Toledo District - Channel 5 Belize

NEMO On the Ground in Toledo to Assist Wildfire Victims

According to the Toledo West Area Representative, the National Emergency Management Organization, NEMO, has deployed personnel to the area to conduct assessments of the damage and its impact on the community. Requena is calling for a reconnaissance mission over the area so that Belizeans can get a better understanding of all that has been lost so far. Here is what he told us.

On the Phone: Oscar Requena, Area Representative, Toledo West

“What I can say is that I just spoke to the minister of NEMO and what has happened is that there has been activation on the ground and certainly here is a lot of work taking place. The first thing is to get the various agencies on the ground to conduct an assessment of what has occurred and how it is impacting the livelihoods of our people, issues associated with fires and smoke, possible health issues and really with a strategy to provide some sort of relief where possible. I want to ask that apart from just the great negative effects on the livelihoods of people it is really heart breaking to see the severe damage on the flora and fauna. You are talking about seeing tapir burnt, ocelots and gibnuts, just wildlife. It is really terrible. I want to call on the authorities to do a reconnaissance of the area and they would really, I think the nation would get a clear understanding of the damage and impact that has occurred to just lands in the Toledo District.”

Child Bitten by Venomous Snake Needs Your Help

An eleven-year-old boy was bitten by a venomous snake earlier this week and his mother is seeking your help to pay the hospital bills. Dorita Caliz told News Five that the eleven-year-old boy, Adrian Cus, went to get the family’s horse from a nearby creek in Silver Creek Village, Toledo when the incident happened. She named the snake as a Fer de Lance, known also as the Tommy Goff, one of Belize’s most venomous snakes. The child was first taken to the PG community hospital but was transferred to the Southern Regional Hospital where he is receiving treatment and is being monitored by specialists. But the time he spends hospitalized is causing financial issues for a family, which is already strapped for cash. So Caliz is hoping that you can assist them.

Via phone: Dorita Caliz, Mother of Snake Bite Victim

“He came from school from 3:30, and he reached home and he reached at his auntie’s home, but I wasn’t at home that time. And then I told my sister-in-law to send him to get the horse across the creek. So he went to get the horse across the creek, and then when he was coming back home, right there the snake bite him inside the creek. She took him to the hospital at Punta Gorda and then they sent him here in Dangriga, so he’s in Dangriga Hospital right now. He’s staying in the hospital. I don’t know how long he will stay in the hospital because his foot is still swelling. He has a swelling on his foot and hospital bills – I don’t know how much – and I don’t want to owe the hospital. And then, after that, I don’t know how long he will stay at home because I need to see what I can do after that when he leaves hospital, if the swelling doesn’t come down. I don’t have a job, I just do my little business. I just make coconut oil, yellow ginger to support my kids. That’s what I do with my business, and I have my common-law (husband), he only do farming. He doesn’t go work nowhere. And then we just do that to provide and that’s the only thing we do at home. And they burn my common-law farm and everything is damaged there.”

If you would like to assist the boy with his medical bill, you can contact his mom, Dorita Caliz at six, three, four, seven, four, six, one.

The 50-year-old Male Teacher Rapes Teenage Girl

Police in Punta Gorda are investigating a case of rape. On Monday, May 13, 2024, a woman and her 13-year-old granddaughter visited the Punta Gorda Police Station and reported that on the 7th and 10th of May this year, a male teacher had sexual relations with her in the school bathroom. Police conducted an investigation, after which they formally arrested and charged a 50-year-old Belizean teacher from Toledo District for two counts of rape of a child.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at about 3:30 p.m., a woman and her 15-year-old daughter visited the San Pedro Police Station and reported that on Friday, May 3, 2024, she went to the apartment of a 33-year-old male person in San Pedro Town, where he had sexual relations with her against her will. Police have since detained the 33-year-old Belizean manager of San Pedro Town as investigations continue.

BDF Confirms Shooting at Fairweather Camp

The Belize Defence Force (BDF) confirmed a shooting that occurred at Fairweather Camp on the outskirts of Punta Gorda Town.

No one was injured.

Chief of Staff Colonel Ricardo Leal exclusively told News that “Yesterday at approximately 5:15 pm, a senior non-commissioned officer for unknown reason discharged six 9mm rounds with his personal weapon into the air within the periphery of Fairweather Camp, Punta Gorda.”

Colonel Leal further told News Five that “The disgruntled Senior non commissioned officer, who was the Battalion Duty Officer, was displeased after he was not given his requested time he wanted to deal with his personal issues.”

He also said that a report has been made to the Punta Gorda Police Station and that the matter is presently being investigated by the Belize Police Department.

The ‘disgruntled senior non-commissioned officer’ has been identified as staff Sergeant Adolfo Williams, who fired several shots from his personal nine-millimeter firearm into the air.

BDF Soldier Fires Shots at Fairweather Camp

A Belize Defense Force soldier is wanted for questioning tonight after he reportedly discharged a personal firearm on Monday evening near Fairweather Camp in Toledo District. The B.D.F. has been tightlipped on the incident. Despite several attempts to confirm the shooting with senior command, we have been unable to do so. What we have been furnished with is an internal report that documents what allegedly took place at the military installation. Sometime around five p.m. on Monday evening near the outskirts of Punta Gorda, Staff Sergeant Adolfo Williams reportedly fired several shots from his personal nine-millimeter firearm into the air. Multiple witnesses confirmed the shooting to the police and there were no reported injuries. We contacted the B.D.F. for a response but were told that a report has been made and the police will be conducting further investigation. However, at the time that we contacted Punta Gorda police earlier today, News Five was informed that there was no report of the incident. The whereabouts of Staff Sergeant Williams and possible motive for the incident are yet to be confirmed.

Shots Fired at Fairweather Camp

Police in Punta Gorda Town are investigating an incident that took place at the BDF’s Fairweather camp yesterday afternoon. News Five has learned that police officers are investigating a staff sergeant who reportedly fired his 9-mm firearm several times inside the compound.

The staff sergeant fired the shots in the air. There are no reports of injuries.

The staff sergeant left the scene. News Five contacted the BDF, and we were told that it is a police matter.

This is a developing story.

Minister of Border Security Addresses Belize/Guatemala Border Concerns

Minister of National Defense, Florencio Marin Junior says he has been keeping a close eye on the activities of the Guatemalan Armed Forces on Sarstoon River. Today, he told reporters that while the ministry is not concerned with the operational plans of the Guatemalan Armed Forces, a protocol needs to be established to inform the way the shared border will be managed. He also spoke to a concern raised by his B.D.F. commander over the long waiting time in receiving verifications from the Organization of American States as it pertains to incursions in Belize’s territory along border.

Florencio Marin Jr., Minister of National Security and Border Defense

“It is extremely important because we do share a border so that will not change. It is essential that we both are able to do our duties together and to will be even better if we coordinate how we try to maintain security in the Sarstoon.”

Reporter

“Are you concerned after they said they would increase patrols to stop incursions from BDF?”

Florencio Marin Jr.

“Their increasing patrols, how they do their operations that is not our issue, but we will never accede sovereignty. The Belize Defense Force, the ministry, this government has never compromised on the sovereignty of Belize. We will do our work. We are always in communication of OAS to be able to do these verifications remember it is part of the confidence building measure so we must, certain areas, particularly within the adjacency zones we have to get verification before we act on them. So, we will always continue on these operations. We also work with the OAS, informing them in order to get quick verification. Sometimes yes, they are slow, but we need the verification.”

P.U.P. To Make Announcement on Toledo East Convention

The People’s United Party will decide in the coming days about a convention to select a standard bearer in Toledo East. The seat in the division was left vacant when sitting Area Representative, Mike Espat, died on April twenty-second. Espat had fallen ill some months ago and up to the time of his death, was the Prime Minister’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment. Interestingly, the C.E.O. in that ministry, Doctor Osmond Martinez, has expressed his intention to run for the seat.

“I am really in need of help”

Manuela Rash and her children are homeless tonight. The family lost their house and belongings in a fire that erupted on Tuesday afternoon in Trio Village, Toledo District.

Rash told News Five “I lost my house and all my kids need and want I am really in need of help. everything was lost in my house with my beds, clothes, kitchenette stuff and etc.“

For now, Rash and her children are residing in the church’s kitchen.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

If you would like to assist, you can contact Rash at 665-8557. Deposits can be made to Belize Bank account number 103741010220001.

Police Constable Remanded for Unnatural Crime upon Minor

A police constable is spending his first night behind bars after he was denied bail on a charge of unnatural crime. The police officer has also been interdicted from active duty and will face disciplinary charges. Twenty-nine-year-old Marcus Che was arraigned today at the Punta Gorda Magistrate’s Court, where he was read the charge. He appeared undefended before the court and was denied bail. The magistrate ordered Che to return to court on June eleventh. The charge against him stemmed from an incident at the Punta Gorda Police Station in the wee hours of Sunday. Police say that the minor, a fifteen-year-old boy, accompanied by his mother, reported the matter on Tuesday. When he spoke with the media today, Commissioner Williams said he was disgusted when he learned about the incident.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“When I was brief of that matter yesterday, I was extremely disgusted of what transpired and more so, inside the police station. From what I was briefed is that Police Constable Marcus Che, who is assigned – or who was assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit in Punta Gorda Town, invited a young man of 15 years old to his office, and his office is located on the upper flat of the Punta Gorda Town police station. And in his office he performed anal sex with the 15-year-old. The 15-year-old and his father reported the matter to the police and Marcus Che has since been arrested and charged for unnatural crime and he has since been interdicted from duty. I think that it’s certainly threw a monkey wrench into the work that we have been doing to try and restore trust and confidence. It is going to take a very long time to restore that confidence for parents to want to send their children to the police station in Punta Gorda Town, but I want to assure the parents and the people of Punta Gorda Town that we are going to be doing all we can to make sure that this police officer is brought to justice and that there is no reoccurrence of this issue. I’m sure the public is going to be forgiving in terms of what transpired to know that we have a huge organization to run. And as much as we will try, we’ll never be able to control what each and every member of our department does. But what we can control is what we do in the aftermath of them committing themselves. And I think that we have had a very good track record in dealing with our own when they step out of line.”