BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC –Foreign Minister Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington is due to meet with his Guatemalan counterpart, Fernando Carreras, in the United States on Wednesday, less than a week after Belize confirmed that there will be no referendum in the two countries on October 6 in a bid to end the long standing border dispute between them.
The meeting will also be attended by the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Miguel Angel Insulza.
Belize
WASHINGTON, CMC – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) Monday expressed concerns regarding the human rights situation of the Maya indigenous communities in the District of Toledo, in Belize. The IACHR said that it has received information that private companies have been carrying out oil exploration and exploitation and logging activities in the traditional lands of Maya communities under permits issued by State authorities without prior consultation.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Gleaner - The Belize government is to launch a national bank that Prime Minister Dean Barrow said should place pressure on commercial banks to reduce lending rates to consumers in the future. Barrow said the National Bank of Belize Limited will have a start-up capital of BDZ$20 million (one Belize dollar = US$0.50 cents) that will come from PetroCaribe funds.
BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Australia will use its expertise in guiding the Caribbean adapt to climate change and manage its coral reefs.
Coral reefs provide benefits to the Caribbean valued at over four billion annually. The reefs of the Caribbean are of great importance in providing shoreline protection, habitat for healthy fisheries and an essential attraction for the tourism sector, according to the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC).
BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Prime Minister Dean Barrow says there will be no referendum in Belize and Guatemala on October 6 as the two countries seek to end a long standing border dispute between them.
Barrow told reporters that confirmation that the referendum would not be held on October 6 as planned came during a meeting in Haiti between Foreign Affairs Minister Sedi Elrington and his Guatemalan counterpart, Fernando Carrera. Both men were attending the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) summit in Port au Prince over the last weekend.
BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Australia will use its expertise in guiding the Caribbean adapt to climate change and manage its coral reefs.
Coral reefs provide benefits to the Caribbean valued at over four billion annually. The reefs of the Caribbean are of great importance in providing shoreline protection, habitat for healthy fisheries and an essential attraction for the tourism sector, the Belize Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC).
BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – The International Monetary Fund says Belize is expected to see economic growth in 2013 after the country experienced economic activity last year as a result of a strong rebound in agriculture and services. Gerardo Peraza, who headed an IMF mission to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to conduct its yearly review of the country’s economy, said in 2012, economic activity accelerated thanks to a strong rebound in agriculture and services, despite a sharp decline in crude oil production.
BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – The main opposition People’s United Party (PUP) has rejected the latest move by Guatemala showing Belize to be part of the Central American country.
Guatemala plans to distribute four million new passports with the map showing the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country as part of its territory over the next decade.
BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Belize has issued a dengue alert after a outbreaks of the virus in neighbouring countries like Costa Rica, Nicaraqua, El Salvador and Honduras.
The Ministry of Health said that a state of emergency had been declared in Honduras where 16 people had died from the virulent fever. It said that at least 40,000 people had been infected in Central America with 26 deaths reported.
Chief Executive Officer of the Vector Control Unit, Kim Bautista said that while the virus has not hit Belize as yet, “it’s a very active season throughout the region.
BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC - The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and the German Financial Cooperation (KfW) have signed a programme geared towards reducing the risks of climate change on the Caribbean’s coastal population.
The approximately six year Ecosystem-Based Approaches for Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Zones of Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean (EBACC) programme, which is slated to start later this year, will be implemented in St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Jamaica.