Tag: 2024-02-02

Police to Charge Biscayne Father with Murder of Levan Aldana

Police have arrested and charged a man from Biscayne Village with the murder of Belize City resident, Levan Aldana Junior. Twenty-eight-year-old Arthur Hill, a construction worker, is the man who police believe stabbed Aldana to death on Wednesday night as they walked from Hill’s jobsite to a residence where their two girlfriends live. Today, head of the Eastern Division, A.C.P Hilberto Romero told the media that they received a call about the stabbing, found Aldana suffering from the stab wounds and took him to the K.H.M.H., where he died that night. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

 

                              Levan Aldana Jr.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Tonight, two sisters in Biscayne Village have children whose fathers have been taken away by crime. One is the girlfriend of the deceased, nineteen-year-old Levan Aldana Jr. and the other is the girlfriend of the accused, twenty-eight-year-old Arthur Hill. Both live in the same house and that was where Hill and Aldana were drinking on Wednesday night before they left the residence. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero told reporters today that it is the same information that the police have gathered.

 

Hilberto Romero

 

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

“Investigation revealed that Levan Aldana left a house in Biscayne along with one Arthur Hill and shortly thereafter, Levan Aldana returned with the injuries. The information we have got is that these two persons have an altercation from way back and every time they see each other and are consuming alcoholic beverages, they get into fights.”

 

 

 

A while after the men left the residence, they arrived at Hill’s job site, a ranch situated a few hundred yards away on the Philip Goldson Highway. His boss, who spoke with the media off camera, said it was apparent that the men were drinking but they weren’t arguing when they went there.

 

 

 

Voice of: Arthur Hill’s Employer

 

Voice of: Arthur Hill’s Employer

“They never made a argue. The only thing they made a talk about that apparently two of them made a have, two of them made a mad at them.  Because he didn’t tell dih, young boy that, if he didn’t get the trip for him. And the young boy didn’t tell him if he didn’t get the trip for him, because he didn’t want to give her no money. That would be the conversation they would have.”

 

 

 

The two sister’s mother, Delvorine Dominguez said that the incident was not spurred from any dispute involving her daughters.

 

                    Delvorine Dominguez

Delvorine Dominguez, Mother-in-law of the accused & the deceased

“I just nuh want nobody to blame my daughter and say my daughter set it up because my daughter not set it up because right now, my daughter is very traumatized. And they got it on Facebook, the rumors go wrong. They spread that my daughter set it up, my daughter would have never ever set up nobody for kill Levan.”

 

Both the accused and the deceased have children with their respective girlfriends in Biscayne Village. Marion Ali for News Five.

Elderly Corozal Taxi Driver Goes Missing Without a Trace  

A body was found today on the outskirts of Corozal Town. Sketchy reports are that the body was discovered behind a newly-built Mormon church on the Santa Rita Road this afternoon. Police have not released any information thus far on this discovery or the identity of the person as forensic experts left the scene late this evening. They have confirmed, however, that the body is not that of missing Corozal taxi driver, Rosalito Pacheco, who has not been seen since Wednesday when he left home to do a taxi run. Eastern Division Head, A.C.P Hilberto Romero share with the media today what they have on the missing taxi man.

 

                           Hilberto Romero

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

“On Thursday, the 1st of February, 2024, Marli Mo report her Kamala husband, Rosa Pacheco missing.  She reported he left in his gold Toyota car to do taxi runs.  from Wednesday and has not returned since.  Efforts have been made to locate him.  His phone has been called and he is not responding. Several searches are being conducted to try and locate him, but so far he has not been found, nor has the car been found.”

 

Marion Ali

“Did he say where he was leaving to do his run?”

 

A.C.P Hilberto Romero

“No, he left to do his regular runs within Corozal.”

 

Marion Ali

“Had he, prior to him going missing, complained to anybody or told the police that anybody was troubling him or had he received threats?”

 

A.C.P Hilberto Romero

“No, not that we know of. No, we have no such report.”

High Court Hands Down a Life Sentence for Marlon Everett

A life sentence has been handed down by Justice Candance Nanton in a murder case involving thirty-three-year-old Marlon Everett.  He was convicted of murder in the shooting death of Albert Johnson which occurred in April 2018.  In imposing the life sentence, Everett was informed that he will not be eligible for parole until he has served twenty-eight years in prison.  Johnson was shot and killed while he was walking ahead of two other persons on Regent Street.  According to the main witness, Everett was walking approximately six feet behind Johnson when he, the Crown’s witness, pushed his hand inside his pants, produced a firearm and handed it to Everett who crept up behind Johnson and fired two shots, fatally injuring him.  Despite the murder being captured on surveillance footage, the identity of the shooter was not clear.  A police officer was also called as a witness who testified to being able to identify the gunman as Everett, after recognizing him from the footage.  Everett’s sentence takes effect retroactively, from April twenty-first, 2018.

Man Charged for Manslaughter After Driving Drunk

Last night, we reported on the tragic passing of Kenrick Castillo, a forty-six-year-old Dangriga resident who died after a vehicle crashed into his home where he slept, causing the building to collapse on top of him. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Michael Logan who has since been arrested and charged for manslaughter and driving under the influence. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the story.

 

Britney Gordon, reporting

On Wednesday, a vehicle was captured speeding down the road by surveillance cameras at J-mart Store in Dangriga. The video depicts the black jeep travelling at high speeds and capturing the attention of the security guard on duty. This was later identified to be a vehicle driven by Michael Logan, who was under the influence and accompanied by two passengers at the time.  Logan reportedly lost control of the vehicle, crashing it into Kenrick Castillo’s home, resulting in his death. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero stated that Logan has since been arrested and charged.

 

 

 

                             Hilberto Romero

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

“Wednesday, thirty-first of January, 2024, around eleven-thirty p. m. Police responded to fatal accident on Saint Vincent Street, Dangriga. Upon arrival, they saw a Jeep Patriot vehicle extensively damaged. The driver was identified as Michael Logan, who reported he lost control of the vehicle and slammed into the part of a building in the area.  At the time, a e mail person identified as Kenrick Castillo was inside that building and he was taken for medical treatment and he succumbed to his injuries. Michael Logan has since been arrested and charged for the crimes of manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct, a drove motor vehicle with alcohol concentration above the prescribed limit,  a drove motor vehicle without due care and attention.”

 

                              Kenrick Castillo

 

Reporter

“I know in America they have, I think Vehicular homicide that I know we don’t have here. But I guess you catch out to anything else. Mr. Castillo… was in his home, is there any other offense that can be put onto the factory? “

 

 

 

A.C.P. Hilberto Romero

 “No. There is no other offense that he can be charged for. That is the maximum that can be done because it stems from a traffic accident.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.

PM Weighs in on Maya Land Tension in Toledo  

Tensions have been high in Toledo District over G.O.B.’s draft Maya Land Tenure Policy. At the start of the week, we took you to Santa Elena Village and Punta Gorda Town where the Toledo Alcaldes Association, the Maya Leaders Alliance and the government’s consultation team were holding simultaneous public discussions. Several village leaders, from Maya communities across the south, have also released video statements rejecting the draft policy. One leader went as far as tearing up the document on camera. Today, reporters asked Prime Minister Briceño to weigh in on the tension in the Toledo.

 

               Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I am very disappointed that that leader acted that way. It is so unbecoming of that leader and that leader was very shriddled and making all kinds of accusations that if he were to look at what the CCJ has done, the CCJ has praised our government for working forward. We already have the FPIC and we are going through the entire consultation from village to village extensively. Sometimes to the frustration of the Cabinet who may feel that this needs to come, you know there are so many issues to be addressed and that behavior will not bode well in building good will from both sides because you also have a lot of Belizeans, indigenous people that feels differently than what they believe. And so as a responsible government we have to find a compromise that works for everyone.”

 

Paul Lopez

“How do you interpret what they interpret as a restriction to the amount of lands that they would be able to apply for as customary lands?”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We have to come up with something that is workable. We can’t just tell them we will give them a blank check and tek what you want. Obviously that will not work. They might decide they want not only the Toledo District, but the Stann Creek District, who knows. It is important to be able to set some sort of parameters and within those parameters you negotiate. Having set parameters doesn’t mean it cannot be changed; it cannot be made larger or smaller. But something has to be set to start the discussion and I think Minister Dolores, I must commend her for the work that she has been doing, went through great pains to explain to the national assembly that these are not etched in stone. Let us see where in certain areas we may need to extend and bring it a bit smaller but it is also important wherever these villages want to claim a certain amount of land they would have to prove that it has been under customary use with the indigenous people.”

PM Says MLA/TAA Spoke Out of Turn  

PM Briceño was also asked for his thoughts on the Maya Leaders Alliance’s actions in the south. Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, is on record saying that the MLA is riling up villagers unnecessarily. So, does the prime minister believe that the MLA and TAA enjoy the confidence of the majority of villagers in the forty-one Maya communities in Toledo? Here is what he told us.

 

                Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I don’t think that is necessarily true. It can be debated whether they represent the majority or not because there are a lot of indigenous people that say I want my land. SO as a government we have to make that delicate walk to walk with everybody. Minister Dolores has the full confidence of the Cabinet to be able to address these issues. She is doing a good job. I would have to step in if there was a crisis but there is not. There is constant dialogue and action being taken in good faith on both sides except this time when I think the leader really spoke out of turn.”

 

Reporter

“But in their press conference they said that they feel much disrespected that the minister didn’t go to meet them in Santa Elena. They said that they would find you guys in your office, go to you anywhere, even in Belmopan. Are you concerned that it might end up like caneros where they are blocking the highway?”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Well I can give them my address, it is number two Dunn Street, and they are welcome to Orange Walk to visit me anytime they want. But this is not how it works. Not because you say come to Santa Elena we have to come there, come on. We have been meeting regularly and why would you go into an area where you have a few hundred people that are not happy. You will go into a shouting match and that does not make sense. We need to be removed from that area where people will respond rationally.”

PM Briceño to U.D.P. Lead Senator, “Precedents Have Been Set”.  

Earlier this week, on Wednesday, Senator Michael Peyrefitte criticized the Briceño administration over the absence of a government minister in Senate. Senator Peyreffitte argued that the Government of Belize is in contravention of the Senate’s Standing Orders, following the resignation of Senator Eamon Courtenay as a minister. He contended that certain motions and bills cannot be passed through the upper house without a minister in the Senate. Today, we asked the Prime Minister for a response to Senator Peyrefitte’s comments.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I could say a lot of things about the opposition’s chairman but I will answer straight. If he was to look back in history it was the United Democratic Party government that had Fred Martinez as the leader of government business in Senate and also had him attend Cabinet meetings for that same reason. In our instance it slightly different in that we maintained Senator Courtenay, maybe he is afraid to debate Senator Courtenay and wants to get him out of Senate, but Senator Courtenay has the confidence of our government and is prepared to serve our government as the leader of government business. So there is nothing more to it.”

 

Paul Lopez

“But the fact that he is no longer a minister, does that not pose a challenge to the standing orders.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I don’t think you listened to what I said earlier, the first government to do that was the UDP government between 1993 and 1998 when they had the late Fred Martinez came in and he was the leader of government business and they give him Cabinet privileges so it is a precedents that has been set.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Sir, you are saying in colloquial terms, do suh nuh like do suh, but basically two wrongs don’t make one right.”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Who said it wrong. Just because he said that? Please man, like I always say if I need a lawyer that is certainly not the person I am going to use.”

Opposition Leader Questions PM on Crown Counsel Salary Adjustment  

At the start of today’s Sitting of the House of Representatives, Leader of the Opposition Moses “Shyne” Barrow asked Prime Minister John Briceño for an update on the approved salary adjustment for Crown Counsels. His question was, when will the Crown Counsel get paid the salary adjustment approved by the Barrow government many years ago, which was finally passed in the supplementary bill in December. The questions led to a back and forth between both party leaders. Here is how that played out.

 

               Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“You know the heart of hypocrisy, when they say you have the face of brass. This leader of the opposition comes and asks when we are going to make a payment in 2012.”

 

Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“Madam speaker on a point of order madam speaker, the standing order clear talks about irrelevance. We don’t need a history lesson. The question is, when will they be paid. That is a simple question. You cannot allow him to abuse this authority.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I am answering the question. It is important to give the entire history of how this came about and he don’t want to hear the truth cause the promises of 2012 and to now this PUP government is making the payment. He have the face of brass to ask when we will make the payment and he came here and voted against us paying these people.”

 

Shyne Barrow

“That is a lie, how can he say I voted against it.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“You voted against it, you voted against the supplementary. You voted against it. You show me where you voted yes.”

When Will Stevedores Receive Sugar Redundancy Funds from Tribunal Ruling?

The Leader of the Opposition’s also asked Oscar Requena, the Minister of Labor, to say when the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal’s ruling on sugar redundancy payments for stevedores will take effect. The ruling was handed down in 2022, in favor of the Christian Workers Union. But, those stevedores are yet to be compensated in accordance with the tribunal’s ruling. So, what has been the hold up? Minister Requena sought to explain.

 

Oscar Requena, Minister of Labor

“My grandmother use to tell me and I appreciated and heeded her advice, that humility takes you a long way. Humility is the quality of a good leader as well. What we see the leader of opposition displaying shows that he has a great deficiency in humility. I stand before you to address the question raised by the leader of the opposition regarding the enforcement of the essential services tribunal award on the matter of the stevedores of the Port of Belize Limited regarding sugar redundancy payment. Allow me to provide a comprehensive overview of the events that have transpired leading up to the current circumstance. In July 2021 the CWU brought forth a trade dispute to the Ministry of Labor encompassing concerns of the redundancy package to stevedores. It was referred to the tribunal and the tribunal issued its oral award on January twenty-seventh 2022, followed a written award on March thirtieth 2022 directing both the CWU and Port of Belize to engage in negotiations to determine terms of payment for the redundancy package. Despite the tribunal’s directive the award was not adhered to prompting the ministry’s intervention in facilitating negotiations.”

Is Collin Francis Fit to Stand Trial for Murder?

A competency hearing to determine whether Collin Francis Junior is eligible to stand trial for the murder of Nestor Vasquez Junior continued today before Justice Nigel Pilgrim.  The High Court judge called on Virgilio Murillo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kolbe Foundation, to testify on the conditions of the Belize Central Prison should Francis be deemed unfit to stand trial.  Assurances must be given that Francis will be kept in a safe environment and that the C.E.O. must be able to determine where that safe space is.  On November twenty-fifth, 2019, Collin Francis Junior was arraigned for the murder of sixty-year-old Nestor Vasquez Junior who was beaten to death inside a holding cell at the Queen Street Police Station.  That incident happened on June sixth, 2019 when Vasquez and Francis, both diagnosed with mental illness, were placed inside a cell while in police custody.  Vasquez was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but succumbed to his injuries two days later.

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