Dinner, dance and murder at PM’s South Beach gala
While the trade show went well, Saturday night’s dinner dance was aborted because of a murder that occurred at the South beach hotel. All the guests were evacuated and according to Minister Martinez and Honorary Consul Sylvestre Vega, everyone at the reception, while disappointed, were safe and sound.
Anthony “Boots” Martinez, Minister of Works
“While the dinner was going on, the Secret Service reported to the Prime Minister of some incident upstairs on the eleventh floor of which there was a murder on the eleventh floor and they had some heavy odor so they took no chances. They immediately escorted us to the next hotel and they evacuated the entire hotel with everybody. So they brought in all the experts to do a thorough check on the building. Unfortunate incident but it just proves that crime is everybody business. Even in the great United States there is crime at every level. So it is a murder though on the eleventh floor; somebody got killed.”
Marion Ali
“The person didn’t have anything to do with the—it wasn’t somebody from among the gathering?”
Anthony “Boots” Martinez
“No, no, no. I think it was someone related—I think there was a wedding and—because it’s a huge hotel.”
Via Phone: Janine Sylvestre Vega
“The Prime Minister and the first lady as well as the guests attended were evacuated in a very calm manner. Nobody was hurt from our party and we understand that the incident is still being investigated.”
The pictures were taken during the dinner on Saturday before the resort was evacuated and show Prime Minister Dean Barrow, Kim Simpliss Barrow, Belize’s Ambassador to the US, Nestor Mendez, Honorary Consul to Florida, Janine Sylvestre Vega, other Belizeans and friends who attended the event. The photos were provided by Sylvestre Vega. The event was attended by several Ministers of Government.
What does the First Lady actually DO????? What does she champion???? What does she stand for???
So the PM was at a dinner party, so they were evacuated to another place.
so there was a murder on the eleventh floor because there were some heavy odor.
could it not have been a case of natural death, overdose, heartattack , etc?
too much sensation and no evidence of a murder at this time.
Yes Mr. Martinez there is murder every where but for a little country like Belize it is too much. what the PM needs to do is to publicly dennounce these senseless acts.
The Prime Minister gwaan jolly with our lee bit of money…. Look our country could have taken a beating with tropical Storm Alex… The .. tropical storm should have gwaan to Miami instead and wash away the sinners of our Nation… Then look who was there Boots, when his divison could have been under water.. mein where is the loyalty to our Belizean People….
I see PM gaan party!!!!
We need a more Socially Conscious FIRST LADY. We need a First Lady who at the least inspires Belizeans with HOPE!!!!
Does she even live in Belize?? I have not seen her around…and u guys are so right I’ve not heard of her doing anything in Belize
Just in case you did not know attending functions like this all over the world is part of the job description of any priminister! He is just doing his job to try and get more jobs down there so you and other Belizeans who live in Belize can have more job oppertunities. Then the lights will not have to be turned off: Hey Early Gray, Maddy, Mr. Big and Bredda Davido, does any of this make any sense?
My fellow Belizeans your minds are too small and hence you are part of the problem and not part of the solution. Part your job description as a Belizean is to keep your yard clean and the street infront your house (or place of residence) clean. This may sound simple but if everyone does this the entire street would be clean and the entire city will be clean. Also report crime and don’t commit crimes. This will also make the country a better place to live, then the PM’s job will have a much easier sell when he travels over here he will not have to answer to the ever present question about the crime rate.
Further more we who live outside Belize are Belizeans too and we also don’t mind seeing our PM from time to time!
It was good to see you and speak to you in Chi recently Dean!
Well everybody deserve to have fun
Hey Earl, do not hate on the lady you probably don’t even know how busy she is working behind the scenes. First lady’s are almost always working very hard so don’t hate on her. And for you CEO you are hating on your own people, you don’t even deserve that title. People don’t have small minds, we have minds that needs developing, we need to bring up people and not push them down with ugly comments like that.
Hey Earl, do not hate on the lady you probably don’t even know how busy she is working behind the scenes. First lady’s are almost always working very hard so don’t hate on her. And for you CEO you are hating on your own people, you don’t even deserve that title. People don’t have small minds, we have minds that needs developing, we need to bring up people and not push them down with ugly comments like that. Think about it my brother and tell me who have the small mind!!
Agree with you CEO, all what this people do da compalin like old ladies, PM is doing his Job, and so what if he had a night of fun! you foolish people, clearly all you have is an evil heart!!
Could anybody could have stop ALEX!! Lany think beofre you send a comment, cause you sound really uneducated and shtupid!!!
I agree with you CEO without even knowing I assumed you did not live in Belize just from how intelligent your response was to the Prime Minister’s trip. If you think it is frustrating reading these responses imagine moving back here to hear first hand the ignorance that is rampant in this country. I honestly wish Belizeans would broaden their minds and stop being so selfish when it comes to helping our country.
Nicos in order to develop a mind the owner of the mind have to be willing to open it so you can develop it, CEO is just being honest it has nothing to do with hating on our people the truth shall set us all free and the truth of the matter is that Belizeans are very narrow minded and vicious and until that is changed we will continue to see what we are seeing in this country. Let’s not continue to play Ostrich and bury our head in the sand.
everybody deserve to have fun but I must agree with some of the callers, to a certain extent that the …….. looks silly in this pic.
Mr. Earl Grey, The First Lady of Belize is actually the wife of the Govenor General. It’s a common misconception on our part to refer to the PM’s wife the First Lady.
Am… to all the small minded people frankly i don’t care what u think of me… I speak my mind and there must be some truth to what i said for u to feel the need address me. Get a Life… If u don’t like what i say thats your business. And hen u have the audacity to say i am uneducated and SHTUPID amm .. please pick up a dictionary… or better yet ask a 6 year old to be your spell check.. As I was saying The PRIME MINISTER OF BELIZE must get his priority straight. I have no problem with anyone have a “Night of Fun” once he/she is paying then he took “long guard, crack lip and the entire entourage to Maimi for the night” You must be stupid to be so loyal to the PM that you can even Phantom that this was right. But the world have a place for everyone and you fit in the little ( naive section)… so thats my point of view and I stand by it sooo if that makes me uneducated and “stupid” … then tuff luck.. cuz i understand u have special needs , it will take time for you to comprehend .
ceo you are an ignorant person thank god you dont live in belize anymore and since you dont you shouldnt even be commenting on anything belizeans say you are for all purposes a traitor to your country arent you ashamed to even talk about belize when you have sold yourself to be an american i think you are pathetic the pm needs to take care of business in belize like having the 10 highest murder rate in the world instead of wasting our belizeans hard earned money on parties you should be putting that money to work on crime you are useless as a pm get your nose out of obamas you know what and bring back the hanging penalty make sure they hang that bridgefoot and make sure there are vendors selling panades and hops so we can enjoy the hanging.And for your information ceo we dont worry about yards in belize we worry about if we will be next to get shot so to let you know your comments sounds so stupid please stay in america.
To those of you who think that the PM is not doing enough about crime in Belize, you are so right. It is downright disgraceful to have that much crime in such a small nation. I was once proud to announce to my american co-workers and friends of this wonderful little country Of Belize where I was born with very little crime. We are now A a lawless society. Shame! Shame! Shame!
Narrow minded people are every where all over the world so let’s not limit it to Belizeans ok…..and if Belize was such a good glorious happy place why are so many Belizeans stuck up in the U.S struggling to keep food on their table and can’t even pay their rent…If Belize was so wonderful how come u no go home and live the grand life of d rich n famous…..u know why? because unu prefer to clean …/house/paint/yard/ ect…ect…. than fi go kiss ..’ back home and become thieves just like the rest….admit it and stop beat around the bush…or maybe u have a stash for yourself….a benefit your own family member is reaping for you, so include yourself as a thief without being there to help with the thieving. Stop being disappointed and go home and live it for yourself for the remainder of the UDP term….and be poor like all the normal Belizean people then we can talk and write comments….because then only then will u be fully qualified to write comments about the poor people struggling in Belize and prime minister having a time of his life all over the world. Ostrich u are the Ostrich pretending to be something else….big fools….educated for nothing…shallow/”narrow minded!!!” what get a reality check my friend.
SIMPLE QUESTION:- What does Mrs. Barrow, THE WIFE OF THE PM, do for the country??? Does she ADVOCATE EDUCATION??? GOOD HEALTH??? WOMEN’S ISSUES?????????? WHAT DOES SHE DO???? Simple Question…..
Fyi, the monies for the PM Miami party on June 26th was raised and paid for by a committee of Belizeans in South Florida in order to give the PM and Mrs. Barrow a first class weekend event. All goals were met and the entire weekend event was successful. The dinner gala was interrupted 4 hours into the affair due to circumstances beyond our control. Also, Mrs. Barrow is an advocate for children in Belize. She helps children causes and has charitable functions to raise money for them.
Oh goodness…what is all the commotion about? The Prime Minister is doing his job; he may not be doing it perfectly, but he is well as hell doing it better than the past PM……and even the past PM made those kinds of trips….am pretty sure they were not all pleasure… and criticizing the PM’s wife…why? are you all envious of her position? Are you with her 24-7 to be able to say she does nothing? Instead of criticizing we should be always on the look out on ways to help our country with the crime situation, economical depression and all the things that are wrong with our country.
she has ‘charitable functions’ ???? Whatever. She has parties where she tries to pass off as a celebrity. Belizean people have not taken a liking to her. On the real.
CEO, you are abviously quoting the wrong people ( ME) in your hasty comment above.
Any fool will know that the Pm have to attend international fuctions in order to make better international relationships for Belize. I really do not care how much he have to dance, or drink at those functions, but at the end of the evening i want some real results, without much talking.
it is abvious at this point that Belize cannot survive without international influences, so if the PM gets an invitation to come to Europe or go to America then he should get his … on the next flight out, that is what leaders are expected to do. (Therefore I am in agreement with you on this one).
Rod, you have some balls telling a born Belizean that he have no business commenting about Belize because his opinion differs from your’s (freedom of speech or is that dead too in Belize).
This is still his country no matter how ashame he feels about Belize, can you sense his frustration about all the …. that is going there in Belize?
most Belizeans living international like myself is pissed off to see Belize being destroyed by the lazy, and the greedy.
anywa,y this whole conversation about the Pm thing/money is scary, am done…
“Kim Simplis is the Founder and Director of Lifeline Foundation. She holds two Master’s Degrees, one in International Business and the other in Hospitality Management. After 10 years of management experience working in the tourism and hospitality industries, she now dedicates most of her time to helping abused, abandoned and neglected children in Belize, through her many charity works.”
http://www.lifelinebelize.com/home.html
good note, small correction!
It is hard to explain to ignorant people that the duties of a Prime Minister is to attend functions such as parties.At these functions leaders raised money , and network with investors , and other leaders. The event the PM attend was put on by Belizean Americans.I still do not see what the PM did that was wrong.
and back to you maddy vandijk if you really care about belize why dont you haul your tail bac k to belize and contribute then you can say whatever you want but you are a traitor to your country also so we dont need your comments in the mix you discuss obama but not the pm of belize because when it comes to crime in belize this pm is …….. ,now if you want to help belize get all your fellow traitors in the us to pressure this pm to bring back the hanging penalty then we can talk but he doesnt want to do this because his own son might end up at the hanging.
I bet good money that the Government sent her for those Scholarship .. and to you Belizean in South Florida.. shame on you. You should have donated the money to Haven House instead or any other charit., Damn one of those tickets could have fed 5 battered women and their children… So if u really want to help your people think twice before giving millionaires your money…
Rod, perhaps if you had displayed a fraction of this zeal during the last election in Belize your party would have actually won, then the streets of Belize would be immaculate, crime free , and drug free because they brough back “hanging”, which would have set every idiot straight by now.
Since you have failed us by doing so, belize has fallen into a great big black hole, and it’s future uncertain, the frustration of sitting back and watching your counrty slip and slide even deeper into the abyss have now lead you to believe that Belizean americans, and Belizean Europeans are the real traitors and enemies of Belize. That is sick ..
Now, why don’t you get your … from behind your key board and do something for your community/country since you are living there.
Why should i take it upon myself and leave my wonderful life here in Europe to go back to Belize to help so that you can sit back some more and blame everyone else for what is happening there. No thanks, I live here but i still contribute to the community that I once lived, what the hell have you done for your community, lately?
Anyway……… What did the PM report to the nation about his trip??? What were his accomplishments?????
I understand the PM was in Miami attending an important trade show, to drum up business. Therefore one can argue that this is a vital role of our PM. It is also right that the first lady and a handful of key members of government attend. Part of any such visit will include a gala or dance in the evening, and this is where you get another chance to speak and network with people that you may have missed in the day time sessions. So attending both the trade-show and the evening dance were equally important.
Just look at current affairs around the world (whether develop or developing nations), and you will see that this is the normal protocol, which take place. These evening event can be a bore and feel as though you’re still working. I think you people complaining are imagining that it is like the parties you would attend, believe it is not necessarily so.
It is right to question the actions of governments. However I can’t see how attending this event falls under that category. Furthermore, this meeting/dance would have been planned long before any other events of last weekend, and so since it was only a tropical depression I can’t see that he needed to change his schedule.
“Small correction”: How is it that the Prime Minister’s wife is not considered the First Lady of Belize? People stating that she is the First Lady, are naturally correct because protocol dictate that this is what usually happens. All around the world, e.g. USA (Michelle Obama), France (Carla Bruni-Sarkozy), Great Britain (Samantha Cameron), even tyrant Mugabe’s wife Grace is the first lady of Zimbabwe. The leader’s wives always assume the role of the first lady. So how come this is not the case in Belize?
I cannot see why the Governor general’s wife would assume this role; surely you’ve got this wrong? What happens when the PM goes abroad on official state visits?
Clearly there is a need to raise Mrs Barrow’s profile otherwise there will be these endless dig at her.
I can’t help thinking though that the tone of the messages about her is pure envy. You seem to have other agenda beyond the story of her attending a trade show.
I would prefer that the woman who supposedly represents me as a Belizean woman abroad be well groomed from head to toe. I know that Mrs Sarkozy is from an industrialised country, however when she turns up to events with her husband, she is the one people come to see. Also you only have to look at Michelle Obama, and how the press behave towards her. Therefore I am afraid although it may look like a fashion show to some of you, being in public life will require that she looks her very best and carry herself a certain way at all times. So now lets concentrate on real issues.