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The start of the 2023-24 sugar crop has been delayed and the Belize Sugar Industries Limited has voiced its discontent with the decision to postpone the start of production. In a statement released earlier today, the company said, “after discussions, B.S.I. and the three attending associations agreed to start the crop on December fifteenth, 2023. […]
Written on December 8, 2023 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Economy |
Comments Off on 2023-24 Sugar Crop Delayed Until End of December
Earlier this week, News Five aired a story on the shortage of sugar on supermarket shelves. The shortage is not occurring in the output from the Belize Sugar Industries, but somewhere along the supply chain, the bags of sugar that are produced are disappearing, presumably across the borders as contraband in neighbouring countries. Belizean sugar […]
Written on December 8, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Sale of Sugar Across the Borders Requires Permit
During Thursday’s House Meeting, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia gave a statement on the progress this present government has made in relation to the implementation of the C.C.J.’s Consent Order that was made in 2015. That consent order recognized the Maya people’s rights to customary land tenure, and required the Government of Belize to take […]
Written on December 8, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Minister: Toughest Part of Carrying Out CCJ Ruling Lies Ahead
As the hustle and bustle of the season takes us into shopping areas to buy gifts and Christmas grocery, so too do thieves step up their game to see who they can pounce on to rob or steal from. But the police department has a number of operations going on in Belize City, and is […]
Written on December 8, 2023 | Posted in
Crime,
Environment |
Comments Off on Police Beef Up Operations Heading into Christmas
This week was observed as Disability Week and what better way for the House of Representatives to acknowledge persons living with disabilities than with the start of a live sign language translation of the House proceedings. As part of the upgrade that the House is undergoing, offering live sign language translations will now be a […]
Written on December 8, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Live Sign Language Translation of House Meeting Begins
Every year since 2014, the Inspiration Centre has been distributing calendars featuring artwork of the children that it provides therapy and assistance to. But now the centre has shifted from calendars to tote bags that still feature the art skills of the children. Today it held a ceremony to highlight nine of the children whose […]
Written on December 8, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Inspiration Centre Celebrates Talents of Children with Disabilities
COP28 continued today in Dubai. To enhance the engagement of youth from underrepresented communities in shaping climate policies, the COP28 Presidency launched the International Youth Climate Delegate Program. This initiative involves the selection of one hundred delegates to actively participate in the COP process, with a particular emphasis on candidates from Least Developed Countries (LDCs), […]
Written on December 8, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Youth Delegate Ishmael Nicholson Participates in COP28
Another young Belizean who is participating in COP28 in Dubai is Monique Vernon. On Saturday, Vernon will participate in a panel discussion where she will share the successes and challenges that Fragments of Hope has had in protecting and preserving corals in Belize. She says that the aim is to share knowledge and gain knowledge […]
Written on December 8, 2023 | Posted in
People & Places,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Monique Vernon Represents Fragments of Hope at COP28
This week’s story is suitable for both kids and adults alike, and it comes with a book available for purchase too. We had the opportunity to sit down with Ramy Chia, a Belizean engineer and author, to discover how she is inspiring children to believe in themselves through her newly published book, ‘Amy’s Red-Haired Dream’. […]
Written on December 8, 2023 | Posted in
People & Places |
Comments Off on Woman Engineer Ramy Chia Pens Her First Book
The House of Representatives met today in Belmopan where a raft of bills was tabled in parliament. Among them is a written proposal for a new piece of law that would clear up all monies owed from previous lawsuits to businesses related to Lord Michael Ashcroft. In essence, the Government of Belize is seeking parliamentary […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Port of Belize to Return to the Belizean People
Included in the settlement, Belize Hotels Limited, the parent company of the Radisson Fort George Hotel, will build a new conference facility as part of an ongoing fifty-seven million dollar reconstruction project. As such, the company’s fiscal incentive which was placed on hold since 2022, will be approved by the Ministry of Investment. According to […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on G.O.B.’s Takeover of P.B.L. will Conclude in the Days Ahead
Leader of the Opposition, Moses Shyne Barrow told reporters that while he and his colleagues on the opposition support the re-acquisition of the Port of Belize, he believes that the government is doing it for the wrong reasons. He also feels that the government was not completely transparent with the details of the acquisition. […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Shyne Barrow: The U.D.P. Supports Acquisition of Port But Question Reasons
Aside from the reason for acquiring the port, Barrow also questioned the timeliness of the transaction, at a time when there are other pressing issues that the government ought to give urgent attention to, such as teachers and crown counsels who have been shedding light on their working conditions. Moses Shyne Barrow, Leader of […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Leader of the Opposition Questions the Timeliness of Port Acquisition
Belmopan Mayor Sheran “Sharon” Palacio is one her way back from Dubai where she participated in panel discussions at COP28. Before Palacio left, she appointed Hope Amadi as acting mayor. That decision caused turmoil at the Belmopan City Council because, according to the Department of Local Government, Councilor Sanie Cal should have assumed the role. […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Featured,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Belmopan Mayor Responds to PM Briceño
This morning in the House of Representatives, it was also announced that the Government of Belize, through the Ministry of Education, will be covering the full salaries of the faculties and staffs of all grant-aided secondary and tertiary institutions across the country. The announcement which came as welcome news to the Grant-aided Management Authority of […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Education |
Comments Off on G.O.B. to Cover Full Salaries of Teachers at Grant-aided Schools
But how will the pension plan work, considering that the existing configuration is a seventy-thirty split with grant-aided schools? It’s a question that was posed by the former Minister of Education to his successor, who provided a financial breakdown in response. Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet “I’m not clear, Madame Speaker, as to what […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Education |
Comments Off on How will Pension Plan Work for Teachers and GAMAS
The Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs is a few steps closer to completing an outline for putting into practice a consent order as directed by the Caribbean Court of Justice. This is in respect of the Maya land rights issue in southern Belize. Minister Dolores Balderamos-Garcia provided an update on where government is with the […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment |
Comments Off on G.O.B. Closer to Implementing Consent Order on Maya Land Rights
Earlier this week, bakers of sliced bread said they would increase the price from a dollar and seventy-five cents to two dollars and fifty cents per loaf of bread. The price hike will take effect as of December eighteenth. Bakers, like merchants, have cited an increase in the cost of inputs, as well as minimum […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Social Issues |
Comments Off on Leader of the Opposition Does Not Support Increase in Price of Sliced Bread
The Ministry of Tourism unveiled a revised National Cruise Tourism Policy earlier today. The course of action is a ten-year schedule during which specific targets will be pursued in an effort to grow the sector to an average of two and a half million visitors per annum. This morning, stakeholders from across the travel and […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment |
Comments Off on A Revised Cruise Tourism Policy is Unveiled
Round one of the Senate Select Committee’s inquiry into the Portico/government Definitive Agreement took place on Tuesday at the National Assembly Building in Belmopan. That investigation is expected to unearth the depth of the agreement that was signed under the Barrow administration and businessman, David Gegg, the proprietor of Portico. The first persons to be called to […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Who Else Will Testify in Senate Inquiry?
During today’s House Meeting, Prime Minister Briceño introduced an amendment to the Economic Citizenship Abolition of Rights Act. The government feels that descendants of persons, who have acquired citizenship before 2014, have continued to apply for citizenship, by using loopholes that exist in the current system. Prime Minister John Briceño “The Belize Economic Citizenship […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Government Moves to Amend Economic Citizenship Act
On Sunday, Venezuelans voted overwhelmingly to annex Essequibo, a disputed and oil-rich territory of Guyana. This is territory that the Venezuelan government claims forms a natural part of their country and asserts that it was unfairly delegated to Guyana more than a century ago. This week, the Leader of the Opposition attended an annual three-day […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Opposition Leader Attends Forum on Venezuela-Guyana Conflict
On day seven of COP28 in Dubai, the Global Sustainable Aviation forum, organized by the aviation industry, welcomed attendees to the Green Zone. Against the backdrop of the global aviation industry’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the forum highlighted key aspects such as accelerated efficiency measures, energy transition, and innovation. The forum […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
Environment |
Comments Off on Global Sustainable Aviation Forum at COP28
In a panel discussion at COP28 in Dubai, Mayor Sheran Palacio of Belmopan, addressed the critical need for funding to enhance climate action and innovation in cities. The event, hosted by Multilateral Development Banks, emphasized the challenges faced by local and regional communities in the wake of climate disasters, particularly affecting vulnerable populations. Mayor Palacio […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
People & Places,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Funding for Climate Vulnerable Cities
Inaugurated a little over fifty-three years ago, the National Assembly Building will finally be refurbished in 2024. As we reported earlier this week, the Republic of China (Taiwan) granted the Government of Belize the funds necessary to undertake the much needed renovation. This morning, at the start of today’s house meeting, Speaker Valerie Woods commented […]
Written on December 7, 2023 | Posted in
Economy,
People & Places |
Comments Off on National Assembly will Convene at George Price Center
