Two Iowa women, Baylee O’Brien and Kelsey O’Connor, are in critical condition following a fatal head-on collision in Belize, with both now facing intensive medical care. The accident occurred on September 11 on the George Price Highway, between miles 36 and 37, resulting in severe injuries for both women and the death of 28-year-old Estevan Chiac.
The crash involved a head-on collision between a white Chrysler van and a Ford Escape driven by Dennis Kevin Perez and Jaime Alberto Correa, respectively. The impact forced 27-year-old tour guide Perez’s van off the road, causing injuries to his occupants, O’Brien and O’Connor.
Following the accident, O’Brien and O’Connor were treated in Belize City for emergency surgeries.
Family friends have reported that O’Brien sustained a perforation of the small intestine. Meanwhile, O’Connor suffered liver contusions, pancreatic lacerations, and fractures to her L1 and L2 vertebrae as well as her coccyx.
O’Brien was airlifted to a Florida hospital on Sunday, where further examination revealed a partially collapsed lung and multiple broken ribs.
O’Connor is to be transported to a specialised medical facility in Texas. Both women are in stable condition but continue to receive care in the intensive care unit.
As he continued his State of the Nation address, Prime Minister John Briceño said, “Gross domestic production as of the end of 2023 has now surpassed $6 billion, the highest level in the country’s history, and in the first quarter of this year by another 10%. and the conditions for the continued expansions are compelling.”
Briceño added, “Inflation is down, falling from 6.3% in 2022 to 3.8% in 2024.” He said that bank sector liquidity is abundant, exceeding $800 million. “The Belizean dollar is stronger with over $1.9 billion in foreign assets, and the public finances have been transformed. In just four years, with public debt down to 63% of GDP from 130% in 2020, fortified by a primary budget surplus of 1% of GDP.”
According to Briceño, since November 2020, the Government of Belize has continuously transformed its investment program strategy to attract more foreign investment growth. “The latest Central Bank reports state that total FDI inflows for 2023 stood at 320.2 million USD and in the first quarter of 2024 already stood at 194 million USD. Briceño said this indicated that at the end of 2024 FDI inflows will surpass the 2023 totals by approximately 20%.
During his State of the Nation address, Prime Minister John Briceño said, “The state of the nation is stronger, more hopeful, and more confident than at any time in our 43 years.” According to the Prime Minister, this is because “Belizeans are working and Belizeans are winning.”
According to Briceño, 97 of every 100 Belizeans who want a job have found one. “The SIB reports that the unemployment rate stood at 3% since April of this year. Never before have so many jobs been available, and never before has the minimum wage been so high.” Briceño referenced the “job boom” in the BPO sector and tourism, saying these were two examples that “have brought about a skilled labour shortage.”
According to the Prime Minister, tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Caribbean and Latin America. “We have made remarkable strides. In the first half of this year, overnight arrivals have surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 15% and increased by 26.5% compared to last year.
As a lead-up to Belize’s 43rd Independence, the Government of Belize will be hosting some two dozen ambassadors from around the world for Diplomatic Week.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Education, Culture, Science, and Technology, Francis Fonseca, said, “We welcome our friends of Belize, the diplomatic core who are here with us, some two dozen ambassadors who have travelled to Belize to participate in this week’s Diplomatic Week in celebration of Belize, leading up to the independence of Belize, which they are here to celebrate with us.”
Belize celebrates its 43rd independence on September 21st. Fonseca added, “This 43rd anniversary of independence is not just a celebration of the past. It is a call to action for the future. Independence is not merely the absence of colonial rule. It is the presence of an engaged, informed, and active citizenry.”
A fatal road traffic accident has claimed the life of yet another Belizean. Over the weekend, sixty-four-year-old Melva Myers was travelling with her three grandchildren on the George Price Highway. Behind the steering wheel was her daughter, Tiffany Licona, who was headed toward Belize City. Reports are that after overtaking a pickup truck around mile fourteen, Licona lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a fence on the other side of the road. Licona and the three minors escaped grave injuries, Myers, however, succumbed to her injuries on the scene. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
The death toll from fatal road traffic accidents across the country continues to climb at a staggering rate. On Saturday around seven-thirty a.m., sixty-four-year-old Melva Myers was being driven to the Philip Goldson International Airport by her daughter, Tiffany Licona. Along with them were Myers’ grandchildren, ages eleven, nine, and five years old when Licona reportedly lost control of the vehicle around mile fourteen. From all indications, Myers who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, was flung from the vehicle, and suffered severe head and body injuries. She was scheduled to fly to the U.S. for an annual medical checkup. Selvyn Myers tells us that he began to feel uneasy when his mother failed to answer his calls that morning.
Selvyn Myers
Selvyn Myers, Son of Deceased
“This all started when I was at work. I was at the the booth by Belcan. And I left the night before and I kissed her on the forehead and I said I love you momma and she said I love you more son. I seh I wa hike from Belama tomorrow when I come off work. I wahike fi see you ketch the iron bird. But in the morning, I neva call and ask nothing. I she I noh wa go that airport to early because from Belama to the airport very short. Soh I seh I ih deh call ah and see how far ih deh so I could make my way there because I ony need half an hour the most. So I call her phone and I get no response. So I call my sister phone, I get no response either. Then I felt so funny, I felt so bad. I had to sit down. And Ieven had to pray much harder.”
After another attempt to reach his family, Myers’ niece answered the phone and informed him that they had been in an accident. He rushed to the scene in cab and was met with the grisly sight of his mother laying on the ground motionless.
Selvyn Meyres
“I di tell taximan go as fast as you could sir please. Just drive as fast as you could because I noh want my ma inna sun hot di tek lick cuz I no know how badly ih get hurt. When I reach, I see my sister sitting down and she was band upp on the left side. I then I get a glimpse pf my mom laying by the vehicle by the fense. And I run there and I try to do chest compression or cpr. I pray for a pulse or something. I tap her foot bottom and somebody she your momma died already breda. I saw that they had like a lee sweater thing over my momma face and I lift it up and see like froth from her mouth. And I just start to cry and cry because. I should have meet her at the airport.”
The family was transported to the KHMH where Melva was pronounced dead on arrival. Licona sustained injuries to the left side of her body and underwent surgery today. The three minors were not seriously injured. According to her son, Myers was blind in one eye and losing vision in the other, often requiring assistance to get in an out of vehicles.
Selvyn Meyres
“When I am at home and my mom would get in any vehicle, I would gi and fix the seatbelt for her personally. I will even escort her to the vehicle to se that nih fall because she is totally blind in one eye. She has a small percentage in the other but she beleice that she could do everything alone but I noh trust it. I tell ah I noh want you fall momma so I hold her hand and I will take her all the way from here to the vehicle there. And if she go out late, I wa plug out the light and plugh it in right by the corner there so she could see and even go meet ah. And put on her seatbelt. The way I see it, my momma was thrown from the vehicle. You understand?”
More heart wrenching for Myers was the way in which his mother died. For as long as he could recall, his mother had been terrified of traffic accidents.
Selvyn Meyres
“What even pain me more because my momma, she fear the road really bad. She noh like hear about accident/ That da how soft she soft. I tell she about some traffic accident ah when I gi pan the scene and because I have twenty-three years inna the police department also and I go pan some real tragic scene. She woulda she noh tell mi bout it son. I ketch coldseed. So ewhen I saw yer out there like that just make my heart just drop because I she the same thing that my poor momma fear. That’s the thing that took he life.”
Myers says that his mom was the most outstanding person he ever knew. He recalls times when she would go out of her way to assist the less fortunate; such as a family in need of a wheelchair for a young daughter.
Selvyn Meyres
“My mom said I know a lady who have a wheelchair to give away son. I will talk toi the lady and I will take the wheelchair to the little girl momma. I sah mein my momma not even hundred percent healthy like that. But I neva get bex. I see ah up and odwn, up and down dig try with this wheelchair. But I can tell you , my momma was and is and will always be the best. Who want tell you the truth about my momma could tell you that Melva Elizabeth Myeres was a wonderful human poan the face of this earth.”
There’s been an alarming increase in the number of road traffic accidents across the country; several of them were caused by reckless or negligent drivers. This week alone saw three fatal accidents in southern and western Belize. Today, police made an arrest for an incident that occurred in February of 2023. Last year, two people were killed after being knocked down by an ambulance. The incident occurred near the Beaver Dam Bridge in Saint Matthew’s Village. The victims, forty-one-year-old Aurelio Ayala and twenty-one-year-old Joana Somoza were attempting to cross the bridge on a motorcycle when the driver of the ambulance, Josh Barrillas, collided into the back of the bike. Barrillas claims that he did not notice the motorcycle in front of him at the time of the incident. Today, police formally arrested and charged Barrillas with two counts of Manslaughter by Negligence and two counts of Causing Death by Careless Conduct.
A man lost his life in a fatal motorcycle accident in Hopkins Village on Saturday night. Nineteen-year-old Amaad Arana was almost at his destination at a nightspot on the Hopkins access road when he was knocked down and killed. Sadly, one of Arana’s brothers who was at the nightclub witnessed the incident and never knew that it was his brother until he ran out to render aid. Meanwhile, chairman of Hopkins Macario Augustine is calling for speed bumps to be placed along the stretch of road. News Five’s Marion Ali visited Hopkins Village and filed this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
This is where the motorcycle that nineteen-year-old Amaad Arana was riding ended up after it was struck from behind by a vehicle. The driver of the mid-size SUV attempted to overtake him as he turned into this entrance to the Uno Service Station near Savannah View Restaurant. This is also where he was heading for a night of socializing.
Raheem Casimiro
Raheem Casimiro, Brother of Amaad Arana
“He told me he was coming to Savannah right here at the night club. That’s the last text I got from him. Me and my other brethren were sitting right there at the top. We saw everything. My brethren told me “watch this” before it even happened. By the time I could sit down, all yoh hear da jus wa bang.”
Raheem Casimiro was already at the establishment and witnessed the accident from the deck where he was seated. He did not know that it was his brother who was knocked down.
Raheem Casimiro
“We reach down ya, not knowing it was Amaad, not knowing he was under the vehicle. We rolled back the vehicle and I looked at him and when I saw his face, I went under the vehicle for him and picked him up, me and my other brethren. I told him to stay with me, stay with me but I know he was already gone.”
Macario Augustine, chairman of Hopkins Village, told News Five that Arana was a popular athlete in the community.
Macario Augustine
Macario Augustine, Chairman, Hopkins Village
“We took a team to Belize City. I think a couple months ago. I mean, they were like – he was like always full of energy. He’s always full of energy and he’s a respectable young man as well. He was always engaged in sports and always on go when it comes to like competition or – he always engaged in sports in the community.”
Raheem Casimiro
“This is a nightclub and people leave from here intoxicated and everything soh wi need a speed bump right here.”
According to the chairman, the area where the accident happened is known for speeding. He hopes that authorities will place speed bumps there to avoid a repeat of this tragedy.
Macario Augustine
“We did request some bumps within the village, but we’re still waiting. And I think, I mean, it’s time for us to install those bumps in these areas, particularly in this area, which is in – we have businesses here, gas stations. So I mean, this is very needed of bumps in this area.”
Raheem Casimiro says that Amaad was a passenger on the motorcycle.
Raheem Casimiro
“The driver that was driving the vehicle was trying to overtake, same time the guys were turning on the motorbike into the night club. That was when the impact happened. When we done put Ahmad in the vehicle and rush him to the hospital that was when I walked back here and that was when I saw the other guy in the drain, lay out.”
Keegan Martinez, who drove the motorcycle, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to make a full recovery. Marion Ali for News Five.
There was a second fatality further south and the victim on Saturday morning was a woman from Santa Rosa Village who had just taken up residency when she found love in Maya Mopan Village. In this incident, the victim was also a passenger. The vehicle overturned several times, and she was flung to her death. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Melanie Cal had just moved from Santa Rosa to Maya Mopan Village a few weeks ago, when she reportedly found love. She was a passenger in a pickup truck with several others from Maya Mopan Village who were heading out of the community on Saturday morning. The vehicle never made it out to the highway, however, because it somehow flipped, killing Cal.
Reymundo Peck
Reymundo Peck, First Alcalde, Maya Mopan Village, Stann Creek
“Between the hour of eleven and twelve o’clock, I received a call from one of our drivers that was traveling towards Georgetown. They asked me to go and check that there was a fatal accident on the road close to Maya Mopan. And I hurried and made my way there. And when I reached there, of course there was a pickup truck on the road.”
Chairman of Maya Mopan, Reymundo Peck Told News Five that they rendered assistance to another passenger who had suffered a broken leg. Cal, however, was already apparently dead, he said.
Reymundo Peck
“When I made more checks then I find out that there was a body lying close to the vehicle yeah, and the family members there wanted to take the body that has passed away, but I told them that they couldn’t remove the body because for the police – so that’s the reason why they had to left the body except, the one that has a broken knee. They had to transport that [one] to the hospital.”
Peck said that the accident happened near the site of a previous mishap, and that it appears the driver simply lost control of the vehicle on the dirt road.
Reymundo Peck
“You can see where the vehicle wheel passed out of the road. And the vehicle went back on the track, but then I believe there’s where she lost control. Yeah. And flip. Yeah.”
Police are yet to share details of the accident. Marion Ali for News Five.
A national convention has been called for October twentieth and, according to Shyne Barrow, the gathering of U.D.P. delegates from across the country isn’t sanctioned by the United Democratic Party. The special unity convention was announced by the Alliance for Democracy earlier this month, amid a widening chasm within the U.D.P. Since then, Albert Area Representative Tracy Panton has been touting the upcoming event as an opportunity for the voices of avid supporters to be heard. On Sunday, the chairman of the U.D.P. sent out a public notice to all delegates, echoing the executive’s decision that members of the Alliance, including Patrick Faber, Tracy Panton and John Saldivar, have been kicked out of the party. Chairman Michael Peyrefitte also reminded that, “any decisions derived from this event are without substance and with no legal bearing on the U.D.P. and will therefore not be recognized by the U.D.P.”
Shyne Barrow
Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.
“There is no national convention on October twentieth. It’s similar to me coming to the House and telling the Speaker you have to vacate those seats and I don’t agree with your decision. And I implore the media to be responsible, John Saldivar is not a member of the UDP. Patrick Faber is not a member of the UDP. Tracy Panton is not a member of the UDP. So whatever activity or convention that they will be having is not a UDP convention, we have an elected party chairman. We have an elected leadership executive. So what if I get up now on the adjournment and say November sixth, we’re gonna have general elections and I invite everybody to come out, are you going to say well if everybody comes out and votes for the UDP then you will be the prime minister, Shyne? It doesn’t work like that. It is in the UDP constitution that their behavior is illegal and their behavior warrants expulsion, and it is in the UDP precedent from the former party chairman, Mr. Patrick Faber, under the leadership of Dean Barrow, that the NPC, according to him, CEC, everyone voted that due to the behavior of that member he was constructively resigned. So according to our party, there is precedent, according to the violations of the constitution and the NPC, they are no longer members of the party. That was not a Shyne Barrow decision, that was not a Mike Peyrefitte decision. We voted on that as a party and we move forward.”
Following Friday’s house meeting, Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow told reporters what other members of the U.D.P. executive had been saying previously, that all efforts were made to resolve the issue through mediation.
Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.
“It was our hope that we could mediate, as you’ve heard many of our executives, not me, this is the first time you’re talking to me in a few weeks and you’ve heard several members of the executive of the United Democratic Party tell you the truth, not the propaganda that they were spreading and explain to you that I have done, we have done everything to try to accommodate some type of mediation. So we had anticipated that by the constructive resignation which was the precedent in 2011, that that would jolt them into coming to their senses and we could return and focus on the People’s United Party. It really is a shame and an attack on our democracy when every time we speak, we need to speak about two members who can’t have their way and are causing this distraction and disruption until they get their way.”
