On Wednesday, the Belize Hotel Association met; today its partners in the industry, the Belize Tourism Industry and Association, held its thirty-fourth biannual general meeting in Belmopan. Stakeholders met at the George Price Centre where they were updated on the progress of several initiatives over the past six months, as well as new projects that […]
The tourism industry in Belize took a hit after U.S. doctor Gary Swank was murdered while vacationing on the island. Cabinet anticipated an adverse effect that could possibly cripple San Pedro’s economy and decided to meet urgently in order to design a crime prevention strategy for the island. After Doctor Swank and tour guide Mario […]
The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service, with the support from the Regional Center of Promotion for MSME, closed its first Female Entrepreneurship Programme with a graduation ceremony today in Belize City. The goal is to improve and strengthen women’s leadership skills, economic empowerment, and business development skills. The participants represent the spa and wellness, creative […]
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development partnered with UNICEF to host a national children’s consultation on disaster risk reduction. The event is part of a bigger initiative that is finding solutions to support children who may be adversely affected by traumatic experiences such as natural and manmade disasters. As a part […]
Today, the United Nations Development Programme, in partnership with the UNDOC, concluded a two-day workshop with municipal leaders. The workshop is part of a strengthening of nation systems for the implementation of the UNCAC. According to U.N.D.P. representative Aldo Garcia, this event seeks to build the capacity and advocate for anti-corruption strategies at municipal levels. […]
In April 2017, the Pesticides Control Board launched a plan that would help the Board reach a higher level as a modern, more effective organization that delivers quality services and provides adequate coverage to the agri-food sector, as well as other sectors involved in pesticide use. In its almost thirty years of existence, this is […]
Summer is here. For some families that means travel to other countries, especially the United States. It’s not common to think about outbreaks before checking in at the airport, but given the current context, we spoke to a pediatrician who highly recommends that you do. We find out more in tonight’s Healthy Living. Marleni […]
Amidst the leakage of documents showing B.T.L.’s purported multi-million dollars G.S.T. and business tax debt is a letter reportedly sent by Chairman Nestor Vasquez. In that rumored letter, Vasquez reportedly asked the Financial Secretary, Joseph Waight to waive the debt. When asked about it, Waight said that he has not seen the letter. However, there […]
The People’s United Party today mounted pressure on Belize Telemedia Limited, the Department of General Sales Tax and the Prime Minister as it relates to a throve of damning documents leaked to the media a week ago on Wednesday. The documents purport to show that Belize Telemedia Limited, the telecom giant that the Barrow Administration […]
According to the P.U.P.’s Kareem Musa, the government has been silent on the matter because the pile of documents which indicates B.T.L.’s true financial standing, is a huge political blow to the Barrow administration. Musa pointed out that after acquiring the company for more than half a billion dollars, B.T.L. invested tens of millions of […]
P.U.P. Leader John Briceño has written to Prime Minister Dean Barrow with regards to B.T.L.’s reported G.S.T. debt. In the letter, Briceño tells P.M. Barrow that since B.T.L. is majority owned by the people, the public is entitled to a full and frank disclosure. Briceño asks Barrow, who is also the Minister of Finance, for […]
Two days after the news broke, C.E.O. Rochus Schreiber handed in his resignation letter and according to B.T.L., Schreiber decided to pursue other personal interests and reunite with his family in the U.K. at the end of September. Notably, his departure also comes days after the Senate passed and ratified the Tax Administration and Procedure […]
Earlier today, the Ministry of Health confirmed that a new C.E.O. will be taking over at the Ministry as we had reported in Tuesday’s newscast. Doctor George Gough succeeds Doctor Ramon Figueroa who was not mentioned in the release but who was at the Ministry since 2015. Figueroa was said to be at odds with […]
Contraband onions are hurting local onion farmers. Several onion producing communities have thousands of pounds of onions on their hands and can’t sell them. The Belize Marketing and Development Corporation and the Ministry of Agriculture’s Extension Service conducted a yearly onion availability last Friday in three of the major onion producing communities, Maskall, Little Belize […]
The murders of well-known tour guide Mario Graniel and the highly respected American doctor Gary Swank, on June twenty-third in San Pedro, had an immediate negative impact on the tourism industry. The double murders made the headlines in the U.S. media resulting in a massive hit in overnight tourist arrivals to the country. In the […]
The Public Utilities Commission made its Final Decision in respect of the 2019 Annual Review Proceeding for electricity rates and the news is that rates will remain the same at forty one cents per kilowatt hour for July first 2019 to June thirtieth 2020. Despite the high cost of power, Belize Electricity Limited decided not […]
In 2018, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission investigated the largest real estate scam it has been faced with to date. The architect of the scam, U.S. national Andris Pukke, promised investors a lush piece of land, equipped with world class amenities on a fourteen thousand-acre property in southern Belize even as he sat in a […]
The second round of village council elections took place on Sunday across the country and both political parties are claiming victory. A total of forty-six villages participated and according to the P.U.P., one hundred and fifty-five of its candidates were elected compared to the one hundred and thirty-two U.D.P. candidates who won. The U.D.P., on […]
The New York Daily News is reporting that the recent murder of American doctor, Gary Swank, is deterring tourists from traveling to Belize. In fact, the head of the Belize Hotel Association Ted Tejeda today noted the cancellations following the murder. Dr. Swank was fatally shot along with San Pedro Tour guide Mario Graniel while […]
In western Belize, a store was robbed by two armed men on Tuesday afternoon. The Good Times Chinese Store located in San Ignacio fell prey to thieves at about four o’clock. The business owner was inside when the two robbers entered the building, one of them was armed and demanded money. His accomplice jumped over […]
In the courts, the murder trial of twenty-year-old Eldon Flowers is coming to an end. Today, the crown represented by Senior Crown Counsel for the D.P.P.’s office, Shanice Lovelle, closed her case after calling more than eight witnesses to the stand. The biggest hurdle has been over the crown’s main witness, who turned hostile and told […]
An attempted murder case stemming back from August of 2014 which was committed to stand trial in 2016 against a Belize City man ended in a nolle prosequi today. Ron Myvette was charged and granted bail months later in December 12, 2014 for the attempted murder of a well-known street figure, Calbert Budd Junior. Myvette […]
Hoteliers were joined by other stakeholders at the Belize Biltmore Plaza to take stock of the tourism industry as well as to find new ways to enhance business in a highly competitive market. While tourism numbers have been setting records, there is still room for hoteliers to adopt new strategies to grow business by attracting […]
On Sunday the United Democratic Party held its convention in the Caribbean Shores constituency. Former Senate President Lee Mark Chang bested opponent, Leila Peyrefitte by three hundred votes. Before the convention, it was expected that Peyrefitte would have been favoured given her presence in the constituency during the I.C.J. referendum campaign. As you know, the […]
The Belize Agricultural Health Authority has detected the Mediterranean Fruit Fly, commonly known as the medfly, along the Placencia Peninsula. The medfly has been found in several backyards but BAHA says they were brought in through contraband fruits and vegetables. Several weeks back, the medfly was detected in Hopkins but BAHA successfully eradicated the pest. […]
