The Senate Special Select Committee is moving closer to its conclusion, but it took a slight detour for today’s session. The two witnesses called – Labour Commissioner Ivan Williams and Assistant Registrar of the Vital Statistics Unit in the Attorney General’s Ministry, Patricia Hinkson – may not at first glance appear to be connected with […]
The Labour Department has a standing relationship with the two industries most in need of working labour – banana and citrus. But according to Commissioner Ivan Williams, there are concerns involving the employment of workers from neighboring Central American countries, particularly Guatemala. As we have reported, there are questions of whether Guatemalans seeking to become […]
The Vital Statistics Unit is at least partly computerized although a vault of the old books with manual entries of births is still maintained. The newly-appointed Assistant Registrar for the Unit, Patricia Hinkson, notes that it is still possible for anyone to walk in to register although most are done at the hospitals. But as […]
Hinkson indicated that the office does not do any vetting of its own concerning persons seeking birth certificates apart from the signature and I.D. scanning. But what can prevent someone seeking a certificate and paying off someone in the office to do so? Not much, Hinkson said, except the integrity of the system and her […]
It appears Chairman Aldo Salazar was at variance with his colleagues on the worth of today’s witnesses, but as indicated in his comments at the end of today’s session he bowed to their wishes. He issued a summary of the importance of the testimony for the Senate’s process. Aldo Salazar, Chair, Senate Special Select […]
The bulk of Salazar’s post-Senate interview concerned its future. He confirmed that Minister of Immigration and fellow senator Godwin Hulse is next to appear before the Committee, in two weeks’ time on November first, as there is a full Senate hearing due next Wednesday. As the chairman has previously indicated in media appearances, he is […]
The extent to which Belize’s economy depends on tourism generated by the threatened Belize Barrier Reef World Heritage site was revealed today by a new report from World Wildlife Fund and partner organizations. The report, “Natural Heritage, Natural Wealth,” aims to highlight the incredible resource the country is at risk of losing. The results of […]
The University of the West Indies Open Campus Auditorium on Princess Margaret Drive was the venue for a one-day seminar that targets the role of Human Resources Units in both the public and private sectors. Directors, managers and officers across Belize came together to discuss critical areas of strategic management, as part of the university’s […]
There is a resurgence of crime and violence on Jane Usher Boulevard area in the Old Capital. On Monday night, there was another shooting which left a thirty-one-year-old resident lifeless. Keith Middleton was gunned down as he sat on the back step of his house on Mud Street. There had been two previous attempts on […]
In Monday’s newscast, we reported on the foiled abduction of three young girls in the west. Today, News Five’s Duane Moody headed to El Progresso Seven Miles Community to follow this story. Now, a well-known U.S. businessman, who resides in a nearby community is in police custody and is being investigated, following the report made […]
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto will be in Belize for the first time next week. Traditionally, Mexican presidents visit before their inauguration as part of a tour of bordering countries and their state visits to Belize are almost guaranteed. The last Mexican president to visit was Felipe Calderon; that was back in 2007. Now, Peña […]
The Caribbean Court of Justice opened its first term for the 2017-2018 judicial year with the appeal of Belize Bank Limited versus the Attorney General. The case concerns the long-standing battle for monies owed to the bank on behalf of the former Universal Health Services, now Belize Healthcare Partners Limited. The argument arises out of […]
But in the local courts, recently widowed Anke Doehm appeared before Chief Magistrate Sharon Frazer. With her late husband David, she is accused of cruelty to a child – her thirteen-year-old adopted daughter, the late Faye Lin Cannon. But David took his own life at the Princess Hotel on October fifth, the same day as […]
On Christmas Eve of 2016, media personality Alfonso Noble was accused of knocking down and killing Hattieville resident Gilbert Myers near mile four on the George Price Highway. Noble was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, but for personal reasons refused to provide a blood specimen to police. He was back in court […]
Hattieville police made a gun bust on Sunday during which they intercepted a trio of men inside a pickup and found a nine millimetre firearm and four live rounds of ammunition. As a result, the driver and owner of the vehicle, twenty-five-year-old Tremaine Williams as well as brothers, Anthony and Andrew Lewis were all charged […]
Forty-two-year-old Swiss national Christian Reis is in trouble with the law. On Monday, he appeared before Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser and was fined one hundred and fifty dollars for the possession of one point four grams of cannabis. The court ordered Reis to pay the fine forthwith or face one month behind bars. Today, he […]
He is back in the House of Representatives, but Cayo South area representative Julius Espat still has an axe to grind with the way he was put out on the afternoon of August twenty-sixth, 2016. His case with then-Speaker of the House Michael Peyrefitte was called before the Court of Appeal on Monday afternoon, but […]
Justice Franz Parke showed up for his first day of work at the Court of Appeal of Belize this morning. The newly sworn-in judge is the latest senior official in the court of law to join the bench, despite the controversy surrounding his qualifications. The legal fraternity has sounded off on Parke’s lack of experience […]
While COLA is not particularly ecstatic about the cost of government’s latest rejuvenation project, the Belize National Teachers Union is itself taken aback by the seemingly exorbitant price tag of paving a one-mile stretch of road. According to Elena Smith, for eight million dollars, a lot more could have been done with that sum of […]
You heard Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action’s take on the Fabers’ Road contract for near eight million dollars issued through selective tendering to Imer Hernandez Development Company, to concrete the road and put in drainage between Central American Boulevard and George Price Highway. But it seemed to even flabbergast president Geovannie Brackett when we […]
The Belize Civic Center is nearing completion. It is projected, according to contractors International Environments Limited, to cost thirty-two million dollars under the Belize Infrastructure Limited, but widespread reports are that far more than that is being spent. That special-purpose vehicle of the Government of Belize has contracted to build multiple sports stadia across Belize […]
Prime Minister Dean Barrow has responded in writing today to the Belize National Teachers Union, following a stern letter written by President Elena Smith, dated October thirteenth. The B.N.T.U., in effect, gave PM Barrow until Friday to provide a progress report on eight demands made by the union last year during countrywide strike action. In […]
In speaking with the media on Monday, National President Elena Smith says that the B.N.T.U. is not attempting to call the tune on behalf of the prime minister; however, it remains firm in its position that they are demanding answers. Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U. “The prime minister has made it clear that there […]
The internal intrigue in the United Democratic Party continues. On Monday, we showed you the response of Dangriga area representative Frank “Papa” Mena to the results of the Dangriga convention, where he dared the senior leadership to kick him out. Today, former Lake Independence area representative and noted firebrand Mark King added his lengthy thoughts […]
On Wednesday, the Senate Special Select Committee intends to call the heads of the Labor Department and the Vital Statistics Unit. This is following revelations in recent weeks about the obtaining of birth certificates as the start to acquiring other documents confirming Belizean nationality, including nationality certificates. Immigration Director Diana Locke had contended that while […]
