2024 - Channel 5 Belize

Fifteen Crime Mediators Sworn in Today

The High Court of Belize is taking a big step to tackle its case backlog before the 2025 criminal calendar kicks in. Today, fifteen newly trained criminal mediators were sworn in by Chief Justice Louise Blenman at the High Court in Belize City. These mediators bring a fresh approach to resolving criminal cases, offering an alternative to traditional court trials. Through mediation, cases can now be settled amicably if both parties agree. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene for the swearing-in and brings us this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Today’s swearing-in of fifteen criminal mediators is set to make a big dent in the High Court’s case backlog. Previously, all criminal cases had to go through lengthy trials, but now, with this new mediation process, selected cases can be resolved more efficiently, freeing up the courts. Chief Justice Louise Blenman is pleased with this addition, though she notes that mediation won’t be suitable for every criminal matter. This new approach promises to streamline the justice system significantly.

Louise Blenman, Chief Justice of Belize

“It is impossible to have all of the matters go to trial. And in fact, when the rules were contemplated, it was never the expectation that all trials should go to trial, all matters should go to trials. Mediation is essential and this is so across the commonwealth. In fact, to the contrary, the expectation is usually that 90 percent of matters should be settled either by way of mediation or settlement and not full trial.”

The final draft legislation for criminal mediation is expected to be ready by 2025. This will establish the guidelines for mediators handling criminal cases. Justice Candace Nanton provided an example of a criminal dispute that could be effectively resolved through mediation, highlighting the potential impact of this new approach.

Candace Nanton, High Court Judge

“Sometimes there may be a family dispute that the parties don’t necessarily want to continue with the courts, but court proceedings have been initiated, and a better resolution may be something other than imprisonment, for example. So, it would depend on the parties’ consent, it would depend on the views of the Office of the DPP. It would also depend on the selection criteria being met that will be contained within the mediation rules.”

Laura Alvarado, the President of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Association of Belize and a newly sworn-in mediator, explained that if the two parties can’t settle their differences through mediation, the case will have to proceed to trial. This highlights the importance of mediation as a first step, but also acknowledges that not all disputes can be resolved outside the courtroom.

Laura Alvarado, President, ADRAB

“The two parties and a neutral individual will discuss the matters, and then refer it back to the court if an agreement is not settled, then the matter will go back to court and the litigation will take place thereafter.”

Criminal and Civil Mediator, Consuelo Godfrey explained that the training was for a total of eighty hours split in two segments.

Consuelo Godfrey, Criminal and Civil Mediator

“There’s an introduction to mediation that is about a 40-hour training, uh, time frame. And then from there you have to do an advanced training, which is another 40 hours, and then get sworn in. And then once you get sworn in, you can then do the criminal mediation, which is another advanced course in mediation. Like family mediation, you have to do a specific type of training for criminal mediation because the dynamics and the nuances in, criminal matters is different than civil matters. I can tell you as a as a mediator who practices with the high courts, it does take time for cases to be referred to mediation. But what I really like about the mediation process is that it gives parties an opportunity to talk. It gives parties an opportunities to have their say. Something that doesn’t normally happen in in in courts.”

Justice Candace Nanton said that Belize is among the leading countries in the region to resolve civil and criminal matters through mediation. Marion Ali for News Five.

Police Charge Doctor for Spiking Nurse’s Drink

Nicaraguan doctor Carlos Saborio Coze has been charged with administering noxious substances after a man claimed he was drugged by him. According to reports, on November thirtieth, a Venezuelan nurse was drinking with Coze at Little John’s Restaurant in Belize City. When the nurse momentarily left his drink unattended at the bar, he alleges that Coze slipped an unknown substance into it. The nurse recalls entering the doctor’s car and then waking up at home on December second. Police have charged Coze based on surveillance footage from the restaurant. The nurse underwent a medical examination, which revealed no signs of sexual assault. Coze, who was arrested at his home on Tuesday evening, maintains his innocence.

Two Men Escape After Brazen Daylight Robbery

This afternoon, two men made a daring escape on foot after a bold daylight robbery. Witnesses say that around eleven-thirty a.m., a casino employee driving a brown van on Princess Margaret Drive was approached by two men on a motorcycle. The men allegedly smashed the van’s window, reached inside, and grabbed a black bag, presumably filled with money. As they tried to flee on the motorcycle, the driver lost control near a pedestrian crosswalk, causing a loud crash that caught the attention of bystanders. The robbers then abandoned the motorcycle and fled on foot. Stay tuned for more details as the investigation unfolds.

Wife, Kidnapped and Beaten by Husband, Needs Expensive Surgery

On November sixteenth, Sabela Brakeman, a mother of three, endured a terrifying ordeal when her estranged husband, Kenny Brakeman, broke into her San Pedro home and kidnapped her. The harrowing sequence of events saw Sabela beaten and taken on a jet ski to the shores near Caye Caulker. Miraculously, she managed to escape by jumping off and swimming to safety. Though she survived, Sabela was left with severe injuries, including broken facial bones and loose teeth. She told News Five that a private surgeon estimated her surgeries would cost around twenty thousand dollars, and they can only be performed at a private hospital in Belize. Meanwhile, Kenny Brakeman remains at large, and Sabela lives in constant fear that he might find her again. Despite this, she is determined to move forward with her life. To help cover her medical expenses, Sabela is organizing a fundraiser with a barbeque sale this Friday in Bella Vista Village, where she now lives with her children. She needs your support to get the surgeries she desperately needs.

On the Phone: Sabela Brakeman, Kidnap Victim

“The doctor told me that he don’t do surgery and at KHMH they don’t do that kind of surgery. So he then recommended me to Dr. Hernandez, who told me that was the only doctor that do surgery in Belize for the type of facial surgery that I need. So, I went to Dr. Hernandez. He did an x-ray, then from there he sent me to Medical (Associates) to do a 3-D and in the result, it shows what all damage that I have. The estimate for Dr. Hernandez, just for doing surgery, would be $7,500 and then the three days, stay at Medical, and the medication that I would need, everything would be nineteen thousand, nine hundred and twenty dollars. So, I’m looking for assistance to see if anyone is willing to donate something towards my medical, my surgery. Are you doing, are you doing any fundraisers of your own? I plan to do a barbecue fundraising. And then we suffer Friday to see how much money I can do fundraising with so that’s the only plan I have right now, to try seek help and better get the money together.”

Midday Fire Destroys Home on Boots Crescent

Just before midday, a fire broke out on Boots Crescent, completely destroying the home of a local tour operator in Belize City. Kenneth Lamb, the homeowner, was out with a group of tourists when he got the alarming news. Despite rushing back, there was nothing he could do to save his property. News Five spoke with a neighbor who witnessed smoke pouring out of Lamb’s two-story house.

Voice of: Resident, Boots Crescent

“I was inside my house and I gave my little daughter a garbage bag and I said, “Just go and throw it in the can. When she came out, she came back and she said, “Mom, the neighbor’s house is on fire. Fire, fire. Why is the neighbor’s house under fire?” When I ran outside and I looked, as I turned I saw the entire roof enclosed with lone smoke. Smoke di pop out of the roof, the rooftop like ih next to burst off with lone smoke to the top there. Immediately, I grabbed my purse, grabbed my baby and my phone and called 911. I couldn’t get through to 911 for whatever reason, I hurry called out to the neighbor.”

When Will Belizean Soldiers Deploy to Haiti?

What’s the latest on Belize’s role in the Kenya-led mission to restore peace and order in Haiti? Recently, two Belize Defense Force soldiers flew to Port-au-Prince to join international military personnel in helping the violence-stricken country regain stability. While a larger team of B.D.F. soldiers is set to be deployed, the exact date is still up in the air. We caught up with Brigadier General Azariel Loria at the annual Christmas luncheon on Wednesday, and he shared an update on the initial deployment of the two B.D.F. soldiers. Here’s what he had to say.

Reporter

“What can you tell us about the soldiers that were deployed for the Kenyan-led mission in Haiti, we understand that they, we know two are in Haiti. Will the rest be deployed next month?”

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria, Commander, B.D.F.

“Yes, the two of them, they were deployed. It was like a mini-advanced party, just two showed up, just two soldiers, two officers, and they are currently serving as staff officers in the CARICOM Joint Taskforce. It’s a headquarters that is led by Jamaica. There are some countries that have said that they will be sending their troops, like the Bahamas, Barbados under the RSS is coordinating something to that effect and us. So we have two and they are feeding us information on what is going on on the ground. And based on that, if we manage to get our kit and equipment, because we are still procuring kit and equipment, we will deploy until the conditions are favorable for us to do so. And that is a signal that I would need to provide the Ministry of National Defense, the minister, of course, will be telling Cabinet, yes, we are ready, and we deploy.”

B.D.F. Soldiers Concerned About Pay During Haiti Deployment

B.D.F. soldiers have voiced concerns about their pay during the upcoming deployment to Haiti, especially given the extreme violence still plaguing the country. Reflecting on his own experience in Haiti back in 1994, B.D.F. Commander Azariel Loria shared insights into the inherent risks soldiers face in such a volatile environment.

Brig. Gen. Azariel Loria, B.D.F. Commander

“It’s a bunch of us, it was a platoon of us that deployed back in ’94 and we were on rotation. All that we were provided in terms of allowance, per diem, was five dollars a day, five U.S. dollars to deploy in a hostile situation and we were deployed under Chapter Seven of the UN operations. So we were allowed to use our weapons, deadly force, as the case may be. Five dollars. We did it, I did it because I wanted the experience. The soldiers wanted the experience and we did it from the heart, from the willingness to serve, going there to Haiti and trying to make a difference. Now, the allowances that they will be provided, the soldiers, the thirty or so soldiers that will be deployed, they are going to get fifty U.S. dollars a day, plus the allowance is that you have fifty U.S. dollars a day, plus what you have mentioned about the risk and hardship allowance in addition to the fifty [dollars] so you do the math.”

Bay Leaf Palm Estate Is New Site in Armenia

Over the past few months, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development have been busy pushing through road infrastructure in a new part of Armenia Village named the Bay Leaf Palm Estate. It is a project that will equip first-time land and homeowners with their own property, courtesy the Government of Belize through the Ministry of Infrastructure Development. And while lease documents for parcels of land has been a quintessential campaign for the Ministry of Housing for Belizeans, several constituents of the Cayo South constituency today received their documents from their Area Representative, Julius Espat, who is also the Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing. Minister of Natural Resources, Cordel Hyde was on hand to sign the land documents. News Five’s Marion Ali filed this report on this occasion.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Today was a big day for first-time landowners and homeowners in the Cayo South constituency as they received their property documents from the Ministry of Natural Resources. In Armenia Village, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development has been hard at work, improving road infrastructure for these soon-to-be homeowners. Cayo South Area Representative, Julius Espat, who also serves as the Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing, shared that the recipients come from various communities within Cayo South.

Julius Espat, Area Representative, Cayo South

“Today you have residents from Armenia in the large majority that will receive lots, but we also have from my other villages that I love dearly. We have guys and ladies from Roaring Creek, which is my home village. We have people from Franks, Eddie. We have people from St. Matthews, we have people from Ontario, we have from Blackman, we have from Cotton Tree, where else? We have Valley of Peace, most we have tried to touch a little bit of every village. I will continue to work as hard as I can to make sure that you receive the benefits that you deserve. It’s not a favor. I’m not doing anybody a favor. I am just assuming the responsibility that you gave me and doing it to the best of my ability.”

Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde, who leads the Ministry of Natural Resources, assured the recipients that he’s fighting for them every step of the way.

Cordel Hyde, Minister of Natural Resources

“The minister has prioritized land ownership and homeownership for his people among the many other things he has prioritized. He works hard for you each and every day. He quarrels for you each and every day. Fight for you each and every day. Sometimes you get in an emotional quarrel because he feels so passionately about what he wants for his people. So oftentimes I would tell him, you want the same thing, man. We are get this done. But he works with a feverish passion; works as if though there is no tomorrow. And it’s a model that we should emulate all through the government.”

Drawing from his own life experiences, Hyde shared with the new landowners how owning a home can truly transform lives. He emphasized that this is exactly what the government aims to achieve for its people.

Cordel Hyde

“ At 12 years old, my mother got a lease cement bungalow from the government 40 years ago. And that changed my life, changed how I thought about myself, changed my perception of life. Change my direction in life. And that is what we are doing right now. When we give someone a land, when we give someone a house, we are changing lives, changing lives for the better.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

Aspiring Athletes Still Need Your Help in Achieving their Dreams

A group of Belizean basketball players are chasing their dreams of making it to the big leagues. Thirteen talented athletes have been selected to compete in the 2025 Amateur Athletic Union Basketball Tournament, the Dru Joyce Classic, in Cleveland, Ohio. This NCAA-certified event is a golden opportunity for them to showcase their skills in front of college scouts, with the potential to earn scholarships to play college basketball in the USA or Canada. However, to make this dream a reality, they need help covering the costs of the trip, registration, and accommodation. We spoke with one of the aspiring athletes and his coach earlier today to get more details on this exciting opportunity.

Britney Gordon

“How exactly did you come across this opportunity? What led you to get to this point now?

Tevaughn Dawson, Aspiring Professional Basketball Player

“ Firstly, I used to always play with coach. And he used to always coach me. He was a part of the national team as well. So, from, I guess from there he saw my skills or whatever I can do. And he contacted my mom, and my mom talked to me a little, so. They went back and forth and it’s good from there.”

Britney Gordon

“ Why do I donate?”

Tevaughn Dawson

“Well, I believe because I put in the work like I always every time a trip come up or whatever. I will always work. I will always help the team I’ll go and try to win. I’ll try my best to win.”

Rosco Reese, Coach

“ So it’s just giving boys from Belize an opportunity to basketball exposure at a high level and opportunity to be scouted by college scouts and hopefully earn an athletic scholarship.”

Britney Gordon

“So how many boys from Belize will be attending this tournament if they’re able to raise a funds?”

Rosco Reese

“Well, right now, we have thirteen boys going on the trip. About, maybe about nine of them have already secured their funds. So we’re really looking for maybe about assistance for four boys. So if anybody out there in the business community, the basketball family, um, would like to support the initiative, they could contact me. Rosco Reese. I have a Facebook page. You can contact me on my number is 6-0-5-5-7- 0-3. You could email me at Rosco.reese at gmail.com and I’ll be willing to give you all the information on the trip.”

Salvation Army Gives Grocery Vouchers to Elders in Need

This morning, the Salvation Army Belize brought some holiday cheer to Belize City with a grocery voucher giveaway. These vouchers are a lifeline for over seven hundred families, allowing them to pick out groceries to create a special Christmas meal. By teaming up with local supermarkets, the Salvation Army ensures that families can choose the items that best fit their needs. Now, let’s hear more from News Five’s Britney Gordon on this heartwarming story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The moment has arrived! Dozens of people are eagerly lining up outside the Salvation Army Headquarters in Belize City. From as early as 9 a.m., they’re here to collect the much-anticipated grocery vouchers. These vouchers are a beacon of hope, helping families prepare for the festive season. Major Marc Eddy Momplaisir, the District Officer of the Salvation Army, shares more about this heartwarming initiative.

Major Marc Eddy Momplaisir, District Officer, Salvation Army

“ Today is our distribution for vouchers. And as you see out outside, a lot of people are already there. Just to receive the virtual on is not only here, but in four places. Northside, central core where the Salvation Army is a cemetery road. And we have it at the vill. We have it as well. Joyville. So today is a busy day for us where people will receive the virtual on strongly. I believe they will enjoy this season. Because our aim is to celebrate love with them and celebrate what we call it connection community connection and celebrate the joy of giving.”

The Salvation Army is gearing up to distribute over seven hundred vouchers throughout the city, bringing joy to many families. For those who can’t make it to the headquarters, they’ve got it covered with premade grocery parcels delivered right to their doorsteps. This thoughtful gesture ensures everyone gets to enjoy a festive meal.

Major Marc Eddy Momplaisir

“ We’re looking for the senior citizen because so many of them, unfortunately, they are the less fortunate in our country, especially those who never really have a work where they can get a pension. However, we are the Salvation Army. We are there for them. Yes, we cannot give them much but we show them that we love them. We care for them that’s why we look after them because the youngest one we give them toys but the senior we think that a voucher will help them during the season.”

Though some might think a forty-five-dollar donation is small, it means the world to those in need. Take seventy-three-year-old Joan Bennett, for example. She’s been lining up for these vouchers for nearly fifty years, and each one has made a big difference in her life.

Joan Bennett, Voucher Recipient

“ The good people at Salvation Army always look out for us. Take care of us, see that we well, they don’t give you everything, but at least they shove out their hand to give you something to eat. And I am very grateful because every year they do the same thing.”

George Reneau, Voucher Recipient
“Thank God we have life and we have thanks to the Salvation Army for making way for us.”

The aim of these donations is to make a difference in as many lives as possible. Emma Hamilton, now in her sixties, has been coming to the Salvation Army for about five years. She deeply appreciates the organization’s generosity, which helps her take care of her son.

Emma Hamilton, Voucher Recipient

“ It’s helped a lot because I have a disabled son that attends Port Loyola and it helps me because he can’t work and he’s an orphan because he lost his father fifteen years ago. And I’m a widow. Yes ma’am. So it helps a lot. It helps me. And I thank you. I thank the Salvation Army.”

As the work of the Salvation Army continues, the organization reflects on the lives that they have touched throughout the years, furthering the cycle of kindness and generosity.

Major Marc Eddy Momplaisir

“Yesterday I met someone who told me. I am going to send my donation. I say, okay, very good. You say, why? From I was a little boy, I am receiving a gift from the Salvation Army. Today is my time to give back.”

With their vouchers in hand, recipients are all set to dive into their Christmas shopping and start whipping up the holiday meals they’ve been eagerly anticipating all year. The excitement is palpable as they prepare to make this festive season special.

Joan Bennett

“ You really make my holiday a little bit brighter because I tell you when I set my table with their food, da no joke with me. If yo see me jaw fat and everything. So, I’m really happy. I’m happy that they look out for us.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.