After a week’s hiatus, the Senate Special Select Committee returned with Minister of Immigration and Nationality Senator Godwin Hulse facing his Senate colleagues in the chair once again. Over three and a half hours of testimony – interrupted only by loss of power at the National Assembly Building – many topics relating to Immigration then […]
That announcement came during an extensive discussion of the countries’ relations in terms of Guatemalans becoming Belizean citizens. Hulse told the Committee that previously, Guatemala simply accepted the Belizean renunciation form and passport as proof. But Guatemala has gotten stricter, requiring notification in Guatemala. Because Belize’s law requires renunciation before pursuing Belizean status, Guatemala would […]
The Minister of Immigration and Nationality, Senator Godwin Hulse, is the final authority on the granting of nationality certificates. In the Auditor General’s special report, two cases were cited of nationality certificates granted despite the persons having acquired permanent residence in too short an amount of time to have qualified for nationality and later passports. […]
In light of the many problems with recommenders for nationality and other Immigration problems, Minister Hulse readily agreed that a recommendation should be made that recommenders present themselves in person with the applicant when the application is taken in. Eamon Courtenay, P.U.P. Senator “This question of recommenders: don’t you think, based on what we […]
As noted by Minister Hulse, the case of Swedish national Peter Dahlstrom was one of those that made the news. He married the sister of Kim Simplis Barrow more than two decades ago but only applied for Belizean nationality in 2012. While he regularly visited Belize he was not resident here; but nonetheless he was […]
P.U.P. Senator Eamon Courtenay questioned Minister Hulse on the matter of the composition of the Nationality Committee, which considers the qualifications of applicants, as well as the publication of names and addresses of persons applying for citizenship by registration. His question was, citing the case of Won Hong Kim, is that enough? After some back […]
Those members of Cabinet who have appeared before the Senate Special Select Committee continuously contend that their recommendations for persons to acquire visas, permanent residence, passports and even nationality should not have had any bearing on the final decision. But testimony from employees of the Immigration Department finds to the contrary. Minister of Immigration and […]
Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley is coming to the end of his two terms in office, that’s six years at the helm of City Hall. Now, he has undertaken massive infrastructure works in respect of one hundred and sixty streets and roundabouts through a twenty-million-dollar bond. But there is one project that has eluded him […]
A Guatemalan national, who resides in Armenia Village, remains in police custody tonight pending directives from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions if charges should be laid on him for the murder of his friend and fellow villager, Carlos Humberto Navarijo Albeño. Navarijo, who is also a Guatemalan, was shot to the chest […]
Tonight, thirty-one-year-old Orlando Fisher of Belize City is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after being denied bail for the alleged sexual abuse of a nine-year-old child on two separate occasions. Fisher appeared before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford and was read two sexual assault charges against the minor. Allegations are that on June twenty-ninth, […]
An alleged machete wielding attacker was arraigned this morning in court. He is twenty-two-year-old Aaron Flores of Gentle Street, Belize City, who is charged with grievous harm and use of deadly means of harm. Flores is accused of inflicting injuries on David Phillip on Tuesday. Flores hinted to the magistrate that he wanted to plead […]
Police have arrested and charged three Caye Caulker residents for a drug offence. Around two-thirty on Tuesday afternoon, Police searched the home of fifty-seven-year-old Timothy Stapleton where they found sixty-five grams of weed on a table. Police say Stapleton was along with two other men, thirty-year-old Bernaldo Teul and twenty-five-year-old Raphael Erebua. All three were […]
Congestion and an overall lack of adequate parking along Newtown Barracks in the vicinity of B.T.L. Park, continues to be a problem for patrons of the various establishments along the entertainment strip. It is also an issue for employees of the call centers located in the area. For Valerie Richardson, who works as a volunteer […]
The challenge, according to Mayor Bradley, is that a lack of zoning forces motorists to compete for public parking and that buildings should have been erected with a private parking as a part of the property’s design. Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor “If you have parking on the street it’s a competitive thing. If […]
The results of the Regional Exam for Nurse Registration were released the week and it shows an impressive performance by the students of the University of Belize. The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) administers the exam to graduates who have completed an approved program of studies, among other requirements. Forty-seven students from Belize sat the exam […]
On Tuesday, we shared the staggering diabetes statistics. Latest numbers show that the disease is on the rise in Belize and that more than fifty-thousand persons are afflicted. During World Diabetes Day activities, President of the Belize Diabetes Association Anthony Castillo said that all partners are needed to tackle diabetes. The association has been working […]
Young minds gathered today in Belize City at the start of an expo that showcases how the use of technology can result in efficiency. GIS, or Geographic Information System, is currently being utilized in various sectors to track and analyze performances; Total Business Solutions Limited wants to take GIS to the classrooms. News Five’s Duane […]
Cultural activities are taking place around the country to celebrate Garifuna Settlement Day. Over at Stella Maris today in Belize City, we found the young children celebrating four other cultures the Creole, Chinese, Mestizo, and Maya. They were all dressed up in traditional wear depicting the different cultures and to top off the event, Belizean […]
