Tag: 2024-11-06

If you’ve ever been to Ambergris Caye during the busy tourist season, you know the island can get pretty jammed with golf carts. Locals have been voicing their frustrations about the sheer number of these vehicles. But what if the very officials who are supposed to solve this problem are actually making it worse?  We’ve heard that a new company on the island was granted two hundred golf cart permits earlier this year. That’s a claim that definitely makes you sit up and take notice. Naturally, we had to investigate further. The town council is denying these claims, but our digging led us to a casino in Florida with some questionable dealings. Here’s Paul Lopez with the full story.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Ambergris Caye is facing a golf cart overload. Right now, there are just too many of them on the island. Back in May 2024, San Pedro Area Representative Andre Perez recognized this problem and told News Five that the town needs to get tough on the illegal importation of golf carts.

Andre Perez, Area Representative, San Pedro (File: May 3^rd, 2024)

“When I have the traffic problem and the congestion, we realize that we’ve reached our point. That we have to say, no more.”

Only a month later, Minister of Transport Rodwell Ferguson stated that his ministry would soon have to request a moratorium on golf carts.

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport (File: June 4^th, 2024)

“Soon we will ask for a moratorium on golf carts. So, you can only maybe replace the one that you have. We have to bring any additional group because it’s too consistent.”

News Five has learned that a company, which recently started operating on the island, received up to two hundred golf cart permits. This suggests that the council, through the Ambergris Caye Traffic Control Committee, might be contributing to the very problem it’s complaining about. Today, we spoke with San Pedro Town Mayor, ‘Wally’ Nunez, who denied all the allegations.

Wally Nunez, Mayor, San Pedro Town

“That is not a fact. Initially when, I did not even know when they change ownership because formally it was known as Monetta then it went to Caribi Bleu. The company applied for the renewal of some permits they had which was twenty golfcarts and that was approved even when Moneta was there, that they were to have that twenty golfcarts as part of the resort. However, when they reapplied it was an extension to give them back that twenty. There has been some other applications but they were not approved. There has not been any other approvals for any more golfcarts other than the twenty.”

Paul Lopez

“Are you willing to provide us with copies of the Ambergris Caye Traffic Control Logbook that show how much permits were issued to them?”

Wally Nunez

“We have copies on our system that you can see how much golfcarts were registered under Caribi Bleu and you can check to see how much they have and you can see they only have twenty under that company name.”

News Five’s visit to the property on the island revealed numerous golfcarts parked inside the property’s parking lot, all with license plate numbers. From what we could see, there were just over a dozen golf carts in the parking lot at the time, backing up Mayor Nunez’s story. But that same day, we got our hands on video footage showing several of those same golf carts quietly tucked away inside a warehouse right next to the company’s property.

Wally Nunez

“We heard about the same allegations, but we don’t have any video surveillance, so it would be good If we have, because we did send our wardens to check and the ones that we saw there, they had license plate and they were the ones registered. We haven’t had any proof per say that there are any other golfcarts that are not registered.”

According to Mayor Nunez, these spanking new golf carts are replacements for the old golf carts under the same permits. Golf cart permits are a hot commodity on the island, because the council has placed a moratorium on their issuance. But he doesn’t deny that some people have tried to bribe their way into getting a golf cart permit.

Wally Nunez

“Yes there will be some people that will come an offer our staff as well that there will give us something for our permit. That is why we are always working with our staff to say that we don’t want this to be on your record to say that we will have to fire anybody for taking any bribes. They try to find a way and there are individuals that try to offer their guest or any expats on the island, oh we can get you a permit or even the rentals, go ahead and apply and we will help you, but who and how they are trying to get to this thing, because we need to get to the bottom of it, so that the corruption doesn’t happen on the island.”

Notably, signatures of approvals are required from Mayor Nunez and the Traffic Control Committee’s Chairperson, Reymundo Nunez, for permit approvals. Mayor Nunez mentioned that his signature was recently added to the issuance process for greater accountability.

Paul Lopez

“In addition, assertions are that you were gifted golf carts.”

Wally Nunez

“I have heard about it too, but I haven’t seen any. They said that they gave us ten golf carts. Some people told me that we were given twenty golfcarts. And strangely enough, how is it that they were given twenty permits and then they gave twenty golf carts to us?”

So, who exactly are the people behind Caribi Bleu Casino, and why did they catch our attention in the first place? To get to the bottom of this, we had to do some digging. According to Mayor Nunez, Caribi Bleu Casino was previously known as Moneta until it came under new management earlier this year. A search on the Sunbiz.org Division of Corporations’ website shows five limited liability companies registered under American Conglomerate, LLC. The only one currently active is Caribi Bleu International, LLC, which was established in May of this year. The registered agent is Rima Ray, who goes by Remington or Remi Ray in Belize.

Wally Nunez

“I really and truly haven’t had any interactions with them. I know them as businesspeople, high bye, but not really as any personal interactions that you will say, we are not that close.”

According to the minutes from the Board of Sumter County Commissioners on March twelfth, 2024, Rima Ray also has an internet café business in Lady Lake, Florida. The café recently got its operating permit renewed. However, video footage obtained by News Five allegedly shows slot machines running inside the very café. In the state of Florida, it is illegal for internet cafes to operate slot machines. There are tons of news articles online about the struggles the Florida Gaming Control Commission has been having in their efforts to shut down illegal internet cafes, also known as adult arcades. On October tenth, we caught up with Belize Rural South Area Representative, Andre Perez, at an event in Belize City, where we questioned him about his knowledge of this individual. Here is how he responded.

Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South

“Do you know an individual by the name of Remington Ray, the owner of Caribi Bleu Casino?”

Paul Lopez

“No, I don’t.”

Locals in San Pedro would recognize Ray as a major sponsor of the San Pedro Pirates Football Club. You can see the Caribi Bleu Casino logo all over their jerseys and flyers. We’ll keep investigating these reports. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

We reached out to Rima Ray today for comments, but our text messages and call went unanswered.

This month, people all over the region are pushing to improve how we handle juvenile justice. Every year, hundreds of kids in Belize end up dealing with the law, whether they’re victims or have gotten into trouble. Juvenile justice is all about making sure these kids are treated fairly, and their rights are protected, just like the Convention on the Rights of the Child says they should be. In this week’s Five Point Breakdown, News Five’s Britney Gordon dives into how these kids end up in these situations and what UNICEF is doing to help protect them.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Everyone around the world has basic human rights, and knowing these rights is the first step to making sure they’re protected. This is especially important when dealing with the law. For kids who might not understand or know their rights, it’s crucial to provide extra support to ensure they’re upheld. According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, kids accused of breaking the law have the right to legal help and fair treatment, with solutions aimed at helping them become positive members of their communities. Andrew Herrera, the Human Development Coordinator for the Community Rehabilitation Department, shares the efforts being made in Belize to support children in these situations.

What help exists for children interacting with the justice system?

Andrew Herrera, Human Development Coordinator, Community Rehabilitation Department

“We have the hub resource center that does evening classes, and we also have other, Programs that we run, like the Positive Move Apprenticeship Program, where we gather a group of young persons, and we train them for real life work scenarios, so that they can be prepared for work. Especially those who aren’t who don’t come to the traditional school setting. It’s a way for them to still be positively engaged, right? So, we also provide counseling, and we are responsible for the New Beginnings Youth Development Center, where we host children who needs protection. So, we host them in a facility so that we can work with them and reintegrate them back into society.”

The CRC emphasizes that prison should be a last resort for kids. Often, it’s factors like family dynamics that push them into trouble with the law. Take Zane Hendy, for example. He’s a fourteen-year-old at New Beginnings Youth Development Center who ran away from home when he was just ten. He opens up about what drove him to make such a drastic decision at such a young age.

What causes kids to end up dealing with the law?

Zane Hendy, New Beginnings Resident

“When I was in school, I used to get teased a lot because like, I was in the poverty stage.  And like, I didn’t like it, and then my mom was always trying to like, tell me not to worry. But I was like, how can I not worry, like, when I’m in class with them?  And like, I wasn’t, I was like, less fortunate, and I didn’t know what, what to do. And my mom, we, I grew up in Hattieville from a New Mexico family. And we moved into the city. And I was like, I couldn’t handle the move. So I kept on running away from my mom.  And then I started, the government and the human development started to get involved and I was taken away.”

Zane says that after he was taken into government care, it was difficult for him to adjust to the new setting, leading to him rebelling and rejecting the assistance.

What Challenges do Children Face When interacting with the law?

Zane Hendy

“I think it’s hard for some kids when they are removed from their parents’ house, although I think that it’s the best and other people think it’s the best for them.  I think they should at least do something like leave them there and do checkups once in a while.”

Thanks to his counselors and his own hard work, Zane has really turned things around, improving both his behavior and his relationship with his family. On the other hand, we chatted with fifteen-year-old Beverly Choc, who finds it tough to talk to her mom and follow her rules.

Beverly Choc, At-risk Youth,

“Basically I was hanging around the wrong crowd, and they teach me a lot of stuff to do that I didn’t want to do, but ended up, ended up doing it.”

Beverly has been working with a social worker for about a year now, and she’s slowly making progress at home. But she admits that the legal process can be really confusing, which sometimes leaves her feeling quite frustrated.  Later this month, Zane will be heading to Panama to represent Belize in a regional consultation. He’ll be discussing ways to improve the system for the benefit of children.  Just last week, UNICEF hosted a national consultation in Belize called Comment 27. They gathered a hundred kids to share their thoughts on juvenile justice. These kids have either had run-ins with the law or are part of the National Children’s Parliament 2024 cohort. Malenie Barnes, a Child Protection Officer at UNICEF, explained that Comment 27 aims to push forward the juvenile justice agenda.

Do consultations help the government hear the concerns of children?

Malenie Barnes, Child Protection Officer, UNICEF

“Children from across the region will then be presenting these recommendations to these justice actors. It’s a call to action to address legislation, to address procedures and protocols that improve the lives of children who come in contact and conflict with the justice system. Hopefully, coming out of this, we would have some strong buy in from these actors to make legislative change, but more so to improve the lives of children who come in, into the justice system.”

Comment 27 opens a lot of doors for children to have their voices heard. The CRC states that children have the right to give their opinions freely on issues that affect them, and that these opinions should be taken seriously by adults.  Ana Carrillo, Child and Adolescent Participation Officer at the National Commission for Families and Children tells us how supporting these forums reaffirms their mandate to uphold the CRC.

Amplifying the Voices of the Children

Ana Carrillo, Child and Adolescent Participation Officer, NCFC

“We at NCFC, we would like for them to know that our doors are open if they need any kind of guidance. also in seeking referrals, if they need to identify someone to represent them. We have a committee which is our policy and legislation committee that also guides us in how we can better provide, legislatively wise at the National Assembly, doing recommendations that would give children a better opportunity to know that, that there is help out there.”

These consultations are just one piece of the puzzle in amplifying the voices of young people. Cameera Caliz, a member of the National Children’s Parliament 2024 cohort, hopes that through these initiatives, more of her peers will stand up for their rights and make a real difference in the world.

Cameera Caliz, National Children’s Parliament

“This initiative is to educate children on their rights that are important. Each and all of us have as a youth. So basically we can seek remedies and justice where it is due when individuals and people of higher authority or anyone on a whole is violating our rights. So this ties into the national children parliament as we will be more insightful and,see how we can make a difference in the future as we are the adults of tomorrow.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.