April, 2024 - Channel 5 Belize

Tutbay FC is 2024 William Dawson Peace Cup Champion

Over twelve weeks of highly competitive football in the William Dawson Peace Cup came to an end on Sunday. Twelve teams, comprised of more than two hundred and fifty players and staff, started the tournament on January sixth. But there can only be one. After playing in six different venues over the course of the season, the final match was played inside the MCC Grounds. Tutbay Football Club took on Ceasar Ridge FC to see who will be crowned champions. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The William Dawson Peace Cup ended on Sunday with a match that was worthy of a championship game. Ceasar Ridge FC took on Tutbay FC in a match that ended in a penalty shootout. The game was played inside the MCC Grounds. The sounds of cultural drumming and singing filled the air to start the afternoon. Richard Mendoza secured the first goal of the game for Tutbay off a shot on target from outside the penalty box. Mendoza was in front of the goal to take advantage of the goalkeeper’s fumble. Seven minutes later, Tyrone Guy returned the favor for Ceasar Ridge from a fast break that led to a soft touch into the net directly in front the goal.

The game was tied at one apiece going into the second half. No goals were scored in the second half of the game, so the match went into extra time. In the second half of extra time, Tutbay once again finds the back of the net, this time with a great deal of skills and finesse on display. Determined to stay in the game, Ceasar Ridge came from behind with a bombshell drop kick from behind the penalty box that flew over the goalkeeper’s head and into the net. That goal took the game into penalty. Ceasar Ridge first penalty shot was good. Tut Bay also scored their first shot.

Both teams kept exchanging goals and they were tied at three goals each, when Tutbay’s goalkeeper stopped a penalty shot from Ceasar Ridge. With the championship on the line, Tutbay had the last penalty shot of the match. The ball went past the goalkeeper and into the net. Tutbay FC is your 2024 Williams Dawson Peace Cup Champions. A short ceremony was held after the match to recognize all the teams that participated in the tournament’s inaugural season.

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports

“Today is a testament to show that as young people we can play in unity and harmony, and everybody cannot win. I want to congratulate Tutbay for being the champion and Ceasar Ridge for coming in second and all those who participate in the competition. As I was walking around the field most people come to me and say, look at the condition of the MCC field and I can assure you that by next year this time, MCC will be back to its glory days, we are going to make sure. I was able to convince Cabinet to set aside two million dollars to fix up facilities in the country. And, Belize City will be first and foremost.”

Douglas Hyde, Coordinator, William Dawson Peace Cup

“We had limited incidents and accidents but we lost one and so we must take that time to recognize, CJ, Charles James who was one of us. Big up CJ. This tournament was based on its purpose which is create peace, we did it. We create peace among players who now socialize better among each other. Every week, every month, we saw this tournament developing and growing better. Receiving an official letter from the FFB stating that twe are now recognize and sanctioned through the Belize District Football Association. This letter also commended the organizing committee for its hard work and dedication to this tournament and very importantly as stated, we will also allow the two representatives, your champions and sub-champions to be part of our National Amateur League Championship in 2024.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

200 agents of the Army, Air Force, and National Guard arrive in Chetumal

An operation was deployed in Chetumal after several violent incidents were recorded in the last few hours.

Given the growing insecurity in several areas of Quintana Roo, 200 members of the Army, Air Force, and National Guard arrived in the capital municipality of Othón Pompeyo Blanco in artillery vehicles, as well as an EC225 helicopter, to carry out operations with local authorities.

Among the most recent cases of violence are the execution of businessman Jonathan “N”, the murder of a minor, the execution of the head of the Secretariat of Citizen Security and former director of the Cancún Prison,Fermín Cortés Burgos, and the kidnapping of a captain of the Mexican Army, who was released hours later.

Cortés had previously received threats, allegedly for being linked to criminal groups. Cortés was shot as he drove on his motorcycle on Chetumal Avenue. He crashed into a vehicle. The gunmen alighted their car and shot Cortés more than twenty times.

Law enforcement officers are tasked with reinforcing law and order in the state.

Published by The Yucatan Times

Power Outage Affects Court Proceedings

According to Belize Electricity Limited, a “burnt crossarm on a transmission structure in a remote area of the Corozal District” was identified as the fault that led to an unplanned power outage that affected certain parts of the country. B.E.L. teams conducted temporary repairs to restore power supply. The company said that “an emergency outage will be required after 4:00pm today to complete repairs.”

On Monday night, B.E.L. issued a press release apologizing to customers.

It said, “We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the extended load shedding, which we were forced to carry out due to a shortage of in-country generation capacity after supply from CFE (Mexico) was abruptly curtailed. As we had earlier informed customers, our gas turbine at Westlake on the George Price Highway, which is one of our major backup power sources, is being upgraded and is currently out of service. This generating unit is scheduled to be brought back online early next week. We are also installing a gas turbine in San Pedro, and this should be completed before the end of May. Together, these additional generation sources will put us in a much better position to meet demand if supply from CFE is curtailed, especially during the high demand months of May through July.”

This morning, attorney Arthur Saldivar was asked about the release. He said it should be a matter of great concern to all Belizeans. “During the day here at court, we are seeing where it is inconveniencing the judiciary and the administration of justice.”

Saldivar went on to say, “Sad to say, but we no longer live in a peaceful country as we once did. It is a very violent place, and the blackout at night is very concerning, especially in the city.”

B.E.L. assures customers that it is making “every effort to maintain safe, reliable, and sustainable energy supply to all service areas countrywide.”

San Pedro Mayor Wally Nunez Challenges Sitting Area Rep. Andre Perez

Belize Rural South Area Representative Andre Perez was recently welcomed back to Cabinet following a lengthy suspension. Perez returned as the Minister of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management. He was sidelined from the government following accusations of sexual misconduct by attorney Wendy Auxillou. Prime Minister John Briceño told reporters on April 16 that “the investigation was that no laws were broken.”

The Prime Minister reinforced his decision to welcome back Perez by saying, “I think the point that you all are missing is that Minister Perez went into his constituency and he worked hard, and for this municipal election, he… For this election, he, along with the mayor, Wally Nunez, they won by the largest margin ever in the history of San Pedro.”

Mayor Nunez’s recent win in San Pedro Town has him seeking higher office. He wants to be the next area representative for Belize Rural South. He wants to replace Perez. Does he stand a chance? How will the leaders of the People’s United Party react to Nunez’s ambitions? Is Andre Perez’s political career in trouble?

Nunez posted on Facebook: “The people of San Pedro and Caye Caulker have been asking for quite some time now if I will represent them in the general elections. Well, this is [a] testament that I will be sending in my application to represent you all! Let democracy prevail!”

Let’s compare both men’s performance in their most recent elections. Municipal elections for Nunez and general elections for Perez.

According to the Elections and Boundaries Department, for the 2020 general elections, Perez obtained 4336, or 62.96%, of the votes. His opponent, Manuel Heredia Jr., received 2419, or 35.12%. The BPF’s candidate, Thomas Henry Greenwood Jr., received 37, or 0.54%, of the votes. 95 ballots were rejected. There were 5,410 registered voters in that division. 4475, or 82.75%, cast their vote.

According to the Elections and Boundaries Department, for the 2024 municipal elections, Nunez received 3651. His UDP opponent, Wilfredo Alamilla, received 1319 votes. There are 8704 registered voters in the municipality. 5397, or 62.01%, cast their votes. Nunez increased his margin of victory by 189 votes compared to the March 3, 2021 municipal elections.

On Facebook, Nunez has received a wave of support. Perez told News Five he would not comment at this time.

Alex Nolberto is Belize CitCo’s New Finance Director

The Belize City Council announced today the appointment of Alex Nolberto as the new Director of Finance, effective June 3, 2024. According to the Council, the appointment follows a “thorough selection process and official recommendation by the interview committee.”

The Council says, “Nolberto brings with him over twenty years of experience in leadership, banking, finance, risk management, revenue maximization, and comprehensive financial strategy development. His expertise in these areas, along with his dedication to structure and excellence, positions him as the ideal candidate to lead the finance team at the Belize City Council.”

Nolberto holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He is a Certified Professional in Anti-Money Laundering (CPAML) and a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals. He is also an affiliate of the Financial and International Business Association (FIBA).

B.D.F. Rules Of Engagement at Sarstoon F.O.B.

Tonight, we’ll begin by revisiting the media’s most recent visit to the Sarstoon, the southernmost frontier point in Belize. Reporters were invited to join the Belize Defense Force for the inauguration of the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base. While at the location, they were also taken on a brief tour around Sarstoon Island. We’ll share the Opposition Leader’s position on what transpired elsewhere in our newscast. During the tour of the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base on Thursday, the Belize Defense Force held a briefing where Brigadier General Azariel Loria responded to numerous questions on his soldiers’ activities at the base. One of those questions was, what are troops trained to do in the event they come across persons engaged in illicit activities on Belize’s side of the river? According to the B.D.F. commander, there are protocols in place in the event a situation cannot be remedied by troops on the ground. Here is what he told us.

Brigadier General Azariel Loria, Commander, Belize Defense Force

“Whenever we have a situation here at the river mouth that cannot be remedied by the troops on the ground, by the commander here or the commander of the Sarstoon Village, right across, the GAF. We follow the chain of command; the patrol commander informs the operations officer at Fairweather Camp and the message is transmitted to us. We have our channels of communications open with the Guatemalan Armed Forces. We, however, do coordination with our military attaches. Thankfully we our attaches. I think there is a change, a changeover going on with the attachés. But we have our Belize attaché in Guatemala. And he does coordination. The ultimate one, if it really gets out of control is the foreign affairs ministry and they will say what to do. And, that is higher diplomacy, above the other ministries.”

What Happens If Shots Are Fired at B.D.F. On Sarstoon F.O.B.?

And while there is a B.D.F. channel of communication in place to report incidents on Sarstoon Island, what happens when the Guatemalan Armed Forces enter Belizean waters and shots are fired? According to Brigadier General Azariel Loria, the Sarstoon Forward Operating Base functions primarily as an observation base. But where the need arises, B.D.F. soldiers are authorized to take action to arrest any situation and make detentions. He further explained that the Belize Defense Force is always prepared to deploy additional troops to the area for additional security.

Brigadier General Azariel Loria, Commander, Belize Defense Force

“The intent here, the forward operating base functions as an observation base. The intend here is to observe and try to mitigate the threats as they may come. If you notice on the other side, there is a small amount of Guatemala military as well. That tells you something, they are not here to fight, and we are not here to fight as well. WE are here to maintain sovereignty. Should incase things get out of hand we have our SOP on how to withdraw because with a section in our doctrine we could never fight, but we could see, gather information and withdraw to a safer point and then take it on. That is the intent of this observation post if not we would have built another price barracks post and have a thousand men here. That is not the intent. It is a forward, a remote area. It is a great area of strategic importance. The other one is forty-five kilometers to the west of here that we also man and ensure that we are there. Those that have studied land power, knows the value of it, and hence the reason we are here.”

Opposition Leader Condemns GAF’s Actions on Sarstoon

The Leader of the Opposition has come out swinging at the Briceño administration over Thursday’s encounter with the Guatemalan Armed Forces on Sarstoon River. As we reported, two vessels carrying members of the GAF approached the three Belize Defense Forces vessels that were taking a tour of the island with members of the media. They stated that the vessels were in Guatemala’s territory and demanded that the purpose of our presence be made known. The Guatemalan vessels then followed the tour along the southern channel and into the northern channel of Sarstoon Island. Brigadier General Azariel Loria, the Commander of the Belize Defense Force, was among those present on the trip. Moses “Shyne” Barrow, the Leader of the Opposition, has since issued a statement condemning the actions of the Guatemalan Armed Forces and blaming the Briceño administration for their behavior. Here is what Barrow had to say.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“Incompetent Briceno’s failure to deliver promised Sarstoon Protocol leads to continued Guatemalan incursions. The opposition registers its condemnation of the Guatemalan Armed Forces breach of our territorial integrity by entering Belizean waters to obstruct our military personnel from completing a trip around our Sarstoon island with members of the press and other distinguished invited guest of our Sarstoon Forward Operating Base earlier on April twenty-fifth. While the UDP condemns the members of our armed forces for exercising restraint in order to ensure the safety of civilians on board, we emphatically deplore the governments inability to deliver on the Sarstoon Protocol they promised while campaigning to form government. According to individuals present on the Sarstoon trip, heavily armed Guatemalan soldiers approached the Belizean vessel carrying Brigadier General Azariel Loria and scolded them for being in Guatemala’s territory which is completely incorrect and abhorrent. Independent media reports go on to say that general Loria in front of members of the Belize press Corp. did not respond. We find no fault in the general’s decision, however we blame the government for putting the general in a situation where he is under attack and aggressed by bullish Guatemalan Armed Forces.”

Barrow Tells PM Briceño To Summon Guatemala’s Ambassador to Belize

Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow also called on Prime Minister John Briceño and Minister of Foreign Affairs Francis Fonseca to summon the Guatemalan ambassador to Belize at once to protest this breach of our borders. He further stated that a diplomatic note must be sent to the Guatemalan president.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“We are a peaceful nation that prefers to live in harmony with our neighbors, including Guatemala. But we will never compromise our territorial integrity. The opposition calls on Prime Minister Briceno and Foreign Minister Fonseca to summon the Guatemalan ambassador to Belize at once to protest this breach of our borders. An urgent diplomatic note must be sent, and engagement must be made with the Guatemalan president, minister of foreign affairs and minister of defense, to underscore the need for the Guatemalan Armed forces to adhere to international law, confidence building measures and other protocols established by the group of friends and the OAS. The Guatemalan Armed Forces entering Belizean territory repeatedly to restrict free movement around the Sarstoon Island is an unacceptable act of aggression that is against international law and established protocols of the group of friends and the confidence building measures which explicitly states that neither nation shall use force or threat to pursue their position with respect to the territorial referendum. The opposition calls on the Briceno administration to protest vehemently the actions of the Guatemalan Armed Forces to the OAS and the group of friends for immediate attention.”

Armed Drug Smugglers Are the Real Threat at Sarstoon F.O.B.

Brigadier General Azariel Loria also noted that the Guatemalan Armed Forces are not their primary concerns. He says greater threats may arise from armed civilians seeking to use the channels as a route to transport illegal drugs.

Brigadier General Azariel Loria, Commander, Belize Defense Force

“The concern would be civilians, that they are armed. Make no mistakes, the guys that grow the cocoa plants here conduct illegal shipments of cocaine made here in Temash, coming from Honduras and sometimes Guatemala, they are armed. If there is a shootout, as you put it, we have our actions on and some of it is to see if it can be contained, if we can make arrests and if we can reinforce. We have the police, we have the BDF, we have our standbys, all of that. That will be activated in itself. That is the way we do things; it is action on as part of our SOP.”