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After the People’s United Party won the November general elections, the Lands Department locked down as rumors of U.D.P. cronies taking documents from the office in Belmopan surfaced. It was reported before elections that U.D.P. ministers were issuing out parcels of land to voters. The question was if the issuance was done following the law. […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
Featured,
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on U.D.P. Assists First Time Land Owners to Make Payments
The indigenous communities in the south have collectively prevailed in the courts since they initiated legal action against the Government of Belize in the nineties. The fight has always been over continued incursions on Maya lands. Six years ago, the C.C.J. upheld the ruling of the Court of Appeal in respect of the common law […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
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People & Places,
Trials |
Comments Off on M.L.A. Goes Before the C.C.J.; A New Land Rights Commission to be Formed
Upon assuming office in November of last year, the People’s United Party created a specific ministerial portfolio for Indigenous People’s Affairs. That responsibility was given to Belize Rural Central area representative Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, also the Minister of Human Development. This morning, she sat in as a guest during the compliance hearing and was called upon […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
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People & Places,
Trials |
Comments Off on A New Day for Indigenous People’s Affairs in Belize
In acknowledging government’s solemn undertaking, M.L.A. spokesperson Cristina Coc says that they are elated by the newfound will to respect and recognize the traditional institutions of the indigenous community. Cristina Coc, Spokesperson, M.L.A. “We are pleased to report then that we have received clear indication from the new government that they will respect and […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
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People & Places,
Trials |
Comments Off on Respect for the Customary Governance Institutions of the Mayas
Today, the Ministry of Education issued a memo to managements of all schools, the Belize Teaching Services Commission, and the B.N.T.U. in which the matter of study leave with pay is addressed. In the memo, Chief Education Officer Yolanda Gongora states that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused heightened fiscal scrutiny and financial prudence, which has […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
Education,
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on Ministry of Education Suspends Paid Study Leaves for Teachers
During its press conference today, the Opposition condemned what it described as mass firings across the country. Some twenty-four employees at the Novelo’s Bus Terminal in Belize City were let go last week. A total of sixty employees were released from the Department of Transport. The government says that many of these persons were phantom […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on U.D.P. to Challenge Mass Termination
The Opposition also criticized the government for its Grocery Bag initiative and called out specifically Minister of Human Development Dolores Balderamos Garcia. In a recent interview, Balderamos-Garcia told the press that there isn’t enough money to assist everyone. Today, Mesopotamia representative Shyne Barrow criticized the minister for failing the people. Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Area […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on Shyne Barrow Takes on Minister Dolores-Balderamos over Grocery Bags
Former Governor-General Doctor Dame Minita Gordon was laid to rest on Wednesday at the Lord Ridge Ceremony. While her sendoff was stately, she was not always treated with the respect and dignity deserving of her position. In fact, in her retirement, she was often seen around Belize City, where others who did not know her […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on The Not So Bright Days of Dame Minita Gordon
When Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise announced that he was looking at protectionist policies in order to promote domestic producers, it wasn’t welcomed with open arms. Some sections of the public were worried that their favourite imported brands will disappear from store shelves, but Minister Jose Mai says that’s not the aim of […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy |
Comments Off on A Proposal to Make Local Dairy Products More Affordable!
On Tuesday, the President of the Belize Hotel Association spoke off the underwhelming tourist arrivals following the airport’s reopening. While stakeholders are hoping that the cold weather in the North will incentive more travel to Belize, What about cruise tourism? Over the years, cruise travel has grown to be a significant player in the country’s […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Travel |
Comments Off on What About Cruise Tourism?
There is a significant backlash on the Port of Magical Belize project by a group of environmental N.G.O.s. The developer is David Gegg, who represents the Port of Magical Belize. In 2017, Gegg signed a memorandum of understanding with the past administration to construct a docking facility along the south coast of the Sibun River. […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on Environmental Groups Reject Port of Magical Belize
A joint police and B.D.F. operation in the Corozal District led to the discovery of two marijuana fields in Consejo Village. At the first location, two thousand five hundred marijuana plants, between five and six feet in height, were found near a shed used to house processed marijuana. Under the shed, the patrol discovered crocus […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Marijuana Fields Destroyed in Consejo
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, in Belize City, police were able to remove drugs, firearms, and ammunition from the streets. The search of a residence on Hemsley Alley led to the discovery of a Sig Sauer pistol and a handgun along with three magazines. They also found fifty live rounds of ammunition and a box containing roughly […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Drugs and Firearms Removed from the City Streets
While those drugs weren’t linked to any individual, two cops Dion Bellini and Joel Cantun were both busted with weed in separate incidents in the north in less than a month. Cantun was caught with twenty-eight pounds of weed last Thursday, while Bellini was picked up with forty pounds in the last week of December. […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
Crime,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Minister of Home Affairs: Zero Tolerance Policy for Cops Involved in Drug Trade!
Some very promising news delivered by Minister Musa on Thursday was that the Witness Protection Programme is in the pipeline for Belize. Last week, the U.S Embassy hosted the Government of Belize in a second high level roundtable to discuss the implementation of a witness protection and victim care programme. The discussions centered on the […]
Written on January 21, 2021 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Police Minister says Witness Protection is Doable, but It Will Be Costly!
The principal streets of Belize City were lined with spectators this morning, as a funeral procession rarely seen in the history of the country made its way to the Lord Ridge Cemetery. The cortege and interment of Belize’s first Governor General brought to an end three days of national mourning. It succeeded an ecumenical service […]
Written on January 20, 2021 | Posted in
Featured,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Dr. Dame Minita Gordon Laid to Rest at the Lord Ridge Cemetery
The previous Public Utilities Commission’s decision to purchase the old Mirab building on North Front Street in 2019 raised many questions. Under former chairman John Avery, the P.U.C. purchased the building and its properties for ten point three million dollars, but they never moved in. Instead, it is presently paying twelve thousand dollars monthly for […]
Written on January 20, 2021 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on What Can GOB About PUC’s Purchase of Old Mirab Building?
On January fifteenth, the Ministry of Transport terminated twenty-four employees at the Novelo’s Bus Terminal in Belize City. Their dismissal comes at the height of maga season and particularly when job opportunities are hard to come by. According to Minister Rodwell Ferguson, whose responsibilities include oversight of the Transport Department, the decision to let go […]
Written on January 20, 2021 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Minister of Transport Explains Maga Season Terminations
In responding to the terminations at the Ministry of Transport, Prime Minister John Briceño also spoke on the general issue of employment in these times of austerity where there simply aren’t many jobs to offer. John Briceño, Prime Minister “On the issue of the people that have been let go at the bus terminals, […]
Written on January 20, 2021 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Unemployment and Bad Financial State
With so many unemployed, one of the growing concerns is that it will lead to an increase in crime. In an interview today with the Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa, we asked him that very question. Musa quickly noted that the new administration assumed office with sixty-thousand people already out of work for more […]
Written on January 20, 2021 | Posted in
Crime,
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Home Affairs Minister speaks on crime and unemployment
The number of new cases of COVID-19 in Belize appears to be on the decline. Today the Ministry of Health reported twenty-seven new cases and three new deaths, and a total of four hundred and forty-five active cases. And while those are promising numbers, Belizeans are growing weary of restrictions that remain in place. Prime […]
Written on January 20, 2021 | Posted in
Featured,
Health |
Comments Off on A Snapshot of Belize’s COVID Situation, One Month Later
As for the Covid-19 regulations outlined in December’s Statutory Instrument, the Minister of Health had already confirmed that new regulations will be coming at the start of February. So, what kind of changes can we expect? We asked Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa. Musa said the details are still being ironed out, but the […]
Written on January 20, 2021 | Posted in
Featured,
People & Places |
Comments Off on A new S.I. is coming next month!
On the curfew topic, today, Minister Musa responded to the Opposition, the United Democratic Party, who issued a press release last week calling for a revision of the current health protocols. The U.D.P. release said: “that this was the first time a curfew has been implemented without declaring a State of Emergency, which at the […]
Written on January 20, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on Minister of Home Affairs fires back at the Opposition!
When it comes to the Corozal Free Zone reopening, Minister Musa says the COVID-19 prevention protocols will be stringent and will only allow one-third of employees to return to work. As we’ve reported, Cabinet decided to reopen the Free Zone on February first and formed an inter-ministerial committee to review plans and protocols for the […]
Written on January 20, 2021 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Corozal Free Zone to open with strict protocols & only 1,000 employees return to work.
2020 saw a major reduction in crime across the country. The COVID-19 regulations played a major role in crime reduction; the Police Commissioner Chester Williams disagrees. He says that the reduction of crime for 2020 is due to the hard work of police officers. Hipolito Novelo takes a closer look at the numbers. Hipolito Novelo […]
Written on January 20, 2021 | Posted in
Crime,
People & Places |
Comments Off on ComPol Chester Williams Explains Crime Figures
