Executive Director of SATIIM Froyla Tzalam has fired off an urgent letter to Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington following another incident in the Sarstoon on Tuesday. SATIIM rangers were on routine patrol of the Sarstoon-Temash National Park, bounded on the South by the Sarstoon River, when they were stopped very aggressively by a Guatemalan naval vessel. […]
In her letter to Foreign Minister Elrington, Tzalam reminds him that experience has shown that where there is no monitoring, illegal activities flourish, and SATIIM must use the Sarstoon to conduct proper management. She explains that SATIIM and the buffer communities are concerned with the increasing environmental damage in the National Park and continue to […]
While Tzalam’s letter is written to Elrington, she may need to think about addressing her concerns to Gaspar Vega, the Minister of Forests and Fisheries. SATIIM’s had a testy relationship with Vega’s predecessor Lisel Alamilla and it was under her tenure that any hope of co-managing the Sarstoon-Temash National Park fell apart. Even before the […]
Tzalam says that talk about a co-management agreement being necessary may have been correct six years ago, but not now. Still, she claims that the incident on Tuesday underscores the need to come back to the negotiation and co-management table sooner, rather than later. Froyla Tzalam, Executive Director, SATIIM “SATIIM has been working very […]
There is hope for that meeting to take place, since Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Gaspar Vega is all too aware of the lack of resources which prohibits government departments from adequately monitoring protected areas. Gaspar Vega, Minister of Agriculture “That’s a huge challenge, because we all know of our limitations in regards to resources […]
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court found that millionaire investment and Dark Night owner Bradley Paumen had trespassed on land belonging to Michael Modiri. And that’s because the Ministry of Natural Resources had no power to compulsorily acquire Modiri’s land and to in essence gift it to Paumen so that he could build a road to […]
After numerous adjournments, twenty-five year old coastguard officer Keyren Tzib, who is accused of the July second, 2015 stabbing murder of her estranged common-law husband, Thythis Blancaneaux, learnt her fate. And it was not good news when she appeared in court this morning. Following a preliminary investigation, Chief Magistrate, Anne Marie Smith ruled that there […]
Deputy Party Leader Gaspar Vega tendered his letter of resignation to the United Democratic Party Secretariat on March eighth, informing that he will not be contesting his seat in Orange Walk North for a fourth time. The unexpected decision came as a bombshell, just a few weeks ahead of the U.D.P.’s endorsement convention which was […]
Gapi’s abrupt notice of retirement has left many to speculate whether his removal from the second most powerful government ministry, the Ministry of Natural Resources, is indeed the catalyst for his departure. There is also speculation that the sudden announcement succeeded a fallout over his transfer to the Ministry of Agriculture, which is widely seen […]
In the wake of Vega’s abrupt retirement, a national party council meeting will be held on Saturday to determine the date of a special convention in the coming months to choose his successor. Collet Area Representative Patrick Faber was first to throw his hat in the ring, followed shortly thereafter by Belmopan Area Rep John […]
Earlier this week, the United Nationals Children’s Fund in Belize officially spoke out against an imposed curfew on the south side of Belize City for children seventeen years and younger. On Tuesday morning, representatives from UNICEF finally met with Eastern Division South Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams to express their concerns about […]
Cayetano says that the discussion focused primarily on alternatives to the curfew. Luwani Cayetano, Child Protection Officer, UNICEF Belize “In that meeting we talked about things that we support. We talked about the importance of strengthening parents and families; we talked about the importance of having children in school, the importance of having quality […]
Three persons, a Mexican national and two Belizeans, were busted at the departure lounge of the P.G.I.A. on Tuesday. Today, they were taken to court on separate charges after they were found in possession of a significant amount of undeclared cash, over a quarter million Belize dollars. The trio was about to leave Belize to […]
Over a thousand residents live in the village of Crooked Tree, which is a protected area in the Belize District. But tonight, there is concern that the causeway, which links the village to the Phillip Goldson Highway, is presenting a hazard for those commuting to and from the village. Less than a year after it […]
The Maya communities of Santa Cruz and Jalacte are headed back to court having filed a claim against the Government of Belize for failure to protect their property rights. The lawsuit follows an update provided to the Caribbean Court of Justice in January. It was reported to the CCJ that government, via the Toledo Maya […]
In a release issued by the Toledo Alcaldes Association, it states that the villages are compelled to bring these actions against government for enforcement of their rights. We asked Coc to explain the lawsuit in the context of the court ordered process between the communities and the Toledo Maya Land Rights Commission. Isani Cayetano […]
A new online service known as the Belize Electronic License and Permit System was launched today. The service will provide efficiency to expedite the work of the ministries of agriculture, fisheries, forestry and environment on the internet. According to officials of the ministry, it is the first phase in establishing a Forest Information System. But […]
Six months ago, we brought you the story of inspirational warrior Ashley, fighting a mighty battle with a virulent cancer. She and her mother Kayla had just gotten some good news – a bone marrow donor had been matched and she would receive the transplant she needed so desperately to save her life. Tonight, though, […]
