As we kick off an election year, the exact date for the national vote is still up in the air, but many expect it to be called before the end of the first quarter of 2025. The political scene is heating up, with the ruling People’s United Party ramping up their unofficial campaign to win over voters through various initiatives. These include a minimum wage hike, a recent income tax waiver for those who qualify, and GST-free weekends during the Christmas season. Meanwhile, the United Democratic Party remains fractured, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be patching things up before the next general elections. Earlier today, we caught up with Doctor Dylan Vernon, a political scientist who has been closely monitoring the political landscape. Here are his expert insights.
Dylan Vernon
Dr. Dylan Vernon, Political Scientist
“We clearly have a situation where the People’s United Party, currently in power, is having, as I said, gale force winds in its political sails. Coming off huge victories in 2020 and also the municipal elections and having a rebound, economically, after COVID part of which was inevitable but not certainly guaranteed. And then, I think as I said in one of my pieces, too, there’s been the expansion of NHI, minimum wage has increased. There’s been a rebound of tourism, sugar is doing well. There’s a political reform process that is on the way, who knows what will come out of that one. But overall, economically, the numbers look good om paper. Unemployment is at its lowest for a long time and the economy has been growing. If you analyze how things have gone at the beginning, especially of the first term of government’s first few months or years. It always begins well, there’s an upward trend, the economy growing, good things happening and then later on things begin to deteriorate. So, I say that to say that if this trend continues what we are seeing right now in terms of the People’s United Party’s achievements could be the beginning that all the other governments have had and that we will see, gradually, some deterioration. So then, political parties, in this context, want to have early elections, as has happened a couple of times in our history. But the big point here is that the term PUDP is used for a reason because people have seen, since independence, that while parties change and things improve for a while, over time, the constancy of poverty corruption, having not enough housing, inequality, insecurity, these things continue and sometimes worsen.”
Vernon’s take on the situation within the U.D.P. is pretty bleak, echoing what other experts are saying: a clean sweep at the polls seems likely on election day.
Dylan Vernon
Dr. Dylan Vernon, Political Scientist
“On the other side of the coin, of course, the opposition, the United Democratic Party is in self-destruct mode still. The division that everyone knows of between the faction, the Alliance for Democracy and the UDP itself, under the leadership of Shyne Barrow, they seem to be at a point where reconciling before an election might be difficult, if not impossible to do. And so, that more than anything else, all the strengths that the PUP, right now, has, they are actually outweighed by the divisions and the weakness of the UDP. And so, yeah, in an election year like this, I could imagine that the prime minister and the leaders of the People’s United Party are feeling quite confident about their chances to the point where some people are even talking about a clean sweep, thirty-one to zero.”
Isani Cayetano
“When you look at what is presently taking place within the United Democratic Party and the fact that as a political organization it is so very divided and a general election is looming, it could be called at any moment really, what do you think are the chances, in terms of the UDP being able to get it together to mount some form of a formidable campaign against the ruling party?”
Dylan Vernon
“Yes. You know, they say that a week is a very long time in politics, in partisan politics, electoral politics. So a lot of things can happen, for example, suppose there is some huge, big scandal that comes out with the government and advantage is taken of that. But that aside, I mean it is very clear that the UDP currently is in one of the weakest stages it has ever been historically and it is mostly self-imposed because of the internal division. From my point of view, it seems unlikely that it will be resolved before the next [general] election, depending on when that is. If it is an early election, of course, the chances are less so.”
On Tuesday, we brought you the story of the Dominguez family feud in Biscayne that turned violent during an alleged home invasion. Shania Dominguez claims her first cousin, Lunnet Dominguez, has been a threat to her and her six-year-old autistic son ever since she moved onto their grandfather’s property in Biscayne Village. Shania alleges that Lunnet and her eighteen-year-old nephew broke into her house, causing damage to both her and her property. After the authorities stepped in, all three family members were charged with harm, leading Shania to call for harsher punishments. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Last week, a land dispute within the Dominguez family escalated to the point where three members ended up in court. Twenty-five-year-old Shania Dominguez claims that ever since she moved onto a property in Biscayne Village, her thirty-three-year-old cousin Lunnet Dominguez and Lunnet’s eighteen-year-old nephew have been harassing her. Shania says that one day, while she was at home, she heard objects being thrown at her house. When she went to check, she claims she saw her cousins outside.
Shania Dominguez
Shania Dominguez, Charged With Harm
“So both of us exchange words then her nephew said that he would and punch me in my mouth. with loud noises on my house start getting stoned. When I looked, I opened my door, I saw him already at the step. I was scared. I threw regular water on him so that he could move away and go from out of my yard because why are you guys in my yard. when I look, I locked back my door, sat down, when I heard all the steps just coming up, just because Lunnett is coming up, stamped, opened the door fell straight down, cause the force that they came with trashed the whole house.”
Shania claims her cousins forced their way into her home, sparking a scuffle. All three family members ended up being charged with harm, which didn’t sit well with Shania. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams stated that the charges were fair for everyone involved.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We have to be extremely real and honest in terms of what we say to the public. When we give an account of something, we must give the full story. Obviously there is an issue involving that family, and it would appear that what triggered the issue, um, might have been something that took place at the, I think back in the cross horse race, so we’re following that event. The son of Miss Domingo, the police officer, was burnt with hot water by the relative of the other lady who is complaining. And based on that, she went into the house to see who had thrown the hot water on her son, and whilst there, there was a scuffle, and the lady got injured. The police again exercising reasonableness and fairness, we decided to look at the issue as a cross complaint. So the fact that Ms. Domingo is a police officer, Lunnet, it did not exculpate her from the issue, because she too was also charged with harm. And the person who threw the hot water on the child was also charged.”
Shania says her cousins wreaked havoc on her house and even made off with her television. She’s baffled as to why they didn’t face more serious charges.
Shania Dominguez
“That’s aggravated burglary, damage to property, stuff went missing. So approximately should get charged for theft. All of those things. To my knowledge, when I came to court, I found out that they won’t get charged for none of those only harm because I brought my medical form in. So if I didn’t even brought my medical form in, nothing would have come out of the situation. At no point of time, I’m saying that I’m a saint, but these people are wrong. If they’re wrong, I’m asking for the right charges to be levied against them, which is aggravated burglary, damage to property and theft. And none of those are happening.”
Despite Shania’s adamant denial of throwing hot water on her alleged assailant, Commissioner Williams maintains that the right punishment was handed down.
Chester Williams
“Whether hot or cold, if you throw water on somebody, that’s an assault. They had no right to do that, and that’s what aggravated the issue. And so we have to be real; they provoked the situation. If you are a mother, and you are somewhere and someone inside a house throws water, whether hot or cold, on your child. What would be your response? We have to be real. You don’t provoke a situation and believe that because another person responds to your provocation, then that person must be dealt with how you feel the person must be dealt with. The law must be, must be there to protect people.”
Shania’s biggest worry is her cousin’s connections with the Belize Police Department and Paul Ferguson, aka Chicken Dread, who drives for the Minister of Home Affairs.
Shania Dominguez
“Chicken Dread is on her side. When she was a civilian like me, she never a day crossed my path, but due to the fact that Paul is always there saying that he has her back. So this is what she’s doing, just doing stuff and think that she can get away with it. And then if I just keep quiet, If it will just be sweeped right under the rug, it’s clear to be seen.”
Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams dispelled rumors of Fergusons influence over the case.
Chester Williams
“I don’t know what else the family expects; this had nothing to do with chicken dread, or chicken bald head, or however you may want to call him. In terms of influencing what the police does, I personally advised the lady, well, the police, in terms of how to deal with the issue and then dealt with it.”
Shania says the land they’re living on belongs to their late grandfather. If the land dispute isn’t sorted out soon, she plans to take it to court. Britney Gordon for News Five.
On January first, Belize City was rocked by three separate shooting incidents. The first happened on Levi Slusher Street, where a four-year-old girl was hit by a stray bullet, likely due to reckless gunfire during fireworks displays. Around three a.m., the second shooting took place when Jody Ortiz, Dennis Aranda, and Anwar Smith were targeted by a gunman in a white vehicle while they were hanging out in a yard on Linda Vista Street. Less than two hours later, the third shooting of New Year’s Day occurred, with twenty-two-year-old Shemar Gillett getting shot in the arm on Marigold Alley as he was heading home. Earlier today, police visited the Holy Emmanuel Street area, and Commissioner of Police Chester Williams informed us that they are making progress in the shooting investigations.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I’m here because we do have some rising tensions in the area within the BLC. And so I am here along with Mr. Gamboa to see what we can do to try and defuse the issue before it goes any further.”
Reporter
“Have you gotten any useful information so far?”
Chester Williams
“Of course, yes, we’re getting good insight in terms of what actually transpired New Year’s morning. And the information that we’re getting, we will use that to see how best we can stem the issue before it escalates any further.”
Reporter
“I know there are older, maybe former persons that used to be involved in gang activity who are now leading another life. Do they assist in trying to keep the peace, maybe for the younger persons coming into their life?”
Chester Williams
“ Well, of course, and if you listen to my New Year’s message, I was clear that the police department is going to continue to work with LIU to see how best we can provide a way out to those persons who wish to become law abiding and useful members of our society. This is a part of what we want to do to ensure that we provide that avenue for people to be able to make that change that they want to make.”
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has hit back at claims that he’s in it for the glory. In an interview earlier today, Williams was asked about the suggestion that he seeks public praise. He was quick to shut down the idea, emphasizing that policing is a team effort. Williams highlighted the crucial roles played by the Leadership Intervention Unit and the rest of the Police Department in keeping Belizeans safe across the country.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“You all would be able to know that in every interview I’ve given where the issue of success and reduction in crime is concerned, I have never taken the praise alone. I’ve always said that it is a combination of different factors, and I’ve always put L.I.U. At the center of it because we do recognize and appreciate the work that you does on a daily basis. It contributes to our effectiveness. We cannot discount people who are playing an integral role in terms of what we do. And so L.I.U. Is a part of what we do. But apart from that, we have other factors that we must also give consideration to. So I really don’t understand what she meant by me chasing praises because I don’t do that. I am one man and I alone cannot reduce crime. While I am the head of the police department, I am a policymaker. The policies that I make or the strategies I put together will not worth the paper they’re written on if the people on the grounds do not execute them properly. And so I give the praises to my commanders to the foot soldiers, those constables, corporals, and sergeants who hit the pavement every day and execute our policies. They’re the ones I give the praises to because they’re the ones who are out there doing what needs to be done. So I remain humble in terms of what I do and I am grateful to my commanders and every other organization that works with the police including the L.I.U. and brother Nuri and his team to ensure that we were able to reduce crime the way we did two successive years.”
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has addressed the allegations of police abuse in San Pedro. On Thursday, we reported on Alex Wade, a San Pedro resident who claims that after being detained for assault, he was denied his right to make a phone call and was beaten by several officers in his cell, resulting in a fractured elbow. Commissioner Williams says that’s only part of the story but assures that the incident has been reported to the Professional Standards Branch for a thorough investigation.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Again it has a lot to do with people being honest about what they said to the media. I spoke to the O.C., or the Divisional Commander of the Coastal Area, Mr. Cowo, this morning on that issue. And my briefing from Mr. Cowo is that these individuals, I think there were three of them detained in a cell with another person having detained them in the cell with the other person, they found out that the other person had some mental disability. Our policy is that once you have a person who is mentally challenged, that person must be detained separately from other prisoners. So the police officers went to the cell block to remove those individuals who were not classified as mentally challenged, out of the cell where this mentally challenged person was. And when the officers went to do that, these three individuals attacked the police officers. The officers received varying degrees of injuries including when transporting them to the hospital. One of them stamped the police out of the vehicle, almost killing him. And the police have since charged those individuals for the injuries they had caused to the police officers. So, we need to be honest and we have to understand that police officers are human beings. And when police are doing their job, we must always ensure we work with them or cooperate with them. Even if you feel like the police officer is wrong, you have a responsibility to cooperate. And after you have done so, you can always make a complaint if you believe the police have wronged you. So again, I personally do not see anything wrong that the police officers did. Nonetheless, I’ve tasked professional standard branch to go out and look at the situation. We may have bit of footages that will be able to help the police investigation.”
On December twenty-first, a man was fatally stabbed in Corozal after being found inside a teenage girl’s house. Reports say Anthony Lewis, who was out on bail for engaging in sexual relations with a minor, visited the girl’s home and got into a heated altercation with her family. During the intense brawl, Lewis was fatally stabbed. The incident has been ruled as self-defense. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams shed some light on why this wasn’t classified as a murder case.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“When an issue of self-defense is raised, In any debt investigation, it is not the police who determine the charges, it’s the DPP office. And so we have sent that file to the DPP for instructions on that matter, and we await that. Bear in mind though, that if a person comes into your home and when you get there, you are attacked by that person. The law will give you some leverage so that you can protect yourself and your home. I’m sure that those are things that the DPP or the DPP rep is going to take into consideration in determining that matter. This person was already charged with carnalities against your child. You come home, you find him in your home with your same child. What would be your response? How would you deal with it? And if there’s a scuffle and he end up getting injured and died, I don’t see how the person could be held accountable for that, no.”
Last month, Nicaraguan doctor Carlos Saborio Coze was charged with administering noxious substances after a man claimed he was drugged by him. The accusation comes from a Venezuelan nurse who says he was drinking with Coze at Little John’s Restaurant in Belize City and briefly left his drink unattended. He alleges that Coze slipped something into his drink, causing him to wake up at home several days later with no memory of how he got there. There were no signs of sexual assault. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams provided an update on the case, revealing that evidence of blackmail has surfaced.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“ That’s a very complex issue. I know that there is some allegations of blackmail being involved in the whole issue. I’m not sure if a report was made to the police officially, but the attorney for the doctor did reach out to me and has sent me some information to suggest that indeed there was some element of blackmail in that whole situation. And so the police is going to look at it if an official complaint is made and then we see how we go from there.”
Since late 2024, word has been going around that the Belize Port Authority would bring back the one-dollar one-way tax they had previously removed from water taxi travelers’ expenses to and from San Pedro and Caye Caulker. This dollar was part of a three-dollar fee that’s been around for years, covering the Port Authority’s inspections of the vessels. During the height of COVID, the government cut it down to two dollars. Now that things are back to normal, they’ve reinstated the dollar charge as part of the overall fees. This change took effect on New Year’s Day. While most travelers haven’t made a fuss when buying their tickets, there’s been some confusion, with some thinking it’s a new tax. Today, News Five’s Marion Ali spoke with the relevant parties and filed this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
It’s peak tourism season in Belize, and the Caribbean Sprinters Water Terminal at the foot of the Swing Bridge was buzzing with activity today. Since New Year’s Day, everyone taking a commercial water taxi to or from Caye Caulker, San Pedro, or Belize City has noticed a dollar increase in their ticket prices compared to last week. But don’t worry, this isn’t a new tax—it’s just bringing the fee back to its original three-dollar rate. Andre Perez, the Area Representative for Belize Rural South, which includes San Pedro and Caye Caulker, assured everyone that this extra dollar isn’t an arbitrary price hike.
On the Phone, Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South
“It’s not an increase in ticket fees. That’s not true, alright. They – while the taxis are still charging a fee, they have not increased, you know. There is a rider fee or a port fee for every person that that boards the ports, and that is what they’re charging, but before it used to be three dollars, but during the COVID, it went down to two dollars. So now that we’re coming into the new year, and I think they made a press release on the 15th of December stating that it is only going to revert back. It’s not an increase. It’s just reverting back to what was the original fee, the rider fee, if you want to call it the passenger fee of three dollars. So, it’s only going back to what is normal. So that’s not an increase.”
The fee is only collected from passengers on these specific routes because they fall within the taxable price range of ten to a hundred dollars. The money goes to the Belize Port Authority, which uses it to conduct inspections at the departure and arrival points. Acting Ports Commissioner Kaylon Young told News Five that the three dollars collected are reinvested into services to ensure passenger safety.
Kaylon Young
Kaylon Young, Acting Ports Commissioner
“It’s ideal that we do this because of the plans we have for the maritime sector and services that we offer. Um, the inspection of vessels. We do want to do the inspection for waterways and do some surveying and do some Check the routes make sure roads are safe. Make sure we have adequate lights Adequate markers in the in the area and do some community outreach in the special areas like San Pedro and Caye Caulker. We must ensure that the water taxis are not overloaded with – that they are not taking, for example, cargo and passengers are not supposed to be on these boats. These boats are either registered for commercial cargo or commercial passengers, to ensure that they have proper life jackets, have first aid kits, have all of the safety equipment that would be needed in the case of an emergency.”
Young mentioned that inspection officers are dispatched to the terminals daily to carry out inspections. Additionally, the authority conducts random sea patrols and enforces regulations. Despite the reinstated dollar fee, Joel Ah, the Cargo Agent for Caribbean Sprinters Water Taxi, reported no complaints or slowdown in business.
Joel Ah
Joel Ah, Cargo Agent, Caribbean Sprinters Water Taxi
“We have a lot of customers traveling at this moment.”
Marion Ali
“Are they questioning what’s this added dollar?”
Joel Ah
“No, they’re not questioning, they’re just paying what it is, yeah.”
Marion Ali
“Okay, so now to travel to San Pedro would cost how much?”
Joel Ah
“It is forty-four dollars.”
Marion Ali
“It is 43?”
Joel Ah
“Yeah.”
Acting Ports Commissioner Young explained that other commercial ferries, like those running between Placencia and Independence in southern Belize, charge less than ten dollars for the lagoon crossing, so no taxes are added to those fares. However, Young assured that the Port still conducts inspections and patrols at those locations too. Marion Ali for News Five.
In mid-December, residents of an upscale ex-pat community in Caye Caulker voiced their opposition to a proposed fuel depot in their neighborhood. But just as quickly, a group of tour operators on the island came out in support of the project. The Caye Caulker Tour Operators Association even issued a press release and a ‘No-objection’ letter backing the depot, proposed by Petrol Alliance Group Holding Company Limited. If approved, the depot would be located on parcel nine-fifty-seven, Block twelve, on the northern side of the village. When News Five spoke with Belize Rural South Area Representative Andre Perez today, he said he’s staying neutral on the issue.
On the Phone: Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South
“ It’s a small community, right. However bearing in mind that the huge contribution of this community contributes not only to insect, but to the economy, you know. And it’s a, it’s an excellent location. It’s still we have to be mindful of the, of the community in terms of how nice and laid back it is there. When you go there, I myself, when I go there, I enjoy myself to spend overnight. You know, it’s a different experience as compared to San Pedro, right? So it’s important. We have leaders that we preserve that, that type of, um, you know, ambience and atmosphere and environment. But, of course, mindful of the feelings of the, of the community and I say community. We’re not only talking about the voters or the local, right? We’re talking, of course, that there’s a community of experts who chose or choose to be their home every time and home far away. I mean, from home they come, but in terms of development up north, the development is happening up north of is coming up quick and the vast majority. In fact, most of the land is privately owned already. Right. It is privately owned. There’s no such land as any public lands out there, except for a piece that is reserved. Right and that is actually held as a reserve by the government as an agreement. No, as not developed, you’re seeing more resource going up high rise buildings going up. You’re having more the added of water, which is the reaching the area there and eventually also electricity coming from the southern point of Burgess. You could join the northern part of and hook them up to the grid. So, as development happens, I mean, there’s no way that we’re stopping to putting a gas station there. I don’t want to say I’m in favor of it, but certainly I believe, and I think what we need to do is consultation and that’s what they have been following the entire, um, everything to the books they have reached out to the council requesting the no objection support there. And they are doing all their compliance as far as I’m concerned, what they’re doing is they’re following everything as per required by law. So, with that said, um. That that remains a weather consultations to be done and let the people speak about it as well. Although it’s a sensitive part of speaking about the gas station. But then again, let’s not forget the other side about the necessity of it. I didn’t need to serve the community because as a speaker, I don’t have 1 gas station. So, we have to be fair with, and I remain impartial. But in the end is the will of the people, uh, in Cocker. That it’s in their interest there, whether they want to support you or not. And, um, and I know the council are receptable receiving and having a discussion with the, with the interested, uh, people who want to invest there.”
