Investigators are still unable to identify the body of a middle-aged, Hispanic man which was found on Wednesday in the Orange Walk District. The body was fished out of the New River near the Orange Walk bypass in the afternoon. Both arms were missing and police believe that the face and abdomen were disfigured by […]
Arguments concluded today in the courtroom of Justice Courtney Abel who is hearing the case brought against the management of the central prison, Kolbe Foundation, by a former inmate, Orel Leslie. Seven persons testified, including Prison C.E.O. Virgilio Murillo who was cross-examined by attorney Audrey Matura. Leslie is challenging the prison for inhumane treatment he […]
The U.S. government has determined it will be withholding aid to Belize for various programmes. Earlier today, the State Department announced that President Donald Trump had signed off a decree to stop assistance to a number of countries. In the case of Belize, the U.S. will not provide non-humanitarian and non trade-related assistance for the […]
Today in The Hague, the Belize media had the opportunity to sit down with two law experts in International dispute resolution from Leiden University in the Netherlands to weigh in on the Belize Guatemala dispute. They provided a wealth of information based on their experience in the principles of international law and how it is […]
The media took the opportunity to discuss the ongoing challenges with the Guatemalan Armed Forces in the Sarstoon with the legal experts from Leiden University. Ambassador Dylan Vernon explained on Wednesday that it is a continued part of international lobbying efforts to make it known that Guatemala has not honoured its commitment to establish a […]
Another hot-button issue that the media has been pressing for answers while at The Hague is the specific wording of the Special Agreement between Belize and Guatemala. The court would be asked to settle based on International law – “any and all legal claims of Guatemala against Belize.” Some fear the wording is too open-ended […]
On Tuesday, two former employees of Choice Bank Limited vented their frustration at Sagicor Life over their pension plan monies. Former Chief Operating Officer, Brian Stypul and former Chief Compliance Officer Adrian Arana, along with twenty-three other former employees of the bank, say they have been trying to get Sagicor to return the monies they […]
A Transparent B.P.O. bus burst into flames this morning. The incident happened between miles eight and nine on the Philip Goldson Highway at around six-fifty-five. Ladyville police and firefighters responded, but while the inferno was extinguished, the bus was totally destroyed. Inspector Wilfredo Ferrufino shared more. Insp. Wilfredo Ferrufino, C.I.B., Belize City “The fire […]
Five persons are at the Western Regional Hospital receiving treatment after they were allegedly run over by an enraged common-law-husband. Thirty-two-year-old Darrell Alexander Usher was slapped with a number of charges. Police in Belmopan have charged him with five counts each of attempted murder, use deadly means of harm, aggravated assault and two counts each […]
Earlier this month, police officer Osbourne Martinez was fatally shot while responding to a robbery in progress at Belcove Hotel in downtown Belize City. Following his death, many questioned the police department’s commitment to adequately equip police officers who would respond to these types of crimes. Today, Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie happily announced that […]
The fourth meeting of the Guatemala-Belize Joint Commission was held on Wednesday at the Office of the Organization of American States in the Adjacency Zone. The meeting was to discuss the implementation of the agreement for the Protection of the Environment and Sustainable Use of Resources that Belize and Guatemala signed in December 2014. A government […]
A sub-regional conference of HelpAge International concluded today at the Ramada Princess in Belize City. Six countries in region examined a convention that was signed in 2015 under the Organization of American States in respect of the protection of the human rights of older persons in Latin America and the Caribbean. But only Costa Rica […]
The Auditor General’s office wants to make its reports more user-friendly. Simply put, it is so that the lay man and woman can easily understand and use the documents. So, this week they partnered with the Inter-American Development Bank for a three-day training course. Twenty-three staff members of the Auditor General’s Office learnt new and […]
The Ministry of Labour has been partnering with the U.S. Department of Labour to strengthen systems to address child labour. As a part of the works being done, a curriculum for labour inspectors was developed and officially shared at a workshop held this week in Belize City. The training introduced the participants to the methodology and […]
The C.C.C.C.C., headquartered in Belmopan deals with the environmental concerns of the entire Caribbean. On Wednesday, in San Ignacio, ground was broken for the construction of a resource and resiliency centre that will be working to reduce the carbon footprint of San Ignacio and five surrounding villages in the west. The construction is being funded […]
Miss Universe Belize, Jenelli Fraser, is currently in Taiwan en route to Bangkok, Thailand for the international pageant to be held on December sixteenth. Fraser has gone through extensive training and preparation in the U.S. in her quest for the coveted crown. Over the last few days, she has been fine-tuning her wardrobe and learning […]
At this time at the Mexican Institute in Belize City, an exhibition is officially opening. This exhibit will showcase a wide collection of artwork from a pool of seven artists from across the country. Each artist is presenting his or her technique, the use of colours, textures and shapes to inspire its viewers. According to […]
The cause of death of an elderly food vendor whose body was found inside a latrine has been released though the motive for her murder has not been confirmed. A post-mortem examination conducted on the body of sixty-eight-year-old Martha Gonzalez on Tuesday revealed that she was fatally stabbed. According to the results, Gonzalez was stabbed […]
There were fireworks in Senate today on two matters that required ratification to pass. First, last week in the House, the Government passed a motion to borrow fourteen million dollars more from the International Development Bank for the George Price Rehabilitation project. That loan is to top off another fifty-four million dollars borrowed back in […]
Even so, the loan was approved by a majority of senators this afternoon. Most of the road is still under repair and the Roaring Creek Bridge is incomplete. The new loan brings the total cost of the road rehabilitation project to over eighty million Belize dollars. Private sector Senator Mark Lizarraga says that there is […]
Last Friday, the House also passed an amendment to the GST Act which affects tour operators. It came on the heels of a ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice in October ordering G.O.B. to repay more than half a million dollars to Cruise Solutions Limited and Discovery Expeditions Limited. The C.C.J. ruling set aside […]
Senator Lizarraga points out that the business community is nervous about this move by government because it goes beyond tour operators since it blurs the line between the separation of powers of the judiciary and the executive. He also notes investor confidence is shaken when the government resorts to parliament to bypass a court ruling. […]
Minister Omar Figueroa was among a group of cabinet members who made a request to Prime Minister Dean Barrow to postpone his planned retirement and remain as party leader. Now that the PM has agreed to stay on until closer to the next general elections, the move has put a wrench in the leadership ambitions […]
Convicted criminal, thirty-five-year-old Bert Vasquez was in court today for his sentencing hearing in the courtroom of Justice Colin Williams. It took hours as the court heard a very lengthy mitigation plea from Vasquez, who represented himself. He told the court that he has not been afforded his constitutional right to a fair trial within […]
Orel Leslie’s civil case against the Kolbe Foundation and government continued today in the courtroom of Justice Courtney Abel. Leslie spent some time behind bars after being arrested and charged for the 2012 murder of B.D.F. soldier James Noralez. He beat the murder rap twice as he was never convicted. But according to Leslie, his […]
