator Elena Smith best described those moles as only she can. Having spotted the so-called U.D.P. operatives at the convention, Smith told reporters, “that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it must be a duck.” While Palacio seconds […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Education,
Featured,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on Union Says Everyone was Watching Operatives at Work
Minister of Education Patrick Faber told reporters on Monday that a final figure and number of teachers who would qualify for the honorarium being offered by the Ministry of Education for work done during the eleven-day strike period last October and the four days allocated for make up in January has not been determined. But […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Education,
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People & Places |
Comments Off on Faber Says Striking Teachers Would Also Benefit from Honorarium
So how will Faber be able to access monies from government’s coffers? It’s a question or a notion that Palacio scoffs at, since he’s all too familiar with how that financial system works. Luke Palacio, President, Belize National Teachers Union “It is so unfortunate, those of us who are aware, have some knowledge of […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Education,
Featured,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Palacio Says G.O.B. Cannot Return to Previous Monies for Honorarium
The Minister of Education considers it a point of pride that at least he is not being accused of ‘stealing’ the honorarium money, even drawing comparison to the infamous ‘Corozal Pibil Party’ of a few years ago. He also concedes that the Government, having received the approval of the Ministry of Finance could have called […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Education,
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People & Places |
Comments Off on G.O.B.’s Moves on Honorarium ‘Not Necessarily’ Illegal
The issue of the million dollar bonus for non-striking teachers is one that refuses to go away, particularly since the union believes that it will have a negative impact on an already strict 2017 budget. B.N.T.U. President Luke Palacio says that Faber is purposely confusing an honorarium with a salary. Luke Palacio, President, Belize […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Education,
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People & Places |
Comments Off on Is Honorarium Being Confused with Salaries?
In responding to comments made by Faber on Monday, Palacio says that the Minister of Education is spinning the truth by accusing the union of disrupting the ministry’s attempts to complete the scheduled make up time for teachers. Luke Palacio, President, Belize National Teachers Union “The other misleading thing that the minister has attempted […]
Twenty-two-year-old Santiago Garcia was chopped to death during a vicious machete attack in Trio Village on Saturday night. The laborer was along with two others who were also seriously injured during the brawl. Tonight, a trio from the southern community, including a sixteen-year-old minor, remains in police custody after being arrested and charged for the […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Crime,
Trials |
Comments Off on 3, Including Minor, Charged in Brutal Trio Brawl
With a drop in the price of sugar in the global market as well as a shift to beet sugar, the local sugar industry is at a crossroads. To remain competitive, the five thousand plus farmers have to look at how to cut production and harvesting costs to remain competitive. At American Sugar Refinery/Belize Sugar […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Mechanical Harvesting – the Future of the Local Sugar Cane Industry
In October of this year, the EU regime changes allowing for European beet sugar to compete directly with sugar cane. For the past ten years the E.U. has been working with the local industry in the north to prepare and adjust to the upcoming change. In an interview with the media today, E.U. Political Counselor […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on European Union Rep Says Belize Will Withstand Loss of Sugar Quota
After a hiatus of almost a month due to Easter holidays, the Senate Special Select Committee on Immigration’s public hearings return on Wednesday, with the last witness before the break, Barton Middleton, scheduled to continue his testimony. Immigration officers Therese Chavarria and Omar Phillips are also to be called to testify. The hearings have not […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Trials |
Comments Off on Senate Special Committee Returns on Wednesday
Still on the Senate… President-elect Elena Smith is also a parliamentarian who sits on the Senate Special Select Committee. She assumes the reins of the Belize National Teachers Union on July first. She is set to succeed three-term B.N.T.U. President Luke Palacio and is herself a firebrand unionist. So, will her dual position present a […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on No Conflict of Interest for New B.N.T.U. Prez, Senator Elena Smith
Two Ladyville residents find themselves in trouble with the law for an I-phone-six cell phone valued at one thousand two hundred dollars which ended up in their possession. Sonia Bainton and Edward McKay have both been charged for the incident. Bainton appeared on Monday before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser for handling stolen goods in respect […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Crime,
Trials |
Comments Off on Couple Charged with Handling Stolen Goods of British Soldier
Belmopan Police are looking for Alwin “Boots” Cruz following an attempted stabbing incident that happened in the “Another World” area of Roaring Creek Village. On Sunday shortly before three-thirty, it is reported that Cruz, who was on a horse, was holding a knife and trying to stab a woman. Police intervened and ordered Cruz to […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Belmopan Police Chasing Horseback Attacker
The Government, a year ago this week, passed legislation to stop Wil Maheia’s Belize Territorial Volunteers and others from peacefully traversing Belize’s southern boundary, the Sarstoon River. Later the B.D.F., Coastguard and Police physically blocked the dock to prevent the expedition. But the Government’s promise that it could get a deal with Guatemala on managing […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Foreign Affairs,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on 1 Year Later, Did Sarstoon Clash Produce Results?
Four students were selected for five hundred dollars scholarship each by Rise Up Belize. The non-profit based out of California was started by Joey Garcia who was born in Belize, but has lived in the U.S.A. Rise Up Belize offers free professional development workshop for primary school teachers in Belize. The organization later expanded its […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Education,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Rise Up for Youth Scholarships
One other matter touched on at the Senate inquiry is the use of technology. Central Information Technology Office employee Francisco Rodriguez and Immigration Department IT chief Rodolfo Bol testified at the Senate Special Select Committee about breaches in the Immigration programs. These breaches allowed employees multiple access points to perform jobs from data entry to […]
Written on April 25, 2017 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on How Gov’t Will Manage its Systems Under CITO
Today, in line with its early childhood development campaign, the Government of Belize in collaboration with the European Union officially inaugurated three preschools in the Orange Walk and Corozal Districts, namely San Jose, San Pedro and Trial Farm villages. A ceremony was held at the facility at the Trial Farm Government School in Orange Walk. […]
There is a most disturbing allegation being made tonight against an officer of the court, one in which a sitting magistrate is being accused of having committed a sexual offence against a woman. According to information reaching our newsroom, the magistrate in question purportedly invited the woman to his residence on April eleventh to have […]
Written on April 24, 2017 | Posted in
Crime,
Featured |
Comments Off on Police Investigate Tricky Rape Claim Against Magistrate
The million-dollar bonus to be provided by the Ministry of Education to non-striking teachers during the eleven-day strike last October and the subsequent attempt to make up days lost in the classroom in January remains on the table tonight. Minister of Education Patrick Faber came out swinging against his opponents on the issue today on […]
Even though the money was paid after the start of the financial year, the minister claims it was taken from the previous financial year’s Budget. But it is known from accounting practices in the Government system that that is not typically how it works. The minister claimed to be disappointed that the press and the […]
Written on April 24, 2017 | Posted in
Education,
Featured,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Education Minister Makes Case for Honorarium, Hits Back at Critics
The minister acknowledged that he was in something of a catch-twenty-two situation, facing the wrath of unionized teachers who feel he has disrespected them, and the expectation of teachers who did not stand with their brothers and sisters that he would come to their rescue. But Faber contends that he has done the right thing […]
