As calls grow louder for better public transportation across Belize, the Ministry of Transport is offering a bold new vision for the future of commuting. Earlier this week, we spoke with Transport Minister Doctor Louis Zabaneh, who shared an alternate perspective on how the ministry plans to meet the rising demands of commuters. According to Doctor Zabaneh, meaningful upgrades, like improved bus terminals and better buses, can only happen if bus operators unite under a single national bus company. He explained that while commuters deserve better services, achieving those improvements is nearly impossible with thirty-one separate operators running across the country.
Louis Zabaneh
Doctor Louis Zabaneh, Minister of Transport
“Many of the larger countries, our neighbors have much fewer bus lines that are able to achieve the economies of scale. That is critical to the formula for us to attain sustainability and be able to achieve those types of services we want in 2025, quality terminals, buses, a schedule that works for the people according to the demand we have. Those things will not be resolved if we continue to have numerous bus lines on the road. And, giving them subsidies is no guarantee that they are going to be improving the quality of service that people deserve.”
There’s more change on the horizon for Belize’s public transport system—this time, it’s the infrastructure getting a closer look. On Wednesday, Transport C.E.O. Chester Williams and a team of officials toured the Belize City bus terminal, identifying key areas in need of renovation. Top of the list? The bathroom facilities and the drainage system on the compound. But the upgrades won’t stop there. Williams says the Ministry of Transport is committed to improving all transport department facilities across the country, ensuring safe, clean, and functional spaces for both commuters and employees.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, CEO, Ministry of Transport
“Basically we’re going around myself and the management team at the ministry to look at the different infrastructure that the ministry has across the country. We have been to the southern part of the country and the western part of the country, and still nowhere in the eastern part. Belize district in particular, looking at the terminal infrastructure to see what is there to be done, to uplift the terminal. The terminals are places where our commuters travels through every day as they commute to and from work. And so we need to make sure that this is a state of good repairs. So that when our commuters do use the facility, they are comfortable using it. Again, we are also looking at the traffic department to see what, if anything can be done to upgrade the working environment of the traffic officers. Again, if we want people to be able to perform at optimal level, we have to ensure that we provide necessary resources for them to be able to do and so the main objective of our tour is twofold, looking at the terminals infrastructure and looking at the traffic department infrastructure.”
Former Area Representative Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez is under fire after fencing off a piece of land that many Belize City residents once considered part of their public beachfront. The two-and-a-half-acre property, located near what was once known as Belizean Beach, has sparked public outrage. For decades, this stretch of coastline offered a rare escape for families in the Old Capital, until the Belize Coast Guard established its headquarters nearby. Even then, a portion of the beach remained open to the public—until now. Martinez’s move to enclose the land has reignited long-standing concerns about public access to coastal spaces and the privatization of once-shared community areas.
Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez
Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez, Contractor
“You couldn’t, eena di last month and change, you couldn’t access here so easy. Thick with swamp and so, and been coast guard mi put up da fence, di people dehn use to come eena da next property deh and walk een through some picado road. Soh I don’t know… but in real truth, here was never a beach environment. This spot here was never a beach environment. You could see it fi yohself, if yoh look over deh yoh wah sih weh paat deh da mi beach environment. I noh have wahn difficulty with it, but I have problem when, eena my view, I guess because I da former politician or whatsoever, but I da Belizean. I da wahn investor, I da contractor, I do all kinda thing. I da noh no big name, soh I have a difficulty with it. Dah noh like nothing ya di destroy di environment, di destroy nothing. We noh di encroach on nobody land, yoh noh di encroach pan no private property. That is… da noh like if it’s an issue environmentally, right here is environmentally sound.”
According to Martinez, the two-and-a-half-acre property, in which he is also an investor, is being developed into a tourist destination, one that he says will cater to both Belizeans and international visitors. While many residents are upset about losing access to a space they’ve enjoyed for decades, Martinez insists that the sixty-six-foot beachfront reserve remains open to the public, by boat.
Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez, Contractor
“There will be a masterplan for here and we will follow all the processes in terms of the masterplan, for tourism.”
Isani Cayetano
“So you’re developing this piece of land for a tourism activity, a tourism business?”
Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez
“Tourism activity, both locally and internationally. And, apart from that, da something weh wahn benefit the locals because the investors, some ah mi partners di she, da only like, ih wah be like five to eight dollars fi Belizean adults fi come een ya. Ih wahn got like a bouncy house water slide, everything. Children da dollar or soh, a dollar or two or sohting like that. They take into consideration also, too, that part of the property, access… you have access to the sea which belongs to government, which we believe that people have the right to use. Like, for example, this is a private property. You have the right to use the reserve, but the only thing is that you have to come by boat, nothing wrong with that.”
It’s prom season in Belize, a time for glitz, glamour, and unforgettable memories. But for some young girls, the dream of the perfect prom night can feel out of reach, with the cost of dresses, shoes, and makeup adding up quickly. That’s where Project Royalty steps in. For the past six years, this inspiring initiative has been helping girls across the country feel like true royalty, providing beautiful prom dresses at no cost to those who need them most. Today, we caught up with Project Royalty founder Isabella Zabaneh, who shared the heart behind the project and how it’s making a difference in the lives of young women, not just by dressing them up, but by making them feel seen, celebrated, and empowered. Here’s more on this uplifting story.
Isabella Zabaneh
Isabella Zabaneh, Founder, Project Royalty
“In short, it’s basically like a shopping experience. You walk into the center where we host it every year, and we have racks and racks of dresses set up by size. So zero to two, all the way up to a size sixteen to eighteen is our largest size. And when the girl walks in, she’ll team up with one of the people on our glam squad and they’ll walk her through, what color are you looking for? Do you have a specific silhouette in mind? Something more simple, something more sparkly, just so we can get a feel of what she’s going for. We can’t always, all of the requests because we are based on donations. It’s not just getting a dress that’s handed down to you, when they walk out onto the red carpet and they see themselves in the mirror sometimes, like they can’t even they can’t even look at themselves. They don’t even, they can’t believe what they’re seeing ’cause they feel beautiful. Last night, I think one of my favorite reactions was a girl. She literally started to jump up and down. She was so excited and she couldn’t believe that she actually found a dress. She told me that she had walked in, hoping she would find something, but not too confident she would. And then she fell in love with this gown and she couldn’t believe that like she got to take it home.”
Grief has a way of hollowing us out. But sometimes, in that emptiness, something powerful takes root. This week on The Bright Side, we bring you the story of Shakera Young-Forrester, a mother whose world was shattered in an instant when her only son, seven-year-old Tyler Savery, was taken by senseless gun violence. What followed was a journey through unimaginable sorrow… but also, a remarkable transformation. From the depths of her pain, Shakera emerged as a beacon of hope, a voice for grieving mothers, a pillar of faith, and a woman who turned mourning into a ministry. Here’s Sabreena Daly with that powerful story.
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
Shakera Young-Forrester is a woman who lives to help others. After losing her son, she started the Tyler Savery Foundation to support families dealing with grief. She also created Beauty for Ashes, a safe space for women working through deep emotional wounds. Today, she’s a leader in her Christian faith, a path she says gives her life meaning. But every Mother’s Day, Shakera takes a moment to reflect on how everything changed back in 2016.
Shakera Young-Forrester
Shakera Young-Forrester, Advocate for Healing
“In my heart, I said people need help. Who is there to help people like me? My heart also grieved for other mothers who had lost sons, especially younger children. But there’s nobody to relate to you. Who is there to talk to you and say, “I’ve been down that road?”
Forrester experienced her greatest loss on November eleventh, 2016. Tyler Savery was just seven years old, full of life and on a simple trip to get a milkshake with his cousin, when tragedy struck. They were shot on Daly Street in Belize City, and Tyler’s young life was cut short. His death shocked the entire country. His mother, Shakera Forrester, still remembers the last time she saw him: rushing off to school, running through the yard… and how she missed the chance to give her only child one last kiss.
Shakera Young-Forrester
“So that was the last I saw of him, running into the schoolyard, excited, going to school because he enjoyed being there. And the last thing I remember wasseeing him on that hospital bed, with wires connected to him. And I’m thinking, this has to be a dream. Because what could a seven-year-old possibly do to someone to deserve a bullet in his chest?”
Countless families have felt the pain of losing a loved one to gun violence. Every life lost to gun violence may look like the same tragedy, but the grief that follows is deeply personal and never the same. Grief therapist Tina Cuellar says the most important thing we can do for someone in that pain… is to simply listen.
Tina Cuellar
Tina Cuellar, Grief Therapist
“Grief is like a fingerprint—none is the same. So even if we have two women in the room who have lost children to gun violence, and it’s their only child, their grief will be different. They come with different histories. They sometimes come with other forms of grief, and if you’re adding those additional layers, the way that person grieves will be different. So, to truly understand the person is to understand their story: What did that child mean to them? How did it impact them upon first learning the news? How are they coping? How do they honor the memory? What does it feel like?”
Grief can shake a person to their core — and for Shakera Forrester, losing her only son was heartbreaking. But through that pain, her faith became a source of strength. She began sharing her story and speaking up for other mothers affected by gun violence. Two years after Tyler’s death, her faith faced its biggest test yet: finding the strength to forgive the man accused of taking her child’s life.
Shakera Young-Forrester
“You know, Sabreena, Tyler would have turned 10 in 2018 and I met that young man just a day or two after—Tyler’s birthday was September 20th. I said, “You and your friends took away my baby—I couldn’t experience his 10th birthday with him.” And he looked at me and said, “I am sorry. Please forgive me.” And at that moment, all I could do was just hold him so close. Because in that moment, I saw Tyler—I saw forgiveness, I saw love, I saw compassion. I saw a boy that needed restoration.”
Cuellar sheds light on the challenges people face in confronting grief. She highlights the importance of embracing memories as part of healing and offers a compassionate perspective on how love continues through the grieving process.
Tina Cuellar
“A lot of times, we lose people, and others don’t want to talk about them ever again. It’s kind of like, “I don’t want to talk about that. That’s done. I just don’t want to talk about it because it’s going to upset me.” But when are you going to? Being able to maintain that memory—and those moments—with that loved one is important for your process. And again, grief is a form of love.”
When you’re deep in grief, healing and peace can feel out of reach. But Shakera Forrester’s journey shows that it is possible. These days, her focus has shifted. It’s no longer just about the foundation named after her son. It’s about the joy that comes from healing, from sharing her story, and from living proof of a promise she holds close: that joy truly comes in the morning.
Shakera Young-Forrester
“I’m now experiencing Psalms 30, verse 5: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” I’m experiencing that. And so I thought holding on to this foundation, and holding on to His memory, would keep me at that place in grieving and mourning — when that’s no longer who I am. That’s no longer me. I’m no longer a grieving mom. I am a mother, yes, who has lost, but I am a mother now to a community. I am a mother to a nation now. I was a mother to one, but I remember the Lord said to me, “You were a mother to one, but you will be a mother to many.”
En la ciudad de Belize, una disputa por el pago en Spoonaz Reggae Café se convirtió en una controversia nacional cuando la tarjeta de débito de Allaire McDougal, una enfermera jubilada de 57 años, fue rechazada por una cuenta de 48 dólares, lo que provocó su arresto y una noche en la cárcel.
El café se disculpó públicamente tras la indignación del público.
McDougal relató que fue acusada de intentar defraudar el establecimiento, aunque solo se trataba de que no pudo cubrir la cuenta por una comida que incluyó rabo de res con arroz y frijoles, plátano frito, pan de queso, arándanos y una cerveza negra Mackeson, que disfrutó mucho y que incluso planea volver a tomar.
El personal del café dijo que intentaron durante 30 minutos resolver el problema después de que su tarjeta fuera rechazada tres veces, pero finalmente llamaron a la policía.
McDougal contó que tuvo problemas similares ese mismo día en otro restaurante y que cuando intentaba ir al banco a sacar dinero, fue detenida por un hombre y la policía ya la esperaba afuera del café.
Tras su arresto y pasar la noche en prisión por no pagar la fianza, la reacción pública llevó a Spoonaz a retirar los cargos y disculparse, lo que permitió su liberación. McDougal expresó que el restaurante está arrepentido y quiere que ella regrese, pero ella aún no está segura y desea entender qué pasó.
Además, se recordó que McDougal tiene antecedentes de una crisis de salud mental que la llevó a cumplir condena en Estados Unidos, y que un familiar confirmó que no está bien. Tras el incidente, muchas personas se han ofrecido a pagar su cuenta en Spoonaz, mostrando solidaridad y recordando que detrás de los titulares hay luchas humanas reales.
Hubert Baptist, residente de Lake Independence frecuentemente investigado por presuntos vínculos con pandillas, ha denunciado las detenciones indiscriminadas y la violación de derechos fundamentales de ciudadanos durante los estados de emergencia en Belize.
Baptist señala que “básicamente, te derriban la puerta sin motivo, sabotean todo tu vecindario sin razón” y critica que las autoridades “agrupan a todo el mundo cuando solo ciertas personas hacen ciertas cosas.”
Según él, si la policía investigara correctamente y detuviera a los verdaderos responsables, la situación sería distinta, pero “encerrar a cualquiera y a todos en el barrio está mal.” Además, denuncia que las detenciones masivas se realizan sin el debido proceso, dejando a muchas personas privadas de su libertad sin pruebas claras.
“Termino en la cárcel una y otra vez, y no puedo hacer nada,” afirma, y añade que “si no hiciste nada y te quitan tus derechos igual, eso es una violación.” También recuerda cómo en 2020 las detenciones se realizaban con un simple papel que declaraba la detención estatal, sin entrevistas ni explicaciones.
Baptist concluye que esta situación “no es una victoria para nosotros—es una derrota para todos,” y hace un llamado a que el sistema judicial funcione correctamente, “que lleven a las personas ante un tribunal y demuestren que realmente están involucradas.” Sus declaraciones reflejan la creciente preocupación sobre el uso excesivo de poderes durante los estados de emergencia y plantean preguntas sobre el equilibrio entre seguridad y respeto a los derechos humanos en Belize.
Una controversia ha surgido en torno al informe final de la Comisión de Constitución del Pueblo, luego de que ocho excomisionados —incluidos representantes sindicales, de mujeres y de la comunidad LGBT, expresaran su rechazo al documento entregado al Primer Ministro John Briceño. En una carta pública, los firmantes señalaron irregularidades en el proceso, falta de transparencia y el uso inapropiado del “principio de consenso”, alegando que el informe no fue revisado ni aprobado por todos los miembros.
A pesar de las críticas, el excomisionado de medios Louis Wade defendió el documento, asegurando que refleja adecuadamente las consultas nacionales y se adhirió a los procedimientos legales. El grupo disidente ha solicitado una reunión con el Primer Ministro para plantear sus inquietudes directamente.
El Ministro de Asuntos Constitucionales, Dr. Louis Zabaneh, reconoció las preocupaciones de los excomisionados y aseguró que deben ser evaluadas con seriedad. “Esta diversidad de opiniones demuestra nuestra madurez democrática más que ser negativa”, afirmó Zabaneh. No obstante, subrayó que la autoridad final sobre el informe reside en el Primer Ministro y su Gabinete, quienes decidirán su presentación al Parlamento.
El informe de la PCC es parte de un esfuerzo nacional por reformar la constitución beliceña, y esta controversia resalta las complejidades del proceso participativo y la importancia de garantizar que todas las voces sean debidamente representadas.
Dray Mossiah, un pintor de 25 años, enfrenta cargos por posesión de presunta cocaína y por intentar sobornar a un oficial de policía tras un allanamiento nocturno en su vivienda. Aunque inicialmente se declaró culpable, Mossiah luego negó que las drogas encontradas estuvieran en su poder.
El acusado tiene una condena previa por delitos relacionados con drogas y aún debe más de $9,500 en multas. Sin embargo, logró pagar $500 de esa deuda para obtener la libertad bajo fianza. Mossiah deberá regresar a la corte el 15 de julio y realizar otro pago antes de que finalice el mes de junio, según lo ordenado por el tribunal.
