And what about Albert? Shyne Barrow has reached out to activist Jose Uc Espat to represent the U.D.P. in that division. Right now, Albert is under the watch of Tracy Taegar-Panton, who leads the Alliance for Democracy faction within the U.D.P. Meanwhile, there’s talk that former Senate President Lee Mark Chang might challenge Barrow in the Mesopotamia constituency. So, how will these scenarios unfold as we head into the upcoming general elections? Here’s what Barrow had to say.
Shyne Barrow
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“He would be a, I think he would be a good candidate. I know that he ran as an independent and I do believe that he is still interested in running again.”
Reporter “I don’t know if we’ve asked you about Lee Mark in Mesopotamia.”
Shyne Barrow
“No, no. What about him?”
Reporter
“Well, what do you think? He’s vying to take your spot there, presumably under the UDP banner.”
Shyne Barrow
“I don’t know anything about that. I don’t know anything about that, I haven’t seen any declaration on his part. All I’ve seen is, “We don’t know, we will see, and so…”
Reporter
“If he were to run in your constituency, would you be concerned?”
Shyne Barrow
“My concern is always the people of Mesopotamia and how I deliver the services for them which is why when I come into this house, again, I am the member of parliament, at least from the opposition side that has given the most questions to ministers and most of my questions stem from the people in Mesopotamia. Tomorrow we have an Xmas festival and I focus on what I need to do to service the people of Mesopotamia.”
Later today, San Ignacio will celebrate the inauguration of a brand-new boardwalk and public space. You might remember that the groundbreaking took place just before the March 6th municipal elections. Since then, Area Representative Orlando Habet and the Belize Tourism Board have worked together to complete the project. However, Mayor Earl Trapp has voiced some concerns, noting that Town Hall was left out of the planning and execution process for the boardwalk and the adjoining marketplace.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo Northeast
“I think it’s very disingenuous coming from the mayor, to say something like that because way back in February, we did inform him and he was against it. Matter of fact he went in the media and said that he was not informed and eventually he went back and said he had a meeting with minister Mahler saying that minister Mahler was supporting him. Something to that effect. Well after that we decided that we wanted to speak to him and he went out there with his architect and we looked at the area, we showed him the design. And he said fine, it looks good. Let’s do it. I think part of the problem that the mayor has is that he wants to be involved in the collection of the monies for the rent of the four little kiosk that we have but the rental of the kiosks will be put into a fund for the maintenance of the kiosks because the boardwalk is made out of lumbar and lumbar needs constant maintenance. Another thing is I think that he was hoping, and many of his followers were hoping that floods would have taken the boardwalk. Well it has now withstood maybe the second of the largest flood events that we have experienced in the last twenty-five or thirty years. And it is still there, it was covered many many feet above the roof. It is still there, it has been washed, it has been prepared, it is ready for inauguration. Again, very disingenuous because yesterday morning at about eight thirty, the mayor called me and told me that he wanted to speak to me about the management if the boardwalk. I said listen, I’m going to a meeting but as soon as I get out of it, in the afternoon or tomorrow, which is today, I will call you to explain to you what we are doing.”
Residents and business owners on Faber’s Road in Belize City are up in arms over the recent redlining of a section of the road. The new no-parking zone, stretching from Central American Boulevard to the Faber’s Road Police substation, has caused quite a stir. Business owners are worried that the inconvenience will drive away customers, while homeowners are left scrambling for parking spots. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Parking on Faber’s Road has become a nightmare for residents and business owners. Since last month, the stretch from Central American Boulevard to the police substation has been redlined, and those who used to park there are now getting ticketed. This change has left everyone scrambling for parking spots and feeling frustrated.
Allessia Santiago
Allessia Santiago, Resident
“My daughter bring the vehicle every night when she come from work and she park ova soh and then da mawnin, she left. Police mi come last night and ih put ah ticket and like fifteen minutes afta dat, she mi di look weh fi move the vehicle cause she noh know weh paat fi move di vehicle. So ney come back and start ro halla atta ney and tell ney wa bring the vehicle fi haul it. Fi move it. Well my daughter no want that happened so we di try figure out weh fi do.”
Earlier this year, Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner announced plans to redline the entire stretch up to Rio Grande Crescent. This move aims to tackle the issue of derelict vehicles cluttering the area.
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City (File: June 25th, 2024)
“We are looking through our traffic committee and are putting together some sort of recommendation, where we will look at really redlining that entire stretch up to, I think Rio Grande Crescent. But we will – we have done a study for all the residential homes along the Faber’s Road and in that study, our city planner found that there are spaces for people to park on the area that is owned by the city for most of the homes. So we are looking to pass a required S.I after the consultations with the residents in that area in the Faber’s Road area. But we are looking to redline that entire stretch right from the Boulevard.
Residents point to the wide sidewalk as one of the problems. A few years ago, the road was reconstructed, limiting the amount of road space.
Voice of Faber’s Road Resident
Voice of Faber’s Road Resident
“I think the problem started when we spent eight million on a street so thin, when we actually have enough space that we could have made this road much wider. And even the sidewalk to see the sidewalks is so wide that three people who can walk abreast. Having the sidewalks a foot thinner would have alleviate a lot of the problem that we’re having with vehicle passing each other. ”
Business owners are feeling the pinch, worried that the lack of parking will scare away their customers. One resident suggested a potential solution: allowing parking during specific time windows.
Voice of Faber’s Road Resident
“I da understand wa six to six but weh da si sense ah yo come give people ticet akl ten eleven da night. When people inna ney bed. Got big siren on di blow. Mek lotta npise the come knows pan your door fi give yo ticket.”
Faber’s Road was originally designed to ensure smooth movement for cargo trucks coming from the Port of Belize. However, with so many vehicles parked for long periods, it became increasingly hazardous for these trucks to navigate. The congestion also slowed down traffic flow. City Councilor Eluide Miller explained that, based on recommendations from the Traffic and Planning Departments, banning parking on the road was deemed the best solution to address these issues.
Eluide Miller
Eluide Miller, Traffic Management, Belize City Council
“I think we went as far as taking one of the residents to court because he was conducting a business of some sort along the stretch, which was causing issues. And the court delivered a judgment that he was failing to abate a public nuisance, right? And he was required to move those vehicles. He proceeded to move some of the vehicles. Months later, the vehicles came back, right? And so it’s not for a lack of efforts on the council’s end. We’ve tried everything in our power to not have to get to this point, but we have come to the realization that this is the only thing that will have them act in a way that is not inconveniencing the public. Our residents and all those who traverse the area on a daily basis. We have to prioritize your safety. We can’t sacrifice the masses for the sake of a few residents who insist on being inconsiderate and not abide by the law.”
The City Planning Unit carried out a study to assess how the redlining would affect residents and business owners. They meticulously analyzed each parcel to evaluate parking availability and impact.
Carla Patnett
Carla Patnett, City Planner
“Each one of the parcels were not a hundred percent, have a hundred percent occupancy, meaning that there is space on the private property for residents to park. Also along Faber’s Road, there is public reserve in front of each one of the parcels. In different sectors of the stretch of Faber’s Road, there are different widths, but there is also space if the resident has more than one vehicle to park in their property and there’s an overflow, there’s public space where there’s there is that capacity. And so we took photos from the front, from the side in order to, to evidence that there is sufficient parking and the residents are able to park inside the property.”
To address concerns from businesses about losing customers, the council has agreed to permit brief parking periods throughout the day. They also emphasized that any residents with additional concerns are welcome to reach out and discuss ways to improve the parking situation. Britney Gordon for News Five.
A twenty-year-old student from Independence just hit the jackpot, winning a whopping one hundred and seventy thousand dollars in the Mega Bingo! Earlier today, he made the trip to Belize City with his mom and younger sibling to claim his prize. News Five caught up with him to chat about his incredible win.
Voice of: Mega Bingo Winner
“Actually, I found out the following morning. I didn’t play the game the night of the actual game, so the following morning [was when] I played, but with this game we usually play as a family. It’s like a three-person family, me, my mother and my brother to play this and every Wednesday I buy two tickets for each of us, but that night all of us were busy. So, we didn’t play until the following morning. My brother wasn’t at home and my mother was busy so I played all six tickets by myself. So when I found out, when I played the recording again the following morning, I thought I did the mistake of maybe circling a wrong number so I checked it a second time, I ran to my mother and let her confirm it as well. So we checked the tickets three times but we still couldn’t believe it. Nut we had to come here and we finally get confirmation that I won when we scanned the ticket here.”
Isani Cayetano
“What’s the feeling like for you and your family?”
Voice of: Mega Bingo Winner
“I mean, it’s it’s really, really good. It’s like right now we’re really in a tough situation as well. So, I really appreciate that I had this luck. God gave me this love and I’m really grateful for it.”
Reporter
“Where’d you get your ticket?”
Voice of: Mega Bingo Winner
“At an Independent, at Hugh Hong store. Yeah. Huong Hong.”
Isani Cayetano
“It’s Christmas time, right? How is it going to look for you and your family this year?”
Voice of: Mega Bingo Winner
“It looked like basically for the next year is a good start of the year to say, as we come to the end of this year. And as, together with Christmas, I’m also graduating this December as well. So it’s both a Christmas gift, a New Year’s gift, and a graduation gift. And with that, I’m looking forward to pursuing my education with this money.”
Residents of Faber’s Road in Belize City are expressing frustration over recent parking restrictions enforced by the Belize City Council. The council painted a red line along both sides of the road, which prohibits parking along the area.
In June, Mayor Bernard Wagner discussed making changes and redlining the zone. He explained that the redlining was part of a solution to ongoing traffic and parking issues, especially with derelict vehicles. “As soon as they remove the vehicles, more are parked on the streetside again,” Wagner said. He added that the council had conducted a study “for all the residential homes along Faber’s Road, and in that study, our city planner found that there are spaces for people to park in the area that is owned by the city for most of the homes… We are looking to pass a required S.I. after the consultations with the residents in that area in the Faber’s Road area. But we are looking to redline that entire stretch right from the Boulevard.”
However, residents argue that the new restrictions are causing problems. One resident shared, “The city council did come around and ask our opinion if they should be parking on this road, and some of us based our concern.” The resident added that while the removal of abandoned vehicles is understandable, “the problem started when we spent $8 million dollars on a street so thin… when it could have been made much wider.”
Some residents also claim they are being ticketed late at night after settling in for the evening.
“We don’t have no parking space to park in the yard,” another resident said, adding that the sidewalk along the road is “taking up a lot of space.”
News 5 has reached out to the council for comment.
In late October, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) dismissed an application for an extension of time to apply for special leave in the Belizean murder case of Tevin Andrewin v. The King.
The court provided its reasons for the dismissal on December 13, 2024.
Andrewin, convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with eligibility for parole after 25 years, sought to challenge his conviction. His appeal was based on the identification testimony of eyewitness Shiyana Allen and res gestae evidence from the victim, Myrick Gladden, who identified Andrewin as the shooter shortly after the incident. The majority in the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction, finding no unfairness in the identification process despite some procedural flaws. However, a dissenting opinion argued that these errors rendered the conviction unsafe.
Andrewin claimed that his attorney failed to inform him of the Court of Appeal’s judgement in a timely manner, causing a delay in his application for special leave to appeal. The CCJ acknowledged the delay and emphasised the need for greater professionalism among attorneys. Despite recognising Andrewin’s valid reason for the delay, having filed the application within 18 days of retaining pro bono counsel, the court ultimately found that the procedural flaws did not affect the fairness of the identification process. Additionally, the res gestae evidence was deemed powerful and unambiguous, supporting the conviction.
The CCJ noted that no arguments were presented in the Court of Appeal to challenge the sentence imposed by the High Court judge, nor were any raised before the CCJ to warrant interference with the sentence. Consequently, the court dismissed Andrewin’s application, finding no realistic chance of success in his appeal.
In 2019, 7 years after the fatal shooting of Gladden, Andrewin was found guilty of his murder. The trial, which began on February 25, 2019, and concluded on March 20, 2019, was heard before Supreme Court Justice Colin Williams in a judge-only proceeding.
The incident occurred on June 24, 2012, when Gladden, his common-law wife, and his brother were walking home along Administrative Drive in the Saint Martin’s de Porres area just after midnight. The group came under attack, and Gladden’s wife was shot in the calf. She recounted seeing her husband fall to the ground while her brother-in-law fled. She claimed that Andrewin approached her with a gun, but she escaped and hid under a verandah, where she allegedly witnessed Andrewin stand over Gladden and shoot him at close range.
During the trial, Andrewin, represented by attorney Hector Guerra, denied the allegations, calling the evidence weak and presenting no witnesses in his defense. However, Justice Williams ruled otherwise, finding Andrewin guilty of the crime.
Prime Minister John Briceño has called for urgent reforms to Belize’s road safety laws, citing the alarming rise in traffic fatalities, particularly those involving young people and motorcyclists. Speaking in the House of Representatives, Briceño highlighted the need for legislative action, stricter enforcement, and a cultural shift in driving behaviour.
Briceño revealed that Cabinet has directed the Attorney General to conduct a comprehensive review of Belize’s road safety regulations, with a specific focus on driving under the influence (DUI) offenses. He suggested that Belize may need to follow the example of the United States, where DUI-related fatalities can result in murder charges. “People need to understand that if you drive under the influence and get in an accident, we are going to throw the whole book at you,” he stated.
The Prime Minister expressed frustration with the culture of reckless driving and said that many of the country’s fatal accidents are preventable. He shared a personal anecdote of calling the police to report a suspected drunk driver on the highway. The driver, later revealed to be one of his own constituents, was arrested. The father of the driver later thanked Briceño, saying the experience taught his son an important lesson.
On the matter of enforcement, PM Briceño announced that the Ministry of Transportation has been tasked with strengthening highway surveillance. Plans are in motion to introduce 24-hour patrols, with heightened efforts during nighttime hours when drunk driving incidents are most likely to occur. “This is when people are coming from parties or social events after drinking, and that’s when we see most of the accidents,” he explained.
The Prime Minister also stressed the need to modernise enforcement tools. He revealed plans to amend laws to allow the use of speed guns, breathalysers, and dash cams to ensure police officers are equipped with the necessary tools to detect and penalise reckless drivers.
Briceño spoke on the alarming statistics on motorcycle-related fatalities. He shared that of the 108 road deaths recorded in 2024, 50 involved motorcyclists. He described the reckless behaviour of some riders as a significant problem and announced that stricter licensing requirements for motorcyclists will be introduced. This includes mandatory helmet use, with helmets required to meet safety standards that prevent them from dislodging on impact.
He also criticised the dangerous practice of parents riding motorcycles with young children precariously perched between them. In one instance, shared in a Cabinet group chat, a man and a woman were seen riding a motorcycle with a small child held only by the mother’s legs. Briceño condemned the practice as a serious safety risk, calling for stricter enforcement against such violations.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for collective responsibility in reducing traffic fatalities. “At the end of the day, it’s me, you, and all of us collectively,” Briceño declared. “We are the drivers, and we all have a role to play in making our roads safer.”
A Grade 7 student at Irwin High School, Jamaica, was crushed to death by a speeding bus shortly after school ended. 12-year-old Deanna Solomon was killed by a Montego Bay Metro bus on Wednesday afternoon. Local news reports suggest that Deanna was pushed by fellow students in a rush to board the bus, causing her to fall in front of the vehicle. The bus driver reportedly didn’t realise that Solomon landed in front of his speeding bus and accidentally ended up running her over.
Solomon was rushed to Cornwall Regional Hospital but succumbed to her injuries due to multiple fractures.
Her mother, Antonette Shaw, recalled their final conversation. She told local news Jamaica Observer, “She came and hugged me in the bed and kissed me and said, ‘Mommy later; yuh coming to Montego Bay?’” Shaw had urged her daughter to be careful before she left for school.
Shaw also shared her heartbreak upon hearing of the incident, stating, “Right now all of us break down… the house doesn’t feel like a home without her.”
The school has suspended exams to allow students and staff time to grieve. Deanna, who had excelled academically and aspired to become a judge, leaves behind a devastated community.
Making headlines once more is Elon Musk. The 53-year-old is ending 2024 hitting a historical record-breaking milestone after his new estimated net worth revealed that he may now be well surpassed $400 billion, according to Bloomberg.
The tech mogul’s wealth is primarily driven by the soaring value of his companies, Tesla and SpaceX. CNBC confirmed in November that Musk’s private stake in SpaceX hit a valuation jump to $350 billion.
Tesla’s stock also hit new highs this week, which propelled Musk’s wealth to $440 billion. The billionaire’s wealth surge comes after his active involvement in U.S. politics. In fact, CNBC reported that Musk pumped a quarter of a billion dollars towards Donald Trump’s second term as president campaign.
As of December 2024, Musk is $140 billion ahead of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who ranks second on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Today, Prime Minister John Briceño explained the reasons why the government sought to implement a series of holiday relief measures. He said that the zero GST weekends are aimed at easing the financial strain on Belizean families during the Christmas season. Speaking in the House of Representatives, PM Briceño explained that the initiative was driven by the need to provide support at a time when many families face increased expenses.
According to the Prime Minister, the idea emerged from a broader effort to help Belizeans during a period that should be marked by joy and celebration. “Christmas is a time when families want to provide for their children—a little Christmas cheer, an apple, or a simple treat,” he noted. “Children don’t understand whether you have money or not; they just know what Christmas should feel like.”
To address this, the government introduced a temporary GST holiday. Over two weekends—Saturday and Sunday of this week, as well as Saturday and Sunday of the following week—consumers will benefit from zero in general sales tax on their purchases.
Briceño said that while the government would lose revenue in the short term, the broader goal is to encourage spending within Belize. “People can save at least 1.5 percent on their purchases. And once we lose on the revenues, to us it’s not only about the money; it’s important. We need the money; as a government, we need the money. But we make people happy, and we make people spend their money here. And when they spend money here, they spend it in Belizean-owned businesses. And they hire people, and then eventually we’ll be able to collect the taxes back.
Briceño was clear that this approach aims to keep Belizeans shopping at home rather than travelling to places like Chetumal, where prices may not necessarily be cheaper.
In addition to the GST holiday, the government has introduced a month-long waiver on GST for hams and turkeys—two key staples of the Belizean Christmas menu. This measure is intended to make these holiday essentials more affordable for families.
