Six days after Guatemalan military and civilians allegedly came onto Belizean soil and abducted two men, along with a tractor and bulldozer, there is finally official comment from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Security. Today, the C.E.O.s of both hosted a press briefing to inform the public that they have indeed, despite appearances, […]
But there’s a problem straightaway with that response, firstly from the Ministry of National Security. The investigation is the first line of action in whatever government’s response will be. Just minutes ago News Five managed to verify with Roger Plett that Police have still not been to the actual site very near the border where […]
According to Colonel Lovell, they have been liaising with their counterparts and colleagues in Guatemala and at the O.A.S. since day one, verifying that no Belizean was still in Guatemalan territory. But that’s a cute situation. Verification by the O.A.S. that the Belizeans had been released, as we were told by Lovell, would seem to […]
So that’s where we were at that point – verification from no less than the O.A.S. that the Belizeans detained had been released. And that’s where the confusion comes in. What exactly are Belizean authorities waiting for? We’re not sure exactly what the problem is, although it is clear that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs […]
So with all the confusion and miscommunication arising out of what seems a very clear cut border incident, what happens next? Well…the Police investigation continues, of course, and then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will do what it has to do, whatever that is. Ret’d. Col. George Lovell, C.E.O., Ministry of National Security “I […]
There is support coming from the Commonwealth Ministerial Committee on the territorial integrity of Belize. After weeks of tension between Belize and Guatemala since the death of Julio Alvarado Ruano, the government has been seeking support from its allies. Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington met with the committee to discuss recent events happening […]
There was very significant news coming out of Cabinet on Tuesday, via a release sent to us via email three minutes before news time. It clarified that there is no formal agreement between government and the N.G.O. Help for Progress which has been facilitating immigrant applications for refugee status for the past months. Cabinet throws […]
An Orange Walk resident was killed last night in a traffic accident on the Phillip Goldson Highway. The driver of the vehicle that crashed into Richard Orellana is police officer Roberto Teck from San Narciso, Corozal. They were traveling in opposite direction when Teck reportedly came into Orellana’s lane and collided head on. Orellana died […]
On Tuesday evening, sometime after five p.m., Police were called out to a farm in the Blue Creek Village, Orange Walk District. There, they discovered the human remains of a man. Inspector Nicholas Palomo, who is the deputy commander of the Orange Walk Police, told News Five today that they have since contacted their counterparts […]
Nineteen-year-old Chioma Williams is recovering from injuries she received during a shooting incident in Belize City on Tuesday night. Williams reported to police that shortly after eight o’clock, she was walking near the intersections of Freetown and Barrack roads when a pair of unknown men rode up on a motorcycle. It is unclear whether the […]
Two men were accused last December with the possession of twelve kilos of heroin, but even though tests from the National Forensic Laboratory showed that the substance was not the drug, charges were not dropped. Today, Herbert Panton, Attorney for Richard McDonald made a submission before the court asking Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser to dismiss […]
While a duo has been freed, two teenagers who surrendered to police on Tuesday are on remand at the Belize Central Prison for a shooting spree on Marage Road, Ladyville which ended in the death of Lionel Rhamdas. Police slapped a total of nine charges on Egbert Baldwin and Darwin Prado, both eighteen years old. They were […]
A twenty-six year old man who behaved inappropriately by touching a ten young girl on her rear was taken to court today. The incident took place on Sunday and Ashton Lambey told the minor not to speak of the matter. But the young girl reported it to her sister and mother and that landed him […]
The remote Garifuna community of Barranco, in the context of what is taking place at the Sarstoon, is widely seen as a mere transit point for local law enforcement officers traveling to the nearby forward operating base. The village, one of the oldest in the country, has shared a cordial relationship with residents of Guatemala […]
Earlier today, a group of Garifuna elders, including Doctor Joseph Palacio, issued a statement on the current conditions of Garinagu in Belize. The Garinagu, like other ethnic groups in the respective municipalities, are affected by existing urban issues such as poverty, crime and violence and health. Despite those prevailing concerns, resolutions have been drafted to […]
The Belize Progressive Party has taken umbrage with recent comments made U.S. Ambassador Carlos Moreno on the Belize/Guatemala issue. Ambassador Moreno has expressed support in taking the territorial claim to the International Court of Justice for resolution. The B.P.P., on the other hand, stands firmly behind its position that the matter should be resolved through […]
The Toledo Alcaldes Association and the Maya Leaders Alliance remain at loggerheads with the government-appointed Toledo Maya Land Rights Commission, following an incident on Monday in Punta Gorda Town. As we reported, TAA President Alfonso Cal was refused a meeting with commission chair Lisel Alamilla and was summarily removed from the organization’s headquarters when police […]
According to Coc, it is not the first time the Toledo Alcaldes Association had sought an audience with Alamilla. She says that several attempts have been made verbally, as well as in writing. Additionally, Coc maintains that the statement issued by the Toledo Maya Land Rights Commission is disingenuous since it is unclear as to […]
