2024-09-03 - Channel 5 Belize

Foreign National Brandishes Firearm Outside Lands Department

Police have detained a fifty-five-year-old Lebanese man who brandished a firearm this morning outside the Department of Lands. Reports are that the individual, identified as a foreign national, visited the department and sought to join the express service line. He was reportedly informed that he needed to get a ticket which would indicate his position in the queue. The foreign national reportedly became infuriated after learning that he would not be given access without a ticket. Video has surfaced showing him hurling threatening words and brandishing a firearm during a verbal altercation with a security guard. Information is that at least three Special Patrol Unit officers were on duty at the location at the time. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

This morning, a fifty-five-year-old Lebanese man seeking the services of the Lands Department in Belmopan pulled out a firearm during a verbal altercation with an individual employed at the department. The individual seen dressed in a red T-shirt, a short pants and a hat can be heard hurling threatening words. He stepped closer to the door. He is then heard saying “I have one too”, before pulling a firearm from his waist. Chief Executive Officer Paul Thompson informed News Five that the individual visited the department and attempted to enter the express service line. The security guard reportedly informed him that he needs to get a ticket to join the line because there is a ticketing system in place.

That is when the individual became agitated and pulled out his firearm. Thompson told us that two security guards were on duty at the time of the incident, along with three Special Patrol Unit officers. Notwithstanding the relatively high level of security on the premises, the individual left the compound without being apprehended. The Ministry of Natural Resources has since met with members of the police department to formulate a plan for heightened security at the Lands Department. Currently, people visiting the department are not screened for weapons. Furthermore, individuals are allowed to park their vehicles on the premises. CEO Thompson informed News Five that these are all areas being looked at. Fortunately, no one was injured, though the weapon was drawn. The actions of this individual, however, amount to a clear violation of the gun regulations in Belize. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Lebanese Man Clarifies Lands Department Incident

Earlier in the newscast, we told you about an altercation at the Lands Department in Belmopan that led to a Lebanese businessman brandishing a firearm. We contacted that individual who was detained by police and later released. Here is what he told us over the phone:

U.D.P. Challenges Cayo North Voters Transfers

The United Democratic Party appeared before the Belize City Magistrates Court today to challenge just over sixty voter transfers in the Cayo North constituency. We spoke with U.D.P. Chairman, Michael Peyrefitte who contends that in one case, fifteen persons were registered in a single bedroom apartment. Peyrefitte argues that most of these transfers are from the Belize Rural Central constituency. He says it should be concerning for Belize Rural Central Area Representative Dolores Balderamos-Garcia. He also described it as a desperate move by Cayo North Area Representative Michel Chebat. Ultimately, the challenge was unsuccessful. Peyrefitte told us more.

Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, U.D.P.

“Well, it was very simple what was being tried, challenged. You know, July and August, that’s the transfer period. So, if you were once living in one constituency, but you recently moved to another constituency, the law allows you in the months of July and August to transfer to where you now live, right? But just like first registration, when you transfer, it has to make sense. For example, if you have a one-day rule, the evidence led by our person who led the evidence in one of the situations goes to the host once a week, friends with the chief occupant, then what you have then is that person testifying. That you have a small living room, a small kitchen and one bedroom, but yet between July tenth and August tenth, fifteen people claim to have moved into that property. I mean, that’s just, that doesn’t fly. I mean, that’s ridiculous. And I know the law says that the law puts no limit on it in terms of as long as the chief occupant says they live there, then, you know, it’s kind of hard for the magistrate to say, well, you know, I don’t accept that because that’s the law, but that is completely and utterly ridiculous. And I hope the court would have made the chief occupant and the registering officer come under oath and testify that when she, as a registering officer went to check to see that these people actually live there, that she found them there, that she found evidence that they lived there, and we believe that she could not have said that, because then there’s no way that 15 people could live in some of these places. And then they, it felt to us like it was never going to reach that stage, because shockingly, amazingly, the magistrate allowed a no case submission in a civil matter. What should have happened in our view since in a civil matter, while the burden was on us, it’s a balance of probabilities. You hear our side. And then the registering officer and the people who were being objected to would come into court and testify on their side of the story. It didn’t even reach to where the registering officer had to explain how it is that she registered these people.”

Peyrefitte on U.D.P. Infight: “The U.D.P. Will Be Fine”

On Monday night, we told you that the Alliance for Democracy, a faction of the United Democratic Party led by Tracy Panton, is seeking to mend fences with party leader, Moses “Shyne” Barrow. The party recently took a decision to deem four of the alliance’s members, including Panton and Patrick Faber, constructively resigned. The alliance is now looking to have that declaration rescinded. When reporters asked Peyrefitte about all that has played out to date, his response was that the U.D.P. is not worried because the party will be fine.

Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, U.D.P.

“I know of the United Democratic Party. And I have seen a couple side shows over the past years and I won’t entertain or dignify any of that with any response. I think the internal matters of the UDP can easily be left in UDP. We will figure it out. We have always figured it out. We have had situations where when you compare that, this, this is nothing. I mean, we’ve had a national hero of this country belonging to the UDP break away from the National Alliance for Belizean Rights and then join with the UDP a couple of months before a general election and we win. So, I’m not even concerned about that.”

Reporter

“Okay, so are you going to retract this? They’re calling it an effective expulsion. Is that what it is?”

Michael Peyrefitte

“Me? I think you already are aware of what the central executive decided, but like I said, things can, I’m always the hopeless romantic in the bunch. I always think that things can work out and we can talk through things, and we can unite and we can heal. I will always want to believe that up to a certain point. And I could also want that, but it takes two to tangle. So, let’s see how it progresses from here. But what I’m saying, what I will maintain is this, the internal business of the UDP in comparison to what’s happening in this nation right now, and the PUP always sorts itself out. The PUP always, the UDP always figures away. The UDP always sorts itself out. And so, I’m not worried about that, we’ve seen bigger problems than this and we worked our way through it. So, I think it is proven that nothing and no person can destroy the UDP. Nobody ever will. So, we’re not worried about the UDP. The UDP will be fine.”

Mike Peyrefitte: “No one… Is bigger than the UDP”

And, while the U.D.P.’s central executive committee says Panton, Faber, Beverly Williams and John Saldivar constructively resigned, those four view the move as an expulsion from the party. In fact, requests for applications for standard bearers in these constituencies are already out. But what does this move mean for those constituents who voted for Panton and Faber under the U.D.P. banner? Do they still have U.D.P. representation? We asked Peyrefitte.

Paul Lopez

“They voted for a United Democratic Party era representative, which they still have, but them being expelled. I’m interested in getting your take in terms of how that works. They’re no longer members of the United Democratic Party, but yet they’re representatives, doesn’t that do sort of a disservice to those residents?”

Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, U.D.P.

“Show me where the UDP has taken a position where we see they were expelled.”

Paul Lopez

“Constructively resigned.”

Michael Peyrefitte

“Show me where the UDP has stated that anybody has been expelled. Show me where. You said expelled.”

Paul Lopez

“I mean, so, so that is to say that there are still members of the United?”

Michael Peyrefitte

“No, no, no, I’m saying, show me where I’m saying. We’re wasting good time worrying about things that will work itself out. It will work itself out. It’s always happened.”

Paul Lopez

“But what do you say to the residents in that area?”

Michael Peyrefitte

“We’re asking people in not just those two areas, we’re talking about two out of thirty-one. We’re asking the country to have the fear that they always have in the UDP to bounce back and form the government and deliver for the good of the people. That’s how we’re focused on. All those other internal issues that we have we will always work them out the way we’ve always worked them out, which is as a family.”

Reporter

“When you as the party chairman stated that these four people had effectively resigned, does that mean that the UDP considers it can do without them and whatever consequences after that be done? Because You have a stronghold in Patrick Faber and also in Tracy Panton. I don’t know if you can find other people who would be able to win those constituencies for the UDP.”

Michael Peyrefitte

“You’re trying to bait me into saying something, but this is what I will say. I will say this and you take what you want from this. No one person nor few persons are bigger than the United Democratic Party. The UDP is bigger than Shyne Barrow, it’s bigger than me, it’s bigger than Hugo Patt, it’s bigger than Beverly Williams, bigger than Alberto August, and that’s the executive leadership. The UDP is bigger than all five of us individually and all five of us together.”

City Hall and Courts Sign MOU for Traffic Safety

This afternoon, a little girl was knocked down and seriously injured as she rode on the back of a motorcycle with an adult. The incident happened on New Road shortly after two p.m. The minor, in her school uniform, was not wearing a helmet when the driver of the motorcycle collided into an oncoming vehicle. We do not know the extent of the child’s injury; however, the accident came several hours after the Belize City Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Unicomer, the parent company of Courts Belize, for a traffic safety campaign. There has been a significant increase in the cases of road traffic accidents involving persons on motorcycles. The alarming rate of these RTAs has prompted several agencies, including the Traffic and Transport departments to join forces for law enforcement. News Five’s Isani Cayetano has the following story.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Traffic safety prevents accidents that can lead to injuries or fatalities. With a marked increase in the number of motorcycle accidents recorded since the beginning of the year, the Belize City Council and Unicomer have joined forces to raise public awareness on the recurrent issue of road traffic accidents involving motorcycles. RTAs are a significant public health concern, resulting in death or serious injuries that have long-term impacts on health and quality of life.

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor

“We have been noting for some time now that motorcycle accidents have been on the rise. You can see for this year that twenty-seven out of sixty-five fatalities were through motorcycles, and as a city and a responsible municipality, we couldn’t sit by without taking some proactive steps. Being able to partner with Unicomer and Courts and the entire and the entire AKT team was something substantial for us.”

CitCo and the parent company for Courts Belize have entered a memorandum of understanding that will see a joint effort in public information being shared on road safety. Edgar Alvarez is the Commercial Regional Manager for the automotive division of Unicomer.

Edgar Alvarez, Commercial Regional Manager, Unicomer

“We see it very important to take care of the people that are in the streets, you know, not just as the mayor mentioned, riding the bikes but the people that are surrounding the streets. It’s not just the driver that is the person that is one hundred percent responsible for the accidents. We have some pedestrians and we have other people that are involved in different accidents that are not behaving the way they should be.”

Courts Belize is the agent for AKT motorcycles. Following its growth in Colombia, the company decided to expand its reach into Central America and the Caribbean through the Unicomer Group. The well-known AKT 150GT was introduced to Belize four years ago.

Edgar Alvarez

“So we saw the increase in the sales of the motorcycles, the increase in the accidents that were happening in the streets and we decided to go the best way possible with the Belize City Council to really have an impact on the society and the people that are driving the motorcycles.”

Traffic accidents can be costly, involving medical expenses, repairs and lost productivity. Reducing accidents through safe driving practices helps minimize these economic burdens. Adhering to traffic laws is a legal obligation. Violations can result in fines, penalties, or even imprisonment, depending on the gravity of the offense.

Bernard Wagner

“What this will do now is really assist us in providing the equipment for some of our enforcement officers, being able to have the necessary equipment to enforce the traffic laws within Belize City. We also looking at how we could raise awareness through campaigns and we also have to ramp up enforcement, that is the key part. So it has to be a kind of multi-sectoral approach. We require, again, assistance through the Transport Department, as well, in terms of really looking at how we could enhance the existing laws that we have in place, in terms of penalties.”

By prioritizing traffic safety, motorists can contribute to a safer, more efficient, and more harmonious road environment for everyone. Isani Cayetano for News Five.

Parent of ACC Student Upset over Application of School Rules

A mother of a student attending Anglican Cathedral College has lashed out at the school for sending home her daughter on the first day of classes. The teenager was informed that she is not to return until her hair is cut shorter than the length displayed when she reported to school on Monday. It’s not a new conflict between parents and school administrations over their children’s hair style or length. It has gone on for years, with the Supreme Court ruling once in favor of a student. It is also an issue that the Minister of Education had publicly discussed and concluded that students should not be sent home simply for the way they wear their hair. In this case, the mother told News Five that she is not opposing any school rule, but that the way the high school enforces the rule is malicious. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

This note from Anglican Cathedral College, sent home with the third form student has prompted the mother of the girl to blast the high school. In this Facebook post, the mother expressed her frustration that ACC’s school rules are not specific in its handbook about the length of hair that their students are permitted to wear. In fact, this page taken from ACC’s School Rules on Appearance speaks nothing at all about the length of hair for female students. The mother says she is not against school rules, but she is upset for two reasons: the school was not clear in its rule on hair length for girls, and two, her daughter lost out on an afternoon of classes and would have also not been able to attend classes if they were not able to take her to get her hair cut today.

Voice of: Mother of ACC Student

“The issue wasn’t with the rules, it’s how the principal went about doing it, you understand, applying it, or actually, you know, enforcing it. The handbook clearly state their hair should be neatly combed, right? If it’s dyed and tinted, then it shouldn’t be, shouldn’t be loud, right, and distracting. Her hair was actually just below her shoulder, right? Just, just like upon the breast or maybe in that area. And, her hair was not distracting or anything in that regard. I mean, I remember when I sent her to the hairdresser, the hairdresser said I will put it at this length because she’s going back to school, and we won’t do it long because she’s going back to school. But like I said, it’s not the rule because you can’t enforce a rule. It’s how you went about doing it because you did not update, you did not inform the parents, hey, you know what, this is what I want. At the end of the day and that’s the thing that bothered me because you interrupted a day of learning for something you were not clear about.”

The same parent explained that she also has a son attending St John’s College and his barber did not keep the top of his hair within the one-inch length. She said her son was also sent home with a note, but at the end of the day she believed that SJC was considerate to give them until the following Monday to comply with their rule. The parent said her daughter returned to school today after her hair was cut and wearing a bond. She said the school had her remove the bond to measure her hair and still said it was too long. Two years ago, also at the start of the school year, the Minister of Education, Francis Fonseca spoke with the media on the matter. He said that while school rules are important, he supported the removal of the rules that prevent children from entering the classroom based on the length of their hair or hairstyle.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“Schools do have the right to set rules. We want our students to be disciplined of course, but, these rules cannot be unconstitutional, they cannot be arbitrary, they cannot be discriminatory in any manner. We have a fundamental objective and responsibility at the Ministry of Education to ensure we protect the fundamental constitutional rights of our students, as well as our teachers. In this case, we are talking about our students. So, people have kind of put up this straw argument about it being about discipline. It is not about discipline. We are all in favor of discipline. Everybody wants our young people to be disciplined. We want productive, positive citizens, produced in our education system, but, the education system also has to follow the laws of the country and rules of the country.”

In January of 2017, the then Supreme Court of Belize ruled in favour of a former student of Stann Creek Ecumenical College who was attending classes with uncut hair. The court ruled that the student, Imhotep Diego may continue to attend classes with his hair uncut for the duration of his tenure at Stann Creek Ecumenical College. That ruling was made with the provision that Diego kept his hair tidy and well groomed while attending classes and on school premises. We went to ACC this morning and asked to speak with the principal on the matter, but we were informed she was in a meeting. We visited several high schools around Belize City to find out about their hair policy but none of them were willing to talk to us. Marion Ali for News Five.

Policeman Charged with Four Counts of Rape of a Child

A policeman has been charged with four counts of rape of a child. The charges against thirty-four-year-old Anival Carillo were filed after the child, a fourteen-year-old girl from Corozal, accompanied by her mother, made a police report in August. The girl alleges that between 2022 and 2023, a police officer had sexual relations with her several times. Carrillo was arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court. No plea was taken because of the severity of the offenses and Carrillo was remanded to the Belize Central Prison. His case will be called again on November twenty-sixth.

Man Fined for Stealing but Remanded on Old Unpaid Fines

A sixty-year-old man who pleaded guilty to stealing almost forty thousand dollars’ worth of drinks from his boss was fined today. Frederick Pitts, a resident of Caye Caulker Village, was fined three thousand dollars but begged for mercy, expressed regret, and said he has two children. The magistrate considered his plea and fined him two thousand dollars, to be paid by December thirtieth. It was then discovered that Pitts owes the court fines for several old offenses stemming back to 2018. The magistrate had no choice but to remand Pitts until those fines are paid in full. It is alleged that between January seventeenth and August twenty-seventh, Pitts stole several crates of beer, water, coke, and stout from Darren Casson, a Canadian businessman of northside Caye Caulker and owner of Lotus Restaurant and Bar.

PM Promises Development in San Mateo

The government and the Inter-American Development Bank have come to an agreement to develop areas in San Pedro. Recently, Prime Minister John Briceño and representatives from the I.D.B. assessed areas in the San Mateo area of San Pedro to determine what areas can be improved with funding from the bank. Here’s what he had to say about the consultation.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“What happened is that the IDB is coming up with a program in developing urban areas. And we went to show the officials of IDB. That once you put in good road, the people there start to improve their homes, the quality of homes. And they have left a section that was not paved so that we can still put in a sewerage and water system in that area. Which we believe is the next phase that we want to do. They are very pleased and they’re prepared to continue to support us. They’re going to give us a grant of several millions of dollars to be able to do some work in San Mateo. Along with the law that we’re doing to upgrade and do more work in Orange Walk town and the Corozal Town along with San Pedro.”