Breaking News - Channel 5 Belize

Three Persons Shot on Iguana Street; Suspects Detained

Several people believed to be gang members from the Iguana Street and Neal Penn Road neighborhoods are now in police custody. This follows a shooting on Iguana Street on Saturday that left a man, a woman, and a child hospitalized. On Sunday afternoon in Belize City, three people, including a twelve-year-old boy, were shot during an attack. Marilyn Richard, fifty-six, Edgar Choc, thirty-six, and the young boy were socializing in front of a home on Iguana Street Extension when two men on a motorcycle showed up. One of the men got off, pulled out a gun, and fired multiple shots, injuring Richard, Choc, and the minor. Luckily, a fourth person managed to escape unharmed. The attackers then fled down Elston Kerr Street. This incident happened close to where twenty-year-old Coby Ledlon was fatally shot last week on Iguana Street. Today, A.C.P. Hilberto Romero suggested the shooting might have been in retaliation for Ledlon’s murder.

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Sunday, the 6th of April. 2025, around 12:50 p.m., police responded to a shooting on Iguana Street in Belize City. Upon their arrival, they learned that three persons had been shot and taken to the K.H.M.H. for treatment. Edgar, Choc and Marilee Richards received gunshot injuries as well as a twelve-year-old minor. They are presently at the K.H.M.H. receiving treatment, and they are all in stable condition. Investigation reveal that they were sitting in a yard on Iguana Street when a motorcycle came to the area, a person came off the motorcycle and fired several shots towards their direction. We have several persons in custody at this time. Information revealed that a person that was at the yard was the intended target, but he was not shot.”

Reporter

“Is it in any way related to the previous shooting on that street?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“We have some information that it may be related, so we’re doing follow-up work on it.”

Reporter

“Are police concerned about that area?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“Yes, it is of concern, so we will do several operations and bring in the persons from those areas to try to prevent any further retaliation.”

Marion Ali

“Mr. Romero how effective are these surveillance cameras in providing information that you need to fight these cases at the court and getting convictions?”

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

“The cameras are important as we can trace the route the suspects took as well as sometimes we can rely on these images to identify who the suspects are.”

Spread Love and Kindness: Donate to Families in Need

The We Walk as One Foundation is organising its Hearts & Hands Clothes & Shoes Drive. This campaign is part of the Hearts & Hands Community Outreach to support families in need in Armenia Village, Belize.

The drive will be from February 24th to May 15th, 2025. The foundation is seeking donations of children’s and adults’ clothing, shoes (new or gently used), and blankets. Items can be dropped off at the designated collection point at 9151 M.Y. Street, Belize City, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.

The items will be going to women, men and children who will happily accept your donations. The foundation encouraged anyone to contribute items in good condition. “Your donations will bring comfort and relief to families facing hardships. Let’s give with love and dignity,” the foundation said.

Anyone who would like to arrange donations can reach out to the foundation at 638-3625 or via email at admin@wewalkasonefoundation.com.

Belize Secures 1.9 million Grant from Green Climate Fund

Belize has secured a BZD 1.9 million grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to enhance its climate change response. According to a statement, the Ministry of Economic Transformation, through its Climate Finance Unit (CFU), will use the funding to advance the country’s climate agenda.

The project will focus on strengthening key institutions involved in climate action, including the University of Belize, the Belize Social Investment Fund, and national disaster management efforts.

A key goal is to establish a dedicated climate finance fund and transition the CFU into a full department. “The project will enable the Climate Finance Unit (CFU) to initiate the process of transitioning into a full-fledged department, as well as establishing a climate finance fun,” the ministry said.

Among the objectives are the development of legal frameworks and policies aligned with national climate priorities, the launch of a public awareness campaign, and the creation of a climate-focused education model at the University of Belize.

Belize City Security Guard Found Guilty of Child Rape

49-year-old Ervin Middleton from Belize City has been found guilty of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2020. The verdict was delivered today in the High Court by Justice Nigel Pilgrim.

Middleton, a security guard, was remanded to the Belize Central Prison pending his sentencing on May 16.

The victim testified that Middleton raped her while living at their residence. At the time of the incident, she was home alone when he returned early, asking for water. Following this, Middleton forcibly pinned her down despite her resistance. The girl, now 18, provided credible testimony.

Middleton denied the allegations, claiming they were fabricated due to a familial dispute. However, Justice Pilgrim ruled the victim’s testimony reliable.

Middleton was represented by attorney Ian Gray. His bail was revoked.

Multiple Arrests Made in Belize City Shooting

A man, a woman, and a minor were injured in a Sunday afternoon shooting in Belize City.

The three individuals were “sitting in a yard on Iguana Street when a motorcycle came to the area, and a person came off the motorcycle and fired several shots towards the direction,” the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero, said.

According to ACP Romero, the victims were taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) for treatment. They are in stable condition.

Romero told reporters, “A person that was at the yard was the intended target, but he was not shot.” He said several people are in custody.

According to Romero, police are investigating the connection of this shooting incident with previous ones and that the department is “doing follow-up work on it.”

“We will do several operations and bring in the persons from those areas to try to prevent any further retaliation,” Romero concluded.

Police Investigate Belmopan Shooting, Multiple Arrests Made

Police continue investigating a shooting incident that occurred over the weekend in the Cohune Walk area of Belmopan City. The shooting incident occurred in front of the T&J store on Saturday around midday.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero confirmed that 23-year-old Jamal Hyde sustained gunshot injuries. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

A police investigation revealed that Hyde, who was driving a Mazda vehicle, was targeted by a shooter inside a passing suburban vehicle.

The police believe the suspects may have been trailing Hyde’s vehicle before the shooting occurred. “They have some feud amongst themselves, and that is what led to this shooting… At some point the Suburban came upon the Mazda. The Mazda had been to several places in Belmopan prior to the shooting,” Romero said.

Two other passengers were also inside Hyde’s vehicle. Romero confirmed that the two men were unharmed. “There were two other persons in the Mazda, but they were not injured,” Romero stated.

Romero also confirmed a firearm was recovered and multiple individuals are now in custody as part of the ongoing investigation.

UWI Global Campus Guild Engages Administration on Quiz Proctoring Concerns

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Global Campus Guild of Students has taken steps in response to mounting student concerns over the proctoring of upcoming quizzes in select undergraduate programmes.

Last week, the UWI Global Campus announced that it will administer proctored quizzes using Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor between April 21 and May 16, 2025. UWI urged students to prepare by ensuring a stable internet connection, webcam, microphone, and a quiet space.

However, the backlash was fast and furious.

In a memo dated April 5, the Guild acknowledged students’ worries and confirmed that it has initiated dialogue with key academic leaders. The Guild has reached out to Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal Dr Francis Severin, advocating for a reconsideration and potential postponement of the current quiz proctoring policies. According to Guild President Ramone Babb, Dr Severin has committed to holding a meeting to seek a constructive and student-centred resolution.

UWI students have launched an online petition calling for the university to stop using Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor for online assessments. The petition argues that the software is invasive, discriminatory, and causes unnecessary stress.

Students cite technical issues, limited access to reliable internet and devices, and challenges faced by those with disabilities as major concerns. They also question the ethics of AI-based surveillance and call for alternative, less intrusive methods of assessment.

The petition appeals to UWI administrators to prioritise equity and student well-being while upholding academic integrity.

MOU Signed to Strengthen Conservation Funding in Belize

Belize’s protected areas are set to benefit from a new partnership between the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) and the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future. Both organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen financing for Belize’s National Protected Areas System (NPAS).

According to a statement, the partnership aims to improve the coordination and effectiveness of funding for the country’s protected areas.

The MOU focuses on key areas such as joint resource mobilisation, standardising financing policies, and increasing stakeholder engagement. It also includes plans for public outreach, including a National Conservation Summit in 2025, to raise awareness about conservation efforts.

Over the next five years, both organisations will work together to support the country’s natural heritage to secure long-term sustainable funding for Belize’s environmental initiatives.

Is UBU’s Harry Potter-Inspired University Really Coming to Belize? Part 2

Why would Belize’s Ministry of Education (MOE) issue a warning notice against a promising 20,000-acre university? While it has been over 2 months since the notice was issued, the school has been in the works for years.

For over a decade, The Ultimate Business University (UBU) has been planning to build a massive, Harry Potter-inspired campus in Belize. The size of the school campus would be nearly three times the size of Belmopan.

As previously reported, UBU’s website details many of the features that the campus would offer. From thousands of student rooms, hundreds of employee bungalows, a vineyard, farmland, and even a golf course, UBU promises to be a state-of-the-art educational haven for any ambitious student.

Except, not any student would be able to enrol in UBU. The university will be “a non-profit organisation designed to support youths at risk”, according to its website. These youths will be U.S. citizens under the age of 18 who would be emancipated and then brought over to Belize on full scholarships.

The day that MOE issued the warning notice, News 5 contacted the ministry’s Chief Executive Officer, Dian Maheia. According to her, the ministry received a query about UBU, which prompted MOE to look into the university. The ministry’s research came down to issuing a warning stating that UBU “is neither legally registered nor authorised to operate as an educational institution in Belize and that it has no official affiliation or recognition from the Ministry of Education.”

On February 5th, the former Minister of Education, Francis Fonseca, told reporters that his team was alerted, and the ministry was forced to take action. “It was brought to the attention of our communications team that these things were being posted and notices being sent out. So we had to take action,” he said.

Some of these “notices” were actually being sent out to Belizeans who were being recruited to be part of the project. The recruitment process was being done through LinkedIn, a platform professionals use to network, share career updates, and find job opportunities or business collaborations. The Belizeans that News 5 reached out to reported that they were contacted via LinkedIn directly by the founder of UBU.

Most of the names of these Belizeans were also found on UBU’s official website. They were listed as part of UBU’s team alongside the job title or responsibility they would be contributing to the university. Some of these same Belizeans were not aware their names were listed out already, with one saying that they made an application but never received confirmation of the position.

Meanwhile, Fonseca pointed out that the lack of background information about the people behind the school and the large-scale features it plans to implement does not sound “feasible or logical.” He added, “We get lots of proposals from institutions all over the world. You don’t know who the people are; you don’t know anything about them. My own view is that that would not be something that we would consider at all.”

He added that the government needs to be really cautious when considering institutions that want to establish in Belize. There are often concerns about entities that exist to exploit vulnerable people, which is a major reason why the government must always verify the legitimacy of any school operating in the country. “There’s a legal procedure in place for you to apply. Especially if you want to open some offshore school. Especially for those kinds of institutions, because so many of them have been associated with scams, fly-by-night institutions that are just taking people’s money,” Fonseca said.

According to the former minister, there is a legal process for applications of this scale. As stated in the ministry’s notice, UBU has not followed the legal process.

Part 3 coming soon.

US Defends Tariffs on Remote Island Populated by Penguins and Seals

The BBC reports that US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the country’s decision to impose tariffs on the uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands, home to only penguins and seals. The tariffs, aimed at closing “ridiculous loopholes,” would prevent other nations from shipping goods through the islands to the US, Lutnick told CBS.

Australia expressed surprise at the move, with Trade Minister Don Farrell calling the decision a “mistake” and a result of a “rushed process.” In response, Lutnick argued that leaving any areas off the tariff list would allow countries to bypass US regulations. “The President knows that, he’s tired of it, and he’s going to fix that,” he said.

The tariffs come amid a broader defense of President Trump’s new trade policies after US stock markets suffered a major drop. Transshipment—shipping goods through one port to another—is common in global trade but can enable data manipulation, according to Pew Charitable Trusts. The NGO estimates that millions of dollars worth of tuna and similar goods are illegally moved in this manner annually in the Pacific.

While export data from the islands shows only minimal trade with the US in recent years, 2022 saw a spike with $1.4 million worth of “machinery and electrical” products imported from the territory. Also included in the tariff list was the British Indian Ocean Territory, which exported $414,350 worth of goods to the US in 2022.