Shyne Barrow Issues Cease-and-Desist to FB Blog, BNN

Former Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Belize News Network (BNN), accusing the Facebook blog of publishing false and defamatory statements regarding the surrender of his diplomatic passport.

The letter, sent by Pitts Pitts & Associates on Barrow’s behalf, demands the immediate removal of an article published on BNN’s Facebook blog on March 26, which allegedly claimed that Barrow refused to return his diplomatic passport and, in doing so, had stolen government property.

Barrow, through his attorneys, refutes these claims, stating that he voluntarily returned his diplomatic passport to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via his staff before the article was published. The legal team argues that BNN’s post was not only inaccurate but also intended to cause “intentional embarrassment and malicious harm” to Barrow’s reputation.

The cease-and-desist letter outlines the following demands:

1. Immediate removal of the allegedly defamatory statements from all media platforms.
2. A formal retraction and public apology approved by Barrow’s attorneys.
3. Payment of damages for reputational harm.
4. A commitment from BNN to refrain from publishing any further defamatory material about Barrow.

The letter warns that failure to comply within 14 days could lead to legal proceedings in Belize’s High Court. It also notes that BNN’s Facebook posts could be subject to penalties under the Belize Cyber Crimes Act.