2024 - Channel 5 Belize

TS Nadine Leads to Localised Flooding in Northern Belize

The Corozal district experienced high volumes of rainfall from Tropical Storm Nadine, which led to localised flooding. As a result, several roadways were declared impassable. Also, the Rio Hondo River reached flood stage, compounding the situation. We spoke with Tennielle Hendy, the Chief Hydrologist, about what residents in the north experienced.

Tennielle Hendy, Chief Hydrologist, NHS

“The flooding associated with the Rio Hondo, the Rio Hondo is not a fast-flowing system, so the time it would take for flood waters to recede might be a bit longer than the ones that have a higher slope. The Rio Hondo doesn’t have that high of a slope that it runs off very quickly. A couple roads are inaccessible in the north. The San Roman Road is impassable. The Yo Creek San Lazaro Road was impassable. There are other areas that would have experienced urban flooding which is just caused by the rainfall where they would be seeing flooding in that area, but it should runoff at a normal pace for them.”

Hurricanes Keith and Mitch Levels Flooding Recorded

So, what’s the flood forecast for the next few days? The National Hydrological Service is reporting Hurricane Keith-level flooding along the Mopan River and Hurricane Mitch-level flooding along the Rio Hondo River. Flood alerts have also been issued for river systems in southern Belize. Chief Hydrologist shared more.

Tennielle Hendy, Chief Hydrologist, NHS

“The areas of concern that are flooding at the moment. We have a flood alert, which means that flooding is possible. So, you should be prepared. It is for the watersheds off the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains. I know you would say that sound like where is that. We are looking at all these rivers, south Stann Creek, north Stann Cree, Sittee River, Bladden, Swasey, Deep River, all these rivers coming off the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains. We have a flood warning in effect for Rio Hondo, New River and the tributaries to Rio Hondo, the Boots River, Rio Bravo. In the central area in Belmopan we have for the Mopan, Macal and Belize River. To the bottom of the central we have for the Sibun River. The San Ignacio and Iguana Creek low lying bridges are still impassable and we have specifically for the Rio Hondo, severe flood warning. This is because we have been monitoring the levels at our station at Blue Creek. That has exceeded Hurricane Mitch levels. Those are mainly the area we are lucking at. More so the Mopan and the Rio Hondo, we need to be vigilant. You were asking about other rainfall activities. Recall before Nadine developed we were receiving some rainfall. It is in this same western central region that we were getting these rainfall volumes then came tropical storm Nadine and even that Nadine is no longer over us, it is in Guatemala and still raining, we are receiving the rainfall and runoff values through the riverine systems. That is the contributing factor as to why we are seeing levels approaching levels of these historical systems like Hurricane Keith for the Mopan and Rio Hondo for Hurricane Mitch.”

2025 Public and Bank Holidays Announced

The government announced the public and bank holidays for 2025. There will be fourteen holidays next year. You’ll enjoy seven long holiday weekends, with the first being on March tenth, or National Heroes and Benefactor Day. And of course, you’ll have the long Easter weekend, which begins on Good Friday, April eighteenth. August first, or Emancipation Day, falls on a Friday, while the Independence Day holiday will be given on Monday, September twenty-second. Indigenous People’s Resistance Day will be given on Monday, October thirteenth, instead of the twelfth. And lastly, the Christmas holidays this year will begin on Thursday, December twenty-fifth, with Christmas Day followed by Boxing Day.

Dismembered Body Found in Barrel in Dangriga

Police in Dangriga are investigating a gruesome murder after a dismembered body was discovered inside a barrel near a popular resort. The victim has been identified as Manuel Fernandez, who was allegedly killed following a violent altercation with Loren Vanegas at a local meat shop. Vanegas, now in custody, is suspected of stabbing Fernandez to death. The Regional Commander of the Eastern Division, ACP Hilberto Romero, shared more details.

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Sunday, the police responded to a report that a body had been found inside a plastic barrel in front of the Pelican Beach resort in Dangriga. The scene was processed. The person was removed from the barrel, and he was identified as Manuel Fernandez. The investigation revealed that Manuel Fernandez and Loren Vanegas were in a fight at the meat shop, and Vanegas inflicted the Stab wounds on Manuel Fernandez, causing his fatal injuries. Loren Vanegas is now in custody, pending charges.”

Reporter

“You say he was stabbed; was his body also chopped up?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“I will not go into any details. All I will say is that the body had stab wounds. They had an argument at the meat shop, then they had a confrontation, and then Vanegas caused injuries to Fernandez. They are not related. Fernandez went to the meat shop on Friday.”

Decomposed Body Discovered Near Illegal Border Crossing

The body of a middle-aged man was found on the banks of the Mopan River near the Belize western border over the weekend. The man has been identified as fifty-three-year-old Nery Cardona. Cardona left home on October 16th wearing clothing that matched the description of what was found on the body. Police visited the area along the riverbank where a footpath was created and is believed to be used by individuals who traverse across the border illegally. There they found Cardona’s badly decomposed body washed up. There were no visible signs of injuries, and authorities do not suspect foul play. The body is now at a morgue, pending a postmortem examination.

Construction Worker Shot in Ladyville

Over the weekend, a thirty-nine-year-old construction worker was hospitalised following a shooting in Ladyville. Lenny Bengeuche sustained two gunshot wounds and was rushed to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for treatment. Bengeuche was reportedly attacked by two men dressed in dark clothing. The men opened fire at him before fleeing the scene on foot. Here’s A.C.P. Hilberto Romero with more on this.

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“He reported he was walking on Egbert Quilter Avenue in Ladyville when someone came out of a picado road and fired shots toward his direction. He was hit and taken to the K.H.M.K. for treatment. He was treated and has since been released. We have no suspects at this time for this shooting. We do not have a motive at this time. We have officers on the ground. There are no suspects at this time.”

Reporter,

“Is the person, the victim, known to the police in any way?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero,

“No, he’s not.”

Reporter,

“And he didn’t say that somebody might have been after him?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“No, he said he just was walking on the street going to the store when the person came out and fired the shots.”

23 Pounds of Cocaine Seized from Car Dealer

Police made a huge drug bust on Saturday. Twenty-three pounds of cocaine were seized after police in Hattieville village intercepted a Chevy Impala travelling from the Cayo District. The driver, identified as Dominique Young, a car dealer of Vista del Mar, has been arrested for possession of ten parcels of suspected cocaine. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero told us more.

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division (544G0946)

“The nineteenth day of October twenty-twenty-four, our police conducted an operation in Hattieville village, where a Chevy Impala vehicle was stopped and searched. Police found ten parcels of suspected cocaine. The car was impounded and the driver taken into custody. He was identified as Dominique Young, a car dealer of Vista del Mar village. He has since been arrested for possession of controlled drugs with intentions to supply twenty-three point-three pounds of suspected cocaine. We got intelligence, and he was intercepted in Hattiville coming from the Cayo District.”

Reporter

“Is the police currently engaged in a special operation?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“There are several operations ongoing; searches have been conducted countrywide.”

Reporter

“Is it an increase in cocaine being found recently?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“Yes, we have seen an increase in cocaine being found.”

Opposition Leader Supports Police Association’s Defence of Santiago Ciau

On Friday, the Belize Police Association defended the late Police Constable Santiago Ciau Junior. As we have been reporting, Ciau Junior, who retired in March 2023 due to avascular necrosis from a workplace injury, struggled to secure invalidity benefits and faced repeated denials by the Social Security Board. The S.S.B. stated that Ciau received the maximum entitlement of two hundred and thirty-four days of sickness benefits from April to December 2021, during which he also received his full salary. After exhausting these benefits, he was denied further payments from February 2022 to April 2023 for exceeding the limit. According to the association, Ciau, who served for over seventeen years, was entitled to those benefits. The association called for an end to “further cowardly attacks,” against Ciau. During the House Sitting on Friday, Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow spoke on this matter on the adjournment.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“Santi contributed monies towards social security for over seventeen years, madam speaker, without having a choice. His money is contributed towards the 87 million that the SSB boasts about having. I concur that we always hear that the SSB needs to spend the money. They have a $100 million problem that they need to get rid of the money. So you would presume that logic and compassion would guide their actions in making sure that all Belizeans that are paying towards their social security retirement funds and benefits would get that when they’re most in need. PC Santi’s money surely contributed towards the millions that have been given out as unsecured loans at social security and remain unrecovered and unpaid. Right now we’re getting ready to pay $30 million for sunshine debt. So rather than deflect, the SSB should embrace and work towards earning the trust of the insurers. They are obligated to assist, Madam Speaker. It is the insurer’s money. As I always say, not the government’s money, not SSB’s money, Madam Speaker. Rather than casting blame, SSB should accept its shortcomings and move to eliminate its antiquated protocols from yesteryears and strive to become a more efficient organisation that will benefit the people that are paying their contributory funds”

Police Mobile Turns Over on Phillip Goldson

This morning, a police mobile unit was involved in an accident on the Phillip Goldson Highway. According to A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, the driver lost control of the vehicle. Romero says the officer sustained minor injuries and is currently receiving treatment at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“This morning the police mobile attached to Mahogany Heights was involved in an accident. The driver reported that he was driving between miles twenty-four and twenty-five on the Phillip Goldstone Highway when he lost control of the vehicle, causing the vehicle to flip. The officer was taken to the KHMH for treatment. He is presently there. An investigation is being carried out. Minor injuries he received. The damage is to the front portion, the top of the vehicle.”

Glenford Davis Charged with Murder

Twenty-six-year-old Kadrian Travis Wade, a farmer from Lucky Strike Village, has been charged with the murder of forty-six-year-old Glenford Davis. Davis, a farmer from Rockstone Pond Village, was reported missing in mid-March, 2024, after being last seen in late December 2023. Police discovered his skeletal remains two days after he was missing, about seventy-five yards off a feeder road in the Rockstone Pond area, along with a pair of rubber boots, a bush hat, and a backpack.