Social media has been abuzz with ads from establishments and private individuals announcing their intention to host social events to ring in the New Year. But while this is normally a celebratory season, the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams issued a stern warning for anyone planning to host –or […]
On Wednesday, A & R Store in Belize City was closed, reportedly after several employees tested positive for COVID-19. And so was Atlantic Bank’s Albert Street Branch in downtown Belize City. On Wednesday that bank sent out notices via email to say that the branch would be closed on the twenty-ninth and tonight, that branch […]
Omicron has not been officially detected through sequencing in Belize; nevertheless, health experts believe it is here. Deputy Manager of the Central Health Region, Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa told News Five today that while the gene-sequencing won’t confirm the presence of omicron until after 2022 is ushered in, the change in characteristics or patterns that infected […]
And while Omicron appears ominous, interestingly, the number of people who have turned out for their vaccination and booster shots has waned significantly. Doctor Musa explained that the fully vaccinated population stands at almost two hundred thousand, which is about sixty-five percent of the target population. But that is under fifty percent of the total […]
In recent weeks, we have heard a lot from the executives at the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, government officials, and A.S.R./B.S.I. officials. But, at the center of the recent industry disputes are the farmers on the ground since they are the ones who plant, harvest, and deliver the cane to the mill for harvesting. […]
And while we were talking to those farmers this morning, the executive at B.S.C.F.A., along with Ministry of Agriculture Representatives and representatives at B.S.C.F.A. were meeting over at B.S.C.F.A.’s headquarters. That meeting ended with some positive news for protestors. But, when the day came to an end, there was still no interim agreement being signed. […]
Earlier today, billionaire Kanye West met up with Shyne Barrow for some sea and sun on Prince Island. The pair has previously worked together on Shyne’s release, Godfather Buried Alive, while he was serving a ten-year jail sentence. Upon his release, Shyne returned to Belize but hadn’t had an opportunity to personally connect with Kanye, […]
And while Barrow meets with West and his entourage, Minister of Tourism, Anthony Mahler commented briefly on the benefits of celebrity and influencer visits to Belize. Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism “In this era of social media, yes, they do, when they come to Belize. And we welcome all of them. We want as […]
Some fire fighters in Santa Elena got a surprise from the police just as they were changing shifts this morning. But, it wasn’t a report of a blaze. Instead, they got ticketed for not wearing their masks. The incident captured on video went viral today as the public reacted to the police mobile unit issuing […]
The incident was captured on amateur video by Ebony Wright, one of the fire fighters, who is still in disbelief. She believes that the situation could have been handled differently. Voice of: Ebony Wright, Santa Elena Fire Station “He make a big commotion. So the commotion weh unu see deh, he call all different […]
The latest figures from the Statistical Institute of Belize indicate that Belize’s imports and exports shot up significantly, when comparing November 2021 to November of 2020. The review also showed that there was an increase in the cost of living when compared the same period. News Five’s Marion Ali has the details on the performance […]
This afternoon, Doctor Natalia Beer shared with the media the latest statistics coming out of the Ministry of Health and Wellness regarding the most recent spike in COVID cases. What is being observed is a significant increase in the number of new cases being recorded. Doctor Beer spoke in the context of the Omicron variant […]
With fifty percent of Belize’s population fully vaccinated, we are still a long way to go in terms of lowering the number of active cases by community. According to Doctor Natalia Beer, the transmissibility of the new variant will see a rapid multiplication of cases. Dr. Natalia Beer, Technical Advisor, Maternal Child Health “In […]
The Omicron variant is on everyone’s mind right now, but surprisingly, it has yet to be detected in Belize. That’s right. Although the number of new COVID infections, amid the third wave, is back on the rise after plunging to as low as four hundred and forty three-cases last week, Central Lab technicians have not […]
The staff at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital is finally getting some much needed downtime, as the number of COVID hospitalizations at the national referral facility continues to dwindle, but it may not be for too long. With Omicron an eventuality, the K.H.M.H. administration is forced to take additional measures to prepare for the inevitable, […]
K.H.M.H. is looking for a new Director of Medical Services. It’s a post that has been held on a pro tem basis by Doctor Adrian Coye since June 2020. But he is ready to step aside and get back to his primary occupation, which is performing surgeries. The deadline for submitting applications is this Friday. […]
The funeral service for the late Myrna Manzanares was held today in Belize City. The late Kriol Culture icon died on December twenty-first after suffering a stroke from which she never recovered. The funeral service was streamed live from All Saints Church in Belize City and News Five’s Marion Ali has the highlights. Marion […]
While the funeral for the cultural icon Myrna Manzanares was attended by government officials, including Governor General Froyla T’zalam, it was not one that had all the pomp and circumstance provided to other cultural icons such as Leela Vernon in 2017, Paul Nabor in 2014 and “Mister Peters” Wilfred Peters in 2010. Leader of the […]
While the Leader of the Opposition, Patrick Faber thinks the state ought to have given Myrna Manzanares an official funeral for her contributions to the Kriol culture, this afternoon, Gales Point villagers showered her with their love and respect. From the moment her casket arrived in the village for the burial, villagers turned out in […]
The standstill outside the gates of A.S.R./B.S.I.’s sugar mill in Orange Walk went into a second day. Members of the B.S.C.F.A., Prime Minister John Briceño himself, and Minister of Agriculture Jose Mai spent the entire day meeting in an attempt to resolve the impasse. B.S.C.F.A. members are demanding that A.S.R./B.S.I. signs an interim agreement that […]
But, even if an interim agreement is to be signed, there is another issue at play that can potentially stall the process. A.S.R./B.S.I. remains firm on its decision not to entertain any discussion about bagasse that involves the mill giving more money to the farmers. Here is what Shawn Chavarria, Director of Finance at B.S.I., […]
Earlier this week B.S.C.F.A. had called on the sugar mill to boost its processing capacity, because they say farmers run the risk of losing out on their investment. They say the factory is only operating at fifty percent capacity. And, although the sugar crop is practically at a standstill until an interim agreement is signed, […]
Prime Minister John Briceño today released his New Year’s Message to the country. Among the issues highlighted in his address was the state of the economy. The PM reviewed his administration’s first full year in office and although the year was met with some challenges, he says that things are changing for the better. […]
Among the successes of 2021 is the retiring Belize’s international debt to bondholders. That, coupled with huge improvements in the agriculture and tourism sectors, gives a positive outlook on the country’s economy. Prime Minister John Briceño “2021 spectacularly brought the end of super bondage. The retirement of the super bond wiped away half a […]
Arguably, however, what continues to be the biggest challenge of the Briceño administration is the COVID-19 pandemic. Three waves and another on the horizon with the omicron variant inevitably reaching Belize, the Prime Minister asks that Belizeans get vaccinated adhere to health guidelines. In that same vein, he thanked frontline healthcare workers for their selfless […]
