One lucky man is now five hundred and thirty-six thousand dollars richer after hitting the Mega Bingo Jackpot on Saturday. The jackpot was a whopping six hundred and thirty-one thousand dollars, but after the fifteen percent tax deduction, he walked away with a hefty prize. Today, the retired police officer, who served for thirty-seven years, got the surprise of his life when he realized he had won. We caught up with him as he picked up his big check.
Voice of: Mega Bingo
Voice of: Mega Bingo Jackpot Winner
“I have three family members whose birthday is the month of June. So, I picked my grandson. He born 2019, my oldest son, 1982 and my mother 1944 and that is how I get it.”
Reporter
“How did you find out you were a winner and what went through your mind?”
Voice of: Mega Bingo Jackpot Winner
“I was playing and when I informed by kids that I won nobody believed. So I had to do the replay and let them see.”
Paul Lopez
“And what was their reaction?”
Voice of: Mega Bingo Jackpot Winner
“They felt good they jump up.”
Reporter
“What is your plan for this amount of money?”
Voice of: Mega Bingo Jackpot Winner
“I will try to get my dreamhouse and share some with the family.”
Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. The William Dawson Sprite Basketball Tournament reached a thrilling conclusion on Sunday afternoon at Swift Hall. The battle for third place was a heart-stopping showdown between the Hattieville Underdogs and Don 1. The game kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very end. Here are some highlights from the final moments, featuring the Underdogs in their striking red and blue jerseys and Don 1 in their vibrant yellow and blue uniforms. Thirty seconds left in the fourth, the Underdogs up by four and Don 1 in possession.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Lincoln Hemsley found Aldane Swazo who instantly passed the ball to overto the corner three position. That shot was no good, but Swazo was there to recover. Ball to Godfrey Arnold at the three-point line. You can see clearly where Underdogs’ Herman Ramos pushed Arnold mid-shot. Arnold was not happy with that play. The officials rewarded Don 1 with four free throws. That included a technical foul. And, they also got possession of the ball, after Arnold made two of the four. Markuest Arnold with the drive and the layup to make it a one-point ball game with seven point nine seconds on the clock. Underdog’s Zahir Harris is fouled. He makes one of two free throws rewarded.
Arnold with the rebound. A long pass to Demitre Dougal. Glenford Gillett gets the ball, and Ramos again with a foul, this time on Gillett. With point one second on the clock, Gillett has an opportunity to take this one into overtime. Under the weight of mounting press he misses the first free throw. They tried to go for a quick play on the second attempt, but that failed. The Hattieville Underdogs were named the 2024 Williams Dawson Sprite Basketball Tournament Bronze Medalists. The championship match between the back-to-back defending champions, the Hard Rock Boys, and the Orange Court Generals had everyone buzzing with excitement. The Orange Court Generals, donning their vibrant orange jerseys, made an impressive run to the finals in their debut season. Meanwhile, the Hard Rock Boys, clad in white and yellow, were determined to secure a historic three-peat. The stage was set for an unforgettable showdown.
Hard Rock Boys were navigating troubled waters by the end of the first quarter. With the Generals displaying a higher level of organization and accuracy out of the gate, they finished the first quarter with eight points, over Hard Rock’s five points. But the Hard Rock Boys made some necessary adjustments going into the second. Earl Bolo Johnson with the put-back to keep the game within reach. Travis “Turbo” Bermudez shifting gears to get the basket and the foul on the inside, giving the Hard Rock Boys their first lead of the game. Hard Rock Boys finished the first half with sixteen points, while holding the Orange Court Generals to ten points. And they did not let go of their lead for the rest of the game.
Ultimately, the Hard Rock Boys, back-to-back defending champions, made history by becoming the first team to achieve a three-peat since the tournament’s inception in 2016. Their remarkable feat has set a new benchmark for excellence in the competition. This one finished with a score of thirty-three to twenty-six points. Hard Rock’s number ten, Raheem Thurton was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. The championship team walked away with five thousand dollars. This tournament honors the legacy of the late William Dawson, and it is all about bringing rivaling communities together to work out their differences through basketball.
Douglas Hyde
Douglas Hyde, Coordinator, Williams Dawson Tournament
“I am proud to announce there was no major incident to speak on. But please hear this, for the first time in this tournament, there was nobody who got murdered, nobody who got arrested for attempted murder and murder, that is a huge accomplishment.”
Talking about huge accomplishments, Cory Williams secured gold for Belize at the 2024 Caribbean Elite Road Championships in Guyana. Here is the moment Williams crossed the finish line ahead of a ten-man group of lead riders, courtesy Victor Rutherford. Here they come, here goes the attack. We have Cory Williams to the front. We got Cory Williams to the front. We got Cory Williams. Cory Williams from Belize. He let them out and what he launched was it. Belize has won the Caribbean Championship. Cory Williams was released he hit the nitro and he was gone. So Belize is excited here with this win by Cory Williams. Additionally, Derrick “Young Phenom” Chavarria, won the silver medal in the Under- Twenty-Three Road Race, also held in Guyana. These are proud moments for Belize, and we say congratulations to team Belize for representing us well in the region.
And now for some highlights from the last game in the Inter-Office Basketball League’s semifinals. On Friday night Team Police and Team Airport Authority played their final match in a three-game series to determine who will place against Tuff-E-Nuff in the finals. These teams were neck and neck in the first two quarters, ending the first half at thirty to twenty-nine points in favor of team Police. In the third quarter, Police came out of the locker room with increased efficiency, scoring ten more points than their opponents, ballooning their lead to eleven points. Ultimately, Police are headed to the finals to face off against Tuff-E-Nuff in a series that promises excitement and endless highlight reels.
And finally, we end tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday with high praises for the Saint Catherine Academy’s and Saint John’s College’s volleyball teams for winning their high school regional volleyball tournament. This is SJC’s third year winning the regional tournament and SCA’s thirtieth year, talk about dominance. They are headed to the national tournament to compete against the top high school teams from across three other regions. Well folks, that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one.
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.
