Police Week concludes on Saturday with a massive parade through the streets of Belize City to culminate seven days of community-based activities. While the department celebrated the professional achievements of the men and women of law enforcement, there are two officers whose names have been called earlier this week for breaking the law. On Wednesday, […]
The department has seen a number of officers being investigated for infractions committed while in uniform. ComPol Whylie, however, maintains that the actions of a few rogue cops do not reflect a breakdown in the morale of its officers. Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police “There’s no reason to think that is deterioration of morale. […]
The shooting death of Richard Garcia in Chunox Village two Fridays ago involved a group of four officers who were responding to a request made by a villager to evict an unwanted tenant. The officers allege that they were accosted by a machete-wielding Garcia and had no other choice but to use lethal force to […]
Assistant Superintendent Rochelle Chan testified before the Senate Special Select Committee last Wednesday, refuting allegations made concerning his purported role in the visa ring involving Alvarine Burgess. Despite being able to repudiate those claims, the fact that a ranking officer is being called to question is somewhat of a black eye on the police department. […]
Twenty-five-year-old Kashief Gallego was charged with and arraigned for the murder of thirty-six-year-old Jermaine Franklin. Gallego appeared unrepresented in court today before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser. Due to the nature of the offense, no plea was taken and he was denied bail before being remanded into custody until July eleventh. Around six-thirty on Wednesday evening, […]
Twenty-two-year-old Freddy Amir Blanco pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the September 2011 killing of his lover Nelsi Chuc in August Pine Ridge. Back in 2011, Blanco was arraigned for murder to which he pleaded not guilty, but when he appeared in the Supreme Court today, Blanco pleaded not guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. […]
The United States of America has formally transferred three boats and equipment valued at close to a million Belize dollars to the Belize Police Department. The vessels were previously seized by Belizean authorities and subsequently refurbished and equipped to fight criminal activities. According to the U.S. Embassy in Belize, “this project is expected to help […]
On Thursday evening in Belmopan, quite a few outstanding police officers were recognized for individual professional achievements over the years. It has been two years since the last Police Week was held. During that time several men and women rose in rank within the department, a handful of them earning accolades that are reserved for […]
Top Cop and the Regional Commander of Eastern Division South, Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams was also an awardee at Thursday’s ceremony in Belmopan. Aside from being recognized for working more than twenty-five years with the department, Williams received honors for first class, meritorious and distinguish. Following the ceremony, Williams spoke of his achievements. […]
Police Week culminates on Saturday with a parade through the principal streets of Belize City. The march is a spectacle with many features, including a clear distinction of the different units within the department. Passing the Supreme Court of Belize, a salute will be given to Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley, who will be joined […]
Culture is defined in Bella Carib’s 1998 song “Proud A Mi Kulcha” as, “the concepts, habits, skills, instruments and institutions of a given people, in a given period.” The National Institute of Culture and History broadens it to include not only the arts and letters, but also modes of life, the fundamental rights of human […]
In San Ignacio, there is outrage over the demolition of the historic San Ignacio-Santa Elena Town Hall at the corner of King and Hudson Streets in the town center. Reports say the structure had been deemed unsafe for human occupancy as of twenty years ago. The building itself had inclined some eleven inches and there […]
The National Cultural Heritage Bill is headed back to the House of Representatives next week Friday. It is meant to provide a framework for the preservation of historically and culturally significant buildings, particularly in Belize City. The Bill is tied to funding from Taiwan for the Downtown Rejuvenation Project, which includes a renovation of the […]
It is an annual series that attracts thousands of poker pros and poker enthusiasts from across the globe. These players descend on Las Vegas, Nevada specifically during the summer months with the same dream of making millions. 2016 was a record breaking year for the World Series of Poker with over one hundred thousand participating […]
Approximately seventy-one young Belizeans were successfully engaged by RET International Belize, which provided them with employable and entrepreneurial skills. The initiative is as a result of a partnership with the already established Youth Apprenticeship Program, coordinated by Dianne Finnegan. RET International Belize seeks to reduce the risk of youth engagement in criminal activities in Belize […]
In recent months, we have reported a number of drowning incidents across the country. Despite the fact that Belize is surrounded by bodies of water and is dotted with rivers, creeks and other tributaries, a relatively high number of adults and children still drown. Over the years, the YMCA has carried out several swim programs […]
