March, 2025 - Channel 5 Belize

Taiwanese Embassy Addresses Lead Contamination in Belize Fitness Equipment

Lead contamination has been found in outdoor fitness equipment across Belize, prompting concerns over public health risks.

As we reported, the Ministry of Health and Wellness issued a directive to remove outdoor fitness equipment across Belize after tests revealed excessive lead levels. The equipment, painted yellow and red, was part of the 2018 “Wellness Parks” initiative. Research by experts from the University of Belize and Mercer University found high lead concentrations in the equipment. Affected locations include Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize City, and others.

The equipment bears signage indicating sponsorship by the Government of Belize, the Ministry of Health, and the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

The Taiwanese Embassy in Belize issued a clarification to the ministry’s letter. It said: “The Embassy of Taiwan would like to clarify that while we provided funding for the exercise equipment in 2018, we were not involved in their procurement. The embassy takes such issues seriously and will work closely with related government agencies of Belize to ensure similar situations do not arise in our bilateral cooperative projects.”

Queen Street Baptist Church Plans Rebuild After Devastating Fire

Pastor Loyd Stanford of Queen Street Baptist Church provided an update on the church’s recovery and rebuilding efforts following the recent fire. He confirmed that the cleanup of the building went smoothly, with significant assistance from members of the Belize City Council, who helped for two days. The local community rallied together to clear the debris, and Stanford said that the congregation is fully committed to rebuilding the church.

A week ago, on March 21, a fire destroyed the historic church in Belize City, leaving the congregation and the Baptist Association of Belize in mourning. The fire started around 4:45 a.m. Despite the efforts of firefighters, the church was completely burnt down. The nearby Queen Street Baptist School also suffered water damage. Founded in 1822, the church was a beloved landmark.

Stanford told News 5 today that the new Queen Street Baptist Church will feature modern changes and is expected to cost around 2.2 million dollars. He added that an engineer was consulted, and the estimated figure provided was an initial assessment. The engineer recommended that the new structure be built stronger and modernised. A more precise estimate will be given once final project details are completed.

Stanford said that while many members and supporters are hopeful that the new building will be up and finished in 9 months time, he called it “an unrealistic expectation”. He explained that the preparatory work is still ongoing, and the funds required for construction will need to be raised through the efforts of the church, its members, and supporters.

Officer Accused of Narco Trafficking Fired from Belize Police Department

A veteran police officer has been officially discharged from the Belize Police Department.

The officer’s termination follows an internal review process. The letter says, “In light of the serious nature of the allegations against you, the impact on the reputation of the Belize Police Department, and after careful consideration of the submission by your attorney… I hereby exercise my power and discharge you from the Belize Police Department, effective March 28, 2025.”

In late February, we reported that the body of twenty-nine-year-old Raheem Usher from Libertad Village, who had been missing for over a month, was found in San Antonio Village. His body wasn’t badly decomposed, suggesting he had been held captive for a long time before being shot twice in the head. Usher was found handcuffed, wrapped in a sheet, and covered in plastic. The sheet had a handwritten threat aimed at those ‘bringing down planes with drugs’, with six names listed. The officer’s name appears on the list.

Shyne Threatens FB Blog Hot Off The Press with Legal Action

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, former Leader of the Opposition has taken legal steps against Hot Off The Press – Belize, a Facebok blog, for defamation. The law firm Pitts Pitts & Associates, representing Barrow, issued a cease and desist letter on March 27, 2025, demanding the immediate removal of a defamatory article published on March 26, 2025, on Hot Off The Press’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

According to the letter, the article, titled “Shyne’s Diplomatic Days Numbered,” falsely alleged that Barrow refused to return his diplomatic passport, suggesting dishonesty and non-compliance with government directives. The letter says these claims are entirely baseless. It added that Barrow had voluntarily returned the passport to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs prior to the publication of the article.

The law firm has demanded the removal of the defamatory statements, a public apology, and compensation for damages to Barrow’s reputation. They have requested an undertaking from Hot Off The Press to refrain from publishing further defamatory content. The letter warns that failure to comply within 14 days will result in legal proceedings in the High Court of Belize.

Meet the Belize Zoo’s Newest Rescue, Grace the Tapir Calf!

Earlier this month, a concerned citizen found a struggling baby tapir near La Gracia Village in the Cayo District. A wildfire had swept through the area, and amid the chaos, this tiny calf was found alone, her mother nowhere in sight.

Her rescuer saw that she was alone, weak, and struggling, so he acted quickly to remove her from harm. He then reached out to the Belize Wildlife & Referral Clinic so the tapir calf could get the urgent care she needed. Once she was stable, she made her way to the Belize Zoo, where she will grow up in a safe and loving environment.

The Belize Zoo named her Grace. Director Celso Poot told News Five, “Thankfully we have experience in raising tapir calves. We have raised two in the last couple of years that were born right here in the zoo. So we will take from that experience and apply it to Grace’s situation.”

According to the zoo, Grace is still developing; her little teeth are just beginning to come in.

Burnt Drug Plane Discovered Near Guatemala Border; Two Law Enforcement Officers Detained

Authorities have uncovered the remains of a drug plane, deliberately set ablaze after landing on a makeshift airstrip in the remote Toledo District. The aircraft, believed to have been used for smuggling, landed earlier this week in the Graham Creek area, near the Guatemalan border.

Images from the scene show the charred wreckage, reinforcing suspicions of a coordinated illicit operation.

Two law enforcement officers have been detained in connection with the incident.

EXCLUSIVE: Lead Contamination Found in Outdoor Fitness Equipment Across Belize

The Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) has issued an urgent directive to municipalities across Belize following the discovery of excessive lead (Pb) in outdoor fitness equipment located in parks nationwide.

The letter said, “It has been brought to our attention that a number of the Outdoor Fitness Equipment (OFE), the ones that are painted yellow and red located in parks countrywide, have tested positive for excessive lead (Pb).

The equipment, painted yellow and red, was procured in 2018 and installed in various public areas as part of Belize’s “First Ever Wellness Parks” initiative.

It added, “Eight different sets of OFE in six different Belizean communities were analyzed and found to contain high concentrations of lead (Pb). The locations assessed were Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize City, Belmopan, San Ignacio, and Benque Viejo del Carmen. Additional parks in San Pedro, Dangriga, and Punta Gorda also received this equipment.”

Dangriga Mayor, Robert Mariano, told News Five that the Dangriga Town Council removed the equipment two years ago due to rust.

The alarming findings were revealed through research conducted by Dr. Joaquin Urbina, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of Belize, in collaboration with Dr. Adam Kiefer and Dr. Addie Buerck from Mercer University.

The equipment, which bears signage indicating sponsorship by the Government of Belize, the Ministry of Health, and the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan), was found to contain high concentrations of lead in its paint. The MOHW has requested the immediate removal and careful disposal of the affected equipment to prevent potential health risks.

Empowering Women: Breaking the Silence on Menopause

Women from all walks of life gathered to discuss an often-overlooked yet significant topic: menopause. The event aimed to break the stigma surrounding this natural phase, offering education, support, and a sense of empowerment to those experiencing it. Many left feeling more prepared to navigate these life changes with confidence.

Menopause occurs when the ovaries stop producing reproductive hormones, marking the end of menstrual periods for twelve consecutive months. Perimenopause, the transitional stage leading up to menopause, can last anywhere from two to eight years, bringing fluctuating hormone levels and a variety of symptoms.

Open discussions about menopause help normalise the experience and foster understanding, not only for women but also for their families and communities.

Dr Melissa Diaz-Musa, Director of Public & Wellness, said, “We do have over fifty, almost sixty, health facilities across the country, at different levels. The first step would be going into one of these facilities, seeing the nurse and then seeing a medical officer. In terms of the symptoms that you have, the consultation will then involve looking at the symptoms, and a lot of the menopause treatment is geared towards, essentially, alleviating symptoms.”

Governor General Dame Froyla Tzalam shared her personal experience, highlighting the need for family support. “My family will tell you I have good days and I have bad days, to the point where my son now, in the morning, would say, ‘Mommy, you slept well last night? No hot flashes?’ He knows about hot flashes. ‘Are you okay?’ And it’s amazing that even somebody asking you, ‘Are you okay?’ sets the tone for the rest of the day because it means you’re not alone,” she shared.

Rosanna Briceño, Special Envoy for Women & Children, stressed the importance of breaking the silence around menopause. “Menopause brings with it a complex array of experiences, but perhaps the most complex of them is the silence that surrounds it. We only see the signs. This lack of open conversation often leads to isolation, misunderstanding, and missed opportunities for support,” she noted.

Creating a supportive environment encourages women to seek help, explore available treatments, and adopt strategies to manage symptoms effectively.

By fostering open discussions and awareness, women can approach menopause with greater confidence, ensuring better health outcomes and an improved quality of life.

Shyne Barrow Issues Cease-and-Desist to FB Blog, BNN

Former Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Belize News Network (BNN), accusing the Facebook blog of publishing false and defamatory statements regarding the surrender of his diplomatic passport.

The letter, sent by Pitts Pitts & Associates on Barrow’s behalf, demands the immediate removal of an article published on BNN’s Facebook blog on March 26, which allegedly claimed that Barrow refused to return his diplomatic passport and, in doing so, had stolen government property.

Barrow, through his attorneys, refutes these claims, stating that he voluntarily returned his diplomatic passport to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via his staff before the article was published. The legal team argues that BNN’s post was not only inaccurate but also intended to cause “intentional embarrassment and malicious harm” to Barrow’s reputation.

The cease-and-desist letter outlines the following demands:

Immediate removal of the allegedly defamatory statements from all media platforms.
A formal retraction and public apology approved by Barrow’s attorneys.
Payment of damages for reputational harm.
A commitment from BNN to refrain from publishing any further defamatory material about Barrow.

The letter warns that failure to comply within 14 days could lead to legal proceedings in Belize’s High Court. It also notes that BNN’s Facebook posts could be subject to penalties under the Belize Cyber Crimes Act.

Shyne Barrow Threatens Legal Action Against 7News

Former Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow has issued a formal demand for retraction and apology from 7News Belize, following what he claims is a defamatory report regarding the surrender of his diplomatic passport.

Through his legal representatives, WA Lindo LLP, Barrow has alleged that the news station, led by Jules Vasquez, published factually incorrect statements that falsely suggested he had resisted returning his diplomatic passport to the Government of Belize.

The report in question, aired on March 26 and later posted on 7News Belize’s Facebook page under the headline “GOB Says to Shyne, ‘Game Over’, Yanks Diplomatic Passport”, claimed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had instructed Barrow to return his diplomatic passport but that he had shown reluctance in complying.

However, Barrow’s attorneys contend that he had already returned the document earlier that morning, at approximately 10:51 a.m., hours before the news report was published. The letter, addressed to Vasquez and Tropical Vision Limited (the parent company of 7News), argues that the report’s wording was designed to tarnish Barrow’s reputation, portraying him as defiant and unwilling to comply with government regulations.

In their letter, WA Lindo LLP demanded that 7News:

Remove the article from all social media platforms.
Issue a retraction and public apology on both its Facebook page and nightly newscast.
Pay damages to Barrow for reputational harm.
Refrain from making similar allegations regarding his diplomatic passport in the future.

The letter warns that failure to comply will result in defamation proceedings against the news station.

7News reported on Thursday night that Barow returned his diplomatic passport.