2025-01-29 - Channel 5 Belize

Marconi Leal Steps Down as PUP Standard Bearer for Belize Rural North

The People’s United Party (PUP) has announced that Marconi Leal will not seek re-election in the upcoming General Elections, citing personal reasons.

A statement from the PUP says that Leal’s decision follows careful discussions with his family, the Belize Rural North (BRN) Executive Committee, and the party’s leadership. “The Party fully respects and supports his decision and expresses deep gratitude for his years of dedicated service to the constituency and the nation. His leadership and commitment have been invaluable to the development of Belize Rural North and the progress of the PUP.”

The process to select a new PUP Standard Bearer for Belize Rural North will be conducted in full consultation with the BRN Executive. According to the PUP, Leal has pledged his full support for the party’s candidate and remains committed to securing another PUP victory in the upcoming elections.

Trump Orders Migrant Detention Center at Guantánamo Bay

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to expand a detention facility at the U.S. naval base in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to hold up to 30,000 deported immigrants.

The order directs the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security to prepare the facility to detain “the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people.” Trump justified the move by claiming that some individuals are too dangerous to return to their home countries.

The Guantánamo base already houses a little-known migrant detention center, separate from the high-security prison for terrorism suspects. Reports indicate that as of February 2024, four people were being held there under secretive conditions.

Trump announced the plan while signing the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the detention of undocumented immigrants charged with theft-related crimes. The act is named after a Georgia nursing student murdered in 2023 by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant.

The executive order stated that expanding the Guantánamo facility is part of efforts to “halt the border invasion, dismantle criminal cartels, and restore national sovereignty.” Since returning to office on January 20, Trump has implemented a series of aggressive immigration measures, including declaring a national emergency, deploying troops to the southern border, and suspending refugee resettlement.

Cuba’s government condemned the move, with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla calling it a “contemptuous” violation of international law. President Miguel Díaz-Canel labeled the plan “an act of brutality.”

BREAKING: Court Dismisses Claim Against Land Acquisition of Stake Bank Island

The High Court has ruled that the intended acquisition of 23.4 acres of land, known as the Extension of Stake Bank Island, does not violate any provisions of the Constitution.

In its decision, the court declared that the acquisition, as published in the Gazette on August 27, 2024, is consistent with the requirement for a “public purpose” as outlined in Section 3 of the Land Acquisition (Public Purposes) Act and the Constitution.

The claimant was unable to substantiate the claim, leading to its dismissal. The court further ruled that the respondents are entitled to costs, while the interested parties, having joined the legal proceedings voluntarily, will bear their own expenses.

The High Court was asked to review the government’s decision to compulsorily acquire 23.4 acres of Stake Bank Island, a property owned by developer Michael Feinstein and earmarked for a cruise port project. The land is set to be transferred to OPSA, a Honduran company and former partner of Feinstein, sparking legal challenges.

Feinstein was represented by Godfrey Smith, while Eamon Courtenay represented OPSA, and Dean Barrow acted for the receiver. The government’s legal team included Magali Marin Young and two senior attorneys from Trinidad, whose fees are taxpayer-funded.

Feinstein’s attorneys argue that the acquisition lacks a legitimate public purpose, claiming it benefits OPSA in a private title dispute. The government and OPSA counter that the acquisition is constitutional and supports public interest by advancing cruise tourism.

Teachers Trained to Pass on Love for Performing Arts

Teachers are gaining new skills to inspire the next generation of performers. The Institute of Creative Arts (ICA), in partnership with the Ministry of Education, is hosting a two-day workshop at the Bliss Centre for Performing Arts. The objective of this initiative is to train secondary school teachers on how to engage students in music, drama, and dance, which can lead to boosting participation in the annual Festival of Arts.

Crysel Gabourel-Moro, ICA’s dance facilitator, explained the workshop’s purpose: “The workshop is to help educate the teachers to properly train the students in order to give a full performance on stage in the areas of drama, music, and dance.”

Kim Vasquez, ICA Director, added that while student participation is high in younger grades, secondary school engagement often drops due to competing priorities. “We want children, we want students to grow in the Festival of Arts,” she said.

At the end of the training, teachers will participate in a mock festival to demonstrate their learning and refine their skills.

Lee Mark Chang Threatens Legal Action Against Moses “Shyne” Barrow

Lee Mark Chang is threatening to sue Opposition Leader Moses Shyne Barrow. Chang has issued a legal notice in response to defamatory remarks made about him during a press conference on Tuesday.

The statements, broadcast on several media platforms, were made when Barrow was questioned about Chang.

The comments, which included references to a passport corruption scandal, implied that Chang was involved in criminal activities related to the alleged sale of Belizean passports to foreign nationals, a matter that has been widely covered in the media.

The legal team representing Chang insists these remarks are false and damaging to their client’s reputation, noting that the statements were made with the intent to harm Chang’s standing in the lead-up to the upcoming general elections.

Chang’s attorney said he has no involvement in the alleged passport scandal.

Chang demands that Barrow apologise. “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. We also demand that you pay damages in the sum of $5,000 to our office. Kindly note that if this matter is pursued in court, we will seek an award of damages of upwards of $30,000.00-$50,000 and so consider the requested damages to be reasonable.”

Chang’s legal team further stressed that if the matter is not resolved within two business days, they will proceed with legal action to protect his reputation.

Chang recently launched his campaign to run for the general election in the Mesop. Division that Barrow currently represents.

Peyrefitte Claims 97 Murders, ComPol Says NO

During the United Democratic Party (UDP) press conference on Tuesday at its headquarters, former Minister of National Security, Mike Peyrefitte, criticised Commissioner of Police Chester Williams and Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa over alleged underreporting of homicide statistics.

Peyrefitte accused them of misleading the public by claiming 89 murders for 2024, while his research shows there were actually 97, not including 10 additional deaths that were “suspiciously classified as mere death investigations.” According to him, this discrepancy “is not just a minor clerical error.”

When asked about it earlier today, Minister Musa accused Peyrefitte and Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow of being overly focused on the death toll. Musa said, “I get the feeling like they are the grim reapers of governance and politics. I have never seen two people, well, three, pray out the lives of Belizean people more than these people.”

Meanwhile, ComPol Williams addressed concerns about discrepancies in reported figures, confirming that his department’s count stands at 91, but that this includes an unresolved case in San Pedro and a manslaughter incident, which cannot be categorised as murder. Williams added that even a projected 24 homicides per 100,000 “it is still far better than what existed during the UDP’s twelve years in office,” he said.

Filly the Jaguar Safely Arrives at Milwaukee County Zoo

The Milwaukee County Zoo has announced the arrival of Filly, a jaguar transferred from the Belize Zoo. Filly arrived on January 23 after travelling from Belize via Miami and ground transport to Milwaukee.

Rescued under the Human Jaguar Conflict Program, Filly was brought to the Belize Zoo in 2019 after being identified as a conflict jaguar preying on livestock due to age and health-related difficulties. The Belize Zoo, in collaboration with the Belize Forest Department, has been rescuing such jaguars since 2003.

Milwaukee County Zoo was chosen for Filly’s new home due to its long-standing conservation partnership with the Belize Zoo, which dates back to the 1980s. The zoo’s male jaguar, Frankie, is the son of another conflict jaguar, Pat, who was also transferred from Belize. The process to bring Filly to Milwaukee took 4.5 years of careful preparation.

This partnership supports conservation efforts in Belize through programs like the Pat Gives Back initiative, which focuses on conservation, research, and community support.

“Bringing Filly to Milwaukee is an exciting step in our continued support for the conservation work of the Belize Zoo,” said Amos Morris, Executive Director of the Milwaukee County Zoo. “We’re also focused on the welfare of our male jaguar, Frankie.”

Filly, deemed non-releasable, will contribute to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Jaguar Species Survival Plan, helping to enhance the genetic diversity of jaguars in North America. After a quarantine period, Filly will be introduced to her new habitat and visitors at the zoo.

Belize Hosts National Strategy Workshop on Chemical Management

A chemical pollutants workshop was held earlier today in San Ignacio, where experts gathered to develop a national strategy for managing hazardous substances. Consultant Stephen Sangster said that the session he’s leading today is focused on assisting Belize in implementing and reporting on global chemical agreements.

Sangster explained the importance of the initiative, saying, “This project that I’m working on as a consultant is to develop a national strategy for Belize and how to implement and report to this chemical multilateral agreement and also to the global framework on chemicals.”

He added that the project will concentrate on four key multilateral agreements relevant to Belize’s chemical management.The session is expected to provide crucial guidance for the country’s efforts in addressing chemical pollutants, ensuring compliance with global standards, and enhancing sustainable development practices.

ComPol Williams Addresses Discrepancies in Police Shooting

In an interview with the press today, Police Commissioner Chester Williams spoke on the ongoing investigation into the recent shooting of Emil Rivers in Independence Village.

The Professional Standards Branch (PSB) is currently leading the investigation.

Williams explained that Rivers had assaulted Inspector Rosado with a butcher knife, nearly killing him, before being arrested. After being detained, Rivers escaped from the police station and led authorities on a pursuit.

A standoff ensued, during which he brandished a machete, prompting police to fire several warning shots. When he failed to surrender, police eventually shot him in the stomach. Williams suggested there were details the public may not be aware of, which would be clarified with the release of the footage.

Williams was asked about Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Hilberto Romero’s statements on Monday, where he said that Rivers was shot in the leg. However, that is not true. Rivers was shot in the abdomen. “Perhaps Mister Romero was misinformed because from the inception, when the thing happened, I know it was in the stomach,” Williams explained.

He said that Romero might have relied on information from others. Williams said he hopes that there is no deliberate attempt to lie to the public. “I hope I’m right, but I believe that Mr. Romero was misinformed. I did not speak to Romero before he had that press brief. I don’t know what information he got, but from the incident that happened, I was briefed by the Southern Regional Commander, and he briefed me that a young man was shot in his stomach.”

Concerns about potential misrepresentation in the internal police report were also brought up. “Perhaps that’s a briefing that he might have gotten from I don’t know who. But if that is exactly what he said, I apologise to the public because that is not what happened.”

Are Police Officers Allowed to Have Privately Owned Businesses?

The issue of whether high-ranking police officers should own private businesses has sparked a heated debate, raising concerns about ethics, conflicts of interest, and public trust. Supporters argue that officers, like other professionals, are entitled to financial security, particularly in low-paying areas. However, critics warn that such business ventures could lead to corruption or favouritism, potentially undermining law enforcement integrity.

Police Minister Kareem Musa weighed in on the controversy, stating that ownership of private businesses by police officers is not an issue unless it impacts their professional duties. He told reporters today, “Commissioner of Police, deputies, assistants, and even low-level police constables have private businesses. We’re not going to go down a road of restricting police officers from having a business.”

Musa added that businesses must be legitimate and maintain a reputable standard. “If they’re swindling people, I firmly agree with you that they should not have a business of that nature and remain police officers,” he said.

Musa also clarified that the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which monitors suspicious financial activities, operates independently from the police force, stating that “the FIU does not answer to the police.”