2025-01-29 - Channel 5 Belize

Court Dismisses Feinstein’s Stake Bank Constitutional Claim

In late 2024, Michael Feinstein took the Government of Belize to the High Court over the compulsory acquisition of twenty-three acres of Stake Bank Island. Tonight, Justice Rajiv Goonetilleke ruled that the government’s planned acquisition doesn’t violate Belize’s constitution. Feinstein’s legal team, led by Godfrey Smith, argued that the acquisition lacked a legitimate public purpose and was meant to resolve a private title dispute in favor of Honduran Company OPSA. However, Justice Goonetilleke found that the acquisition was indeed for a public purpose. The government had published its first acquisition notice in the Gazette on August twenty-seventh and was set to publish a second to finalize the process, but the court temporarily halted it pending the case’s outcome. Today, the High Court dismissed Feinstein’s claim, ruling that his legal team failed to prove their case and awarding costs to the Government of Belize. So, what does this mean for the project moving forward? We’ll have to see if Mediterranean Shipping Company is still interested in acquiring the island, especially after Prime Minister Briceño announced major development plans for the Port of Belize Limited over the next five years. Regardless, this ruling is a significant setback for Belizean investor Michael Feinstein.

Lee Mark Chang Threatens to Sue Shyne for Alleged Defamation

Mesopotamia standard bearer Lee Mark Chang is gearing up to sue Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow for a hefty sum of between thirty thousand to fifty thousand dollars. This lawsuit stems from allegations Barrow made during a Tuesday press conference, which Chang claims were deliberately defamatory. These statements were broadcast across multiple media platforms, and Chang’s legal team, Balderamos Arthurs LLP, insists they are false and damaging to his reputation. Chang, who is Barrow’s direct rival in the upcoming general election, believes the statements were made to sabotage his political ambitions. The legal team’s letter demands an apology from Barrow, stating, “You are hereby advised to promptly and immediately publish an apology to our client, in terms to be agreed by our office. The said publication is to be given the same publicity as the defamatory statements you published”. Additionally, the letter demands a payment of five thousand dollars to be delivered to the legal team’s office, warning that this amount will increase if the matter goes to court.

Video Shows Emil Rivers Being Shot by Police in the Stomach

Twenty-four-year-old Emil Rivers is still in the hospital with injuries to his abdomen and back after being shot by a police officer during an armed standoff last weekend. The incident took place on January twenty-fifth in Independence Village, southern Belize. Rivers allegedly assaulted Inspector of Police Michael Rosado, who noticed him appearing intoxicated and carrying a large knife. After a scuffle, Rivers was taken to the Independence Police Station but managed to escape custody. Officers pursued him, and when they caught up, Rivers was wielding a machete. During the confrontation, Officer Sheldon Arzu shot Rivers twice. PC Arzu, who was previously discharged from the Belize Police Department after a deadly shooting in 2003 and served thirteen years in prison, was later reinstated. Tonight, we’ll show you the encounter that led to Rivers’ injuries, along with comments from Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa and Commissioner of Police Chester Williams.

Isani Cayetano

“ComPol, what’s to happen of the investigation into Sheldon Arzu at this point and what seems to be new information that suggests that he may have been in the wrong, as well as the release of the video that you guys have?

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I will not say if he is in the wrong at this time. I have viewed the video, I have my opinion of it and PSB currently has control of the matter. I do not want to say or do anything to influence the investigation that’s going to be done or is being done by PSB. The video will be released to you, the media, for public consumption and the public can also be the judge of what transpired. Let me say that the young man in the video had assaulted Inspector Rosado who is the officer in charge of Bella Vista with a huge butcher’s knife, almost killing him. He was arrested, he was detained by the police and he escaped from the police station. He was pursued to that location where the shooting happened, by the police. It was a lengthy standoff while he wielded a machete at the police. Police fired, I think, two warning shots or three warning shots and he did not surrender or put down the machete end eventually it led to him being shot in the stomach.”

Isani Cayetano

“How does ACP Romero go from stating publicly that the man was shot in the leg to him being in a hospital bed with a gunshot wound to his abdomen?”

Chester Williams

“The gunshot wound to the back is the exit. The video will show you everything. It will show when he was shot, what angle and everything. It’s going to show you that. Perhaps Mr. Romero was misinformed because from the inception when it happened, I know it was in the stomach.”

Reporter

“But sir, why does the police report have a knowing misrepresentation? It says that PC Arzu, this is an internal report, shot him, shot him in the legs, or shot after him in the legs twice. I’m saying that there is purposeful misrepresentation of the facts, perpetuated then by Mr. Romero. It’s a worrying trend that brings the entire story into doubt.

Chester Williams

“I believe that Mr. Romero was misinformed. I did not speak to Mr. Romero before he had that press brief with you all. I don’t know what information he got.”

Why was Sheldon Arzu Back in a Policeman’s Uniform?

But why was Sheldon Arzu back in uniform as a law enforcement officer after being convicted of manslaughter and serving thirteen years for a shooting death inside a police station? That’s the burning question posed to both Minister Musa and Commissioner of Police Williams. But first, let’s hear from the Minister of Home Affairs on why the video of Rivers’ shooting was released to the media.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“I was made aware by the commissioner that there is video footage and while it is the policy of the department not to have a trial by media for every single incident that happens, I believe that it certainly warrants the media being in possession of that video. And so I believe that the commissioner will be requesting the PSB to share that video with the media, just for transparency and clarity.”

Reporter

“Sir, but if you had your way, you said someone with a criminal conviction should not serve. He should not be in the department.”

Kareem Musa

“Again, you will have to ask the last administration. My opinion is that as long as I am the minister and if you bring someone with a criminal record, I don’t believe that you should be enlisted. No.”

Chester Williams

“He was enlisted under the previous administration.”

Reporter

“But you are the commissioner, you control the enlistments.”

Chester Williams

“It was Minister Saldivar. At the end of the day, I don’t want to go into the semantics of whatever because if you are a, hypothetically, a convicted murderer and someone comes to you and attacks you, is it right to say that because you are a convicted murderer, you must not do nothing? I don’t think that should be the case. We must look at everything based on the facts that exist. So I’d rather leave this until the investigation is done. Whatever PSB decides, then we’ll go by that.”

Reporter

“But I am just asking, you were the police commissioner when he was enlisted. Did you look at it and say, “He was convicted for manslaughter in a police station while on the job. I can’t do this, minister…”

Chester Williams

“Of course, yes, at that particular time he was enlisted as a special constable with the tourism police unit and then subsequently, the minister had requested that he be given a regulation number. Obviously, I would oppose it and I don’t want to…”

Reporter

“Did you oppose it?”

Chester Williams

“Of course I did, but I don’t want to go into too much details of that, but I’ll say to you that I opposed it.”

Marconi Leal Departs from Belize Rural North Race

After serving the Belize Rural North Constituency for one term, Area Representative Marconi Leal has announced he will step aside in the upcoming general election. According to a press release from the People’s United Party (P.U.P.), Leal made this decision after discussions with his family, the Belize Rural North Executive Committee, and the P.U.P. leadership. While the release didn’t specify the reason, it mentioned that Leal wants to focus on personal matters. The P.U.P. expressed full respect and support for Leal’s decision, thanking him for his years of service and contributions to the party’s progress. The release also mentioned that the P.U.P. will select a new Standard Bearer in full consultation with the Belize Rural North Executive. Leal has pledged his full support for the new Standard Bearer and is committed to securing another victory in the upcoming elections.

The Gloves are Off! Chester and Kareem Fire Back at Mike Peyrefitte

During Tuesday’s U.D.P. press conference, former National Security Minister Mike Peyrefitte didn’t hold back, accusing the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of Home Affairs of deliberately underreporting the number of murders in 2024. According to Peyrefitte, there were actually ninety-four murders last year, but the Belize Police Department only recorded eighty-nine. In his fiery critique, Peyrefitte also renewed his call for the immediate removal of Kareem Musa as Home Affairs Minister and Chester Williams as Commissioner of Police. When we caught up with Musa and Williams in Belmopan earlier today, they had some strong words for Peyrefitte.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“I saw that Peyrefitte was lamenting that in fact the number should have been ninety-four. Now, when I listen to Peyrefitte and Shyne, I get the feeling like they are the grim reapers of governance and politics. I never seen two people, well three, more pray out the lives of Belizean people than these people. They are praying out the lives of these people, the numbers show that we had eighty-nine homicides, but they are getting up there to complain that it should be ninety-four. We want more people dead in our country, like when they were in power, a hundred and forty-five.”

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“There is no false information being put out by the department. Your figure is ninety-one and I could understand your ninety-one, because you have two in there, that one is still not yet classified. That’s the one in San Pedro, and we also have one that is a manslaughter. That’s how you reach to ninety-one. We cannot categorize those as murders because manslaughter is not murder and that has not yet been classified. We cannot put that as murder at this time. So I can understand you. But I cannot understand how Peyrefitte arrived at ninety-four, and then to say that, to have a country with a murder per capita of twenty-four is unacceptable. I want to give him his records, the UDP records for the past, during their time in office, for the past twelve years. They came into office in 2008. 2008, we averaged 39.9 per hundred thousand. 2009, 30.1 per hundred thousand. 2010, 40 per hundred thousand. 2011, 37.8 per hundred thousand. 2012, 43.4 per hundred thousand. 2013, 29.0 per hundred thousand. 2014, 35.2 per hundred thousand. 2015, 33.4 per hundred thousand. 2016, 27.9 per hundred thousand. 2017, 38.2 per hundred thousand. 2018, 37.8 per hundred thousand. 2019, 34.7 per hundred thousand. 2020, 26.o per hundred thousand. Under the current administration, 2021, 31.3 per hundred thousand. 2022, 28.4 per hundred thousand. 2023, 21.5 per hundred thousand. And 2024, 21.7 per hundred thousand. So even if he wants to put it at twenty-four, it is still far better than what existed during the UDP’s twelve years in office.”

ComPol Says U.D.P. had 12 Years to Address Crime Situation

In response to Peyrefitte, the Commissioner of Police highlighted evidence showing that serious crimes, especially murders, have significantly decreased under his leadership. He also took aim at Peyrefitte’s claims, challenging the notion that the U.D.P. will magically solve the country’s crime issues if elected.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I will tell you, I’m not going to say that I am the best, but I can say to you that since I became the Commissioner of Police, I have worked tirelessly, and you know this, to guide my officers, work with the public with a view to reduce crime. If you want to be honest, you can do the research and your research will reveal that under my tenure as commissioner, crime, particularly murders, have fallen. That is the… da facts di seh dat, you know. Da noh me. The numbers will say that to you. For Peyrefitte to say that if they were to be elected, they are going to find who is going to do this… they were in office for twelve years. How they couldn’t find that leader who could have done what they say they will do now and expect that the public is going to believe what they are saying? They were given ample opportunities.”

U.D.P. Chairman Says Police Top Brass Profiting from Positions

On Tuesday, the United Democratic Party, led by Moses “Shyne” Barrow, held a press conference at their headquarters to highlight what they see as the Briceno administration’s failures. One of the speakers was U.D.P. Chairman Michael Peyrefitte, a former National Security Minister and the party’s current shadow Minister of Home Affairs. Peyrefitte let it fly, castigating the top officials of the Belize Police Department and accusing some of them of using their positions to profit by setting up private businesses.

Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, U.D.P

“We must also address a disturbing trend among certain high-ranking officers. Many of them have begun to blur the lines between public service and private gain. We have seen cases where senior officers have become deeply involved in personal business ventures, raising serious questions about where their funding comes from and whether they are using their positions of authority to further their private interest. This not only compromises their integrity but also raises doubts about the effectiveness of our police department. When high ranking police officers’ profit from their positions, it breathes a culture of corruption and conflict of interest, at the very least, the appearance of those. If officers use their status to line their pockets, how can we trust them to enforce the law fairly and without bias. How can people trust that their safety comes first when the pursuit of wealth seems to come before public service for some senior officers. We cannot allow this behavior to go unchecked. It is imperative that we establish independent oversight mechanisms to hold our police department accountable. We must demand full transparency from the highest levels of leadership in our department and ensure that there are no conflicts of interest. The police department must serve the public, not personal agendas.”

Should Police Officers have Side Businesses?

Responding to Peyrefitte’s remarks about senior police officers running side businesses, ComPol Williams and his political boss acknowledged that they don’t see an issue with officers having private ventures, as long as it doesn’t interfere with their responsibilities to protect and serve.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“Commissioners of Police, deputies, assistants, even low-level police constables have private businesses. We are not going to go down a road of restricting police officers from having a business. Now that business obviously has to be legitimate, they obviously have to maintain their reputation in carrying out their business. That is what is important, you have to look at that. If you’re swindling people, I fully agree with you that they should not have a business of that nature and remain police officers. They should come out of that department.”

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Honestly, if a person wants to venture into a business that is going to be honest and transparent, then there is nothing wrong with it. I could have opened a law firm and have a law firm running while I am the Commissioner of Police.”

Reporter

“That would be a conflict, though.”

Chester Williams

“Thank you very much. That would certainly be a grave conflict of interest. So I dare not do that. There was a Deputy Commissioner of Police who owned and operated a security company. You know this, right? A security company, I believe there is a greater, there is a huge conflict there, to have a security company and to be the Deputy Commissioner of Police. Nothing was said about that Deputy Commissioner who owned the security company and at that particular time the Deputy Commissioner had control of dangerous goods that deals with hiring and giving license to security guards. And you know what happened there, I’m not going to say it. Now, while Peyrefitte was in office, he had a law firm, right?”

Reporter

“He said he relinquished his shares.”

Chester Williams

“He had a law firm. And I will tell you again to do the studies, find out which law firm wrote the Portico agreement. These are things that you must be real about, you know. You can’t be throwing stones when you live in a glass house.”

Who’s Chester’s Political Boss?

Who exactly is the Commissioner of Police’s political boss? That was the million-dollar question posed to the Minister of Home Affairs earlier today, hinting that ComPol Williams might only be answerable to Prime Minister John Briceño. Here’s how Kareem Musa and Commissioner Williams responded to that intriguing query.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“My point is that you make it seem as though whenever the commissioner speaks or whenever he makes a decision, he has to call myself or the prime minister which he does not. And so, you have to remove that blurred line, because there has to be a clear line, and not politicize the role of the Commissioner of Police which, I think, that is what you’re trying to do. But at the end of the day, we work well, both myself and the commissioner and the prime minister and the commissioner. So, to say he’s answerable to any of us, I think that’s poorly phrased.”

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I don’t know where you get the notion from that I do not want to answer to Kareem [Musa] because that is not true. Myself and Minister Musa have a very, very good working relationship. There’s absolutely no issue. I can say it in front of his face and behind his back, he is one of the best ministers I’ve worked with. Peyrefitte was good too. I will give that to Peyrefitte because the truth is, if I were to be told by another minister to do certain things that I believe is wrong, if I go to Peyrefitte, he would say, “ComPol, if you don’t feel it’s right, don’t do it.” And Kareem is just like that. So I will say to you that we have that respect for each other and the cordial relationship, in terms of how we work.”