Police in Belize City are investigating the shooting murder of twenty-six-year-old Liston Williams. Williams was shot several times on Saturday night in Belize City. Police say that at around 9:50 p.m., Williams was riding his motorcycle on Woodpecker Street when he was approached by the gunman, who fired several shots in his direction. Police are investigating.
Category: Belize District
Shots Fired as Brawl Breaks Out at Football Match
Exclusive footage captured by News Five shows the moment when a member of the Belize Police Department had to fire two warning shots to break up a fight. The brawl broke out on Sunday morning at the MCC Grounds in Belize City, following a match between Kelly Street FC and Fort George FC.
Despite the two warning shots, the brawl continued. Officers on the ground later took control of the situation.
Teams and supporters gathered at the MCC Grounds for the William Dawson Peace Cup 2023-2024.
Stake Bank Goes into Receivership Amid Lawsuit Against G.O.B.
Ground was officially broken for the commencement of the Stake Bank Tourism Development Project back in 2018, and work got underway for the mega cruise facility shortly thereafter. But tonight, after investing north of one hundred million dollars, Port Coral, a Michael Feinstein initiative, has gone into receivership. Earlier today, News Five confirmed that a receiver had been appointed for the project during a meeting on Thursday. That individual is Marlowe Neal. The receivership is expected to last for a period of between six to nine months with a view to complete the construction of piers that would allow for cruise ships to berth at Stake Bank. But there is also multi-million dollar claim that had been brought against the Briceno administration prior to Stake Bank going into receivership. Earlier today, we caught up with Prime Minister John Briceño, who spoke briefly on the matter, as well as the status of a piece of legislation that was to have been introduced in place of the definitive agreement.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“When it comes to the issue of the receivership, that‘s a matter for the bank and I‘m sure that they may have their reasons why it is that they believe that they have to put the Stake Bank project in receivership. But, as we know, the main players behind the Stake Bank Project decided to sue the government and from what I am told there is really no case. So I can‘t understand why it is that they would want to sue the government.”
Reporter
“What do you believe this means for the cruise sector? Will Belize ever see a berthing port?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I do believe that we will. As we said, there are three areas: there is Stake Bank, there is Portico and also now there is the Port of Belize. And so, all of that is still remaining in play and we will see which is the one to be developed into a cruise port that can meet not only the needs for today, but also for ten, twenty years from today.”
Reporter
“This is the largest receivership, I believe, in Belize’s banking history. Do you think it will affect the banking sector, though?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“No, it will not. The Central Bank has been very clear and also, so has Atlantic Bank. They have been very clear from day one that they are going to ensure that they protect every single cent of the depositors. So, no, I do not expect it to be a problem.”
Isani Cayetano
“PM, where are we with the legislation that’s forthcoming with respect of cruise tourism development in this country?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Well, nowhere. Until we know where we’re going, it does not make sense to pass this piece of legislation. We’re pretty much ready, but depending on which direction we will go then we may need to make some adjustments to that piece of legislation. So that is why we are holding on to it and we will deal with it when the time is appropriate.”
Reporter
“Notwithstanding that you say the claimants don’t have a case, has the government engaged with them? Have you met with them?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“No, I have not met with them, but Mr. Feinstein did call me on Wednesday wanting to have a meeting, so I hope to meet with them next week.”
PM Holds Firm on Position Regarding Sugar Redundancy
Prime Minister John Briceño is scheduled to meet with the Christian Workers Union on Monday to discuss the tumultuous state of affairs between the Port of Belize and the stevedores. As we reported earlier this week, employees of P.B.L. effected a work-to-rule after repeatedly demanding that government compensate them for sugar redundancies after the shipment of bulk sugar was relocated to Big Creek a few years ago. But G.O.B. remains resolute in its position and today PM Briceño echoed the sentiment that no one lost their job as a result of the transfer. Here’s what he had to say ahead of Monday’s meeting.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I’ve had several with the stevedores and every time we meet, we come with an agreement but it seems that when they leave the meeting they come up with other issues. I said to them from the beginning, let‘s not talk about sugar or the sugar money. I said, you have your position and we have our position that there is no claim for no kind of redundancy. Nobody got fired, so there is no sugar money. But as a government, we are prepared to be able to address many of the pending issues between the stevedores and the Port of Belize so that we can modernize the port. The way the port has been running for the past ten, fifteen, twenty years, it‘s not in the interest of the port or in the interest of the country and I have been explaining to the stevedores, now we have competition, there is more than one port. So when you decide that you don‘t want to discharge a ship, the ship would either go back to their home country, quite likely the United States, or they go down south to discharge their container. That‘s what happened with sugar. So when they behave the way they do, they decide not to offload, they are shooting themselves in the foot. We need to be able to find common ground where we both, stevedores, Port of Belize and the Government of Belize, that we want to find how we could move this forward, how we could modernize and that is the intent, to protect their interest. I understand and we want to do that, that is why the government made an offer of one point five million dollars to say, listen, let‘s stop fighting about everything. Let‘s come up with the new working practices. You can‘t work more than fifteen hours and when you‘re finished working fifteen hours a new gang finishes if the ship is not finished offloading. Let‘s look at the number of gangs, the port wanted to bring it down to twelve, there‘s fourteen and the stevedores said they would not accept it. I said, okay, in the CBA that you have already signed you‘re talking about thirteen, okay, let‘s stay with thirteen. So we‘ve agreed to that. So, most of the things we‘ve agreed, they‘re just small little things.”
A Third Term for Mayor Wagner and the Belize City Council
This morning, a new Belize City Council led by Mayor Bernard Wagner was sworn in for another three-year term at City Hall. The event was bittersweet as the People’s United Party and the Belize City Council continues to mourn the loss of city administrator Stephanie Lindo. Earlier today, the P.U.P., as well as ten councilors and Mayor Wagner gathered at the Caribbean Motors Showroom for the swearing-in ceremony. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor
“I, Bernard Wagner, being duly elected as a member of the Belize City Council, do solemnly swear that I shall at all times, to the best of my ability, exercise the powers and perform the duties of my office in the best interest of the residents of Belize City in accordance with the constitution, laws and regulations of Belize and of Belize City. So help me, God.”
The symbolic transition of power from one administration to another is a significant event in local government. The swearing-in ceremony marks the official transfer of control and influence from the outgoing Belize City Council to the members who are newly elected. This morning, a new municipal government led by returning Mayor Bernard Wagner, swore an oath of office.
“This third consecutive swearing-in as mayor is an immeasurable honor. My gratitude and my promise to remain a faithful mayor are equally overpowering. At this moment, our team is fueled by a surge of triumph and overwhelming public support, yet our heart aches at the loss of our beloved city administrator, Mrs. Stephanie Lindo. We have proven time and time again that we are capable of overcoming adversity and we remain steadfast in our commitment to serving the residents of Belize City. Together, we will persevere once again and make strides towards a brighter future for our community, keeping her legacy alive every step of the way.”
Taking the oath of office gives legal legitimacy to the elected officials. It also confirms their authority to make decisions, enact laws, and represent the community.
Henry Charles Usher, P.U.P. Chairman
“Today, we are swearing in our Belize City Council for the term 2024/2027. Election campaigns, those times are over. It is time to get to work and our team, the team you see assembled here is a fusion of so many talented individuals. As chairman, I am proud of all of you and I thank you and your families for the sacrifices that you have made and for the sacrifices that you still need to make. Today, we have 3-peaters, Mayor, Allan and Javier. Someway, somehow, Javier is always there, isn’t he. Yoh can’t put down Gold Dust, bwai. So we have the 3-peaters, Mayor, Allan and Javier. We have the repeaters: Kaya, Stephanne and Edmund, and we have the new seaters: Malcolm, Dorian, Eluide and Sherwin. Congratulations and a big round of applause for all of them.”
The order of business upon returning to City Hall next week is to tackle the existing drainage situation across the Old Capital. Mayor Wagner and his team are committed to completing these essential projects.
“Di biggest projects da di drains. Drains, drains, drains. That has been the call on the streets in Belize City, that people want the drains to be really shaped up, maintained, have them connected to the canals and the river to the sea. If we can get that sort of drainage down, we would be in a much better position given that in the next three to four months we face the hurricane season. So that will be priority number one to really get into drains and maintenance.”
By reciting the oath, officials publicly commit to fulfilling their duties and responsibilities. It serves as a reminder of their obligation to serve the public interest. The swearing-in is a crucial moment that establishes the foundation for effective governance and public service.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Now we could celebrate this victory, a historic victory by numbers probably hardly ever seen in the political scene and everybody, anybody, would love to have that kind of affirmation of support from your voters. But with that kind of margin of support, of love comes great responsibility. For those that get a lot, a lot is expected from them. That means that people are going to stop you on the street and they are going to talk to you about their streets or they’re going to talk to you about their garbage or about some club di mek too much noise or the drain noh di work or di park need fi fix and it’s so easy to say, you know what, right now da noh office hours.”
Today brought together community members, leaders and stakeholders and fostered a sense of unity and shared purpose. It also provides insight into CitCo’s intended policies and initiatives. Isani Cayetano for News Five.
Stake Bank Ltd. in Receivership, Atlantic Bank Ltd. Taken Possession
The Latest
News Five has confirmed that Stake Bank Enterprise Limited is in receivership. Atlantic Bank Limited has taken possession of the company’s assets as of Thursday, March 14th. Marlowe Neal of Neal & Associates Advisory Services Ltd. is the receiver.
In February 2019, ground was broken for Stake Bank Enterprise Limited with the intention of embarking on a tourism development project on its twenty-five-acre island.
Back then, Chairman of the Feinstein Group, Michael Feinstein, told the press that “The bankers for this project is being led by the Atlantic Bank group. The Atlantic Bank is the lead organizer for the money for this project which is sixty-seven million dollars on the island and a total of about eighty-two million dollars before this project is done.”
However, fast forward five years, and the once-barren island off the coast of Belize City has transformed into a partially developed construction site yet remains unfinished despite significant efforts and investments. The project, also known as Port Coral, aimed to create a state-of-the-art cruise ship docking facility and tourism hub.
Stake Bank Enterprise Ltd., led by Michael Feinstein, secured a definitive agreement with the Government of Belize in August 2017. This agreement granted the company permission to build and operate the Stake Bank project for a fixed 25-year term. It preceded the enactment of the Stake Bank Cruise Docking Facility Development Act in January 2018.
The Claim
The project faced challenges, including legal disputes and controversies surrounding the approval of competing cruise ship docking facilities in Belize District, notably the Port of Magical Belize. Feinstein and Stake Bank initiated legal proceedings against the government and Portico Enterprises Limited, seeking damages for alleged breaches of the definitive agreement and hindrances to project progress.
Feinstein claims that news of Portico’s memorandum hindered negotiations and halted the construction of the Stake Bank Project.
The Government of Belize further exacerbated the situation by entering into a definitive agreement with Portico in October 2020, granting a thirty-year term for the Port of Magical Belize along with extensive approving rights, tax benefits, and duty concessions unprecedented for any other investor or developer. Stake Bank contends that these breaches have caused significant loss and damage, resulting in a six-year stall of the project.
They claim projected net revenue losses of one hundred forty-eight million, four hundred thirty-four thousand, and four hundred four Belize dollars, along with an additional thirty million Belize dollars in interest incurred during this period.
What is a Receivership?
Receivership serves as a debt restructuring mechanism aimed at steering a company away from bankruptcy or liquidation while legal proceedings unfold. During this interim period, a neutral and legally appointed professional, known as a receiver, assumes control over the company’s operations, finances, and assets. The primary objective of the receiver is to evaluate the company’s sustainability, creditor interests, and outstanding debts, subsequently devising a repayment strategy that mitigates the need for total liquidation.
Walkout by Stevedores Cause Significant Loss in Port Revenues
The Port of Belize Limited has taken on significant losses in revenue since last Friday. That’s when stevedores walked out after demanding higher payment for lost wages when bulk sugar was rerouted to the Big Creek Port. During Wednesday’s stand-off between the stevedores and the Port, C.E.O. Arturo Vasquez told reporters that while the figures cannot yet be tallied, the losses have been significant. The stevedores, led by the Christian Workers’ Union, returned to work by day’s end, but on the premise that the Prime Minister, John Briceno will meet with their union representatives next Monday to discuss their concerns. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The tally on the losses that the port and the government have suffered as a result of the five-day walk-out from work has not yet been calculated, but it is quite a lot. Port of Belize C.E.O., Arturo Vasquez told the media on Wednesday that when there is an interruption of work at the facility, it has a trickling effect on everyone.
Arturo Vasquez, C.E.O., Port of Belize Limited
“Significantly. If no cargo is going out or coming in, you can imagine the effect it has on the business community and the public and the prices and all of that.”
Marion Ali
“How many ships have sailed so far?”
“The one that’s here today came on Friday and came back yesterday. Physically only two have sailed, but, in addition to that, two have cancelled – one on Monday and one on Tuesday.”
By the end of Wednesday, however, the stevedores had returned to work following a cell phone conversation between them and Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde who promised to do his best to lobby on their behalf and have them get what is due to them. The stevedores want the government to pay them four point nine million dollars in compensation for their lost wages since bulk sugar was rerouted to the Big Creek Port for export. C.W.U President, Leonora Flowers is representing the stevedores in the process.
Leonora Flowers, President, Christian Workers’ Union
“He indicated that he’s willing – he’s going to try his very best to get the stevedores what is rightfully theirs, and what we have been trying to get for a while. That’s as much as I can say.”
Marion Ali
“So on Monday, you’re going to meetings with the Prime Minister and with the Deputy Prime Minister?”
Leonora Flowers
“Yes, we should on Monday.”
“And what will be discussed then?”
Leonora Flowers
“Hopefully the sugar money only and then we progress on to the C.B.A.”
The Collective Bargaining Agreement is the new terms of reference that will govern the way the port and the stevedores work together going forward. But before the port and the CWU can sit to discuss that, the stevedores want a favourable meeting with the PM on Monday.
“If you don’t get what you want on Monday, what happens next?”
Leonora Flowers
“The stevedores will be back at it again. Unfortunately, it will be up to the stevedores at that time.”
Marion Ali for News Five.
Celebrating Belizean Women In Art All Month Long
The 2024 Women In Art exhibit is here just in time for International Women’s Month. Every year, the Institute of Creative Arts showcases various mediums of art submitted by female artist from across Belize. This year’s exhibit will open tomorrow under the theme ‘StrongHER: Mentoring, Elevating and Ascending Together’. News Five’s Britney Gordon visited the Bliss Center today to meet a few of the featured artists and for an exclusive preview of the exhibit. Here’s that story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
We are halfway through the month of March which is recognized globally as international women’s month, and the celebrations have only intensified. As part of activities for Women’s Month, the Institute of Creative Arts will launch its annual women’s art exhibit titled Women in Art 2024: StrongHER: Mentoring, Elevating & Ascending Together. We visited the gallery for a sneak peak of the featured pieces. Kim Vasquez, Director of ICA spoke to us about the event.
Kim Vasquez, Director, ICA
“We have well over thirty women artists from across the country showcasing art in different types of art. We have handcraft. We have some new types of, we have, for example, I saw one of the ostrich feathers and the ostrich eggs being converted into art by Nancy Marin in the showcase out there. We have photography, we have painting, we have sculpting fashion design. It’s, it really is a mix. And we also had a series of youth workshops happening across the country, and we have, I think, over fifty submissions as well. That will be a special section of the exhibit as well this year.”
We spoke with featured artist, Minita Concha, a nurse, who has been painting since she was nine years old. Concha has been featured in the exhibit for a decade now. Concha explained that she draws inspiration from several places such as the Belizean flora and fauna around her, but also more obscure sources such as books about Victorian regal patterns.
Minita Concha, Painter
“Whatever I create, I always try to have, Belize in mine. So if you really look at it, you will see that the comb, they’re all about beauty. But if you really look at it, you will see that one of them have a mango in it, one have the black orchid, and the third one was supposed to be blue myrtle. So I want all of them to represent beauty and as women we like to care for ourself, we like putting on lipsticks, we like combing our hair and stuff like that.”
Vasquez further explained that the exhibit is not only meant to showcase art, but to inspire sisterhood as well. Young female artists will be able to be mentored, so that they may develop their own passion for the arts and be featured if they desire to someday.
“We are a proud member of the Women’s Month Planning Committee. And this is something that we’ve been doing annually for a number of years, COVID had brought a pause to Women in Art. And we have gradually been rebuilding and bringing it back. And we are really seeing where every year we are seeing younger artists come in to participate. More women are participating from across the country and the call is open. We send out the call from the last week of January and anyone. And that’s the beauty of Women in Art is that it’s meant to be an inclusive exhibit where both professional and women who have been doing art for a number of years showcase their art besides somebody that is very young and may never have participated in any, in an exhibit before. But it’s about sisterhood. This year we’re focusing a lot on mentorship.”
As Vasquez mentioned, the exhibit features artists of various mediums. Fashion designer Irma Ramos, of CK Designs, has been designing for about twenty years and is featuring her art in the exhibit for the second time. Ramos explained that she enjoys creating fashion for young girls and that her art displayed this year, draws inspiration from the 1800’s fashion trends of wealthy and unwealthy girls and showcases how fashion has evolved in modern day to mimic the extravagance of the 1800’s without the price.
Irma Ramos, Fashion Designer
“The kids, because, I like, girls. Clothing for little girls, because it’s the cute designs, no? It’s more for creative for designers, it’s more creative minds and ideas. So, for that, I design for that area. I’m an expert in different areas, but, personal, I decide for kid area.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
The Women In Art exhibit is free for all to visit and will be on display all month long.
Traffic Accident in Belize City Claims Man’s Life
A man was knocked down and killed in Belize City this afternoon. The incident happened at the entrance of the Philip Goldson Highway near the bus stop. The incident happened around two while Ishmarley Clarke was driving a motorcycle heading from the direction of Belize City towards the A and R Store. A van was reportedly traveling behind him and was overtaking his motorcycle when it knocked him down. Clarke suffered severe injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the K.H.M.H.
Shyne Weighs in on OJ Elrington’s Rape Charge
On Friday, attorney Orson “OJ” Elrington was arraigned on a charge of rape, several weeks after two women filed reports with the Belize Police Department alleging that they were sexually assaulted by Elrington after a night of partying on the entertainment strip in Belize City. Earlier today, Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow commented briefly on the matter during an appearance on Open Your Eyes. According to Barrow, he has since spoken with Elrington in the wake of the charge that has been brought against him.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“I wished him the best and, you know, I hope that justice prevails. We hope that he gets justice and if he’s innocent we hope that he gets justice and if he’s not, then we hope that the victims get justice.”
Isani Cayetano
“In the first instance he stepped down as legal counsel to the UDP, but on March sixth, he was in San Pedro functioning on behalf of the party during the municipals. How does the United Democratic Party now view this development in respect of Mr. Elrington?”
Shyne Barrow
“He has a relationship with the standard bearer in Belize Rural South, San Pedro. He actually has an office out there. So he was out there working with his colleague, but he has no official role in the party. That official function of the party stopped months ago when these allegations came about. So he’s not an official of the party… We condemn rape, we condemn violence against women. That remains and we take this very seriously and we encourage all of our colleagues to be very careful so that they don’t find themselves in these positions.”