A Belize City man was shot on Friday night over fifteen dollars that he reportedly owed. Reports are that Eugene Thompson was at his home in Belama Phase Five when a man known to him as Hubert Paqiul arrived at his house and told him that he came to collect the fifteen dollars owed. According to Thompson, he told Paqiul that he will pay him the following day, but Paqiul refused to leave. Thompson told police that he then went back inside to get some money for Paqiul. He alleges that when he returned to give Paqiul the money, twenty-seven-year-old Victor Parham fired one shot at him. According to Thompson, he ran back inside his house and jumped out of his room window to hide in a nearby bushy area until police arrived.
Victor Parham & Hubert Paquil
Police later detained Parham and Paqiul. Both of the accused men were arraigned in court today. Parham was charged for attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm. Paqiul was charged for the crime of abetment to commit murder. No plea was taken from them. Due to the nature of the offense, they were denied bail and remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until April nineteenth.
“On Friday the eighteenth day of February, 2024 around nine fifty p.m. police responded to a shooting at Belama phase 5. Upon arrival they saw Eugene Thompson with gunshot injuries to the body. He was taken to the KHMH where he was listed in a stable condition. Investigation reveals that Eugene Thompson was at his yard at the address when two male people came and fired at him. Two persons have been detained and arrested and charged, namely Victor Parham and Hubert Paqiul. Victor Parham was charged for attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and Hubert Paqiul was charged for the crime of abetment to commit murder.”
A Belize City man was shot outside a grocery store on Sunday afternoon in Belama Phase two. According to police, thirty-nine-year-old Reno Castillo was socializing in front of the store when he got into an argument with the proprietor. Police say the nephew of the owner pulled out a licensed firearm and shot Castillo to the leg.
“On Sunday the eighteenth day of February 2024 at three p.m., police responded to a shooting incident at a store in Belama. Upon arrival they found Reno Castillo with gunshot injury to the foot. Investigation is that Castillo was at the store outside when there was an altercation and at some point a Chinese national that was at the store fired one shot that caught Castillo to the foot. He was taken o the KHMH, treated and released. One person is in police custody pending investigation into this report.”
A high-speed police chase on the Burrell Boom Road led to a shootout between police and a group of men. Police officers had erected a checkpoint on the George Price Highway after receiving information that there were individuals onboard a public bus carrying a firearm. Officers later set chase after a white Geo Prism sought to evade the checkpoint. The vehicle reportedly made an abrupt stop near the Belize Central Prison. One person exited the car and began shooting at the officers. The officers immediately returned fire, says ACP Hilberto Romero.
“Hattieville Police were pursuing a white car on the Boom road. Somewhere along the prison area the car stopped and a male person came out the car firing shots towards the police mobile. There was an exchange of gun fire and thereafter the person got back into the car and they fled from the area. Police continued to chase and lost the vehicle somewhere on the Boom bridge area. The police vehicle received damages to the bonnet and the windshield. The car left the area and we did not locate it.”
One man is dead following a road traffic accident involving a taxi and a motorcycle on Saturday evening in Santa Elena Town. Twenty-seven-year-old Jorge Cocom was driving the taxi, while twenty-four-year-old Marvin Caceres was driving the motorcycle when both automobiles collided on George Price Avenue. Unfortunately, Caceres succumbed to his injuries. Cocom has since been served with a Notice of Intended Prosecution. We spoke with Marvin’s brother, Melvin Caceras, over the phone. We also heard from ACP Hilberto Romero about the incident.
On the phone: Melvin Caceras
On the phone: Melvin Caceras, Brother of Deceased
“Marvin just came from work. He passed my house and he and my next brother went to river to bath when I get a call saying that my little bro had an accident. I was in Benque and I came to Santa Elena and I saw the motroycle from my little bro and the vehicle of Jorge Cocom. He is a taxi driver. By that time I asked him what happened, he said he was going towards the car wash and my little brother was passing and he never saw them. He ran up into them. So I call my mom and she told me my little brother dead. Now Jorge Cocom he nuh get charged. He never get locked down. Now the problem is, they said why we pick up Marvin to take him to the hospital. They said we couldn’t pick him up. So, now ih look like they want to charge my cousin and wife because deh pick him up.”
“Police responded to reports of a fatal RTA at Santa Elena Town. Upon their arrival they saw a Toyota car with extensive damage. Also seen was a motorcycle with damages. The driver of the car was identified as Jorge Cocom and the drive of the motorcycle was identified as Marvin Caceras. Marvin Caseros was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. An investigation is being carried out at this time to determine if any charges will be levied.”
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize has written to the International Monetary Fund informing economist Jaime Guajardo that the umbrella organization is effectively boycotting all further consultations with the I.M.F. The decision by the N.T.U.C.B. follows the actions of the I.M.F. in which it has been treated, “as a checkbox. As a concerned global citizen who represents laborers, we are deeply troubled by the negative recommendations towards hard-working public sector workers, teachers, police, doctors, nurses, firemen, etc. The negative impact that the I.M.F.’s interventions have had on the working class, economies, and people of developing countries within the Caribbean and Latin American Region is of serious concern”. The letter to Guajardo goes on to say that the N.T.U.C.B., “aligns itself with the criticisms that the I.M.F.’s structural adjustment programs that impose harsh austerity measures on debtor nations, lead to widespread poverty, unemployment, and social unrest”.
Glenfield Dennison, the vice chair of the People’s Constitution Committee, has been elected to replace Senator Elena Smith in the upper house. On Saturday, the membership of the National Trade Union Congress met in Belmopan where two candidates, including longtime unionist Marvin Mora and Glenfield Dennison, faced each other for the soon-to-be vacant seat. It was a close race but in the end Dennison emerged victorious over his opponent by a single vote. On Friday, we announced that Elena Smith has submitted a letter of resignation from parliament, to come into effect on April first.
On Sunday afternoon in southern Belize, the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, along with representatives of the Attorney General’s Ministry, convened a meeting with residents of San Pedro, Columbia to discuss the Draft Maya Customary Land Policy. The public consultation was the first since the last time that a similar session was held in Punta Gorda on January twenty-seventh. The village is one of many recognized as an indigenous community in Toledo District, however, a majority of residents are not in favor of communal land. They attended the meeting, heard what was presented by the government officials and shared their views on what is being proposed. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with that story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
A customary land policy is important because it recognizes and validates traditional land rights and uses. It is necessary for ensuring tenure security, promoting sustainable practices, reducing conflicts, and facilitating development. A policy also provides a framework for sustainable land management practices that balance environmental, social, and economic needs. In southern Belize, the government has been meeting with various communities, including the village of San Pedro, Columbia, where representatives held their latest public consultation.
Andrew Marshalleck
Andrew Marshalleck, S.C., Attorney-at-law
“The Consent Order and the decision by Chief Justice Conteh back in 2008 both recognize that the rights of the Maya people to use land in the ways that they have customarily and historically used land is protected under the constitution. The form of protection it gets is that these rights, they constitute intangible property and the constitution protects this right to property.”
San Pedro, Columbia remains undecided when it comes to communal land rights. It is one of few Maya villages still on the fence regarding that controversial issue.
Resident 1
Resident 1, San Pedro, Columbia
“If we choose to go communal, it means that all those leases, all those titles are lost and it means that all the work that we’ve done on those farmlands is also lost because it becomes communal property. My question would be, what mechanism or mechanisms are envisioned to ensure that there is equitable distribution within the communal system because if you noh like somebody and you responsible fi distribute land, we know how that can go. And so, the becomes very important.”
The implementation of that Consent Order as mandated by the Caribbean Court of Justice, in affirming the decision of the Supreme Court, has been a long drawn-out process. It has also been a divisive course of action.
Andrew Marshalleck S.C.
“There’s a system for the state to recognize and certify where ownership lies and what it is saying is that in operating that system, you have to have regard to other people who are within those spaces and some fair way of deciding has to be established as to who gets what when more than one person is claiming the same space, even when it’s the village claiming that space. And the primary, the primary criteria for deciding those issues is who is in fact there using it.”
Customary land policies help secure land tenure for indigenous and local communities, which can lead to improved stewardship of the land and natural resources. Nonetheless, the idea of owning it collectively does not sit well with everyone.
Resident 1
“If it is for everybody, it is for nobody. So I think that in Columbia, there is already a system where people recognize who owns which piece, we respect that already and, therefore, I am asking, let us consider it very keenly because if we make the wrong decision then we’re going back to square one and all the investments that we have all made on our lands could potentially be lost.”
Clear policies on customary land rights can help prevent disputes over land use and access to natural resources. During the meeting held on Sunday, the question was raised whether past alcaldes of San Pedro, Columbia gave consent on behalf of the community to join as an interested party in the matter that was before the CCJ.
Resident 2, San Pedro, Columbia
“Has the government come across any affidavit signed by any alcalde of this community indicating that they are onboard with this case presented to the CCJ? And I can attest to it that Jorge Coc, the then alcalde at that time when all these things were coming up, did not sign. Brother Sylvestre Caal did not sign. If they did it, it was solely on their own without public consultation.”
On Saturday, the People’s United Party mobilized hundreds of supports from across the country and bused them into Belize City for a massive rally at the Memorial Park. It was a national event held by the ruling party to introduce all mayoral and councilor candidates ahead of the March sixth municipal elections. There were speeches, music and dance, as well as libations and the P.U.P. was in its glory. Addressing the crowd was Deputy Party Leader Cordel who acknowledged the importance of the people that his party serves.
Cordel Hyde
Cordel Hyde, Deputy Party Leader, P.U.P.
“Ah wahn tell mi ministers, ah wahn tell di mayors, ah wahn tell di would-be mayors and would-be councilors that we are nothing without the people. Dis da wahn serious elections, yoh know, cause dis elections da bout di future. Dis election da bout weh we want fu wih pikni, dis da weh we wahn fu wih families and communities. Dis da noh know play-play elections, dis da serious business. Dis da if we wahn turn back or we wahn stay pan trac. Dis da if yoh wahn more free education or yoh wahn more cement house and if yoh wahn more free education then yoh haffi stay pan track. If yoh wahn more NHI, yoh haffi stay pan track. If yoh wahn more cement house, yoh haffi stay pan track. If yoh wahn more land… There can be no turning back. We have to stay pan track wid di social justice ideals ah George Price because when we da George Price PUP nothing can go wrong. When we put di people first, nothing can go wrong. When we tek care ah di people weh need our help di most, nothing can go wrong. So we haffi stay pan track.”
Prime Minister John Briceño also took the stage a short while after and wasted no time in going after his political opponents. The considerable show of support is the People’s United Party in its prime and listening to the party leader from the podium, the P.U.P. is poised for another victory.
John Briceño, Party Leader, P.U.P.
“The UDP done di talk dat deh wahn get rid ah Shyne because dehn know dat Shyne cyant win no election fi di UDP. But I wahn mek di UDP know, mek ih be John Saldivar, mek ih be Patrick Faber, mek ih be Dean Barrow, mek ih be any UDP, that on March sixth, it doesn’t matter who leads the UDP because Belize will once again vote for the People’s United Party. We are going to go blue, blue, blue down the line. And ah sih Micho and Cayo North out here. I was with them last week and I have good news for you because Trapp di try trick di people da San Ignacio and Santa Elena. He once seh that he only wahn be mayor fi six years, but Trapp has been in the UDP town council for twenty-one years and everywhere we go now, their saying, we tyad a Trapp. We wahn beat Trapp fi di People’s United Party. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so proud to be leading this party because right now we are going to have nine exceptional candidates for mayor and in Belize City, guess what? Mayor Wagner is going to win once again for the People’s United Party.”
The thirty-eight annual James A. Waight award has been posthumously bestowed on Roy Matthew Miller. Miller, a former Peace Corps volunteer in his youth, is known as the founder of Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. He is also known as an advocate for watersheds and environmental education. The award, named in honor of Belize Audubon Society’s founding member James A. Waight, was presented to Matt’s widow Margaretha and their son, Eli Miller. Members of the Belize Audubon Society celebrated Miller’s work at a ceremony held on Friday. Today, we spoke with Amanda Acosta, the Executive Director at Belize Audubon Society, about this year’s awardee.
Amanda Acosta
Amanda Acosta, Exec. Dir., Belize Audubon Society
“This year, we held the thirty-eighth award ceremony. We gave the honor to Mr. Matthew Miller, Roy Matthew Miller. Unfortunately, it’s posthumously because he passed away last year after a health battle. He was a stalwart when it came to conservation of water resources, one of the first pioneers in study abroad, environmental education, using education as a financial source for protected areas and he really just was a believer in community work, being advocates for people, resources, wise use of resources. So everything has its time and we really felt that it was a timely award. We think that if Matt was alive, I don’t think that he would receive this. He would have said that there are much bigger things happening and more important people, but it speaks to his humility and what he did. He worked diligently, from the eighties, towards the goals of conservation in Belize. His family was honored. It was a bit emotional because it’s still a year since his parting and I think it was his wife, in her comments at the ceremony, made that it is for all the unsung heroes. And I think the James A. Waight is an opportunity for people to recognize those unsung heroes. We do know of a lot of work happening in Belize and I think every year is a case where we put out the call in October and I just sit back and say, well who are we gonna get this year? Sometimes we are surprised. We hear names of people we have never heard before who are working quite diligently in their communities. But a hard choice has to be made and that’s the difficulty.”
