There is yet another motorcycle accident fatality to report on. On Sunday night, Christian Baizar was riding his motorbike on the Philip Goldson Highway when he was allegedly rear-ended by Ford Explorer. At the time, Gustavo Cardinez was the driver of the Explorer. Unfortunately, Baizar succumbed to the injuries he sustained. ACP Hilberto Romero told us more.
ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division “On Sunday the sixth day of 2024 around eight p.m., police responded to a fatal road traffic accident on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Upon their arrival they saw a motorcycle with damages and a Ford Explorer with damages as well. The driver was identified as Gustavo Cardinez and the person driving the motroycle was identified as Christian Baizar. Christian Baizar was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. An investigation was carried out and Gustavo Cardinez is custody pending charges reference this fatal road traffic accident. The information is that the pickup hit the motorcycle from behind causing this fatal injury to Baizar.”
Last week, we told you about a domestic dispute that led to a woman being set on fire in Independence Village. Tonight, police have officially arrested and charged Travis Lopez for attempted murder. The charge comes after he allegedly poured gasoline on his common-law-wife Karima Logan and set her on fire.
“On Thursday the third of October, police responded to a domestic dispute at Independence Village. Upon the arrival they saw Karima Logan with burnt injuries. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. Investigation reveals she had a domestic dispute with Travis Lopez who threw gasoline on her and lit her on fire. An investigation was carried out and Travis Lopez has since been arrested and charged for the crime of attempt murder.”
Last month, Hurricane Helene tore through the United States, causing chaos in several states. Now, hot on its heels, Hurricane Milton is making its presence known. On Monday, Milton ramped up to a category-five hurricane as it headed toward Florida through the Gulf of Mexico. We reached out to a few Belizeans living abroad to hear how they’re preparing for this powerful storm. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene tore through Florida, Belizean American Christine Jones is bracing for another major storm and this time, it’s a category five. Jones has been living in Florida for about five years, residing in Ruskin Town, south of Tampa, Florida.
Christine Jones
Christine Jones, Florida Resident
“This morning I spent helping my neighbors put up their shutters and now it’s my turn. I have my shutters out. They’re going to help me put mine up. I was driving around trying to make sure I got a tank full of gas earlier. I’ve got food, nonperishables. I’m good for a week, as long as I don’t get flooded out. I have my fire camp stove. The skills from the fire heart days in Belize come in handy. Yeah, so the main concern for me is that if we don’t get flooded, my roof doesn’t blow off, which. Hurricane Ian, I think three years ago, I lost a part of my roof, so I have a new roof. So I’m hoping that everything holds together.”
Hurricane Helene was the most powerful storm to hit North Tampa, Florida since 1851, leaving a trail of devastation across several states and claiming over two hundred lives. Now, Hurricane Milton is making headlines, having rapidly intensified to a category-five storm and setting a record for the Tampa Bay area. It’s expected to make landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday. Belizean Shadini Henry, who has called Florida home for over eight years, shared that in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, her family struggled to stock up on essential supplies.
Shadini Henry
Shadini Henry, Florida Resident
“It was hard to find in the stores. Water, couldn’t even find water in the stores. Luckily we found some afterwards. We could not we have the both of our vehicles full with gas, but it was hard all the gas. I imagine by today because we got ours filled last night. It was hard to find a guest to fill in the cars, but I imagine by today they’re all gone. They’re all out. We have stacked up on nonperishable items.”
As the storm draws near, there’s a chance it might lose some of its intensity. However, it’s expected to affect a wider area, including the Yucatan Peninsula. Belizean Windel Castillo, who has been living in Merida for almost three years, shared that he’s decided to stay calm and not panic as the storm approaches.
Windel Castillo
Windel Castillo, Merida Resident
“This is the first time that we’ve had, like, about four hurricanes back to back coming to us. And this is the first one that’s actually turned into a Category five, and it’s not changing trajectory. So I always make sure I’m prepared. And for the last three months, it’s been raining almost every day. From since three p. m. on to six, seven. So just to be on the safe side, always make sure I have my stuff ready.”
Castillo has lived through a category four hurricane previously and believes he is adequately prepared for the approaching storm.
Windel Castillo
“It’s not my first rodeo, to be honest with you. I think that in the event I do get in panic, then it could be worse. But I have my windows sealed. I have enough. supply. I have everything that I think I need for a hurricane. And so I’m not that worried per se.”
Today, eight resorts under the Muy ‘Ono brand celebrated a remarkable milestone: their first million-dollar philanthropic achievement. Since 2018, these resorts have been committed to giving back, except for 2020 when the pandemic halted global economic activities. With today’s donations to those in need, they have collectively donated the funds to the community. The celebration took place at LifeNet Belize, a church-based organization in Belmopan. News Five’s Marion Ali was there to capture the moment and brings us this report.
Pastor Paul Cassanova
Pastor Paul Cassanova, Manager, King’s Children’s Home
“Whoever came up with the idea, I believe is inspired. It gives us the notion that all the tourism industry is doing is not only for those at the top, but we get the crumbs, and the crumbs taste nice.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
The crumbs that Pastor Paul Cassanova speaks of are those that eight resorts in Belize have been giving out to needy institutions since 2018. The beneficiaries include homes for children and the elderly.
Reynaldo Malik
Reynaldo Malik, Chief Operating Officer of Muy ‘Ono Resorts
“The leadership at Muy ‘Ono, we don’t participate in selecting those. The selections are made by the employees at our individual resorts. So you will see, if you notice the recipients here today, that they’ve came from a wide variety of locations: Dangriga, further south, Cayo, Belmopan, Cotton Tree, et cetera. And that’s because the recipients being selected by the employees, represent where the employees actually live, not necessarily where the resort is located.”
Today, several institutions once again benefited from the generosity of Muy ‘Ono’s philanthropic efforts, as shared by the brand’s Chief Operating Officer, Reynaldo Malik. Among the recipients, King’s Children’s Home received a generous donation of fifteen hundred dollars from one of the resorts. Pastor Cassanova expressed that this contribution will significantly support the home’s needs.
Pastor Paul Cassanova
“I’m especially impressed with the fact that they have a program where it’s philanthropic and we are able to be beneficiaries of it. It’s unlike anything else I’ve seen within the business community. I think the way they have it set up speaks volume to the heart and the mind they have to reach out to the community and serve the community. We do really appreciate it.”
According to Malik, had COVID not interrupted the workflow in 2020, this million-dollar milestone would have been long realized. But the pledge continues.
Reynaldo Malik
“We would have certainly gotten past one million last year. As a matter of fact, I mean, we were on track in coming off 2019. That was then the very best year for tourism, and we were on track toe. Enjoy a tremendous year as an industry and not more, you know, as well for 2020. But unfortunately, what happened happened, and it set us back on. But we’re glad that we’ve no made it. 1 million mark and to your point, we’re hoping that we’ll be able to get the two million faster than we got to 1 million.”
Malik explained that the donations come from a portion of the profits made from booking as well as from patrons.
Reynaldo Malik
“The moment you book a room at one of our resorts, we donate an automatic amount out of that. So, the amount varies by resort because all, some of our resorts are different sizes than the others. So, for instance, at Hopkins Bay, that amount is a dollar U.S. per night. So if you book, you went and stayed there for five nights, we would donate five U.S., we put five U. S. away. When you’re checking out, we hope that you enjoyed your stay with us and we ask you to match that 5. We generally get about forty percent of our guests to participate in the program. So of the one million dollars donated, if you want to do the math, we’ve contributed about seven hundred thousand ourselves and the other 300, 000 came from guests putting some funds into the kitty, so to speak.”
The effort is one that Prime Minister John Briceno encouraged other businesses to take as an example of not only creating jobs, but to give back to the community.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“When you look at what your organization has been doing, and that today you’re reaching the million dollar mark, I wish that more companies can see what you’re doing, and that then they would be either inspired, or feel a little bit ashamed, and say that we also have to do our part because he has a lot of needs.”
Belize has taken on the Chairmanship of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) at their headquarters in Washington DC. During a formal ceremony on October fourth, Ambassador Victor Fernandes of Barbados handed over the ceremonial gavel to Ambassador Lynn Young of Belize, marking this significant transition. Belize steps into this leadership role at a crucial time for the hemisphere. Ambassador Young’s appointment highlights Belize’s strong commitment to regional cooperation, democracy, and development—key principles of the OAS. In his acceptance speech, Ambassador Young expressed a deep sense of responsibility in leading the Permanent Council and reaffirmed Belize’s dedication to the core mission of the OAS.
Lynn Young
Lynn Young, Ambassador, OAS
“His Excellency Nestor Mendez, Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Fernandez, colleagues, distinguished guests, permanent representatives. It is with great humility and a deep sense of responsibility that I stand before you today as the newly appointed chair of the permanent council for the Organization of American States. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the members of this distinguished body, to the members of this distinguished body for entrusting Belize with this important role and I extend my appreciation to our outgoing chair and his vice chair for their exemplary leadership during a challenging period of our hemisphere.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade is set to host a Regional Workshop on the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement for Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Placencia. This key workshop aims to boost understanding of the BBNJ Agreement, covering the rights and obligations it entails, and providing Caribbean SIDS with the technical support they need for joining and implementing the Agreement. The BBNJ Agreement acknowledges the unique challenges faced by SIDS and ensures their specific circumstances are considered. It also encourages their active participation in decision-making processes, alongside other developing nations. Earlier this year, Belize made history by becoming the first Caribbean nation to ratify this vital ocean biodiversity agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Aniceto Rodriguez Ruiz, EU Delegation to Jamaica
“Recognizing that the health of our oceans is deeply tied to the prosperity of coastal communities, sustainable development and global biodiversity. The Caribbean’s unwavering commitment during the negotiations was instrumental in securing this historic deal that is the BBNJ Treaty. And now there is another task [which] is to translate this achievement into action on the ground into reality. I would also like to commend the Caribbean nations that have already ratified the BBNJ Treaty, Belize and Barbados. This early ratification demonstrates the leadership and sets a powerful example for the rest of the world. I’m very happy to emphasize the European Union’s commitment to supporting DOALOS in organizing these capacity building workshops. In addition to the EU’s contribution to the workshop, I’m excited to highlight another source of financial and technical support for Caribbean states in implementing the BBNJ Treaty. The EU Global Ocean Program which will provide forty million Euros over six years, focusing on sustainable ocean use and technical assistance for developing countries.”
This ratification is right in line with Belize’s Medium Term Development Strategy, which zeroes in on marine conservation, stopping biodiversity loss, and safeguarding our oceans. Belize has shown its commitment through actions like the moratorium on offshore oil exploration, the ban on gillnets, and the creation and expansion of protected marine areas. These efforts highlight Belize’s leadership in ocean and marine preservation across the Caribbean.
Nicole Davison
Nicole Davison, British High Commissioner
“When CEO Mai of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade asked whether we were willing to fund this event, we felt very strongly that this was an area of mutual interest in which we wanted to work together. As many of you will know we recently had a general election in the United Kingdom which resulted in the appointment of a new government. A few weeks ago, in his very first major policy speech, the Foreign Secretary David Lammey stated that the UK government would put climate and nature at the heart of our foreign policy and that the ambition is for the UK to again become the world leader in this very important issue. And the fact that that was his very first major policy speech was on climate and nature I think underlines just where the UK is coming from on this.”
Charlotte Salpin
Charlotte Salpin, DOALOS
“Caribbean SIDS, in particular Belize, continues to play a leading role as we prepare for the entry into force of the agreement. Three of the thirteen ratifications to date are from the Caribbean SIDS, Belize, Cuba, and Barbados. Congratulations to those states that have either signed or ratified and, of course, hint, we look forward to welcoming others very soon to the BBNJ Agreement family.”
Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. Many of our high school athletes have been in El Salvador for the past few days competing in the 2024 CODICADER Games. Here are some of the stats coming out of the games. Team Belize played against Panama in its first matchup of the basketball tournament. Sadly, they fell to Panama, finishing the game with eighty-three points to Panama’s ninety-eight points. Our female football team from Belmopan Comprehensive High School has been dominating their tournament. On Friday they defeated El Salvador with six goals to two.
They also won Saturday’s match against Honduras five goals to one. Today they defeated Guatemala three goals to one. The male football team from Muffles College has been having a less pleasant experience at the games. On Friday, they were demolished by El Salvador in a game that saw Belize finish with zero goals to El Salvador’s eight goals. They suffered another defeat on Saturday at the hands of Honduras in a match that finished with team Belize, once again, not realizing any goals. Honduras finished with four goals. In Volleyball, Saint Catherine Academy defeated Honduras on Saturday three sets to one. On the same day Saint John’s College male volleyball team defeated Nicaragua three sets to one. Both teams advanced to the semi-finals as a result. On Sunday, SCA faced off against Nicaragua for a spot in the finals. Unfortunately, they fell to their opponents in a hard-fought game that ended three sets to two. SJC also lost in similar fashion to Panama on Sunday, three sets to two. The games will continue over the course of the next few days with more matches ahead for Belize, including Judo and Track and Field.
From the CODICADER Games, we bring you back home to the Belize City Civic Center, this year’s home of the Inter-Office Basketball League. The season is well underway. Several play-in matchups were held late last week into the weekend. Team Police and team Customs led Friday night’s matchups. Team Police in the black and white jersey. Customs in grey and black jersey.
Number three for Customs, Solis with the lay up on the fast break to put his team on the scoreboard. This was the first basket, four minutes into the game. Here, Saunders from Team Belize gets the turnover. Was that a kick ball? In any event, he is alone on the other end and made the basket. Number six for Police, Lino, with the hot hands from three, puts his team at nine points, with Customs trailing. The first quarter ended with team Police on top, with eleven points. Customs had eight. Solis with an early two points in the second quarter for Customs.
Smooth play here from Trapp, Ramos and Jones to get the inside bucket for Police. On the other end, Saunders skillfully uses the screen to work his way to the rim and get past every defender to make the bucket. Top notch ball playing there. Customs could not afford to let team Police extend their lead in the second quarter. They were unable to close the gap, but they worked hard enough to keep Police at an eleven-point lead at the end of the half. Customs came out of the locker room after the halftime break with fire in their eyes and completely turned the game around in a decisive twenty-three-point third quarter. Olivera with a three-point basket brings his team to thirty points and cuts down Police’s lead to six. Saunders with an open three. He makes the most of that opportunity. That basket tied the game at thirty-six a piece. The third quarter ended with Customs in the lead, with forty-two points to Police’s forty points. Customs did not let up in the final quarter, they scored a total of nineteen points. Saunders, Lino and Olivera were key players in the comeback. These players made most of the baskets. Customs won the match, with sixty-one points. Team Police led through the entire first half, but ultimately lost with fifty-three points.
Staying on basketball, we have also been following the 2024 William Dawson Sprite Basketball Tournament. On Saturday we covered a match between Boulevard Ballers and defending champions, Hard Rock Boys at the Yabra Green Basketball Court. The defending champions are in their signature yellow and white jersey. Boulevard Ballers are in blue and red. Justin Wade for Hard Rock with the layup. Boulevard Ballers’ Jacob Westby maneuvers his way to the rim for the layup, putting his team on the scoreboard four minutes into this one. Raheem Thurton showing off his skills on the other end. Dale Smith is left wide open, and he makes them pay for that error.
The first quarter finished with Boulevard Ballers on top, with ten points. Hard Rock Boys had eight points. That two-point lead was cut down to one point at the end of the first half. Boulevard Boys had twenty-one points. The defending champs had twenty points. Hard Rock Boys were able to hold their opponents to eight points in the third quarter, while they managed to score twelve points and take a three-point lead. That third quarter run was led mainly by Raheem Thurton who scored eight of those twelve points. The fourth quarter was the Hard Rock Boys’ best quarter of the game. They scored fourteen points, led by Earl Johnson. A hard-fought game by Boulevard Ballers with some big-time minutes from Jacob Westby. Ultimately Hard Rock Boys won that game.
Well folks that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one.
Police are investigating a fatal road traffic incident that occurred on the Philip Goldson Highway that occurred on Sunday night.
According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero, officers discovered a damaged motorcycle and a Ford Explorer involved in the collision.
The driver of the Ford Explorer, Gustavo Cardinez, is currently in custody.
The driver for the motorcycle was identified as Christian Baiza. Baiza was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. “The pickup hit the motorcycle from behind, causing this fatal injury to Baiza,” Romero reported.
News Five has confirmed that Dr. Chrystal Samouge has resigned from her post as the Chief Drug Inspector for the Ministry of Health and Wellness. Health and Wellness Minister Kevin Bernard told News Five via WhatsApp, “Dr. Samouge, who is the Drug Inspectorate, resigned to go work in the private sector.” While that is the ministry’s official position, sources tell News Five that there are other reasons that led Dr. Samouge to resign.
Rumours of her resignation began to spread last week.
Dr. Samouge was appointed to the position under the current government.
The chief drug inspector post is crucial, and the person leads the drug inspectorate unit. This unit is responsible for regulating medication and medical supplies nationwide. According to the ministry’s website, “The unit performs many regulatory functions, including marketing authorisation of pharmaceutical products through drug registration, and performs post-marketing activities to monitor the safety of pharmaceuticals once they have reached the market. It monitors the market for any substandard and falsified drugs and performs seizures and destruction of such products or drugs sold on unauthorised premises. The Drug Inspectorate unit works closely with the Licensing and Accreditation Unit and the Pharmacy Unit and is charged with the responsibility of inspection activities for the purpose of licensing pharmaceutical establishments. It constantly monitors various establishments and businesses to ensure compliance with the appropriate laws and regulations.”
Minister Bernard added, “With respect to the drug inspectorate unit, in the next month or 2 we should be able to promote. In the meantime Miss Waight will be holding responsibilities.”
