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Belize’s own Marie Sharp’s Pepper Sauce has made the headlines again after being named the best pepper sauce at the Dubai 2020 Expo. It is a huge win for Marie Sharp’s Fine Foods, especially since their product was measured against Caribbean pepper sauces. Owner, Marie Sharp, told us what the Dubai recognition means to her […]
Written on February 24, 2022 | Posted in
People & Places |
Comments Off on Marie Sharp’s Mango Habanero Pepper Sauce is Hot Commodity at Dubai Expo
The Ministry of Health will no longer recommend Ivermectin as a treatment drug for COVID-19. The decision comes after medical professionals; both at home and abroad have indicated that Ivermectin is not effective in the treatment of the virus. But even though the infection rate for COVID is on the decline, if there is ever […]
Written on February 24, 2022 | Posted in
Health,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Ministry of Health No Longer Recommending Ivermectin to Treat COVID
On Tuesday, Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith, via Marine Parade Law Chambers, applied for an urgent injunction to halt the payment of one point five million dollars to the Christian Workers Union. The compensation is the result of a recent memorandum of understanding between the Government of Belize and the C.W.U. on behalf of stevedores who […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on PM Briceño Talks CWU, Port of Belize and its Injunction Application
The means by which the seven-figure sum would be defrayed has raised several questions, including the passage of legislation to facilitate the payment. According to PM Briceño, it will not be necessary as government would simply include that figure in its budget for the 2022 fiscal year. Prime Minister John Briceño “That is not […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Featured,
People & Places |
Comments Off on How Would GOB Pay Seven-figure CWU Compensation?
We also sought comment from Dean Flowers, the President of the Public Service Union, a sister union of the Christian Workers Union (CWU). In his remarks, Flowers registered his personal dissatisfaction with the actions of these private companies, while calling on the government to offer legal support to C.W.U. as is being done for the […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on PSU Pres Says PM Needs to Support Stevedores, Not Just Cane Farmers
Two drug planes in less than twenty-four hours land in Belize and the illicit cargo is whisked away. On Tuesday’s newscast, we reported on the drug plane that crash landed up north around three a.m. that morning. It was one of two tracks that were being monitored by Belize law enforcement overnight. But last night, […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Crime,
Featured |
Comments Off on 2 Drug Planes in Less than 24 Hours
As to the plane that landed up north on Tuesday morning. ComPol Chester Williams confirmed that the aircraft landed in Fireburn Village in the Orange Walk District. And as it would appear, the narco-traffickers have become crafty in carrying out their illegal activities. Spikes were laid across the road to prevent the responding officers from […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Crime,
Featured |
Comments Off on Narco-Traffickers Used Spikes on Road to Stop Law Enforcement
Are locals playing a more integral role in the illegal landing of these drug planes? Rather than just clearing out the area ahead of the landing, they may be facilitating the moving of the cargo across the border. According to ComPol Chester Williams, there are a number of narco-traffickers known to police, who live in […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Crime,
Featured |
Comments Off on Local Narco-Traffickers Operating in Carmelita, Orange Walk
Back in December, the Security Services Commission gave its approval for Assistant Commissioner of Police Marco Vidal to be suspended for sixty days with pay as they did an investigation into his administrative misconduct. This was after several members of the Commander of Operations Strike Team, came under suspicion for possible involvement in the November […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Crime,
Featured |
Comments Off on An Update on Investigation on COST Team & Commander Vidal
The Joint Unions Negotiating Team met with its government counterparts today to discuss the state of the nation’s finances and the reinstatement of the ten percent salary cut for public officers and teachers. The meeting was held at the House of Culture in Belize City and ran for four hours. At its conclusion, we were […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Joint Unions Meet With GOB: “There is a Way Forward”
The Attorney General’s Ministry has reportedly made a New Pay Scale Proposal to the Ministry of Finance. Reports are that, this seeks to increase the salaries of legal officers within the Ministry. Given the current economic climate and ten percent cut to public officer salaries, last week, Dean Flowers, the President of the Public Service […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
People & Places |
Comments Off on PM Comments on Proposed Changes to Legal Officer Pay Scale
We also received a comment from Dean Flowers, the President of the Public Service Union. He says the issue was raised today in the Joint Union’s meeting with the government counterpart. Flowers maintained that matters involving the salary of any public officer fall within the purview of the Public Service Commission. Flowers asserted that the […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
People & Places |
Comments Off on PSU President Says Changes to Legal Officers’ Terms of Employment is Illegal
Minister of Health Kevin Bernard and Prime Minister John Briceño visited three N.H.I. providers in Belize City today, the Mercy Clinic, Belize Healthcare Partners Limited and Matron Roberts Polyclinic. The familiarization tour was for government officials to get a clearer picture of what needs to be done to improve the National Health Insurance scheme. […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on PM Briceño Tours NHI Facilities in Belize City
The objective, in part, is for there to be a level of competition among service providers. PM Briceño explains further. Prime Minister John Briceño “What we are trying to do is trying to create some form of competition in providing the services, of course with certain parameters of what kind of services that we […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on Creating Competition Among NHI Providers
The Prime Minister and his team of financial advisors met with the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday to discuss Belize’s economic standing. While the I.M.F. looks favorably at the Briceño administration’s success in turning around Belize’s economic outlook, the ten percent salary cut which teachers and public officers received last year persists. According to P.M. […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on PM Briceño Meets with IMF, Belize Receives Favorable Reviews
There was no cabinet meeting earlier this week because the ministers will instead gather on Thursday for an overnight at Dream Valley Resort in Teakettle, Cayo. The change in venue has many asking what’s wrong with the House of Culture in Belize City where they would often meet and at what cost to taxpayers. According […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on Cabinet Retreat at Dream Valley Resort
A high level meeting was held to strengthen the Central America Justice and Security Sector capacities to effectively prevent, identify and prosecute cybercrime. Recently, legislation was tabled to address cybercrimes in Belize following many incidents of cyber bullying and defamation by way of social media platforms. At today’s event, held by the United Nations Office […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on BPD Gets Equipment to Combat Cybercrimes
While the Belize Police Department received a virtual forensic laboratory to assist in combating cybercrimes, as we found out today from Kareem Musa, specialised units within the department have been using body cameras for some time now while performing their duties. The Home Affairs Minister says that it provides a different perspective when there are […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Crime,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Special Police Units Using Body Cams
Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa also supports the removal of the curfew, which is likely to take effect on March first. But does this help with the bigger issue of crime? Musa says contrary to what people may think, the curfew does not hinder crime – it simply changes the timeframe during which criminal elements […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
People & Places |
Comments Off on Minister Kareem Musa: Curfew Did Not Hinder Crime
Did ComPol Chester Williams approve gun licenses for two M-sixteen rifles for an unnamed but reportedly well-known businessman? Here’s how he responded to that question this morning. Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police “Total nonsense. That’s all I will say.” Reporter “Not true.” Chester Williams “Total nonsense.” Reporter “Can we kindly get […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Crime,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Gun License for M-16 Rifles? ComPol Says “Total Nonsense”
Consumer Prices are up again, in fact they rose by four percent in January. According to the Statistical Institute of Belize the increases were seen in fuel, food, L.P.G., restaurants and even cleaning supplies. Belizeans paid more for basic goods last month when compared to January of 2021. Significant increases were recorded in products such […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Consumer Prices Up Again; Highest Prices in Orange Walk Town
The fourth quarter of 2021 saw growth for Belize’s economy. According to S.I.B’s statistics, the economy grew by four point one percent or eighty four million dollars. This is compared to the fourth quarter in 2020 at the height of the COVID19 pandemic. In the fourth quarter of 2020, G.D.P. dipped by more than sixteen […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Tourism Rebound Helping Economy
Notably, the secondary sector, which includes electricity and water generation, construction, and mining, saw a fall in production for the fourth quarter of 2021. Overall production decreased from a volume valued at ninety million dollars to seventy three million dollars in production. That is a nineteen percent decline. An, S.I.B says it is as a […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Electricity Production Down Compared to 2020
Moving now to imports and exports, sugar and animal feed drove up the total domestic exports in January. According to S.I.B’s data, earnings from sugar grew by a notable two point five million dollars in the period, for a total of three point eight million dollars in sugar exports. Also, animal feed exports were up […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Imports to Belize Continue to Exceed Exports
A delegation from Belize is in Jamaica to meet with port authorities and the Caribbean Maritime University. Minister of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics and E-governance, Michel Chebat is heading the official delegation of Belize Port Authority officials on the five day visit. The group will meet with the heads of the Jamaican Ministry of Transport […]
Written on February 23, 2022 | Posted in
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Belizean Delegation to Jamaica to Gain Technical Support for Port Development
