Tonight, a twenty-six-year-old call center agent is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after pleading guilty to intentionally transmitting an image of woman’s private parts without her consent. He is Brian Perriott Junior, a resident of Belize City. Perriott is accused of sending images of a twenty-year-old woman’s breasts and genitals to another individual. When he appeared before a magistrate in the lower court earlier today Perriott owned to having committed the offence. The woman, also a call center agent, reported to police that she ended a relationship with Perriott on June sixth via a Microsoft Teams App. Four days later, she received a Facebook message from another account whose profile picture was that of Brian Perriott. She opened the message and played a video that the individual had sent to her. It showed her lying in bed naked, it also showed Perriott’s hand in the video. Despite blocking her ex-boyfriend on social media, he reportedly created another profile and posted the nude images. When she inquired how he got access to her other accounts, Perriott allegedly threatened to shoot up her home with her family members inside. Perriott is now facing a sentence of up to five years in prison for the offense which falls under the Cyber Crimes Act. Perriott remains on remand until a sentence is handed down on July ninth.
Tag: 2024-07-05
Wil Maheia is Nominated as P.N.P.’s Toledo East Candidate
Amidst preparations for Hurricane Beryl, you may have missed that on Tuesday, the three candidates vying for the seat in Toledo East were officially nominated. They are Wil Maheia, of the People’s National Party, Doctor Osmond Martinez, of the People’s United Party, and Dennis Williams, of the United Democratic Party. On July seventeenth, one candidate will be selected as the Toledo East Area Representative. Today, we spoke with Wil Maheia to find out how he feels about placing his name on the ballot sheet as the day of the bye-election approaches.
Wil Maheia, P.N.P. Candidate, Toledo East
“That’s usually a great feeling to know that your name is on the ballot. You’re one of the persons that will more than likely be the representative for Toledo East. My people that came out and supported me, there are a wide range of people. And I believe that these people have faith in me, and that’s why they came out to support me, and it was so great to be out there, and for the first time, I believe in the history of nominations, that a so-called third party was the first party to get nominated, and again, that’s because of the leadership that I bring. These things also don’t happen, you have to speak up, and you have to try and get things done. I have been involved for a long time now. And I’m born and raised here in the Toledo district. So all my energies have been focused in the Toledo district, and I entered the race because I believe that I could contribute more than what I have already contributed to the Toledo district and especially to Toledo East. I decided to run as a member of the People’s National Party because I believe that Belizeans are just tired of the two-party system, and they want an alternative, and I believe that I’m a viable alternative. And you know, that’s one of the questions I’m asked the most. If you win, you’re only a one person party only candidate that would not be a P.U.P. or U.D.P. But I believe my record has shown that I can work across party lines. When the U.D.P. was in, I worked with them. When the P.U.P. is in, I have a really good relationship with them. I believe that the prime minister of this country is about forty people and will listen to whoever the people want. I believe that once elected, Me, I can work with this government to get things done and I’ve done that without being elected and I want to continue to do that.”
B.E.B.L. Appeals Committee Decides on Controversial Finals Game 3
The Belize Elite Basketball League’s 2024 finals between the Benny’s Belize Hurricanes and the Belize City Defenders remain in Limbo. Tonight, when a possible game five would have been played, there is no confirmed date for the series to resume. After the Hurricanes protested the results of the Defender’s game three win, the matter ended up in the hands of the league’s protest committee. The committee ruled in favor of the Hurricanes. The Defenders then decided to take the matter up to the league’s appeals committee. But the question on the mind of every B.E.B.L. fan is, when will the finals resume? Well, we spoke with B.E.B.L. Commissioner Glenn Gill who informed us that the appeals committee has decided that the controversial game three will be replayed.
Glenn Gill, B.E.B.L. Commissioner
“Actually yesterday there was a decision made from the Appeals Committee that the game would be played over. But unfortunately, the Volleyball Association will use the court for two weeks. So we wont have the use of the court until the twenty-sixth of July. So that is when we will play over game three.”
Paul Lopez
“So, the decision of the appeals committee is to have the game played over?”
Glenn Gill
“Yes, because they looked at all the literature, the game, the game clips, they decided it would be unfair to play the game from where there was a disruption. And, it would not be fair for both teams. So, they decided it is best to just play over the game.There are two committees in the league, a protest/disciplinary committee and a tribunal. In my opinion both have people who have legal mind and both have people who know basketball. Last year we had some up and downs with a decision. But this year before the tournament started decided that whatever the tribunal says is the last word is the last word. So whatever they decide we will go with it.”
How Twins Received the Gift of Life
This month, we’re bringing you stories of individuals who have undergone life-saving medical procedures. While life-and-death situations are common, one organization has made it their mission to save the lives of minors each year. Gift of Life Belize, an initiative of the Rotary Club of Belize, is dedicated to ensuring that children with congenital heart defects receive the gift of life. This entirely voluntary effort highlights the pressing need for accessible medical care and resources in Belize where congenital heart defects are concerned. Sabreena Daly tells us more in this week’s Look on the Bright Side.
Bianca Domingo, Mother
“I take two hours to clean my house and they can trash it in five minutes. And before the surgery, they were not, they were not that active. So even though I get tired cleaning up after them, I’m so happy that they’re very active now.”
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
These two active babies, Bianca Domingo refers to, are now fast asleep missing out on their television debut of how they experienced a medical procedure that saved both of their lives. Jossiah and Leah are one-year-old twins.
“Leah’s the boss. She’s very bossy, but she’s such a loving baby. And Josiah, he’s just active and very playful. But both of them are sweet babies.”
Whether fraternal or identical, the bond shared as twins can only be understood if you are one. But this pair of fraternal twins, Jossiah and Leah, had a connection much deeper than their genetic ties. They were connected from the heart. Their mother would learn how serious this was when she discovered that her son was born with holes in his heart.
“So I went to the appointment at the Lions Club and I took Josiah first. And the doctor asked me why I had Josiah at 33 weeks. I explained to him that there were twins and sometimes twins don’t go the full term.”
Yvette Burks, Chairperson, Gift of Life Belize Project
“He said, hold on, you have twins. And she said, yes. And he said, could you please go home and bring the baby girl? And she said, why? And he said, because it’s frequent that if you have a pair of twins and one has a congenital heart defect, the other one might too. So she actually went back for the baby girl, and brought the baby girl to the clinic. And we saw the baby girl.”
One in every one hundred children is born with a form of congenital defect and heart disease is the most prevalent of them. While there are numerous theories as to what causes the medical condition, unattended cases can quickly become fatal. Yvette Burks is the chairperson of Gift of Life Belize, an initiative of the Belize Rotary Club.
“In developed countries, many of those cases are rushed into surgery if it’s urgent, or they’re watched until they’re the size where the surgery is best, and surgery is done, no questions asked. In our country, the average child, if it’s something that needs surgical intervention, would live until they die, simply because they were born in the wrong geographical location. And we at the Rotary Club of Belize’s Gift of Life Belize believe that every child deserves a chance for a happy and healthy future. And that is our objective.”
“There are very few conditions that we cannot help. It’s beyond help. And those are so sad, but there are so many conditions that we can help and the specialists that we bring in are able to tell us exactly what’s wrong with the child and whether or not surgery or some kind of procedure will be able to correct the problem and help us to prioritize that list. We’re able to partner through our network and it’s quite extensive at this stage to get the children the care that they need surgically either here in Belize now at the cat lab, because we also bring in our cardiologists to do corrective procedures here at the cat lab.”
This year, Bianca Domingo was one of those parents who got aid for her two babies, Jossiah in Belize and Leia in Texas.
“Two of Josiah’s holes closed a couple months after, but the P.D.A. was still open. Her PDA was still open as well. I believe a few months after that, a doctor came in from the United States and they did a procedure at the KHMH in the cat lab on both of them. However, it worked on Josiah, but it did not work on Leah.”
“He was able to get his closed here. This was in February. And they went in to do layers, and they did the procedure as far as they could, but when they did her measurements, it turned out that she had, for lack of a better term, kind of a strange entrance to where they needed to place the little device that would have closed that hole. That made it a dangerous procedure to attempt here in Belize.”
“Basically they assist me with almost everything. where to stay, with a host family, and the surgery and the hospital. They are actually connected to another group in Texas that is called Heart Gift. So they work together in aiding families that need assistance with these kinds of situations.”
Rotary’s Gift of Life program is essential for patients in need. While Belize is slowly expanding its medical resources, severe heart defects often require multiple surgeries, lifelong medications, and preventative measures to maintain heart function and overall health. For some, a heart transplant is their only hope.
“The big message really is that there is one in every one hundred live births with a heart problem. It could be your child, it could be your grandchild, it could be your niece or nephew. There will be a baby born in every hundred live births, whether you live in Belize or Japan or the U. S. or Korea, it doesn’t matter where you live. So we have worked very hard to foster these relationships, which can afford our children to have their gift of life saving surgery so that they can come back to Belize and live happy, healthy and productive lives.”
Domingo recognizes that had she not accessed this service, her twins may have been living a very different lives and her family may have been two members short.
“I don’t believe they would have made it to two years old. So it’s really hard. They really save their lives, you know.”
The twins’ progress will be monitored over the next five years and they are expected to go on to live normal lives. Looking on the Bright Side, Im Sabreena Daly.
To support or learn more on the works being done through the gift of life, visit gift of life belize dot org.
Belize Carnival Association Gets $20,000
Today, the National Celebrations Commission (NCC), demonstrated its commitment to the upcoming 2024 Carnival Road March by presenting a donation of twenty thousand Belize dollars to the Belize Carnival Association. This financial support aims to bolster preparations for mas camps and the vibrant celebrations scheduled for September 7.
This year’s official theme for the 43rd Anniversary of Belize’s Independence is ‘A Nation Proud and Free: Belize@43.’ The NCC announced in June that this year’s new carnival route will start near Memorial Park, via Marie Parade, Barrack Road, Princess Margaret Drive and ending at the Marion Jones Sporting Complex with the judging area designated on the entire length of Digi Park.
According to the NCC, “After experiencing logistical challenges over recent years, the Commission explored several alternative routes to find the best option to eliminate these challenges.” The commissioner said that two test runs were conducted with the “police and the association recommended this route as it addressed the standing logistical concerns and offered an excellent opportunity for an enhanced carnival experience.”
US and Panama Sign Deal to Curb Migration Through Darien Gap
The United States and Panama have signed an agreement to significantly curb the flow of migrants traveling through the Darien Gap which is a dangerous jungle between Colombia and Panama. The Darien Gap is the only land route to the US from South America. The announcement came on Monday, coinciding with the inauguration of Panama’s new President, Jose Raul Mulino.
During his first speech as president, Mulino highlighted the severe humanitarian and environmental crisis caused by the massive influx of migrants through the Darien jungle, “I won’t allow Panama to be an open path for thousands of people who enter our country illegally, supported by an international organization related to drug trafficking and human trafficking,” DW reported.
Despite its dangerous nature, the Darien Gap has become a preferred pathway for hundreds of thousands of migrants travelling to the US borders. DW reported that “Last year, a record 520,000 migrants, including thousands of children, traversed the perilous corridor by foot. More than 190,000 people have crossed so far in 2024, with most migrants hailing from Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, and China. The route grew in popularity in recent years as smugglers made it an affordable pathway for hundreds of thousands of people.”
The agreement, signed by US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, includes provisions for the US to cover the costs of repatriating migrants who enter Panama illegally.
Latin America Remittance Growth Decreased in 2023
A report from the World Bank states that for the Caribbean region, remittance flows declined in 2023.
It said, “In Latin America and the Caribbean, remittance growth in 2023 slowed to 7.7%, reaching $156 billion, bolstered by a robust U.S. labour market. Mexico remained the top recipient with $66.2 billion, a 7.8% increase. Growth varied widely, from a 44.5% rise in Nicaragua to a 13.4% decline in Argentina. Remittance flows are expected to grow by 2.7% in 2024, with the average cost of sending $200 remaining at 5.9%, similar to the previous year.”
The Dominican Republic, Haiti, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and St. Lucia reported increased remittance inflows over 2022. Countries with no change included Guyana, Barbados, St. Maarten, Aruba, Antigua and Barbuda, and the Cayman Islands. Jamaica, Curacao, The Bahamas, Suriname, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Dominica recorded declines in remittances.
As remittances gain significance, precise data collection is crucial for advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals aimed at reducing costs and enhancing transaction volumes. Yet, current statistical data remains inconsistent and incomplete. The disparity between inbound and outbound remittance flows globally has expanded, primarily due to informal channels like migrants carrying cash when returning home.
Remittance refers to the transfer of money by a foreign worker to an individual, typically a family member, in their home country. These funds are a crucial source of income for many households in developing countries, helping to support their basic needs such as food, housing, education, and healthcare.
19 Bodies Found in Chiapas Amid Cartel Violence
(MEXICO CITY, July 2) Mexican officials are investigating a grisly scene in La Concordia, Chiapas, where they discovered 19 bodies after videos surfaced on social media showing a dumper truck filled with corpses. The victims, all male and clad in black tactical vests, were found in and around the truck, with most of the bodies inside and three on a nearby dirt track. All had been shot.
The Chiapas prosecutor’s office was alerted to a video on June 28, showing men identifying as members of the Sinaloa cartel displaying the bodies and claiming they were from a rival gang operating near the Guatemala-Mexico border. The next day, locals discovered the bodies and informed authorities. The victims were likely members of a group they identified as the “Chiapas and Guatemala cartel.”
The Mexican government has deployed the National Guard and army to the area, but locals feel abandoned, noting that cartels return as soon as federal forces leave.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attributed the violence to cartel activity, including drug and human trafficking. He promised a thorough investigation and increased security in Chiapas. The Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel are embroiled in a turf war over lucrative smuggling routes, forcing many to flee their homes last January.
The UK Has a New Prime Minister Following Landslide Win for Labour Party
Labour has achieved a landslide victory in the UK general election. The new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, promised to guide the nation towards “calmer waters” in his inaugural address. Starmer is now assembling his cabinet and has appointed the UK’s first-ever female finance minister.
Sir Keir Starmer is the UK’s new prime minister following a landslide general election victory by the Labour Party. The Conservative Party suffered a dramatic collapse after 14 years in power, losing 250 seats in a devastating night. Outgoing PM Rishi Sunak accepted responsibility for the result and announced his upcoming resignation as party leader.
In his first speech as prime minister, Sir Keir vowed to lead a “government of service” and initiate a period of “national renewal,” emphasising the need to address insecurity and promising immediate work on change.
Labour won 412 seats, the Conservatives dropped to 121, and the Liberal Democrats secured 71 seats. Reform UK and the Green Party each gained four seats. Labour’s success was partly due to the collapse of the Scottish National Party, which fell to nine seats.