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Opposition Leader Hon. Tracy Panton on Tuesday condemned the Government’s handling of the proposed BTL transaction, arguing it risks restoring telecom consolidation under secrecy while positioning the state as buyer, regulator, and beneficiary without public disclosure. Panton, speaking at a United Democratic Party press conference, framed the proposed BTL transaction—widely discussed as involving SMART/Speednet—as a governance issue, not simply a commercial matter. She argue

Belize has been included in a list of 75 countries for which the United States will indefinitely suspend immigrant visa processing, a measure set to take effect on January 21 as part of the Trump administration’s expanded immigration crackdown. According to U.S. reporting and the U.S. State Department’s public explanation, the suspension applies to immigrant visas—such as those used for employment-based immigration or for joining family members permanently in the United State

The proposed sale of Speednet Communications Limited to Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) is raising renewed concern about how large sums of money linked to Lord Ashcroft–related entities may ultimately be handled. In a press release dated January 12, 2026, the Office of Lord Ashcroft confirmed that Speednet is 77.5 percent owned by the Waterloo Group Charitable Trust, with the remaining shares held by Jaime Briceño and Renan Briceño. The Trust says it was created for charitable

Drug use disorders are becoming a serious and growing public health problem across the Americas, according to a new study by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The study found that drug use disorders are now among the top ten causes of death and disability in the region. In 2021, about 17.7 million people in the Americas were living with a drug use disorder. Nearly 78,000 deaths were directly linked to these conditions, a death rate four times higher than the global

Chon Saan Palace has issued a warning on it's Faceook page, stating that some call center agents in Belize are allegedly using clients’ stolen credit card information to make unauthorized purchases, a practice the company says poses a serious threat to the entire industry. In a statement, the company cautioned that the misuse of sensitive financial data puts call center operations at risk of losing international contracts, as overseas partners demand strict compliance with da

The Government of Belize has received approximately US$250,000 in equipment and hardware from the Government of the United States of America under the newly established Biometric Data Sharing Partnership (BDSP. The official signing ceremony took place in Belmopan and involved representatives from the Ministry of Immigration, Governance and Labour, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Enterprise, and the U.S. Embassy in Belize. The signing formalized the partnership and the transf

Belize’s leading business lobby is urging a pause on any Belize Telemedia Limited move to acquire SpeedNet/SMART; however, global telecom analysts argue regulators are increasingly permitting consolidation—provided strict competition safeguards and enforceable consumer protections are in place. The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) this week issued a public statement warning that a BTL acquisition of SMART would reshape the national telecommunications landscape,

The Leader of the Opposition says Belizeans are hearing credible reports that Belize Telemedia Limited has quietly finalized acquisitions involving SMART, Centaur and NexGen, raising concerns that the public is being excluded from decisions with national consequences. Opposition Leader Hon. Tracy Taegar Panton said the reported developments suggest a pattern in which major transactions are handled without openness or public accountability. She contended that what is unfolding

Homeowners in Belize City are preparing for higher property tax payments in 2026 after the Belize City Council approved an 18 percent increase under a revised property valuation framework. Municipal officials say the adjustment addresses long-standing discrepancies in property assessments that no longer reflect present-day values, while also helping City Hall cope with increasing operational expenses. According to the council, outdated valuations had created funding gaps that

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft from Joint Base Lewis-McChord arrived in Belize this week, delivering four emergency response vehicles to Southern Emergency Services to bolster disaster and emergency response capabilities across the country. The vehicles will be deployed to support communities nationwide, enhancing readiness for medical emergencies, natural disasters, and other critical incidents. In a statement, the U.S. Embassy in Belize explained that the de

The Belize Postal Service (BPS) has announced that all outbound mail and packages to the United States resumed on January 7, 2026, following a temporary suspension that began in August 2025. The suspension was put in place after the United States Government enacted Executive Order 14324, which removed the long-standing duty-free threshold for international shipments. As a result of the new rule, all packages entering the United States, regardless of their value, are now subje

BY: Neri Briceno The world as we know it has always been ruled by the strong. This has manifested itself through individuals, empires, and most recently, nations. If we trace this back to biblical times, the tribes of what is now the Middle East fought for control of land and resources and, to some extent, to spread religion. The theme of fighting primarily for land and resources has therefore remained throughout the centuries. The Romans did it to the Egyptians and to most o

By: Dorian A. Barrow, Ph.D. Florida State University For Belize 2026 will be the year of the International Court of Justice (the ICJ) and we need to prepare for all possible outcomes of the ICJ’s verdict – good or bad! This essay is, therefore, a further reflection on a piece that I wrote earlier on based on what appears to me to be a re-interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine by the current US administration. As I pointed out previously, the Monroe Doctrine, originating in 18

New Labour Force Survey results indicate that the sharp contraction observed in 2024 may be easing, as the April and September 2025 labour-force figures move closer to the levels recorded before last year’s decline. In 2024, the labour force registered one of its steepest drops on record, falling to 166,206 in September after several years of stability around 190,000 to 195,000. The 2025 data, however, show a measurable shift upward. April 2025 recorded 183,368 persons in the

Belize’s unemployment rate dropped to 1.9 percent in September 2025; however, the exceptionally low figure signals deeper structural shifts within the labour market rather than a uniformly strong employment landscape. Preliminary data from the Labour Force Survey show that only 3,421 persons met the criteria for unemployment, a rate that falls below what many labour economists regard as “full employment,” typically between 3 and 5 percent. Such a level reduces measured jobles

Belize has earned a new international cultural honor as UNESCO has officially inscribed the “Krismos Bram and Sambai” tradition of Gales Point Manatee Village onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision was made during UNESCO’s 20th session in New Delhi, India, and announced early Tuesday morning Belize time. A Belizean delegation from the Institute for Social and Cultural Research, the National Kriol Council, and cultural leader

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology (MoECST) and the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) have renwed their shared commitment to strengthening Belize’s education system following a meeting held on Thursday, December 4. The discussions concluded with the signing of a joint statement focused on improving teacher welfare, professional development, and working conditions for educators nationwide. According to the statement, the Ministry remains steadfast

The National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) has taken a major step toward engaging young people in the labor movement with the creation of a new post, Director of Young Vanguard. The position was added after the union amended its constitution at its Annual General Meeting. Ashley Longford of the Christian Workers Union was elected as the first person to hold the new role. Her appointment marks the official start of the Young Vanguard, the NTUCB’s youth arm. The union

Hon. Tracy Panton, newly confirmed Leader of the Opposition and UDP Party Leader, outlined three urgent national priorities she plans to drive under her leadership: addressing the high cost of living, restoring transparency in governance, and strengthening citizen security. Panton said economic pressures remain the most widespread concern she encountered throughout her campaign for leadership. She noted that while the administration reports that the economy is performing well

Hon. Tracy Panton says comprehensive internal restructuring will be the UDP’s immediate focus, beginning with constitutional reform aimed at preventing future governance breakdowns within the party. Panton stated that the party’s first priority is strengthening its internal framework to avoid a repeat of the recent leadership turmoil. She emphasized that no single chairman or leader should again be able to override institutional safeguards or dismantle party mechanisms. The r