The University of Belize has been made aware of a fraudulent post by Best Service promoting free online courses falsely associated with the university. UB clarifies that there is no affiliation with Best Service, and they are not authorized to represent or offer courses on behalf of UB.
In a press release, the university said, “We would like to clarify that there is no affiliation with the organization in question, and they are not authorized to represent or offer courses on behalf of our university. Upholding the trust of our UB community is paramount, and we are committed to ensuring accurate and pertinent information is readily accessible.”
On Wednesday morning, a wooden house in the St. Martin’s area of Belize City caught fire. The house was destroyed. Although no injuries were reported, the incident left the family with no shelter, food, or clothing. The family which includes three children continues to seek assistance.
On Facebook, KJ Trujeque called on members of the public to assist the family. She said, “My babysitter’s home caught fire today and she lost absolutely everything. Asking anyone with an open and kind heart to help her out in any way possible. She has a 1 year old baby girl and two boys; 4 and 6 years old. If you have clothes, shoes or anything that can be used in the household that you no longer want and would like to pass on to her or the kids it would be greatly appreciated. If you would like to make a monetary donation or even assist with groceries it is welcomed.”
In a few days, Belize will compete in the U21 Women’s Volleyball Championship, facing Central American teams. The tournament starts on July 16 at the Belize City Civic Center, with Belize’s first match against Nicaragua. Britney Gordon from News Five visited the Civic Center to observe Team Belize’s preparations.
Captain Gareth Bruce shared their rigorous training schedule, highlighting the team’s readiness and mixed feelings of nervousness and excitement about playing before a home crowd.
“We’re nervous and excited because we’re playing against our home crowd. I feel like all of us are well prepared, we’re well developed and experienced since our past tournaments,” said Bruce.
At 14, Sara Safa, the youngest player, expressed her enthusiasm and gratitude for the support from more experienced teammates. Middle blocker Jevia Leslie conveyed her eagerness and confidence as the tournament approaches.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as part of the United Nations Emergency Technical Teams (UNETT), is deployed in the areas affected by Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean to advance rapid needs assessment and preparation of proposals, under the leadership of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), to restore production and livelihoods.
FAO is supporting through damage and needs assessment using drones and satellite remote sensing. This information includes ground-level data collection through surveys and key informant interviews. All of this will guide response and recovery planning. Through the Ministries of Agriculture and CDEMA, governments continue to assess the full extent of damage caused.
According to the assessments carried out so far, the primary humanitarian needs for the food security sector are focused on restoring the fishing capacity of artisanal fishermen and actors involved in the value chain, including processing, conservation, and transformation equipment and infrastructure; providing planting materials to recover affected crops as well as inputs for short-cycle crops that serve as an alternative source of food and income; cash transfers and other mechanisms so that the most vulnerable fishermen and farmers can access basic needs; and food assistance for the affected population.
Preliminary indications are that approximately 60,000 people require humanitarian assistance in Grenada, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines. Loss of fishing capacity, including damage to vessels, support infrastructure, and fishing equipment, and damage to crops and livestock, have been reported.
Agriculture in Jamaica has also suffered damage, with preliminary assessments indicating that several crops have been affected. Access to rural areas remains a challenge, and authorities estimate over US$6.4 million in damage to the agricultural sector, raising concerns about food security and livelihoods. Damaged crops include vegetables and fruits, which are sources of food on the island. In addition, the livestock and fisheries sectors have also experienced considerable damage.
FAO immediately mobilized technical assistance through its Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA) to support its coordination and response capacities in the affected countries. This includes the recruitment and rapid deployment of staff, field missions, logistics, partnerships, resource mobilization, and technical assistance activities.
Mario Lubetkin, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, said: “We at FAO express our commitment to the Caribbean countries and reiterate our support for mobilizing international cooperation for the response and the recovery of agricultural, livestock, and fisheries production in the affected countries.”
In addition, with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA), FAO is working on a response plan that includes the needs identified, highlighting the needs of producers and fishermen. This approach seeks to mobilize international attention on the need to support rapid response in a region where the hurricane season is expected to be very intense.
To date, the Ministries of Agriculture of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada have officially requested FAO to support the recovery of their food production systems through emergency agricultural interventions critical to safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable. Requests for assistance include the distribution of seeds, fertilizers, fishing inputs, repair of boats and critical processing, preservation and transformation infrastructure, and support for subsistence livestock farming, among others.
The Belize Taiwan Career Forum is an annual event aimed at providing Belizeans in Taiwan with opportunities to connect with industry professionals. The 2024 forum will include segments on medicine, international affairs, IT, education, engineering, and international business. It is scheduled for July 14-15 (Belize) and July 15-16 (Taiwan), with sessions held in Northern and Southern Taiwan, and available online for those who cannot attend in person. The forum features mentor speakers from various fields, offering guidance on joining the workforce in Belize and Taiwan.
Adriel Moh, a member of the steering committee spoke to News Five via Zoom:
The Ministry of Investment, through its Investment Policy and Compliance Unit (IPCU), in collaboration with the Corozal Think Tank, launched two new initiatives at the Corozal ITVET: the “Animation Bootcamp for Belizean Women and Girls” and the “Cell Phone Repair Course for Women and Youth.”
The “Animation Bootcamp for Belizean Women and Girls” aims to equip women in the Corozal, Orange Walk, and Belize Districts with basic digital skills in graphic art and animation, enabling them to create short, animated films. These skills are increasingly in demand across various industries, including film, television, gaming, advertising, and marketing.
The “Cell Phone Repair Course for Women and Youth” addresses the need for skilled technicians in cell phone maintenance and repair. Currently, there is no training course of this kind in Belize, and access to cell phone repair services is limited in many parts of the country.
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has finally broken his silence on the viral video that surfaced over the weekend of a police officer pistol whipping an individual in San Pedro. That officer has been identified as Sergeant Devon Makin. Well, ComPol Williams says the video was spliced to paint Makin in a negative light. He explained that Makin was off duty when a pair of minors approached him and informed him that they were being chased by three armed men in masks. ComPol Williams says, Sergeant Makin pursued the men, one of whom was seen being apprehended in the video. But was the individual armed and does the Commissioner of Police consider Sergeant Makin’s response to be an excessive use of force? Here is how he explained the entirety of the incident,
including all that he says was not captured on camera.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“First and foremost let me say that many a times when we have these video footage that are sent to the media or posted on different social media platform, the persons who recorded these video footages often times just release what they want the public to see and would splice the video for their own convenience. I think before we jump to our own conclusion it is essential that we ascertain what actually transpired. In this particular instance the sergeant had reported off duty and was on his way home. On his way he was stopped by two minors who were extremely frantic and in fear who complained to him that the same young man you all saw in the video with him and about two other persons were chasing them with mask and firearm. The sergeant being the type of person he is, he didn’t leave them in cold. He returned and went to see if he could apprehend these individuals. He met the one seen with him in the video and obviously the information is that he may be armed, the police may need to take out his weapon to secure his safety as well as the safety of others. In so doing, what you normally do when you have a suspect that is armed you would put him to kneel down or on the ground on his belly until you ascertain he is safe. The sergeant attempted to do that but while he was trying to put the person in either of those positions the young man was resisting. He only have two hands so he was holding him with one hand, and he had the gun in the other hand. So he tried to hit him with the other hand and that is the hand that had the gun. I am not going to condone the issue of the pistol whipping cause the truth is the weapon could have gone off and the outcome could have been different. But we have to look at the issue in its totality. It is not like the sergeant just went and pick on someone for no reason and just beat him up. There was a complaint made by two minors and though he was off duty he responded to the call of the two minors to apprehend the individual. Those people who did the video recording knows what happened, but they went and splice the video. Now the two minors and their parents had gone to the San Pedro Police Station and lodged his complaint. The young man now, as much as the public is crying out for him, he escaped because when the officer went after to try and apprehend the others he escaped. And from then to now he has not resurfaced. He has gone to hiding. So if it is that you know you are so innocent, you have done nothing wrong and the police have abused you then why don’t you come forward and make your complaint. But he has not done that. So that just goes to show that he knows exactly what he did and he intends to continue hiding from the law.”
ComPol Willliams also responded to criticisms that the Leader of the Opposition made against him on Tuesday. Moses “Shyne” Barrow expressed his disappointment in the fact that days had passed without the commissioner or any of the department’s top brass addressing the viral police video. Barrow chastised the Commissioner of Police for not acting swiftly in this matter. Well, today ComPol William had a response for Barrow. Here is what he had to say.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I listened to the interview by the leader of the opposition yesterday and what he failed to say to you is that he sits, waits for something he believes is like a scrumptious meal and the alacrity with which he pounces on it to gain political mileage is alarming. Here comes the media feeding him with that scrumptious meal and he gets that energy, that power to say things. But he failed to say to you that when the U.D.P. was in power and he needed security, bodyguard, it was the same Devon Making that use to body guard him. And, up to now even though he promised to pay the sergeant for the work he did the sergeant has not been paid. He promised that when he came into power, he would do this and that. Come on Shyne Barrow, he have to be real.”
It is no secret that Sergeant Devon Makin is Commissioner of Police Chester Williams’ godson. So, is his familial ties with the officer influencing his response to the police abuse claims? As you have heard the commissioner say, he does not condone Sergeant Makin’s decision to pistol whip the individual. He further revealed that the Professional Standards Branch is carrying out an investigation into the incident. But is his relation to Makin affecting his better judgment? Here is how he responded to that question.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“When he had the issue with Inspector Martinez, he is my first cousin and what happened? My first cousin is more to me than a godson. If I was able to move quickly on inspector Martinez who is my first cousin then why would I not be able to do so with Mr. Makin if it were that we were not looking at the think wholistically. I am not going to be the one to jump on something because Shyne Barrow wants me to do it. Professional Standards Branch is in the picture. They are investigating. Once an investigation is done then we go from there.
Imagine if those two children were your children and they were being chased by and individual with gun and mask, would you reaction be the same? The question to you, would your reaction be the same? I am sure not.”
Paul Lopez
“We know that any disciplinary charges you have to approve, will you approve such being brought against your godson?”
Chester Williams
“I brought a scenario to you earlier where I said Inspector Martinez is my first cousin and despite that he was charged. So please don’t try to come and make things seems that because of certain people they are privileged. I don’t work that way. There are many people who are relatives of mine who does wrong and I made sure they are dealt within accordance with the law. So please don’t try to paint a different picture.”
Reporter
“Is the public allowed to capture police in the conduct of their duties?”
Chester Williams
“Yes they are, so long as they have sufficient distance that is not obstructing the police from carrying out their duties they can do so.”
Late this evening Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow responded to the ComPol’s remarks, he says quote, “It is a typical deflection tactic from the very serious issue of police brutality. Officer Makin is wrong and needs to be disinclined like every other police officer that has been captured using excessive force. What makes Officer Makin so special, that he can be captured on video pistol whipping an unarmed suspect and not face reprimand?”, end quote.
While the Commissioner of Police defends the actions of his godson, in the High Court this morning, attorney Leslie Mendez appeared on behalf of Shamar Foster. He is the tour guide who was manhandled by a pair of policemen at the municipal airstrip in April 2022. Viewers would recall that the officers approached the then nineteen-year-old and proceeded to search him. While attempting to record the ordeal, the policemen got physical with Foster, hurling obscenities at him in the presence of other international visitors at the airstrip. Through his lawyer, Foster is suing the Belize Police Department.
Leslie Mendez
Leslie Mendez, Attorney-at-law
“This claim stems from an incident that happened at the Belize Municipal Airport, I believe about two years ago, and it involved an encounter between two police officers and Shamar, who is the claimant, that resulted in, at least what we say, that resulted in Shamar being searched and struck, hit on his arm whilst he was attempting to record the search of his person. Following this incident, we also made a complaint before the Professional Standards Branch against the officers for the violations of the rights of Shamar Foster. We were not able to really settle or get this issue addressed and so Shamar decided to file a constitutional claim for breaches of rights, for his constitutional rights, specifically the rights against arbitrary search, the right to freedom of expression and the right to protection of the law. So those are the three rights that we say were breached in the context of both the incident at the airport, as well as disciplinary process.”
