Every six seconds, someone in the world dies from diabetes. That’s as much time as it took me to read that statement. According to the International Diabetes Federation in 2017, there were four million diabetes-related deaths worldwide. It’s not a different picture here in Belize, where diabetes related complications continue to be one of our […]
The murder count continues to ratchet up even as police continue investigations to crack a slew of murders in the past days including that of a highly respected doctor from the U.S. who was killed along with a tour guide in San Pedro. This afternoon in Belize City, the all too familiar sounds of gunshots […]
We can report tonight that investigators have made significant progress into the double murder of tour guide Mario Graniel and prominent US Doctor Gary Swank. Reports from the island of Ambergris Caye are that police have detained a woman very close to Graniel. We are told that the woman, whom we will not identify at […]
Tonight, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams will be meeting with stakeholders in the tourism industry in San Pedro following the double murder at sea and the disappearance of two men. The hoteliers and key persons on the island are concerned that the spiral of violence on the island will have ramifications to the tourism industry. […]
Alleged murderers William “Danny” Mason, Ashton Vanegas, Terrence Fernandez, Keiron Fernandez, and Ernest Castillo were back in court this afternoon. The men appeared before Belmopan’s Supreme Court Justice Antoinette Moore as it was expected that the trial relating to the coldhearted beheading of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas would get underway. Initially, the trial was expected to […]
One of those counsels is Attorney Bryan Neal, who is representing Keiron Fernandez. According to Neal, after meeting with his colleagues, it has been decided that the defense will make preliminary submissions relating to issues that could have a significant impact on the trial. Bryan Neal, Attorney for Keiron Fernandez “I was hoping that […]
We take a break from crime and go to Belmopan where the Senate today dealt with an amendment to the Tax Laws which was passed and place criminal liability against anyone in the chain of management in any company not paying taxes. In the debate, senators urged the tightening up of collection across the board […]
The Upper House met this morning in the Capital. A bill which seeks to merge the Income Tax and General Sales Tax departments into the Belize Tax Service Department was debated this morning by senators. The merger of these departments is expected to not only facilitate the official and effective administration and collection of domestic […]
Through the successful passage of this bill, the Belize Tax Service Department is also expected to provide for tax procedures and civil and criminal penalties for persons found to be violating tax laws. Social partner senators, while encouraging the amalgamation, pointed out the need for authorities to crack down on persons who evade taxes across […]
Responding to the concerns raised by the senators were U.D.P. Senators Michael Peyrefitte and Stephen Duncan. Peyrefitte and Duncan asserted that in order for businesses to avoid penalties, businesses need to be tax compliant. Stephen Duncan, U.D.P. Senator “As you read the legislation you get the sense that the onus is being shifted from […]
Two new senators were sworn in today. It was Darrell Bradley’s first day as President of the Senate. He was appointed to the post after Lee Mark Chang stepped aside to pursue a career in politics. While attorney Michel Chebat has on several occasions temporarily stepped in for the P.U.P.’s lead Senator Eamon Courtenay, today, […]
A fire on Tuesday evening gutted a store at a shopping complex in Belmopan. The cause of the blaze is under investigation, but a few days ago, electrical issues plagued the building. The store manager says it all started in one of the units on the ground floor. The firemen battled the raging flames from […]
On the economic front, there is positive news coming from the Statistical Institute of Belize in respect of the labour force. Figures show a drop in the unemployment rate from nine point four percent in April 2018 to this year. According to S.I.B., unemployment is at its lowest, with the Belize District showing the highest […]
It has been taking place since 1993 and has become one of the leading culinary competitions in the Caribbean region. In the past two consecutive years, Belize has been fielding a team to compete in the highly anticipated Taste of the Caribbean. The best of the best in culinary skills and mixology in the region […]
This week, a series of activities are taking place to highlight the work of the police department. One of the initiatives that builds relations with the public is community policing; it gets residents to work with the police. News Five’s Duane Moody was at a fair where the many functions of the department were on […]
Police Week began on Sunday with a church service at the Divine Mercy Church in Belize City. There were several other activities organized across the country, but later this week, there will be an award ceremony, and a parade by the officers, among other things. Woman Corporal of Police and Public Relations Officer for the […]
Retired police officer Marie Henry was among the first women to join the Belize Police Force back in the early sixties. Today, her outstanding career as a woman in law enforcement is enshrined in a namesake daycare center that was inaugurated at the Raccoon Street Police Headquarters. The opening ceremony coincides with the celebration of […]
Budding basketball athletes from all the districts converged in Belize City today. They represent the cream of the crop at their age and in their schools. Having made their mark at home and with the 2019 champions at stake, their eyes are now on winning cash to move on to high schools. The highly competitive […]
Also touching down in Belize today was the college division-three basketball team from Westminster College in Pennsylvania, U.S.A. headed by Kevin Siroki. Siroki, you will recall, is a former coach of Belize’s national basketball team and was instrumental in the development of the sport at Galen University and the University of Belize. After taking up […]
The international friendly match will be preceded by a celebrity basketball game also at the Belize City Civic Centre. Local radio and TV personalities as well as well-known athletes will participate in the game. Coach Roscoe Rhys who organized the event shares more details. Coach Roscoe Rhys, Co-Organizer, Basketball International Friendly “We have a […]
The U.S. Embassy held its annual Pride Month commemorative event today in Belmopan. It joins the rest of the world this month to celebrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex persons and reaffirms its commitment to protect and defend the human rights of all, including L.G.B.T.I. persons. A brief ceremony was held in Belmopan where […]
In our past coverage of the L.G.B.T.I. event at the U.S. Embassy, you may have seen the symbolic raising of the rainbow flag; but that didn’t happen this year. Visiting Deputy Director of Central American Affairs, Thomas Lersten, delivered the remarks at today’s event in the absence of Charge d’ Affaires Keith Gilges. Lersten said […]
