April, 2025 - Channel 5 Belize

Belize Participates in CENTSEC 2025 Regional Defence Conference

Belize is actively participating in this year’s Central American Security Conference (CENTSEC 2025), with Minister of National Defence and Border Security Oscar Mira currently in Panama representing the country.

The high-level forum runs from April 8 to 10 and brings together defence and security leaders from across Central America and the United States.

CENTSEC has become a key platform for advancing regional cooperation and addressing mutual security concerns. The 2025 conference, co-hosted by the Republic of Panama and the United States, is focused on enhancing joint defence operations and strengthening cybersecurity efforts across the region.

The annual gathering encourages open dialogue among partner nations, allowing for the exchange of best practices and the development of coordinated strategies aimed at promoting peace, stability, and resilience.

PSU’s Dean Flowers Calls for Thorough Audits with New Auditor General

President of the Public Service Union, Dean Flowers, criticised the government’s budget preparation process. On Tuesday, the union issued a statement questioning the fiscal management and potential corruption within the Sports Council. The union demanded an independent audit to verify budget figures and investigate corruption allegations.

Minister of State, Devin Daly, stated on Tuesday that $7.5 million has been allocated between youth and sports, with $7 million going towards staff salaries, leaving just $500,000 for actual programming and facility maintenance.

Flowers told News 5, “I think that the public service union has consistently stated that there is little seriousness given to the preparation of these budgets.” Flowers added that, despite the shift to performance-based budgeting, the approach has not changed significantly. “If you look at all the budgets of the last twenty or ten years, not much has changed in terms of the programme budgeting,” he added.

Flowers also pointed out the inefficiency in the youth and sports budget, calling it “just numbers thrown out there” without proper analysis or justification for the expenditures.

He linked the issue to the failure of the previous auditor general to conduct thorough audits of ministries. He said, “I am hoping that with the appointment of a new auditor general, that for once, all government ministries will be audited to ensure that whatever allocation is being made for them is being spent on what is aimed for.”

Taxi Driver Charged with Rape of a Child

Police have apprehended and charged an 18-year-old taxi driver with the offense of “Rape of a Child.” The arrest follows a report made on Sunday, April 6, around 10:00 p.m., when a woman brought her underage daughter to the Caye Caulker Police Station.

She stated that earlier that day, around 5:00 p.m., her daughter had been with a male individual who gave her a drink and subsequently took her to a beachside location, where he engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with her.

A medical examination performed by a medical officer confirmed that the minor had been sexually assaulted.

Belize Police Department Receives New Patrol Vehicle

A new fully equipped patrol vehicle was handed over to the Belize Police Department today. The keys to the vehicle were presented by the Chief Operations Officer of Innovative Development (INNODEP), Joseph Lee.

INNODEP is a renowned international firm that specialises in expandable security solutions.

Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa, received the keys of one of two vehicles designated for the “rapid response in coordination with the advanced camera system and the 911 emergency response framework being implemented.”

The vehicle is part of the BZ$60 million Belize Integral Security Programme funded by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).

This project includes the installation of a state-of-the-art camera system and emergency response framework in Belize City. It is expected to be completed by July 2025, and it will deploy AI-powered cameras to improve crime prevention and strengthen emergency responses across the city.

Government Warehouse Manager Charged for Theft of 43 Laptops

A government employee has been charged in connection with the theft of 43 Lenovo Chromebook laptops, valued at over $33,000, stolen in February from the Government Bookshop on Saint Joseph Street, Belize City.

Police investigations led to the recovery of nine of the stolen devices in Orange Walk Town. Following this discovery, authorities arrested and charged Ezbert Felix Ramclam Jr., also known as “Suga”, who serves as a government warehouse manager.

He is accused of dishonestly appropriating the laptops between February 18 and February 28, 2025, with the intent to permanently deprive the Government of Belize of its property. He pleaded not guilty.

Bail was granted in the sum of $3,000 with one surety or two sureties of $1,500 each, which he met. Ramclam is due back in court on June 4, 2025.

The investigation began on March 29, when a project coordinator for the Ministry of Education reported the missing laptops. Police recovered three devices on April 2 at San Lorenzo Housing Site in Orange Walk and five more at additional locations in the town. All eight were confirmed to be among the stolen items.

Further investigation revealed that a 59-year-old entrepreneur from Orange Walk claimed he purchased nine laptops from a man he knew as “Suga”, leading to Ramclam’s arrest.

Maya Land Rights Progress Delayed by Elections, CCJ Hears

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) held a virtual hearing on Monday to monitor the progress of the Maya Land Rights Consent Order, agreed upon by the Belize Government and the Maya Leaders Alliance in April 2015. The order requires the government to implement a mechanism to recognise the land rights of the indigenous Maya people.

During Monday’s session, the parties provided updates on the delays caused by the recent elections. The lead government attorney, Andrew Marshalleck, stated that February’s dissolution of the National Assembly stalled the review of a draft of legislation intended for Cabinet.

He said, “The National Assembly was dissolved on the 11th of February, just days after the draft was presented to the Cabinet subcommittee. The result is that they have not looked at it and have not reverted. The general elections were held on March 12. A new minister responsible for Indigenous Peoples Affairs was appointed.”

Marshalleck added that although progress had been made, three deliverables remained unfulfilled. He stated that the new minister, Louis Zabaneh, was briefed on the issue, as he was not involved in previous Cabinet discussions.

The Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs is also without a Chief Executive Officer. Marshalleck assured that the current CEO has been assisting in the transitional period as Zabaneh takes office.

Belize Extends Condolences to Dominican Republic Following Nightclub Tragedy

The government and people of Belize have expressed profound sympathy to the Dominican Republic in the wake of the devastating roof collapse at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo. The tragic incident, which occurred early Tuesday during a merengue concert, has resulted in at least 124 fatalities and over 250 injuries.

Among the deceased are notable figures, including merengue singer Rubby Pérez, who was performing at the time, and former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco.

Rescue operations are ongoing as emergency teams continue to search for survivors amidst the rubble. The cause of the structural failure remains under investigation.

In a statement, Belizean officials conveyed their deepest sympathies to the victims, their families, and the entire Dominican nation during this period of mourning.

Trial Farm Village Councillors Accuse Colleagues of Power Grab

In a statement on social media on Tuesday, Councillor of the Trial Farm Village, Eusebio Chebo Urbina, stated that two members of the village council “seem determined to tarnish my name and reputation.”

He accused the men of “spreading blatant falsehoods.”

According to Urbina, most of the Council are against these members’ disruptive actions, with a petition gathering support. Urbina condemned their efforts to undermine the authority of the Council, stating, “It is wholly unacceptable that two members believe they can arrogantly usurp the authority of the entire Council and act unilaterally.”

In a letter dated April 5, 2025, to Chairman Oscar Cornel, Urbina and four other councillors criticised the removal of the Secretary and Treasurer without the council’s approval.

The councillors stated that “such decision requires the consensus of the majority, constituting at least four councillors to meet the quorum requirements.” The group said that it is a matter of grave concern that one councillor has been unilaterally assigned the responsibilities of secretary, treasurer, and vice chairman. They described this as ‘consolidating power’, which goes against the principles of fair governance and breaches both legal and ethical standards.

The councillors also pointed out their “concerns regarding transparency and accountability” after a new bank account was opened without the Council’s consent and the failure to disclose financial reports for the centenary celebrations.

In the letter, the councillors demanded an immediate and thorough audit of the council’s finances, claiming that village council funds are allegedly being “misused for personal and political propaganda.”

PSU Opposes ‘Proposed Job Cuts’ in Departments of Youth and Sports

The Public Service Union of Belize (PSU) has opposed what it described as proposed plans to cut up to “approximately 100” jobs in the departments of youth and sports.

Minister of Youth and Sports, Anthony Mahler has said there are no cuts.

But the PSU believes otherwise. “While the PSU acknowledges the need for strategic reforms to improve efficiency, we urgently appeal to the Ministry to prioritise a human-centred approach that safeguards livelihoods and addresses systemic issues before resorting to job cuts,” said the PSU in its statement.

According to the PSU, slashing staff “without first addressing longstanding inefficiencies, alleged corruption, and potential “ghost workers” would disproportionately harm vulnerable communities.”

The union suggested reviewing staffing needs, identifying redundant roles, and investigating “ghost workers.” They also recommend aligning employee skills with organisational goals and exploring redeployment options across ministries to minimise job losses.

It also called into question the fiscal management and potential corruption within the Sports Council. PSU demanded an independent audit to verify budget figures and investigate corruption allegations.

These demands come after the Minister of State, Devin Daly, stated on the Open Your Eyes morning show that a budget of $7.5 million is shared between youth and sports. Of that figure, $7 million is spent on staff salaries, leaving only $500,000 to “really bring programmatic work and also to upkeep our facilities, utilities and all those stuff.”

Belize Audubon Society Launches Earth Day Tree Giveaway to Keep Belize Green

As Earth Day 2025 approaches, the Belize Audubon Society is inviting the public to become “Greening Across Belize Ambassadors” by participating in a nationwide tree-planting campaign. The initiative, aimed at promoting environmental awareness and action, offers Belizeans a chance to pick up a free mahogany tree to plant in their communities.

The tree giveaway begins today, and will continue while supplies last. Participants can collect their trees from two key locations:

Guanacaste National Park, or
Belize Audubon Society’s office in Belize City, located at #16 Taiwan Street, across from Memorial Park.

By encouraging citizens to plant native trees like mahogany, BAS hopes to support reforestation efforts, reduce carbon emissions, and beautify the nation.

Participants are also encouraged to scan the QR code or visit https://bit.ly/4i86tnu to log the location where they plant their tree. This will help the Belize Audubon Society track the impact of the campaign and monitor the growth and health of the trees over time.