Another of William Mason’s alleged henchmen has been brought before the court where he was indicted on charges of kidnapping. After previous issues stymied attempts to charge ranch manager Ryan Rhaburn with the abduction of Canadian-Belizeans Lloyd Friesen and his wife, police succeeded in laying charges against him earlier this week. As we’ve reported, the […]
Forty-one-year-old Ismael Jimenez Junior, a mechanic employed at BELCOGEN, lost his life this afternoon after being pinned between two vehicles at the energy plant on Tower Hill. It is unclear what exactly transpired that resulted in Jimenez being fatally crushed. Co-workers at the facility were later able to free Jimenez before rushing him to the […]
Earlier this week, we reported on the shocking news coming out of the Cayo District; that an eleven-year-old boy of Santa Elena had been sodomized, allegedly by his sixteen-year-old brother as he slept inside his room last Friday. Following a report made late last week, investigations were immediately launched into the matter and today, the […]
Weeks after he first made headlines, the threads continue to unravel in the story of accused con man turned alleged kidnapper and murderer, William “Danny” Mason. And the staggering scale of his many acquaintances and connections, both professionally and privately, is still being measured. During Thursday’s press conference, Treasurer of the Belize Progressive Party, Robert […]
The Government has collected millions of dollars in hurricane relief funds since the passage of Hurricane Earl. Much of it will go to rebuilding efforts for the hardest-hit communities. But the agricultural and small business community is arguably even harder-hit and according to the Belize Progressive Party, there is much work to be done. The […]
Earlier this week, the Government of Belize announced that it will not be appealing Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin’s decision that Section Fifty-Three of the Criminal Code was unconstitutional. The landmark ruling, as is the controversial LGBT issue, has been met with mixed reactions. But what does the U.S. Ambassador have to say about it? Well […]
According to Ambassador Moreno, the decision sets a precedent that is being observed by Caribbean and Latin America. The legal system and the people of Belize, Moreno says, should be justifiably proud of this landmark decision. But is this a widely held international view being forced on the local population by the U.S. and the […]
Section Fifty-three of the Criminal Code, its interpretation, as well as the ramifications of the newly modified piece of legislation, remains a trending topic in public discourse. Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, following a lengthy deliberation, has ruled that the law prohibiting carnal intercourse against the order of nature, which includes anal sex between consenting adults, […]
While members of the clergy have opined on government’s stance on appealing the Supreme Court ruling, the respective political organizations are yet to fully weigh in on the matter. So, what is the B.P.P.’s position on the striking down of Section Fifty-three? They maintain that it is a matter for the Belizean people to decide. […]
During a press conference on the Section Fifty-three decision on Wednesday, PM Barrow flatly refused to answer a question concerning his personal stance on LGBT issues, claiming that it was “not the right forum” to do so. Today, Party Leader of the Belize Progressive Party Patrick Rogers claimed that Barrow was hiding behind the judgment […]
In a letter written by the Roman Catholic Church to Prime Minister Barrow earlier this week, bishops Dorick Wright and Christopher Glancy highlighted the urgent need for appeal. They alluded to other countries where decriminalization of certain aspects of the sodomy law was successfully challenged. The church maintains that legalization gave sudden rise to gay […]
The sexual abuse of a minor by his sixteen-year-old sibling last Friday, during which the eleven-year-old boy was sodomized by an older brother is most unfortunate. The timeliness of the incident, in the wake of a landmark decision in the Section Fifty-three challenge, has certainly added to the confusion surrounding the Supreme Court judgment. That […]
Take it to the people! That is the advice of the Belize Progressive Party on issues ranging from the recent decision on Section Fifty-three of the Criminal Code, to legalization of marijuana use, to signing the United Nations Anti-Corruption Convention. In terms of background, the 2008 referendum on electing the Senate, the only one in […]
Rogers noted that the United States uses referenda at the city, county and state levels to glean the people’s thoughts on important social and governance issues. But given that the judiciary has a role to play in interpreting the law and advising on the rights of persons who feel infringed upon, as Caleb Orozco did, […]
The Government of Belize has announced that it will not appeal the landmark decision of the Supreme Court in respect of Section Fifty-three of the Criminal Code. That statement comes one week after Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin ruled in favor of gay rights activist Caleb Orozco who successfully challenged the constitutionality of that piece of […]
According to Prime Minister Barrow, government’s decision was equally the result of a lively discussion among senior members of Cabinet who advise on policy. Prime Minister Dean Barrow “The position we have taken was come to after a very spirited debate was had among members of Cabinet. My Cabinet is no different from the […]
As we’ve mentioned, Bishops Dorick Wright and Christopher Glancy, on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church, wrote to Prime Minister Barrow urging government to appeal the decision of the Supreme Court. Likewise, the National Evangelical Association of Belize wrote to the PM requesting an appeal. Neither was fruitful in convincing government to elevate the matter […]
Does the reading down of Section Fifty-three open the figurative door to gay marriage? It’s a widely held belief among many, including the Roman Catholic Church. In fact, its premise for seeking an appeal of the controversial Supreme Court decision is hinged on that very notion. Government, on the other hand, does not believe that […]
Following the prime minister’s press conference, we got a reaction from the National Evangelical Association of Belize on government’s position on Section Fifty-three. Needless to say, the organization is disappointed that government has chosen to concede defeat. According to NEAB President, Pastor Lance Lewis, while government has chosen to step aside in the matter, there […]
The protagonist at the center of the UNIBAM Challenge is gay rights activist Caleb Orozco. Over the years, he has been the subject of scorn and disdain, as much as he has been heralded as a pioneer in the human rights movement. In spite of the successful outcome, Orozco maintains that there needs to introspection […]
As we reported on Tuesday, an eleven-year-old boy from Santa Elena Town, Cayo District was allegedly sodomized by his sixteen-year-old brother as he slept in his room early Friday morning. C.E.O. in the Ministry of Human Development, Judith Alpuche, told us previously that the ministry is working closely with police to ensure the child’s safety […]
There is a despicable report coming out of the Cayo District involving the sexual assault of an eleven-year-old boy in Santa Elena. Even more disturbing is that the minor was allegedly sodomized by his sixteen-year-old brother as he slept inside his room on Friday morning. Reports are that around three o’clock that morning, the minor […]
Two persons have been charged in connection with the murder of Duck Run Two resident, forty-one-year-old Hever Miranda. Late Monday evening, after twenty-four hours of investigation, San Ignacio police charged Gladimir Bartolo Shish and Carlos Antonio Menendez for his murder. Miranda was killed just after three o’clock on Sunday at the entrance to La Pasadita […]
On Monday, Senior Counsel Richard “Dickie” Bradley, attorney for Melissa Ferguson, accused of conspiring to kidnap Pastor Llewellyn Lucas and David Dodd, all but assured the press after her bail hearing that his client will be free of the charge. Now that’s par for the course for defense attorneys, but Bradley went a little further, […]
On Monday afternoon, a meeting was held at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan between the top brass of the Belize Police Department and the new Minister of Police Godwin Hulse. On the discussion table were issues on surging crime, particularly in rural Belize and of course the incident and those alleged friendships with accused […]
