Day: October 30, 2024

Moses Barrow Condemns Tracy Panton’s Takeover of UDP HQ 

Moses Barrow fired off a press statement under the United Democratic Party (UDP), condemning what he describes as a “criminal takeover” of the party’s headquarters by Tracy Panton and the Alliance for Democracy Party.

The statement says that the Alliance forcefully seized the party’s property in actions broadcast live, which they say threaten democracy and show a disregard for the rule of law.

According to the statement, this takeover reflects a pursuit of power “by any means,” including alleged criminality. Barrow criticises the Alliance’s lack of a court order to justify the property seizure.

“The UDP finds the failure of the ComPol to protect against these unlawful acts disheartening. We are reliably informed and he conceded as much publicly that his instructions to the police was for them to do nothing despite the police report filed by UDP deputy Party Chairman, despite live video of Panton/Saldivar operatives breaking and entering the UDP offices, despite admitting to the press that the Alliance needed a court order to take possession of our property.”

“The UDP is confident that the Judiciary is the peaceful and democratic way to right the wrongs of Panton/Saldivar Alliance.”

Health Ministry Responds to Concerns at Northern Regional Hospital

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is today addressing allegations made by a father in Orange Walk Town. As we reported on Tuesday, the father is alleging negligence on the part of the Northern Regional Hospital after being forced to rush his son to a private clinic for urgent care. The father told News Five that his eleven-year-old son waited over an hour at the public hospital without being attended to. The boy had suffered a deep cut between his eyebrows after a fall, which was bleeding heavily and required stitches.

According to the ministry, surveillance footage shows the child and an adult arriving at 2:56 p.m., receiving triage evaluation, and classified as a “priority” due to no active bleeding or altered consciousness. The ministry says that by 3:18 p.m., hospital management was informed of the parent’s concern, and a senior officer initiated a review. It said that at 3:36 p.m., the child had left the hospital.

“The Ministry assures the public that the Accident and Emergency Room follows a precise triage system to ensure patients receive appropriate and timely care.”

US Election: 6 Days to Go as Harris, Trump Push for Swing States

With just six days until the U.S. election, both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are intensifying efforts to secure critical support in battleground states. Harris addressed supporters at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C.—the site of Trump’s January 6, 2021, rally—while Trump campaigned in Allentown, Pennsylvania, following recent controversy over racially charged remarks made at a New York rally.

In the polls, Harris holds a slim 1.4-point national lead, according to FiveThirtyEight. However, swing-state races remain exceptionally close. Harris leads in Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin, but Trump has slight edges in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, and Georgia, with all seven states showing margins within two points.

Polling data from Reuters/Ipsos shows Harris’s national lead narrowing, with just a one-point advantage over Trump, 44% to 43%. The race has grown closer in recent weeks, down from a two-point lead in mid-October, and the current margin of error leaves outcomes uncertain as both campaigns push to sway undecided voters ahead of November 5.

Panton Says They had “Full Authority to Access the Building”

After the October 20 convention called by the Alliance for Democracy, the United Democratic Party (UDP) has faced tensions regarding its leadership. The newly elected interim Party Leader at that convention, Tracy Taegar-Panton, addressed these issues on the Channel 5’s Open Your Eyes.

Panton stressed the need for her supporters to move forward, stating, “We have spoken, and we need you to be able to operate the business of the United Democratic Party from the headquarters.” She clarified that while she has previously stated that the “institution is not the building. The institution is the people,” the party’s headquarters “is iconic. It is symbolic to the United Democratic Party.”

On Monday, Panton and her leadership team took over the party headquarters with “full authority to access the building” from trustee Phillipa Bailey. This move faced backlash from opposition leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow, who called the takeover “essentially criminal.” In response, Panton asserted, “There was no need for a court order.”

Despite the intense developments over this week, Panton urged Barrow to “respect” the leadership transition. “I really call on my colleague, the Honourable Moses “Shyne” Barrow, to respect the decision of the people of the United Democratic Party, the highest decision makers of the Party, determined on the 20th that there must be a leadership reset and even called on the former party leader and all the colleagues in the National Assembly to do what is right and ensure that the leader of the party is the leader of the opposition in the House,” Panton said.

Fireman Arrested in Orange Walk for Drug Possession

Police have arrested a 40-year-old man from the Orange Walk District on two counts of possession of controlled drugs.

On Tuesday, October 29, around 6:15 p.m., officers executed a search warrant at the home of Nelson Balan, a Belizean fireman. Upon their arrival, Balan was observed fleeing into a room and discarding two transparent plastic bags. These bags were retrieved and found to contain suspected cannabis.

A subsequent search revealed two additional small plastic bags with suspected cannabis and one bag containing suspected cocaine. The suspected cannabis weighed 24 grams, while the suspected cocaine weighed 0.72 grams. Nelson Balan was arraigned and fined $1,200 BZD, along with $5.00 in court costs.

Man Found Murdered in Red Bank Dump 

Police are investigating a murder in the Stann Creek District. The investigation commenced after police responded to a report at the Red Bank Dump at approximately 3:47 p.m. on Tuesday, October 29. Upon arrival, officers discovered the lifeless body of 35-year-old Wilmer Che, who had suffered multiple cut wounds. The body was subsequently transported to Southern Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Taiwan Pledges Support for Belcan Bridge Reconstruction in Belize

This morning, Prime Minister John Briceño, along with Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs, accompanied Taiwan’s Foreign Minister, Lin Chia-Lung, and his delegation on a visit to Belize City’s Belcan Bridge. The visit follows Minister Lin’s recent commitment that Taiwan will financially support the bridge’s reconstruction. As we reported, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung is in Belize on an official visit to mark 35 years of diplomatic ties.

He met with Minister Fonseca, who expressed gratitude for Taiwan’s support in building a San Pedro hospital. Lin confirmed Taiwan’s financial backing for the reconstruction of Belize City’s Belcan Bridge. Both leaders acknowledged these projects’ alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals, with Fonseca reiterating Belize’s commitment to supporting Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations.

Watchman Goes Missing Watchman Goes Missing 

Forty-year-old Harman Good has been reported missing. The watchman was last seen on an island within the Turneffe Atoll Reserve along with five other men. They had delivered construction supplies to a fishing camp on October 16. Good reportedly stayed on the island with two other men until October 22. According to police, the men left for the mainland that day, claiming to have seen Good before they departed.

But when one of them returned, Good was missing. Multiple search efforts have been made, but Good’s location remains unknown.

Good is described as being of Creole descent, approximately 6 feet 3 inches tall, with a medium build and visible scars on his left cheek and right kneecap. He was last seen wearing a black undershirt, black jersey shorts, and slippers.

 

Spain’s Deadliest Flooding in 30 Years Claims 64 Lives 

At least 64 people have lost their lives in Spain’s most devastating flooding in three decades after torrential rains lashed the eastern region of Valencia on Tuesday, leaving entire areas cut off.

Rescuers in dinghies worked through the night, evacuating trapped residents in hard-hit towns like Utiel. Videos showed people clinging to trees to escape the fast-rising waters, while others were carried to safety in bulldozer buckets. Meteorologists reported that Valencia received an entire year’s worth of rain in just eight hours, causing severe damage to the region responsible for nearly two-thirds of Spain’s citrus production.

Carlos Mazon, Valencia’s regional leader, said access to some isolated areas remains “absolutely impossible” despite intense rescue efforts.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez extended condolences, promising to rebuild destroyed infrastructure and adding, “For those still searching for loved ones, all of Spain stands with you.”

The floods have also halted essential services and led to widespread school closures. Emergency services have advised against road travel as military rescue units join the efforts in the most affected areas.

These floods are Spain’s deadliest since 1996, when 87 people perished near the Pyrenees.

Climate experts attribute this extreme event to climate change, with rising Mediterranean temperatures increasing water evaporation and making torrential rains more frequent and intense. “Events like this, which once happened only every few decades, are now recurring with greater destructive force,” explained Ernesto Rodriguez Camino, senior state meteorologist and Spanish Meteorological Association member.

 

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