Home » April, 2023
You are currently browsing entries posted in: April, 2023
Every year around this time, the Belize National Fire Service is summoned more often than it can respond to calls of bushfires that rage out of control and threaten homes and sometimes lives. This year is no different. In fact, fire officials believe that this will be the worst yet, simply because bushfires have started […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Disasters,
Economy,
Environment |
Comments Off on Raging Bush Fires Threatening Properties along George Price Highway
House fires are as bad as forest fires and can also easily be prevented if the time is taken to ensure that nothing is left turned on and unattended. At this time of year, people are planning to travel for the Easter and many times they go and leave electrical appliances plugged in and turned […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Disasters,
Economy,
Environment |
Comments Off on Preventing Fires This Easter through Safe Measures
On April first, the Immigration Department introduced new fees for passport services, several months after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration announced in parliament that charges would not be increased along with the introduction of a new Belize e-passport. Nonetheless, it has become necessary in order to offset the cost of the […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Immigration Dept. Explains Increase in Fees for Passport Services
Data compiled by the Immigration Department indicates that as many as twenty-five thousand, fifty-eight domestic passport applications were submitted between October 2022 and C.E.O. 2023. A majority of those applications were turned in at the C.E.O. office. C.E.O. Middleton also went on to compare the cost of the new e-passport to similar travel documents in […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Does an e-Passport Cost Less Than Your Driver’s License?
The availability of passports has also been an issue at the Immigration Department. C.E.O. Middleton explained how the situation will be resolved in the days ahead, before clarifying what created the shortage in the first place. On the phone: Dr. Gilroy Middleton, C.E.O., Ministry of Immigration “Okay, in terms of the availability of the […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Passport Shortage Explained; More Books on the Way
In 2018, sargassum began to wash up along Belize’s coast at a record rate. The brown, pungent seaweed has been bad for the tourism industry, as resort owners reported increased cancelations at the time. In 2023, the problem is back and scientists are projecting that this could be another record year for sargassum influx along […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment,
People & Places |
Comments Off on “SargaBlocks” Turns Excess Sargassum into Affordable Homes
The five million dollar Boca del Rio Bridge on the island of Ambergris Caye is near completion. We have been reporting on the renovation of the bridge since the inception of the project. Well, tonight we can tell you that it will be inaugurated in a couple of weeks. And according to Mayor Nunez, the […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment,
People & Places |
Comments Off on $5 million Boca del Rio Bridget Soon to Be Inaugurated
Dallas Maverick Shooting Guard, Reggie Bullock, vacationed in Belize back in June 2022. During his stay in the Jewel, Bullock engaged a group of secondary school students who are at risk of joining gangs. Late last year, in December, Bullock donated twenty-four pairs of basketball tennis shoes to the Belize Basketball Federation. But, what was […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Dallas Maverick’s Shooting Guard Reggie Bullock Buys Island in Belize
It’s no secret that the cost of living has increased over the years – the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as soaring fuel prices, have triggered a price hike on almost all commodities. Fish and other seafood products are no different, but during Easter time, the cost for your favourite fish goes up […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Holy Moly Fish Prices on Holy Week
Belize has received yet another donation of pediatric vaccines, this time from the Government of Lithuania. On Tuesday, the Honorary Consul of Lithuania Carlos Perera handed over the donation of six boxes of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for children, twelve years and younger, to Minister of Health and Wellness Kevin Bernard. The ministry continues to monitor […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Health,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Lithuania Donates COVID Paediatric Vaccines to Belize
Mayor Bernard Wagner has served as mayor for a full term and is currently serving his second. He has been commended for keeping the City Council’s finances out of the red, but criticized for wanting to charge city residents a garbage collection tax. As municipal elections are scheduled for next year, the question arises: Will […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment |
Comments Off on Will Mayor Wagner Run Again for City Council?
And Wagner was re-elected as President of the Mayors’ Association, an advocacy group comprising of all mayors. They have been discussing hot-button topics on ways to increase revenues. Among them is one that Belize City residents have scoffed at – a garbage collection tax. But Wagner says that one is on the back burner, at […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment |
Comments Off on Discussion on Garbage Collection Tax for Belize City Residents Takes Back Burner
At the beginning of March, Mayor Wagner had told the media that the Belize City Council was prepared to rethink the installation of parking meters in front of Digi Park, a family-oriented facility. He had reasoned that the meters were installed to deter employees of the nearby call centers from taking up that section of […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment |
Comments Off on Parking Fee Issue with Vendors and Patrons at Digi Park Solved
As the Sinach concert kicks off at this hour at the Digi Park, the traffic in that area will be controlled by the City Council’s traffic wardens to ensure that there’s no bottleneck to affect motorists trying to make their way to the concert or to another part of the city through that area. Mayor […]
Written on April 5, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment |
Comments Off on Traffic Flow on Newtown Barracks to Be Controlled as Sinach Concert Gets Underway
The murder of sixteen-year-old Saint John’s College student, Wellington Williams, has brought into sharp focus concerns about student safety outside of the S.J.C. campus. Over the last seventeen months, three students who had been attending the high school lost their lives to gun violence. And, less than three weeks ago, we told you about a […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Crime,
Economy,
Education,
Featured,
People & Places |
Comments Off on S.J.C.’s President Calls Meeting With Minister Musa and ComPol to Address Student Safety Concerns
Accused rapist Rupert Codd was arraigned before Senior Magistrate Baja Shoman today for a single charge of rape. The twenty-one-year-old call center employee of mile four on the Philip Goldson Highway, was denied bail and remanded into custody until June sixth of this year. The heinous crime for which Codd is accused occurred on Sunday […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Crime,
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Rupert Codd is Remanded for Rape of Woman
Former Special Constable Jeremy Bermudez, accused of engaging in sexual intercourse with a thirteen-year-old female minor back in 2018, is on remand awaiting sentencing tonight after being found guilty of five of eight counts of unlawful sexual intercourse. Bermudez appeared before Justice Antoinette Moore in the presence of attorney Ian Gray and, in his defense, […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Crime,
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Former Special Constable Convicted of Sex Crime
Today, police formally arrested and charged B.D.F. Captain fifty-six-year-old William Swan, a resident of Santa Elena Town, for manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct, failed to give way to motor vehicle on a major road and drove motor vehicle without due care and attention. The charges stem from a fatal accident over the […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Auto Accidents,
Crime,
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on William Swan is Arraigned for Manslaughter by Negligence
Swan was working on preparing a facility in Cayo which will be the location for the Mountain Pine Ridge Youth Challenge Program being implemented as a crime fighting tool. D.Y.S. Director Kevin Cadle explains. On the Phone: Kevin Cadle, Director, Department of Youth Services “We have been successful with the LIU, the Ministry of […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured,
People & Places |
Comments Off on The Mountain Pine Ridge Youth Challenge Program
A pair of Fujian Chinese nationals has been charged with an additional offense after being caught by Immigration officials entering Belize illegally. Twenty-seven-year-old Tianming Chen and thirty-three-year-old Kai Lin were charged for the criminal offense of using a fabricated permit. They appeared in the presence of attorney Arthur Saldivar before Magistrate Khiana Gordon late this […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Crime,
Economy,
Featured,
Foreign Affairs |
Comments Off on Fujian Chinese Nationals Arraigned for Fabricated Permits
President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Doctor Tsai Ing-Wen wrapped up her state visit to Belize and this afternoon, departed the country for the United States where she will meet with U.S. House Secretary Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday. During the visit, President Tsai met with Governor General Dame Froyla Tzalam, as well as Taiwanese […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Foreign Affairs,
People & Places,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Taiwan Prez Wraps Up State Visit, Departs Belize for the U.S.
Last night, Prime Minister John Briceño hosted a state dinner at the Museum of Belize for President Doctor Tsai Ing-Wen. The dinner followed a full schedule of events on Monday, including a Special Sitting of the House of Representatives and an inspection of the Sheep and Goat Project in Central Farm. In attendance at Monday […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Foreign Affairs,
People & Places,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Prime Minister John Briceño Host State Dinner for President Tsai Ing-Wen
President, Doctor Tsai Ing-Wen also gave an address at Monday night’s state dinner in Belize City. Following her brief remarks, the president gave a toast to Belize and Taiwan’s strong bilateral relationship. Dr. Tsai Ing-Wen, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) “I recall receiving Prime Minister Briceno and his delegation in Taipei in […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Foreign Affairs,
People & Places |
Comments Off on President Tsai Ing-Wen “Our bonds are strong and may they grow forever stronger”
Saint Francis Xavier Credit Union made headlines on March tenth, when it was announced that the Registrar of Credit Unions had appointed an administrator to oversee the day-to-day affairs of the lending institution. Several days later, the executive of SFXCU, including General Manager Rafael Dominguez Senior, came forward in the media against what they essentially […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Central Bank Provides Update on SFXCU
In 2021, Taiwan initiated the Women Empowerment Project – an initiative that seeks to place women in better positions to become entrepreneurs and self-reliant. Today, before she departed Belize after a state visit, the President of the Republic of China Taiwan, Doctor Tsai Ing-Wen took part in a ceremony for a women empowerment exhibition. It […]
Written on April 4, 2023 | Posted in
Art & Culture,
Economy,
Environment,
Foreign Affairs,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Women Empowerment Exhibition – A Blend of Diplomacy and Culture
