June, 2025 - Greater Belize Media

Eleven Teachers Charged After Dangriga Roadblock Protest

Things are getting tense in the south, as eleven teachers from Stann Creek, including well-known union voices Ifasina Efunyemi and Eli Villalta, are now facing court after blocking the road in Dangriga on Wednesday. The protest, part of a broader push by the Belize National Teachers Union, saw teachers disrupting traffic on George Price Drive in a bold move to amplify their demands. In the case of Eli Villalta, he’s now facing a charge of obstructing a police officer in the line of duty. As we reported yesterday, similar demonstrations took place in Belize City, signaling a coordinated effort by the union to ramp up pressure on the government. In response, the Belize Police Department announced it was reviewing the law to determine what charges, if any, could be brought against the protesting teachers. Today, legal support for the educators began to take shape. The law firm Pitts Pitts & Associates has informed the Dangriga Magistrate’s Court that attorney Sharon Pitts will be representing the accused teachers. Attorney Norman Rodriguez is also involved in the case. News Five caught up with Ifasina Efunyemi earlier today to get her take on the unfolding legal battle.

Ifasina Efunyemi, Belize National Teachers Union

“Yesterday morning, we had mechanical failure right at the entrance of town. Several of us, on our way to work, had this issue. But we decided to take the opportunity to raise concerns with the public about our fight with the government over our eight-point-five percent salary adjustment, over the fact that we had frozen increments that are owed to us, the high cost of living, the high inflation rate and so on. And so, we took the opportunity to give out fliers to people who were nearby and we were just there, actually talking with each other and seeing how we could support and assist each other. The police, they were already aware that this was happening and they appeared on the scene immediately, actually, and they just stood on the side and they were looking at us. They saw that we were just there peacefully, talking with each other; until the senior officers came on the scene. When they came on the scene the situation escalated because they brought a tow truck. They didn’t offer any mechanical support. They did not go to check our vehicle, they did not listen to us when we said we were waiting for a mechanic to come and check our vehicles. They didn’t pay attention to any of that.”

Teachers Charged After Protest; Union Alleges Political Targeting

The fallout continues from Wednesday’s teacher-led protest in Dangriga, and now, the story is taking a sharp turn. According to union activist Ifasina Efunyemi, what began as a peaceful demonstration quickly escalated when police officers arrived—not to assist, but to physically confront the teachers who were blocking the road. Efunyemi claims that instead of de-escalating the situation, officers used force against educators who were simply standing up for their rights. Now, several of those teachers are facing obstruction charges. But Efunyemi believes this isn’t just about law enforcement, it’s political. She says only teachers from Dangriga are being targeted.

Ifasina Efunyemi, Belize National Teachers Union

“At the time, teachers who were on their way to work had gotten out of the buses and also came to the scene and so we started singing, “Solidarity Forever” because we were in unity with each other, and we were making the point to them that our fight was not just for us, but it was also for them. So, we know that they can’t engage in industrial action so we expected them to at least show some kind of understanding, compassion. They claim that their response was measured. Well when you look at the footage of what transpired out there, the measurement was very aggressive how they were behaving. And imagine, these were primarily male officers and they were being very physically aggressive to female teachers, alright. This does not look good for the police department at all. So that statement that was published by ASP Smith was erroneous, it was false.”

Isani Cayetano

“Now, I understand that you guys have been summoned to appear in court on June eleventh, as many as eleven of you guys? Speak to me a bit about that from, perhaps, the legal perspective where they are saying that you may have committed the offense of obstructing the officer in the effect of his duties.”

Ifasina Efunyemi

“They are saying that. They will have to prove that. They are the ones accusing us of that and it’s shameful that they would take that position. Imagine, scouring our laws to find how to stand against the very people that are standing for them, you see. And I see that as simply political manipulation. That’s all that boils down to.”

The teachers are set to appear before the Dangriga Magistrate’s Court on June eleventh.

KHMHA Workers Union Meets with GOB Over Pension Demands

Tensions are rising once again at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where the KHMHA Workers Union is turning up the pressure on the Government of Belize. This morning, union members gathered outside the hospital in a show of unity ahead of a critical mediation meeting with government officials. At the heart of the dispute is retirement security. The union is demanding that the government address the plight of over three hundred healthcare workers who currently have no pension to look forward to, despite years of frontline service in Belize’s public health system. Just last Friday, these workers took to the streets of Belize City, calling on the Briceno administration to act. But with the hospital operating as a statutory body, how willing is the government to meet their demands?

Paul Lopez, Reporting

This morning, members of the KHMH Workers Union gathered outside the hospital, showing a united front ahead of a key meeting with government officials. Union President Andrew Baird addressed the crowd, laying out the union’s game plan for the talks. At the center of their demands is a pension plan for more than three hundred hospital employees who were hired between 2000 and 2017 and currently have no retirement benefits. The union says these workers have dedicated years—some, even decades—to Belize’s public health system and deserve financial security when they retire.

Andrew Baird, President, KHMH Workers Union

“We are focused and as you hear just now, we want our pension, that is our focus. That has been before and we continue to say it to the government even now that we want our pension, even more so that they have added the Coast Guard and they have added the grant aided teachers to receive full pension from the government. We deserve the same pension. We are equal as animals.”

After rallying outside, the KHMH Workers Union executive headed into the hospital’s conference room to lay out their demands. The meeting was brief, just over an hour. As government officials began leaving the building, they declined to speak with the media, saying they needed to consult with Cabinet before making any public statements.

Dr. Julio Sabido, C.E.O , Ministry of Health and Wellness

“No because we also commit to them that we give not even a statement.”

We did manage to catch a quick word with Financial Secretary Joseph Waight, who’s no stranger to the country’s books. He was at the table today, helping crunch the numbers, but even he kept things close to the chest.

Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary

“Very quick comment, useful meeting, productive. We have to go back, they have to go back, so I cant give anything of substance, but it was respectful and constructive.”

Paul Lopez

“You are obviously here to crunch the number.”

Joseph Waight

“That is still in the process, but it is a big number.”

The union’s executive must also go back to its members with government’s proposal. Their team came out of the discussion bearing a serious demeanor on their face. We heard from President Baird.

Andrew Baird

“Certainty it was an amicable meeting. Like with any other meeting we have hiccups here and there. But, it was amicable and we now go back to our members later tonight and reveal the position of the government and get a mandate from the members as to how we move forward. We will receive a letter from the government to clarify their position and we wait for that letter by five o’clock this evening.”

Paul Lopez

“So far is your proposal favorable to you and your pension?”

Andrew Baird

“We are yet to speak to our members so I do not want to put anything out there as yet, but we go back to our membership tonight.”

Paul Lopez

“Am I to take from the silence and expression on your faces that something like that is being proposed, falling short of what you are asking for?”

Andrew Baird

“I cannot say. We will be guided by our members.”

Paul Lopez

“How am I to translate or interpret the expression on your faces at this point?”

Andrew Baird

“Like all the time you come out and the sun is shining on your faces, you know but certainly it is a good day for us here at KHMH. But we need to be responsible and go back to our membership before we can state anything to the media or so.”

Following today’s mediation meeting, Union President Andrew Baird says the government appears more committed than ever before to resolving the issue. It’s a shift in tone that union members have been waiting to hear. But the road ahead still depends on the union’s next move. Baird says whether industrial action continues will be up to the membership, who are expected to make that decision during a meeting scheduled for tonight. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

No More Delayed Meeting Dates Says KHMHA Union President

The KHMHA Workers Union is stepping up its efforts after waiting far too long for action on their pension concerns. Talks with the government have dragged on without results, and union members say they’ve had enough. Union President Andrew Baird shared that this kind of delay isn’t new, it’s been happening since they first started pushing for their pension years ago. Still, he says there’s been a promise from the government to improve the situation, and now the union is holding them to it.

Andrew Baird, President, KHMH Workers Union

“That was a point driven in the meeting to them just before we concluded as a reminder that the reason we are at this stage of a phased plan of action is because of them being noncommitted to dialoguing that has been going on over the years or so. We were assured that this would not occur any much more. But as I said, we will be guided by our membership after our meeting tonight.”

An Increase in Taxes Looming to Meet Teachers’ Salary Demands?

The Briceño administration says it simply can’t afford to give teachers an 8.5% salary increase all at once, especially not while also restoring two frozen pay raises. And today, Financial Secretary Joseph Waight made that message even clearer. He explained that the government is already struggling to manage its current budget and added that he hopes they won’t be forced to raise taxes to make ends meet.

Paul Lopez

“Talk a bit if you would about the request from the teachers and how you have been able to crunch those figure. The amount it would cost government to increase their. Is it alarming the figure, given how the wage bill has ballooned?”

Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary

“And it continues. Every point increase is seven million dollars for one percentage point. Do the math.”

Paul Lopez

“So, you all crunching those numbers.”

Joseph Waight

“We do it everyday to determine how much it would cost. But the bigger question is how will you pay for it?”

Paul Lopez

“So the Briceño administration is saying we cant afford it at this time, is that what you are also seeing.”

Joseph Waight

“We can barely afford what we are doing right now. But we have to look at it see where things can come. Hopefully we don’t have to raise taxes, but you never know.”

Public Workers Still Waiting as Salary Talks Stall

The salary dispute between public sector workers and the Government of Belize is still dragging on, with no clear end in sight. On Wednesday night, the Public Service Union (PSU) held a virtual meeting to figure out their next move—but so far, no official word has come out about what was decided. At the heart of the standoff is an eight-and-a-half percent salary increase that public officers, teachers, and senior managers say they’ve been waiting on for too long. The government recently offered a three percent raise instead, but that proposal was quickly turned down. Cabinet Minister Francis Fonseca has weighed in, saying that any pay raises should be based on performance, a comment that’s sparked even more debate among workers who feel they’ve already earned their due.

Francis Fonseca, Former Minister of Education

“As a responsible government, we have to, as we’ve always been saying, and this should be no surprise to the Public Service Union because in every meeting, and we’ve discussed this, we’ve always said these salary increases should be tied to specific targets. They have to be tied to performance targets. We’ve also been discussing with the joint unions, for years now, cost-saving measures, pension reform and revenue enhancement measures. We have committees that we have established to review all of those issues and come up with specific recommendations. So we have to allow that process to work. We have to have salary increases that are connected to performance targets. I think any reasonable Belizean will say, anybody, where you work, anybody who works in the private sector or works anywhere, salary increases are tied to some performance target. So that has to be an important component of it, as well as pension reform. We have said, for many, many, many years now that the current pension scheme that we have in place is unsustainable.”

Unitedville Landscaper Fatally Shot and Left in Graveyard

Residents of Unitedville were left stunned on Wednesday afternoon after a heartbreaking discovery near the village cemetery. Around four p.m., a young boy on his way to a football game noticed a strong, unpleasant smell. When he looked closer, he saw something no child should ever have to witness, the lifeless body of a man lying among the graves. Police and concerned villagers quickly arrived at the scene, but the man’s identity was initially unknown. It wasn’t until a photo of the body began circulating that family members came forward and identified him as forty-seven-year-old Paul Serano, a landscaper who lived between Unitedville and Belmopan. Authorities reported that Serano’s body was already in an advanced state of decomposition. He had suffered three gunshot wounds, one to the neck, one to the shoulder, and another to the abdomen. The news has devastated Serano’s family and the communities he was part of. A relative shared that the discovery came as a complete shock, they hadn’t even realized he was missing. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Serano’s death.

Voice of: Relative of Deceased

“He was staying with her, with my cousin in Belmopan. And that’s why she knew that it was her dad, because when he left from Belmopaan, he went to United Village. The same Saturday he left, he went there with our next cousin that he was staying with, She noticed that he haven’t returned home Sunday, Sunday night. But that was the same time that people in the village were saying that they heard gunshot within that same period of time in the village, but it was nothing strange due to the fact that they always have a set of boys. Who always shooting for no reason. So people paid no attention. But when they found the body, they thought he went back to his daughter in Belmopan for those days that he didn’t return to my other cousin in Unitedville. They thought he went back to Belmopan. Meanwhile, my cousin in Belmopan was thinking that he was still in Unitedville. So it was a miss crossing, thinking between the family. So we wasn’t even sure if he was, because he’s not a problem person. He’s not a drunken type, and he’s not a violent person to say when he goes, we don’t know where he at. Whenever he goes, we know where exactly he is because he’s a family-oriented person. He is a jovial person. He is this type of person who is very well known in Unitedville. He has no issue with no one. He has no problem with no one. He is someone that you could lift him in your yard to do work, which is, that is what he mostly do. He usually do landscape for people in their property in Unitedville. So it is something that is very shocking because he is a loving, respectable person. He, if he have something that he know you want, he would rather give it to you before any trouble. He would rather avoid problem if you come wrong and problems that he’s that type that will walk away.”

Appeal Court Overturns Murder Convictions Over Coerced Confessions

In a major ruling from the Court of Appeal, two men convicted of murder in 2018 have had their convictions overturned. Marvin Neal and Jaroud Lamb were serving life sentences for the 2013 murder of Steven Valencia in Santa Elena Town. But today, the Court of Appeal ruled that the only evidence used to convict them, caution statements given to police, should never have been admitted in court. The judgment highlights serious concerns about how those statements were obtained. Both men claimed they were threatened, beaten, and pressured into confessing. The court found that the trial judge failed to properly assess these claims and that the prosecution did not prove the statements were given freely and voluntarily. In Neal’s case, the court noted troubling inconsistencies in police testimony and a lack of explanation for why he would confess when no other evidence linked him to the crime. In Lamb’s case, the court criticized the use of a Justice of the Peace who couldn’t recall the event and raised concerns about the conditions of his detention. With no other evidence tying the men to the murder, the court quashed their convictions and sentences, bringing an end to a legal battle that has lasted over a decade.

Cops’ Trial Collapses After Juror Shake-Up

A courtroom twist has delayed the trial of two police officers accused of willfully suppressing a couple they allegedly caught in a compromising situation back in 2020. The case, involving officers Leslie Martinez and Jason Shaw, took an unexpected turn when charges against a third officer, Anthony Villamil, were suddenly dropped, just as the trial was set to begin. That surprise move left the judge scrambling to explain the change to the jury. But things got even more complicated when three jurors had to be excused, two of them revealing personal connections to the defense attorney. With too few jurors left, the trial was aborted. Now, a new jury will be selected on October twentieth, when Martinez and Shaw are expected to face the charges alone. As for Villamil, he may now become a witness in the case after reportedly giving a statement that implicates his former colleagues.

Unearthing the Wonders of Xunantunich

When we think of national treasures, few things rival the majesty and mystery of our ancient Mayan heritage. Towering above the lush jungle canopy, these awe-inspiring structures are more than just stone, they’re silent storytellers of a civilization that once thrived in our very own backyard. Tonight, on Belize on Reel, News Five’s Britney Gordon takes us deep into the heart of the Cayo District, where the iconic Xunantunich site stands tall once more, thanks to the tireless efforts of conservationists and archaeologists. Join us as we uncover the secrets of the past and celebrate the legacy that continues to shape our identity. Here’s that story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

“Xunantunich. Its one of Belize’s most popular archaeological sites. Known for its many majestic structures that are still in great condition. What I’m standing in right now is the El Castillo, which was used for a multitude of reasons, But primarily, it was the living quarters of royalty. But did you know that just over a hundred years ago, all this was completely underground.”

El Castillo stands at one hundred and thirty feet, overlooking an altar and residential structures in the plaza.

Britney Gordon

“From the top of the El Castillo structure, you can see the towers in San Ignacio, Santa Elena, but take just a few steps over and you can start to see San Jose Succutz, Benque Viejo, and Melchor.”

So, how do incredible structures like El Castillo rise from the jungle once again? It’s all thanks to the careful and determined work of archaeologists like Antonio Beardall. Back in 2022, Beardall and a group of students rolled up their sleeves and began the painstaking process of uncovering one of the smaller buildings at the site. He explains what makes Xunantunich stand out from other ancient structures and why it continues to capture the imagination of so many.

Antonio Beardall, Archeologist

“What is most unique about this is that Xunantunich did not really come to power until very late. And it was a huge city at that time for about one hundred and fifty years. So you have other sites around the place like Cahal Pech a site called Actun Kan to the North. And these sites had people for centuries, people were living here, but it took a while for them to establish dominance in the region. And that’s what makes it interesting is that some of these structures were built in a single construction phase, whereas other sites, the structures have many different phases going down. On the El Castillo, there are many interesting parts of it that people might not notice at first. Right here, we have the sun god called Kinich Ahau, which can be identified by its crossed eyes and its buck teeth.”

Once these ancient structures are uncovered, the real challenge begins: keeping them standing. Belize’s national conservationist, Jorge Can, leads the team in charge of that mission. They don’t rebuild anything new; instead, they focus on strengthening what’s already there using special materials. But figuring out exactly what works best takes careful testing and analysis.

Jorge Can, National Conservator, Institute of Archeology

“They were using cement and sand. But then later on we began to see that no, it is damaging the structure, the stability of the structure, although the cement and the sand is very hard for a modern building. But over here we have to use soft materials that could bend contracts with the structure.”

Now, the team at Xunantunich uses mainly materials utilized by the ancient Mayans for conservation. However, this method doesn’t work for everything. The Freize, an intricate carving on the El Castillo, was reconstructed entirely to preserve the original.

Jorge Can

“Everything was disintegrating, deteriorating very fast. So we had to end up with a next technique that we actually, we came about with the, with our neighboring with the Mundo Maya, with Mexico and Guatemala and Copan, which is Honduras. We began to use fiberglass replica. So we are using replica now. So actually, the original stays at the box. We buried the original and we place a replica in front.”

The story of Xunantunich is far from over. As the sun rises over the ancient stones, teams of researchers continue to dig, both literally and figuratively, into Belize’s rich Mayan past. But what’s truly inspiring is who’s doing the digging. Archaeologist Antonio Beardall points out that many of the latest discoveries aren’t just coming from seasoned experts, they’re being made by Belizean students. These young researchers are getting hands-on experience at one of the country’s most iconic sites, helping to uncover buried artifacts and long-lost structures.

Antonio Beardall

“We knew that something was there because the people who had worked in the courtyard previously had documented. That they had found this deposit in front of the structures. So we figured we will probably find something similar. And we did. And it was essentially like a small carpet of artifacts. Everything from stone tools to broken pots, to tools that the Maya women used for weaving all in this one area. And to see these things and for the students to understand like what this small little thing means and how long ago it was it was made unused. It connects who we are in the present to the people who were there in the past.”

It’s a powerful reminder that the future of our history is in good hands. Britney Gordon for News Five.