2025 - Channel 5 Belize

The Fight is Not Over: Retired Public Officers Join National Protest

The voices of retired public officers rang loud and clear across the country this morning, as members of the Association of Beneficiaries and Retired Public Officers staged a coordinated protest, calling on the Government of Belize to deliver long-overdue benefits that have been withheld for nearly three decades.

The demonstration follows last week’s national protest by union members in Belmopan, escalating tensions between public sector workers and the government. Now, retirees — some in wheelchairs, others leaning on walking sticks — are making it known that they, too, demand justice.

Gathering at Battlefield Park in Belize City, and in four other districts, the retirees sent a unified message: they refuse to be forgotten.

“Look at the walking stick there. Look at the wheelchair behind me,” said Burndina Eck, a retired public officer who joined the protest despite health challenges. “Many of us have to limp our wheel out here and we still haven’t gotten our money. And we are hungry. We need to eat.”

At the heart of their grievance is a trust fund — valued at over $8 million — managed by the Public Service Workers Trust. The retirees claim that this fund represents two years of withheld salary increments dating back to 1995. They are now demanding that the trust be dissolved and the money distributed.

Senator Glenfield Dennison of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize stood in solidarity with the retirees, decrying the government’s inaction.

“This cause is one where former public officers who have given their entire lives and careers to the service of the government and people of Belize are literally dying before they are able to collect on a benefit,” Dennison said. “The cry of these retired public officers is simply this: we are ill, we are ailing. Our colleagues have died. We need the proceeds and the benefits of this trust.”

According to the Association, at least 65 retirees in the Belize District have passed away without receiving a cent from the fund.

BNTU Issues Strike Notice Over Salary Dispute

The Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) has officially notified the Ministry of Education of its intention to engage in strike action within the next 21 days. The decision was conveyed in a formal letter issued today by BNTU President Nadia Caliz, addressed to Minister of Education Oscar Requena, CEO Dian Maheia, and Chief Education Officer Yolanda Gongora.

In the letter, the BNTU expressed deep disappointment and dissatisfaction with the government’s refusal to consider the Joint Unions’ demand for a salary adjustment to help offset the high cost of living. The union said its members are being severely impacted by the current economic crisis and are seeking immediate relief.

“The grounds for such Industrial Action is to express our disappointment and dissatisfaction with the Government’s refusal to consider the Joint Unions’ request for a salary adjustment to provide much needed relief from the burden of the current high cost of living,” the letter states.

“BNTU therefore demands that negotiations continue in an effort to find workable and reasonable solutions to the current economic crisis being faced by our members,” Caliz wrote.

This formal strike notice comes amid ongoing national discussions about rising living costs and stalled salary negotiations between the Joint Unions and the government.

This Is Why Shyne is Suing Elections and Boundaries Commission

Former Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow has launched a legal challenge against the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) and the Attorney General, claiming that the commission acted unlawfully by allowing a group of candidates aligned with current Opposition Leader Tracy Panton to use the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) name, colors, and symbols in the recently held general elections.

Barrow filed a formal application for judicial review, arguing that the EBC’s February 25, 2025 decision infringes on the constitutional rights of the officially recognized UDP leadership and violates Belize’s electoral laws. According to the claim, the 15 candidates in question were not approved or endorsed by the party’s National Party Council or Central Executive, and therefore, should not have been permitted to identify themselves as official UDP candidates.

Barrow contends that the decision to approve these candidates under the UDP banner was made irrationally, unreasonably, and in bad faith. He claims the ruling undermined the party’s freedom of association and disrupts the principle of free and fair elections by effectively legitimizing a breakaway faction.

Barrow requesting a declaration that the EBC’s decision is null and void, as well as damages for the alleged breach of constitutional rights.

Warden Injured by Ricochet During Prisoner Escape Attempt at Kolbe

A prison warden was accidentally injured this afternoon at the Kolbe Central Prison during a chaotic escape attempt by a mentally ill inmate.

The incident began shortly after the prisoner arrived at the facility. The man — recently remanded for smashing the glass display at La Popular Bakery — attempted to scale the inner perimeter fence of the compound.

In an effort to stop the escape, wardens discharged warning shots. One of the bullets, however, ricocheted and struck a female officer in the thigh. She was swiftly transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where her injury was classified as non-life-threatening.

The inmate was subdued shortly after the warning shots were fired.

The prisoner is believed to be suffering from mental illness.

Council of Legal Education Appoints New Principals for Regional Law Schools

The Council of Legal Education has announced the appointment of new principals to lead two of the Caribbean’s premier legal institutions — the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica.

In an official release from the CLE Secretariat, Chairman Liesel N. Weekes, S.C., confirmed that Rudranath Maharaj has been appointed as Principal of the Hugh Wooding Law School, effective August 1, 2025. Dr. Christopher Malcolm has been named as the new Principal of the Norman Manley Law School, with his appointment taking effect on September 1, 2025.

Chairman Weekes extended her congratulations to both appointees, stating, “Please join me in extending our congratulations to them.”

Dr. Malcolm recently represented Moses “Shyne” Barrow in Belize.

Double Blow for Danny Mason: CCJ Slams Door on Final Murder Appeal

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has dismissed an application from convicted murderer William “Danny” Mason, who was seeking an extension of time to apply for special leave to appeal his conviction in the high-profile 2016 killing of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas.

Mason, along with four co-accused, was found guilty of Pastor Lucas’s gruesome murder on July 18, 2016. The prosecution’s case relied on circumstantial evidence, including CCTV footage, witness testimony, and forensic analysis.

Mason’s appeal to the Belize Court of Appeal was dismissed on July 11, 2024. His legal team failed to file an application to the CCJ within the prescribed time due to the illness of his attorney. Mason later hired new counsel based in Trinidad and Tobago, who filed the application 117 days after the appeal ruling.

The CCJ acknowledged the explanation for the delay — citing the attorney’s hospitalisation, the logistical challenges of Mason’s incarceration, and the new attorney’s overseas location — but ultimately ruled that the proposed appeal did not present a realistic chance of success. The Court found no merit in Mason’s claims, which included concerns over the circumstantial nature of the evidence, the weight given to certain prosecution material, and a new argument related to double jeopardy.

The CCJ stressed that the double jeopardy argument had not been raised in earlier proceedings and could only be entertained under exceptional circumstances. The panel concluded that there was no risk of a serious miscarriage of justice or any disputable point of law of general public importance.

With this decision, Mason’s murder conviction and sentence remain in place.

JUNT, GOB Conclude High-Stakes Salary Negotiation Meeting

On Tuesday, leaders of the Joint Union Negotiating Team (JUNT) entered into a critical negotiation session with senior government ministers in Belize City. The unions are demanding an 8.5% across-the-board salary increase for the approximately 16,000 public officers paid from the public purse.

The government, however, has raised concerns about the financial feasibility of this request, pointing out that the public sector wage bill already totals $700 million annually. An additional 8.5% would cost the government an estimated $63 million more.

Following the meeting, Minister of Education Oscar Requena described the session as positive and respectful. “We had a very good meeting. It was a very cordial, respectful meeting. And just to pre-empt, there is a proposal on the table and I think it was well received,” he said. He refrained from disclosing details of the government’s proposal, adding, “I do not want to speak to the specifics because we do have a proposal, we need to go back to Cabinet and thereafter we’ll be able to speak to you on the specifics.”

Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde also characterized the meeting as constructive. “We had a very constructive meeting. We discussed the issues at length and I think we reached some level of over-standing… very constructive, very serious, very frank, but very respectful,” he said. On the matter of whether the government will meet the 8.5% demand, Hyde remained cautious: “We have a proposal, but we don’t want to prejudice that. The union leaders have to take it back to their membership. We have to take it to Cabinet.”

On the union side, BNTU President Nadia Caliz noted that while the meeting began cordially, tensions rose when union leaders felt their demands were not being fully acknowledged. “It was cordial until we got to a point where the demands of workers, in our view, was not taken seriously. And so we had to let them know that… I have a mandate for strike,” Caliz said. She confirmed that the government made a proposal but withheld details, explaining, “Let me just say they present us with a proposal that we need to take to our membership first before we can talk about it publicly.” She added, “I don’t want members to go with the wrong impression because they, too, have to vote on what the government presented to us today.”

PSU President Dean Flowers commended the tone of the discussions. “We had a very respectful meeting, as we always do… We did not waver with that demand. We stuck it out,” Flowers said. “The Cabinet subcommittee considered the request and they made an offer. They now go back to get the endorsement of Cabinet… I can say that today was a successful round of negotiation for the most part.”

Hugo Patt Breaks Silence on Budget Absence Amid U.D.P. Leadership Tensions

Corozal North Area Representative Hugo Patt was noticeably absent from Monday’s Budget Presentation, but he says politics had nothing to do with it. Patt, who’s found himself at the center of the United Democratic Party’s ongoing leadership shake-up, insists his absence was due to a family emergency, not party drama. The controversy stems from a leadership shuffle following the March twelfth general elections. After Moses “Shyne” Barrow lost his Mesopotamia seat and Tracy Taegar-Panton secured hers in Albert, Patt, then acting leader, briefly took the reins. But in a surprising move, he quickly passed leadership to Panton, sparking speculation about internal rifts. Despite the political noise, Patt says his focus on Monday was family, not factionalism.

Hugo Patt, Area Representative, Corozal North

“I had an emergency with one of my sons, so I had to take him to the hospital. It really caught us off guard. We don’t plan for these things. While I wanted to attend the Sitting of the House, I had to take care of the health of my child. These things do happen from time to time. Friday I was there, I was a bit late, but yes, I was there at the inaugural sitting of the House of Representatives.”

Marion Ali

“I don’t know if you’ve heard but Mr Barrow says he blames you in terms of how things turned out with the whole handing over of the leadership after he handed it over to you. What are your thoughts about that?”

Hugo Patt

“He’s entitled to his opinions and his comments. Ms. Ali, we could lay the blame on anybody or we could blame everybody, but at this point in time, I don’t think it helps. Our supporters are really tired of the situation that we’re in and like them, and like me and many of us, we just want to see us get over the crisis that we have been suffering for the past months. So while everybody is entitled to his or her opinion, and if he’s to blame me and if anybody is to blame me, I can live with it, but my thing is this: I don’t think that blaming anybody will help. Finding excuses won’t help. We need solutions and I think that that is the way that we need to go.”

Marion Ali

“May I ask what happened when Mr. Barrow passed on the interim leadership to yourself? What happened between that point and when you handed it over to Ms. Panton?”

Hugo Patt

“From a legal standpoint, and from a procedural standpoint, yes, I am the acting party leader, but you know, I have not been shy about the fact that I have said that I have never wanted this position. And while, under the constitution, I just can’t hand over the leadership to Ms. Panton, I am willing to make sure that that process is followed.”

Shyne Barrow Doubles Down: He Says Panton is Still Out of the U.D.P.

The political drama inside the United Democratic Party is not letting up. Today, Moses “Shyne” Barrow’s headquarters issued a fiery press release, warning Tracy Taegar-Panton to stop claiming she’s a member of the U.D.P. Barrow pointed to a recent court ruling by Justice Tawanda Hondora, which confirmed that Panton was expelled from the party back on August 28. According to the release, Panton had asked the court to declare her a U.D.P. member—but the judge declined, leaving the final decision in the hands of the party’s executive. Until then, Barrow insists, she remains expelled and has no authority within the party. Barrow even went a step further, calling on Panton to issue a public apology if she wants any chance at reconciliation. But not everyone in the party is backing Barrow. Hugo Patt, a key figure in the U.D.P., says as far as he’s concerned, Panton is still his leader. The leadership tug-of-war continues, and the U.D.P.’s internal rift shows no signs of healing just yet.

Hugo Patt, Area Representative, Corozal North

“As we speak, I think the only viable candidate and the only candidate that has in the indicated a willingness to lead this party is the Honorable Tracy Panton. So, she’s now the present Leader of the Opposition. And so, you know, it’s just a matter of processes for her to become the next leader of the U.D.P. I have said it openl, I support Honorable Tracy Panton to be our next leader. And all it will take this for us to do – from a legal standpoint and from a constitutional standpoint of the UDP to do what is necessary for Honorable Panton to become the next party leader.”

Marion Ali

“So if he happens to win again at that convention, are you willing to work along with Mr. Barrow as the leader of the party? He has said, you know, that he’s basically disappointed in your decision. How do you feel about him?”

Hugo Patt

“ I will respect whatever the decision of delegates is. I have never been the type of person who will go against anybody. I am a U.D.P. I never criticize any U.D.P. I have seen how people criticize one another. You have never seen Hugo Patt criticizing anybody. I believe that my job is first to serve the people of Corozal North; secondly to basically look at the flaws and identify the wrongdoings of the party in government. And that’s about it.”

Patt Says NPC and Convention is the Best Way Forward

With the United Democratic Party still tangled in a months-long leadership dispute, Corozal North Area Representative Hugo Patt says it’s time to settle the matter once and for all—with a National Party Council (NPC) meeting and a new convention. Patt believes electing a definitive leader is the only way to bring clarity and unity back to the party. But there’s a catch: before any convention can happen, Vice Chairman Alberto August—who held that role before the controversial October 20th convention—must call the NPC meeting. So far, August hasn’t responded to Tracy Taegar-Panton’s request to do so. Still, Patt says he’s spoken with August and remains hopeful that the meeting will be called “in due course.” As the U.D.P. power struggle drags on, all eyes are now on August—and whether he’ll take the next step to break the deadlock.

Hugo Patt, Area Representative, Corozal North

“Yes, there is a need for the party to heal. Yes, there is a need for us to unify. Yes, there is a need for us to have a party leader that nobody will question. And yes, there is a need for us to move on in the quickest time possible. And so while we in concept have agreed to that it is just a matter for us to get that advice. In my case, I just want to be legally sure that I’m doing the right thing, and from there we move on.”

Marion Ali

You’ve spoken to him? You’ve asked him to call the meeting?”

Hugo Patt

“Yes. I’ve spoken to him and he has said yes, we agreed that that’s the way forward. You will hear a lot of things here and there, Ms Ali and you have to understand that there are two factions within the UDP.”