The United Democratic Party is heading back to mediation, this time with the High Court facilitating the process. As we reported on Monday, a letter was sent to the Registrar of the High Court, informing her of the Alliance for Democracy’s intention to resolve their internal dispute with Shyne Barrow. But will it work, given that both sides remain steadfast in their positions? Tracy Taegar-Panton and the Alliance for Democracy movement aren’t considering a coalition, as they firmly see themselves as members of the U.D.P. On the other hand, Shyne Barrow has proposed various options to unify the party, but one of his conditions is that Tracy Taegar-Panton stops calling herself the party leader. Tonight, we’ll bring you the latest from both factions and their perspectives on whether mediation can actually succeed under these circumstances.
Isani Cayetano
“For the better part of last year there was a very strong bucking of heads between Shyne Barrow and yourself where leadership of the United Democratic Party is concerned. How do you see this mediation process working out if, for instance, you’re not budging from your position post October twentieth, and he is saying, “Look, the court is saying everything reverts back to status quo ante October twentieth.”
Tracy Taegar-Panton
Tracy Taegar-Panton, Area Representative, Albert
“Where does the court say that? That’s not what I read in the interim, the order that came out after the interim injunction. The court does not make that declaration. The court cannot prejudice a case that it has not heard. So, the court could not, the court dealt with one matter in that injunction and that matter had to do with the use of the headquarters, access to the headquarters in particular and use of the party organs for the work of the party. It said nothing else. There is a substantial matter before the court that has not yet been determined, has not been heard and in no court anywhere in the Commonwealth jurisdiction will a court prejudice itself before hearing the matters at hand.”
Isani Cayetano
“So where does that put you in terms of the mediation process? You made certain pronouncements on Friday in another area of the media where Mr. Barrow and his attorney are essentially saying, “Look, what you are doing is essentially contravening what the High Court has ordered.” That’s their position.”
Tracy Taegar-Panton
“But where does it say that? So, you know, to say one thing and to look, and I invite the members of the local media, look at Claim Six-sixty and look at the judgment, if you will, that came out after that and read it for yourselves because the court did not say anything other than the use of the building and the party assets.”
But what does Shyne Barrow think about reuniting the fractured party? He believes Belizeans are tired of Panton’s antics. While the Area Representative for Mesopotamia doesn’t think the U.D.P. will be wiped out at the polls, he suggests a coalition movement, similar to when Philip Goldson and the NABR teamed up with the U.D.P. to defeat the People’s United Party in 1993.
Isani Cayetano
“You are at a juncture where the Alliance for Democracy faction has indicated to the High Court that it is now prepared to sit and go through the mediation process. Where do you see that going, in terms of all that has transpired since December sixth and, of course, what took place over the weekend with certain pronouncements being made by Tracy Taegar-Panton?”
Shyne Barrow
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“Again, I think that the public has grown exhausted of the constant lies and posturing and selfish behavior. The disingenuous nature of the alliance led by Tracy is clear for all to see. The facts are that for the last few weeks the most senior stalwart members of the UDP have reached out to Tracy. Some of the biggest donors in Belize have reached out to her in order to mediate and to put forward the proposals which I’ve shared with you months ago, if I recall correctly. Everyone with sense and reason is of the view that it would be better to, at the very least, have some type of coalition so as to avoid a catastrophe at the polls. We are, you may see, I don’t know if it would be zero seats, but that is a possibility. It hasn’t happened since the sixties, but we would want to increase seats, we would want to at least retain seats.”
The interpretation of Justice Hondura’s High Court judgment is causing quite a bit of confusion. Barrow and his attorney, Doctor Christopher Malcolm, believe the decision is in their favor. Meanwhile, Panton and the Alliance for Democracy have a different take on the ruling. Panton hopes that the mediation process will clear up any ambiguities and bring some clarity to the situation.
Tracy Taegar-Panton, Albert Area Representative
“The mediation process will help to clarify what is written in the judgment, so maybe we can start there. I have read that judgment on more than one occasion to be sure that we are not flouting or acting in contravention of the order and as far as my legal advice tells me and as far as I am able to comprehend from reading English, we are not in contravention of the court order.”
Isani Cayetano
“I am being made to understand that on a previous occasion, Dr. Christopher Malcolm, who represents Shyne Barrow and the executive of the UDP, as it were, has made every effort to reach out to Senior Counsel Ellis Arnold and King’s Counsel Peter Knox where the mediation issue is concerned and they are saying that Ellis Arnold never really budged in terms of responding to that request that you guys come to the table.”
Tracy Taegar-Panton
“It’s so improper. You know, all of that is so improper and hinges on being unethical. There’s a matter before the court, Mr. Barrow has counsel and Tracy Panton has counsel, and the judge has met with those counsels, both counsels, and has addressed them on what his decisions are and how the process will progress. It is for none of us. Not Shyne, not Tracy, to make any pronouncements on what is happening between the two attorneys. What is happening [is that] this process is being facilitated by the court, it’s being led by the judge’s decisions and I certainly am not going to make the same mistake that I believe the other side has made.”
Isani Cayetano
“If you’re going into the mediation process with a view that perhaps you can resolve the issue ahead of the general election being called, are you or would you be in a position to acknowledge Shyne Barrow’s leadership going into an election?”
Tracy Taegar-Panton
“I don’t know what the mediation process is going to yield. I don’t know what proposals are going to be placed before us for consideration and so that would be premature for me to pronounce on. I am saying to you that we are going into the mediation process with the hope that we can find a reasonable solution going forward that does not silence the voices of the people and does not negate the decisions taken by our decision makers of the party.”
Earlier today, Barrow elaborated on his idea to form a partnership with the alliance and its supporters. He emphasized that for a coalition to work, Tracy Taegar-Panton must stop presenting herself as the leader of the United Democratic Party.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“The coalition proposition was for Albert, Queen Square, Collet and Cayo North which are the four constituencies that aligned with Tracy that we believe can deliver their seats. But everyone else would be subject to the decisions of the party organs in reviewing and managing the process of putting forward the most suitable candidate. The UDP constitution does not give anybody the absolute right to continue as standard bearer if they are not performing, if they are not delivering. It’s interesting that they want to overthrow me because they are not satisfied with my performance, yet they reject the fact that the central executive, by a majority vote, can do the same thing. So we are prepared to do a coalition with the seats that those that align with Tracy have a chance of winning. And the second option which was not on the table before was for those people to return as UDP candidates, but obviously for that to happen Tracy has to stop her nonsense, passing herself off as leader of the UDP which is preposterous and contemptuous of the court order. What I have done now is, instead of having third parties talk to Tracy, I have gone to those people that we were prepared to do a coalition with directly and we’ve invited them to return to the UDP so that we can mount a formidable challenge to the People’s United Party.”
Shyne Barrow has been busy holding a series of meetings to confirm the candidacy of several standard bearers for the upcoming general elections. Earlier today, he met with U.D.P. candidates from the Eastern Region, including Dean Samuels, David Almendarez, and Jose Uk Espat.
Shyne Barrow
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“We had a regional meeting of the southern standard bearers in Dangriga Town, the standard bearers from Stann Creek West; Macario Coy, Toledo East; Dennis Williams, Toledo West; Alfonso Sanchez, and the southern regional leader from Dangriga, Norman Usher. A productive meeting, really just taking the time to bond with my colleagues as we begin the New Year and prepare for the general elections and charting the way forward as far as ensuring that they are focused and they are doing everything in their power to be ready for when the prime minister dissolves parliament and calls the elections. And we did the same for the western region standard bearers from Belmopan, Cayo North, Cayo Northeast, Cayo South, Cayo West and Cayo Central. So today we had the eastern region meeting with all of the standard bearers from the thirteen constituencies and we will have the northern meeting probably later on this week.”
Isani Cayetano
“My understanding is that the Alliance for Democracy faction will move to seek legal redress in terms of the duly-elected standard bearers and the duly-endorsed standard bearers who would have been running under the United Democratic Party’s slate that was more favorable to them. How do you respond to that, to the notion that they are arguing that you don’t have the authority to be able to make those decisions in the interim?”
Shyne Barrow
“I thought you spoke to Professor Malcolm about that matter. His answer was not satisfactory?”
Isani Cayetano
“I spoke with Tracy Taegar-Panton a few minutes ago and that was her position that this will be challenged in court as well.”
Shyne Barrow
“Yeah, well you know, Professor Malcolm is a deputy dean at the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies, taught many of the lawyers here in Belize. So I don’t believe he would risk his reputation to tell you something that was not so.”
Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, confirmed to News Five that Guatemalan fishers fired what they believe were gunshots. While the shots weren’t aimed directly at them, they were certainly threatening. Yesterday, the Coast Guard conducted an operation in Belize’s southern waters near Corona Reef. “We were patrolling from Hunting Caye, the southernmost island, towards the Sarstoon. This is a territorial integrity patrol we conduct periodically to ensure Belizean sovereignty over our sea spaces,” Bennett explained. The operation involved two vessels: one from the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) and another from the Belize Coast Guard. Bennett mentioned that the fishers were already in Guatemalan waters when the shots, believed to be fired into the air, occurred. During the operation, the Coast Guard recovered eight gillnets, totaling over 600 feet, which were damaging the coral reefs. Leonardo Chavarria Junior, Executive Director of TIDE, told News Five that although this was the first encounter where shots were fired, “this will certainly not deter us from protecting our fishery resources.” He emphasized their mandate as co-managers to safeguard these resources. To cover more ground, the teams split up. The TIDE vessel, carrying two Coast Guard personnel, reportedly began pursuing a Guatemalan fishing vessel that had entered Belizean waters. According to Bennett, after the Guatemalan vessel crossed back into their waters, it fired gunshots—not directly at them, but in a clearly threatening manner.
On the phone: Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant, BCG
“The Coast Guard was conducting an operation in our southern waters as we frequently do. We were conducting a patrol from Hunting Caye which is the farthest island in the south. We were patrolling that location towards the Sarstoon which is a territorial integrity patrol from time to time to guarantee the Belizean sovereignty over our sea spaces. Whilst on that operation, we encountered a few gillnets in the area of Corona Reef. That is perhaps about six miles from the south of Hunting Caye. We recovered eight gillnets on that operation, so it was a very tedious operation. Whilst conducting that operation, the rangers from TIDE who were stationed at Hunting Caye also arrived on the scene and we placed some personnel on their vessel so that we can cover as much ground as possible, in order to recover those gillnets that were placed inside Belizean waters. We had two vessels out at that location, one belonging to TIDE and the other one was a Belize Coast Guard vessel. We separated and we started to recover these gillnets that are very damaging to our marine ecosystem and marine environment. At some point, the vessel that belonged to TIDE where we had two coast guard personnel onboard and they were pursuing what appeared to be a Guatemalan fishing vessel. The two personnel onboard that vessel reported that after the Guatemalan vessel had departed Belizean waters and entered into Guatemalan waters, our vessel stopped short. We did not go into Guatemalan waters, we stopped short at that location and at that point, the Guatemalan fishing vessel fired what we believe were gunshots, not in our direction, or not in a direct confrontational manner, but in a threatening manner indeed at that location.”
Today, attorney Bryan Neal threw his support behind the Chief Justice’s groundbreaking move to introduce Belize’s first-ever Sentencing Guidelines. This landmark achievement was officially published in the Gazette on Thursday, January second. According to a press release from the Government’s Press Office, these guidelines are a historic first for Belize, marking a major milestone in the ongoing transformation of the criminal justice system. Developed as part of the Senior Courts’ three-year strategic plan, the guidelines align with the recommendations from the CCJ Academy for Law’s Needham’s Point Declaration on Criminal Justice Reform and the Criminal Justice Board. Once implemented, they aim to bring consistency, transparency, and fairness to sentencing practices across the board. Attorney Bryan Neal is fully on board with this initiative, recognizing its potential to significantly improve the justice system.
Bryan Neal
Bryan Neal, Attorney-at-Law
“Over the years there have been many reforms in the civil area, but this Chief Justice and these new judges have worked together to come together to reform the criminal justice sector of the administration of justice, and I think it needs to be commended. In terms of what the guidelines do, I think it – from my reading so far – rationalizes the approach to sentencing so that it is uniform and fair from one defendant to another. So what the guidelines do, it gives judges and lawyers and other persons interested the ability to have a set of rules that are rational and are equal so that when a person is sentenced all matters are considered. What is considered is what the offender did, the offense, and also who the offender is emphasize now that the role of sentencing is not only to punish, but we want to rehabilitate people. We want to bring back people into society, to reintegrate them. So I think now, with these new reforms, this is yet another step in the right direction in bringing Belize closer to the Needham Points Declaration, which is a declaration that was made in Trinidad that rationalizes the law across the Caribbean, so that our – this is a move update our laws, like Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados and other countries which already have sentencing guidelines, so it’s a very positive thing for us.”
The recent rains might be a relief for some, but they’ve been causing a chain reaction of problems for the sugarcane industry in northern Belize. The Corozal Sugar Cane Producers’ Association issued a press release today, highlighting how the delay in road repairs has led to under-delivery of their cane quota to the mill. This could spell trouble for Belize’s 2025 cane crop output if the mill can’t compensate for the losses already recorded since the crop season began in December. In a conversation with A.S.R/B.S.I., we learned that the rains have been affecting cane delivery across the north. Farmers can’t harvest the mature cane planted in low-lying areas and are forced to turn in younger cane from more accessible areas, which don’t yield as much. However, B.S.I. spokespersons suggest that smarter planting and harvesting methods could help address this issue. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
On the Phone: Vladimir Puck, Chairman, Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association
“What the cane farmers have to endure is messing up their units, right? I mean, it’s almost impossible and they will just damage the road even further and their machinery. And that is why we have a very poor delivery at the moment, you know, because of those conditions of the road.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
Vladimir Puck, Chairman of the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association, is raising the alarm about the poor road conditions that are preventing their members from delivering their daily sugarcane quota to the Tower Hill mill. Puck explains that the road passing through his residence and plantation, which includes several villages, is just one example of the many areas affecting association members. Olivia Carballo-Avilez, Cane Farmer Relations Manager for Belize Sugar Industries Limited, also highlighted that the recent rains have been impacting cane farmers across the entire north, making it even harder for them to meet their delivery targets.
“We are experiencing challenges in general here in the in the north, both for Corozal and Orange Walk. The challenge, the crop has started very slow. The cane supply has been almost 50 percent of what we should be getting for the day. It’s increasing now at this point, but, the farmers have expressed challenges of can supply reaching to the more mature fields that they should be reaching.”
The problem has led to a shortage of delivery for the canefarmers. Adding to the problem is the fact that the cane being delivered is younger and doesn’t produce as much sugar. This means the overall yield is lower, further impacting the sugar industry’s productivity.
On the Phone: Vladimir Puck
“We are short right now for about a third of what we are used to. To be delivering, which is the amount of out of 500 tons. We are only delivering about 300 at the moment.”
Olivia Carballo-Avilez
“This not only affects the quantity of cane, but also the quality. Cane quality is very, very important for farmers and for us because, um, it is, uh, we, we need to extract the sugar and based on the amount of sugar that we can extract out of that cane, which is the quality of the cane. We have milled 38,500 metric tons of cane, and we’ve done that in 11 days. That amount of cane on a normal grinding rate at 6,800. We would have gotten that done in five days, five and a half days.”
Carballo-Avilez explained that the issue has hit the mill hard, forcing it to halt operations. This is far from the outcome anyone wanted.
Olivia Carballo-Avilez
“The factory does not do well, um, with a start and stop. It’s not a, uh, an electronic device that you can just switch on and switch off. It doesn’t work that way. It’s a whole series of of machinery that come together to work. So, it affects the mill when we have to start and stop. It’s not, it’s not automatic. We have to be able to have enough cane on the ground, uh, at the, at the queues and at the cane yard so that we’re able to restart and we are able to continue.”
The Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association has called on the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing to collaborate with them to plan the road repairs in the future.
On the Phone: Vladimir Puck
“I think that together with stakeholders, not the authority should. We should have more meetings and maybe do a plan on how and when road repairs and needed roads need to be targeted, you know, before a start of crop. Plenty of time before a start of crop.”
CEO of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing, Victor Espat, explained that the recent rains have delayed the repair of dirt roads. The ministry has been working on fixing over seventy-five sugar roads in the north, covering almost four hundred miles. Espat noted that this is an annual task with a limited budget, but this year, the rains have set back their efforts. He pointed out that trying to repair roads during the rain would be futile, as the materials would just wash away before they could be properly compacted.
On a brighter note, Olivia Carballo-Avilez suggested a climate-resilient approach to planting and harvesting that could solve many of the issues cane farmers are currently facing. She emphasized that this would require community effort and organized planning. Key techniques include planting according to the land’s topography and the rainy season, and strategically timing when certain roads and fields would be accessible. Essentially, it all comes down to smart planting.
Olivia Carballo-Avilez
“What is required is really a transformation in the, in the delivery system. Currently we have 250 reaping groups, um, that harvest wherever they, they are, they are available to harvest. But what we really should be. thinking is about the geography of the area. Um, we need to harvest in larger groups, consolidate some of the smaller groups into larger groups. Focus attention on those areas that you are able to harvest at at a given time when it’s, um, what conditions you harvest in all the identified higher areas instead of of harvesting in low. And when it’s drier, you go into the into the less accessible and, and areas that we know are lower.”
The family of Mason Patnett is in a race against time after he went missing on Sunday afternoon. The last anyone heard from the thirty-eight-year-old Vista del Mar resident was when he updated his social media profiles that day. Then, radio silence. When his girlfriend returned from a long trip, she found the house open and Mason nowhere to be found. Today, his family took to the streets of Ladyville and Vista del Mar, distributing and posting flyers with his details. Neighbors and old classmates joined the search, with one even offering space in his shop for a flyer. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the ground with the family, retracing Mason’s last known steps. Here’s that report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
It’s been four days now since Mason Patnett was last seen alive. The thirty-eight-year-old construction worker was said to be updating his social media profiles on Sunday, and then all contact with him were lost. Today his sisters were handing out flyers and asking people to assist them in locating him. In 2012, Patnett was charged along with another man with attempted murder, but in 2018, the charges were withdrawn from against him when his would-be accomplice and the same man he was accused of shooting eventually ended up dead. Nikita Patnett told us she does not believe his past is involved in his disappearance.
Nikita Patnett
Nikita Patnett, Sister of Mason Patnett
“ Mason was actually young, too, that was like ten years ago. So, he was like in his early twenties, I would say. I don’t believe that it has anything to do with that. Like, it’s been years now since. My brother has been growing into a mature young man. You know, he’s come a long way from who he used to be, the things he used to do, and he’s grown into a really nice mature man. The reason why we come out together is because my brother usually that’s somebody will spend his time at home and for the fact that he not at home for days, he has not fed his dogs. My brother has three dogs and he has not fed his dogs and he nuh deal with his plants and stuff like that. So that does raise concern for me.”
Kevin Dawson owns a shop in Vista del Mar and said he also went to primary school with Patnett. He allowed Patnett’s family to put up one of the flyers on his shop.
Kevin Dawson
Kevin Dawson, Shop Owner, Vista del Mar
“We’re all human beings and we need to work together. So, when things like this happen, we have to work together with people. So, it’s very shocking. It’s 2025 and we need to come together and make a change. And, you know, by us doing this, we can find a solution to it. When we were small all of us went to primary school together at Ladyville Seventh Day Adventist School The Adventist primary school so I know his sisters very well, and I know them very well.”
Joining the search for Patnett today was his neighbour, Aaron Wilson.
Aaron Wilson
Aaron Wilson, Neighbour of Mason Patnett
“He’s my neighbor. So, that’s one of the reasons. Next reason is that my two lee youths’ uncle, when I use to look up pahn dehn uncle because that da how I know the man, because the two lee bwai weh I record fi do music that da dehn uncle. So, how I nuh wa know ah? You understand? Plus I know the lee young bwai dehn ma and I know the family and I di assist them and I wa get to the bottom of it. I never mi di focus much pahn it, but now I di focus pahn it because I realize that, you know what, my mind deh somewhere else and this happen right ya. So then I join, and if I have to swim, if I have to jump eena anything, because I mek fi that. And we can get to the bottom of it, believe me you.”
Mason Patnett
Marion Ali for News Five.
Patnett is described as a slim, 5’7″ Creole man with long, curly hair, a brown complexion, and tattoos on both hands. He was last seen wearing a green shirt and green camouflage cargo shorts. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 922 or report to the nearest police station.
The Belize Livestock Producers’ Association (BLPA) just got a major boost with a hundred thousand USD donation from the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). After Tropical Storm Sara wreaked havoc, farmers in the Belize River Valley and Cotton Tree areas suffered huge losses in feed, livestock, pastures, and their overall livelihoods. This generous initiative aims to help ten cattle farmers in the Belize River Valley and Crooked Tree recover from their losses and build resilience for future disasters. The donation was made possible thanks to a collaboration between NEMO, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and the Embassy of Taiwan. National Emergency Coordinator Daniel Mendez shared more details about this much-needed support.
Daniel Mendez
Daniel Mendez, National Emergency Coordinator, NEMO
“This project is not just about recovery, it’s also about building resilience and ensuring the long term sustainability of our livestock industry. Over the past few months, we have seen the first-hand impact of Tropical Storm Sara. And in fact, that impact continues to be felt today because there are still many places, particularly in Crooked Tree, that remain underwater. So the flooding has caused significant damage to pastures, leaving animals without feed and causing a great deal of livestock losses for the farmers in these communities. And we know that this is a source of their livelihoods. Today, we take an important step forward with this project. Which addresses both the immediate needs of our farmers and they’re building their long-term resilience. Phase one of this project will address the urgent need of farmers by providing silage and mill feed to ensure that livestock can survive and thrive in the short term. Looking at phase two, the focus will be on establishing water-resistant pastures and building the capacity of farmers in advanced techniques for silage production, veterinary care, and pasture management. Given this recovery and emergency assistance, we are empowering our farmers with the tools and knowledge to withstand and manage future natural hazards, ensuring that they are better prepared.”
