Professional basketball is bouncing back in Belize and it’s doing so with a fresh look, new leadership, and a brand-new name. The Belize Premier Basketball League, or BPBL, is set to tip off its inaugural season this Friday night at the Belize City Civic Center. The opening matchup will see the EZ Investment Dangriga Dream Ballers take on the Belize City Thunderbolts in what promises to be a high-energy showdown. But this isn’t just a new season, it’s a new era. At a press conference held this afternoon in Belize City, league organizers laid out their vision for the BPBL. Chief Financial Officer, Doctor Paul Flowers, highlighted one of the league’s most significant changes: a more sustainable and professional approach to team management and player development. Doctor Flowers emphasized that the BPBL is not just a rebrand of the former Belize Elite Basketball League, it’s a step up. With improved financial oversight, better support for athletes, and a commitment to growing the sport nationwide, the BPBL aims to elevate basketball in Belize to new heights.
Paul Flowers
Dr. Paul Flowers, Chief Financial Officer, B.P.B.L
“The first step we did was to change the charter. It use to be an unlimited number of Belizean Americans and you get two foreigners. You could have thirteen Belizean American and one European and one American and it is entertaining. You see high flying stuff, but the local communities couldn’t recognize themselves in that. So, we made this seismic shift to say the rules have changed. Now, to fill your roster, here are your handcuffs, you are allowed ten Belizean born players. Of those ten Belizean players one must be U-21. Now you set that aside, you now have two more, a foreign born anywhere in the world, with no affiliation. The other can be a naturalized Belizean. So, now what that did it nullified the big money. Because regardless of how much money you had you can only buy two foreigners and everyone can afford two foreigners, we knew that. It is when you go beyond two foreigners that they fell apart.”
Basketball fans are in for even more thrills this season as teams battle it out across two conferences, the Toucan and the Maya, for a shot at the ultimate prize: the Benny’s Jaguar Cup. Much like the NBA’s Eastern and Western Conferences, this format adds a new layer of competition and strategy. Teams will have to dominate their conference before earning the right to compete for the championship title. Doctor Paul Flowers explained that this setup is designed to raise the stakes and keep fans on the edge of their seats all season long.
Dr. Paul Flowers, Chief Financial Officer, B.P.B.L
“One of the key things we did was create conferences, we created the Maya conference and the Toucan conference. Why the Maya and the toucan, it is because our identity is from the Maya from tourism. Tourism is our biggest foreign reserve earner and what do they advertise every day, the jaguar, the Maya community, so we try to cap the rainforest. That is why in a brainstorming meeting, Dr. Gordon and my son, Paul Flowers Jr. came up with this concept of this is a jungle, survival of the fittest who will be the apex predator. The apex predator is the jaguar. The jungle is what we market, and the jungle has been the place that nobody wants to go to because you go in there and don’t know up from down and nobody can find you. That is what the BPBL is. You want to win the Jaguar Championship and stand as the apex predator; you must follow a gauntlet.”
Known affectionately as “Sugar City” for its long-standing role as Belize’s top sugar producer, Orange Walk Town is now setting its sights on something even sweeter—city status. With rapid growth and development over the years, Mayor Ladrick Sheppard believes the town is well on its way to becoming Orange Walk City, possibly within the next decade. And if he has anything to say about it, he’ll be right there to help make it happen. Sheppard, who’s already serving as mayor, says he plans to run for three more terms, and if successful, he hopes to be part of the conversations that could officially elevate Orange Walk to city status.
Ladrick Sheppard
Ladrick Sheppard, Mayor, Orange Walk Town
“This town would want turn into a city. For that to happen, we would need a little more amount of people and then the closest village that is adaptable and I think Hon. Munchies [Cervantes] has – I thing that’s his biggest area and it would adapt to Trial Farm. When that becomes a reality, I’m pretty sure Orange Walk is going to become a city. There is an east section of Trial Farm and there is a west section of Trial Farm, an area called Black Water. So eventually, like I said, I’ve been circling around there and I’ve been seeing it. Some of the people there would love to have the services of the town, but again, this is something that the village people – since they have a village council, there is a chairman there in charge of the village. This is something that they, the people would want and if they want this to say we are ready to pay property tax; we’re ready enough to go ahead and get the essential services that all people from the town are receiving, then that will be but I don’t know if I’m gonna be the Mayor then. I am preparing to stay as a five-term mayor. That’s my goal and my dream – to be mayor for five terms. So this is my second term, and I would have three more terms to go. I might be here.”
Just weeks ago, a disturbing video sparked national outrage; a young horse named Wannie was seen being brutally assaulted by a group of young men. The footage, which went viral in April, set off a firestorm of anger and reignited calls for stronger animal cruelty laws in Belize. But tonight, there’s a glimmer of hope. Wannie, once the face of that heartbreaking moment, is now on the road to recovery, thanks to the swift intervention of the Belize Agricultural Health Authority, Reimer’s Feed Mill, and the Animal Medical Center. Together, they stepped in to treat his wounds and provide the care he desperately needed. On Wednesday night, Reimer’s shared a heartwarming update on Facebook: a video showing Wannie looking healthier, calmer, and more at peace. His wounds are healing, his spirit is lifting, and his journey has become a symbol of resilience and compassion. While Wannie’s story is far from over, it’s already a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community comes together—not just to condemn cruelty, but to champion kindness. And as calls for justice continue, so too does the hope that Wannie’s recovery will inspire lasting change.
In the capital city of Belmopan today, fifty Belizean families received the keys to a brighter future, thanks to a major housing initiative by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing. The occasion marked the official unveiling of fifty brand-new starter homes in the newly established Highland Estate community. These homes are part of a national effort to provide affordable housing to citizens who have never owned a home. From north to south, families from across the country gathered in Belmopan to celebrate this life-changing moment. For many, it was the first time they could call a house of their own. The joy was palpable as keys were handed over, symbolizing not just shelter, but stability, dignity, and a fresh start. The ministry says this is just the beginning, with more homes planned as part of its ongoing commitment to uplift Belizean families through accessible housing. News Five’s Britney Gordon brings us a full story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Fifty families in Belize are celebrating a life-changing moment—they now have a place to call home. These brand-new studio houses were built and handed over as part of the government’s Low-Income Housing Program, aimed at helping those most in need. Prime Minister John Briceño was all smiles as he personally handed over the keys, sharing in the joy of the new homeowners.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“When we were handing over one to a family and the little girl is so excited and she wants to get into the house. And her mother is saying wait we have to inaugurate it, we have to cut the ribbon. And she’s so excited and we open the door and she’s the first one that rushes in. And the first thing she did was go to the bathroom where there’s a shower and where there’s a sewage, things that we take for granted. And she is saying ,om we have a shower in Spanish and then we have a sewage we no longer have to be bathing outside. And when you see it outside there was a little zinc thing no top, just zink around that is where they used to take a shower and then and room wit another toilet on the outside. We, those that are blessed and have the opportunity, we take these things for granted. But it’s not. These are the things that really start to make people’s live better and give them a sense of purpose.”
This housing initiative was made possible thanks to a generous boost from the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), which partnered with Belize through a grant worth over a million US Dollars, signed in late 2023. Taiwan’s Ambassador to Belize, Lily Li-Wen Hsu, highlighted the project as just one of many joint efforts between the two nations, all aimed at improving the lives of everyday Belizeans.
Lily Li-Wen Hsu
Lily Li-Wen Hsu, Taiwanese Ambassador
“I’d like to express my deep appreciation to the MIDH team for their dedication and excellent professional execution of the project. This project also reminds me that people of both our nations share a lot in common. Homeownership is one of them. Our people all desire to own a place we call home I think that’s why the provision of affordable housing is the shared commitment and common policy priority of both our governments.”
Affordable housing isn’t just about having a roof over your head, it’s one of the smartest ways to fight poverty and help families move up the economic ladder. It also plays a key role in improving other areas like healthcare, safety, and education. Since the launch of the starter home project in 2021, hundreds of low-income Belizeans have already seen their lives transformed.
Julius Espat
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing
“Our responsibility as government has to focus on the people that are never given that opportunity. It could be because of the color of their skin, it could be because of their religion, it could be because they come from villages. It could be many different cultural reasons why they are not given an opportunity. But we have to look out for them. That is the soul of this program. And I thank you Prime Minister, and I thank you for your government for assisting in elevating the soul of our nation. Because that is what we are fighting for, we are fighting. We are fighting for our Belizean people to be at a certain level where they can compete with anybody in the world. And this is a start.”
The government of Belize commits to continuing efforts to enhance the lives of Belizeans everywhere. Britney Gordon for News Five.
As we reported, several parents at the school accused a teacher of aggressive behavior, including attempting to strike a child with a book and mocking students. While the acting principal described the teacher as strict but not openly aggressive, she confirmed the school issued oral reprimands and forwarded complaints to the Ministry of Education. Parents remain unsatisfied, claiming their concerns have been ignored by both the school and the Ministry.
The Ministry has concluded that a reported student injury, initially cited by parents as part of a broader pattern of abuse, was the result of an accident. In its press statement, the Ministry said, “The Ministry’s findings indicate that the injury sustained by a student was an accident. The students in question accidentally bumped into each other during play, causing one to suffer a cut to the upper cheek.”
The Ministry said a parallel investigation conducted by the Belize Police Department supported the Ministry’s finding, concluding that the injury was not caused by misconduct or negligence.
Despite this conclusion, the Ministry acknowledged the seriousness of public concern. “The Ministry takes all allegations of misconduct, negligence, and abuse extremely seriously and promptly initiated a full investigation upon learning of this incident,” the official statement read.
In his first week as Commissioner of Police, Dr. Richard Rosado found himself confronting a rapidly deteriorating gang situation on the streets of Belize City. It led to the implementation of a state of emergency (SOE), a move often criticised as a temporary fix to deep-rooted crime issues. But Rosado insists there is a broader, long-term strategy in place to address the surge in gang violence.
“Our effort has always been three-fold: prevention, intervention and the enforcement strategy,” he explained. While enforcement and prevention remain key areas of focus for the Belize Police Department, Rosado stressed the critical role of community and stakeholder collaboration in the intervention phase.
“The intervention aspect of it, we rely on our stakeholders, we rely on the Leadership Intervention Unit,” he said. “They have been instrumenting in terms of the opportunistic programs, in terms of the mediation and the other intervention programs and support services.”
He further stressed that these three elements—prevention, intervention, and enforcement—must work together in a cohesive and well-coordinated effort. “All three levels must be coordinated and communicated with one another for it to be effective,” Rosado stated.
While the immediate use of a state of emergency may be necessary to stabilize volatile situations, the Commissioner made it clear that sustained peace will depend on long-term strategies built on partnerships, proactive policing, and meaningful community engagement.
One person is dead and another hospitalised following a motorcycle crash this morning in Blue Creek Village, Orange Walk District.
Authorities responded to the scene around 9:00 a.m. and discovered a Lifan motorcycle lying on top of a Honda XR150L at the roadside. Both riders had already been transported to the Northern Regional Hospital (NRH) by the time officers arrived.
The deceased has been identified as 37-year-old Abram Peters of Blue Creek Village. Preliminary investigations indicate that around 7:30 a.m., Peters was exiting his property and attempting to cross the road on his Honda motorcycle when he was struck by a Lifan motorcycle driven by 70-year-old Reinaldo Colomer of San Felipe Village.
Peters sustained severe head and body injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at NRH. Colomer suffered multiple injuries and remains hospitalised as investigations continue.
The Minister of Labour, Florencio Marin Jr, is urging patience as negotiations continue between the government and the Joint Union Negotiating Team (JUNT). The Belize National Teachers’ Union is demanding an 8.5 percent salary adjustment. While teachers have voiced their demands, Minister Marin said that resolving the matter will take time and careful dialogue, not a swift decision.
“I think you’ve heard the Prime Minister saying that he’s nominated a team that [is] gonna actively engage with them for discussions to see how they could come to a solution to this process,” he said. “So, I think we just have to wait out how that consultation would work with the teachers and with the team from Cabinet to bring about a solution to that.”
The labour minister made it clear that his ministry will only step in if necessary, once the initial talks have run their course. “I don’t want to jump ahead of that consultation process. So let’s find out what results that will lead to and then from there our ministry would participate where necessary,” he explained.
The BNTU has issued its 21-day strike notice to the Briceño administration, signalling their readiness to take industrial action if negotiations with the government fail.
A powerful new documentary highlighting the efforts of women leaders protecting Belize’s barrier reef and the livelihoods it supports will premiere on television in Belize later this month.
WEALTH UNTOLD, produced by independent filmmaking company Eclectic Aspirations, tells the story of a multigenerational network of women working to safeguard Belize’s marine environment.
The film, created over four years by a team of ocean advocates and filmmakers, had its world premiere at the 17th Belize International Film Festival in November 2024, where it received widespread praise. Following the premiere, a panel discussion on climate justice featured key participants, including filmmaker Eladio Arvelo and producer Phil Karp.
Director Arvelo described the film as a deeply personal exploration of the natural beauty and cultural richness of Belize, emphasizing the human side of environmental activism. “My greatest hope is that viewers come away feeling inspired—not just by the challenges we face, but by the courage and creativity already rising to meet them,” he said.
WEALTH UNTOLD will be broadcast nationwide on Great Belize Television (Channel 5) on Saturday, May 24 at 3 p.m., with a repeat airing on Saturday, May 31 at 5 p.m. The broadcast is made possible through a partnership with Belize’s Blue Bond and the Finance Permanence Unit within the Office of the Prime Minister.
