News Five has confirmed that Moses “Shyne” Barrow and his legal team are gearing up to request a judicial review from the High Court regarding the Elections and Boundaries decision. However, Tracy Taegar-Panton is skeptical about the success of his legal challenge. She argues that the court doesn’t have the time, and voters are eager to cast their ballots.
Tracy Taegar-Panton, Party Leader, U.D.P
“I don’t believe it is going to alter the decision. The Elections and Boundaries Commission by law has the discretion of making that call. I think they really took the highroad of ensuring that all U.D.P. candidates are appropriately represented on the ballot using the traditional red that our voters have become use to. And it is his prerogative to challenge what he believes does not work in his favor. I don’t believe the courts will have time for that and certainly the voters are ready to vote.”
Overnight, a vehicle fire at a car wash on Vernon Street is suspected to be arson. The late model SUV, owned by businesswoman Doris Grant, was torched following a heated dispute just hours earlier. The mediation, led by Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, involved members of various Belize City gangs. Tensions have been high since Brandon Baptist’s death, and Grant, who spent three months in jail in 2024 under a state of emergency, was called to the meeting along with other known street figures. Things quickly escalated, and according to Grant, serious threats were made.
Doris Grant
Doris Grant, Belize City Resident
“Yesterday morning, I had a team of officers come to my house to speak to me about an intervention meeting with me and the PIV gang. I sat down, I spoke to them and I said to them that I didn’t know about any shooting concerning the PIV gang. The meeting was with Mr. Dawson who was in charge of LIU, a part of LIU. So he said that he would have gotten back to me, that he would have a meeting with the PIV gang and I said okay. So he said he would have called me back and tell me what’s going on. In that meeting there was a lot and I must say the truth that with whatever was said in the meeting, Chester did tell PIV that I had nothing to do with any shooting concerning them. And I could remember keenly, in front of Mr. Williams, well I just know him as “Baby” from PIV, he said, “I coulda mek you cry right now. I coulda mek Bud dead right now da di car wash place pan Vernon Street.” And hours after I came home, I heard my vehicle burnt up on Vernon Street. So what else can I say?
Grant is convinced that the fire was deliberately set to destroy her GMC Terrain SUV, in which she invested nearly fifty thousand dollars.
Doris Grant
Doris Grant, Belize City Resident
“So what you want me to think now? Where do I go from here?”
Isani Cayetano
“When this information was shared with you, did the Commissioner of Police or any other officer there intervene, in terms of perhaps looking at this threat seriously.”
Doris Grant
“Well, what I can say is that Mr. Chester took, let me and Mr. Petillo, I think he’s Ronlee Petillo, which is Nino, he was at the meeting too, because he was accused that I am the one who put Petillo to shoot Baby which was… He didn’t even have any knowledge what he was there for. So I believe that it was cleared up from there with a peace talk with Mr. Chester, that Chester had told them that Ms. Grant has nothing to do with what had happened with the previous shooting with which gang area and them. I have nothing to do with that. So why now you wah attack me when I dah noh di gang… I noh shot you, I have nothing to do with that. Now hours later, you wah threaten me front ah di ComPol and said bout I coulda mi kill Bud. This is nonsense because they are doing things over and over. When I was shot, in two days I was sent to Hattieville under the state of emergency and charged for being part of a gang. So why they can’t get charged? Why they can’t get charged?”
Tonight, three of the six men police claim were being investigated as possible members of the George Street Gang were dragged to court to face disorderly conduct charges after a public fight on Plues Street on February eighteenth, 2025. Out of the seven men identified from police footage, only three were criminally charged this morning: Damion Saldano, Jaheim Bent, and Shemaud Nunez. The trio, who had been detained for several days, arrived at court on the prison bus and were finally brought before a Magistrate in Court #4 around noon, unrepresented. Each was read a single charge of disorderly conduct. Nunez, the first to be arraigned, explained that he, Bent, and Saldano were friends and had been smoking weed when they intervened in a fight between some girls down the street. According to Nunez, they were then accused of beefing, leading to their charges. When the Magistrate asked Nunez why he pleaded guilty if he wasn’t guilty, Nunez said he had been in custody for two days and just wanted to get it over with. Upon hearing they would be fined instead of imprisoned; all three men maintained their guilty pleas. They were each fined two hundred dollars, plus a five-dollar court cost, with a payment deadline of March twenty-first, 2025, or face one month in prison.
In July 2020, a group of men pulled off a daring daylight robbery at the Scotia Bank Belama Branch. They managed to escape with $34,572.33 in cash and cheques, but their getaway was cut short after a shootout with police, leading to the capture of four men linked to the heist. At the end of their trial, the men faced charges of robbery, two counts of aggravated assault on PC Robert Sutherland and PC Robert Parchue, possession of firearms and ammunition, and damage to property. However, they were acquitted of most charges, except for George Meighan, who was found not guilty of damage to property. The men were also acquitted of one count of aggravated assault on PC Robert Parchue, who never testified. The five men initially involved in the heist were Jason McKenzie, then 28; Leon Westby, then 24; George Meighan, then 17, now 22; Anthony Barrow, then 29; and the deceased Gasman Young, who was shot and later succumbed to his injuries. Last Friday, the men were found guilty of three charges, but their sentencing was delayed as the court awaited a Social Inquiry Report (SIR) for Meighan, who was only 17 at the time of the robbery. During the trial, only Westby had legal representation from attorney Ronell Gonzalez, while Meighan and McKenzie were unrepresented. Gonzalez requested a suspended sentence for Westby, highlighting that he is a first-time offender and a new father. Westby’s aunt, Lorraine Elaine Thurton, also spoke on his behalf, asking for leniency. McKenzie, who is awaiting a sentence for murder, asked the court to consider his role as a facilitator and teacher in prison. Meighan, a first-time offender and father of a 3-year-old, pleaded for leniency, citing his young age at the time of the crime and his role as the sole provider for his son. During the trial, PC Robert Sutherland, the only police witness, identified Meighan and Barrow but confused McKenzie and Westby. The families of the convicted men plan to appeal the conviction. In their defense, the men claimed they were at the scene in a boat but couldn’t explain why. Meighan’s father stated that his son was sent to the Seashore area for a fishing trip with Young and Barrow, who never showed up for the trial. Barrow is believed to have fled to the United States.
Belizean authorities have confirmed the cause of death of three American women at a resort in San Pedro. Executive Director of the Belize National Forensic Science Service, Gian Cho, confirmed that Kaoutar Naqqad, Imane Mallah, and Wafae El-Arar died of acute pulmonary edema. According to Sho, authorities are still investigating what led to that cause. Carbon monoxide has been ruled out because fire officials conducted two separate tests that yielded no results. Sho says that investigators are now working to confirm whether controlled substances were at the scene.
Gian Cho
Gian Cho, Executive Director, B.N.F.S.S.
“The autopsies of the three women were conducted on Monday, twenty-fourth February so we did the three autopsies, starting in the morning and continuing one after the other. We had our three medical examiners be present during the autopsy. The lead examiner concluded the cause of that, the terminal cause of that to be acute pulmonary edema and the antecedent causes, we would call them or due to, is still pending investigation. So acute pulmonary edema was determined by the medical examiner to have been because of that for all three victims. And what led to acute preliminary edema is what is pending investigation. That term simply means that we need to do further testing on samples taken from the bodies during autopsy. So, as part of the standard process for the postmortem examination, samples are taken not only of blood, but also vitreous humor, some tissue samples, stomach contents as well and so to be able to provide the laboratory testing for the medical examiner to get that information as to what may have led to acute pulmonary edema. Further testing involves three different sections or scopes if you will. That we will start this week is to try to identify what types of controlled substances or drugs, if any, were in some of the samples taken from the scene. These were from different items that would’ve been collected from the hotel room to see if there were any controlled substances found in those.”
Port Loyola voters are in for a unique race! On March twelfth, they’ll see three U.D.P candidates on the ballot – the only division with that many U.D.P hopefuls vying for the seat. All three are aiming to defeat the People’s United Party’s incumbent, Gilroy Usher Sr. It’s definitely one of the races to watch. News Five’s Paul Lopez has been on the ground, chatting with all four candidates. Here’s his report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
The political race in Port Loyola is really heating up. Three United Democratic Party candidates are challenging the People’s United Party incumbent, Gilroy Usher Sr., who is seeking a second term after his first win in the 2020 general election. So, who will come out on top?
Gilroy Usher
Gilroy Usher, P.U.P. Candidate, Port Loyola
“It was a tremendous honor to serve the people of Port Loyola. I want to say thanks for giving me that opportunity. In serving them I have been able to address a number of things, land, housing, educational opportunities, improvement of sporting facilities and promotion of small businesses.”
In an interesting twist, Gilroy Usher will be going head-to-head with his son-in-law, Phillip “Superman” Willoughby, who is one of the three U.D.P candidates in the race.
Phillip Willoughby
Phillip Willoughby, U.D.P Candidate, Port Loyola
“People will look and criticize my marriage. Paul I think everybody suppose to celebrate a marriage. It is a union before God and man. I don’t know if they would rather see the type of politicians run around, frolicking around, messing around.”
Willoughby emphasizes that his candidacy is all about addressing residents’ needs. He took us to the home of Brenda Usher, a local resident, who passionately voiced her frustrations about the poor condition of her streets.
Brenda Usher
Brenda Usher, Port Loyola Resident
“Oh, I nuh healthy, ih nuh healthy. I beg mih area rep. I don’t know if dah the area rep fih fix it, or the city council. But I know somebody need fuh come help we,because we the tek lick dah back yah.”
Phillip Willoughby
“The houses from the Esquivel era, the three-bedroom, two-bedroom houses were the best of the best of UDP at the time. That is what I want to bring back to the people of Port Loyola. That is what they deserve. They need and deserve their land. They need and deserve their homes.”
During the Esquivel era, Anthony “Boots” Martinez, one of the three U.D.P candidates, had the government write off homes for owners facing financial difficulties. However, Martinez is now facing heavy criticism from his opponents over the current condition of those homes he built during his time as a four-time area representative.
Anthony “Boots” Martinez
Anthony “Boots” Martinez, U.D.P Candidate, Port Loyola
“In thirteen years I have built over five hundred houses, cement and wood houses for the residents of Port Loyola and they don’t owe N.O.T.H.I.N.G, nothing. What is important, your services. If you notice I didn’t single handedly call nobody. I didn’t mention on person I build a house for. I will mention things that happened in the community across. Like for example, from Fabers, by the long barracks, corner of Ceasar Ridge Road to the George Price Highway was cemented under my tenure. Nurse Finely, Allan Pitts Gill Street where Mr. Usher has his office. So I left the area under good standards. I took Port Loyola from a poor constituency to a semi-middle class as we speak right now.”
Career Educator, Dr. Nelma Mortis, is the only woman in the Port Loyola race. She emphasized that her approach isn’t about exploiting residents’ struggles for political gain. Instead, she invited us to meet in an office to discuss her vision for the constituency.
Nelma Mortis
Nelma Mortis, U.D.P Candidate, Port Loyola
“I see a lot of environmental conditions. There is a need for job growth in the constituency and additional to that, there is need for more social interaction with the environment and people in there. I am very confident in this we in, because the people of Port needs a change. The people of Port has been neglected by my direct opponent, Mr. Usher. Mister Boots Martinez has completed my task and he needs to retire gracefully. And, Mr. Willoughby does have good intention, but he seems to be a little bit laid back and tardy in his approach to doing the work as to what should be done.”
On Nomination Day, the country watched in shock as four of the thirty U.D.P. candidates under the leadership of Moses “Shyne” Barrow failed to show up for their nominations. This means you won’t see the names of Dean Samuels for Pickstock, Melvin Hewlett for Fort George, Norman Usher for Dangriga, and Dennis Williams for Toledo East on the ballot come election day. They pulled out of the race at the last minute, and when asked about it that evening, Barrow seemed completely unaware. While some have suggested that the P.U.P. might have influenced the candidates’ withdrawal, Prime Minister John Briceño dismissed this as a desperate allegation. When asked about the impact of these withdrawals on democracy in Belize, the PM confidently stated that it proves democracy is alive and well.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“It’s not a failure of democracy. People vote for who they want. In this instance, they quite likely feel that Anthony Mahler has been doing a great job, so why would I want to go and challenge Anthony Mahler if he’s doing a good job? Why would I challenge him if I believe that the people are supporting him> I’d be wasting my time, my effort and the lee bit ah resources, it’s not a failure. It is a true testament to the democratic process of Belize.”
Reporter
“The Opposition Leader is suggesting that you guys paid off his candidates to not show up.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I guess desperate statements during desperate times and I guess trying to find an excuse. It is obvious that the person who was there felt he doesn’t have a chance to win and felt that Anthony, by any measurement, has been doing a tremendous job as the Area Representative in the Pickstock division, so why would you go with a person if you know you’re going to lose? If you look at it, what the Leader of the Opposition is trying to do, he’s thinking beyond this general election. He’s thinking about his election as leader of the party because after this general election it is well known that the U.D.P. is going to have a national convention and it is important for him to field candidates just to field candidates, knowing they’re not going to win but he needs to do that to control the delegates, so I don’t expect anything else from the Leader of the Opposition.”
Our Meet the Candidates coverage continues in the Cayo District! Tonight, we’ll also hear from candidates in the Port Loyola constituency. But first, let’s head to the Cayo Central and Cayo North constituencies. Each of these divisions will feature a candidate from both major parties, plus a third-party contender. Once known as the Red Hills, these areas turned blue in 2020. Will that change on March 12, or will it stay the same? News Five’s Paul Lopez has the report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
With the third largest number of registered voters in the Cayo District, this constituency will see three political candidates face off in the March twelfth general election. Alex Balona, the People’s United Party candidate, is hoping to win back the voters’ trust and secure a second consecutive term in office.
Alex Balona
Alex Balona, P.U.P Candidate, Cayo Central
“Well our executive as you can see behind me, they are an excellent team and they have been with me throughout the four and a half years. And they know exactly what to go and tell our constituents. I know the people are wise. The next government will be a PUP government and Cayo Central will remain P.U.P.”
Balona is facing some heat after a 2020 election day video resurfaced on social media, showing him spitting in the face of a U.D.P. member. Balona recently explained that he was first assaulted with a phone. So, the big question is: will March twelfth be free of any spitting incidents as United Democratic Party candidate Mark O’Brien takes on Balona?
Mark O’Brien
Mark O’Brien, U.D.P Candidate, Cayo Central
“The people has eyes to see, ears to hear, and they also feel what is going on. Across the nation the people are complaining about high cost of living. In our area, the farmers are telling us they love farming. They are not asking for ham, turkey, handouts or money. They are not even asking for seeds. They are asking for that opportunity to have better road access to be able to harvest their crops and come out and make a return on their hard work they have invested in their agriculture field.”
Elections in Belize have always been a tough climb for third parties. But that doesn’t deter Roody Wade, the leader of the Belize Justice Movement. Despite having little to no resources, he’s been putting his name on the ballot for decades and is ready to do it again in Cayo Central.
Roody Wade
Roody Wade, B.J.M Candidate, Cayo Central
“What is working in my favor, I am glad you ask it, because people are tired of that two party system. You will find out that people are showing that energy that yes, I will take their fifty dollars and a hundred and they will be surprised what will catch them. We see the constant flooding never stop. The neglect per say totally. People utter to me I don’t even see this area representative from the time he got elected. I have not seen him.”
Keep an eye on Cayo North. As the second largest constituency in Cayo, it’s definitely one to watch. Michel “Micho” Chebat is feeling confident about being reelected for a second consecutive term.
Michel “Micho” Chebat
Michel “Micho” Chebat, P.U.P Candidate, Cayo North
“This has been an honor of a lifetime for me. The people of Cayo North entrusted their faith and trust in me and that is something we take very seriously. We have been working over the past four years. We have been delivering to them on ourpromises. We are very confident that we will be returned on the twelfth of March.”
In 2020, Chebat defeated former U.D.P Area Representative Omar Figueroa. The one-term representative has returned to challenge Chebat, in hopes of a victory.
Omar Figueroa
Dr. Omar Figueroa, U.D.P. Candidate, Cayo North
“There was a wide tsunami in 2020, no one will deny that. But when you look at what has happened from 2020 to now, that is what is at stake here. That is the report card that people will evaluate. So it is not about what happened din 2020. It is about what happened since 2020 up until March twelfth. And as you walk the streets, you sense what the people of Cayo North are feeling and I am telling you Paul we have every confidence that in Cayo North I will deliver.”
The Belize Justice Movement has introduced their candidate for Cayo North, Leroy Lisbey. As a retired public officer, Leroy believes he’s the fresh face and change that the people have been eagerly waiting for.
Leroy Lisbey
Leroy Lisbey, B.J.M. Candidate, Cayo North
“I am very optimistic because I am running grass root, people centered campaign. I am not like the two political parties who are running on broken, empty promises. I am walking the streets and hearing what people need. That is my passion. I will work for them on the basic things. I will ensure that fair land distribution is there. Improve the healthcare system, unlimited opportunities for the youth and promote economic growth.”
This afternoon, Prime Minister John Briceño toured the Mesopotamia constituency with the People’s United Party candidate, Lawrence Ellis. The residents of Mesopotamia have been loyal to the United Democratic Party since 1979. With just thirteen days left until the March twelfth general election, the P.U.P. is hopeful that this time, the majority will rally behind their candidate.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I am convinced we have a very good candidate here in Mesopotamia and this division has been represented by the U.D.P. since 1979. When you look at what has happened over those years, it is a shame that the U.D.P. has controlled this division, yet they have done very little. Now we have a candidate that grew up in this area. While he did not grow up in Mesopotamia he grew up in Queen square, next door. When he came to talk to me and say this is something he wants to do, I grilled him and said, are you sure this is something you want to do, because you are going to go into a division that is very tough, traditional U.D.P. But he explained that he live sin the area, knows the people and understand what is the challenges and he believes that being a business person he can come up with innovative ways to help people in Mesopotamia division.”
Lawrence Ellis
Lawrence Ellis, P.U.P. Candidate, Mesopotamia
“This visit is a clear indication that the leadership of the P.U.P. is willing to work and take back Mesop. I am working hard n this division every day. The people of Mesop need to understand that there is no future in the U.D.P. They have been here for forty-six years and this division is lacking in many ways. So, my presence and the prime minister’s presence is a clear indication that the P.U.P. is ready to take back Mesop for the people of Mesop.”
