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The big news coming out of the Senate today was the announcement by the Ministry of Immigration that they are preparing to offer an amnesty program for Central American and CARICOM immigrants. The program would offer permanent residency status to the un-documented in Belize, creating a pathway to eventual citizenship. In 2010, it was estimated […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Featured,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Amnesty to be Offered to Central American and CARICOM Migrants
Last week, a trip to Bolivia and Peru by Immigration officers made headlines after the President of the Public Service Union reportedly asserted that travel was somehow made with nefarious intent. Hours later, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, fired off a two page release denying the assertion and asking for an apology. The Ministry’s release […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Featured,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Immigration Minister Repeats: South American Trip Was About Passports, Not Narcotics Trade
The Sugar Industry Amendment Bill seeks to give the Minister of Agriculture the authority to receive and deal with disputes and complaints brought to the Sugar Control Board. The Government of Belize is accusing some Sugar Cane Associations of not holding regular elections, and as a result operating without a clear mandate from its members. […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Mai Says Sugar Amendment Bill “Corrects” What Associations Do Not Seem Able to Do
The Opposition says the Sugar Bill Amendment goes against the commitment by the Briceno Administration to minimize ministerial discretion. Opposition members in the House of Representative argued on Friday that the Bill gives the Minister absolute power. They therefore withheld their support for the amendment. Hugo Patt, Area Representative, Corozal North “I think we […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Opposition Opposes Sugar Amendment; Withholds Support in the House of Reps
Prime Minister John Briceno also chimed in on the Amendment, insisting that the legislation does not give the Minister control over the association and the Sugar Control Board. According to the PM, his Administration only seeks to ensure that cane farmer association elections are held in a timely manner. Prime Minister John Briceno “All […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on PM Says Act Is to Ensure Timely Association Meetings
In the Senate today, the Sugar Industry Amendment Bill was most unpopular. One Senator referred to the Bill as the “worst piece of legislation” he has seen since being appointed to the Senate. The majority of the non-government Senators objected to the Bill, some even calling for a division in the vote. In the end, […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Agriculture,
Featured |
Comments Off on Called “Pee Pee in Milk” and “Power Grab,” Sugar Amendment Bill to Stay in Deliberation, Not Passed by Senate
The Contractor General’s Report, for the period February 2020 through March 2021, has been published and made available to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as well as the President of the Senate. The thirty-eight page document compiled by the Office of Contractor General Omar Mitchell examines the aggregate number of contracts that were […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Featured |
Comments Off on A Glimpse at the Contractor General’s Latest Report
The Contractor General’s Report also touches briefly on the Corruption Perception Index and the fact that Belize does not have such an important indicator to refer to when assigning a transparency data point. According to the Contractor General, the CPI must be viewed within the context that the Government of Belize is keen on fast-tracking […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Featured |
Comments Off on Still No Corruption Perception Index for Belize
Kareem Michael has been named as the new Central Bank Governor. The post was left vacant by Gustavo Manuel Vasquez, who resigned back in August, after only nineteen weeks in that capacity. But there is word there are some in the Briceño Administration who are not too happy with Michael taking the helm because of […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Featured |
Comments Off on How Much Was Spent to Get Rid of Former Central Bank Governor?
As we reported last week, Doctor Deysi Mendez is no longer the C.E.O. in the Ministry of Health and Wellness and her replacement is former Lands C.E.O., Doctor Lesbia Guerra. But as Public Service Minister confirmed with the media today, Doctor Mendez is going to remain within the ministry – however, not in the driving […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on Dr. Mendez to Head NHI, while Lesbia Guerra takes over as C.E.O. in MOHW
Today news five spoke with Minister of the Public Service Minister Henry Charles Usher about key posts that are becoming vacant with the retirement of senior public officers. Among those are Brigadier General Steven Ortega, who’s retiring from the leadership of the Belize Defence Force and Auditor General Dorothy Bradley, who has hit what many […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Defense |
Comments Off on Who Will Replace Auditor General Bradley?
Auditor General Bradley was the key person behind a number of audits, but one in particular for which she expressed frustration was an audit at the Ministry of Natural Resources, which has over the years been aptly referred to as a hotbed of corruption. It is believed that millions upon millions of dollars in compensation […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on What Happens to the Investigation on Corruption at Lands?
Also leaving office is the Brigadier General Steven Ortega of the Belize Defense Force. His replacement has not been chosen yet, but that too has a process. Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service, Constitutional & Public Reform “I had an opportunity to meet with him on a few occasions. He certainly is a […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places |
Comments Off on Who Will Replace Steven Ortega at B.D.F.?
Today at the Biltmore Plaza in Belize City, the Government of Belize launched its national digital agenda as the country moves towards a digital Belize. It’s about building trust in government services that are now transitioning to an online platform. News Five’s Duane Moody was in attendance and files this report. Duane Moody, Reporting […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Miscellaneous |
Comments Off on G.O.B. Launches its National Digital Agenda
The Briceno Administration went back to the House of Representative on Friday to seek approval for the allocation of forty five million dollars for additional expenditure by way of a General Revenue Supplementary Appropriations Bill. This comes after a seventy million dollar Supplementary Appropriation Bill tabled in October. In the new Supplemental, funds are being […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on Opposition Questions Emoluments for New Hiring at Ministries
Also rising to oppose the latest Supplementary Appropriation Bill was Senator for the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, Elena Smith. Smith, a public figure who has been at the forefront of the Joint Union’s resistance to Government pay cuts, took issue with new personal emoluments when so many had to sacrifice ten percent of […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Senator Smith: Appropriations are “Slap in the Face”
At last Friday’s House Sitting in Belmopan, Prime Minister John Briceno rose to seek authorization for additional supplementary appropriations for the 2021-2022 fiscal year in several different areas that need prioritization. Prime Minister John Briceno “From recurrent and domestically-sourced Capital II Expenditures, we ramped up our social safety net efforts to almost six million […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on PM Breaks Down Supplementary Appropriations
There has been a visible increase in the number of fatal road traffic accidents being reported in recent weeks, as motorists continue to lose their lives in deadly collisions along the country’s highways. Over the weekend, Michael Lindo died when his Toyota Hilux rear-ended a commuter bus on the Southern Highway. The pickup truck he […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Auto Accidents |
Comments Off on Michael Lindo Perishes in RTA on Southern Highway
The hard line position recently taken by the head of the Belize Coast Guard to institute a firewall limiting information sharing with the Belize Police Department has been rescinded. It follows a meeting held last week between Commissioner of Police Chester Williams and Rear Admiral Elton Bennett. The BCG is presently leading the Joint Intelligence […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Home Affairs Minister Weighs in on JIOC Controversy
Over the weekend, a series of motorcades took place from Belize City to Orange Walk and down south in Punta Gorda, the hometown of Destiny Wagner and Miss Earth 2021 titleholder. Wagner made history for the country as the first Belizean to win an international pageant title. On Friday evening, she touched down at the […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
People & Places,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Welcome for Miss Earth 2021, PG’s Destiny Wagner
This Friday marks the 30th anniversary of Channel Five’s very first news broadcast. So this week we will be bringing you a series of special features called “News Five Remembers.” We begin tonight with a former news anchor, Ernesto Vasquez. He got his degree in broadcasting from Southwestern Louisiana University, and received additional training at […]
Written on December 6, 2021 | Posted in
Miscellaneous |
Comments Off on 5 @ 30: “News Five Remembers” Anchor Ernesto Vasquez
