2025-01-02 - Channel 5 Belize

Guatemala Accepts U.S. Deportees: What It Means for Belize

In about two weeks, the United States of America will inaugurate its 47th president—Donald J. Trump. With this come major shifts under Trump’s anticipated rigorous administration, particularly in the immigration sector, with new policies expected to tighten deportations.

Guatemala is open to accepting citizens from other Central American countries who are deported from the United States as part of efforts to build a positive relationship with the incoming Trump administration. It has also been reported that Guatemala is willing to play a role in the regional response to the increase in deportations expected under President-elect Donald Trump. A Guatemalan official noted, “There has to be a regional response… and we want to be part of the solution.”

This move comes as the U.S. struggles to deport people from countries like Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Haiti, with strained relations complicating deportation efforts. Guatemala, however, is actively preparing for an uptick in deportation flights and is already receiving 14 per week under President Biden. This figure is expected to rise under Trump. Guatemala sees this influx as an opportunity to utilise the skills of the deportees, many of whom have experience in industries like construction and service and speak English. The country aims to integrate these individuals into the private sector, although officials are concerned about the strain deportations may put on the economy, especially if remittances from the U.S. decline.

Neighbouring countries like El Salvador and Honduras are also bracing for an increase in deportees. Honduras has already been receiving 10 deportation flights per week, with their foreign minister stating the country is preparing for a significant rise.

But what could this mean for Belize? Given the already porous nature of its borders, Belize can expect many challenges. Attorney Audrey Matura shared with the viewers of the morning show, Open Your Eyes, on Thursday that this can mean more individuals attempting to cross into Belize. Matura stated, “Our border is porous. These people will find their way back into Belize, maybe trying to make it back to Mexico. We need to prepare for that… It’s going to have a big political impact and economic impact on Belize.”

Man Shot in Early Hours of New Year’s Day

On Wednesday, a twenty-one-year-old Belize City resident became the fourth person injured in a New Year’s Day shooting. Around 4:30 a.m., Shemar Gillett was walking home when a vehicle stopped at the corner of Gibnut Street and Marigold Alley, and shots were fired from inside. Gillett was hit in his left arm and rushed to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for treatment. We spoke with Gillett earlier today, and he informed us that his arm is recovering well and has already regained movement. Interestingly, Gillett was involved in another shooting incident in 2022, but as the alleged shooter. Reports indicate that gunshots were fired at the corner of Gibnut and Curassow Street, causing damage to two vehicles. Police believe Anthony Parham was the intended target of that incident. The investigation into the 2025 shooting is ongoing.

Petrol Alliance Group Responds to Concerns About Fuel Station on Caye Caulker

A few weeks ago, residents of Caye Caulker voiced their concerns about a proposed fuel station and convenience store near the Split at the northern end of the island. Many of the property owners, mostly expats, are worried about the potential environmental impact of the project. They also claim they were never consulted by Petrol Alliance Group Holding Company Limited, the company planning to build the depot. In late December, Mark Leslie and his business partner, Elvis Landaverry, addressed these concerns to ease the residents’ fears. The Petrol Alliance Group owns lots 957 and 2016 on the leeward side of Caye Caulker. Earlier today, News Five spoke with Mark Leslie, a director of the San Ignacio-based company, to get more details.

On the phone: Mark Leslie, Director, Petrol Alliance Group Holdings

“We are planning to build a fuel station there. We have done major research before even going into this project and we actually went ahead and applied for all our clearances and every other thing with the department as well, all the governmental departments that were necessary, inclusive of the Department of the Environment. We have received environmental clearance from the department and like with all environmental clearances, they give you an environmental compliance plan which we must adhere to and inclusive in that compliance plan are things like mitigation schedules and whatever-have-you that would ensure, one: public safety, two: environmental safety. In all due respect, we did speak to most people before we went in there. I have unlimited supporting letters from the residents of Caye Caulker and we did go speak to a lot of them and we still are continuing to get support letters from people. Now when we applied through the village council, I believe it was maybe something that the village council should have mentioned to us, I am not trying to put down anybody, okay, but it was not something to say that we would have a public forum. If there was something where the Caye Caulker Village Council or anybody would have advised us that a public forum is or would be necessary, it is something that we would gladly do, even if it means sitting at the village council, their office or wherever they choose and then maybe have some sort of public interview and we may do questions and answers.”

Petrol Alliance Group Responds to Insurance Concerns

Concerned neighbors also brought up the issue of insurance, worried that the proximity and nature of the development would make it difficult for them to get coverage for their properties. However, Leslie reassured them, saying he met with all seven local insurance providers, and none of them had any objections to insuring properties near the proposed fuel depot site.

On the phone: Mark Leslie, Director, Petrol Alliance Group Holdings

“Throughout the entire country of Belize, we only have seven providers and I contacted and reached out to them and each of the individuals that I spoke to within those organizations had mentioned to me that there is no issue with them issuing insurance to anybody, especially, and I, of course, gave them the area and I told them about the project and they again reassured me that that should not be an issue. The worst case scenario, from my understanding is, and I am not saying that that location is, however, the worst case scenario would be that they would take it on a one-on-one basis and maybe go and inspect wherever they were if it was in an industrial area or some place that they would consider hazardous, and they would still try to give that person insurance. I’m not, again, categorically, I am not saying that our location is, I am just saying that this is an overall policy from the companies. They would still try to give you insurance, what may be affected if they considered or deemed some place hazardous or a heavy industrial zone is that they may look at either higher premiums or higher deductibles, but it would not be denying anybody insurance coverage. I also went to the higher authorities, which is, I believe, the insurance secretary of the country of Belize and their offices also told me that should any one of the seven deny insurance to anybody that that person or individual or group or entity may apply to the secretary of insurance who may then allow them to get coverage from outside of the country. You’d prefer a provider from maybe the US because the people, I understand, are ex-pats from the US that are concerned about the insurance. Should those seven Belizean entities decide that it is too high risk, they may then still go the Secretary of Insurance who may, at that point, give them permission to get coverage from outside. Now, again, categorically, I am not saying that our location is, I am just trying to find as much information so that I may share it with residents and try to satisfy their concerns.”

Domestic Violence Unit Renamed Gender-Based Violence Unit

The Domestic Violence Unit of the Belize Police Department has long been known for its crucial role in defusing heated disputes and helping to put perpetrators behind bars with solid evidence. The unit also works closely with the Ministry of Human Development. Now, as of New Year’s Day, it has been rebranded as the Gender-Based Violence Response and Investigative Unit (GVRIU). This change, while still under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been warmly welcomed by Minister Dolores Balderamos-Garcia.

On the Phone: Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development

“Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams called me on it and I ran it by our senior staff and we said, absolutely. We embrace and we welcome the change because, you know, the word domestic when you talk about, if you talk about, if you use domestic as a noun, a domestic means somebody who works in the home or in the house and then when you say domestic violence, it’s violence in the home. However, Gender based violence cuts right across the board, whether it is in the workplace, whether it’s on the street, there are so many things that happen in terms of the, of the gendered aspect of violence, whether it be sexual harassment and, you know, we have new sexual harassment legislation. Like I say, whether it’s on the street at the workplace when you’re traveling, when you’re moving around, um, there is violence, which is gender based and so it does not only occur in the home.”

Victims Shouldn’t Be Dismissed for Changing Their Mind

The combined efforts aim to tackle gender-based violence in all its forms, including domestic violence, sexual violence, human trafficking, and harassment. In a press release, the police department stated that the new name aligns with its evolving mission to address violence not only within domestic settings but also in various scenarios where individuals face violence based on their gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Minister Balderamos-Garcia recalled a harrowing incident involving a San Pedro woman who was viciously attacked and beaten by her estranged husband in November. The woman had to jump off a moving jet ski to seek help in Caye Caulker after being taken hostage. The minister highlighted the reality that many victims choose not to pursue a court case but want their report on record for future reference, should they face a similar situation with the same offender.

On the Phone: Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development

“I want to mention something that came to my attention about a month and a half ago that sometimes when women file a report or make a report to the police, and they say it is for future reference. In other words, it was serious enough. Whatever incident it may have been, the woman felt and I’m speaking specifically about women – now, the woman may have felt that it was significant enough to make a report to the police, but based on many, many human factors, she may not want to pursue a criminal charge against the perpetrator. So she says, “I am filing this report for future reference.” And so, it came to my attention that sometimes the court system may wish to take the view that, “Oh, you know, if you’re filing a report for future reference, then you’re going to come to court and withdraw the case and waste our time.” And so, now, please, I am not throwing any stone at any individual magistrate or legal person or judge. I’m just saying that sometimes you may have the attitude that, oh, you know, they’re going to come to court and withdraw the charge. And so it is not something that we should get into. I want to say that that is not something that any court system should do. I would highly decry and discourage that because we all know that when it comes to gender-based violence, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, these issues are extremely complex, difficult to deal with. And why? Because many, many times children are involved and a woman. Even a man, but mostly the woman would stay in the relationship because of the children and because of wanting to keep the family together, despite maybe an ongoing abuse, which is verbal, which is, you know, by gestures, by actions, by withholding money for the household.”

San Pedro Resident Alleges Police Abuse

Tonight, a San Pedro resident, Alex Wade, is coming forward with allegations of police brutality. Wade claims that he was beaten by four police officers in his cell, resulting in several injuries, including a fractured elbow. He told News Five that the incident began on Monday after he was detained for getting into a physical altercation with another person in public. Wade alleges that he was denied the right to make a phone call and, after cursing at a police officer, was physically attacked. According to Wade, this is just one of several similar incidents. Speaking with Wade today, he informed us that he plans to press charges. Here’s more on that.

On the Phone: Alex Wade, Alleged Abuse Victim

“ I was chilling outside of right here at Centavos at the roadside and a guy passed and messed with me, but he threw a stone, right? And I threw a stone back to him and he went and called the police and they come, ker us da the station and thing, put me in the cell and I asked the police for a call because nobody knew I was there. So I asked him for a call and he told me, no, I was going to sleep there for the rest of the night. So I just cussed him. I used an obscene language. I cussed him out and he told me say it again and I say it again and he opened the cell. I was already in the cell and he opened the cell and he came in. Two of them came in and they started beating me and I think I tried to defend myself. I shoved one of them off and he went out and he came in back with a metal level. That is when he lashed me about like four times on my elbow. Fractured my elbow.”

Britney Gordon

“Were you given any medical treatment after this incident?”

On the Phone: Alex Wade

“Yes, ma’am. I got my medical form. I got two x-ray form.”

Britney Gordon

“And you said that how this was the first time that it happened. When did it happen again?”

On the Phone: Alex Wade

“Just like last night.”

Britney Gordon

“So you’ve been since released from the station?”

On the Phone: Alex Wade

“Yes, ma’am. I released, but me and my neighbor went through a little argument, a little problem. I threw a rock at her, but I didn’t hit her with a rock. I hit the building behind her. Then she went to report that I stoned her with a rock and they come, they arrest me and things. And same thing, I asked the corporal for a phone call and he tell me no, so I just tell him I cussed him again. I cussed the corporal and he opened the cell and he tell me to come outside. I tell him no, I won’t go outside because I no wa mek my rights turn wrong. I know my rights. If I go outside, you want to charge me again, right, ma’am? So I neva moved. They opened the ricket and went in the cell, dragged me out, tried to drag me out. I mi di fight back fi not come out. Then the next guy jumped, tried to save me, I still got one hand, mom, I can’t defend myself, right? Yeah, next guy jumped in to save me, they wapped he, buss his head to ma’am, they beat he bad inna the station, two of us.”

Britney Gordon

“So right now your arm is in a sling, or it’s wrapped up?”

On the Phone: Alex Wade

“Yes, ma’am, it’s cast up and it’s in a sling. I could make George send a picture of him off it to you.”

Britney Gordon

“Okay, and so, what is it exactly you’re hoping for, for people to be aware of this? Are you pressing any charges?”

On the Phone: Alex Wade

“Yes, ma’am. I am pressing charges. I want a lawsuit at the station.”

Tourist Drowns Off St. George’s Caye

This morning, a tragic incident occurred offshore near Saint George’s Caye when an elderly tourist drowned during a marine adventure. Sixty-seven-year-old Rajendran Nair from Florida was snorkeling with a group of tourists when he encountered difficulties just before 10 a.m. Despite efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead. His body was brought to Belize City, where a postmortem examination is scheduled.

Egbert Gill Charged for Aggravated Assault

Tonight, twenty-two-year-old Egbert Vince Gill from Santa Barbara Street is out on bail after being arraigned on a charge of aggravated assault with a knife. Late this evening, Gill, who did not have legal representation, appeared before Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegodapola. He was charged with aggravated assault with a dangerous instrument against Leon Lopez. Gill, a laborer from Belize City, pleaded not guilty. With no objections, he was granted bail of one thousand, five hundred dollars, plus one surety of the same amount, which he met. As part of his bail conditions, Gill must not contact the complainant or any members of his family. He also must not be arrested or charged with any other offenses while out on bail, or his bail will be revoked. Gill’s next court date is set for February twenty-eight, 2025.

A Maskall Resident is Arraigned for Robbery

Tonight, twenty-nine-year-old Jeremy Johnson from Maskall is out on bail after being arraigned in Belize City Magistrate’s Court on a robbery charge. The allegations against Johnson claim that on December thirteenth, 2024, in Maskall Village, he used force to steal forty-five dollars from Milton Reyes. During his arraignment, Johnson initially pleaded guilty with an explanation, insisting that he did not rob the man. Disagreeing with the police’s account and denying the offense, Johnson was granted bail of two thousand dollars and is scheduled to return to court in February 2025. As part of his bail conditions, Johnson must attend all court dates set by the Magistrate and must not be arrested or charged with any other offenses while out on bail, or his bail could be revoked.