A new police substation has officially opened in the Orange Walk district, specifically on West San Martin Street in Trial Farm Village. The inauguration ceremony was led by Orange Walk North area representative Ramon “Monchi” Cervantes.“
This new and much-needed Trial Farm Police Substation. Indeed, it is a big deal, because it enhances the security of our citizens,” Cervantes said in his address. “It adds to that feeling of safety.”
Cervantes pointed out the station’s “strategic location,” stating that it will support more efficient deployment of police officers within the village and surrounding areas within the district.
The inauguration of this new police station comes less than a week before general elections on March 12.
Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan has informed Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay that his client, Jeremy Enriquez, has decided to withdraw his application for an expedited hearing regarding a case over overdue redistricting. The application was initially filed on February 11, in which Courtenay represents the Attorney General.
This comes after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) rejected an appeal for special leave earlier this week. Ramlogan had sought the CCJ’s intervention to speed up proceedings, following a dismissed claim at the High Court and an ongoing appeal at the Court of Appeal.
“I have advised that it would be pointless to pursue the instant application for an expedited hearing of the appeal filed herein. There would be nothing urgent in the appeal to justify an order for an expedited hearing,” Ramlogan said in his letter to Courtney.
Ramlogan explained that with the general election scheduled for March 12, the appeal holds no urgency, making an expedited hearing unnecessary. He said that the withdrawal was intended to save time and avoid further costs for all parties involved. “It would be pointless to pursue the instant application for an expedited hearing,” Ramlogan stated in his letter.
Ramlogan added, “I have advised that it would be pointless to pursue the instant application for an expedited hearing of the appeal filed herein. There would be nothing urgent in the appeal to justify an order for an expedited hearing.”
Police are investigating the murder of 51-year-old taxi driver Romualdo Bartolo Vasquez, who was fatally stabbed on Wednesday night in Orange Walk.
According to reports, around 8:30 p.m., authorities responded to a call on West San Martin Street in Trial Farm Village, where they discovered Vasquez’s crashed Volkswagen Jetta taxi.
Vasquez was found outside his vehicle with multiple stab wounds. The attack reportedly followed an argument with a passenger.
Reports indicate that Vasquez tried to drive away despite his critical injuries but lost control of his car and crashed. He was transferred to Northern Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities recovered a stainless steel knife with a yellow handle inside the taxi.
This morning in Belize City, Gion ‘Gizmo’ Bernard, who was wheelchair-bound, was shot and killed right outside his home. The thirty-nine-year-old had just left his yard on Castle Street in his wheelchair when he was ambushed and shot. Bernard collapsed and died on the spot. Despite numerous run-ins with the law, those close to him say he had been trying to turn his life around, especially after a gunshot wound years ago left him paralyzed from the waist down. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene shortly after the murder and filed this report.
Voice of: Landlady
Voice of: Landlady
“Since he get shot and get paralyzed, he nuh really get eena trouble. Everybody know Gizmo da nuh a threat to nobody.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
Gion ‘Gizmo’ Bernard moved into the lower flat of his landlady’s house about a month ago, coming from Orange Walk. The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned that while he had a bit of a temper, he wasn’t a troublesome person.
Gion ‘Gizmo’ Bernard
Voice of: Landlady
“Even if he and somebody wudda ketch in an argument, yes ih wa got wa lee hard talk, but at the end ah the day, before the hard talk done, Gizmo done come back and apologize and everything straight with you and he again.”
‘Gizmo’, a father of three adult children, was charged in 2012 with the attempted murder of Jermaine ‘Horse’ Garnett and had several other encounters with the law. A few years ago, a gunshot wound left him paralyzed. A friend who saw him just hours before his murder mentioned that Bernard was well-liked by everyone in the neighborhood.
Voice of Friend of Deceased
“He da neva wa fearful person, whereby at the end of the day, if somebody want to do he something, he nuh was stay eena ih house, even though he in a wheelchair, you understand me?”
Marion Ali
“And he started to use a wheelchair because of an accident?”
Voice of Friend
“As far as I remember, he got shot in his spinal cord. So, he end up in a wheelchair, you know. But again, like I said, I wouldn’t know what really happened, but he da my friend, you know. And he da wa friend to a lot of people around the neighborhood where he live. Can’t talk nothing bad about him. He was a good friend to a lot of people around the neighborhood.”
The friend shared a voice message with us, claiming it was sent by Gizmo just before he was murdered.
Voice of Friend
“He messaged, voice noted me this morning and tell me, say, “Hey, mek will link up and take wa two drink.” Well, I a nuh wa drinker like that, so, at the end of the day, I tell ah, “Boy, me nuh into da drinking right now. That was that and probably mussy wa couple hours after that, I come out of my yard and somebody say somebody get shot pon the street ya. When we come out, the man got ih face pan the tar. He da somebody weh just like relax and probably just deh pon the block and whosoever know ah might stop and give ah wa lee hand-out or whatever and he take wa drink or two. He cool with everybody and he da always respect yoh. Ih call me old school.”
Police are investigating this latest homicide. Marion Ali for News Five.
Two women were shot on Vernon Street around 6:30 PM on Tuesday evening. Police report that forty-year-old Stephanie James and fifty-five-year-old Maria Cruz were walking with a man they knew when another man suddenly pulled out a gun and started shooting at them. However, James told us she had just closed the snack shop she cleans and was waiting for her two sons, while Cruz was simply passing by when they were shot. News Five’s Marion Ali spoke with James and filed this report.
Voice of: Stephanie James
Voice of: Stephanie James, Shooting Victim
“When I see he pull out the gun, I could tell yoh, I hear at least about five or six shots first. Then after that, when I run, he continue open up more fire. He continue shoot.”
Marion Ali
“You realize you were hit…”
Voice of: Stephanie James
“From the first shot I get, I realized I was hit.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
At around 6:30 PM on Tuesday evening, two women were shot on Vernon Street. One of the victims, Stephanie James, shared her story with News Five.
Voice of: Stephanie James
“I deh right deh soh di talk to two ah my friend deh, just done lock up the shop and when I look, wa gunman just open fire. Eena the midst ah me di try fi run da then I get hit. But my thing is why Berger Field? Dehn di try fi she Ghost Town deh deh but at the end of the day, dehn can’t she Ghost Town di give no trouble. And ComPol know this, Ghost Town nuh di give no trouble. Da one set ah people di give trouble.”
James was hit by three bullets in her right arm, but fortunately, none of the wounds were serious. She was treated and released from KHMH. The incident has left her and her family feeling uneasy, and now she can’t let her sons play ball on the field.
Voice of: Stephanie James
“There is our go-to spot my son they play football. A lotta people always deh pon the field da night, and yes we do have police presence in the area, but it’s not like – dehn know weh the trouble di come from. They nuh target dehn people and they not stop and mek sure dehn people nuh di exit their community. Someone could have lost their life the way that young man came and opened fire. Like he literally didn’t care. He didn’t care who got hit. He didn’t care if it was – kids, who are always out there most of the time, he didn’t care if it was a female like me, he didn’t care if it was someone elderly like the lady. He didn’t care.”
Despite her concerns for her children’s safety, James says the incident won’t dampen her spirits.
Voice of: Stephanie James
“ To be honest, Marion, they can stop my good heart, but I just wa be more alert. I just nuh wa have my kids pon the field. Ih just so sad because I just di deprive dehn ah deh fun, but we just have to be more careful out deh.”
Cruz was shot in the ankle and is still in the hospital. James hopes this incident will lead to increased police presence in the area. Marion Ali for News Five.
In a surprising twist during a High Court case before Justice Derick Sylvester, the defendant, businessman Patrick Robinson, fired his two well-known attorneys, Norman Rodriguez and Senior Counsel Hubert Elrington, only to change his mind and ask them to stay. Despite their discomfort, Justice Sylvester refused to accept their recusal, so they continued representing Robinson under duress. Robinson is on trial for five counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, which allegedly occurred between January 2019 and June 2022 at his home and business, Leiva Funeral Home. During the trial, Robinson took the stand, denying all allegations and calling three alibi witnesses, including an employee who testified that he never saw any inappropriate behavior. The Crown, represented by Shenell Fernandez, suggested that Robinson exchanged a stove for sex with the minor, which Robinson denied. Justice Sylvester will address both sides on March 28, 2025, before summing up the case and delivering a verdict.
Tonight, a couple is behind bars after police found thirty-four live rounds of nine-millimeter ammunition in their home during a shooting investigation. The suspects are forty-five-year-old K.H.M.H. employee Deborah Harris Sutherland and her twenty-year-old boyfriend, Dejon Medwood. This afternoon, they appeared in court without representation and were each charged with keeping ammunition without a gun license. The bullets were discovered hidden in a drum at their Mahogany Street home in Belize City. Medwood took full responsibility, claiming Sutherland knew nothing about the ammunition, and pleaded guilty. Despite this, the charge against Sutherland hasn’t been dropped, and both were remanded to Belize Central Prison pending sentencing on Friday, March seventh, 2025. Sutherland, who has asthma triggered by confined spaces, broke down in court. The Senior Magistrate explained she couldn’t grant bail but would note Sutherland’s condition for the prison authorities.
When residents of the Queen Square constituency head to the polls on March twelfth, they’ll have four candidates to choose from. Two are running under the U.D.P. umbrella, one represents the People’s United Party, and another is from the People’s Democratic Movement. The United Democratic Party has controlled this division since 1984, but could the tides be turning in favor of another party? News Five’s Paul Lopez has the story.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Former Prime Minister Dean Barrow won eight straight elections in Queen Square. After he retired from politics, his sister, Denise “Sista B” Barrow, took over the constituency in 2020. Queen Square is a stronghold for the UDP. Now, one of Sista B’s closest allies, Godwin Haylock, is running for the seat with her backing.
Godwin Haylock
Godwin Haylock, U.D.P Candidate, Queen Square
“My roots are really deep in Queen Square, so deep that Queen Square is my birthplace, on Fairweather Street. It has also been my workplace for the last twenty-five years with the U.D.P. I have been in the trenches for the last twenty years pushing to get every vote. At the time it was honorable Dean Barrow, then Honorable Denise Barrow. Now, I finally get the opportunity to push for votes for me.”
Haylock is running under the Alliance for Democracy, a faction of the United Democratic Party. Interestingly, his fellow UDP opponent, Shane Williams, is contesting the Queen Square election under the leadership of Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Denise Barrow’s nephew. Haylock beat Williams at a constituency convention in 2023. However, Williams believes it was God’s plan for him to run in the division.
Shane Williams
Shane Williams, U.D.P. Candidate, Queen Square
“God’s way is not my way. When I ran I wanted a direct path to the leadership. Of course things work out in a different way and I am here to take full advantage of that, because it is not everyday that someone like me gets that opportunity. I wish it was under better circumstance. I wish it was the direct path that everyone dreams for but not everyrone has that direct path. At the end of the day my goal is to bring whatever resources possible to my community and however I can get that or whatever direction or path leads me to that, it is what I am willing to take.”
Interestingly, Williams hasn’t put up any campaign flags or banners in the constituency yet. He says the money his party leader gave him for that will instead be used to repair Saint John’s basketball court and host two basketball tournaments. Meanwhile, the People’s United Party candidate, Dr. Lorna McKay, is aiming to break the UDP’s undefeated record in Queen Square.
Lorna Mckay
Dr. Lorna Mckay, P.U.P. Candidate, Queen Square
“Actually it was an easy decision to make. I have been in politics from I was seventeen. I have campaigned for a period of time and I left it to do my career. But, as I retired I decided to come back in. When I returned it was always on the table for me to become a member of parliament.”
Paul Lopez
“What do you make of your chances in that constituency and what would ou see is key to getting the victory?”
Dr. Lorna Mckay,
“People are changing, people are coming over. I have quite a bit of U.D.P.s that have come over.”
Haylock points out that the drainage and streets in the constituency are in terrible shape, and he blames the PUP city council for it. He’s confident he’ll win the upcoming election.
Godwin Haylock
“My confidence can only be as strong as what I see out there. When I step into the homes, I am not a new face. They know me. They have been waiting for me. They want to see the pantry system returned, they want to see the education system get better, many things when it comes to our Queen Square Learning Resources Center, they want it equipped with computers, do more with that and that is my plan.”
In today’s social media era, Williams recently experienced a cyber-attack that caused Meta to deactivate his accounts. This setback has slowed his campaign, but he’s determined to finish strong.
Shane Williams
“My main thing to them is that on March thirteenth, the day after the election and we have seen it over and over, I can tell you on the day after the elections the office of the politicians are locked and they come around every so often. We need the type of leadership that is there every single day. I live in Queen Square. I am the only candidate in this race that lives in Queen Square, every night I go to sleep I see the things we need to work on when I wake up in the morning.”
Dr. Mckay argues that having the P.U.P. representing Queen Square will be more beneficial for the residents.
Dr. Lorna Mckay
“Actually there is no representation in the constituency right now. So, I believe if I win, I will be able to do a lot. There is no hpe in Queen Square and I am brining hope to Queen Square. There needs to be somebody that represents those people in Queen Square and I am that person believe that can represent those people in Queen Square.”
As we count down to Election Day on March 12th, we’ll take a closer look at the Caribbean Shores Constituency. Voters there will choose between the incumbent P.U.P. candidate and two U.D.P. candidates. In tonight’s “Meet the Candidates,” we’ll hear directly from the candidates as they make their final push to connect with supporters. Here’s News Five’s Benita Keme-Palacio with the details.
Benita Keme-Palacio, Reporting
On March twelfth, voters in the Caribbean Shores constituency will see three names on the ballot: two from the United Democratic Party and one from the People’s United Party. Incumbent Area Representative Kareem Musa is feeling confident and is aiming for another big win in his division.
Kareem Musa
Kareem Musa, P.U.P. Candidate, Caribbean Shores
“The entire Caribbean Shores team is out here today, and we are ready to deliver another massive victory for Caribbean Shores. “I take all my opponents seriously. And so at the end of the day, we have to do our work, we have to bring out our pledges, and I am very confident we’ll deliver a big victory.”
Having served as Minister of Home Affairs & New Growth Industries for the last four years, Musa describes his tenure as a valuable learning experience and is confident that the improvements he’s made during his term have resonated with the broader public.
Kareem Musa
“You know it has been a very rewarding experience for me, a learning experience to see the progress we have made over the years, starting in 2020. And to see crime gradually go down based on the policies we have been putting in place, the improvements that we have made in the police department and improving the overall impression that people have of the police department. Because at the end of the day, we have to work with the law-abiding citizens of this country, so trust and confidence in the department is very important, and we have restored that.”
To secure another victory, Musa will have to defeat two U.D.P. candidates, Andrew Bradley, who is running under Tracy Panton’s leadership, and Tyrone Louriano, who’s running on Shyne Barrow’s slate. After locking in his name on nomination day, Bradley is looking forward to working for his constituency.
Andrew Bradley
Andrew Bradley, U.D.P. Candidate, Caribbean Shores
“This is the second time I’m doing this, because I did run for city council seat already, but the second time, pretty okay. Because you know what you want to do, you have the love for the people, so you want to work for the people, that’s why I decided to write my name down.”
If he secures victory, Bradley hopes to bring an accessible area representative for the people of Caribbean Shores.
Andrew Bradley
“I’ve been putting the groundwork, I’m in the Caribbean Shores for the past umpteen years-I went to school in Caribbean Shores so my grassroot from Caribbean Shores. I hope to see changes in area representative, work for the people, who hear the people concerns, bid the people the time of day, and make sure the people live a comfortable life. The Caribbean Shores should have an area representative who they have access to to time.”
Meanwhile, Louriano is hitting the streets of Caribbean Shores, going door-to-door, connecting with voters, and listening to their concerns. He believes this approach is key.
“So far the reception that I have been getting from the voters in Caribbean Shores has been my main motivating factor; they like the fact that they have a choice when they go to the polls on March 12. I also know that there are two persons under the traditional red banner; however, we do know that there’s only one U.D.P. I have no issues with Mr. Bradley; I have no issues with the other candidate, Mr. Musa, just the same. But what I can tell the voters in the Caribbean Shores is that I am a choice on the ballot.”
Although Louriano is disappointed that two candidates are running for the U.D.P., he’s still confident about his campaign. As he challenges incumbent Kareem Musa, Louriano emphasizes the importance of making sure voters can recognize him and distinguish him from the other candidates.
Tyrone Louriano
“You know in the beginning they said it was a David and Goliath’s race, but as I go through my constituency, I am not feeling so much like a David.”
On March twelfth, just like in past elections, there will be restrictions on buying and selling alcohol. These restrictions start when the polls open at seven a.m. and last until midnight. Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai told News Five that the police will be making sure this law is enforced.
Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer
“ The law states that liquor should not be sold on election day, right? And it goes up until midnight. So for that entire day, no liquor should be sold. Even when it comes to hotels, they should not be selling liquor. And so if persons are false selling alcohol on that day, then the police will charge them, because it is an offence.”
