2024-08-09 - Channel 5 Belize

Animation Bootcamp Reaches Orange Walk for Third Session

The Office of the Prime Minister and Investment, in collaboration with the Taiwan Technical Mission and the National Women’s Commission, launched a two-week animation bootcamp at Orange Walk Technical High School. Running from August 8th to 16th, this program provides women and girls with essential skills in graphic art and animation through a mix of in-person and online classes.

This program, which has previously been conducted in Corozal Town and Belize City, includes six training sessions divided between in-person and online classes. Attendees will also have the chance to develop and animate original stories, potentially earning copyrights for their work.

Key figures at the launch included Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño and Taiwan Ambassador H.E. Ms. Lily Li-Wen Hsu. The Investment Policy and Compliance Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister and Investment expressed gratitude to all partners involved in the successful rollout of the bootcamps across Corozal Town, Belize City, and Orange Walk Town.

Tropical Wave in Atlantic Shows Potential for Development

The National Hurricane Center reports a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave situated west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands.

Although the system is moving westward to west-northwestward, any development is expected to be slow over the next few days.

Conditions may become more favorable for development, with a potential tropical depression forming by early next week as it approaches the Lesser Antilles. The system could impact parts of the Greater Antilles by mid-week.

Formation chance through 48 hours: near 0 percent.
Formation chance through 7 days: 60 percent.

Dorothy Bradley’s Auditor General Contract Soon Ends, Who Will Replace?

The contract of Auditor General Dorothy Bradley is coming to an end. Bradley retired on December 14, 2021. However, she was brought out of retirement to serve a two-year contract beginning September 1, 2022. This appointment was unprecedented, as it marked the first time an Auditor General was hired on a contract basis, a move the government deemed necessary due to difficulties in finding a permanent successor.

Since her reappointment, the Briceño Administration has faced challenges in finding a permanent successor. But, as Bradley’s acting term concludes, the focus shifts to identifying a new Auditor General to continue the critical oversight the role calls for.

Earlier this year, President of the Public Service Union (PSU), Dean Flowers, publicly criticized Bradley’s performance. Flowers argued that her tenure has not met expectations, and called for a new appointment with greater competence and experience to fulfill the role of Auditor General effectively.

When asked about it on Thursday, PM Briceño said, “I think that is something the financial secretary is working on, and I’m sure that we will be able to find somebody that can be able to take on the, to be at the helm of the auditor general’s office”