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PM Briceño on Guatemalans Bribing B.D.F. Soldiers with Chicken

An investigation is currently underway into allegations that Belize Defence Force (B.D.F.) soldiers stationed at the Machakilha Conservation Post have been accepting bribes from Guatemalan loggers. These allegations, which suggest that soldiers are being bribed with something as modest as chicken, have ignited public debate about the difficult conditions faced by soldiers who patrol Belize’s remote borders.

The investigation team convened on Wednesday, October 9, and is expected to deliver its findings by Friday, October 18.

News 5 asked Prime Minister John Briceño about the allegations, specifically about claims that soldiers are taken chicken as bribes. He said, “That will happen any place. You get 1, 000, and somebody can’t give you another 100; you’re going to take it… And so it’s important to hit the reset button to ensure that these people or BDF soldiers say that we have to be able to at all times look after the interests of Belize. A chicken can’t pay to protect the interests of this country.”

Reports indicate that B.D.F. soldiers are being supplied with expired goods such as Pan Crema, Tang, peanuts, ramen noodles, rice, and granola bars and canned goods as sustenances. Given that entry-level B.D.F. soldiers earn just $40 per day and face gruelling conditions, the situation raises important questions about morale and the sufficiency of support for these soldiers. The Guatemalan bribes reportedly go back several years, with one Guatemalan logger claiming to have been bribing soldiers for more than five years. These allegations have raised concerns not only about discipline but about the broader infrastructure and support provided to Belizean soldiers patrolling its contested southern border.

Briceño pointed out that while financial pressures could exist in any institution, it is critical for the B.D.F. to maintain its discipline. “We feel that the B.D.F. was at the pinnacle when it comes to discipline,” Briceño said, acknowledging that standards may be slipping and emphasising the need to “hit the reset button.”

On September 7, B.D.F. troops detained Guatemalan loggers operating illegally in the Columbia River Forest Reserve. However, their position was quickly compromised when over 10 potentially armed Guatemalans surrounded them. Communication with Fairweather Camp was lost, gunshots were heard, and outnumbered soldiers were forced to release their detainees to avoid violence. The incident brought into focus critical issues with the soldiers’ communication equipment, including Harris and VHF radios.

The Prime Minister noted that technological upgrades, such as tracking devices, are being implemented to ensure soldiers remain on Belizean soil during their patrols and that improved communication tools may be necessary in future missions.

“We have to use better technology. We’re using the tracking system so that we know where they are at all times,” Briceño said.

As the investigation into these bribery allegations unfolds, questions remain about the support, discipline, and resources provided to Belizean soldiers guarding the country’s borders.

By Hipolito Novelo, Digital Editor

Guatemalans Accused of Bribing and Surrounding BDF Soldiers at Machakilha

Three Men Murdered Over the Weekend

Thirty-seven-year-old Paul Arthurs of Ontario Village, Cayo District, was fatally stabbed on Saturday night in the New Site area of Blackman Eddy Village. Arthurs was involved in an altercation prior to his murder. Authurs sustained multiple injuries, including a severe stab wound to the abdomen. Arthurs was quickly transported to the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan, where he was pronounced dead minutes later. Several individuals are in police custody.

Meanwhile, in Orange Walk, police are investigating the murder of sixty-year-old Norman Winston Gillett. Gillett was shot several times early on Sunday morning while he was on Monkey River Street in Orange Walk Town. Two other persons, including the deceased’s son and an acquaintance, were shot. Investigators believe that Gillett’s murder may be the result of an altercation that occurred earlier that night. We are told that a suspect has been identified.

The third murder reportedly occurred on Sunday night in Santa Elena Town, Cayo District. Anthony Smith was shot dead while he was in front of China Town Store. He was rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed.

Op-ed: Haiti: a call to action for all Caribbean and Latin American countries

By: Mario Lubetkin, FAO Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean

Although the most recent evidence shows signs of improvement in food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean, the data reveal a worrying upward trend in Haiti and sectors of the subregion.

The situation in Haiti is particularly alarming: violence, a prolonged economic crisis, and extreme weather events have brought the country to a critical point with devastating consequences for its population. A further deterioration in acute food insecurity is projected between June and October 2024.

Haiti is the only country in the region that is considered to be in a major protracted food crisis, is one of nine countries in the world at risk of famine and is among the five countries with more than 10% of the population in Emergency. This translates into 1.6 million people with food consumption shortfalls, reflected in very high acute malnutrition and excess mortality that they can only mitigate through emergency livelihood strategies and liquidation of their assets. On the other hand, almost half of the population, about 5.5 million, could face high levels of acute food insecurity.

El Niño caused crop failures in 2023, and this year, forecasts warn of more intense hurricanes due to La Niña, which could cause flooding and landslides, causing additional damage to crops, livelihoods, and infrastructure.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), committed to supporting Haiti, is working intensively to mitigate the impacts of the humanitarian crisis through emergency agricultural assistance, strengthening livelihood resilience and specialized technical assistance while ensuring the nexus between humanitarian response, resilience, and development. FAO estimated it would require $42.6 million to assist 528,000 people, but it has received only 6% of the funding.

In 2023, FAO reached some 120,000 people across Haiti through emergency agricultural and livestock interventions to support local food production and sustain rural livelihoods. In 2024, FAO continued to provide emergency assistance in Haiti, focusing on food security and agricultural resilience amid global challenges, assisting 44,000 beneficiaries in various country departments.

In the face of increasing violence and food crises, the FAO calls on donors and governments to increase their support. Ten million dollars are needed to assist 80,000 people, ensuring the protection of their livelihoods, covering minimum food needs, and improving the availability and access to food for the most vulnerable households.

FAO appreciates the efforts of local authorities to stabilize the country through the appointment of Garry Conille as interim Prime Minister. We are confident that steps such as these will help Haiti embark on a normalization path, which could also improve food security for all its inhabitants.

The food insecurity situation in Haiti requires urgent and coordinated action. A rapid, effective response and the mobilization of the necessary resources will mitigate the impact of this crisis, support the vulnerable population, and help Haiti regain its path to food security and stability. Humanitarian aid must reach those who need it most. Only in this way can we ensure a better life for all, leaving no one behind.

EU Provides Aid to Wildfire Victims in Belize

In response to the current wildfires affecting Belize since May, the EU is providing one hundred and seventy thousand Belize dollars in humanitarian assistance to families most affected by the disaster.

By supporting the Belize Red Cross Society, the EU aims to support two families or about eight hundred individuals, primarily farmers, who have lost their crops due to the fires.

As a result of the wildfires, more than thirteen thousand hectares of agricultural land have been destroyed. This has damaged approximately two hundred homes and caused over eight million US dollars in damages. Twenty-four villages and communities, primarily in the western portion of the Toledo district, were affected. These numbers might increase as the fires and further assessments are still ongoing.

*The European Union offers assistance to the victims of the wildfires in Belize/ The Belize Red Cross*

The effects of climate change, a prolonged excessive heat wave, and prevailing dry weather conditions helped spread the fires in the Toledo District and Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve in the Cayo District.

The assistance will support the provision of health, water, and sanitation services, as well as cash assistance by the Belize Red Cross Society.

As of June 13th, fires in the Toledo District continued to flare up and progress due to strong winds within the area.

Overtopped Culvert Caused Coastal Road Damage

The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing explained that damage to the Coastal Plains Highway was caused by a 3.0m x 1.5m box culvert that was overtopped due to backwater from Soldier Creek, approximately 180m away.

In a press release, the ministry said that this backwater resulted from a blockage in the creek and deforestation caused by recent wildfires, which expanded the catchment areas around the culvert.

“The Road Maintenance Unit of the MIDH, along with the contractor, has been mobilised to execute clean-up and minor restoration works on the pavement. In addition, the MIDH is conducting further assessment of the area to determine any additional contributing factors that forced run-off away from the intended Soldier Creek.”

According to the ministry, this suggests that the culvert’s overtopping and subsequent pavement erosion were due to the unexpected intensity of rainfall and flash flooding, along with debris overwhelming the culvert’s capacity.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education announced the “suspension of classes for all levels in the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts for today, 17th June 2024. This suspension is necessary due to excessive rainfall, which has impacted both districts since early this morning.”

Victim of Bullying Speaks to News 5

Police Commissioner Chester Williams was in Santa Cruz Village, Stann Creek, today following a disturbing video of a group of boys bullying and later physically assaulting Jose Daniel Amador.

The video, which went viral, enraged the public, with many calling for the bullies to be criminally charged. ComPol Williams later provided an update, saying, “An official report had been lodged with the police, and the boys doing the bullying are in custody.”

In an interview with News Five, Williams explained that he sought to conduct an intervention after a woman posted a video on Thursday night showing that Amador’s family was being threatened by the family of one of the bullies.

When asked for his thoughts regarding the department’s swift actions, Amador said, “I feel good, and that is good for the country and for the world so that bullies can stop.” He said that his parents taught him to ignore bullies. He said he preferred to leave the matter in the hands of the police. Amador said he knew the bullies were videoing the incident.

He said that videoing their acts was the worst decision they made because it proved what they did. Amador says this is the second time that he has been bullied by the group of boys.

Williams told News Five that he will ask the court to order the bullies to visit the Belize Central Prison to learn what prison is about. “So that they understand if they continue the lifestyle that they are having in terms of bullying people, where they might end up.” Williams will also ask the court to order that the boys be the faces of an anti-bullying campaign.

BREAKING: Oscar Selgado Sentenced!

Oscar Selgado was slapped with a ten-year sentence by High Court Justice Nigel Pilgrim. The sentence is to run as of March 8th, 2024. Justice Pilgrim said, “”No sacred cows and no one is above the law.”

In early March, the High Court found the fifty-four-year-old attorney guilty of abetment to commit murder. Selgado had attempted to hire gang member Giovanni Ramirez to carry out the murder of Marilyn Barnes, who had made a complaint to the General Legal Counsel against Selgado for unethical behavior. Ramirez was the prosecution’s main witness, and in his ruling, Justice Pilgrim determined that Ramirez’s evidence was truthful and reliable.

This is the first time that a practicing attorney has been convicted of such a crime. During the trial, Selgado was represented by Adolph Lucas Sr. Selgado has been on remand since being charged.

In May, Selgado’s new attorney, Arthur Saldivar, advocated for a non-custodial sentence for his client. Selgado’s diabetic condition was a central topic of discussion in court. Reports indicate that his health has worsened in Belize Central Prison due to inadequate nutrition and the lack of a full-time doctor. The High Court considered these concerns, with several witnesses, including a medical professional and Virgilio Murillo, the CEO of the Belize Central Prison, called to testify.

Selgado has filed an appeal.

Why Was Griffith McNaughton Cadle Murdered?

Police in Belize City are investigating a murder that occurred last night on St. Joseph Street. The victim has been identified as sixty-seven-year-old Griffith McNaughton Cadle. Reports indicate that Cadle was fatally stabbed.

Cadle was in the company of a man believed to be his killer. They were seen walking towards Baymen Avenue and then onto Nurse Seay Street when Cadle was stabbed.

Investigators found a knife believed to be the murder weapon at the scene.

One of Griffith’s neighbours described Cadle as a humble and mannerly man. She told News Five that she was shocked when she learned that Cadle had been murdered.

Calaney Flowers Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter

Calaney Flowers, the woman who was initially charged with the murder of twenty-nine-year-old Lyndon Morrison, pleaded guilty to manslaughter today. Flowers was also charged with the attempted murder of Morrison’s girlfriend, Sochyl Sosa.

The incident happened in August 2012. Flowers ran over Morrison on Freetown Road in Belize City. After spending years in pretrial detention at the Belize Central Prison, Flowers was acquitted of the charges. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions successfully appealed the acquittal, leading to a retrial today.

In a dramatic turn of events, Flowers, now thirty-seven and an entrepreneur, took a plea bargain, pleading guilty to manslaughter. She was sentenced to 10 years but was released from jail after Justice Sylvester credited her with five years for time already served and suspended the remaining five years. Justice Sylvester considered both aggravating and mitigating factors in the case and concluded that Flowers, after 12 years in the criminal justice system, was unlikely to reoffend.

Tapir Knocked Down and Killed

A tapir was tragically struck and killed near Maya Center Village. The incident, which occurred on a busy road, has sparked concern among conservationists and locals alike.

The Belize Audubon Society’s Assistant Tourism Officer, Rafael Choc, was quick to respond to the scene. Demonstrating a coordinated effort, Choc, alongside the Maya Center police, traffic officers, workers from Lowen’s Hardware, and officials from the Ministry of Works, collaborated to manage the situation.

The team worked diligently to remove the deceased animal from the roadside and buried the tapir.
Tapirs hold a special place in Belize’s natural heritage, being the national animal and a symbol of the country’s rich biodiversity. The loss of this tapir is a stark reminder of the challenges facing wildlife in Belize, particularly the dangers posed by road traffic.

(Statement from the Belize Audubon Society)