St. John’s College in Belize City late yesterday evening issued a terse statement in response to bullying at the school.
Over the weekend, we reported on the case of St. John’s College High School Dominick Alvarado. He now has a broken hip and requires emergency surgery. According to Dominick’s family, he was bullied and is now suffering physically and emotionally.
Dominick’s injuries and trauma have disrupted his academic performance. The family also criticised the school’s administration for failing to respond adequately. The incident happened months ago. It was only after the family brought the issue to light on social media that the school responded.
In a 3-sentence statement, St. John’s College acknowledged the Facebook post, is in contact with his family, and wished him a speedy recovery.
“St. John’s College is aware of the post made on Facebook concerning Dominick Alvarado. We are in communication with Dominick’s parent, and this situation is being addressed. We wish Dominick Alvarado a speedy recovery, and his Wildcat family awaits his return.”
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago is hosting a three-day workshop on major event security to enhance the importance of safeguarding crowded venues in the Caribbean. The workshop will begin on October 8 in Port of Spain. The Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) says that the goal of this program is to create and strengthen strategies for safeguarding communities that host festivals and cultural gatherings.
The event is in partnership with the OAS Inter-American Committee against Terrorism, UNICRI, and CARICOM IMPACS and funded by Canada.
The statement added that bringing together National Focal Points and international experts from various countries will “facilitate the exchange of information, good practices, and lessons learned on major events’ security—specifically concerning festivals, carnivals, and cultural events—among the National Focal Points (NFPs) of the Network of Major Events’ Security in the Caribbean Member States of the OAS.”
Participants will delve into critical topics such as “the protection of intellectual property, the management of events from pre-planning to post-event evaluation, and the importance of public-private partnerships,” said IMPACS.
The workshop is part of a broader initiative developed by the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism under the Organisation of American States (OAS/CICTE) and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) titled “Improving Crime Prevention Policies and International Cooperation for the Protection of Crowded Spaces and Other Vulnerable Targets.”
Oceana in Belize held its 2024 Annual General Meeting on Saturday at the St. Catherine’s Academy Mercy Centre in Belize City. It gathered over 300 wavemakers, partners, and environmental allies from across the country.
The highlight of the evening was the announcement of Dassia Regalado as National Wavemaker of the Year. Regalado, a conservationist and veterinary professional working in Seine Bight Village in Stann Creek, was celebrated for her innovative environmental initiatives. Among her achievements is the 3R’s Plastic Initiative, a project that transforms waste into functional art, providing creative solutions to environmental challenges. Regalado has also played a key role in promoting eco-friendly businesses through her platform, Evergreen Marketing, and has been an active advocate for a national referendum on offshore oil development, garnering over 22,000 signatures in support.
In addition to the national honour, Wavemaker awards were presented to outstanding individuals from each district:
Glendy Chiquin, Corozal District
Astrid Cal, Orange Walk District
Liam Sanchez, Belize District
Georgia Belezaire, Cayo District
Schylyr Logan, Stann Creek District
Roxanna Shook, Toledo District
The Partner of the Year award was given to Sea of Life, an organisation recognised for its efforts in reducing plastic pollution and promoting sustainable practices. Sea of Life has been instrumental in raising awareness through trash audits, partnerships with schools, and initiatives targeting single-use plastics.
The Department of the Environment (DOE), under the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, is intensifying efforts to tackle plastic pollution through the enforcement of Statutory Instrument No. 17 of the 2022 Environmental Protection (Pollution from Plastic) Regulations.
The regulations aim to phase out specific single-use plastic products and replace them with eco-friendly alternatives that comply with the Belize Standards for Biodegradable Products. Items under regulation include single-use plastics and Styrofoam products, such as food plates, clamshell containers, cups, lids, straws, cutlery, and plastic bags commonly known as “T-shirt bags.” The DOE has identified several unapproved and unauthorised brands currently on the market.
To ensure compliance and reduce plastic pollution, the DOE will conduct random inspections nationwide to verify that only registered and permitted products are sold. The public is reminded that it is illegal to import, manufacture, sell, or possess the regulated items. Violators of Statutory Instrument No. 17 of 2022 will face prosecution.
This past Saturday, a family in Belize took to social media to shine a light on the troubling issue of bullying among our youth. They shared a heartbreaking story about a Saint John’s College student who suffered a broken hip in an incident where he was allegedly bullied. This comes on the heels of another disturbing case from mid-June, where a fourteen-year-old boy was followed home and assaulted by his peers. We decided to dig deeper into the pervasive problem of bullying and its profound impact on the young people of Belize. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the full story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
A bully is someone who repeatedly causes pain to others, whether through physical harm, hurtful words, or mean behavior. According to a recent report by UNESCO, over thirty percent of students worldwide have experienced bullying. This troubling trend has devastating effects on a young person’s academic performance, physical well-being, and mental health. Mental Health Counselor Aimee Jex explains how these impacts can follow victims into adulthood.
Aimee Jex
Aimee Jex, Mental Health Councilor
“This is a trauma that you can develop, anything that happens throughout your life can impact you. So let’s say you are someone who around ten, eleven, twelve, your peers started teasing you, bullying you, excluding you, you start feeling maybe less than enough, maybe you don’t, Realize your own worth. Maybe your self-esteem gets hampered, so as you grow up into adulthood, you’re you don’t see your full potential. You might not be confident in the things you want to achieve, and so you don’t get to be the person that you could be because you have these limitations that you carry on throughout your life.”
Many bullying victims come from marginalized or vulnerable communities, making them easy targets for verbal or physical attacks. Back in mid-June, a video surfaced on social media showing a fourteen-year-old high school student in Santa Cruz Village being followed home and harassed by several peers. This alarming incident prompted police intervention, leading to the aggressors being taken into custody. Thankfully, the victim and his family managed to move past the ordeal in a peaceful manner.
Paul Lopez What do you say to bullies?”
Jose Amador
Jose Amador, Bullying Victim (File: June16th, 2024) “I will take the apology they have given, because everybody makes mistakes. So I will take their apology.”
Paul Lopez “And what do you say to individuals that have been bullied before. What do you say to them to deal with it?”
Jose Amador
“Please don’t be afraid to tell your family members, your parents, talk to your family members, the teachers, but talk about it.”
In 1989, world leaders created the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which seeks to ensure the special protection of children under the age of eighteen years. In 1990, Belize became the fifth country in the world to ratify the CRC, pledging to protect the survival and developmental rights of children.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education (File: June 20th, 2024)
“Of course the ministry’s position is that we have zero tolerance for bullying. We are working with the management, the principals, the teachers, to address this matter. We do not want the students in any of our educational institutions to experience any form of bullying. Schools must just be a safe space for students. So, we are absolutely looking at that issue very closely.”
On Saturday, the family of Dominick Alvarado, a student at Saint John’s College, took to social media to highlight the serious issue of bullying in Belize. They shared that Dominick had suffered a broken hip in an alleged bullying incident, leaving him bedridden. We reached out to the President of Saint John’s College, Mirtha Peralta, to understand how the school is handling the situation. While she confirmed that an internal investigation is underway, the specifics of any disciplinary action against the accused remain unclear. ACP Hilberto Romero details how the police respond to instances of bullying.
“If Injuries were inflicted on him, then an investigation will be carried out and those responsible will be charged. And the bullying part, then that will also be investigated.”
Paul Lopez
“So it could be tantamount to a criminal act?”
Hilberto Romero
“Yes, once this person received injuries. Yes.”
To get a broader perspective on how schools typically handle bullying, we spoke with Kadijah Marin, the Vice Principal of Academic Affairs at Edward P. York High School.
Kadijah Marin
Kadijah Marin, Vice Principal of Academic Affairs, Edward P. York
“So if a student comes in and makes a report, we have them record an incident report. about whatever happened. Thereafter, we launched an investigation to find out what the details of the case are and who the culprits may be. And then from there, according to our student handbook, we have consequences based on the severity of the case. So it could range from something as simple as name calling, to hazing, or to internet interactions, or cyber bullying. We take all of those cases seriously and they’re outlined in our 100th Federal Clearing.”
Marin explained that the punishment vary depending on the severity of the case. Students may receive demerits, detentions, suspensions and in some instances, outright expulsion. Jex explains that there are several reasons that someone may exhibit bullying behaviors, ranging from stressful living situations, a lack of correction, or an inability to regulate emotions.
Aimee Jex
“You also have those people in the middle who might just be bullies because that’s how they see it as a solution. You did something bad to me and now in response, I will do something worse to you and other people will notice and you will feel ashamed. So that a shame I felt, I will make you feel it ten times or one hundred times and it’s a solution that they have because you know as people we have emotions And maybe we may not know how to regulate those emotions. We don’t know how to deal with our anger We don’t know how to deal with our sadness. We don’t know how to deal with our grief and in that we end up hurting other people.”
In a shocking incident, a Belize City woman was allegedly robbed while live on social media from inside her home. Thirty-three-year-old Flowayne Colon reported to the police that during an Instagram live session, a man dressed in a battle uniform broke into her home, tied her up, and stole her belongings. Colon, an adult content creator with over a million Instagram followers, suspects the intruder was after her valuable, monetized social media accounts. Here’s News Five’s Paul Lopez with the story.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Flowayne Colon, also known as Shaniki Hernandez, says she was robbed inside her home while going live on Instagram.
Flowayne Colon
Flowayne Colon, Burglary Victim
“Basically I mih just deh pan my bed and there was a situation I was going through depression, and I bring my family come live with me. So, my family live downstairs and I live upstairs alone. I in my room live on Instagram and another page and I hear the door, when I hear the door open, I know something wrong, because my family deh can’t go upstairs. My family know what I the do upstairs.”
She alleges that the individual was wearing a battle dress uniform, like those worn by members of the GI3.
Flowayne Colon
“I mih think dah my friend. I mih shocked and scared but I think dah one of my friend the mess with me or play with me. Then he tie me up and gagged me with one of my clothes then like I told you I think it was one of my friend messed with me. Then he just starts rough me up and tell me not to look at his face. That is when I realized that something wrong.”
Colon managed to free herself after the intruder left and quickly realized that two of her phones were missing. She emphasized that these phones are extremely valuable due to the monetized social media accounts they hold. Colon’s Instagram page, under the name “Shaniki Hernandez,” boasts one point two million followers, where she creates adult content.
Flowayne Colon
“He told me count from one to twenty. It is just weird. I thought it was a friend. Throughout the entire ordeal I thought it was a friend messing with me. When I look up I see my live phones, because I mih deh pan Instagram and next site and then I realize he stole my phones.”
She went to the police to make a report. But this morning before we spoke with Colon, she published a social media video giving what sounded like a different account of the same situation.
Flowayne Colon
“A guy was passing on his bicycle. I was live on my verandah. He was passing on his bicycle and I was like hey weh the go on. UI dah like weh the go on. I don’t know him from Adams. We don’t know him. We dah like weh the gon on pull up. I don’t know him, but he came to my house.”
Well, this afternoon Colon told us that she was referencing a similar incident that occurred three weeks ago in which she was able to retrieve her phones.
Flowayne Colon
“So what happened, this person stole my phone three weeks ago. It is the same person. They are not after my money. I have a lot of valuable items. They don’t want nothing. It is my social media information and everything that they want. All of my online information they want.”
Paul Lopez
“Why would they want this? What value is there to that?”
Flowayne Colon
“It is a lot of money. It is worth more than everything else. That is how I make a living.”
Colon made a report to the police and later requested no court action and that her statement be withdrawn. She says that she fears the culprit would return to harm her. We asked the police about her report today.
“We are following up on that report. Investigators is following up on footage and other evidence. That is the information e have that two cellphones were stolen. We have no suspect at this time.”
Reporter
“Did she mention that he was dressed in GI3 clothing?
ACP Hilberto Romero
“No, I am not aware of that detail of that report. No.”
Colon has been receiving a mixture of support and criticism on social media.
Paul Lopez
“One of the people, how did this individual manage to get inside your home? I know the first time you hail up a lee friend. But the second time, how did that even happen?”
Flowayne Colon
“I was live at the same time so they were looking at me live.”
Paul Lopez
“How does this entire ordeal have you feeling?”
Flowayne Colon
“I love my country. I love Belize. But I have to leave my country in a few hours.”
A home was burglarized on Friday night in Corozal Town. The culprit made off with two firearms. Police are now looking for clues to identify the suspect. ACP Hilberto Romero says its two more firearms on the streets for the police to be concerned about.
“On Friday October twenty-fourth. Renick Chavaria reported that his house was broken into in Corozal Town. He left his house secure and upon return his house was broken into. He left his two firearms a nine millimeter pistol and a .223 rifle. We have no suspects at this time for this burglary. It is of concern to us because that is two more firearm on the streets.”
In another burglary, this time in Lord’s Bank, a woman was injured by the culprit. Police are now looking for an individual identified as Phillip Guzman for questioning in connection with the incident. ACP Hilberto Romero told us more.
“On the fifth day of October 2024, Ladyville police responded to an aggravated burglary report at carnation street in Lord’s Bank. Upon their arrival Shania Jerguson reported that she was at home when she noticed someone was inside her house. There was a struggle with the male person. He then inflicted injuries to Jerguson with a knife and some scratches. Thereafter the male person fled from the area as Jerguson ran on the streets to ask for help. An investigation was carried out and Phillip Guzman is wanted for aggravated assault.”
In Punta Gorda Town, a grocer and his wife were held up at gun point by two armed men. According to police, the culprits made off with cash from the register. They are seeking two suspects. Here is more on that incident.
“On Sunday police responded to reports of a robbery at Maday Store. Upon their arrival, we received reports that the proprietor was held up by two male persons armed with firearms. They held him up and his wife and proceeded to the cash pan and stole an amount of cash. Both male persons then fled from the area. We are seeking two suspects in regard to this robbery.”
Concerns have been raised about the departure of several key staffers, including the Drug Inspectorate, at the Ministry of Health and Wellness. Over the weekend, News Five was informed that a few employees had moved on to the private sector. We reached out to Minister of Health and Wellness Kevin Bernard who told us, “We have no chief pharmacists but Miss Samira who has been acting in the position and still is. Doctor Samouge who is the Drug Inspectorate resign to go work in the private sector. Doctor Fidel Cuellar resigned to work in the private sector. Miss Agassi Finnegan was seconded to us to address some legal matters but had always said she will go practice her profession in her law firm. So she is now a private attorney at law, As an update we had no resignations in July, one male RN in August who went to the private sector, and one RN in September who’s contract ended and did not renew so essentially not a resignation”.
