Doctor Fausto Alvin Pineda of Benque Viejo del Carmen was arrested and charged for ‘Engaging in Private Practice While Prohibited from Doing So. Doctor Pineda works at the San Ignacio Community Hospital but he also runs a private practice in the west. Pineda reportedly issued three sick leave forms to police officers through his home […]
The opening up of the country for Belizeans to move freely to other local destinations can start as early as next week. But that brings about the question of a pending date when the country will officially reopen for overnight and cruise tourism arrivals. There is a possibility that visitors can begin arriving as early […]
Even before a first case of the novel coronavirus was detected in Belize, the pandemic shattered the tourism industry. Airline and cruise tourism came to a standstill with cancelations fast and furious; thousands of Belizeans began losing their jobs and by the beginning of March, hotel rooms across the country were empty. During our interview […]
Earlier this week, we reported that Harvest Caye was being put up as part of several collaterals for the financially embattled Norwegian Cruise Line to float a bond of two billion U.S. dollars to kick start its operations in August. The Florida-based company did not consult with or inform the Government of Belize that it […]
Thousands of Belizeans remain stranded in other countries around the world, including students who are studying abroad, that are waiting to return home, following the closure of the borders and the Philip Goldson International Airport. According to PM Barrow, plans are underway to have those persons repatriated as early as possible, notwithstanding the mandatory quarantine […]
There’s a bit of good news to report tonight as it relates to the fires that were ravaging the forests and farm lands. According to the Forest Department, the satellite mapping system didn’t record any fires this morning. This is as a direct result of the downpour the country experienced on Thursday night and this […]
COVID-19 has shed light on the number of families that are in desperate need of putting food on their table. In the Mesopotamia Division in Belize City, a soup kitchen, organized by P.U.P. standard bearer Doctor Candice Pitts, was started to assist families with daily hearty and nutritious meals. Early in the mornings, using local […]
Today, the Republic of China reaffirmed its support for the region’s micro, small and medium enterprises executed by the Center for the Promotion of MSMEs, known as CENPROMYPE. Taiwan signed the first disbursement of a two million U.S.-dollar project. The initiative seeks to promote regional actions that will help to develop the sector through entrepreneurship, […]
May ninth is birding’s biggest day around the world. It is called Global Big Day which is an annual celebration of birds around you. While the current state of emergency limits movement, birding enthusiasts are not able to participate this year as they usually would this. But despite restrictions, birders in Belize will be up […]
And shifting to the police force, a well-known known face in law-enforcement is moving on. He served in the Belize Police Department for as many as thirty-eight years, moving up the ranks before retiring earlier this week as Deputy Commissioner of Police and Commander of Administration. Robert Mariano was a career police officer for most […]
There is an impasse tonight between the Public Service Union and the Government. The matter has been brewing for some weeks, but the union remains firmly rooted in its position not to waive or defer increments for its members without first sitting with Financial Secretary Joseph Waight to go over areas where the Ministry of […]
The government, notwithstanding the COVID-19 crisis, has been struggling to meet its monthly wage bill for public officers and has proposed measures that would accrue three to five percent of current expenditures. Three weeks into the economic shutdown and the Ministry of Finance was already buckling under the weight of meeting payroll. According to Flowers, […]
A legal battle, says Vice President Flowers, is imminent should the prime minister proceed to amend the Public Service Regulations, since he does not have the authority under the existing laws to make individual decisions where that is concerned. According to the P.S.U. executive, PM Barrow is not headstrong enough to make a move without […]
The People’s United Party has also issued a message of solidarity with the Public Service Union. It says that the letter of ultimatum has no place in a democratic society where workers are seen as important and equal partners in development and governance. The P.U.P. calls on the government to come clean with the true […]
Belize remains with zero active cases of COVID-19. A second wave of the virus is expected to hit and with neighbouring countries expected to reach their peak, it is not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’. There is one very serious threat that puts the safety of the public at great risk and that threat […]
Doctor Marvin Manzanero also spoke of French nationals who were out at sea for the past month. Since they had not come in contact with anyone from the affected countries, they are not of interest to the Ministry of Health. Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services “I am aware of a couple of […]
Officially, by Sunday, Belize should recover from the first wave. This would mean that after twenty-eight days, there have been no new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. Health officials, however, are expecting a second wave. In fact, Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero says that several COVID-19 waves are expected by the end […]
Random testing across the country for COVID-19 continues. The Ministry of Health says that it has expanded screening as tracing contacts has ceased. A total of one thousand, one hundred and fifty-nine texts were administered. One thousand one hundred and thirty-one resulted in negative. Up to three o’clock this afternoon, thirty-three persons are under investigation […]
A police officer finds himself among a group of sixty other individuals who are the latest group charged in the police crackdown of violators of the state of emergency. The borders remain closed and one person was picked up for illegal entry which presents a problem to health authorities to prevent the spread of the […]
The police department is at the front lines of enforcing the state of emergency. But ensuring compliance with the regulations has opened up opportunity for abuse. There is the well known case of a mentally challenged woman coerced into having sex and videoed by officers. In San Pedro, separate videos circulated showing officers hitting two […]
A Belize City teenager also felt the wrath of the police at the beginning of the week. In this case, Karim Barona left his girlfriend’s house after five in the morning. Admittedly, he was not wearing a mask and Barona was taken to the police station where his nightmare began. Hipolito Novelo files the following […]
A total of three persons have now been charged for illegal entry into the country since the borders are closed; the most recent was on Wednesday. Over the weekend, a family of four was caught entering Belize from Chetumal and the parents were charged for the offense. Jose Alfredo Aguilar and his wife, Dalia are […]
This Mother’s Day will be different for families across the country. Restaurants are not open to the public, travelling across district lines is not allowed, gatherings are limited in numbers, imported flowers are in shortage and you will have to social distance to show your love to that important person. So to celebrate you will […]
Tonight, we share more from our trip out west to cover the fires that have been consuming large plots of farmlands and virgin forested areas. A small group of concerned Benque Viejo residents have taken it upon themselves to try to out the fires and create fire lines to prevent the spread and occurrence of […]
There are hundreds of persons who are homeless primarily in Belize City. At the start of the COVID crisis, they were transported to the MCC Grounds in Belize City to keep them safe. The MCC was retrofitted with beds and basic supplies and the new residents at the facility are being provided with meals. The […]
