The home of missing man Mason Patnett was reportedly broken into and burglarized. According to reports, Patnett’s house in Vista Del Mar, Ladyville, was targeted sometime between Monday evening and Tuesday afternoon. Police were alerted by one of his relatives, who has been anxiously awaiting any signs of Patnett since he went missing a few weeks ago. Upon arrival, authorities found broken glass on the ground, likely from the window the intruders used to gain entry. Patnett’s family estimates that around two hundred and thirty dollars’ worth of items were stolen, including a crockpot, crystal water bottles, barbering equipment, and several groceries. The relentless search for Mason Patnett has been ongoing for nearly three weeks with no substantial leads. His family continues to plead with the public for any information on his whereabouts.
Tag: 2025-01-24
BNTU and M.O.E. Sign Major Agreement
After months of tension and a possible demonstration, the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) and the Ministry of Education (MoECST) have signed a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to improving Belize’s education system.
Following a five-hour meeting, both parties agreed on key reforms to tackle longstanding issues, including teacher salaries, increments, and allowances. During the meeting, BNTU President Nadia Caliz stated her satisfaction with the progress and that this was just the beginning of regular, biannual meetings to address challenges.
Education Minister Francis Fonseca pointed out the ministry’s commitment to tackling some of the most pressing challenges. According to the joint statement, the goal is to ” “create an education system that meets the needs of the nation and its people” by “affixing their signatures to” the following:
- Salary and Allowance Improvements: MoECST promises to ensure timely payment of salary increments and allowances for teachers. A new digital system for processing applications will launch in mid-February, with the goal of minimising disruptions for educators.
- Teacher Recruitment and Development: The Ministry plans to expedite teacher and administrator appointments and support in-service teachers with scholarships for high-priority areas like math and science.
- Digital Transformation: Efforts to modernise include integrating teacher accounts with BEMIS and offering online courses to enhance professional development.
The ministry also offered 11 scholarships for teachers, temporary teaching permits for specialised subjects, and additional support for educators in remote areas.
Although the immediate crisis seems resolved, Caliz clarified that the union council will decide on future actions, including whether to stand down from potential industrial action.
Belize Leads in Global Anti-Money Laundering Efforts
Belize has become a leader in the fight against money laundering, terrorism financing, and weapons proliferation, according to the latest report from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). Belize has not only surpassed expectations but has set a new standard for technical compliance, earning “Fully Compliant” ratings for 38 out of 40 key anti-money laundering measures.
The CFATF’s 4th Round Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) highlighted Belize’s impressive ratings in both technical compliance and effectiveness.”Belize now has the distinction of having the strongest technical compliance ratings in the world, surpassing the previous record holder, Qatar.”
In terms of effectiveness, Belize also performed strongly, with Substantial ratings in five of the eleven Immediate Outcomes, including a regional first in proliferation financing.
“Belize has a robust regime in place to ensure that ML is identified, investigated and prosecuted. This framework consists of laws, working groups and policies within the different law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies,” CFATF reported.
According to the government of Belize, this success is the result of nearly two years of rigorous evaluation and collaboration among Belize’s national authorities, which culminated in the country achieving Regular Follow-up status—a distinction held by less than 15% of the world’s nations.