Tropical Storm Rafael, the 17th named storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, has developed in the Caribbean and is forecasted to become a hurricane by Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). This would make Rafael the 11th hurricane of the season, which officially lasts until November 30.
Initially classified as Potential Tropical Cyclone 18, Rafael formed on Sunday and strengthened into a tropical storm by Monday afternoon. As of 4 p.m. ET, Rafael was located about 175 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, with sustained winds of 45 mph, moving north at 9 mph.
The NHC issued a tropical storm watch on Monday afternoon for the lower and middle Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas, while a hurricane warning has been put in place for the Cayman Islands. Jamaica remains under a tropical storm warning, and Cuba has issued a hurricane watch for select provinces.
Forecasts indicate that Rafael will pass near Jamaica late on Monday, approach or pass over the Cayman Islands by late Tuesday—potentially reaching hurricane strength—before moving towards Cuba on Wednesday. Meteorologists expect 3 to 6 inches of rainfall across the western Caribbean, with localised totals reaching up to 9 inches in Jamaica. The heaviest rainfall and potential for minor coastal flooding are expected in Jamaica on Monday evening, while storm surges in the Cayman Islands could reach up to 3 feet on Tuesday. Flooding and mudslides are possible in Jamaica and Cuba.
A woman is in police custody after her common-law husband, Kenroy Lanza, was stabbed during a domestic dispute in Hattieville Village on November 3. Lanza was rushed to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital and is “presently admitted in a critical condition,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero. Police say “Kenroy Lanza had a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, and she alerted her brothers, who then came.”
Authorities have the girlfriend in custody and are searching for her two brothers.
Police continue to investigate a stabbing incident that occurred on Sunday night at Jaguar Avenue in Belize City. The victim, Shawn Ortiz Sr., 43, was taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero, initial investigations indicate that Ortiz, a taximan, was involved in a fight “with other persons, one of whom inflicted the fatal stab injuries to him.”
Police are currently seeking three suspects in connection with the incident.
A retired police officer with 37 years of service is the lucky winner of the most Mega Bingo jackpot. He won more than $600,000. In an interview with News 5, the winner shared his excitement upon receiving his prize. Holding the oversized check, he expressed his joy: “I’m excited.” When asked if he often plays Mega Bingo, he nodded, saying it’s a regular pastime.
He chose his numbers based on family birthdays, explaining, “I have three family members whose birthday is in the month of June. When he realised he had won, he initially faced disbelief from his family.
With his winnings, he plans to fulfil his dream of getting his dream house and sharing some of the funds with loved ones.
The winner, a proud former serviceman, expressed that the win felt like a fitting reward after his years of dedication. When asked if he would encourage others to play, he responded enthusiastically, noting that he always encourages others to give it a shot.
At the 40th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Small Branches Conference, Speaker of the National Assembly of Belize, Valerie Woods, was elected as the new chairperson. Woods emphasised the need for small legislatures to collaborate on common challenges and share their experiences.
In her acceptance speech, she expressed her gratitude, stating, “I am honoured to have the trust of the Members of the CPA Small Branches.” She plans to focus on strengthening support for small branches and their parliaments during her tenure.
Woods takes over from outgoing Chairperson Joy Burch from Australia. The election occurred as part of the larger 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, which brought together over 700 parliamentarians and staff.
Commander of the Belize Defence Force (B.D.F.) Brigadier General, Azariel Loria, confirmed what News 5 Digital has been investigating and reporting for several weeks. Guatemalan loggers have been bribing members of the B.D.F. On Friday, Loria told News 5 that “as part of our investigation, we more or less know now that the Guatemalans are bribing our patrol commanders.”
In October, an exclusive investigative piece by this news station revealed that B.D.F. soldiers at the Machakilha Conversation Post were being bribed by Guatamalan loggers who illegally cross into Belize and harvest precious wood. These bribes were given to soldiers in exchange for ignoring illegal logging activities by Guatemalan nationals within Belizean territory.
Loria told News 5, “Whenever other security forces are operating in the area, aren’t they bribed? You see, we are not immune to these things. The BDF, we are not immune.” He emphasised that only a few rogue commanders are suspected of accepting bribes, adding that those found guilty will face disciplinary action.
“There will be the elements, the bad guys there, that they’re going to come and try to extort to bribe. There are some that will take it, others that will not. They say no…I’m being taught in my force about the virtues I’m being taught in my force about the virtues and the values that we espouse and the values that we espouse. All the bribery, alleged bribes—not everybody is getting bribed. It’s only one or two commanders—rogue commanders. I’m telling you that we are going to look at it disciplinarily.”
The bribery takes several forms, including cash and food items like chicken. Reports indicate that soldiers accept these bribes because they don’t have adequate food rations.
“We don’t carry chicken to the bush. We cannot carry chicken and because that will spoil. So what is given to us is the compo rations we call it or the meal ready to eat from the Americans and that suffice for us to accomplish our necessities for 7 to 14 days. So when we come back, we’re going to eat our chicken, but we cannot be carrying chicken. to remote areas, per se, Machakilha and Rio Blanco.”
Brig. Gen. Loria explained that standby rations are stored at conservation posts for emergencies, such as hurricanes or flooding, and are rotated every six months to ensure freshness. “He confirmed that the matter is under investigation to determine if expired rations had indeed been distributed.”
“We usually have standby rations that are allocated at the conservation posts. And the standby rations is just in the case of any emergency hurricanes or flooding, and we cannot adequately resupply them with rations. It is only them that we make use of the rations. Every six months to a year we have our standing operational procedures. We have sent it to the battalion commanders. Every six months they’re supposed to rotate the standby rations. We are investigating it. And, depending on the results of the investigation, we will see what next.”
As we’ve reported, the B.D.F. is actively investigating bribery among its soldiers, following an exposé by this station in October. BDF soldiers stationed at the Machakilha Conservation Post, near the Belize-Guatemala border, had been accepting bribes from Guatemalans. The issue of Guatemalan bribes is not new; reports suggest that such exchanges have occurred for years, with one logger stating that he has been paying off soldiers for over five years. Our investigation has revealed that the BDF high command is broadening its inquiry to include not only the Machakilha post but all conservation posts (CPs).
The U.S. presidential election is one day away, and the world is watching the polls closely. A vote in favour of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump will affect not only American climate policy but also the worldwide fight against global warming.
Former President Trump has repeatedly called global warming a “hoax” and has claimed it was “created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive.”
During his presidency from 2017 to 2021, he repealed over 100 environmental regulations and withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement. Although the U.S. rejoined it in 2021 under Joe Biden, Trump has continued to dismiss climate change, saying it is “one of the great scams of all time” and claiming that “people aren’t buying it anymore.” He has also falsely stated that the planet “has actually got a bit cooler recently” and suggested that rising sea levels will create “more oceanfront property.”
This may pose challenges for Belize’s climate efforts if he wins again. Belize has committed to the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming and address climate change. The country relies on international support, including funding from the U.S., to carry out projects focused on renewable energy and protecting its natural resources. If Trump were to become president again and reduce U.S. involvement in global climate initiatives, Belize could face significant setbacks.
In a recent interview, we asked Orlando Habet, the Minister of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, about the potential impact of a Trump victory. He expressed concern, stating, “If they pull out on the Paris Agreement, certainly we will be worried. But, perhaps—maybe on the global stage—we don’t know what happens with the relationship with individual countries. Maybe that still remains the same.”
The worry is that if the U.S. steps back from its climate commitments, it could weaken global efforts to fight climate change.
It is the last day before the U.S. presidential elections, and thepolls continue to show Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump running neck-and-neck, both nationally and in most swing states. Early voting has already surpassed 77 million.
A Trump victory would make him the first president to serve non-consecutive terms, while Harris hopes to become the first woman and first person of South Asian descent to be elected president.
Harris campaigned in Michigan on Sunday, while Trump visited North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Harris is campaigning in Pennsylvania, and Trump is touring North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
Trump talked about the damage caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, saying, “It was horrible. Many people died” and criticised FEMA for its response, claiming it was inadequate. Despite his claims, FEMA has allocated over $100 million to help affected families in the state.
In addition to Harris and Trump, several third-party candidates are also on the ballot. Jill Stein from the Green Party and Chase Oliver from the Libertarian Party are notable contenders. Stein is polling at 2% in Michigan, while Oliver has the same support in Arizona. Robert Kennedy, Jr. is still on the ballot in some states despite suspending his campaign, polling at 3% in Michigan.
On Sunday, Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow and other members of the United Democratic Party (UDP) visited flood victims in the Orange Walk District. There he and others assessed the challenges faced by residents.
The visit follows reports of villagers expressing concerns that “NEMO was playing politics with emergency food aid,” claiming it was only given to certain families. Reports from the UDP officials indicate that villagers also voiced concerns on the need for more boat trips to dry land and access to clean drinking water.
The UDP officials also noted that in Douglas, the primary need was for grocery assistance, which “The UDP Leader will work with… the Village Chairman to provide emergency food aid.”
Belize Government Lotteries Ltd. (BGLL) has announced a special event to commemorate its one-year anniversary. To mark the occasion, the company will host a one-time raffle game titled the “One & A Million Anniversary Jackpot.”
According to BGLL, tickets for the celebratory raffle will be available for purchase beginning today. Ticket sales will conclude on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 9:00 pm, with the drawing scheduled for Saturday, December 21, at 10:00 am.
Each ticket, priced at $5.00, allows participants to select a 4-digit sequence similar to the regular jackpot game. The grand prize for the raffle is $1 million, and in the event of multiple winners, the prize will be equally divided among them.
Tickets will only be valid for 30 days following the drawing date. To redeem prizes, tickets must be fully legible with an intact QR code and ticket number, and players are encouraged to safeguard their tickets against any potential damage.
