Economy - Channel 5 Belize

Panton Alleges Election Fraud Ran Rampant at the General Elections

After a significant defeat in the 2025 General Election, Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar-Panton is promising a new path forward for the United Democratic Party. At today’s press conference, Panton outlined the party’s plan to step into leadership in 2025. However, she claims the loss wasn’t entirely fair, alleging several instances of election fraud on March twelfth. While the party isn’t requesting an election petition, these claims have been filed with the necessary authorities. Panton is determined to lead the U.D.P. with a fresh vision and renewed energy.

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“There was no accountability even by our judicial. System and no respect for the judiciary under this administration. And of course, we can’t forget the abuse of the election processes and mechanisms. So I will tell you my experience in Albert. Where almost all voters who showed up to the poll in blue shirts were disabled and needed assistance to mark their ex on the ballot. Able able-bodied men and women who I have interacted with on the campaign trail all of a sudden. Was not able to read, was not able to see, was not able to write for the promise of somewhere between 250 to $500. I witness that with my own two eyes. And had I not been stationary, literally at the pause on election day, no one could have guessed what my faith could have been. We cannot and we will not move forward as a nation without addressing the blatant election fraud that marred the March twelfth elections. While it can be said that over the years both political parties have made mistakes in raising the voters expectations during the election season, what we witness from the ruling People’s United party in these last elections, my friends, crossed every line, every line of decency, integrity, and respect for our electorate. Of course, there was expansion of fraud during the transfer period. We all know the case of Cayo North that has been fully documented and presented not only to the magistrate court, to the lower court, but to the high court. Let me tell you how blatant it got. Even a single bedroom starter home was used repeatedly to facilitate voucher padding. With the registration of dozens, and when I tell you dozens of voters at that address within three days, given that address verification is a requirement under the representation of a people’s act, this raises serious legal and procedural red flags. And then of course there was tampering with the voters list. Even though, as I said before, the matter of fraud, fraudulent voters was taken to the court. Many of these illegal registrations made it onto the voters list.”

Opposition Leader Criticizes Government’s Budget Delay Amid Rising Living Costs

It’s been eight weeks since the 2025 General Election, and the government still hasn’t debated Belize’s national budget. Earlier this month, the Briceño Administration faced heavy criticism for approving salary increases for CEOs and the Cabinet Secretary, especially with no budget presentation in sight. Today, at the U.D.P. press conference, Tracy Taegar-Panton slammed the government for the delay, highlighting how the cost of living continues to rise while the budget remains unaddressed.

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“ What is also very telling and troubling and speaks to the blatant disregard this administration has for Belizean people is that we still have no idea what the budget estimates. For the financial year are and what will be the government’s priorities. This from a government who won, knew when the elections would be called, and two who started the budget exercise in October of last year. Yet while the budget remains missing. They somehow found it quite urgent to quietly push through massive salary increases for the cabinet’s secretary and for CEOs. This at the time when food prices are rising, when fuel prices are climbing, when we are on the brink. Of an energy crisis and when our Belizean families are struggling to survive, not withstanding the cries of the teachers for salary adjustments and long overdue increments, notwithstanding the please of our public health, public health professionals. For pension considerations after years of service, not withstanding demands of our law enforcement officers for better working conditions, not standing the cries of our stevedores, who are now considered essential workers, not withstandin they express concerns of public servants for more accountability, more transparency, and more consultation in our decision-making process.”

U.D.P. Says Government Knew MCC Grant Loss was Coming

The Government of Belize is about to lose access to a hundred and twenty-five million dollars in a development grant from the United States. This loss comes after the Department of Government Efficiency decided to shut down the foreign aid agency, Millennium Challenge Corporation. With the closure of this five-year grant agreement, the government must now scramble to find alternative funding for the planned transformative educational and energy projects. U.D.P. Senator designate Patrick Faber, didn’t hold back in criticizing the government for not securing alternative funds sooner. He emphasized the urgency of finding new sources to keep these vital projects on track.

Patrick Faber, U.D.P. Senator Designate

“And one other issue that I will add to that list of things that they have been silent on is the MCC project withdrawal of funding by the US government. The government has demonstrated, in fact, that it is ill-prepared, or they have no plan. We are waiting patiently, of course, for the budget, which is all the more reason why I join with my party leader in sending the signal that it is intolerable, that the budget has not been read, because that would be a good space for the government to tell us what exactly they plan to do. When the Trump administration, the United States government, and it’s not just today, it happened. We got the warning. In fact, if you follow the US politics, you knew that this would’ve happened a long time ago. The minute Mr. Trump won the election, you knew that it was coming. So we need to be told as a nation, what is it that the government intends to do? You’ve heard about the trade wars, but you’ve heard about now, you’re hearing now about the withdrawal of these funds. This is serious money. This is a quarter of a billion dollars with a B that the MCC project would have brought for education, for energy, for agriculture. These things are important pillars of our economy. Yet we have not heard anything official from the government as to, in fact, we haven’t heard from them that it’s happening officially at all.”

U.D.P. Faces Resource Challenges for Village Council Elections Amid Budget Delay

With no budget presented or debated at the National Assembly, the U.D.P. has yet to receive all the resources needed for the village council elections. Over the weekend, Tracy Taegar-Panton visited Toledo to start preparations for the elections. At today’s U.D.P. conference, she addressed whether she is financially ready to present a slate at the village council elections. Here’s what she had to say.

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“We are extremely busy with the work of rebuilding the party. And we have made a commitment that we’re going to rebuild this party from the ground up. We have scheduled destination visits to all thirty-one constituencies. So that we can meet with our executive committees, we can meet with our constituency committees, so we can look critically of what needs to be done in each constituency to restart or to start the building rebuilding process. So it differs in constituencies. For example, there are two constituencies, in the south that don’t currently have caretakers, those persons did not show up on nomination day. So the first order of business for Toledo East and for Dangriga is for us to find appropriate caretakers to help us deal with the issue of village councils elections for example. We are going to contest the village council elections and we will, as we did for the general elections, lean on our friends to support the effort to ensure that we maintain a healthy, a robust, and a functioning democracy.”

U.D.P. Commits to Protecting Cayo Rosario Island

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing issued a stop order to halt construction on Cayo Rosario near Ambergris Caye. This action came after San Pedro residents raised concerns about the potential harm to marine life and the integrity of the seabed. The stop order will remain in effect until all necessary permits are obtained from the Central Building Authority and other relevant agencies. U.D.P. Senator Designate Gabriel Zetina, who is a resident of San Pedro, expressed his commitment to protecting the area. He criticized the government for allowing such developments to continue in Belize without proper oversight. Zetina emphasized the importance of safeguarding the environment and ensuring that all construction projects comply with regulations.

Gabriel Zetina, U.D.P. Senator Designate

“The government believes that destroying these flats will go unnoticed or unchallenge, they’re mistaken. The people of San Pedro, the people of Ambergis Caye and I invite all Belizeans everywhere. We will push back. Against the government if they allow this to happen because we’re seeing a government, this government that listens to developers or should I say, they listen to a public of one and not to its people, the people that elected them. We see a government that says one thing to the public, but does another behind closed doors. We see a government that is willing to risk our future for short-term gains, and we see a government that stays silent. They have no, they have given us no accountability, no answers whatsoever, and this is simply unacceptable. We demand transparency. We demand a government that will release all the documents, all the contracts, and all the environmental assessments related to this project. They asked me to write a proposal. I’m not gonna be kind to this government.”

Agricultural Officer Says Early Application for Space is Key

While August argues that he promotes all agricultural products, Director of the Extension Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, Andrew Mejia says that spacing has been an issue for many years. Hence, he advises that early applications are important in securing a spot at the trade show. Mejia explains that there are different spaces allotted for different purposes.

Andrew Mejia, Director, Extension Dept., Ministry of Agriculture

“Every year there’s a waiting list and there’s a deadline for when. Um, they, they can pay and secure those spaces. And when those spaces, when not the line comes and the spaces are not secured, then they’re given to those who are on the waiting list. So, in that situation, it’s nothing new. It happens every year. The committee looks at who is next in line, the spaces that are available because the spaces are different. We have spaces for large companies. We have spaces for people who just want to lay a towel on the ground and place their products, and we also have spaces for those who sell beverages, who sell food, and those who also want to display what they’re doing. Spaces are always limited at their natural agriculture and trade show, so we always encourage people to come and apply early, you know, as early as January if possible.”

U.S. Secretary of State Rubio Commends PM Briceño in Key Call

Secretary of State Marco Rubio didn’t make it to Belize during his recent whirlwind visit to the Caribbean, but he called Prime Minister John Briceño this morning. Rubio wanted to emphasize the importance of the U.S.-Belize partnership and congratulate Briceño on his March 12th election victory. He recognized Belize’s significant efforts to counter illegal immigration, support Haitian security efforts, and combat transnational organized crime. Secretary Rubio and Prime Minister Briceño discussed tariffs and Belizean commitment and engagement with both the ICJ and Guatemala regarding the Sarstoon River. Secretary Rubio thanked Belize for its efforts as part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti. Additionally, Secretary Rubio committed to working with Prime Minister Briceño to strengthen the investment climate for U.S. firms in Belize. The call concluded with both leaders expressing their commitment to deepen the strong and cooperative relationship between the United States and Belize.

Bush Fire Destroys Property; Claims Life

On Saturday, a bush fire in Hattieville Village turned tragic, burning down a small home and claiming the life of its owner. The victim, sixty-three-year-old Gerald Hamilton, was a friend, neighbor, and employee of Godwin Smith. Smith told News Five that Hamilton had helped put out a bush fire in the morning but felt sick afterward and went to lie down. Unfortunately, when another bush fire spread to Hamilton’s house early that afternoon, no one realized he was still inside. The fire quickly engulfed the home, and when villagers checked the scene, Hamilton was already dead. Godwin Smith, who was a close friend of Hamilton, shared this heartbreaking story.

Godwin Smith, Friend of Deceased

“My oldest son is forty-three years old, and he mind him from baby. I was living in Gracie Rock and he was there with me. I come here and we met here. So every day he come at my house, we sit down out there just to wait to see when he get in at his house. He out a first fire then apparently he went in his house. He went in the house and the car. He tell my daughter he feel bad and he went in the house. So. my place start catch over there and my daughter went over there. When he went over there, my son called from Belize and tell the wife to come and hail Gerald mek Gerald help her out the fire. But when they come here, the door was open and the bike was there and they only knock on the wall and we hail Gerald but Gerlad nuh answer, so they said Gerald mussi gone. So when I come, immediately I come and I help them out there. When I start helping them out there, then somebody passed by, one truck passed by and tell wi look, one house di burn down here. So I left the hog pen di burn and when I run come here, my daughter tell me Gerlad bike was there too. And then I tell ah definite if Gerald bike there, then Gerald in the house. The house was burned down. When I look, I see another fire sparks open when I look there, I see Gerald head and I see a pelvis. That’s why I call some people and say a body is down here. Gerald’s body is down here.”

Gales Point Chairman Ready to Support Next Chairman

Earlier today, we heard from Jason Altschaft, the Chairman of Gales Point Village, as the community came together to catch a pig that had tragically killed one of the villagers. Altschaft, who has served two terms as Chairman, is not eligible to run for a third term. He shared with News Five that the role is incredibly demanding and often offers no relief. Although he won’t be sitting in the chairman’s seat anymore, he might still serve as a councilor to support the new leader. The date for the village council elections hasn’t been set yet, but the season is fast-approaching, and Altschaft is ready to lend his support to whoever steps up.

Jason Altschaft, Chairman, Gales Point Village

“I did two terms. It’s very challenging, very hard, a lot of stress and everything is on you. And when you reach out for help, a lot of times you just have to tell people, “I’m sorry, there’s no help,” and I don’t like that. I’m now on the DAVCO and we’re trying to make it more of a thing for rural communities to get more money, so that there would be opportunities to make things done correctly. We all want the right thing, but the ways and means are not always there, but you still have desire and ganas to try.”

PM Briceño Backs Carolyn Trench-Sandiford for Another Term as Senate President

Prime Minister John Briceño is backing Carolyn Trench Sandiford for another term as President of the Senate. After consulting with the United Democratic Party, they’ve thrown their support behind her re-appointment. PM Briceño appreciates this bipartisan cooperation for the nation’s benefit. This decision marks a continuation of Trench Sandiford’s leadership in one of the highest legislative roles in Belize, reinforcing her influence and commitment to the nation’s governance. As the Senate reconvenes under her leadership, Belizeans can expect continued efforts towards legislative reforms, social equity, and economic development. Meanwhile, discussions with the Social Partner Senators are still ongoing.