If you bought tickets and made plans to attend this weekend’s Reggae Sundays event, well, we have news for you.
The featured guest, Jamaican-American singer Alaine, has rescheduled. In a video message, Alaine says these are doctor’s orders. She said she is recuperating from the flu.
I will not be able to make it this week…doctor’s orders, but I promise that I will be there next weekend, and we are going to have the best time together.”
The organiser of the event said, “I was contacted by Alaine and her management a few minutes ago and informed that the artist due to circumstances beyond her control, is unable make an appearance in Belize this weekend as planned. As a consequence the management of Reggae Sundays is forced to push the slated Reggae Sundays All White Mother’s Day edition to the following Sunday May 26th 2024.”
Some social media users expressed disappointment. One said, “Disappointed. Won’t even be in the country that weekend.” While another said, “Beyond your Control. Get well soon Alaine!”
More than 30,000 children have crossed the Darién Gap, a dense jungle straddling Panama and Colombia, in the first four months of 2024.
According to UNICEF, the number of minors undertaking this perilous journey has increased by 40% compared to last year. Most of these children are attempting to reach the United States.
Migrants crossing the jungle often fall victim to robbery, extortion, and sexual abuse by criminal gangs. In December alone, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) recorded 214 cases of sexual violence in the Darién jungle. The international medical organization reported that armed men detained migrants, forced them to undress, and sexually abused them. While most victims were women, MSF also provided treatment to men and children.
There are no roads through the Darién Gap, and crossing on foot can take a week.
At least 11 people have been killed in clashes between rival cartels in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. Among the victims are two nuns and a teenager.
The area is contested by the Sinaloa cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Residents reported hearing intense gunfire on Monday night. On Tuesday, police and soldiers confirmed finding 11 bodies in and around the village of Nuevo Morelia.
The diocese of San Cristóbal, which includes Nuevo Morelia, confirmed that two women “who served the Catholic Church” were among the deceased. A 15-year-old boy was also identified as one of the victims. It remains unclear if the women were nuns or lay members of the Church, as some local media reported.
Fighting between the rival cartels has been ongoing since Friday. The Sinaloa cartel and the CJNG have been battling for control of the area for several years, often extorting migrants crossing the southern state on their way to the U.S. border.
Police in Punta Gorda are investigating a case of rape. On Monday, May 13, 2024, a woman and her 13-year-old granddaughter visited the Punta Gorda Police Station and reported that on the 7th and 10th of May this year, a male teacher had sexual relations with her in the school bathroom. Police conducted an investigation, after which they formally arrested and charged a 50-year-old Belizean teacher from Toledo District for two counts of rape of a child.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at about 3:30 p.m., a woman and her 15-year-old daughter visited the San Pedro Police Station and reported that on Friday, May 3, 2024, she went to the apartment of a 33-year-old male person in San Pedro Town, where he had sexual relations with her against her will. Police have since detained the 33-year-old Belizean manager of San Pedro Town as investigations continue.
A few weeks ago, San Pedro Mayor Wally Nunez launched his bid to become the next area representative of Belize Rural South. Hemade the announcement via his Facebook page on April 29th. He said, “The people of San Pedro and Caye Caulker have been asking for quite some time if I will represent them in the next general elections. Well, this is confirmation that I will be sending in my application to represent you all.”
He ends by saying, “Let democracy prevail!!”
Nunez’s ambitions were halted. He was informed that the PUP’s National Executive decided that none of the recently elected mayors are permitted to participate in any contested conventions for the position of standard bearer. They are only allowed to join endorsement conventions, which are uncontested.
Mayor Nunez posted on Facebook, “Guided by the voice of the people, I decided to continue leading them as their area representative. I have now been made to understand that this will not be possible. I respect the decision of our party and hold dear the mandate given to me by the people.”
On Tuesday night, residents of the North Creek area of Belize City were stunned when six gunshots interrupted the quiet of the night. Little did they know that their community was the scene of the country’s second double murder for the month of May. The first was in Roaring Creek on May fifth. It was well before eight o’clock when a pair of men on a motorcycle drove up to where two friends were sitting on a bench near a basketball court on North Creek. One of the attackers got off the bike and walked through the entrance of a yard to where the unsuspecting men sat. He opened fire on them and got back on the bike and sped off. One of the victims died at the scene, while the other died on the way to the K.H.M.H. Police say the attack may have been the result of a fight earlier on Tuesday. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Twenty-year-old Marvin Pook and thirty-year-old Anthony Young were lifelong friends who hung out every night in the North Creek neighborhood. On Tuesday, the pair was executed. They were sitting here on this bench facing a basketball court when they were ambushed. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero shared what investigators have gathered so far.
“On Tuesday the 14th of May, 2024, around 7:39 p.m., police responded to a shooting incident at North Creek, Belize City. Upon their arrival, they found two persons with gunshot injuries. The persons were immediately rushed to the KHMH for treatment but they succumbed shortly thereafter. Information is that they were sitting on a chair near the basketball court when a motorcycle arrived with two persons. One of the persons got off the motorcycle and came close to them and fired several shots towards their direction, causing their fatal injuries.”
A resident told News Five that he was at home watching TV when he heard about six shots. When he looked outside, he saw a commotion and people trying to help the wounded men. Pook’s grandmother, Sherlette Lamb, said that her grandson visited the court every night because his girlfriend lives at a house nearby.
Sherlette Lamb
Sherlette Lamb, Grandmother of Marvin Pook
“He normally goes there because his girlfriend family is there. And that’s the reason why he go over there. Literally, my grandson was not a person that affiliated any gang or he was not a person that being in the street or a member of police to be said like being a problem like things like that. He’s not a person like that. I have no idea that I would have even heard when I pick up the phone from my daughter that if I heard Marvin got shut up. That was so devastating for me. It happened, I said, drink some water, pray, and let’s see what’s work out. Unfortunately, I got the sad news he didn’t made it because he died on the spot.”
According to A.C.P Romero, the likely motive for the deadly attack may have been a fight that happened earlier in the day. Police have since detained several persons for questioning. Romero said that Pook and Young were the only two persons sitting on the bench at the time, but that investigators are not sure whether they were the actual targets.
A.C.P Hilberto Romero
“Only two of them were sitting there at the time.
Reporter
“So it was likely that one of them or both of them were the intended target?
A.C.P Hilberto Romero
“We are not certain if they were the intended target, but they were the only two persons there at the time of the shooting. The information we have got so far, there was a fight yesterday involving these persons and that is information we’re getting: somebody came after them. We are reviewing video footage and later on we will know exactly what this fight was all about and who were the persons involved.”
But the alleged fight involving the pair of friends is news to the family and Sherlette Lamb maintains that her grandson was not a troublemaker.
Sherlette Lamb
“He has not been in problems with people. He’s not a person like to say, go and create problems with nobody. We always raise him in a great manner for said Marvin, you know what happened, you are a boy, you have to raise up the right way. Keep your head up, do the right thing, and that’s what my grandson was doing.”
ACP Romero says that both victims are known to police. Pook’s grandmother says that he was arrested only once for a common assault that he was eventually acquitted of. Anthony Young had no known relative in Belize City. Marion Ali for News Five.
Meanwhile, police investigations into a shooting on Monday night in Ladyville Village remain ongoing. ACP Hilberto Romero told us today that they do not have any suspects for the shooting of Frank Young. The incident happened on a busy thoroughfare near a gas station.
“On Monday, the 13th of May, 2024, around 11:45 p.m., Ladyville police responded to a shooting incident in the vicinity of the 24/7 Gas Station. Upon their arrival, they found one Frank Young, 26 years, with a gunshot injury. He was taken to the KHMH for treatment. He reported he was walking on the highway in that area when he heard gunshots and then realized that he had been shot. He has since been treated at the KHMH and has been released.”
On January tenth, 2020, a three-year-old boy died inside a house on Lovely Lane, here in Belize City. He was reportedly beaten to death and sexually assaulted by his stepfather. The child’s siblings, ages two and four, were also badly beaten and left inside the building. News of the horrific incident led to public outrage and a manhunt ensued for the capture of Kenrick Longsworth, the alleged perpetrator. Earlier today, the thirty-one-year-old suspect appeared before the High Court where is standing trial for the murder of Mark Francisco Teul. This evening, the child’s mother, Zema Requena, was called to the witness stand by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Under oath, she told the court that on the day in question, she left home and went with a neighbor. Upon returning home, she saw Longsworth sitting on a bucket and he appeared visibly upset. When she inquired what was wrong, he reportedly told her that the next time she leaves, she should take along her children. Requena proceeded towards the house and made the grisly discovery inside the bedroom. Under cross examination Zema Requena became very emotional when defense attorney Andrew Bennett suggested that she was the one who physically abused the children because Longsworth had broken up with her earlier that day. Requena subsequently stormed out of the courtroom before Justice Sylvester called her back. She was cautioned that her behavior was disrespectful to the court. The murder trial by judge without jury will continue on Thursday.
A sixty-four-year-old uncle who was convicted of sexual assault and incest against his thirteen-year-old niece will serve a nineteen-year sentence at the Belize Central Prison. During his sentencing appearance this morning, the uncle had nothing to say and in mitigation plea, he did not call on a character witness to speak on his behalf. On March eighth, 2024, the elderly man was found guilty of all four counts following a full trial before Justice Candace Nanton in the High Court. The crimes for which he was convicted were committed in 2019 and 2020.
Professional cyclist turned rising politician, Kaya Cattouse has her eyes set on Albert Division, several months after being voted in for a second term at the Belize City Council. The P.U.P. councilor has expressed a formal interest in running against incumbent Area Representative Tracy Panton in the next general elections, that is if Cattouse is selected from within her party as a standard bearer. This afternoon, we caught up with Cattouse and asked a couple questions regarding her future political ambitions at the constituency level.
Kaya Cattouse
Kaya Cattouse, P.U.P. Candidate, Albert
“I think that working at the local government level for the past four years has definitely motivated me to want to represent a smaller group of people on a larger scale.”
Reporter
“Now what made you choose the Albert constituency?”
Kaya Cattouse
“So, the Albert constituency has a lot of potential and, like I said, working at the local government level and walking around in that area, you can identify the needs of the people and so I identified opportunities that can be made possible to these people. I’m a city girl, coming from Belize City, not necessarily from the Albert constituency, but this is the largest downtown area in the largest city in the country and there’s a lot that can be done, physical infrastructure and social infrastructure for the residents of the constituency.”
Isani Cayetano
“How would you respond to any detractor that says you’re not from Albert to begin with and that’s one of those constituencies where you have to have some kind of roots on the ground.”
Kaya Cattouse
“Who said that? Who made that rule? I don’t believe that you have to be [from] or were born in a constituency to be able to link and relate to the residents of that constituency. I believe people in general have the same needs, regardless of the constituency that they come from.”
Isani Cayetano
“Who did you consult with, perhaps in your family or within your party for you to arrive at this decision to run in Albert?”
Kaya Cattouse
“Family and friends, I would say, and some of the of the ministers in the party. I won’t get into calling any names as yet.”
Reporter
“But you do have allies, one assumes.”
Kaya Cattouse
“Definitely.”
Isani Cayetano
“What is the sentiment of Mayor Wagner? I’m certain he has some kind of weigh-in on this decision or the outcome of this decision of yours.”
Kaya Cattouse
“Mayor Wagner fully supports me, one hundred percent. He stands behind me fully and he’s a good man to have on your side. I am very grateful and appreciative of the support of not only Mayor Wagner but all the ministers around us and the other councilors who are giving me that push.”
