Tonight, there are growing concerns over child safety in primary schools. On Wednesday, we received reports of a child being badly injured by another child while attending classes in Orange Walk Town. An afterschool fight between two primary school children in Cotton Tree Village resulted in a shootout between adults. News Five has learnt that the altercation happened on Wednesday evening. The adult siblings of one of the female minor intervened during the fight. According to an account from one of the adult siblings, the shootout was sparked by a misunderstanding that stemmed from the fight between the two minors. We are informed that the brothers of the second minor confronted forty-seven-year-old Richard Williams, the father of one of the children that were involved in the fight. Armed with a machete and a firearm, they allegedly opened fire at Williams and his children. A police officer was in the area at the time. He returned fire with his license firearm. During the exchange, Williams’ sister- in- law was injured. We spoke with one of Williams’ daughter. Here is what she told us off camera.
Voice of: Witness
Voice of: Witness
“Deh mih have this lee gial and ih sista right and then afterwards, ih sister come and get in a fight with my sister and we end up at Belmopan Police Station. When we come back we mih the come through suh and we sih some bway and deh mih the throw up signs, so we went to the bus stop. When we come back deh seh that how deh mih wah ketch my big bredda, he mih the come from shop. When he run, deh seh sih he deh, but the bally couldn’t lift up the gun. He mih have it on the ground and one fire shot between my breda and sista. And then afterwards he run in the yard then a next one come to my pah and my pah she, do what you have to do. So the two brothers come and took the one with the gun. A man mih the yah and he fire shot after them too and dah suh deh gawn back suh.”
Paul Lopez
“Why were they after your brother if it was two kids fighting initially?”
Voice of: Witness
“Because, they tell lie and seh that dah my breda punch their little sister in her eye and buss it which is nothing like that. I see everything that happened. She was there and had a stick with a nail to hit my little sister and when she lift the stick ih wap ah dah ih eye and when the stick wap ah, she gone her breda deh that dah my breda punch ah.”
Paul Lopez
“It was your uncle’s partner that got shot or what happened to her?”
Voice of: Witness
“She get scratch on her hand and deh seh maybe from a shell.”
Convicted prisoner Jonathan Felipe Lima, a Brazilian national, has escaped from police custody in Orange Walk. Lima, who was detained on an immigration offense, escaped from the detention cell at the Orange Walk Police Station this morning. Police say he was last seen wearing a grey long-sleeve jacket, black pants and white tennis. Anyone who has seen this escapee is asked to contact the Orange Walk Police Station.
For months, changes in the appearance of the New River in Orange Walk have raised concerns regarding the health of the water and the living organisms within. Several assessments have been carried out in order to identify the issues and plans of implementing a new watershed management system are in the works. Tennielle Hendy, Principal Hydrologist at the National Hydrological Service, spoke about the situation.
Tennielle Hendy
Tennielle Hendy, Principal Hydrologist, National Hydrological Service
“I haven’t seen any gases being emitted, so that’s a good thing, but I can tell you that the issue that contributed to the new river situation is what I said, surface water and groundwater being linked. If we over abstract, we take water, we just waste it, it has an impact on our groundwater and the groundwater provides base flow, which keeps our rivers and streams alive. If we waste the water and we remove that outflow into that river system, then you will get all kinds of things happening. It’s a delicate balance. Flow provides mixing, oxygen, different, chemicals, natural processes within the river require that influence, requires that movement. The New River is basically flat, which means that it doesn’t have slopes, and slopes help us with mixing. When we are flat, we kind of stay a little bit stagnant, it takes a little bit longer time for things to travel. So there are multiple reasons. We are committed, along with the Department of the Environment, to doing a watershed management plan for the New River. So we’re looking forward to bringing to the table implementation plans such as these for funding in this conference.”
We are twelve days away from the March sixth municipal elections. In tonight’s installment of Meet the Candidates we take you to Orange Walk. On Wednesday, the People’s United Party and the United Democratic Party nominated seven candidates each. On March sixth, residents will get to decide whether they want the P.U.P. to continue leading the town or if there will be a change in the political makeup of the municipal leadership. We spoke with a few of the candidates on both sides. Here is what they told us about themselves.
Alondra De La Fuente
Alondra De La Fuente, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate, Orange Walk
“I have been advocating for the youths through the Belize youth movement. I am currently the Belize Youth Movement chapter president in Orange Walk and I strongly believe that youth development, youth enhancement and youth activities are needed in our community so that they can find healthy lifestyle activities and be involved in initiatives that would cater for their social, emotional development and also physical.”
Allen Yu
Allen Yu, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate, Orange Walk
“I am someone that likes to learn how the system works, how things work. How do we collect our garbage, where do we go, how do you get your streets done. I like that type of stuff and seeing the good work that the previous mayor was doing, now Minister Bernard I saw that he is like an inspiration. I enjoyed the work he did, despite being the opposition, despite getting no help from outside, he made Orange Walk what it is right now and I saw that I want to do something like that.”
Ladrick Sheppard
Lardrick Sheppard, P.U.P. Incumbent Mayor, Orange Walk
“I was a councilor from since 2012 under then Mayor Bernard. So, I had nine years of preparation to get me where I am. So when I get on that seat in 2021 when I was elected as mayor I told everybody that I was going to work along my team. That is exactly what we did. We have done a lot, revamped the parks, cleaned the drain, streets, no other council overall, no other counsel has done seventy-five streets in basically three years.”
Marina Gongora
Marina Gongora, U.D.P. Councilor Candidate, Orange Walk
“I have been with the U.D.P. for over fifteen years. I actually enjoy meeting people because when you are in politics you meet all sorts of people. At this point in time I decided that we need people with good qualities, people who have made a name for themselves to come out and show people that we have people who care and can make a difference. “
Kendle Esquivel
Kendle Esquivel, U.D.P. Councilor Candidate, Orange Walk
“I have seen many instances where people need help, people are being left on the side by the people in power and I think that one of the reasons that inspire me is that we need to find something to do to assist the people. I am not thinking about new building and new bridges, nothing like that. I have a passion for the society to bring back the humane aspect of society, to take care of the people.”
Enrique Carballo
Enrique Carballo, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate, Orange Walk
“I think the people from Orange Walk need a change and want a change. I think this council has been in the council for twelve years and the pressures are not much. The political pressure is not there. What we are feeling is that the people need and want a change.”
Orange Walk Town stands out as the sugar capital of the country. The country’s oldest sugar mill operates just outside of the town’s limits and many of the residents who work in the industry are from the town. And so, it is fair to say that sugarcane farmers make up a significant percentage of the voting population in the town. But, it is yet to be seen how recent tensions in the industry will impact the upcoming municipal elections. A viable sugar industry is, however, not the only thing that Orange Walk residents except of their leaders. At the municipal level, there are needs for proper drainage, streets, family-friendly activities, playgrounds and parks to name a few. There is also an expectation that their municipal leaders act with transparency and accountability. News Five’s Paul Lopez takes a closer look at the political landscape in Orange Walk Town leading up to March sixth.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
The People’s United Party has maintained control of the Orange Walk Town Council for just over a decade. Incumbent Mayor, Ladrick “Mad Bull” Sheppard is seeking re-election. He boasts that no other mayor across the country has achieved what he and his team have been able to do over the past three years.
Ladrick Sheppard
Ladrick Sheppard, P.U.P. Incumbent Mayor, Orange Walk
“We need the people to understand we want to work for them. That is why we are aggressive from the get go. Nobody cannot say we started working last minute. You cannot do seventy-five streets in two days, that is impossible. Showing that we are capable of getting the job done. This council was well prepared. Minister Kevin Bernard left us there and we continued that plan. But we cannot accomplish this goal except to work as a team. I always tell everybody, when you combine your work together you can get more done.”
But, UDP mayoral candidate, Enrique Carballo is not buying Sheppard’s pitch. Carballo says, residents are telling him on the campaign trail that they are ready for a change. Orange Walk is considered a P.U.P. stronghold, having four P.U.P. ministers operating in the district, three of them in the municipality. However, Carballo says that does not worry him.
“I am not worrying about that P.U.P. stronghold. I am confident that with our campaigning and the team and the people receiving with us with great reception and the concerns, I feel we have a great chance of winning this, definitely. “
Reporter
“But If this happens, you get into office, how will you execute your plans under a P.U.P. central government?”
Enrique Carballo
“If that should happen, municipal bodies have enough autonomy to do whatever we want to do in the town. Now if the central government is serious about development then I believe we can work hand in hand, because we are Belizeans. Central government has a responsibility to develop our toen our villages and our country as a whole.”
Prime Minister John Briceño’s Orange Walk Central constituency exists within the Orange Walk municipality. And, incumbent Mayor Sheppard does not shy away from the fact that the town council gets a significant amount of financial support from the prime minister.
Ladrick Sheppard, P.U.P. Incumbent Mayor, Orange Walk
“Hand in hand work, the Prime Minister comes with us and he even gives us a percentage of his money so that we could invest it in the town. When he is out doing his job as a prime minister, we are the ones in Orange Walk Town taking care of it. We just invested four hundred thousand in a park. It is called the Phillip Alvarez Park. WE have one of the most beautiful parks in Orange Walk in the entire country, I can boast about that.”
But, Carballo says that it will not stop him from pushing his vision for the town, if elected.
Enrique Carballo
“My vision for Orange Walk is for a flourishing, inclusive, environmental friendly and a town for progress and that will only be done with the people of Orange Walk.”
According to P.U.P. councilor candidate, Alondra De La Fuente, a newcomer to politics, while there are activities in the municipality to engage youths, residents are demanding greater investments into youth initiatives.
Alondra De La Fuente
Alondra De La Fuente, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate, Orange Walk
“One of the top things I have heard during the campaign trial would be for us to have more initiatives for youths, things like brining back summer camps, things like bringing back youth enhancement, sporting in our community. We already have those established in Orange Walk but we need to get the youth community more involved and this can be done through different entities and youth groups in our community.”
On the other hand, Kendle Esquivel, a youth himself, says Orange Walk residents are clamoring for municipal leaders with the willingness to serve.
Kendle Esquivel
Kendle Esquivel, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate, Orange Walk
“In the past many people have promised and have not kept their promises. I believe I am one of the persons that can change things. I want to do things that serve people. I bring the willingness to serve. I don’t want to serve myself; I want to serve the people. I know that it is a hard task and a challenge. It iill be a hard task and I believe that with the help of our leaders, it will be a fair job.”
Earlier today in Sugar City, the People’s United Party, as well as the United Democratic Part, also led throngs of supporters, along with their municipal candidates to the Sandy Hunter Library where two slates were officially nominated. Here’s correspondent Dalila Ical with that story from Orange Walk.
A Santander employee died in a freak accident on Saturday while working on a cage that the company uses to transport sugarcane. Police reports are that Anastacio Vasquez, an employee of Santander for eight years, was repairing a tire on the machine when the cage slipped off and fell on him. He died on the scene. Santander says it spoke with the employees that were in the immediate area. Those employees informed management of the sequence of events that led to Vasquez’s unfortunate demise. We spoke over the phone with Beverly Burke, the PR Manager at Santander, who informed us that the company is still reeling from Vasquez’s death. She says Vasquez was executing a task that he has done countless times during his time of employment there.
On the phone: Beverly Burke
On the phone: Beverly Burke, PR Manager, Santander Sugar Group
“Very sad time for us here at Santander, Mr. Vasquez has been with us for a total of eight and a half years, a long standing excellent worker for us. He worked for us initially as welder, his profession a mechanic. So, what transpired on Saturday night was we had one of the cages we transport sugarcane in, the tire went out and they jacked it up to make the necessary repairs. Mr. Vasquez went to the side of the cage to retrieve a tool and in so doing his assistant shouted to him that it was slipping and as opposed to, the direction he took was in the same direction where the cage was slipping and unfortunately it toppled over and crushed him.”
Paul Lopez
“Is this something that, in the company’s view warrants some sort of investigation?”
On the phone: Beverly Burke
“What we did was that immediately we were called and I informed the authorities within the jurisdiction. We came to the location and they did their investigation and we chalk it up to an unfortunate situation, I don’t know. It is one of those accidents that you are left with your jaw dropped thinking how did this even happen. I mean, we would classify it as a freak accident. These are stuff they work with all the time. The terrain we harvest through there are often times tires you have to change out and stuff like that so these stuff are jacked up often, tires are changed and they go about their normal scope of work. So it still is very much hard to process.”
Twenty-two-year-old Steven Diaz is tonight in police custody after handing in himself in the presence of an attorney. On Tuesday, we reported that the Orange Walk resident was wanted in connection with the murder of nineteen-year-old Joshua Ku which occurred in the predawn hours of February eleventh. Ku, a baker of Orange Walk Town, was at an establishment on Saturday night when he reportedly left in the company of several individuals, including Diaz. It was not until the following night that family and friends grew concerned when Ku did not return home from the nightclub. A search party was immediately dispatched in an attempt to find him alive. It was not until Monday afternoon that Ku’s lifeless body was found near a dirt road in the vicinity of Rhaburn Ridge. He had been fatally stabbed and dumped in a secluded area. Steven Diaz has since been arrested and charged for Ku’s murder.
The lifeless body of nineteen-year-old Joshua Ku was discovered at an isolated location along a dirt road in the Rhaburn Ridge area, near the fringes of Orange Walk District. He had been stabbed to death in the early hours of Sunday morning, before being dumped along a lonely road several miles away from where he lived with his grandfather in Orange Walk Town. Tonight, a wanted poster has been issued for the arrest of twenty-two-year-old Steven Diaz. He is wanted for questioning for his purported involvement in the murder of the young baker. As we reported on Monday, Ku’s family strongly believes that he was killed by his ex-girlfriend’s brother after leaving a nightclub on the morning of February eleventh. Diaz is one of several individuals who may be connected to the weekend murder.
“Yes, there are several persons detained for this investigation.
Reporter
“Do police have a motive behind this murder?”
Hilberto Romero
“Not at this time. All we have is that he was with these persons and he got into a car and left with them from the nightclub.”
Reporter
“Are you able to say whether someone they have detained has confessed?”
Hilberto Romero
“I cannot say at this time but the body has been located.”
Nadia Ku
Nadia Ku, Mother of Deceased
“It hurts me because my son is just nineteen [years old]. Next month he would have been twenty. And Josh wasn’t a troublemaker, everybody that knows Josh knows that Josh is a loving person, keeps to himself. If he needs, he’s going to ask me only, his mom, because it has always only been me and him and my parents, my dad and my mom, and my sister. He has always been, and I try, although he didn’t grow up with his dad, I tried to be the best mom for him. Even people that I know and talk to, I always say, my son, he does use to go to church. He has a good friend and he always comes and find him when he’s here and he’s like, “Josh, let’s go.” “Josh, where are you going?” Mommy, I am going to church.” “Okay, fine. Pray for me. I love you.” It was always like that with Josh. He was loving and caring. He did not deserve to go like this.”
Orange Walk Police have arrested and charged Joseph Budna for the crime of cyber bullying. As we reported on Friday, Budna, a well-known figure who has had several brushes with the law, was wanted in connection with a complaint made against him. It is alleged that he used a social media platform to torment Orange Walk North Area Representative Ramon ‘Monchi’ Cervantes. Budna was arraigned in the Orange Walk Magistrate’s Court on Monday and was granted bail in the sum of one thousand dollars. He has once again taken to social media in an attempt to clear his name.
Joseph Budna, Charged for Cyber Bullying
“I’ve been through a lot, believe it or not. I‘ve been locked down in Belize City after eating a barbecue by the GI3 unit‘s personnel who deal with gang members, as if I was a gang member. I was taken to the Queen Street Police Station by the GI3 unit that deals with gangs and then I was locked down at the Raccoon Street Police Station. I told them, you know what, I went into Belmopan Cyber Crime Unit to report this guy, Anthony Tillett. I did report him and I have an official statement that I gave to them about it and they have taken my statement and they are working on that with their Guatemalan counterparts. I left the station and one of them tried to grab me and I did not allow them to do so until I consulted my attorney and that officer did not place me under arrest. So he could not say that I escaped from lawful custody. No, I did not. So I contacted many persons and after I contacted many persons, this happened on Friday, folks. Let me give you exactly what happened. On Friday, I visited Belmopan and I went to Cyber Crime Unit and I gave a statement against Anthony Tillett and I also managed to take a picture of that statement which later on I might be sharing if anything. But I took a picture of that and also what happened is that thereafter I left the station and these two police officers from Cyber Crime were acting very suspiciously and I don‘t know exactly what they were up to. So I left them and they didn‘t say you are under arrest or we place you under arrest. I left and I went and thereafter, I heard that they wanted to talk to me. So I called and I got the inspector’s number Inspector Juan Garcia from Cyber Crime. I contacted him and he said mein, we neva mi wahn arrest you, we just mih wahn talk to you concerning the report that the chairman of Chan Pine Ridge Village made against you that you accused di man that ih assault unu, you and the reporter for Estereo Amor.”
