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  • Tax Service Sets GST-Free Laptop Rules

    Tax Service Sets GST-Free Laptop Rules

    As the 2026 back-to-school season approaches, the Belize Tax Service Department (BTSD) has released a comprehensive set of regulatory guidelines for retailers taking part in this year’s highly anticipated two-day GST-Free promotional event. The tax exemption program, scheduled to run on August 15 and August 29, is designed to ease the financial burden of educational spending for students, guardians, and teaching staff across the country, while establishing clear protocols to ensure the tax concession is distributed fairly and administered with full transparency.

    Under the new rules, consumers will be eligible to purchase one laptop completely free of General Sales Tax on each of the two designated event days. To prevent misuse of the tax break, participating retail businesses are required to complete strict identity verification for every customer claiming the exemption. All purchasers must present a valid government-issued photo identification, such as a Belize Social Security card or national passport, to qualify for the tax-free purchase.

    In addition to identity checks, retailers bear the responsibility of documenting a full range of transaction details for regulatory records. Required information includes the customer’s full name, government identification number, purchase invoice number, exact date of transaction, laptop brand and specific model, the device’s unique serial number, and the final selling price. All invoices for GST-free laptop purchases must also prominently display the clear notation: “GST Free – Back-to-School Tax-Free Days 2026,” and all supporting transaction documentation must be retained as part of the business’s permanent GST filing records.

    To streamline regulatory oversight, the BTSD has set strict reporting deadlines for participating retailers. Businesses must submit a complete summary of all GST-free laptop sales from the August 15 event no later than August 21, while sales from the August 29 event must be reported by September 4. Following the conclusion of the initiative, BTSD officials confirmed that the department will conduct thorough post-event compliance reviews, cross-checking submitted sales data against business records to identify any irregularities.

    The department has also issued a stern warning to businesses about the consequences of abuse. Any retailer found to be knowingly facilitating or participating in misuse of the GST concession – such as helping customers claim multiple unauthorized tax exemptions or falsifying transaction records – will face serious penalties. These consequences may include full reassessment of the business’s overall GST liability, accrued interest on unpaid taxes, substantial financial penalties, and additional legal action where appropriate.

  • Family Continues Appeal for Milagro Garel as She Fights for Recovery

    Family Continues Appeal for Milagro Garel as She Fights for Recovery

    In the early days of August 2026, a well-respected leader in pediatric healthcare across Belize remains in critical care, spurring her family to call for continued public solidarity and assistance amid her fight for recovery. Milagro Garel, who serves as Country Director for global non-profit World Pediatrics in Belize, suffered a life-threatening massive brain aneurysm earlier the same week.

    Following the medical emergency, Garel was emergency airlifted across the border to Guatemala by air ambulance on Thursday night, where she has been admitted to an intensive care unit for specialized, round-the-clock medical treatment. As clinical teams work diligently to stabilize her fragile condition, Garel continues to battle for her life, according to updates shared directly by her family.

    News of Garel’s sudden hospitalization has triggered an outpouring of support from across Belize and the global pediatric health community, with colleagues, long-time friends, and extended family members sharing tributes to her decades of public service. For more than 20 years, Garel has dedicated her career to expanding access to critical, life-saving medical care for vulnerable children and families across Belize, a legacy of service that many supporters have highlighted in their messages of hope.

    In a moving public post shared across social media platforms to spread awareness of Garel’s situation, family member Kristi Gonzalez remembered Garel as the unifying core of their extended family, noting that she has dedicated her entire life to lifting up other people through even their most overwhelming challenges. “She has spent her life moving mountains for others,” Gonzalez wrote. “Now it is our turn to move one for her.”

    Beyond calls for prayer and social sharing of Garel’s story to build broader awareness, Garel’s family is asking members of the public who are able to contribute financial donations to help offset the steep costs of her emergency transport and ongoing intensive medical care. Donations can be made directly to the designated Atlantic Bank account held by Joseph Garel, account number 10010449.

  • FIFA abandons private investment plan after global backlash

    FIFA abandons private investment plan after global backlash

    In a major reversal that marks one of the sharpest setbacks of his tenure, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has formally scrapped his divisive plan to sell minority non-controlling stakes in football’s top international tournaments to private investors, bowing to overwhelming pushback from continental governing bodies and member associations across the globe, the BBC has confirmed.

    The proposal, which would have established a new commercial subsidiary named FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to oversee FIFA’s flagship events including both the men’s and women’s World Cups, opened the door for outside private investors to acquire minority holdings in the new entity. To secure support from the body’s 211 member associations, FIFA offered an upfront $20 million payment to each association, with an additional $20 million promised following approval of the plan. Analysis prepared by investment bank JPMorgan Chase projected that the restructuring would unlock far greater long-term financial returns for members between 2015 and 2039, claiming that FIFA’s existing commercial assets were currently under-monetized.

    However, the plan sparked immediate and fierce resistance from every major regional football confederation. European football’s governing body UEFA went as far as to pass a formal vote committing to a boycott of future World Cups if the proposal moved forward, while North and Central America’s governing body CONCACAF rejected the plan in full. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) quickly joined the opposition, publicly declaring its solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF. With 55 UEFA members, 35 CONCACAF members, and 46 AFC members already lined up to vote against the plan, analysts widely agreed Infantino had no path to secure the 106 majority votes required for approval from FIFA’s full 211-member body.

    The controversy also roiled FIFA’s own internal administration, exposing deep rifts at the top of the organisation. FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour publicly claimed the organisation had been “deceived” about key details of the project, while Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s own senior adviser for global strategy and governance, resigned in protest, labeling the proposal “a bad deal for football” that would “mortgage football’s future” for short-term financial gains.

    Criticism of the plan and Infantino’s leadership extended far beyond the football ecosystem. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham publicly stated that Infantino was “the wrong man” to lead global football’s governing body. The proposal also drew political attention due to its expected lead investor: Thrive Eternal, an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. For his part, Trump claimed he had never discussed the investment proposal with Infantino, despite the two men’s known close personal ties.

    In his official statement confirming the plan’s cancellation, Infantino acknowledged the proposal had created damaging divisions that ran counter to the initiative’s original stated goals. “As a result, this proposal will not proceed,” he said. He reaffirmed that FIFA’s core purpose “has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve.”

    Despite the high-profile defeat, Infantino said he remains committed to repairing fractured relationships across global football. “Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game,” he added, as he prepares to run for a fourth term as FIFA president at the organisation’s upcoming Congress next March.

    AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa welcomed Infantino’s decision to scrap the plan, saying that the future of global football must be shaped through “proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures of our game.”

    BBC analysis notes that the collapse of the investment plan has significantly intensified pressure on Infantino ahead of the 2026 presidential election, raising new and serious questions about his ability to hold onto his leadership role when delegates gather to vote in March.

  • What does the forecast hold? Drier months, increased heat expected

    What does the forecast hold? Drier months, increased heat expected

    Residents of the Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia are being urged to prepare for prolonged dry conditions and above-average temperatures over the closing months of 2026, as a developing El Niño pattern reshapes regional weather through the island’s traditional wet season.

    Speaking at a Wednesday press briefing hosted by the Saint Lucia Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) held at the National Workers Union Conference Room, Saint Lucia Meteorological Services Director Vigil Saltibus outlined the key risks associated with the current climate shift. El Niño, a naturally recurring ocean-atmosphere weather pattern defined by unusually warm surface temperatures across the eastern and central Pacific Ocean, is partially driving the expected deviation from typical seasonal conditions.

    “El Niño typically acts to suppress rainfall during the Caribbean wet season, and the event is also linked to higher-than-average global temperatures overall,” Saltibus explained. While the large-scale pattern reduces overall precipitation, he emphasized that dangerous weather events remain possible. Localized flooding can still develop if atmospheric instability combines with enough moisture, particularly in association with passing tropical waves, tropical storms, and upper-level troughs, he warned. Residents should remain vigilant for these events even amid broader dry conditions.

    El Niño events generally last between 9 and 12 months, and occur at irregular intervals of 2 to 7 years. Saint Lucia’s official wet season runs from June through November, but Saltibus’s forecast shows the most severe drought and peak heat will hit between September and November. This high-risk window aligns exactly with the peak of the annual Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30 each year.

    Despite the overlapping timing, Saltibus noted that El Niño typically suppresses Atlantic hurricane activity, leading to a 2026 season forecast to be near-normal to below-normal in overall activity. Official meteorological predictions call for 8 to 14 named storms, 3 to 6 hurricanes, and 1 to 3 major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher) this season. As of early August, two named storms – Arthur and Bertha – have already formed and moved through the Atlantic basin.

    In response to the forecast, both Saltibus and WASCO leadership have stressed that proactive preparedness and consistent water conservation remain top priorities for communities across Saint Lucia to mitigate the impacts of the coming dry and hot conditions.

  • Tropical luxury, music and style define Soca & Wine: Lux Tropix experience

    Tropical luxury, music and style define Soca & Wine: Lux Tropix experience

    On a vibrant Friday night, The Concorde Experience played host to one of the season’s most anticipated premium Crop Over celebrations: Soca & Wine: Lux Tropix. Dozens of attendees flooded the Christ Church venue, stepping out in carefully curated outfits that leaned perfectly into the event’s tropical theme—from bold, eye-catching prints and vivid saturated hues to delicate floral-inspired ensembles that turned the entrance into an impromptu fashion showcase. As soon as guests crossed the threshold, it was clear that event organizers Hits and Jams Entertainment, in partnership with Zulu Entertainment, had poured meticulous attention into every detail to craft an elevated, premium experience for attendees.

    The entire space was transformed to match the event’s Lux Tropix branding, with custom tropical floral installations paired with glimmering gold decorative accents that set a sophisticated yet playful luxury aesthetic right from the start. To kick off the evening, every guest received a curated welcome bag featuring a branded event cup, a portable handheld fan for warm Caribbean temperatures, and a pair of foldable flats—small, thoughtful touches that signaled the event’s focus on comfort and premium value, all included with general admission. Alongside these welcome gifts, entry also granted guests access to catered food, top-shelf premium drinks, and a full night of curated soca music from a lineup of talented selectors.

    One of the first major draws for arriving patrons was the eye-catching branded red carpet and custom tropical-themed photo backdrop, which drew a steady stream of groups of friends, couples, and larger party crews eager to capture memorable shots before heading to the dance floor. Additional branded backdrops for photos lined the venue’s corridors, giving guests no shortage of spots to document their night out. The cohesive tropical luxury design carried through every corner of the unique venue, which is centered around a retired Concorde aircraft, creating a one-of-a-kind, visually striking atmosphere that set the event apart from standard Crop Over celebrations.

    Complimentary catered food was available to all guests from 3 p.m., when the event launched, through 8 p.m., stationed at the far end of the venue. Patrons gathered around cozy cocktail tables to catch up with friends, snack on catered offerings, and warm up before the night’s full musical sets got underway. The lineup featured a diverse roster of selectors including DJ Macyy Jadee, Thorny, Gully Ras, Legacy Team, DJ Energy, Pun, Akelo, and Supa Nytro. For guests looking to expand beyond the included catered menu, additional independent food vendors and extra bars were set up across the venue grounds for additional purchase.

    Notably, the lineup’s only female DJ, Macyy Jadee, traveled all the way from the United Kingdom to deliver her set to the Crop Over crowd. Throughout the entire evening, the assembled selectors kept energy levels sky-high with a thoughtfully curated blend of timeless classic soca anthems and the hottest contemporary tracks, ensuring the dance floor stayed packed and active long after the sun went down. As the event approached its midnight closing time, the venue hit peak capacity, with a throng of enthusiastic crowd members packing the space in front of the stage, dancing nonstop to the booming soca beats that filled the air. What resulted was a seamless, well-planned celebration that delivered on every promise of its tropical luxury branding.

  • Dominica Business Forum praises civil by-election debate, calls for greater youth participation

    Dominica Business Forum praises civil by-election debate, calls for greater youth participation

    A pre-election public debate organized by the Dominica Business Forum Inc. for candidates in the upcoming Roseau Central by-election has been lauded as a landmark example of constructive political engagement, despite organizers voicing disappointment over chronically low youth participation at the event.

    Hosted on July 29 at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital, the discussion brought together three contenders vying for the vacant constituency seat: Ashma McDougall of the ruling Dominica Labour Party, Danny Lugay from the opposition United Workers Party, and independent challenger Sherman Boston. In an official press statement released two days ahead of the forum on July 27, the organization extended public gratitude to the three candidates, moderators and broadcast journalists Kaywana Fontaine Wilson and Mathias Peltier Jr., and the general public for their collective contributions to making the event a success. Local media outlets DBS Radio and Dominica News Online also earned praise from the forum for their work broadcasting the discussion live over radio and streaming it online, opening access to the conversation for both domestic audiences and Dominicans living overseas.

    The non-profit umbrella group, which has served as a coordinated voice for Dominica’s business community since its founding and registration in December 2012, says feedback collected from both in-person attendees and online viewers has been overwhelmingly positive. A large majority of respondents voiced explicit support for the organization to host more similar cross-party candidate discussions ahead of future elections across the country.

    For the forum, the event successfully fulfilled its core stated goal: creating a structured, respectful space where political candidates with competing ideological and partisan perspectives could come together to debate issues of critical national importance. Organizers emphasized that the polite, professional demeanor all candidates maintained throughout the discussion proved the tangible public value of constructive political dialogue. The forum added that the exchange set a strong benchmark that all future candidates seeking public office in Dominica should aim to meet.

    Despite the widespread acclaim for the debate, the organization highlighted one notable shortcoming that it says warrants urgent attention: the disproportionately low turnout of young voters at the event. In its statement, the forum expressed deep concern that a large share of the country’s young electorate missed a critical opportunity to watch leading political candidates debate the policies and issues that will directly shape Dominica’s future. To strengthen the country’s democratic processes, the group argues that targeted efforts must be made to boost youth engagement in future similar events, as higher youth participation fosters more informed civic involvement and enriches the quality of public democratic discourse.

    As a reminder, the Dominica Business Forum stressed that it remains a strictly politically neutral and non-partisan entity. Its core mandate, it says, is to collaborate with all national stakeholders across the political spectrum exclusively to advance inclusive, sustainable economic development across the island nation.

  • U.S. will make visa bond program permanent, affecting Antigua and other countries

    U.S. will make visa bond program permanent, affecting Antigua and other countries

    After a year-long testing period, the U.S. State Department has announced it will make a contentious visa bond pilot program permanent, while also increasing the maximum required payment to $20,000 for eligible applicants. The rule, which affects nationals of 50 countries, the majority of which are located across Africa, is set to officially take effect Monday, when the formal notice is published in the Federal Register. Officials have also left open the possibility of adding more nations to the affected list in the future.

    First unveiled by the Trump administration in August 2023, the program was designed to crack down on visa overstays, a key part of the administration’s broader goal of reducing illegal immigration to the United States. The policy applies specifically to applicants seeking B1 business visas and B2 tourist visas, requiring them to post a cash bond before their consular interview. Bonds are fully refunded if an application is rejected, or if the traveler abides by the terms of their visa and departs the U.S. before their authorization expires.

    When the pilot launched, the bond structure had three tiers: $5,000, $10,000, and a maximum of $15,000, with consular officers holding the authority to set the required amount on a case-by-case basis. Under the new permanent rule, the $5,000 minimum tier is eliminated, and the ceiling is raised by $5,000 to a new maximum of $20,000.

    A draft of the rule, published Friday in the Federal Register ahead of its official release, notes that a 12-month review of the pilot collected sufficient evidence to conclude the program effectively pushes visitors to comply with visa conditions. State Department officials have gone a step further, publicly framing the initiative as a remarkable success.

    Official data shows that in 2024, roughly 45,500 travelers from the 50 affected countries overstayed their visas. By comparison, in the first 10 months of the pilot program, fewer than 50 overstays were recorded among visitors from those nations who entered under the new requirements. The U.S. government currently estimates that the average cost of arresting and deporting a single visa overstayer is approximately $18,000, a cost the program aims to offset and reduce.

    Unexpected shifts in application numbers have also emerged since the pilot launched. Initially, State Department projections estimated that only around 2,000 applicants per year would fall under the bond requirement. In practice, roughly 20,000 applicants have been required to post a bond, 10 times the initial estimate.

    Nearly half of all affected applicants have opted to abandon their applications rather than pay the required bond. Data shows an 83% overall drop in the number of B1 and B2 visas issued to nationals of the countries on the affected list. In its formal notice, the State Department said it expects the permanent rule will continue to drive down the volume of B1/B2 visa applications from participating countries, advancing the program’s core goals.

  • “Ezequiel” surrenders, implicated in the death of “El Rubito” during a fight in Santiago

    “Ezequiel” surrenders, implicated in the death of “El Rubito” during a fight in Santiago

    In a development that brings a high-profile homicide investigation one step closer to resolution, Dominican National Police announced Saturday that Alexander Torres Lora, a suspect linked to the fatal stabbing of Domingo Andrés Acevedo Peña, has turned himself in to authorities. Torres Lora, who is known by the aliases “Ezequiel” and “El Sade”, surrendered at the regional headquarters of Cibao Central, accompanied by his family members and a representative from a local media outlet, following days of coordinated investigative tracking by law enforcement.

  • Immigration control Drones and patrols: this is how the operation that ended with 47 arrests unfolded

    Immigration control Drones and patrols: this is how the operation that ended with 47 arrests unfolded

    In coordinated border surveillance and immigration enforcement missions carried out across two northern Dominican provinces, the Dominican Republic Army (Ejército de República Dominicana, ERD) has apprehended 47 Haitian nationals who entered the country without valid immigration documentation.

    The operations, which leveraged modern drone technology to enhance situational awareness and detection capabilities, unfolded across targeted locations in Dajabón and Santiago Rodríguez provinces, both positioned near the Dominican-Haitian border that has long been a focal point for irregular migration activity.

    In the first high-profile intercept, soldiers stationed at the Masacre border outpost, working alongside the military’s specialized drone unit, spotted and detained 16 undocumented migrants during routine area patrols. The group was composed of 14 adult men and two adult women, all of whom had crossed into Dominican territory without completing required immigration checks.

    A second seizure took place in the Los Cañaverales sector of Los Miches, located within Dajabón province, when troops from the ERD’s 10th Infantry Battalion again used aerial surveillance to track and intercept another group of 14 unregistered Haitian nationals. That group included 13 men and one woman, bringing the total number of detentions in Dajabón to 30.

    Further inland in Santiago Rodríguez province, troops assigned to the La Leonor detachment intercepted the final group of 17 migrants in the Coquí community, which sits along a common irregular entry route. This group included 15 adult men, one adult woman, and one unaccompanied minor, all caught immediately after crossing into Dominican territory illegally.

    Following their detainment, all 47 migrants were first transferred to local military command centers for initial processing, before being formally handed over to the Dominican Republic’s General Directorate of Migration (DGM). The DGM will now oversee the official repatriation process, carried out in full compliance with the country’s existing immigration legislation.

    In a statement outlining the mission, the ERD emphasized that it maintains 24/7 surveillance, mobile patrols, and targeted interdiction operations across the entire shared border and other high-risk areas under its jurisdiction. These persistent efforts are designed to curb unauthorized entry of foreign nationals, dismantle transnational criminal networks that profit from migrant smuggling, and reinforce overall Dominican national security.

  • “With cries to heaven”: residents of Los Alcarrizos denounce power outages and water shortages

    “With cries to heaven”: residents of Los Alcarrizos denounce power outages and water shortages

    In the Los Alcarrizos district of the Dominican Republic, hundreds of families across five residential sectors have spent months grappling with two crippling basic service failures: prolonged, routine power outages and a persistent shortage of potable drinking water, local residents publicly denounced this Sunday.

    The affected communities — Las Glorias, Los Cerros, Residencial Pablo, Mella and Pueblo Nuevo — report that power cuts follow a predictable, disruptive schedule, cutting off electricity consistently from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. each night. This nightly blackout window does more than just disrupt daily life: it undermines rest for working residents and inflicts measurable financial harm on local small business operators who rely on consistent power to keep their businesses running.

    Gustavo Pérez, who owns a small neighborhood grocery store, explained that the combination of extended outages and the region’s sweltering high temperatures has destroyed hundreds of dollars worth of inventory that requires constant refrigeration. “Our products that need refrigeration are spoiling due to the lack of energy,” Pérez confirmed in an interview with local community organizers.

    North Villa Mella, the broader region where these sectors are located, has long been framed as being on the cusp of modern development, yet decades of underinvestment have left it trapped in systemic poverty with gaps in even the most basic public services. The water crisis compounds the misery caused by unreliable power, with residents of Las Glorias reporting that consistent drinking water service has been unavailable for more than seven months.

    Supply gaps are most extreme in the elevated sections of the sector, where running water rarely reaches households at all. Even in lower-elevation neighborhoods, water is only available for a few hours just once or twice a week. Forced to secure water for their households amid the chronic shortage, many families have turned to purchasing water from private tanker trucks — a service that costs between 2,000 and 2,500 Dominican pesos, an expense that local residents say places an unbearable strain on already tight household budgets.

    Residents describe daily life in the area as unlivable: backup power inverters have been worn down by constant use from intermittent power, soaring heat makes indoor spaces unbearable, and booming mosquito populations have made it impossible to get a full night of sleep. “The inverters are down, the heat is unbearable, and the mosquitoes have us cornered. We can’t sleep,” community members said in a joint statement.

    Mercedes Cruz, a long-time resident of the area, shared that she returns home from a full workday at 10 p.m. each night only to face another round of service failures. “Every day I get home at 10 pm, after a long day at work, and I find there’s no electricity. Between the blackouts, the lack of water, the mosquitoes, and the heat, I feel like I never get any rest,” Cruz explained.

    Local community leaders have issued an urgent call for national and municipal authorities to intervene immediately to resolve the crisis and restore stable, reliable water and power service to the affected neighborhoods. Fed up with unfulfilled political pledges, leaders say residents are demanding tangible solutions that respect their fundamental right to access these core public services. “We demand respect for our right to receive electricity and drinking water. We are tired of promises and we need solutions,” leaders concluded.