May 13, 2025 - Channel 5 Belize

PSU Clarifies: “We’re Not Asking for a Raise—We Want What’s Owed”

The Public Service Union (PSU) of Belize has issued a firm public statement aimed at correcting what it calls “misinformation” surrounding its current advocacy efforts for public officers and teachers. In a post tagged #SetTheRecordStraight, the PSU clarified that it is not demanding salary increases but rather the restoration of three years’ worth of frozen increments—benefits they say were earned, not gifted.

“We are not demanding a salary increase but rather a restoration of earned benefits contractually owed to public servants and withheld due to past government policies,” the PSU stated.

According to the union, these annual increments are a standard and contractual part of public service compensation, tied to tenure and performance—not discretionary raises.

“These increments are not discretionary ‘raises’ but part of a structured compensation system designed to recognise performance, experience, and public service loyalty,” the PSU explained.

“We are not asking for new money but for the government to fulfill obligations that were deferred,” the statement read.

“Public officers have effectively worked these years without receiving compensation they had already earned through their service.”

The union warned that continuing to withhold these increments during inflationary periods only worsens the burden on public servants and erodes trust in public sector employment agreements.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial Opens with Graphic Allegations of Abuse and Exploitation

The trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs began on Monday in federal court, where he faces serious charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transporting individuals for prostitution. If convicted, Combs could face life imprisonment. He has pleaded not guilty to all five charges, according to CNN.

In the opening arguments, Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson alleged that behind his celebrity persona stood a man who “ran a criminal enterprise,” CNN reported.

Prosecutors claim Combs used his business resources to exploit women sexually, orchestrating events known as “Freak Offs,” where women were allegedly drugged and coerced into sex acts.

Johnson said evidence will centre on two women, including Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and another accuser, identified as “Jane.”

The defence, led by attorney Teny Geragos, acknowledged Combs’ history of violence but argued that domestic abuse is not sex trafficking.

According to CNN, testimony from LAPD officer Israel Florez described a 2016 incident involving Ventura, alleging Combs attempted to bribe him. Another witness, Daniel Phillip, testified to being paid to have sex with Ventura while Combs watched and recorded the acts.

The trial continues today with more testimonies to be presented.

PACT Secures Re-Accreditation to Global Climate Fund

The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) has successfully secured its re-accreditation as a National Implementing Entity (NIE) of the Adaptation Fund, allowing it to continue channeling international climate finance into Belize for another five years.

The decision was made during the 44th Meeting of the Adaptation Fund Board on April 11, with official notification sent on May 7.

Since first being accredited in 2011 and re-accredited in 2019, PACT has mobilized over BZ$18.3 million for climate resilience and adaptation projects across Belize. With BZ$10 million currently in the pipeline, the organization aims to raise an additional BZ$40 million during this new cycle.

The Adaptation Fund supports vulnerable communities worldwide in addressing the impacts of climate change and has committed US$1.25 billion to resilience initiatives benefiting nearly 46 million people globally.

Here is the latest of the measles outbreak in Belize

Health authorities have confirmed seven measles cases, with more under investigation, primarily centred in the Spanish Lookout community.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) reported that two lab-confirmed cases were detected on 12 April, followed by five clinically diagnosed cases linked to one of the originals.

Surveillance has since increased, and the MOHW is urging the public to follow strict vaccination guidelines. Children should receive two MMR doses at 12 and 18 months. Unvaccinated individuals over 18 months are advised to get two doses a month apart. One booster is recommended for those previously partially vaccinated, and anyone unsure of their status should receive one dose.

Following exposure, unvaccinated persons must quarantine for up to 21 days. Vaccinated individuals do not require isolation. The MMR vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women or the immunocompromised.

Public reaction has pointed out the timing of the alert. One social media user commented: “A month ago and the release comes out only now? You have any idea how many bus loads of children have been to trips to Cayo and stopped in Spanish Lookout since April 12?”

“He Was Loved”: Family Demands Answers in Selvin Sealy’s Death

A grieving family is demanding answers following the death of 32-year-old Selvin Sealy Jr, who died in police custody on Monday morning in San Pedro Town. Though the police initially reported the deceased as a 23-year-old, relatives have clarified that Sealy was, in fact, 32.

Police say Sealy was acting erratically near Villa Abrazos in San Pedro at around 6:30 in the morning, reportedly climbing a tree after claiming to be chased by a dog. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero, told reporters on Monday that officers instructed Sealy to come down, and after a dispute, used force to subdue him.

Sealy was taken to the local station, where officers noticed he was unresponsive. He was rushed to the San Pedro Polyclinic, where he was pronounced dead.

Meanwhile, a family member speaking out on social media described Selvin as a loved and cherished figure, raised by his extended family from the age of five. “Selvin was no saint, though he had his struggles like any of us, but to me, he was a wonderful nephew,” the relative said.

The family stated that Sealy will be remembered as a kind-hearted and deeply loved person but have demanded answers, stating, “I pray that the truth comes to light and that justice is served.”

Search Underway for Missing Roaring Creek Student

Authorities and family members are searching for 24-year-old Moises Leron Garbutt, a student from Roaring Creek Village who has been reported missing. According to a public alert issued by Crime Stoppers Belize, Garbutt was last seen on Saturday, May 10th, 2025, and has not been heard from since.

Garbutt is described as being of Creole descent, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a dark complexion. He was last seen in his home community, but no additional details have been released regarding the circumstances of his disappearance.

Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any sightings or leads that could assist in locating the missing man.

Anyone with information on Garbutt’s whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers Belize at 922, use the P3 Tips app, or report to the nearest police station. Tips can be made anonymously.

Belizean EARTH Graduate Leads Food Security Research in Belize

Belizean 2015 graduate of EARTH University’s Agricultural Sciences programme and an alumnus of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Shamir Carrillo, says the institution’s values continue to shape his work in sustainable farming and food security.

Carrillo has worked across several key agricultural sectors in Belize, including the sugarcane industry, and other roles that allowed him to manage major operations in crop production and farm logistics.

“It was really enlightening to see that having several years of both theory and practice at EARTH made me feel knowledgeable about many technical aspects and practices of the farm, from land preparation and harvest to preparing for the export market,” Carrillo said.

Now the Station Manager at Central Farm Station under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, Carrillo leads research focused at improving rural prosperity and advancing food security in Belize.

“EARTH it has been one step ahead of most institutions. As agents of change, we have always valued sustainable agriculture, those are the main objectives the professors put into our minds. The whole idea of conserving the environment and finding solutions and not just signaling the problems, those were key concepts in our courses,” Carrillo added.