Belizeans are buzzing over the new currency designs unveiled by the Central Bank of Belize yesterday. The new notes will feature national heroes George Cadle Price and Phillip Goldson and are set to be released in June or July. While the designs are updated, the value and exchange rate will remain unchanged, according to the Central Bank. The new notes will not feature Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait, a common feature in the currency notes of other Commonwealth countries.
The updated designs also come with enhanced security features to combat counterfeiting. Prime Minister John Briceño weighed in earlier this week, describing the new currency as “a beautiful note.” He said that the modern design, featuring Belizean icons, would be well-received by the public. “It is something that Belizeans will accept, and it is our people on our note,” Briceño added.
Since the grand reveal, Belizeans have been expressing their opinions about the new designs. A recent poll on News 5’s Facebook page, which has gathered 3,841 votes up to 10:45 this morning, revealed mixed reactions. Of respondents, 53%, or 2,039 users, said they did not like the new design, while only 10%, or 377 users, voted that they liked it.
Meanwhile, 1,085 users felt the notes resembled Mexican pesos, and 199 users appreciated the added security features. Another 4%, or 141 users, indicated they weren’t bothered by the change, with one commenter saying, “As long as I can buy and pay my bills, I’m good.”
We start tonight’s newscast with the latest on the two men charged with the murders of Adelita Gillett and Felix Martinez. The couple from Burrell Boom was tragically found shot dead inside an SUV parked along the Philip Goldson Highway on Monday evening. Today, the accused men, car dealer Jovannie Jones and driver Jerwin Segura, were arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court. We’ll bring you all the details from the courtroom, but first, let’s hear from Commissioner of Police Chester Williams. He shares insights into the men’s detention and the motive behind the killings. Additionally, the father of one of the accused, Jerwin Segura, speaks about raising his son as a church-going individual. News Five’s Marion Ali has the story.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Jovannie Jones and Jerwin Segura faced the Magistrate’s Court, charged with the brutal murders of Burrell Boom residents Adelita Gillett and Felix Martinez. The shocking double murder, which took place on Monday evening, is believed to have stemmed from a botched vehicle sale. According to police, the victims had paid Jones, a car dealer, for a vehicle back in October, but never received it. Authorities suspect that Jones and Segura lured the victims to the location where they were tragically killed. Both men were arraigned on two counts of murder each. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams provided the media with details about the investigation and the arrests. Confident in their evidence, the police are hopeful for convictions. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams shared with reporters today that Jovannie Jones and Jerwin Segura were apprehended right at the crime scene on the very evening of the tragic double murder.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Police responded to calls of shots fired on the Philip Goldson Highway, about a quarter mile from its junction with the Crooked Tree Road. Upon arrival, they saw a black Equinox. Inside the Equinox, which was parked on the, I think, the right hand side of the road coming to Belize City, they discovered the lifeless body of two persons, that is, a male and a female. Those two bodies exhibited what appeared to be gunshot injuries. The police processed the scene. After doing so, the bodies were taken to the KHMH, where the doctor pronounced them dead on arrival. Police conducted investigations right away. And a few minutes later, two suspects were detained in a vehicle that was seen parked right behind the vehicle that the two deceased persons were in at the particular time or immediately after the shooting or immediately after the persons were found in the vehicle dead.”
Williams said that investigators obtained other evidence that led to their arrest for the crime.
Chester Williams
“Other evidential material obtained by investigators during the course of the investigation led to the arrest of two individuals, one of whom is a car dealer and the other is an associate of that car dealer. Those persons were charged yesterday, and I believe they were taken before the courts today where they were remanded to prison. The family will be given an update by the police tomorrow so that they can know exactly what the police have against those two individuals. There are several other things that we’re doing, like looking at the phones and the analysis of calls and different things that we’ll be getting information from the cell phones and other places that we believe we can get evidential, things of evidential value.”
Paul Lopez
“These are the same two individuals that were found in the vehicle that was parked at some point in time behind the vehicle of the victims?”
Chester Williams
“Yes, those same two individuals.”
Commissioner Williams assured the public that the police are committed to gathering all necessary evidence to secure convictions against the accused men. But who exactly are these men? Selvin Segura, father of Jerwin Segura, insists that he raised his son to be a God-fearing individual, always guiding him to follow the straight and narrow path.
Selvin Segura
Selvin Segura, Father of Jerwin Segura
“I nuh raise up my son fi be wa cruel person or violent or soh, right. All I know that we raise up on, you know, to go to school, you know, to be loving with neighbours and everybody and thing, you know, go to school, go to church, go to church and things like that.”
Segura said his son told him he was going to drive for Jones, who also grew up in the church.
Selvin Segura
“He tell me that the same church brother di teach him to drive, Giovannie, yeah, teaching him to drive, and thing soh, he say I wa become a driver sooner or later. So I told him all the best, you know, just know what you’re doing and – cause he’s a big man now and things like that. You know, he’s over eighteen.”
On the day of the incident, Jerwin Segura reportedly left home early in the morning. According to his father, when his wife heard about an incident on the road, she reached out to their son. Jerwin told her he was on his way back from Orange Walk and had been delayed by a traffic block.
Selvin Segura
“He went out early in the morning, right, and when the ma called and asked where is he, he said he was coming down on the road from northbound, somewhere on the road. So, ih mother told him there’s an accident or something on the road because they have police on the road doing checkpoint and some kind of accident or something happened. And then he replied and said we are way up in Orange Walk. He said we heading down this way now. We coming home, right. So, when he hit the checkpoint, he ma call again and he answer he say, yes, we are at the checkpoint. And when he replied, he said they were pulling over somebody and, well, he coming because he said the police, they give him okay to come, noh?
Later, Segura shared that they discovered through online reports that the incident wasn’t just an accident, but a shocking double murder. To their horror, they realized the victims were from their own village. Jovannie Jones, the other man charged in the double murder case, is also from Burrell Boom. Although no one was willing to speak on the record about his character, he’s known as an upstanding community member who grew up in the church. Before venturing into the car dealership business, Jones spent some time working in the tourism industry. Marion Ali for News Five.
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams detailed how the police swiftly apprehended Jovannie Jones and Jerwin Segura after the tragic Monday evening murders of Felix Martinez and his common-law wife, Adelita Gillett. Williams revealed that the motive behind the crime was a business deal gone sour, specifically over the sale of a vehicle. He noted that there were no prior reports against Jones and Segura. Williams also took the opportunity to offer some advice to those purchasing vehicles from private sellers.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Investigation showed that the two persons who were murdered had given, I believe, thirty-five thousand dollars to the car dealer, who is the guy Jones from Burrell Boom Village. And I think two months had passed, and he had not brought in the vehicle that he had promised to bring for them. They then sought recover back their money from him. They even went to the extent of going to a lawyer and the lawyer sent a demand letter to Mr. Jones. It can be reasonably inferred and even substantiated by what the two suspects have said that they lured these two individuals to that area where the murder actually took place. Now, there are certain things that they are saying that investigators do not believe, and the facts or the circumstances on the ground prove otherwise to what they are saying. So there are several inconsistencies in their account that they gave to the police. Nonetheless, that’s a matter for investigators to look at and again, just to reiterate my point that we are doing as much as we can to make sure we secure sufficient evidence for a successful prosecution.”
Paul Lopez
“Were any of them licensed firearm holders?”
Chester Williams
“One of them is a licensed firearm holder. The car dealer, Mr. Jones, is indeed a licensed firearm holder.”
Reporter
“Was it with his firearm…”
Chester Williams
“I’m not going to answer that question. Persons who are buying vehicles need to be more responsible in terms of knowing who they’re buying vehicles from and likewise, do not give all your money to people. If it is that you want someone to bring a vehicle for you, give them maybe half of the money or a certain portion of the money when you receive your vehicle upon delivery to you, you pay the balance. Do not take all your money and give it to some of these car dealers because the truth is you’ll be conned out of your money. So, again, just do a little bit more due diligence in terms of knowing who you’re buying and what you’re buying. The two individuals who were killed, these are not criminals. These are not troublemakers. That young man is a very young, promising young man, very mannerly, had a very nice profession. The lady, very nice and humble woman. So, I don’t see what kind of threat they could have been to anybody.”
Belizean man has gone missing after a trip to Chetumal. Thirty-four-year-old Vincent Young was last seen on the afternoon of Tuesday, November thirteenth, 2024. Records show that Vincent entered Quintana Roo, Mexico, but never returned, raising alarm among his family. Vincent is a dark-skinned Creole man, about six-foot-two and weighing around two hundred pounds. He was last seen wearing a black sleeveless shirt, three-quarter blue jeans, and green Nike slippers. We spoke with his sister, Sally Lou Young, who shared more details about the search for her brother.
On the Phone: Sally Lou Young, Vincent Young’s Sister
“The time and date he was last seen, he just said to my mom, he’s going to Mexico. What he was doing with who when where and why we don’t know All that that was all that was said that he was going to Mexico.”
Britney Gordon
“And what have the search efforts been like since then have you guys filed a official police report?”
On the Phone: Sally Lou Young
“Yes, so the Corozal police department came to the house after my niece posted that. We hadn’t heard from him and my mom went to the Corozal police department to make an official police report but since I was there I suggested to her she goes to Mexico to verify that is actually Where he is because as you know People might say I’m going north and then they go south they might say they go south then they go west so once that report was filed with Corozal Police Department, I personally went with my mom to the Quintana Roo on border, well, Chetumal, where we verified with the Mexican authorities that he did legally entered Mexico on the day of said Missing report, which is November twelfth.”
Britney Gordon
“And there is no documentation of him returning back into the country.”
On the Phone: Sally Lou Young
“That’s right So he went legally into Mexico in his personal vehicle He entered Mexico and haven’t returned As of now, that’s all we know.” This is now international crime per se. We can’t personally get involved and go and contradict anything that the Belizean authorities could somewhat help with. So from this point, the family just asked that if anyone happens to see him, hear of him, he called them to contact the family, but we’re not trying to make an effort to contradict anything because. It’s international. Now he in another country.”
The home of missing man Mason Patnett was reportedly broken into and burglarized. According to reports, Patnett’s house in Vista Del Mar, Ladyville, was targeted sometime between Monday evening and Tuesday afternoon. Police were alerted by one of his relatives, who has been anxiously awaiting any signs of Patnett since he went missing a few weeks ago. Upon arrival, authorities found broken glass on the ground, likely from the window the intruders used to gain entry. Patnett’s family estimates that around two hundred and thirty dollars’ worth of items were stolen, including a crockpot, crystal water bottles, barbering equipment, and several groceries. The relentless search for Mason Patnett has been ongoing for nearly three weeks with no substantial leads. His family continues to plead with the public for any information on his whereabouts.
After months of tension and a possible demonstration, the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) and the Ministry of Education (MoECST) have signed a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to improving Belize’s education system.
Following a five-hour meeting, both parties agreed on key reforms to tackle longstanding issues, including teacher salaries, increments, and allowances. During the meeting, BNTU President Nadia Caliz stated her satisfaction with the progress and that this was just the beginning of regular, biannual meetings to address challenges.
Education Minister Francis Fonseca pointed out the ministry’s commitment to tackling some of the most pressing challenges. According to the joint statement, the goal is to ” “create an education system that meets the needs of the nation and its people” by “affixing their signatures to” the following:
Salary and Allowance Improvements: MoECST promises to ensure timely payment of salary increments and allowances for teachers. A new digital system for processing applications will launch in mid-February, with the goal of minimising disruptions for educators.
Teacher Recruitment and Development: The Ministry plans to expedite teacher and administrator appointments and support in-service teachers with scholarships for high-priority areas like math and science.
Digital Transformation: Efforts to modernise include integrating teacher accounts with BEMIS and offering online courses to enhance professional development.
The ministry also offered 11 scholarships for teachers, temporary teaching permits for specialised subjects, and additional support for educators in remote areas.
Although the immediate crisis seems resolved, Caliz clarified that the union council will decide on future actions, including whether to stand down from potential industrial action.
Belize has become a leader in the fight against money laundering, terrorism financing, and weapons proliferation, according to the latest report from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). Belize has not only surpassed expectations but has set a new standard for technical compliance, earning “Fully Compliant” ratings for 38 out of 40 key anti-money laundering measures.
The CFATF’s 4th Round Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) highlighted Belize’s impressive ratings in both technical compliance and effectiveness.”Belize now has the distinction of having the strongest technical compliance ratings in the world, surpassing the previous record holder, Qatar.”
In terms of effectiveness, Belize also performed strongly, with Substantial ratings in five of the eleven Immediate Outcomes, including a regional first in proliferation financing.
“Belize has a robust regime in place to ensure that ML is identified, investigated and prosecuted. This framework consists of laws, working groups and policies within the different law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies,” CFATF reported.
According to the government of Belize, this success is the result of nearly two years of rigorous evaluation and collaboration among Belize’s national authorities, which culminated in the country achieving Regular Follow-up status—a distinction held by less than 15% of the world’s nations.
