2025-04-01 - Channel 5 Belize

Teen Targeted in Belize City Shooting

Just two nights after the fatal shooting of Elvis Aldana on Electric Avenue, another attack occurred on Monday night in the same neighbourhood. This time, it happened on Cannondale Drive, just two streets away from where Aldana was killed.

Fortunately, no one was hurt in this latest incident. According to police reports, around 8:30 PM, a seventeen-year-old student was walking home from McKay Boulevard when he was attacked. Two youths dressed in black, riding separate bikes, approached him. One of them pulled out a gun and fired several shots at him. The teenager managed to escape by running into his yard, and the attackers rode off towards McKay Boulevard.

Police recovered several shell casings, and a nearby house had bullet holes in its walls. Residents told News Five that the pair on bicycles had been seen circling the area before the shooting. They expressed concern about the recent surge in gun violence in their neighbourhood.

CARICOM’s First Border Control Programme Kicks Off in Belize

Belize is hosting the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) National Border Control Officers Attachment Programme, supported by the Eleventh European Development Fund (EDF) under the “Strengthening the Framework of CARICOM Integration” programme.

The importance of border officers in ensuring smooth trade and travel, as well as their critical role in regional security, was presented by Amalia Mai, the CEO for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Culture, in her welcome address. “This programme is designed to equip participants with the essential knowledge, skills, and tools to excel in this critical role,” an official statement stated.

Newly sworn-in Minister of State for Foreign Trade Marconi Leal Jr also delivered his address surrounding the importance of border officials in tourism, trade, and economic growth, despite global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Belize is the first CARICOM member state to host this week-long initiative, which will be replicated across other CARICOM states in the coming weeks.

Woman Found Guilty of Manslaughter in Husband’s Stabbing

Thirty-year-old Shantell Williams is spending her first night in jail after being found guilty of manslaughter in the stabbing death of her common-law husband, Louis Adolphus, 39. The incident happened at their home on Curassow Street in Belize City. Adolphus was stabbed once in the neck, causing him to bleed out. Despite getting help, he died from his injuries.

The doctor confirmed he died from blood loss due to the stab wound. The fatal argument started over an umbrella Williams found at home, which led to a confrontation and then the stabbing. Williams initially told police she acted in self-defence after Adolphus hit her with the umbrella and grabbed a knife. She claimed she stabbed him to protect herself. Late last night, Justice Derick Sylvester found Williams guilty of manslaughter, stating that her use of force was unjustified.

The court was convinced by the evidence presented by the Crown. During the trial, Williams testified that she acted in self-defence. The argument began in the early hours of August 2, 2022, when Williams confronted Adolphus about an umbrella sent by a woman she believed was his side chick.

This led to a heated exchange about Adolphus’s past relationship with the woman. The last person to hear from Adolphus before his death was his brother, Emmerson Dominguez. Dominguez testified that Adolphus called him, sounding frightened, and said Williams had attacked him with a knife. Dominguez advised his brother to call the police. While on the phone, Dominguez heard Williams say, “I nuh know why yuh call him because he cannot help yuh.” When the police first spoke with Williams, she had visible swelling and abrasions on her lips and fingers.

Belize City Undertaker Convicted of Unlawful Sexual Intercourse with Minor

Patrick Robinson, a forty-four-year-old undertaker and owner of Leiva’s Funeral Parlor, has been found guilty of three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Robinson was accused of having sex with an eleven-year-old girl and continued until she was fourteen. Late Monday evening, Justice Derick Sylvester convicted Robinson on three of five counts. Robinson was represented by Senior Counsel Hubert Elrington and attorney Norman Rodriguez, while the Crown was represented by Shanell Fernandez from the DPP’s office. Still in shock after the guilty verdict, Robinson lay down in the back of the police pickup, despite being told to sit up while being escorted to Belize Central Prison. He will remain there until April 25th, 2025, when his mitigation plea will be heard before sentencing.

Chandra Cansino To Be SSB New Chairperson

Chandra Cansino, CEO of Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, is the new Chairperson of Belize’s Social Security Board (SSB). With over 20 years at SSB before joining KHMH in 2021, she brings extensive experience. Her appointment follows Dr. Leroy Almendarez’s sudden resignation as SSB CEO in January after less than a year. She replaces Nigeli Sosa.

Nine Years of Growth: Sheep and Goat Project Ends in Belize

A closing ceremony was held on Monday to mark the conclusion of the Taiwan ICDF Breeding Sheep and Goat Production and Guidance System Enhancement Project (Phase II). The ceremony was hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise (MAFSE) at the National Sheep and Goat Breeding Centre in Central Farm, Cayo District. It celebrated the successful completion of a nine-year initiative that enhanced Belize’s sheep and goat industry.

The event “marked a historical milestone of the Breeding Sheep & Goat Industry in Belize but also highlighted the country’s growth within this sub-sector,” the ministry said in a press release.

According to the ministry’s press release, the combined investment of BZ $12,337,108.00 from Taiwan ICDF and the Government of Belize resulted in significant growth within the sector, contributing to a 100% increase in production over the last decade.

“The project’s achievements included the construction of a state-of-the-art National Sheep and Goat Breeding Centre in Central Farm, the importation of genetic stock of sheep and goats, the training of over 900 farmers, teachers, students, and technicians, the establishment of a traceability system and the establishment of a functioning local market for sheep and goat products and by-products,” the ministry said in its statement.

Key Stakeholders Convene for High-Level Meeting Focused on Maritime Safety in Belize

Government officials and key stakeholders in Belize are stepping up efforts to ensure safer waters after a series of alarming maritime incidents. A high-level meeting convened on Friday was led by Michel Chebat, the Minister of the Ministry of Public Utilities, Energy, and Logistics.

The session included key stakeholders such as the Belize Coast Guard (BCG), Belize Tourism Board (BTB), and the Tourism Police Unit (TPU).

The primary goal of the meeting was to discuss recent maritime casualties and how to prevent further tragedies. In an official statement, the Belize Port Authority stated, “The meeting highlighted the need for both immediate and long-term actions to protect lives, enforce lawful maritime operations, and safeguard the marine environment.”

The focus is not just on preventing accidents but also on enforcing lawful maritime operations and protecting the marine environment for the future.