WEATHER

While highlighting the major accomplishments made in the last year of the judiciary of Belize, Chief Justice Dr. Abdulai Conteh also shed light on a number of challenges that affect the judiciary. The two main challenges he identified are “…the need for equal representation of the parties [in a case]…[and] the perennial inadequacy of resources and its implications for judicial independence.” More

It was a proud day for the country—and especially women in Belize—when Justice Michelle Arana was formally appointed the first woman judge of the Belize Supreme Court on Monday, January 16, 2006. But it was blessing bestowed upon a woman with great humility, pride and determination, as well the vision to look at today’s younger generation and affirm her goal to blaze a trail for young girls who will become tomorrow’s women. More

The Government tried to put a tight lid on the Registry scandal by quickly terminating the privatization contracts and announcing the refund of $2.25 million in stamp duties, but the country’s premier private sector agency, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), has sought recourse in the Supreme Court, essentially asking the court to order the Government to reclaim all monies it believes were due to be paid into the public treasury, but which had instead gone into private hands. More

Opposition Senator, Ambrose Tillett, has written to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) challenging its decision to increase electricity rates and give the Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) an increase in revenues, purportedly to pay for electricity costs.Senator Tillett contends that the rate increase was, in effect, illegal, since the PUC did not follow proper procedure set out in the law, in writing the new regulations under which the PUC granted the rate increase, which took effect on January 1. More

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