Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced today that its government will introduce a law to ban social media for children under 16. Albanese said this decision is anticipated to be in effect against major social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X by the end of 2025.
In his address, Albanese said, “Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it,” and pointed out the risks of harmful body image portrayals for girls and misogynistic content targeting boys. “If you’re a 14-year-old kid getting this stuff, it can be a really difficult time,” he added.
The Australian government is testing age-verification methods, including biometric scans and government IDs, to enforce the ban. These methods would make Australia the first country to use such technology to block underage access to social media.
“There will be no exemptions for children who have parental consent or who already have accounts,” said Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. “The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access.”
Other countries, like France and the United States, have also set age limits for social media use, but Australia’s approach is the most restrictive to date.
Hurricane Rafael, which struck Cuba on Wednesday as a powerful Category 3 storm, has caused significant damage to the island’s power grid. “The national electric system collapsed due to strong winds,” said Félix Estrada Rodríguez, director of Cuba’s Electric Union. The storm brought down power poles and disrupted services.
Rafael has weakened to a Category 2 hurricane as it moves westward into the Gulf of Mexico. While its path no longer threatens the U.S., the storm poses an increasing risk to Mexico’s Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Centre now predicts the storm will stay over the southern Gulf for several days before weakening further.
Chevron, Shell, and BP have all taken precautions by evacuating personnel from oil rigs in the Gulf as Rafael moves closer.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister John Briceño and the Cabinet made several decisions that address key challenges in Belize’s justice system, expanding access to electricity, and boosting the country’s international presence.
In an official statement, the government announced that the Cabinet approved the creation of a Criminal Justice Board to tackle the backlog of appeals and endorsed a comprehensive National Electrification Plan. This endorsement, which is a partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), outlines a roadmap for ensuring universal electricity access by 2030, particularly in rural households, schools, and clinics. The Board identified issues with the inferior appellate regime, which will now be addressed by an amendment to the Senior Court’s Act. This change will allow for expanded substituted services through public notice, enabling the Senior Courts to manage a backlog of appeals and ensure that appellants are given reasonable notice of the date, time, and place of their appeals.
Cabinet also approved a name change for the Women’s Department, which will now be known as the Family Support and Gender Affairs Department.
In the area of maritime governance, the Cabinet approved the designation of San Pedro as a port. The new port status will also introduce clearer port limits and enforce stronger safety and security measures.
Additionally, Belize is set to join the Inter-Parliamentary Union, strengthening its role in global diplomacy. The IPU is an international organisation that empowers parliaments worldwide to promote peace, democracy, and sustainable development through parliamentary diplomacy.
Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow has congratulated US President-elect Donald Trump. In a statement, Barrow said, “We wish President-Elect Trump and the American people well, as Belize remains committed to strengthening the strong bilateral relations shared by our nations for the last 43 years.”
Barrow also congratulated Vice President Kamala Harris on “her historic and formidable presidential candidacy.”
“The Opposition thanks outgoing U.S. President Biden and Vice President Harris for the significant contributions made to Belize during their administration, from the appointment of @michellewkwan as the first U.S. Ambassador to Belize since the Obama Administration to the $250 million BZ grant to the people of Belize for education and energy given by the Millennium Challenge Corporation in September 2024. We thank you for your partnership and wish you and the American people well.”
On Tuesday, we chatted with a few Belizeans to see how up-to-date they were with the 2024 US presidential race. Most people told us they were following the elections closely and were hopeful that Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, would win. However, the results are in, and Republican candidate Donald J. Trump has come out on top. Today, we hit the streets again to find out how Belizeans are feeling about the announcement.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
It’s the day after the 2024 US Presidential Elections, and the results are in. In a tight race, Republican candidate Donald J. Trump has clinched a second non-consecutive term in the White House. While mail-in ballots are still being counted, it’s projected that Trump has secured two hundred and seventy-seven Electoral College votes, seven votes above the threshold needed to beat Democratic opponent Kamala Harris. On Tuesday, we hit the streets of Belize City to see how Belizeans were keeping up with the presidential race. Today, we went out again to get their reactions to Trump’s victory.
Clyde Burgess
Clyde Burgess, Belizean
“He ain’t no good. He no good.”
Britney Gordon
“Why do you think that?”
Clyde Burgess
“Mami, when I used to live over there, He go, he dig underneath the tunnel. And do a lot of mischief, you know, even. Especially when, when he try to play with the data. So. And plus the prejudice. Who want one person who is prejudiced fi wa president? No man. It noh right. He ain’t worth it mami. Because he don’t like black. He don’t like Spanish. What you like? But da the black people. God made all of us. Nobody better than no other.”
Some Belizeans shared their disappointment with the results, feeling that Trump harbors internal prejudices. Others simply didn’t agree with his policies.
Britney Gordon
“How are you feeling about the results?”
Brenda Baptist
Brenda Baptist, Belizean
“I don’t like it.”
Britney Gordon
“Are you concerned for your friends and family that are living there?”
Brenda Baptist
“I have family va there.”
Steve Fuller
Steve Fuller, Belizean
“Ukraine will be gobbled up by Russia. And time will get harder.”
Bitney Gordon
“You think we’ll start to see that here too?”
Steve Fuller
“Of course. Of course. Trump made a promise, and he intend to keep it. He said,he imposed tariff, and the tariff will pass on to the consumer. Simple as that. If you don’t understand that, then I rest my case.”
A few Belizeans were less pessimistic about the results and are instead choosing to observe what will become of Trump’s return to the White House.
Luis Ayala
Luis Ayala, Belizean
“Yeah, my family is good there though. So, but, I don’t know what’s happening later, I think.”
Britney Gordon
“So you’re waiting to see what will happen?”
Luis Ayala
“Yes.”
Belize City herbalist Leroy Young, who made headlines in July for spitting in another man’s face during a heated debate over Biden versus Trump, was eager to share his reaction. He supports Trump’s strict immigration policies.
Leroy “Herbs Man” Young
Leroy “Herbs Man” Young, Belizean
“Donald Trump is against open border. Immigrant going over there and then they get food stamps. Then they get all kind of benefits. And you have my born Belizean that have to save up money, pay to the bank, and go there and make appointment to U. S. Embassy only for them to turn them down. Go the proper way. But when you go illegal, Right now a lot of country, like Cuba and Venezuela, they let out their prisoners and they send them to the border. The mayor of New York is taking a licking because he stand up to the present administration of ten thousand immigrants to New York every month.”
It’s unclear what Trump’s re-election will mean for Belize, but some people are definitely feeling uneasy about what the future holds.
Leroy “Grandmaster” Young
Leroy “Grandmaster” Young, Belizean “Trump, I don’t know why, I don’t know, I don’t know, like, when fi he motha bring him in this world, he mussi been dropped pan he head or something like that, you know? But he wa be he, he wa be he. He will be here. No matter what you try to do, he wa be he. Because at the end of the day, da he get the last laugh.”
Britney Gordon
“What do you think is the biggest issue with his candidacy?”
Leroy “Grandmaster” Young
“From follow Trump. I don’t know, we will have to deal with a real, I don’t want to say the word, you know. When, when, anytime he speak, there’s something out of the way. Da no nothing real positive. All he di think about, da how he will try to bring down other, other politicians. So they end up in the same boat with him.”
Britney Gordon
“So how are you feeling about the election results?”
News Five ran a poll on its Facebook page, asking followers how they felt about Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. Out of five hundred and six voters, opinions were split. A strong two hundred and eighty people said they were ‘very satisfied’ with Trump’s win, showing solid support for his leadership. On the flip side, one hundred and thirteen voters were ‘very dissatisfied,’ and sixty-one were ‘somewhat dissatisfied.’ A smaller group of forty-six voters stayed neutral, while six felt ‘somewhat satisfied.’ Keep in mind, this Facebook poll isn’t scientific and only reflects the views of those who participated.
There’s a saying: When America sneezes, Belize catches a cold. With Donald Trump back in the White House as the 47th President, many Belizeans are curious about what this means for our relationship with the U.S. over the next four years. During his previous term from 2016 to 2020, Trump didn’t appoint an Ambassador to Belize, so we had to rely on the Charge d’ Affaires to manage our diplomatic ties. Now, Foreign Affairs Minister Francis Fonseca says Belize is ready to work with the new administration. However, there’s a big question mark over how the U.S. will handle migrants, including Belizeans, who sought asylum under Biden’s policies.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“We congratulate the president elect, Donald Trump. Um, and we look forward to, uh, 2025. We look forward to working with his administration. We look forward to, again, continuing to strengthen the relationship between Belize and the United States. It’s a very, very important relationship for us. And we are committed to working very closely with any U. S. president and their administration to advance our mutual needs and interests.”
Reporter
You know that Trump ran anti-immigration policy. Do you believe it is particularly concerning for Belizeans who are living there, especially those who sought asylum seekers recently that went over recently to the U. S.?”
Francis Fonseca
“One of the great attributes of the United States of America is that it’s a country of laws. It’s a country that has demonstrated over centuries its commitment to the rule of law. Um, and so, you know, I don’t think that Belizeans who are living there, um, should be in fear. Um, you know, obviously, you’re an illegal immigrant. I, I expect that you’re always, you know, I was a bit anxious about your status, so I guess that will continue. Um, but we certainly hope that, you know, the new administration coming in will fully, as we expect, will fully abide by laws.”
The Government of Belize is seriously worried about the recent move by sixteen donor countries to stop funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees. This agency is crucial for providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians, especially those in Gaza who are caught in the conflict. The United Nations has sounded the alarm, warning that famine could soon hit Gaza, putting the lives of over two million people at risk due to this funding cut. Today, Minister Fonseca echoed the government’s plea, urging these countries to rethink their decision and continue their support. It’s a critical moment, and Belize is standing up for those in need.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade
“We felt an absolute obligation, duty and obligation to make a very strong statement on this issue condemning Israel’s actions. This is an organization that, um, you know, serves the needs of the people, uh, Palestinian refugees, migrants, um, you know. Absolutely, it is, I think, wrong headed for Israel to take this position. Um, so we wanted to make it very clear where we stood, uh, in terms of the importance of this organization to ensuring, um, you know, the health and safety and wellness and dignity of the Palestinian people. Um, so we hope that, you know, the international community will join with Belize in condemning this latest action by Israel Um, and work to ensure that that happens. The organization is restored and is able to continue its work in Gaza.”
If you’ve ever been to Ambergris Caye during the busy tourist season, you know the island can get pretty jammed with golf carts. Locals have been voicing their frustrations about the sheer number of these vehicles. But what if the very officials who are supposed to solve this problem are actually making it worse? We’ve heard that a new company on the island was granted two hundred golf cart permits earlier this year. That’s a claim that definitely makes you sit up and take notice. Naturally, we had to investigate further. The town council is denying these claims, but our digging led us to a casino in Florida with some questionable dealings. Here’s Paul Lopez with the full story.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Ambergris Caye is facing a golf cart overload. Right now, there are just too many of them on the island. Back in May 2024, San Pedro Area Representative Andre Perez recognized this problem and told News Five that the town needs to get tough on the illegal importation of golf carts.
Andre Perez
Andre Perez, Area Representative, San Pedro (File: May 3rd, 2024)
“When I have the traffic problem and the congestion, we realize that we’ve reached our point. That we have to say, no more.”
Only a month later, Minister of Transport Rodwell Ferguson stated that his ministry would soon have to request a moratorium on golf carts.
Rodwell Ferguson
Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport (File: June 4th, 2024)
“Soon we will ask for a moratorium on golf carts. So, you can only maybe replace the one that you have. We have to bring any additional group because it’s too consistent.”
News Five has learned that a company, which recently started operating on the island, received up to two hundred golf cart permits. This suggests that the council, through the Ambergris Caye Traffic Control Committee, might be contributing to the very problem it’s complaining about. Today, we spoke with San Pedro Town Mayor, ‘Wally’ Nunez, who denied all the allegations.
Wally Nunez
Wally Nunez, Mayor, San Pedro Town
“That is not a fact. Initially when, I did not even know when they change ownership because formally it was known as Monetta then it went to Caribi Bleu. The company applied for the renewal of some permits they had which was twenty golfcarts and that was approved even when Moneta was there, that they were to have that twenty golfcarts as part of the resort. However, when they reapplied it was an extension to give them back that twenty. There has been some other applications but they were not approved. There has not been any other approvals for any more golfcarts other than the twenty.”
Paul Lopez
“Are you willing to provide us with copies of the Ambergris Caye Traffic Control Logbook that show how much permits were issued to them?”
Wally Nunez
“We have copies on our system that you can see how much golfcarts were registered under Caribi Bleu and you can check to see how much they have and you can see they only have twenty under that company name.”
News Five’s visit to the property on the island revealed numerous golfcarts parked inside the property’s parking lot, all with license plate numbers. From what we could see, there were just over a dozen golf carts in the parking lot at the time, backing up Mayor Nunez’s story. But that same day, we got our hands on video footage showing several of those same golf carts quietly tucked away inside a warehouse right next to the company’s property.
Wally Nunez
“We heard about the same allegations, but we don’t have any video surveillance, so it would be good If we have, because we did send our wardens to check and the ones that we saw there, they had license plate and they were the ones registered. We haven’t had any proof per say that there are any other golfcarts that are not registered.”
According to Mayor Nunez, these spanking new golf carts are replacements for the old golf carts under the same permits. Golf cart permits are a hot commodity on the island, because the council has placed a moratorium on their issuance. But he doesn’t deny that some people have tried to bribe their way into getting a golf cart permit.
Wally Nunez
“Yes there will be some people that will come an offer our staff as well that there will give us something for our permit. That is why we are always working with our staff to say that we don’t want this to be on your record to say that we will have to fire anybody for taking any bribes. They try to find a way and there are individuals that try to offer their guest or any expats on the island, oh we can get you a permit or even the rentals, go ahead and apply and we will help you, but who and how they are trying to get to this thing, because we need to get to the bottom of it, so that the corruption doesn’t happen on the island.”
Notably, signatures of approvals are required from Mayor Nunez and the Traffic Control Committee’s Chairperson, Reymundo Nunez, for permit approvals. Mayor Nunez mentioned that his signature was recently added to the issuance process for greater accountability.
Paul Lopez
“In addition, assertions are that you were gifted golf carts.”
Wally Nunez
“I have heard about it too, but I haven’t seen any. They said that they gave us ten golf carts. Some people told me that we were given twenty golfcarts. And strangely enough, how is it that they were given twenty permits and then they gave twenty golf carts to us?”
So, who exactly are the people behind Caribi Bleu Casino, and why did they catch our attention in the first place? To get to the bottom of this, we had to do some digging. According to Mayor Nunez, Caribi Bleu Casino was previously known as Moneta until it came under new management earlier this year. A search on the Sunbiz.org Division of Corporations’ website shows five limited liability companies registered under American Conglomerate, LLC. The only one currently active is Caribi Bleu International, LLC, which was established in May of this year. The registered agent is Rima Ray, who goes by Remington or Remi Ray in Belize.
Wally Nunez
“I really and truly haven’t had any interactions with them. I know them as businesspeople, high bye, but not really as any personal interactions that you will say, we are not that close.”
According to the minutes from the Board of Sumter County Commissioners on March twelfth, 2024, Rima Ray also has an internet café business in Lady Lake, Florida. The café recently got its operating permit renewed. However, video footage obtained by News Five allegedly shows slot machines running inside the very café. In the state of Florida, it is illegal for internet cafes to operate slot machines. There are tons of news articles online about the struggles the Florida Gaming Control Commission has been having in their efforts to shut down illegal internet cafes, also known as adult arcades. On October tenth, we caught up with Belize Rural South Area Representative, Andre Perez, at an event in Belize City, where we questioned him about his knowledge of this individual. Here is how he responded.
Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South
“Do you know an individual by the name of Remington Ray, the owner of Caribi Bleu Casino?”
Paul Lopez
“No, I don’t.”
Locals in San Pedro would recognize Ray as a major sponsor of the San Pedro Pirates Football Club. You can see the Caribi Bleu Casino logo all over their jerseys and flyers. We’ll keep investigating these reports. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez
We reached out to Rima Ray today for comments, but our text messages and call went unanswered.
Tonight, four men from the Faber’s Road area, including a police officer, are behind bars at the Belize Central Prison for the Monday morning murder of taxi driver Shawn Ortiz. The suspects are thirty-five-year-old Kyle Domingo from Madam Liz Avenue, twenty-eight-year-old Gasman Jones from Rio Bravo Crescent, forty-seven-year-old Charles Alexander Brown, who works for the Leadership Intervention Unit, and twenty-three-year-old Police Constable Peter Perez, also from Rio Bravo Crescent. They appeared in court without lawyers at around ten a.m., where the magistrate charged them with murder for the incident on Jaguar Avenue. The magistrate told the men that they couldn’t enter a plea because the charges are indictable offenses. Since the charges are serious, they couldn’t be granted bail and were remanded to the Belize Central Prison until January sixth, 2025. Domingo asked if he could get a copy of the case facts, and the magistrate ordered that each defendant be given one right away. They handed these documents to their attorney. Outside the courtroom, Senior Counsel Simeon Sampson said he is representing PC Perez and Jones, while the other two men are still without legal representation. Before the arraignment wrapped up, it came to light that Domingo owed the court five hundred dollars from a COVID-19 pandemic conviction. He seemed surprised and said he thought the charge had been dismissed. Charles Brown was also informed that he owed three hundred and five dollars. The magistrate told them that their warrants would be sent up so they could serve out their fines in prison while on remand.
