A tragic accident claimed the life of a man from Toledo on Thursday afternoon. Around two p.m., twenty-nine-year-old Elgar Chen was riding his motorcycle from Punta Gorda towards the outskirts of town when he collided head-on with a white pick-up truck. The father of three suffered severe injuries and died at the scene. driver of the truck, Marcos Choc stated that he was unable to avoid the collision despite his best attempt. Police are still investigating the accident and have not yet released any details.
In the heart of Belize, a remarkable initiative is taking root—the Mangrove Friendly Development Challenge. This inspiring competition is not just about winning awards; it’s about celebrating local heroes who are championing the conservation of mangroves. These vital ecosystems are nature’s unsung protectors, shielding our coastlines, nurturing diverse marine life, and playing a crucial role in the fight against climate change. As Belize faces the pressing need to preserve its natural treasures, the Mangrove Friendly Development Challenge shines a spotlight on innovative projects that blend development with sustainability, ensuring a resilient future for our coastal communities. On Thursday night, here in Belize City, an award ceremony was held to recognize the winners of the annual challenge. Here’s Isani Cayetano with that story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Belize’s mangrove forests are incredibly important for the country’s diverse wildlife and the health of the Belize Barrier Reef. These trees act like natural shields against storm surges, waves, and coastal erosion, with thick roots helping to keep shorelines stable and prevent land loss during extreme weather. Mangroves are also home to many marine and land species, serving as nurseries for young fish, crabs, and mollusks, giving them a safe place to grow. Unfortunately, there’s been a troubling decline in mangrove covers in key coastal areas.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“The first global mangrove assessment shows that more than fifty percent of mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse. In the absence of additional conservation efforts, by 2050, seven thousand, sixty-five square kilometers or five percent more mangroves will be lost and twenty-three thousand, six hundred and seventy-two square kilometers, or sixteen percent more will be submerged.”
To tackle this issue, the WWF teamed up with leading environmental and government agencies to launch a national competition. This contest is all about celebrating and rewarding individuals and groups who are pioneering mangrove-friendly projects on private lands.
Nadia Bood
Nadia Bood, Country Representative, WWF
“The reason we did this is because we realized that mangroves are under a lot of stress. We are seeing increasing loss of mangroves from development, you know, many people are driven to develop along the coast. We have hotels, resorts, expansion of communities, of municipalities, and so we said that we need to find a way that we can engage the public, we can try to engage the development sector, the government, the planners, in an initiative that can bring people together to effect change.”
Healthy mangrove ecosystems draw tourists and promote sustainable fishing. Keeping these ecosystems intact is crucial for the well-being and longevity of coastal communities. Mangroves are nature’s all-stars, offering protection, supporting diverse wildlife. Mangroves are amazing at soaking up and storing carbon dioxide, playing a big role in fighting climate change. They can capture up to four times more carbon per square meter than rainforests.
Beverly Wade
Beverly Wade, C.E.O., Blue Economy & Marine Conservation
“We have challenges that we have no control over, like climate change, as mentioned earlier, but we have challenges that are man-made challenges. We have development challenges which we are challenged to find that balance and for us to not see mangrove areas as an area that we need to mow down full and look pretty, but that it can be aesthetically pleasing and at the same time allowed to maintain its functionality which has so many other co-benefits.”
The Belize Tourism Board launched the Tourism Gold Standard Recognition Program to tackle the health and safety challenges brought by Covid-19. This program introduced better guidelines and protocols for hotels and restaurants, ensuring guest experiences remain top-notch. It has significantly raised the bar for hotel operations across Belize. El Ben has not only met these high standards but surpassed them, and on Thursday night, they proudly took home the prestigious award from the Mangrove Friendly Development Challenge 2024.
Saira Mahabir
Saira Mahabir, Manager, El Ben Cabanas
“I was really shocked and really, really happy, humbled that we were recognized. From the beginning when they were doing the development, the owner, Mr. McWaters, Brian McWaters, he saved a lot of the mangroves and used it to beautify the property, and he saved all the mangroves in the front of the sea so he can actually use it as a shield to the property. If you look at the seaside, you will see all the mangroves, you wouldn’t see the resort at all.”
The Mangrove Friendly Development Challenge tells an inspiring story of local efforts to boost environmental sustainability and resilience in Belize. Isani Cayetano for News Five.
Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) has announced why it’s asking to raise electricity prices starting January first, 2026. In a detailed ninety-one-page report to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), BEL is requesting an average increase of three cents per kilowatt hour, from forty cents to forty-three cents. If approved, this new rate will be in effect until June thirtieth, 2028. BEL explains that the price hike is necessary due to the rapidly growing demand for electricity, which increasingly relies on more expensive sources. Additionally, the company needs to recover past energy supply costs that exceeded the revenues collected. BEL assures that its proposal is backed by comprehensive documentation and data. The PUC is currently reviewing the request and will issue its initial decision within thirty days of the submission date, which was April fourth. News Five’s Marion Ali takes another look at the submission.
Marion Ali, Reporting
In its submission to the Public Utilities Commission, the Belize Electricity Limited has applied for an average of three cent per kilowatt hour increase for the period January first, 2026, to June thirtieth, 2028. The increase, however, if approved, would mean that there will be categories of customers who will pay more than the three-cent per kilowatt hour. Depending on how many kilowatt hours customers use, their light bill would include prices charged. Under the old rate structure, residential customers using more than two hundred kilowatt hours per month paid forty-three cents per kilowatt hour. But with the new tariff structure, customers using between fifty-one and two hundred kilowatt hours would pay forty-one cents. Those using between two hundred and three hundred kilowatt hours would pay forty-six cents, and if you use over three hundred kilowatt hours, you’d pay forty-eight cents.
BEL has indicated that its power supply resources, including the Mollejon facility, the Chalillo Dam and the Vaca facility. B.E.L. owns a power station comprising mobile diesel-powered generating units in Caye Caulker and two diesel-powered gas turbines, one at the Westlake Gas Turbine Facility at Mile Eight on the George Price Highway and the facility near the southern tip of Ambergris Caye. The cost associated with B.E.L.-owned generation is specified by a monthly capacity charge.
Minister of Public Utilities, Michel Chebat told News Five today that no load shedding is expected to occur this year because of supply and demand shortages. He indicated that there are mainly two aspects of providing power technically: the generation and the distribution aspects. In terms of power generation, the minister said that BEL is peaking at a hundred and fifteen megawatts and that there is sufficient in-country generation to cover that demand with the two plants that are in effect.
Where hiccups may occur, as they have over the past couple weeks in San Pedro has to do with line maintenance. As we enter the dry season, dust and debris accumulate on the lines and transmitters and can interrupt power flow. However, during these times, B.E.L. dispatches work crews to clean up the equipment to alleviate this problem. He added that there is also an invitation by the government to whomever is interested to set up an eighty-kilowatt solar plant. This should be in place within the next two years. Marion Ali for News Five.
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams is standing by his choice to take cyberbullies to court. Last week, a police officer found himself in court for allegedly bullying his own boss online. Fifty-one-year-old Barrington Gilbert Mai, also known as Barry Flowers, was charged with using a computer system to publish obscene and vulgar data. Mai paid a bail of five thousand dollars, with one surety of the same amount or two sureties of two thousand, five hundred dollars and is due back in court in June. Some criticize William’s decision to take the officer to court, believing it to be an overreaction. However, Williams, who recently took his brother to court for cyberbullying, says he has every right to do so.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“That is the view a view of those persons and I respect their view. I must say that as an individual, people say things about me on social media every day and, I don’t care. At the end of the day, I am a public figure and I am subject to be criticized. But when you are going to call me corrupt, I will not countenance it. I have worked in this department for over thirty-three years and I have done my utmost in my integrity. And so if a person were to say that I am corrupted, I’m a thief. I’m this or I’m that, I’m going to have them prove that to the court, bring the evidence before the court and prove that I am such I am not like the ordinary public who can go and back and forth, somebody on social media, I can’t do that. The nature of my office does not require me to do that. It is going to be unprofessional, and so I have to find other ways to defend my character, and so I defend my character using the code system. The law was put in place to protect against cyber bullying. And if it is that there are people out there who do not wish to make use of the law, that is their business. The law is there for all of us to use, and if anybody believe that they are being cyber bullied by another they have the same right as I do in going to the police making a complaint and take the matter before the court so that the person who is bullying you or whatever can go to court and say, to defend their position. And I, that is all I have to say on that matter.”
Earlier this week, two American fugitives were deported from Belize to the United States to face serious charges, including weapons trafficking and rape. The fugitives were tracked down and returned with help from the U.S. Embassy in Belize. Today, we spoke with Commissioner of Police Chester Williams about Belize’s teamwork with the United States to ensure that fugitives face justice in their home countries.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We continue we continue to work with our counterparts. Occasionally we get information of a fugitive bin here, there or somewhere. And once that occurs, then we get into motion working with the US Embassy in the final location. And then we do surveillance and eventually we move in and apprehend. We have done that recently with with a number of fugitives on the US and once that occurred, then they’re then taken back to the US where they would face whatever charge they may have to face. In the United States.’
Reporter
“Since January, have we had any belief on returnees deported?”
Chester Williams
“I have not been following the deportation much. I can’t really give you an answer, but I know that I have seen lists with a number of persons returning home but very little if any at all as it relates to persons of interest. Those persons that we have seen coming home are not persons of interest to us, and so we just normally go through, just go through the normal routine with them so we are with those who are of interest to us.”
Police are still investigating a string of license plate thefts that occurred in southside Belize City earlier this week. At least nine vehicles on Maris Deena Street were targeted by thieves who made off with license plates and two car batteries. According to Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, the motive of the theft is still unknown, but police are on the lookout for the perpetrators.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I know its something I know it’s something the police is looking at. I’m not sure if they have received any leads on that issue, but again, they’re working in tandem with the traffic department to see what, if anything can be obtained. I know that many of those persons who lost the license plate in that in that incident have reapplied to the transport department, and I’m speaking about city traffic. And it has been addressed from that standpoint. But again, if you know of anyone who is selling license plates, it’s good to report to the police so the police can go and see if, in fact, those plates are stolen. It seems to be something that is that farms part of the tourism industry because again, I know that sometime tourists may want to buy license plate and take back to their respective country so that they can show I was in Belize and I got this license plate from Belize, it’s something we have to look at very seriously. Because it can also be another issue where the license plates have been stolen with the intent that they be used to commit to place on other vehicles to commit crime. We have to look at it from all angles.”
Reporter
“Were you a case the owners would be safeguarded by the mere fact that the paperwork is at traffic?”
Chester Williams
“Certainly yes. If they report to the police that they had lost a license plate and, license plate is subsequently found or identified on a vehicle that is used in the commission of a crime, then that would absolve them to some extent to verify that it would’ve not been their vehicle that was used in the commission of that crime.”
The time is fast approaching when Commissioner of Police Chester Williams transitions to C.E.O. of the Ministry of Transport. For years, the Belize Police Department has been trying to crack down on traffic laws to create safer roads and minimize fatal accidents. According to William’s this is work that he plans to continue at his new post. He also showed his support for the government’s decision to tighten seatbelt laws within the city. Here’s what he had to say.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I have seen a number of issues in the transport industry. A number of issues as it relates to the use of our roads, and these are issues that certainly would need to be addressed. I have been in dialogue with my future minister, Mr. Minister Zabaneh in terms of looking at some of the things that we want to see done within the transport ministry, and certainly road safety is a priority. I’m not going to go into details at this time in terms of what my plans will be because I believe that I would need to sit down with the chief transport officer or that is and his deputy, as well as to meet with the persons who are in charge of DOT across the country and get their input, get feedbacks from them. And based on that, they will put together a plan of action that is going to be implemented to make our highway safer. I will leave it at that for now, and when I fully takes over my new office, then we can have an entire dialogue on what the plan is going to be moving forward. The seatbelt issue is something that cabinet have agreed to and it came into law and I think that it was considered for good reasons. One might say why you seatbelt in a city when in fact you, cannot drive at a very high speed within city limits. But that is not true. I’m sure that you have seen every day vehicles within city limits driving at extremely high speed driving reckless, and we have had a number of fatal traffic accidents in the city where we believe that had the victims been wearing seatbelt when those accidents occurred, they may be alive today. So I do believe that it was done in good sense, one and two, it was also done to ensure that we safeguard the lives of our people as best as we possibly can.”
Police have formally arrested and charged five individuals in connection with a disturbing case of cattle theft and animal cruelty.
According to authorities, three male minors—ages 15, 16, and 17—were jointly charged along with 20-year-old Raheem Herbert and 19-year-old Tyreek Straughn. The group faces charges of cattle theft, cruelty to animals, and abetment to commit cruelty to animals.
The charges follow statements recorded by police and the review of video footage linked to the case. The three minors were read the charges in the presence of their guardians.
Belize’s mangrove forests are critical for protecting coastlines, supporting marine life, and fighting climate change—but they’re under threat. Over 50% of global mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse, and by 2050, thousands more square kilometres could be lost or submerged without urgent action, says Minister of Sustainable Development Orlando Habet.
To spark change, WWF and key partners launched the Mangrove Friendly Development Challenge 2024, recognising sustainable projects that preserve mangroves on private lands.
“Mangroves are under a lot of stress… from development,” said WWF Belize’s Nadia Bood. “We wanted to engage the public, the development sector, and the government… to effect change.”
This year’s top honour went to El Ben Cabanas, a beachfront resort that preserved its mangroves to enhance both beauty and resilience.
“I was really shocked and really, really happy, humbled that we were recognised,” said Manager Saira Mahabir. She credited owner Brian McWaters, who designed the resort around the mangroves instead of clearing them. “If you look at the seaside, you will see all the mangroves—you wouldn’t see the resort at all.”
Beverly Wade, CEO of Blue Economy & Marine Conservation, added: “We need to stop seeing mangroves as something to mow down. They’re functional, beautiful, and come with so many co-benefits.”
Police Commissioner Chester Williams has confirmed that the recent murder of Luis Marin in Belize City was an act of retaliation connected to a previous shooting incident in Belmopan.
Commissioner Williams said the police had been proactive in efforts to prevent retaliatory attacks. “In the aftermath of that shooting, there was a lot that we did to try and avert any possible retaliation, particularly in the Belmopan, Cotton Tree and Roaring Creek areas,” he stated.
However, the retaliation unfolded in Belize City, away from the areas police were closely monitoring. “Unfortunately… the retaliation took place in Belize City in an area where we did not anticipate it to have occurred. Nonetheless, the police remain extremely vigilant in the areas of concern,” Williams said.
The victim, Luis Marin, was shot and killed in the Majestic Alley. Police have since detained the suspected killer. “The suspect for that matter is in custody, and he should be charged today and should be appearing in court sometime this afternoon,” Williams confirmed.
He also responded to public criticism that the suspect was not publicly listed as “wanted” by the police. Williams explained that legal considerations prevented them from issuing a wanted poster.
