2024-10-08 - Channel 5 Belize

Bullying Victim Speaks Out

On Monday, we shared a story about the effects of bullying on kids in Belize. One of the cases we focused on was Dominick Alvarado, a thirteen-year-old, second-form student at Saint John’s College, who was seriously hurt in what appears to be a bullying incident. Tonight, Dominick and his mom are breaking their silence. News Five’s Britney Gordon caught up with Dominick to see how he’s doing. Here’s their story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Thirteen-year-old Dominick Alvarado used to love fishing and was a straight-A student at Saint John’s College. But now, instead of casting lines, he’s stuck in bed, twisting a Rubik’s cube to pass the time while his fishing rods gather dust in the corner. What should have been an exciting start to his sophomore year, filled with dreams of becoming a marine biologist, has turned into a painful recovery process. This is the harsh reality of bullying.

Dominick Alvarado, Bullying Victim

“I was up in front of my class by the door, standing up with my friend. And then because we could see them at the other side playing, they were playing this game with a cover, and if it goes in your, between your legs, they pat you. And we were there, and he just come out of nowhere and pat me.”

Dominick shares that when he first felt harassed, he tried to report it to a teacher, but the bully stopped him in his tracks.

Dominick Alvarado

“Before I reached to tell the teacher, he pushed me in the drain and at the time I didn’t feel the pain because I had meat, so I’m chunky, I didn’t feel the pain at the time, so then around a couple weeks now, when I was walking to go to school, it hurt so bad I couldn’t walk I had to limp, and it hurt, so I call, I text my mom on my laptop to come for me at school.”

After the incident was reported to the school administration, Dominick was initially facing suspension. However, two teachers stepped in to defend him, and he was spared from the punishment. Dominick revealed that this bully had been tormenting him since their primary school days. Natalie Alvarado, Dominick’s mother, got a frantic call from a relative whose child also goes to St. John’s College, urging her to come quickly. She remembers the shock of seeing her son, soaked and unaware of the severity of his injuries.

Natalie Alvarado, Mother of Victim

“When I saw him he was completely soaked with water. I mean completely head the toe. So books was wet, everything was wet. And I went into the office and asked them what’s going on and they told me that they pushed him down. So I figure from, I did not think, take it serious that from then he already hit, had that injury. I just, I thought he was going to grow it out, then he started limping, then it started getting worse.”

Dominick did not immediately feel the pain of his injury, but the damage was already done. Over time, the muscle on his hip started to deteriorate. It only worsened by the distance he had to walk daily, since he takes the bus from Boston Village to Belize City and walks to school from there.

Natalie Alvarado

“It’s like when you go to the ice cream store and buy ice cream, you’re licking off the ice cream melt off and just the cone remain. So that was what was happening to him, just the bone part was going to remain because the other piece is coming off.”

Dominick was rushed into emergency surgery and will need another one soon. At just thirteen, he now has a screw in his hip that will stay there for about a year. He’ll have to relearn how to walk, with his mom by his side every step of the way. This incident has turned Natalie and Dominick’s world upside down, forcing her to take time off work to care for him full-time while she looks for a caretaker.

Natalie Alvarado

“It is not a daily, it’s a twenty-four hours thing. It’s like a shift. Like a cycle now. So he’s thirteen, but now it’s just like he’s what, four or five all over because you have to teach him how to walk back. You have to learn how to sit up his back. So I have to help him sit on. I have to pick him up. I have to do everything for him. Bathroom. And he’s somebody that don’t like nobody to be watching at him. So his grandmother is here but he won’t call for his grandmother. He won’t call for his grandfather. He will call just for me. So I have to be there twenty-four seven.”

The financial burden and stress have taken a toll on the family. Natalie’s parents have had to pitch in to help with Dominick’s treatment and care. When he returns to school, his family anticipates that transportation expenses and special accommodations will be costly.

Natalie Alvarado

“We don’t live in the city where it’s just five minutes away from the school. We live twenty-six and three quarter miles away from the city. So gas and it’s going to be a sacrifice that I have to meet. And I’m not a person that’s making all that money. I’m a tour guide”

Natalie has penned a heartfelt letter to SJC, laying out her expectations for the school’s role in Dominick’s recovery. She starts by expressing her disappointment with the school’s initial lack of empathy and concern following the bullying incident that led to Dominick needing emergency surgery. As a parent, she believes every student deserves a safe and supportive environment, and it’s disheartening to see this wasn’t the case. To help Dominick fully recover, she’s asking St. John’s College High School for a detailed action plan covering several critical areas: mental and emotional well-being, spiritual support, physical rehabilitation, caregiver support, and academic accommodations. Natalie also urges all parents to act swiftly and decisively on behalf of their children.

Natalie Alvarado

“Don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared. If your son is going through something, speak up. Don’t wait too long until he gets what I am going through right now.”

Despite the adversities that Dominick is facing, he has decided to take the high road and ignore whatever mean comments people have to throw his way.

Dominick Alvarado

“I’m not gonna say nothing about it. I’m gonna let God deal with them.”

Britney Gordon for News Five

PM Briceño and King Charles III Hold Phone Conversation

It’s been almost a year and a half since King Charles III’s grand coronation, and today, Prime Minister John Briceño had a chat with him over the phone. Belize was well-represented at the coronation by Governor General Dame Froyla Tzalam, Minister Francis Fonseca, and Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie, who all made the trip to London. Unfortunately, Prime Minister Briceño couldn’t make it to the event. During their call, Prime Minister Briceño and King Charles III talked about the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which is set to take place in Apia, Samoa, from October twenty-first to twenty-sixth. Just a reminder, King Charles III is the monarch of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Realms.

Legal Assistant at DPP’s Office Faces Three Traffic Offenses

Thirty-nine-year-old Michael Zuniga, a legal assistant at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, was arraigned today on three charges, following a traffic accident in Ladyville on Monday. Police suspect that Zuniga might have been drinking, which is why he didn’t provide a blood or urine sample. Because of this, he was charged with failing to provide a specimen, along with two other offenses. Zuniga pleaded not guilty and is currently out on bail for six hundred dollars. The accident occurred between miles eight and nine on the Philip Goldson Highway. Zuniga, the son of attorney Phillip Zuniga, showed up in court with visible injuries on his face, including his upper and lower lips, and was limping. His parents were there to support him, stating that he was just making sure his son was okay and that they would seek legal advice from another attorney for the next court appearance. In court, Michael Zuniga faced three traffic charges: driving without due care and attention, failing to provide a specimen, and driving without a valid driver’s license. He pleaded not guilty to all charges. His next court date is set for December third.

23 More Years for Earl Baptist Jr., for Murder

Tonight, Earl Baptist Junior, is serving his second night of his remaining twenty-three-year sentence after he was found guilty of murder in July and handed down a twenty-five-year jail term. Earlier this year, Baptist Junior was found guilty of the murder of thirty-two-year-old Leslie Norman Gillett, a businessman who was tragically killed inside Matilda’s Shop, in Burrell Boom Village back in January 2022. Justice Derick Sylvester presided over the case. The Crown presented video footage of the murder and a police witness who identified Earl Baptist as one of the shooters. At his sentencing on Monday, the judge handed down a twenty-five-year prison term, although the Crown had pushed for thirty-five years for what they called a cold-blooded murder. The judge found no mitigating factors in the case. He was convinced by the Crown that they had proven the five elements of murder beyond a reasonable doubt: Gillett was dead, he died from harm, Baptist caused the harm, he did so with the intent to kill, and there was no lawful justification for the harm. Justice Sylvester also noted that the Crown successfully demonstrated that the electronic evidence was untampered, despite the defense questioning the integrity of the video footage. The footage from the murder scene was admitted as evidence against Baptist.

Shyne Barrow, “The NPC is not just me.”

The National Party Council passed a motion on Friday endorsing Shyne Barrow’s leadership of the United Democratic Party. The vote taken by members of the NPC effectively draws distance between the U.D.P. and the Alliance for Democracy which is planning a Unity Convention on October twentieth. According to Barrow, the recent exercise indicates that as many as two hundred and seventy-two delegates are in support of several of the motions passed during Friday’s virtual session.

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

“The NPC is not just me. It was a negative vote, meaning does anybody object. But colleagues voted on record in solidarity with the leadership. So it’s crystal clear that the National Party Council, a majority of the standard bearers, seventeen times sixteen is two hundred and seventy-two. Almost all, I believe all of the central executive, that’s two hundred and ninety-two delegates. So you always talk about the two hundred and eight or the hundred and seventy, what about the two hundred and ninety-two [delegates]?

Reporter

“Explain to me how are you trying to motivate your faithful standard bearers, those who are faithful you, to not allow their delegate group to be splintered and attend, because we know that can happen. That can happen even in Mesopotamia.”

Shyne Barrow

“As you noted, this is not even a matter of being legitimate, it is not UDP activity. So, the National Party Council has put that question to rest once and for all, so they can do whatever they want. That has nothing to do with the United Democratic Party.”

Reporter

“But it does, though, because these are UDP personalities with relationships…”

Shyne Barrow

“These are people who were UDP. You can do it like how people do it in America where people identify as whatever they want to identify as, but identifying as a UDP does not make you officially a UDP.”

Shyne on U.D.P. Support, “There’s a consistent pattern of support.”

The U.D.P. Party Leader mentioned that many of the standard bearers are backing his leadership, even though the Alliance for Democracy has been critical. He pointed out that the upcoming event on October twentieth is pretty much like what happens when the People’s United Party or politician Wil Maheia organizes a convention.

Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“We’ve had at least three recent instances where there’s a consistent demonstration of support by the majority of the standard bearers. There was the meeting in Orange Walk, where we met at the ranch in Orange Walk South with German Tillett and there were about fifteen standard bearers there. We had the fifty-first anniversary and fifteen, including the deputy party leader, an elected member of the house. We had the fifty-first anniversary again, Hugo Patt, fifteen standard bearers. We had the letter that was signed when we were trying to do mediation, seventeen standard bearers, and we had this National Party Council which, according to my opponents, is the highest authority and they had so much reverence for the National Party Council when it suits them. There’s a consistent pattern of support. So I have no doubt that those seventeen standard bearers and their delegates would not participate in anything that has nothing to do with the UDP. What is happening on October twentieth is similar to a PUP convention or a Wil Maheia convention. That has nothing to do with the United Democratic Party.”

LOO Weighs in on Delayed Teachers’ Salaries

The Leader of the Opposition also weighed in on the plight of teachers who are facing issues with their salaries, as well as hours accumulated for continuous professional development. The Belize National Teachers Union called a press conference last week where they informed that as many as one hundred and thirty teachers are being affected. Barrow places the blame squarely at the feet of the Briceño administration, particularly the Ministry of Education. Here’s what he shared on the issue.

Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“It is startling and reprehensible that a hundred and thirty teachers have not been paid and have been compelled to hold a press conference with the BNTU president to demand their payment. This is in conjunction or on the heels of the teachers protesting on Independence Day due to the lack on increments. Remember, we had an increment freeze in 2020 due to COVID-19. But the honorable prime minister bragged and boasted to anyone that had listened that the economy was recovering robustly and, in his words, the economy has grown every quarter since the People’s United Party has taken office. Thus, the teachers want to know, with such great economic activity, why can’t they get their increments. Now we have instances of teachers not being paid, as I said with the BNTU president, the national president, at the head table in a press conference demanding pay for the teachers. This then follows with the continuous development hours that the teachers have not been able to get due to cost of living, due to not getting their increments, due to not getting their pay on time and we see no solution for this government.”

SI Magistrate Court Hears UDP Voters Fraud Claims

The San Ignacio Magistrates Court is hearing voters registration objections submitted by the United Democratic Party’s Cayo North Standard Bearer Omar Figueroa. The U.D.P. submitted one hundred and one objections. Today, three individuals took the stand to testify on behalf of the U.D.P. The sitting Magistrate also visited three of the locations under question. Twenty-eight voters are said to be registered at one of the locations. However, at the time of the visits, none of the landlords or the persons that claim to be registered at these locations were there. The hearing was adjourned for tomorrow morning, where one final testimony will be heard before the court decides. Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, spoke on the issue today.

Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“When you look at the issue with Dr. Omar Figueroa in Cayo North where there are a hundred people living in one place. I know that the media paid keen attention and had significant interest in me transferring to my residence in Mesopotamia and I was the only person to transfer to that address in the last transfer period last year. There has been a total of ten people that transferred over an eight-year, seven-year period. The media paid very, very keen interest to that, but I invite you guys to pay interest to a hundred people during this transfer period registering at one house, if my numbers serve me correct. A significant amount, if it’s not the hundred, it’s fifty. It’s significant amount that cannot fit in the two-bedroom bungalow that they are claiming to reside. And you merge that, so that’s a form of electoral fraud, and you merge that with the nationality documents, the decentralization of the nationality documents which instinctively you’d be alarmed that you’d take the most important document, again, we’re talking about elections, we have to put it in the context of elections. People that vote decide who the area representatives are going to be, the people that vote decide what constitutional amendments will happen based on the government that they elect.”

Shyne Challenges Credibility of Viking Poll

Shyne Barrow is practically on the lowest rung of the ladder as far as his popularity as a politician. That’s what the results of a recent poll undertaken by Viking Strategies indicate. While there were a few discrepancies with the outcome of the survey, Barrow has responded to his lack of popularity by challenging the credibility of the survey.

Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“What credibility does that have? I saw people bashing that, saying that it had no credibility so I don’t know what credibility is.”

Reporter

“So how do you feel being on that poll as one of the least liked politicians in the country?”

Shyne Barrow

“Politics is fluid, it changes every day and we continue to work hard in each constituency to improve relations with the electorate.”

Reporter

“You know, you were the only politician in which the word association actually produced a curse word. That has to hurt you, sir. Mr. Ashcroft, I thought he was one of your supporters.”

Shyne Barrow

“I don’t allow any external things to penetrate my state of mind and the work that I have to do.”

Ads About Belize Exposed to Atlanta Football Fans

Belize is often called Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret, but that might change soon! A series of eye-catching ads lit up the big screens at a packed U.S. football stadium, aiming to make Belize the go-to vacation spot for Atlanta residents. On Saturday, the Belize Tourism Board launched a strategic ad campaign at the bustling Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium during a soccer match between Atlanta United FC and New York Red Bulls. Leading the charge were the Minister of Tourism, Anthony Mahler, the Minister of Sports, Rodwell Ferguson, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Sports, Gilroy Usher, along with other officials. Belizeans from the Atlanta Diaspora, and representatives from the Belize Hotel Association and the Belize Tourism Board were also in attendance. News Five’s Marion Ali brings us the scoop on this new marketing strategy that’s set to boost tourism from Atlanta.

Marion Ali, Reporting

To stay ahead in the fierce competition for tourist dollars, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) came up with a creative strategy: sponsoring the Atlanta United Football Club for 2024. This partnership gave Belize prime-time advertising at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Atlanta United triumphed over New York’s Red Bulls. According to Gale Malic Ozaeta from BTB’s Marketing and Communications, these ads showcased Belize to forty-five thousand fans at the game and at least five million Atlanta United fans across the U.S.

Gale Malic Ozaeta, Marketing and Communications Mgr., B.T.B

“We chose the Atlanta United FC team because they are based in Atlanta – Atlanta, Georgia being one of our key source markets for arrivals. They are one of the top ten destinations within the U.S. where we get our highest arrivals from. Atlanta is also a hub destination. Delta Airlines flies directly from Atlanta to Belize. So, by partnering with them, by being a destination sponsor of them, we had the opportunity to reach that entire audience through different mediums. So, being at the game, having our ads running within the stadium, a stadium full of 45, 000 people, we’re directly targeting these 45,000 people. But we also had ads running outside the stadium.”

Minister of Sports, Rodwell Ferguson was one of the attendees at the game. He said the ads even took on creative sports/tourism concepts.

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Sports

“It shows sites in Belize, in particular, the blue hole. No matter how far there was a net and a ball, when you kick the ball, then there was a feature of the Blue Hole and somebody was sitting on a chair. And when somebody scores a goal, The person that the person that you are dropped up in the water into the blue world. It was very, very significant.”

The idea followed last year’s one closely where Belize did marketing advertising in New York’s Times Square. And now the B.T.B is expecting that the sponsorship we invested at the Atlanta game on Saturday will yield new visitors and great returns.

Gale Malic Ozaeta

“We would be able to definitely identify where the increase is coming from because the immigration form does ask them what state you’re coming from and so we will be able to measure.”

Marion Ali for News Five.