2024-08-06 - Channel 5 Belize

Armed Hold-up Ends in Deadly Shooting of Suspect

An intruder was shot and killed during a brazen armed robbery at around eleven-thirty this morning in Belize City. The incident happened near the Cinderella Plaza at the Cambranes Building, which houses several businesses on the lower flat. The holdup did not go according to plan for the three men, who, we understand, got away with some keys, but in the process, one of them was shot dead. News Five’s Marion Ali was at the scene and filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

It was not business as usual today for Casa Churro at the Cambranes Building on Freetown Road. Sometime around eleven-thirty this morning, a small car pulled up and three men stepped out. One of them, armed with a gun, accosted the proprietor outside of the bakery. The gunman shoved the businessman in the door and that was what caught the attention of someone we spoke with at the scene.

Voice of: Eyewitness

“I mi di sit and dem just come here and dehm shub ah pahn the burglar bar and one gone with him and dehn put up the shutters and then they put him in [the door] and then some noise mi happen then the next one mi gone eena the vehicle and he get some things and just run weh. And his lee son mi come and tell me fi call police then da right deh we call the police and da right deh dem mi come.”

Marion Ali

“So they got away with anything as far as –“

Voice of: Eyewitness

“I nuh really sure if they got away with something, but I think dehn get his key or something because dem mi gone eena the vehicle and I heard he never find out his key again.”

Quick police response led to the apprehension of the two accomplices and the driver, in the car they used to carry out the crime. Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams told reporters this evening what the police found when they arrived at the scene.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Police responded to the area where, upon arrival, they met a male person who had complained to them, and they also saw the lifeless body of a male person in a yard with what appeared to be gunshot wounds. Police also responded to the immediate area where they also intercepted a taxi and inside the taxi contained two individuals plus the driver. Those two individuals in the vehicle were identified as Maleek Chavez and Leroy Garoy. The person who was found at the scene has been identified as one Leroy Smith.”

ComPol Williams provided additional details, including the fact that investigators are treating the incident as an aggravated burglary.

Chester Williams

“Information suggests that the three persons, um, had gone to rob this place and in the process the person who occupies that premises, relieved the gunman of his weapon and fatally shot him. After that occurred, the next individual jumped into a taxi and made good their escape. But thankfully, the quick response of the police, they were able to be detained, not too far away. And, a search of them revealed the discovery of a cell phone and a bangles, which are items that are stolen during the – well, the call was about a robbery in progress, but actually it’s a aggravated burglary report. And the two individuals are in custody along with the taxi man, and police are conducting interviews. We believe that they’re going to be charged.”

The incident happened just before the lunch hour, when traffic at the intersection gets even busier. It took the coordinated efforts of several police officers at the location to divert traffic away from the scene, while keep the traffic free flowing. Marion Ali For News Five.

21-Year-Old Belize City Resident Shot Dead In L.A.

A twenty-one-year-old Belize City resident was shot dead in the United States. Jermaine Terry migrated to Los Angeles, California when he was nineteen to further his education. He later left school and began working, while living with his father. Over the weekend, Terry, his father and another individual were on their way home when they reportedly knocked down an individual. In the process of rendering aid, Terry and his relatives were ambushed by residents in the area. An armed individual opened fire on Terry, fatally wounding him. News Five’s Paul Lopez sat down with his mother in Belize City. Here is that report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Twenty-one-year-old Jermaine Terry migrated to the United States just over a year ago. Early Sunday morning, he was heading home with his father and another relative after a night out. We spoke with his grieving mother who resides in Belize City. She explained that her son left Belize to study and to escape the gang violence that was taking over his community.

Voice of: Cynthia Terry, Mother of Deceased

“My son mih wah better off his life you know. We took him out from here to avoid him getting caught up. He got his visa and an opportunity to study abroad. He left. You know teenagers want to try other stuff and something did not go correct. He got a job and was doing his job and he said mom whenever I could I will go back to school, but sometimes teenagers rebel or want to live up their lives and feel like they the miss out.”

According to Terry’s mother, he was working at a restaurant in Los Angeles where he resided with his father. On the morning of his unfortunate demise, Terry and the other two passengers in the vehicle were reportedly involved in an accident during which they had knocked down an individual. That incident escalated into an altercation with residents in the area.

Cynthia Terry

“My husband, a cousin and my son went to some family. They had a little house party or something, but then my son told them that they knew about a little place where they wanted him to pass, a little club or something like that. They were there and they passed and a little bit before three o’clock and when my husband pulled up around a curve a young man walked in front of the vehicle and like the vehicle hit the person. So, he come out to render aid, they jumped out and by the time they came out to render aid, the young man gets badly hurt, they just swarm on them and they start to kick up my husband and he passed out. My son defends himself, gets beat up.”

According to Cynthia Terry, her son attempted to defend himself while being attacked. He reportedly tried to run away from the scene when a gunman opened fire and shot him in the back.

Cynthia Terry

“My son he run, and I know my son saw something fih mek he run, because he nuh wah back down. He dah nuh wah fighter, but he nuh wah run. But I know he saw something, an object or something. And that is why I know my son saw a gun and when he ran he got shot in the back. I do not know the extent of my son, they said that he was beaten in the face and all of that. I haven’t seen him as yet. I have to see to believe but they chance my son out of his life. The area where they were was a gang area and I think because they knock the young man they just took matters in their own hand they just swerved on them and took their anger out.”

The grief-stricken mother is left to grapple with the fact that her son lost his life to the same gun violence in the U.S. that he fled from in Belize.

Cynthia Terry

“I nuh know how to say about that because I see how things the reach in my neighborhood, more closer and I don’t want them to get caught up, but instead of trying to put them to safety, sometimes we put them into more danger.”

In Belize, Jermaine Terry was known to many as an avid athlete with a promising future. His mother described him as a jovial person with a vibrant personality. The family now awaits an investigation to be concluded before his body can be returned home for burial.

Cynthia Terry

“My son loved sports from he was a kid. He went to Viannie, Naz, every school he went my son always tried to enroll himself in sport because he loved sport. He is a fun kid, so fun. He always make the crowd laugh, a joker, like dance, but he is a loving person. Like every other kid he has his good and bad, but I always say my son is a darling.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

“No Witness, No Justice.”

The Belize Police Department is working towards reducing the number of unresolved murder cases in the country. According to Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, there is a backlog of open cases that remain unresolved for a multitude of reasons, primarily a lack of key witnesses. Williams says that most cases would arrive at a resolution earlier if witnesses appeared before the court; however, he explains that the department is working diligently to find other means of bringing these cases to justice.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Many a times we have, even though we might have a tight case in terms of evidence, a case is only as good as the investigation. In order to make an arrest and a prosecution is only as good as the witnesses that comes before the court. Say you have, for example, mister Pandi, who is a witness in a murder. He gave a very good statement to the police in terms of him witnessing what took place. On the day of trial, mister Pandi refused to come to court and testify before the court. What is going to happen? No witness, no justice. So because of that, we are seeing that a number of the cases have fallen through the courts and even though sometimes they The response from the public is that the police conduct co investigation or the DPP office do not prosecute. It is not a matter of that. It’s a matter of the fact that the witnesses do not come to court. So what we have done recently with the installation of the cameras we have had in Belize city, we have been able to solve a number of these cases. And because of that, even when the witnesses don’t come to court, we can rely on those evidence and we’re convicting a number of persons. So if you look at the trend over the past year and a half, you would have seen that a number of persons have been convicted for murder, as opposed to before when we were hearing just nulliplus. So significant progress has been made. We have also used DNA evidence to convict certain people. Again, through our ministry, our minister, we have been able, we are currently looking at procuring the field DNA testing, which will be used again to enhance investigation.”

Two Men Remanded for Attack on Deannie Requena

Tonight, two Belize City men, including the brother-in-law of former councilor Deannie Requena, are on remand at the Belize Central Prison after they allegedly beat, stabbed and robbed the twenty-four-year-old woman on Sunday afternoon. Burton Clare, a car dealer, and Kareem Allen, a tour guide, were escorted to the magistrate’s court shortly before midday. Clare was read two indictable offenses of use of deadly means of harm and wounding, while twenty-one-year-old Allen was arraigned for aggravated assault and one count of theft. It is alleged that using a firearm, Allen stole three thousand dollars in cash from Requena who had just left from the Belize Central Prison following a visit. Allen pleaded not guilty to the two counts read to him by the senior magistrate; nonetheless, he was remanded until September thirtieth. Due to the nature of the offense, Clare has also been remanded until September thirtieth. Both men appeared in court unrepresented.

“We want to be the Cabinet.” – Shyne Barrow, Amid U.D.P. Infighting

Frequent bickering within the opposition shifts the focus away from national issues that affect many Belizeans. The role of a rival political party is to create checks and balances where government policies and decision-making are concerned. The infighting that has torn apart the U.D.P., despite its minority numbers in the House of Representatives, leaves a lot to be desired. The failed National Party Council on Saturday does not bode well for the opposition and Party Leader Shyne Barrow is aware of it, in spite of his role in the ongoing friction.

Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“I think the Belizean public has grown tired of the sad state of affairs that we see playing out and I’m not going to participate in it. We want to be the Cabinet. If we want to be the Cabinet, now is the time to demonstrate to the Belizean public what we want to be and so, I will do my part not to engage in the mudslinging, not to engage in the defamation of character, not to engage in any narrative or campaigning against any colleagues. I need to find a way to win sixteen seats and that includes even people who don’t support me. If they are in a constituency that can win, as leader I will do my best to help them to win. But that is what the focus needs to be, working in the division and…”

Reporter

“So then, are you prepared to sit with Tracy Taegar Panton, Patrick Faber, John Saldivar and Beverly Williams?”

Shyne Barrow

“I am prepared to do whatever is in the best interest of the party. I have always kept my door open.”

Shyne Barrow Files Police Report Against Bev Williams

On Monday, Party Leader Shyne Barrow filed a formal complaint with the Belize Police Department after reportedly being threatened by Second Deputy Party Leader Beverly Williams. The two were engaged in a bitter spat on Saturday afternoon that quickly became personal. During the exchange of words, it is alleged that Williams made a threat on Barrow’s life. The incident is still fresh and old wounds are also festering. So how will the party move forward, despite the resentment between the party leader and his second deputy?

Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“I have no malice towards anyone, I just want what is best for the party.”

Reporter

“But how can you sit with someone who you said has made a threat, who you feel has made a threat on your life? You made a police complaint.”

Shyne Barrow

“Well that is a matter of fact. The person admitted it, there’s evidence of that.”

Reporter

“I am just saying, I am not asking you to assess the factual nature of it. I am asking you, how do you sit and talk politics and progress with someone whom you believe threatened your life?”

Shyne Barrow

“You keep saying believe, as if I am hallucinating. Nonetheless, the country comes first and the party comes first, and so I am prepared to do whatever we need to do to forgive and heal in not just the interest of not just the party but the country.”

Reporter

“Sir, your party chairman received a petition yesterday asking for a national convention in ninety days time. He rejected it this morning in a letter in which basically he says it’s impractical based on my discretionary assessment. The persons who filed the petition have complained that he has no authority to use discretionary judgment when the constitution is clear, if you meet a threshold, you trigger a national convention. They’re saying, “We’ve met the threshold, trigger it. You have no choice.” What’s your response, sir?”

Shyne Barrow

“That is absolutely untrue.”

Are U.D.P. Insiders Betraying the Party?

As we’ve reported, there is a move afoot by a group of four, including area representatives Patrick Faber and Tracy Panton, to unseat Shyne Barrow as party leader. A call was made on Monday for a national convention to be held within the next ninety days. That request was later denied by U.D.P. Chairman Mike Peyrefitte, who wrote to Second Deputy Party Leader Beverly Williams informing her of his reasons for doing so. According to Barrow, at last year’s national convention, a motion was passed indicating that the leadership of the party will not be challenged until after the 2025 general elections. That agreement, he says, was clearly stated to all delegates who attended the convention.

Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“Five hundred and twenty-one delegates, which is the highest authority of the United Democratic Party, re-elected me and the other leaders to serve not just for the typical two-year term, but to serve until the next general elections. And it was made explicit, it was not just a normal election, there was the election in due order and then there was another motion to the floor of the national convention which again is the highest authority, that state explicitly that there will be no more national conventions, there will be no leadership challenge until after the next general elections. Those who voted for that, that now want to rescind that, should have thought about it when they made that decision because with that decision, they relinquished their rights. That decision, by implication, suspended the parts of the constitution that deal with leadership. If not, then what would have been the point of passing a motion to say that there would be no more national convention as it relates to leadership elections until after the next general elections. The intention of that was to protect against exactly what we see happening now. The only people that are benefiting from what is happening now is the People’s United Party and those that are working with them for thirty silver coins.”

Was Petition for National Convention Stillborn?

On Saturday, Albert Area Representative Tracy Panton, the face of the I Am with Her campaign, told reporters that the signatures garnered from as many as two hundred and thirty-two delegates would be used as part of a petition to request a national convention. When asked about the flippant attitude of the party chairman towards the group of four, Panton said that neither the chairman nor the party leader controls the voices of the U.D.P. supporters.

Tracy Panton, Area Representative, Albert

“We are certainly going to table this petition formally on Monday for a national convention.”

Reporter

“You’ll table it with the chairman, one presumes.”

Tracy Panton

“With the chairman.”

Reporter

“The chairman has shown that, by his behavior, he noh wahn hyah nothing from Tracy. He snaps back at all of you, and you all have tried, and you all tried to table something today and he rejected it and walked away. At the end of the day, Shyne Barrow and Michael Peyrefitte control the mechanism that are the U.D.P. formally. How will you get past that?”

Tracy Panton

“They do not control the voices of the delegates. They do not own this party. They have completely disregarded and violated the constitution of this party and they will not stop the N.P.C. from doing what it ought to do.”

Shyne Barrow Explains Failed Convention Request

During a press conference earlier today, Party Leader Barrow basically explained why the request for a national convention was dead on arrival.

Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“When I talked to my colleagues and we talked about moving the party forward, and unifying the party, and having stability, and having certitude going forward, this is what we discussed. And initially, the matter was raised by the N.P.C. and there are certain colleagues who sit at the head table now, against me, who said, “No, the N.P.C. cannot make this determination because if the N.P.C. makes this determination, then the N.P.C. could come right back and change it. This needs to go to the national convention, it needs to be voted on and once that vote is taken nothing can reverse that.” So it is not that the party chairman has discretion or no discretion. Petitioners do not have the right to petition a national convention because we, the national convention, five hundred and twenty-one of the delegates, from all thirty-one constituencies decided that we would not do that. Those are the cold hard facts and it’s interesting that they were disseminating information that it was against me. This petition is to move the entire leadership executive, to move Hugo, to move the party chairman, to move Alberto August. So nobody thought on August 13^th, 2023, that any such move would be in the best interest of the party. And in order to show how serious we were about protecting the institution from anarchy and tyranny we went further and put a motion to say, “Listen, no more national conventions, no more leadership questions until after the next general elections and that’s all the party chairman is doing.”

G.O.B. Developing Fisheries National Enforcement Strategy

In its attempt to strengthen governance, management and monitoring of Belize’s coastal and marine resources, the Government of Belize is developing a National Enforcement and Conservation Strategy. To this end, the Blue Bond Unit within the Office of the Prime Minister is hosting a two-day workshop where stakeholders are getting an opportunity to have their say in the process. The goal is to identify the gaps, needs and opportunities to enhance fisheries enforcement and conservation monitoring. News Five’s Paul Lopez stopped in at day the Princess Hotel for day one of the workshop. He filed the following report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Government of Belize is working to develop a national enforcement and conservation monitoring strategy for the country’s blue spaces. The current enforcement and conservation strategy was put in place for a period of five years, starting in 2013. That strategy is long outdated, so fisheries stakeholders have been meeting in Belize City to discuss existing threats to Belize’s marine ecosystem and ways to address those threats. We spoke with Kennedy Carillo, the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Blue Economy.

Kennedy Carillo, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Blue Economy

“I think many times one of the misinformation that is out there is that our country is in danger, our fisheries stock is in danger. If you speak to any of these stakeholders, they will tell you that they understand that this is definitely not true, but in addition to that they understand the important role of the Fisheries Department in ensuring there is proper management of the stock. This Blue Bond Agreement provides the country with an opportunity to continue to conserve, continue to be champions of conservation of our marine diversity but also an opportunity to provide that balance, that balance of yes we want to conserve but we also want to ensure we are prioritizing the livelihood of the communities that are dependent on our resources for many years and to look at how a new ministry such as the Blue Economy can do this in a manner that is sustainable, responsible but also inclusive.”

We also heard from Rigoborto Quintana, the Acting Fisheries Administrator in the Fisheries Department. Quintana explained that one of Belize’s commitments under the Blue Bond is to expand biodiversity protection areas. But, with expanded conservation areas comes the need for greater enforcement presence.

Rigoborto Quintana, Acting Fisheries Administrator

“One of the primary areas under the conservation commitment under the Blue Bond, we have been expanding to have more biodiversity protection areas and we need to have more enforcement presence in those areas and that is why we are partnering with the Belize Coast Guard, for example, they are getting more enforcement capabilities in terms of aerial surveillance and that is one of the areas that will be integrated in the strategy to look at modern technology for enforcement.”

Paul Lopez

“As it currently stands, what is the greatest threat to fisheries in Belize at this point?”

Rigoborto Quinta

“I think you have to look at coastal development activities, climate change impact and to some extent the illegal movement of products to our neighboring countries.”

On the enforcement front, the Belize Coast Guard works closely with the Fisheries Department. Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, the Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, says that coast guard officers are equipped to identify fisheries infractions and make detentions. Today, the Belize Coast Guard announced that they are set to receive four military classified drones to increase their aerial enforcement capacity.

Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard

“One of those gaps is the air domain. We have always been challenged with the areas of surveillance in our sea spaces, particular our areas of interest for the most part is along the border regions, Belize/Guatemala, Belize/Honduras, Belize/Mexico where enforcement is difficult for us. We have identified the need to develop air capability and that is what we are doing through the Blue Bond program, through the government’s strategic allocation. We have acquired funds to acquire unmanned air vehicles so that will be able to deliver a lot of these capabilities to manage our blue spaces to the best of our ability. We are acquiring those thrones, two should be in country next week and two should be in country later this year. That should give us some very interesting capabilities. WE are looking at UAV that can do up to five hours of flight time, thirteen thousand feet and it can do up to one-hundred-kilometer range.”

And, if there are any questions as to whether the contributions made by stakeholders during these workshops will materialize into a practical national enforcement and conservation strategy, Belizario Carballo, a technical officer within the Blue Bond Unit, says the directives to undertake this process came from Prime Minister, John Briceno.

Belizario Carballo, Technical Officer, Blue Bond Unit

“This is a two-day workshop, and it will provide the context for this national strategy and action plan. As we mentioned we want to make sure it is actionable and once we get out of this we work directly with our partners, those that are legally mandated to enforce this and along with other support from our agencies. We have support from the Belize Fund and the Nature Conservancy. They provide technical and financial support. We are looking at strengthening the effectiveness of fisheries support and monitoring that will benefit a beneficial ocean for nature and people. Key to this is not only protection but to secure the livelihoods of all Belizeans. There is very much support at the highest level of government so I can assure you that we will follow through with this plan.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.