This afternoon, the United Democratic Party held a press conference at its headquarters here in Belize City. During the session with the media, Party Leader Shyne Barrow began by criticizing the Briceño administration for promises it has failed to deliver since taking office in 2020.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“We approach the time of the most sacred exercise in our democracy which is tomorrow, March sixth, the dawn of change for the better, because yoh got two kinda change, the PUP change and then the UDP change, for the better is upon us. You know, for the last three, and six in some instances, even twelve consecutive years if you look at Orange Walk Town, who have had four consecutive terms of doing nothing. First they complained about not having a central government that was PUP and now that they have a central government that is PUP, with none other than the prime minister and four other representatives, I believe, being from Orange Walk, they have done nothing for the people of Orange Walk Town. We have just been subjected to broken promises, mismanagement, misappropriation of funds and rampant corruption by the PUP local government. The promise of synergy has never arrived. The optimal benefits that were declared to be looming once you had a PUP central government and a PUP local has turned out to be a marriage of complete disaster. We have suffered, the Belizean people have suffered from this dysfunctional, extremely dysfunctional relationship.”
Also present at the presser this afternoon was Collet Area Representative Patrick Faber. Of note is that U.D.P. mayoral candidate Doctor Nelma Jones Mortis hails from that constituency. Faber began by acknowledging his twenty-first year as a parliamentarian before speaking about Collet and the campaign trail.
Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet
“Today, March fifth, makes twenty-one years that I’ve been in the House of Representatives and, of course, under my watch we have never lost the Collet constituency at no level, municipal or general. And, of course, tomorrow, I can assure you, party leader, will be no different. I can assure the country that we will bring victory once again in Collet, but I want to say as well because of my work with the team, I am confident also of a victory citywide. We might not win all constituencies, but cumulatively we will definitely make what it takes to deliver City Hall to the UDP once again. I sit at this table today to have people understand that as we move into the elections tomorrow, we are one united force. The UDP has a record of division, as many would know, and it also has a record of coming together when the country needs us and it is no doubt that if the country ever needed us, that time is now. And so, we have put differences aside in order to make sure that tomorrow we will enter those elections one unified front and bring victory in all nine of our municipalities across the country.”
As far as tomorrow’s municipal elections, Faber says he is optimistic that the United Democratic Party will make inroads across various cities and towns, ahead of a victory at the polls during the 2025 general elections.
Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet
“I have had the opportunity to visit with some of the teams across the country. I’ve not gone north but I’ve certainly been south and west and I feel as optimistic as I do about the Belize City team with those teams as well. I feel that we have, in those areas as well, excellent slates and I am looking forward to an early count. I think that the fact that they are counting boxes simultaneously should produce an early result in most of these elections and it’s not going to be, hopefully, like those years gone by where dawn is breaking and we still don’t know who is the winner in some of these municipalities. I think it will be early tomorrow and I look forward to celebrating with my UDP colleagues that victory and to mark the improvement, if you will, but the steps forward in bringing back the United Democratic Party to the government, the national government of Belize. I hope that the results tomorrow will be an impetus for Prime Minister Briceño to call the elections.”
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at is inviting all women to join them in celebrating International Women’s Day. The day, which is observed on March eighth, is meant to promote women’s rights and acknowledge their achievements globally. To participate in the fest ivies, the Muslim community of Belize will be offering an array of services at the Masjid Noor on Saturday. We stopped by today to hear what the event will entail. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Every year, on March eighth, millions of people across the globe participate in the observation of International Women’s Day. The holiday was declared in 1975 by the United Nations as a day for Women’s Rights and World Peace. As part of this celebration, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at hosts an annual International Women’s Day Expo, which is meant to foster a sense of community and provide an array of services for women in Belize. The president of the Women’s Jama’at spoke to us about these activities.
Maham Warraich
Maham Warraich, President, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Women’s Group,
“This is the third year that we’re having this. And it’s basically celebrating International Women’s Day. It is the month that we’re celebrating women. And we’re offering the same free services that we’ve offered in the previous years as well. And a lot of our locals obviously enjoy that. So some of the services are henna, paint, henna, and hair braiding, and nail painting, and eyebrow OUT 0:46 threading.”
As the holiday is meant to be a reflection of women’s achievements and a day to prioritize the progression of their rights and wellbeing, the Jama’at stated that this event will be an opportunity to offer health and wellness services.
Deshawn Ellis
Deshawn Ellis, Member, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at
“It’s more than just an event. We want it to be an experience for the women. I think that one of the themes for this year’s Women’s Month is Invest in Women. And that’s what we want to do with this expo. You know, we’re gonna have the free services, we’re gonna even have free vital screening, so that you can prioritize your health. And so it’s really investing in women.”
As part of the goal to elevate and empower women, several small female-owned businesses will be given the opportunity to showcase their products and services as well.
Maham Warraich
“So our main goal for this event was also to support our local Belizean ladies and to have a platform where they can come and they can obviously expose their business to other people. And so we have obviously food stalls that people are selling their baked goods and their food. And then we also have an individual who’s selling skincare, bracelets, and then we also have pre loved clothing that they’re trying to sell. And then we also, as It’s for us to have the knowledge of Islam, that if anybody’s interested in learning about Islam, they can come and we’ll have a book stall, and we also have the try on a hijab. That’s a huge hit. A lot of ladies come and they try it on and it’s a loving experience for everyone.”
Member of the Jama’at, Khadija Hassan, spoke on the importance of helping others as a part of the Islam beliefs.
Khadija Hassan
Khadija Hassan, Member, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at
“You know, so we introduce ourself to the community. We integrate ourself in the community by helping the community. We are not separatist. We’re not isolationist. We are here to help and to serve. The promised Messiah, peace be upon him, said that his advent was to bring people back to God and to bring them back to respecting and helping each other. Service is a big part of her community.”
Hassan informed us that the event will not only serve to uplift women in Belize, but will also assist families suffering from the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Maham Warraich
“So as we know that there’s a huge crisis happening in Gaza, and it’s been going on for almost six months, and we thought that it was something that needs to be brought to attention. And so all the proceeds that are going to be from this event, they’re going to be donated to Gaza to help with aid there, because it’s really, really needed. As a Muslim, it is our job to give service to the community, but a huge part is also giving charity as well”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
The event will be hosted on Saturday, 9th of March, from ten a.m. to four p.m. at the Masjid Noor.
Eight years ago, MasterCard created Girls4Tech, a STEM program that inspires girls to build technology skills that will help them to become leaders of technology in the future. Today, that program is being introduced in Belize for the first time through a partnership between the Belize Bank, MasterCard and the Ministry of Education. This morning, at the Matalon Building, a brief ceremony was held to unveil the interactive, hands-on curriculum that connects the foundations of business to STEM principles.
Agata Ruta
Agata Ruta, COO, Belize Bank
“This the first time that we have Girls 4 Tech in Belize. This is teach girls about different parts of technology. So today and for the entire week, they are learning about algorithms, all digital, cryptology and fraud. They have a lot of different activities to bring those topics to light, so they are learning how to write their names in binary code. In the Navajo code and MasterCard is teaching them when the Navajo code was used and how the US was using the code in World War II so they can really see how to encrypt messages. They are finding secret messages different tasks. They are learning about fraud and how to recognize fraud in daily transactions. So it‘s a program that‘s full of activities and we hope that this is just a beginning. This is the first time in Belize, but we hope that theywill be coming [back] and having the program with us on an annual basis.”
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“The Ministry of Education is very, very pleased to partner with the Belize Bank and MasterCard International to have this workshop, Girls 4 Tech. It‘s one of the priority areas for us at the Ministry of Education, making sure that our girls are included in the science and technology revolution that‘s taking place across the world. So we don‘t want our girls to be left out. You know, traditionally, girls have not been a part of science and technology. Science and technology have been viewed traditionally as areas for men and boys. So there is a global effort and Belize certainly wants to be a part of that effort and the Ministry of Education is working to ensure that girls are included, that they have the opportunity to develop the skills that are important to science and technology. So I think it‘s an absolutely important initiative, we have been doing this work at the Ministry of Education for the past two years as well. So we were happy when they called us and asked us to collaborate with them.”
Mahiba Sharp
Mahiba Sharp, Principal, Belize Elementary School
“I think it’s an absolutely amazing opportunity for our girls to be a part of this program. Technology is male dominated and based on what we heard here today, the gender gap probably won‘t close until 2095, so that‘s far away from our lifetime and that‘s a shame. So I think that starting to pique their interest at this age, very young, our students are here from Standard One to Standard Six. So that is between age seven to age thirteen, so I think opening up the horizons for them and letting them know that from now they can be a part of technology. I think it‘s very important. The CEO of YouTube is a female. Before that, she was a marketing manager of Google. So they are female role models in technology, things that these girls can aspire to. So I think it‘s very important that programs like this, thanks to Belize Bank and MasterCard, are held for them so that they can get the exposure.”
We begin tonight’s newscast with a murder in Bermudian Landing Village. Forty-year-old Shane Baizar was last heard from on Thursday last week. He was reported missing several days lady after efforts to locate him proved futile. This morning, his dog led a search party of relatives and friends to his badly decomposed body inside a shallow grave near his home. It is believed that Baizar knew his killer. This afternoon police hunted down that suspect and shot him to death while attempting to detain him. We will tell you more about that later. But first, we take you to Bermudian Landing Village where News Five’s Paul Lopez spent the morning alongside the search party until Baizar’s body was discovered. Here is that report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
The badly decomposed body of forty-year-old Bermudian Landing businessman Shane Baizar was discovered in a shallow grave near his home. Baizar resided on a property that spans several acres which he used to take tourists on ecological tours. His cousin, Browning Williams, last heard from him on Thursday evening.
Voice of: Browning Williams
Voice of: Browning Williams, Cousin of Deceased
“I spoke to Shane on Thursday and he told me he then come dah my house. I told him I nuh ready fih come up yet. So, I called him back like minutes to six and he told me he already at Lowes in Ladyville, but I wasn’t at home yet. So I told him go through my boyfriend the home. He told me I just gwen dah the yard and pass through because I have to go home and deal with something. So my cousin call me and told me to ask Shane how much to stay in the room because he have a little resort. I call Shane and he didn’t answer or seen me and Shane is the type of person that even if he send me a text, he always responds back.”
On Saturday, Williams took to social media to seek assistance in locating Baizar, after receiving information that his house had been left open but he was nowhere to be found. On Sunday morning, Williams and Baizar’s sister, Stacy Baizar, visited the Ladyville Police Station to file a missing persons report. His family then organized a search party to canvass his property.
Voice of: Stacy Baizar
Voice of: Stacy Baizar, Sister of Deceased
“We came up yesterday and a lot of us the family member, we walked the property and looked in some bushes and took the boat down the river and saw nothing and said we were going to come back this morning and tried to find him again.”
Shane Baizar
Voice of: Browning Williams
“Yesterday when we came to do the search yesterday, this dah after police left, this dah after the forensics left I came and walked to the edge of Shane yard and my foot touched Shane ring and his ring was on the ground covered in blood. I say my God, maybe my family the try show me a sign, that I the yah fam, nuh stop look for me, I am right here.”
Sunday’s search also led to the discovery of a makeshift shed on the property, near the river. The shed is believed to have been used by Baizar’s killer as a hideout, as the suspect was wanted by police for questioning in connection with several other murders. There they discovered clothing, food and a hammock. This morning, a group of relatives and friends from Bermudian Landing assembled in front of Baizar’s home once more.
Voice of: Stacy Baizar
“Basically to meet up out here and try to find him or anymore clues that might lead us to where he might be.”
An hour after they gathered, police officers began to show up on the scene. A team of heavily armed police officers joined a group of residents to search along one of the trails on the property. A second team proceeded to the river bank to conduct searches on water. And, just as that team was working to secure a canoe, a phone call came in with information that the first search party discovered what appeared to be a shallow grave, near one of the unfinished cabanas on the property. The area of interest was discovered by Shadow, Baizar’s dog. Shadow began to dig inside an unfinished septic tank that contained sand and broken branches.
Voice of: Browning Williams
“Yesterday, when we did the search yesterday they called and told us that the vehicle deh dah Cotton Tree. They told us that Shane body deh dah Hatieville dah the bus shed. They mih the do everything to throw us off track from right here weh part we deh.”
Baizar’s pickup truck was discovered in St. Mathews Village on Sunday. Moments after police identified the septic tank as an area of interest, Scenes of Crime personnel arrived at the location. They suited up and proceeded to remove the branches and dirt from inside the unfinished structure. There, they found Baizar’s badly decomposed body, much to the dismay of those who were gathered near the scene.
Paul Lopez
“What do you make of the information that he may have somehow not only known his killer, but that this person may have been hanging around.”
Voice of: Browning Williams
“Shane, I feel he trusted too much people, his circle was too big and everybody know Shane. If you hungry Shane wah feed you, if you need somewhere to stay, Shane will let you stay and I feel like that was his downfall.”
News Five understands that an attempt was made on Baizar’s life two weeks ago in the village. Strangely, this morning someone used his Facebook page to post a Chevy Equinox for sale.
Voice of: Stacy Baizar
“That is the thing that annoyed us because somebody was playing with us and they were posting and you know, but, that’s…”
A land dispute in the Faber’s Road Extension area has left one man dead. On Sunday night, a single gunshot was fired in the direction of Stephen Jorgenson during a quarrel he was having with a relative over a piece of land he was occupying on Rio Bravo Crescent. His alleged killer, identified as Bernard Talbert, is on the lam and police are looking for him in Belize District. This morning, the Belize Police Department issued a wanted poster for information on Talbert’s whereabouts. He is also considered armed and dangerous. Here is more from Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero.
“On Sunday, March third, around 8:45 p.m., police responded to a shooting incident at Rio Bravo Crescent whereupon arrival they saw Stephen Jorgenson with a gunshot injury. Paramedics arrived at the location and thereafter he was taken to the KHMH where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Investigation revealed that Stephen Jorgenson was at home when Bernard Talbert arrived there and they had a dispute over land. Bernard Talbert produced a firearm and fired one shot causing the fatal injury. We are presently looking for him. He is wanted for the crime of murder.”
Reporter
“Was he holding the family hostage, sir? That’s what we heard.”
Hilberto Romero
“No. He came there and they had a dispute and he pointed the firearm at the other family members who were at the house at the time.”
Reporter
“There are allegations that he may have made threats to the family sometime aback. Are you aware?”
Hilberto Romero
“Yes, they had issues over the land where the murder happened and so he came back with a firearm and shot the deceased.”
Reporter
“Any idea where the suspect might have fled?”
Hilberto Romero
“We are looking for him at this time. We believe he is in the rural area. Yes, webelieve he is armed and dangerous. He is in possession of a firearm.
Reporter
“Is it a licensed firearm?”
Hilberto Romero
“We have not traced that it is a licensed firearm.
A woman who attacked her husband with a knife on Saturday morning was detained by police following the incident, but it is not certain if any charges will be brought against her. That is because the virtual complainant has indicated that he does not want any charges to be brought against the woman The incident happened in the family yard through Rhaburn’s Alley in Belize City and it reportedly erupted after the man accused her of having an affair with someone else, and then slapped the breakfast that she had just served him off the table. Enraged by his accusation and behaviour, the woman walked out of the yard, but returned, reportedly armed with a knife and attacked him. The two then had a scuffle, during which the man was injured superficially. Within a minute a family member intervened and disarmed the woman of the knife. Today News Five visited the residence where the victim said that they have worked out their problems and that he does not want any court action against his common-law-wife.
A twenty-year-old Ladyville resident is dead following a road traffic accident on Sunday. According to reports, William Faux was riding his motorcycle on the Airport Road in Ladyville when he collided into a white SUV. Aux was flung from his bike and sustained severe injuries to the head and body. Unfortunately, the twenty-year-old died at the scene. Police are yet to issue an official report on this incident.
Tonight on Meet the Candidates, we hit the streets with the People’s Democratic Movement, a third party led by Estevan Perera Senior. They are contesting the seats at City Hall and are hoping to form the next Belize City Council. In tonight’s episode, we will introduce you to several of the candidates who share their reasons for joining the political fray. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The viability of a third-party option in today’s political landscape is one that the masses of Belizean voters are yet to fully grasp. Traditionally, most of the ballots cast on election day are in favor of the established mass parties. Independents and third party candidates are often seen as nothing more than nominees whose votes take away from either of the two recognized political organizations, in this case, the People’s United Party and the United Democratic Party.
Estevan Perera Sr.
Estevan Perera Sr., Mayoral Candidate, P.D.M.
“The time is ripe. It is not me who’s going to win this election, it is the people of Belize that will win this election because they are fed up, they are tired and they want something new. They want changes and the only changes [that] will come is with the People’s Democratic Movement.”
Estevan Perera Sr. is not a newcomer to electoral politics. In fact, he has run on previous occasions and those bids were unsuccessful. This time, however, he has assembled a team of councilor candidates that is supporting his bid for City Hall. Together, they are the People’s Democratic Movement.
Marcela Meighan
Marcela Meighan, Councilor Candidate, P.D.M.
“Being a part of PDM is simply because with my identity, I want to be able to bring that to Belizeans as well. Know who you are, know what you stand for so that at the beginning of the day and at the ending of the day you are confident with the things that you have done with the choices that you have made.”
PDM boasts three female candidates. Alisha Eaghan is twenty-one years old and this is her foray into politics at the municipal level.
Alisha Eaghan
Alisha Eaghan, Councilor Candidate, P.D.M.
“As a young person, all of us want change and I want a change too. I just want all of us to come together, it doesn’t matter what age you are, we all have the same basic needs and the same wants too, so that’s why I decided to join PDM.”
Isani Cayetano
“How prepared are you that once you are elected on March sixth that you hit the ground running, in terms of getting the work done?”
Alisha Eaghan
“I am very prepared. I am very prepared. I am willing to, you know, do what it takes and also, I am taking this head-on, I come with all the power I’ve got, so there is nothing no one can do or say that will change my attitude or our attitude as a movement for our country Belize.”
Third parties often focus on specific issues that may not receive adequate attention from the major parties. By championing niche causes, they bring these topics to the forefront of public discourse.
George Myvett
George Myvett, Political Advisor, P.D.M.
“My reason for stepping to the fore, in terms of the PDM, is that I feel that the time has come for change. The both of the, quote-unquote, mass parties have been playing musical chairs both at the municipal level, as well as at the national level and it has not been well for the citizens of Belize City and certainly not the country, and you can measure it any way. You can measure it in terms of crime, you could measure it in terms of poverty, you can measure it in terms of literacy. All the indicators are there.”
And the PDM is looking closely at those pointers with a view to address the root causes from a social perspective. As a movement, it seeks to give a voice to the marginalized communities and advocate for their rights.
Zenobia Young
Zenobia Young, Councilor Candidate
“We all are taxpayers, so they are saying [that] we need to stop the wasteful spending of taxpayers money. So, as a result of that, if we are elected on March sixth, thirty days after that, post election, thirty to ninety days, I’d say, we are going to work on releasing an audit report to the public so that we can include the citizenry in what we’re doing.”
Wayne Joseph
Wayne Joseph, Councilor Candidate
“I’ve been on the ground working and campaigning and I’ve interacted with a lot of folks and if the Belizean people, they vote like how they talk, we shouldn’t have a problem. We should be…easy victory for us because a lot of people, a lot of Belizeans are fed up with both parties. They are fed up and they want a change and the People’s Democratic Movement is here for that.”
