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The Orange Walk Youth Home of Hope, which currently houses five teenage boys, opened its doors back in September of 2020. Since then, its residents have been undergoing homeschooling and trainings in everyday life skills. The home offers these at-risk teenage boys an opportunity to better themselves in these areas where their success may be […]
Written on April 20, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on The First Transitional Home for Teenage Boys in Belize
As many families struggle to put food on the table due to job losses under COVID-19, many Belizeans have to create their own opportunities. Fortunately, a recent donation from Taiwan to the Ministry of Human Development is already having an impact in many northern communities. News Five’s Andrea Polanco takes a closer look at this […]
Written on April 20, 2021 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Belizean Women Sewing to Support Their Livelihoods!
If you were trying to get to work or school this morning, you may have had your commute delayed by the Belize National Teachers Union and Public Service Union highway blockades. The traffic shutdown was part of a week of protest actions leading up to Thursday and Friday’s budget debate inside the National Assembly. At […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Unions Stage Monday Morning Traffic Blockade
While members of the Belize Police Department are also subject to the ten percent salary cut and increment freeze, today they were out to preserve law and order. ComPol Chester Williams weighs in on how they ensured that there was no confrontation with the teachers and public officers. Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police “The […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on ComPol Told Police to Exercise Restraint during Blockades
The Joint Unions Negotiating Team, comprised of the Public Service Union, the Association of Public Service Senior Managers and the Belize National Teachers Union, met with government representatives on Friday. The meeting with Minister of Public Service Henry Charles Usher succeeded a recent breakdown in negotiations that has resulted in an impasse between the unions […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on A Letter from G.O.B. to the Unions over Salary Adjustments
According to Fraser, government is intent on docking the wages of teachers and public officers. What is presently on the table is a proposal that the salary deductions can be implemented using a tiered approach of eight, ten and twelve percent, respectively, depending on one’s income bracket. Sharon Fraser, President, A.P.S.S.M. “That seems to […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on A Staggered Approach to Wage Cut; Up to 12% for Some for Employees
The Nurses Association of Belize is not part of the Joint Unions Negotiating Team but it is standing in solidarity with teachers and public officers. Its membership will also be affected by the pending wage cut. In protest, nurses who are members of the association will only be working the prescribed forty hour work week, […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Despite Shortage of Manpower, Nurses Will Cut Down on Working Overtime
Following suit with the Joint Unions, the Police Association has also taken a position on G.O.B.’s ten percent salary cuts and three year increment freeze. The Police Association’s position is that police officers cannot afford the ten percent salary cut at all. According to a release from the association, a letter with its position was […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
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Today, the United Democratic Party lost one of its giants. Nestor Vasquez, who was one of the founding members of the party in 1973, a key player in the creation of Belize Telecommunications Limited and a broadcast television pioneer passed away. The United Democratic Party leadership expressed its sorrow and announced they would be flying […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Nestor Vasquez Dies at 90
Twenty-four B.T.L. employees were laid off today in what the company is terming a four percent “workforce reduction.” B.T.L. says despite cost cutting measures implemented over the last fiscal year, the redundancies became necessary due to a thirty-three million dollar decline in revenue over this period. The telecom company says it was able to save […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on B.T.L. Reduces Staff by 4%
Former Prime Minister Dean Barrow has lost his first case since returning to private life as an attorney. Barrow, along with co-counsel Darrell Bradley, represented Ian Haylock in a matter brought before Justice Westmin James, following the appointment of Estelle Leslie as Comptroller of Customs in early January. Fifty-three-year-old Haylock was set to succeed erstwhile […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
Trials |
Comments Off on Estelle Leslie’s Appointment as Comptroller of Customs is Upheld by Supreme Court
According to Smith, there is a legal doctrine known as “legitimate expectation” which Haylock could have presented to the court, if there had been some promise made that he would have succeeded Griffith as Comptroller of Customs. Godfrey Smith, Attorney for Government “Essentially, that principle is that through an actual promise made to you […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
Trials |
Comments Off on Smith Says Seniority Is Just One Factor the Court Considers
An employee of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital lost his life on Sunday afternoon while swimming in the Belize River in Grace Bank. Despite frantic efforts to save him, he was pulled away by the undercurrent. Today the search continued for his body. News Five’s Duane Moody reports. Duane Moody, Reporting From as early […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
Disasters,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on A Search to Recover the Body of Drowning Victim, Herwin Godoy
More details have become available on a fatal shooting in Belize City on Friday evening at the corner of Magazine Road and Logwood Street. Just before three p.m., an unidentified man fired shots and Roman Requeña was hit in the chest. Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch “Police responded to […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Mahogany Heights Man Gunned Down in Belize City
Following the murder of Requeña on Friday afternoon, shots rang out around seven p.m. at the corner of Mex Avenue and East Collet Canal in south side Belize City. Mechanic James Pandy was shot by a gunman who rode by on bike. Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero, Deputy Head, National Crimes Investigation Branch “Information is […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Mechanic Targeted by Gunman
On Friday evening, police responded to an accident on the Placencia Road. Gerardo Arevalo was behind the wheel of a GMC truck and as he attempted to overtake a bus that was letting off passengers on the side of the road, Jose Pop reportedly ran in front of his truck. The impact threw the construction […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
Auto Accidents |
Comments Off on San Isidro Construction Worker Dies in Accident in the South
Within two hours, police had to respond to yet another fatal road traffic accident; this time on the Hummingbird Highway, that claimed the life of Alvaro Paz. He had been was travelling in a BMW from Dangriga to Belmopan when between miles thirty-nine and forty the car collided head-on with a truck. Paz died on […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
Auto Accidents |
Comments Off on Young Man Dies in Accident on the Hummingbird Highway
Eighteen-year-old Bianca Reyes died on Friday night after she fell from a golf cart in San Pedro Town. Just before midnight, the San Mateo resident was travelling on a golf cart driven by Miriam Rodriguez who lost control of the motor vehicle. Reyes sustained head and bodily injuries. She was transported to the polyclinic on […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
Auto Accidents |
Comments Off on Teenager Dies after Falling from Golf Cart
An unusual activity occurred last week when a Cessna plane piloted by two Mexicans was given clearance to land at the Philip Goldson International Airport. The plane was purportedly brought to the country for sale to a Belizean. But that didn’t happen; in fact, the suspicious activity led to intervention from the police and civil […]
Written on April 19, 2021 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on What’s Up With Cessna Plane that Landed at P.G.I.A.?
Union protests heated up today as teachers took to the streets in a number of municipalities. In Belize City, members of the Belize National Teachers Union picketed outside the branch offices of Belize Telemedia Limited and Smart, sending a message to not only these companies, but also to the government to once again denounce a […]
Written on April 16, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Teachers Picket in Belize City
Elsewhere, the numbers seemed greater, especially in the Capital, Belmopan. B.N.T.U. members paraded in front of the B.T.L. branch on the Ring Road and the Smart Belmopan branch on Constitution Drive. Wearing their green “teechaz gat yuh bak” shirts, the sweltering heat did not stop the picketing. Duane Moody has more. Norlan Galvez, B.N.T.U. […]
Written on April 16, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Teachers Picketing Across the Country
In response to the protests at their offices, this afternoon, Belize Telemedia Limited stated categorically that the telecom giant does not owe any taxes in areas. During a press conference at corporate headquarters, Chairman Mark Lizarraga and C.E.O. Ivan Tesecum said despite efforts made to reach out to the leadership of the Belize National Teachers […]
Written on April 16, 2021 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Belize Telemedia Limited Responds to Teachers’ Picketing!
But according to Lizarraga, after making inquiries with the Belize Tax Service, they received a letter on April fifteenth that there were outstanding arrears for the period 2002 to March 2010. Those arrears amounted to some eighteen point two million dollars, but due to section thirty-nine of the Income Tax and Business Act, a four-year […]
Written on April 16, 2021 | Posted in
Economy,
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People & Places |
Comments Off on Chairman Says B.T.L. Does Not Owe Any Taxes in Arrears!
While the teachers walked the picket line, today the joint union leaders met with government officials today for close to five hours. The meeting which started at ten this morning at the Central Bank of Belize ended around three this afternoon. It is unclear what were the main points discussed in the meeting; however, information […]
Written on April 16, 2021 | Posted in
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People & Places |
Comments Off on Unions Meet with G.O.B.!
There was a late evening murder in Belize City. While details are still pending, News Five has learnt that thirty-nine-year-old Roman Requeña was shot and killed on Magazine Street in Belize City. Requeña is reportedly a resident of Mahogany Heights. We will continue to follow this story and provide you with further details as they […]
Written on April 16, 2021 | Posted in
Crime,
Featured |
Comments Off on Roman Requeña Murdered in Belize City
