This leads us to a joint operation between San Ignacio Police and officers of the Special Branch Unit which resulted in the discovery of several high powered firearms and ammunition in Cayo District on Thursday afternoon. Police report that the operation was conducted at around twelve thirty p.m. in a bushy area in the Shawville […]
The third meeting of the United Nations Joint National Steering Committee was held today in Belize City and it was co-chaired by Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington and UN Resident Coordinator Christian Salazar Volkmann. Among the topics discussed is a multifaceted approach to citizen security. Presenting a national security and defense strategy was C.E.O. George Lovell. […]
The magnitude of the sweeping measures imposed under the state of public emergency in two zones of the city, is already causing disquiet in the affected neighbourhoods. In less than forty-eight hours since the Statutory Instrument was signed, declaring George Street and the Mayflower area as emergency zones, police have descended on dozens of persons. […]
In the George Street area, the new realities under the state of public emergency is also causing havoc. Residents say they are left exposed to the brute force used by the police to round up suspects. Grieving families, as well as others who claim no gang affiliation have been caught in the police dragnet. More […]
In October 2011, Prime Minister Dean Barrow introduced, but retracted a bill on preventative detention due to public outcry. It was seen as too draconian a measure and at the time the government vowed not to bring it back. Since the state of public emergency was declared, the Human Rights Commission of Belize is among […]
The Human Rights Commission of Belize says it is looking at the legal foundation of the public emergency and monitoring the measures being taken on the ground. While Attorney Arthurs says that criminals should not be allowed to wantonly impose terror on the Belizean population, there are other legal tools available other than invoking a […]
You’ve heard residents and advocates of human rights express concern about the hard-line approach to tackle crime in the Old Capital. The argument is that human rights are being suspended and that other pieces of legislation could have been used that would produce the results without infringing on the rights of persons who live in […]
And if you have concerns about the annual Carnival Road March taking place on Saturday, the police say that you should have no fear. As you may have noticed, the carnival route this year will pass through a section of the emergency zone in south side Belize City, but the police department says that they […]
The U.S. embassy has issued a warning to its nationals advising that checkpoints are in place throughout the south side and that there is an increase in personnel to detain individuals. The Embassy further advises its citizens to take the necessary precautions when visiting the south side and to monitor local media for updates, avoid […]
An explosive round was retrieved from a dredge last Friday, but the police department did not comment on the discovery until today. The mortar was found on a vessel north of Caye Caulker by a watchman who observed suspicious activity in the area on Thursday night. When it was later determined that the device had […]
Belize City Police are investigating the death of twenty-one-year-old Jeffrey Hernandez. The football player of Guinea Grass Village was mangled by a cement mixer on Monday night. He was cleaning the heavy-duty equipment at AP Enterprise Cement Block factory located on the George Price Highway when the machine turned on, trapping him between the blades. […]
Was the shooting death of Daniel Alford Senior an accident or did someone fatally injure the Georgeville resident? It’s a puzzling situation that investigators are still attempting to unravel since there are conflicting reports in statements given to the police department. While a sixteen gauge shotgun, as well as a spent cartridge, was recovered from […]
Two gang infested areas in the south side of Belize City are under state of emergency following a murderous weekend in which six persons were killed mostly due to gang rivalry. The areas encompass George and Banak Streets where gang rivalry has escalated among the two groups. The operations began as soon as a statutory […]
As we said, over a hundred persons from both areas have since been detained and are in holding cells across the city. About seventy-five, including adults and minors, are expected to be moved to the Central Prison; the others will be released. The group will be in lockdown without being charged for any crime meaning […]
In recent times, there has been an increase in persons accused of murder, who go before the court, secure bail and get their release. Minister of National Security John Saldivar says that an amendment to the gang legislation was tabled at last Friday’s house meeting to make it difficult for bad elements to get bail. […]
There have been mounting reports of police brutality and the abuse of power at the hands of the Gang Suppression Unit. There is concern that the declaration of a state of public emergency on the south side may provide rogue cops with the legal authority to use excessive force against the citizenry. Now, the proclamation […]
Three hours after the announcement of a state of public emergency for south side Belize City, the Opposition, People’s United Party reacted. Leader John Briceño hosted a press conference this afternoon, expressing dissatisfaction and concern with the measures by the Ministry of National Security. Briceño says that the government should undertake a comprehensive and holistic […]
Earlier this year in March, Prime Minister Dean Barrow called a rare weekend press conference after a bloodbath and ensued in south side Belize City. A number of steps were taken including the redeployment of the B.D.F. to the streets of the Old Capital and the reappointment of John Saldivar as the Minister of National […]
The People’s United Party says it is ready to work with the government to effectively and efficiently address the gun violence in the Old Capital, but G.O.B. has repeatedly refused to consult with the P.U.P. John Briceño says a bi-partisan commission, including civil society, should be formed to come up with a strategic plan of […]
One more issue covered in the morning’s press conference. Prime Minister Dean Barrow is convalescing in Cuba from a spinal surgery so it was left to the Acting Prime Minister Patrick Faber and the Minister of National Security John Saldivar to arrive at the decision to impose a state of public emergency at the designated […]
Six persons were murdered over the weekend in Belize City. The results of post-mortems conducted on two victims were released today. Daniel Lopez, a delivery man, died from internal and external bleedings due to multiple organ damage from multiple gunshot wounds. Lopez was killed on Friday night after the murder of Shakedi Baizar. Lopez, an employee […]
The Ombudsman’s Office has issued its seventeenth annual report. The document covers the period of January first to December thirty-first, 2017. According to the document, one hundred and twenty-two new complaints were lodged with his office. The allegations ranged from corruption to injury to abuse. Some of the more serious and frequent allegations include unjustifiable […]
On Monday, we reported on the burglary of the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired office in Belmopan. Thousands of dollars worth of equipment as well as computers and office supplies were stolen including specialized eye care equipment. B.C.V.I.’s Optometrist and Ophthalmic Assistant was the one who made the discovery when he reported to work […]
A video of a fight between two men went viral on Facebook over the weekend. One of the men in the fight is The Guardian’s Editor and host of ‘Fus Ting Da Mawnin,’ Alfonso Noble. The other man, not as known as Noble, is Norman Castillo. He stopped by our studios to say that the […]
It was a crazy weekend in which the blood spilled across the city and elsewhere. As many as seven persons were murdered beginning on Friday in one of the most violent periods. Aside from the homicides there were shootings, a home invasion, fatal traffic accidents and other acts of violence. The killing spree started in […]
