Just before news time tonight, two cousins from Santa Familia, Cayo have been charged in connection with the rape of a thirteen year old. On Wednesday, we reported that the victim accused her sibling of forcing her into having sex with her own cousin at the house where they all lived in the village. The […]
The government of Belize has settled with both Fortis and the Ashcroft Group in the arbitrary nationalizations of B.E.L. and B.T.L. But in this case that is not the end of that. In what to our knowledge is an unprecedented scenario, the Bar Association on Wednesday night passed a resolution to apply to the CCJ […]
Even as general elections looms, in fact just thirty-four more days to go, a number of small political parties have banded to form what they call a labor movement. This morning, the political activists announced they have fifteen thousand of half a million dollars they need for a campaign and eleven of thirty-one candidates required […]
While the newly formed Belize Progressive Party officially introduced itself, as well as its eleven candidates earlier today, it is still short of twenty-one nominees for the organization to contest all thirty-one constituencies. So, with an absence of candidates, Party Leader Patrick Rogers was asked if he has approached familiar names, including activists Giovanni Brackett […]
Since the beginning of the week, several unions including the Christian Workers Union on behalf of its Social Security Board members, the Belize Energy Workers Union, as well as the faculty and staff of the University of Belize and the staff of the K.H.M.H. have been accelerating demands for salary increases and benefits. As the […]
Since the announcement of early general elections on Monday, political machineries on both sides of the political fence joined now by a new third party, are gearing up for November fourth. The U.D.P. is seeking a third term in office while the P.U.P. is hoping it can break the U.D.P. control of government. When we […]
A full round of negotiations between the CWU-represented stevedores and the Port of Belize Ltd. is scheduled to kick off next week after a protracted delay and hard feelings. The last challenge will lie in the agreement on a framework for CBA negotiation which includes specific issues to be discussed as well as timelines for […]
President of the CWU Audrey Matura will head the negotiating team in discussions of a framework next week. She told News Five that the negotiations have come a long way, and there is hope for very successful discussions leading to a concrete CBA. Audrey Matura-Shepherd, President, Christian Workers Union “I’ve done my best to […]
As we understand, the journey to a successful CBA starts with an expedited agreement to a framework. And compromise on a framework will hinge on various issues including insurance for the workers – something which is very high on the stevedore’s list of priorities, but maybe not quite as high on the Port of Belize’s […]
The four MOUs signed by the CWU of old and the Port of Belize Limited may well turn out to be a significant obstacle on the road to CBA settlement. Both Vasquez and Matura-Shepherd have very different thoughts on the validity of those MOUs which should make the meeting next week very interesting. Arturo […]
Turning to the courts…four persons, a pair of fishermen, a businessman and his wife of Chetumal Street, were dragged to court on separate fisheries offenses on the eve of the opening of the conch season. They all pleaded not guilty to the charges, challenging the Fisheries Department to prove its case against them. Fishermen, thirty-eight […]
For one week, sixty employees of the First Caribbean International Bank from five branches countrywide were out sick. Those terribly ill employees are those who will be left without jobs when FCIB locks up shop, allegedly at the end of this month. They want FCIB to negotiate proper exit packages for them, considering their long […]
The government has passed a Vesting Act which facilitates the transfer of shares from FCIB to the Heritage Bank. There was some opposition to the passage because it was felt it removed any employee leverage in terms of negotiations. The Prime Minister allayed those fears by stating that the act would not come into law […]
As we told you on Wednesday, S.S.B. employees are also signalling their frustration with the Board. We are told unofficially that that frustration may lead to industrial action sooner rather than later. There’s quite a lot of that going around right now which certainly has a lot to do with general elections in a month. […]
In his Independence Day speech, the Prime minister of Belize announced that thirty-seven million dollars will be spent for Phase Two of the South Side Poverty Alleviation Program that falls under the ministry of Port Loyola area rep., Anthony “Boots” Martinez. Martinez clarified today that those monies, which are being provided through a loan from […]
According to statistics available, poverty has increased substantially so that over forty percent of the population is living in poverty. Notwithstanding, government has been claiming that the implementation of several initiatives, including the BOOST and Pantry Programs of the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation, have been met with success. In the […]
In this side of the world, the population is ageing rapidly and living longer and countries are signing on to the Inter-American Convention on Protecting the Human Rights of Older Persons. The National Council of Ageing, for its part, released a five-year plan which sets out strategies to address the many challenges facing the older […]
October first is celebrated as International Day of Older Persons. The Global 2015 theme is “Sustainability and Age Inclusiveness in the Urban Environment.” One local organization that works daily to keep older persons included and engaged is Help Age Belize. There are Help Age Branches countrywide and tonight on Healthy Living, we stop in to […]
