An American firefighter finds himself remanded at the Belize Central Prison on three counts of attempted murder and four counts of use of deadly means of harm. The charges follow an altercation at Shisha’s Night Club on Newtown Barracks Saturday morning. In the incident, Ian Abraham, Javan Abraham, and Mark Usher had to be hospitalized for stab wounds. Today, forty-one-year-old Gilbert Lightburn Junior appeared unrepresented in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court. Due to the nature of the offense, no plea was taken and Lightburn was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until October thirtieth. During his arraignment, Lightburn Junior informed the court that he had an attorney, but none showed up. When he was asked if he understood the charges, Lightburn Junior said “I understand it, but I never attempted to murder anyone. I was defending myself. He asked when he would get to explain what happened and blurted out that he was afraid and that he had been robbed of his phone. The magistrate explained to him that he would need to apply to the High Court for bail and that it was best that he didn’t say anything else until his attorney was present. Meanwhile, a relative of the stabbing victim told the media that her son, Giovanni Abraham along with her cousin, Ian Abraham, have since been discharged from the K.H.M.H., but Javon and Mark Usher remain hospitalized. The relative said that Javon Abraham and Mark Usher experienced collapsed lungs and doctors had to insert tubes to remove blood. Today ACP Hilberto Romero told reporters what they have on the case.
“On Saturday morning, there was an incident of Shisha Bar at New Town Barracks in Belize City. There was an altercation between some persons which resulted in Ian Abraham, Javan Abraham, and Mark Usher receiving stab wound injuries. An investigation was carried out into this report where no one, Gilbert Lightburn has been arrested and charged for three counts of attempted murder and three counts of use of deadly means of harm.”
Reporter
“In terms of what led to the incident, can you say?”
ACP Hilberto Romero
“They were drinking at the nightclub and there was a dispute between them which led to the stabbing.”
Reporter
“The stabbing happened inside or outside?”
ACP Hilberto Romero
“It started there and it ended up on the street.”
Reporter
“That area has seen several incidents. What, if anything, are police doing to ensure…”
ACP Hilberto Romero
“There were police posted at the area, but this person managed to enter the establishment with the weapon. But as soon as the incident occurred, they reacted and he was detained there immediately.”
Reporter
“Yes, and in terms of preventing future incidents?”
ACP Hilberto Romero
“Yes, we will be more thorough with the searches when these persons enter these nightclubs.”
A man was shot while at home in the otherwise quiet village of Punta Negra in the Toledo District. The incident left the victim in stable condition and police are looking for the suspect. Investigators shared with the media today that Dion Garoy reported that the assailant literally kicked down the door to his house and then shot him. At this point, he said, police have no motive for the attack.
“On Saturday, the thirty-first of August 2024, Dion Garoy reported that he was at Punta Negra when he heard someone knocking on his door. The person then stamped open his door and produced a handgun and shot him to the leg. He ran off; the person fired more shots at him, but he managed to escape. He then visited the Punta Negra Police Station where he made his report. We are seeking one known suspect for this shooting incident.”
The Alliance for Democracy says it wants peace with U.D.P. Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow. On Friday, the alliance called a press conference for today, after the U.D.P.’s central executive expelled Tracy Panton, Patrick Faber, John Saldivar and Beverly Williams from the party. The U.D.P., thereafter, sent out a request for applications for standard bearers in those four constituencies. Well, the Alliance for Democracy backed out of that scheduled press conference. We spent the day reaching out to the alliance to get information on the status of that press conference. Late this afternoon, a release was issued stating that it has been actively working behind the scenes to secure a retraction of the central executive’s decision. The alliance says the retraction is viewed as a crucial step, a conditional precedent, to returning to the mediation table and addressing the current impasse. The release says that considering this, the alliance has decided to stay its next course of action to give the process a fair chance to succeed. We will continue to follow.
Last week, the first set of hearings for the long-awaited Commission of Inquiry into the sugar industry kicked off in Orange Walk. The Commission’s mandate is to analyze the entire value chain of the sugar industry and provide recommendations on various aspects. After the hearings conclude, a final report is expected to be submitted to the Government of Belize by the end of November. We spoke with the Minister of Agriculture, Jose Abelardo Mai for some insight into the commission of inquiry thus far. Here’s what he had to say.
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“The commission of inquiry is going well. The commissioners, I am convinced, are experts, professionals, and I’m happy for that. All I want is for the commission of inquiry to result in recommendations that are sound, that are fair, and that will allow the industry to be a viable one in the long run. All I want is fairness for all the stakeholders, the farmers, and the miller. And I am confident that will happen.”
The commission of inquiry into the sugar industry in Belize resumed today with presentations being made by representatives of the Santander Sugar Group. During the lengthy session, David Rodriguez outlined the benefits and disadvantages of Santander not falling within the Sugar Act.
David Rodriguez
David Rodriguez, Santander
“We definitely are not under the Sugar Act even though the Ministry of Agriculture has already given us a license for operating a mill in Belize. We have a license and a permit from the Department of Agriculture to grind and operate a sugar mill in Belize. The legal figure we are operating currently was formerly known as an EPZ, export processing zone, right now. It changed a couple of years ago to the DPA, designated processing area. We are operating on that and basically that’s a fiscal incentive program that the country offers. It’s the one that we made operate in Belize. With that legal status that we have or according to the way that we are operating here, since we are not under the umbrella of the Sugar Act, we don’t have access to some of the preferential markets that Belize as a country has access. We don’t have access to the TRQs from the United States, that it’s a quota for a country and not for a single company. So we don’t have access to that preferential market and as I mentioned before, we don’t have access to sell sugar to the local market.”
There is a problem of teacher shortage at some schools for multiple reasons. In some cases, the teachers have not met the Ministry of Education’s requirement of reaching a hundred and twenty hours of Continuous Professional Development to apply for a teacher’s license, or they have but the system has not yet processed their license. In other cases, teachers simply leave the profession and move on to teaching jobs closer to home or to greener pastures altogether. It has created a problem for schools that have multiple teachers missing and a multitude of students to teach. Because Maskall Village is situated several miles away from a major highway, the primary school there finds itself in this situation. News Five’s Marion Ali went back to Maskall Village which has a shortage of three teachers. Here’s that report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
It’s the first day of school at Our Lady of Lourdes RC in Maskall Village. The children are excited to be back, but this year is not like previous years because there is a shortage of teachers at the institution. The nine teachers who are at school must do their best to ensure that the two hundred plus students in their custody receive optimum quality education, regardless of the deficiency. Principal Herman Ramirez says they’ll have to figure out.
Herman Ramirez
Herman Ramirez, Principal, Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School
“We principals out here, we fill the vacuum, okay. Whenever a teacher is absent, whenever a teacher is missing, the principal takes on that role and goes into the classroom and does what the teacher should have been doing. In this case though, it’s quite different. We have a shortage of three staff – one at the preschool, which is very critical at this time because preschoolers normally – they give a little bit of trouble to settle down, and it requires more than just one teacher to be there. So, we’re short there, we’re short at standard two, and we’re short at standard five. So I’ll be moving between these classes to ensure that we have everything that we need in terms of resources, printing material, activity sheets for the children and so on, so that the teachers who are there assisting can find it easier.”
Kim Myers has three children attending classes at Our Lady of Lourdes. All three are affected by the teacher shortage and this means she’ll have to go the extra mile with her kids.
Kim Myers, Parent
“I usually check their school bag to see if any homework, then sit wa lee two hours with them to complete their homework and thing, so they could…”
Marion Ali
Now with the shortage, what yoh wa have to do you think?”
Kim Myers
“Well, I have to sit with them longer – be one to one with them.”
For Adrian Graham, he will also have to pinch hit as educator for his son who has entered Standard Two and has no homeroom teacher.
Adrian Graham
Adrian Graham, Parent
“There will be teachers substituting for other classes and you know, within that time, you’ll have to find work to give these kids and things to keep these kids minds occupied in that time and that’s where we as the parents would come in because maybe there’ll be times where they don’t have the time to teach the lessons in full and so us as parents, the communication that this school brings to me and my family is superb. So, you know, they keep us up to date on the WhatsApp, give us phone calls if needed and they tell us what type of homework should in case the kids don’t take it home, we know what homework are there to do, and they give us opportunities to, coach our kids as well. So, yes, I think it is a challenge for both the parents and the teachers. But then again, that’s a parent’s job and that’s a teacher’s job for us to come together to make sure our kids succeed.”
Earlier today, Minister Francis Fonseca explained that the Ministry of Education has processed the majority of certificates for teachers to get their licenses, so that should not be a problem for teachers who want to return to the classroom.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“No teacher has been denied a license or rejected a license. What the ministry has always done is put the application on hold because teachers have to apply for their license and then contacted the teacher; to say how can I work with you? So those teachers who we have heard publicly taking about – they made a decision that they would resign or – it’s not the ministry has removed them or rejected them. The ministry is always prepared to work with individual teachers – how can we work with you on your records, on getting your requirements in place. We provide them with options and alternatives. We’re always prepared to do that.”
Principal Ramirez hopes that the problem will be solved soon.
Herman Ramirez
“We’re trying very hard to try and get teachers that will stay here in this community. Like I mentioned before, it’s very hard for anyone to venture out to Maskall and have to figure out how to live in and teach. And that is the part that’s becoming a little challenging. But up to date, we are hoping that we will have the vacancies filled within a couple of weeks, if not a month the very latest. We have candidates who have expressed the desire to get into the teaching field and they have other degrees in other areas. So we are going to try and see if we can move up and get the ministry to facilitate the process.”
A new refugee information center has been opened in Benque Viejo to accommodate asylum seekers who enter Belize from the western border. Refugee information centers often advocate on behalf of asylum seekers, helping them navigate legal challenges and ensuring that their rights are protected. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with that story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
There are over four thousand, one hundred asylum seekers and refugees living in Belize. Many of them come from other Central American countries, including El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua. Since participating in the Global Refugee Forum, Belize has pledged to lead the regional protection response for forcibly displaced people. In Benque Viejo, a new refugee information center has been inaugurated.
Tanya Santos-Neal
Tanya Santos-Neal, C.E.O., Ministry of Immigration
“Today we gather to celebrate a significant milestone, one that marks a new point in our collective commitment to humanity and compassion. This milestone also serves as a visual reminder that our ministry continues to adhere to its international obligations to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration. This office will not only serve as a contact point for these in need of protection, but will also stand as tangible evidence of our strengthened resolve to assist those susceptible to unsafe and irregular entry and stay due to displacement and justifiable fear.”
Refugee information centers play a crucial role for asylum seekers to access vital information about the asylum process, legal rights, and available services. They also offer immediate assistance such as food and shelter, healthcare and clothing.
Nikolai Zelaya
Nikolai Zelaya, Acting Director, Refugees Dept.
“Among other things, the Refugee Act in Belize mandates us to ensure the provision of adequate facilities and services for the care of refugees within Belize. This Refugee Information Center is the embodiment of that concept where we will strive to provide information to the public, among other services. The stated aims of this office is to serve as a liaison between the general public and our main refugee department office in Belmopan, and also to serve as a direct link between the refugee department and the other government departments located in this area with whom we have developed great working relationships.”
Aside from assisting asylum seekers who arrive with very few resources, refugee information centers also provide psychosocial support, including counseling and mental health services to help refugees cope with the trauma and stress of displacement.
Myrat Myradov
Myrat Myradov, Head, UNHCR Belize
“The western border station where we are now which is an integral corridor to Central America continues to mark the highest number of arrivals for persons seeking safety in Belize. We believe that the Refugee Information Center will assist many asylum seekers seeking refuge in Belize. The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines that everyone has the right to seek and enjoy asylum and Belize is a good example where asylum seekers can enter the country without being penalized, get information and seek asylum, and approach the refugee department for the refugee status determination. Over the past years, we have seen an excellent cooperation between the various government bodies, including the immigration border department, refugee department, police, municipality, religious organizations and host community in supporting and providing information to asylum seekers on the processes available in Belize.”
A flag raising ceremony in Belize City on Sunday morning formally commenced September Celebrations activities in the Old Capital. The event took place at the roundabout near Pallotti High School where representatives of the Belize City Council, as well as the National Celebrations Commission were on hand for the brief ceremony.
There is a new Carnival King and Queen. The forty-ninth competition was held over the weekend in Belize City with a total of eighteen competitors, five in the junior male and five in the junior female categories. And in the senior king and queen categories there were four and four, with the Fort Revelers being a no-show at the eleventh hour. For those who attended the Carnival Queen and King competitions at the Belize City Civic Centre on Saturday night, their favorite presenters adorned themselves in costumes made of designs and color blends never before seen. News Five’s Marion Ali was there and filed this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
From the time the competition began around seven pm, until it ended before nine, eighteen king and queen competitors in the senior and junior king and queen categories rallied for the loudest cheers and most importantly, the favor of the judges. President of the Belize Carnival Association, Patrick Thompson explained to us that the competition was really for bragging rights over who rules the Carnival Road March as far as kings and queens are concerned.
Patrick Thompson
Patrick Thompson, President, Belize Carnival Association
“This is where these costumes get their individual judging because they are not judged on road march. They are just to enhance the groups’ storyline, and the judges have their criteria where they will be looking for the mobility of the costume, the originality, the blend of colors, and how the player display the costume rather than just dance or push or pull the costume. We don’t want to see if that person can do the latest dance, you know, because that person and the costume should be one.”
The judges were carefully studying the costumes even before the competitors wore them for their presentations. At the end of it all, Jump Street Posse won the Junior Queen Category, while Soca Massive won the Junior King Category. In the Senior Queen category, Soca Moca won, and Belizean Jewels captured the Senior King title. Head Judge, Jerome Ali explained to News Five what impressed him and what didn’t.
Jerome Ali
Jerome Ali, Head Judge, Carnival King and Queen Competition
“The costumes were well put together. We had seen that colors and most of the ideas put together. I like what I saw tonight. The impact I was looking at is how well these king and queen players perform. And that was the main aspect of what we’re really looking at – how they take that costume and carry it through to create that true carnival spirit that we wanted to see.”
Marion Ali
“And how impressed were you with that segment?
Jerome Ali
“The impact was good. I could have seen a little more because I noticed some of the costumes were a bit weighted. That prevented a lot of, well – the movement that I wanted to see due to the fact that the material that is being used in Belize compared to the Caribbean is that light. Somehow I feel that these mass builders need to get their hands on lightweight materials.”
Carnival President Thompson said the results of the king and queen competition have no bearing in any way on which group wins the prizes in the various categories for the road march, which will take place this Saturday.
Patrick Thompson
“Once this competition is over tonight, it doesn’t, it doesn’t factor – it is not a carryover of points to the road march, but in our rules, it states that the king and the queen must be in the road march because like I said, it is a part of their entire storyline that they are depicting carnival day. And as a matter of fact, I would say that these are the two major characters within their storyline. So there is a major point deduction for not being in the road march of all these costumes must be in the road march.”
On Saturday, the People’s United Party held a convention to endorse four standard bearers for the Orange Walk North, South, East, and Central constituencies. They are Ramon Cervantes, Jose Abelardo Mai, Kevin Bernard and Prime Minister John Briceño, respectively. The district is currently dominated by the P.U.P. as all four standard bearers are current area representatives. News Five’s Britney Gordon was at the event to capture the nominations.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
The Sugar City was a spectacle of blue and white on Saturday when the People’s United Party hosted a convention endorsing four candidates as standard bearers for the Orange Walk district. Prime Minister John Briceño was once again nominated as standard bearer for Orange Walk Central.
John Briceño
John Briceño, Area Rep, Orange Walk Central
“I humbly accept the nomination to be the standard bearer for Orange Walk Central once again. And yes, we have been winning election after election since 1993, Orange Walk Central haven’t lost a single election, because even when we don’t win town council in Orange Walk Central, we deliver for the People’s United Party. But that is only possible, I am only a small part of that work.”
PUP Orange Walk North standard bearer is Ramon Cervantes. He took the platform to thank his supporters for recognizing the work he has done for the constituency.
Ramon Cervantes
Ramon Cervantes, Area Rep., Orange Walk, North
“Thank you especially to the beautiful people of Orange Walk North for renewing their confidence, their confidence in me as their candidate for the next elections. I love you all a lot. Thank you to God for giving us life and the strength to be here today for this grandiose moment. Its been ten years since we started the march towards victory for the People’s United Party in Orange Walk North. In those times I remember myself. And I think we all remind ourselves that many thought that we could never win, that we were never going to win. The atmosphere was discouraging and the future was dark, but with the encouragement, rigor and support of you, the northern people, we began to see victory.”
Following Cervantes’s nomination, former mayor and incumbent Orange Walk East Area Representative Kevin Bernard highlighted the progress his constituency has made during his term thus far.
Kevin Bernard
Kevin Bernard, Area Representative, Orange Walk East
“Three years ago, when you visited Santa Martha, you couldn’t even make a phone call from that village. Today, Santa Marta now has access to internet, can make proper phone calls, and can communicate to the people. Three and a half years ago, Santa Martha didn’t even have access to healthcare in their community. But today, we can boast that Santa Martha now has a head clinic to serve the people of that community. Ladies and gentlemen, from the day Tower Hill was made a village, and it was always under the UDP. But today, with the last village council elections that we had and we won, we made a commitment to the people of Tower Hill. They were always depending on the Carmelita water system. But now, Tower Hill residents have their own water system. have done a lot of major works, but there’s much more to be done.”
Up next was Jose Abelardo Mai who is running for Orange Walk South. Mai explains that he plans to continue the work he has been doing to improve the livelihoods of farmers.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Area Representative, Orange Walk South
“The people in Orange Walk South continue to show support for what I’m doing. And that has motivated me to again be the candidate for the next elections. We still have a lot of work to do. When we inherited the government, I think you all know the state of the country. Today, we’ve made significant steps improving the country, but as a total country, there’s still a lot to do. I’ve decided to again, make that giant step another five years. Under the PUP of course, under the leadership of John Briceño. I believe that with his leadership and if he feels it proper to make me a minister of cabinet, I will again do my job to the best of my ability.”
Prime Minister Briceño has no plans to call an early election. He reiterates his confidence in his party, maintaining that no matter when the election is held, they will have the votes.
John Briceño
“We still have a lot of work to do. For instance, we, in the Orange Walk district, we still have to run electricity to San Carlos. We expect to get that done by the end of December. We are looking at starting to pave the road to Guinea Grass, we are going to do it in two phases. So the first year is supposed to start before the end of the year. And like that, there’s so much work that we do, we have to do. I know it is tempting to call an election right now because, well, the UDP continues to implode. But we were elected for five years, and we still have a lot of work to do. So I think that we should continue to do the work. And we believe that if we continue working the way we have over the past three years and nine months that whenever we call elections, next year that the people are still going to support us.”
