June, 2025 - Greater Belize Media

Squad 98 Officially Completes Police Recruit Training

It was a proud and emotional day at the Police Training Academy as two hundred and sixteen fresh-faced recruits officially marched into the ranks of law enforcement. That’s right, Squad 98 has completed their training, and the cheers from family and friends filled the air as they celebrated this major milestone. But here’s what really stood out, a significant number of these new officers are women, marking a powerful shift in the makeup of our police force. We caught up with Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa at the passing out ceremony to hear what this means for the future of policing in Belize.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“This set of graduates form part of squad ninety-eight which proudly includes fifty-two women police officers graduating today. Over the last few years we have had a major adjustment in the curriculum, very heavy emphasis on the human rights aspect of policing, community policing, use of technology as a tool in fighting crime. These officers are freshly minted, two hundred and sixteen of them and they will now make up a total of close to three thousand police officer in the Belize Police Department.”

Reporter

“How have you seen the culture change with the last two squads. They were trained similarly with human rights being at the forefront.”

Kareem Musa

“Funny enough I was having this discussion with one of our counterparts, a member of the US Embassy team and he is telling that since 2020 he has seen a dramatic shift in the style of policing and the level of trust the Belizean people have in the Belize Police Department. Obviously it is not going to be perfect, but we can see the strides that have been made and the confidence being restored by the public.”

PM Briceño: Tax Defaulters List Should Not Have Been Made Public

Prime Minister John Briceño said that it is “unfortunate” that the Belize Tax Service made the names of tax defaulters public. He said, “I am speaking for myself. It should not have been made public. We should have continued working with them.”

On Tuesday, BTS Director General Michelle Longsworth said the move was supported by law under Section 64A of the Tax Administration and Procedure Act. But Briceño believes the action was unnecessary.

He said many small businesses face tax problems simply because they don’t understand how to file correctly.

“We cannot write off taxes. It is only the National Assembly. But how do we help? We will try to negotiate with the Belize Tax Service to try to lower the interest or the penalties to make it more affordable,” he said.

The Prime Minister also pushed back against the claim that his administration’s tax approach is anti-business.

“We do not want to get anybody out of business. We want more businesses and entrepreneurs. That is why we have been working closely with BELTRAIDE for them to be able to thrive in this economy,” Briceño said.

PM Briceno Says GOB Working on Cutting Rental Costs

Prime Minister John Briceño told News 5 today that the government’s rental expenses are not “new information,” despite criticism from the Public Service Union (PSU).

PSU President Dean Flowers revealed last week that the government is spending over two million dollars annually on rent.

PM Briceño told News 5 that his administration has been actively working to reduce that figure.

He pointed to ongoing efforts, including the construction of a judiciary centre in Lake Independence, Belize City, in partnership with the Social Security Board.

He said, “We’re working along with Social Security and the government of Belize, and we’re getting some investments from, I think, holders to be able to build a huge compass to quote everything there. We are working on that. We want to partner, either with the private sector or ourselves.”

He stated that the 5Cs’ groundbreaking is an example of the government’s efforts to reduce rental spending. “Look at this place right here with the 5Cs the government pays for that. We are paying $22,000 a rent amount that can pay a mortgage. And that’s exactly what we’re working,” Briceño said.

“We are working on that; we are addressing it,” he added.

Peyrefitte Questions Court Access Under 13th Amendment

The Government of Belize’s proposed Thirteenth Amendment is facing scrutiny as it moves through parliament. The amendment is touted as a crime-fighting measure, which seeks to solidify the government’s powers during states of emergency, particularly in crime-affected zones. But critics warn it could come at the cost of constitutional rights.

Former Attorney General and returning UDP Chairman Mike Peyrefitte says the proposal raises red flags over access to justice. Peyrefitte argues that the amendment could limit individuals’ ability to challenge their detention in court, an act he believes would be unconstitutional.

“I think it’s well established that no law can be passed to say [that] you cannot take a matter to court,” Peyrefitte told the media on Tuesday.

“If someone is deprived of their liberty and they believe that it’s being done in a wrong way,” he added. “I cannot imagine the court saying that they will not hear them, or hear their issues and make a determination on it.”

$70K for CEO’s Special Advisor Raises Eyebrows

A $70,000 government contract for former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Aaron Guzman, to serve as a special advisor to the CEO of the Ministry of Home Affairs is drawing scrutiny, particularly as tensions rise between the government and unions over salary increases and fiscal priorities.

The contract also includes a government vehicle.

Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa defended the appointment, stating: “It’s not anything new. These government contracts exist in all ministries.”

He explained that the CEO, who comes from an administrative rather than policing background, requires the counsel of someone with Guzman’s experience. “Having the type of advice and counsel from somebody like a senior like Aaron Guzman has been very valuable to the ministry and to the CEO in the conduct of her duties,” Musa said.

The optics of a ‘high-paying’ advisory post have raised eyebrows, especially among public officers.

The Joint Unions Negotiating Team has rejected what they called the government’s attempts to politicise and discredit the union’s demand for the 8.5% salary adjustment.

Deported Mother Reunites with Family in Belize

Margarita Ávila, a Belizean mother of nine, was deported from the United States this week after being detained by immigration authorities. According to her daughter, Ávila was taken into custody in May.

She was transported by van for over 10 hours to Florida, from where she was deported to Belize on Monday morning. She arrived in Belize City around 10 a.m. and was processed by immigration officials before being released around 12:45 p.m. to reunite with her parents and sister. Relatives in Belize hadn’t seen her in over a decade.

While her family is relieved she is no longer in detention, her daughter says Ávila remains heartbroken about being separated from her younger children, ages 11 and 13, who were born and raised in the U.S.

The children are expected to relocate to Belize soon to join their mother, while their father remains in the U.S. to manage the family’s affairs.

“She’s sad, but also relieved she’s not in detention anymore,” her daughter shared. “We’re hopeful she can return legally.”

The family is pursuing two legal avenues for Ávila’s return: an I-130 petition filed by her U.S. citizen child and a possible U visa for victims of crimes. They allege Ávila was wrongfully targeted due to a false police report, prompting the initial detention.

“I’m going to keep fighting to bring my mom back,” her daughter said. “And I’ll keep fighting for all the injustices our community faces. We need to stop being afraid and speak up together, we’re stronger than we think.”

Peyrefitte descarta por ahora un escaño en el Senado

Mike Peyrefitte, quien recientemente retomó la presidencia del Partido Unido Democrático (UDP), admitió que los problemas internos que enfrenta el partido no son responsabilidad de una sola persona. Según él, todos, incluido él mismo, deben asumir parte de la culpa.

“Todos podemos haber tenido la culpa de la situación actual del UDP. Pero debemos reflexionar y seguir adelante si realmente queremos avanzar,” expresó Peyrefitte.

Cuando se le preguntó si su retorno al liderazgo podría abrirle camino a un escaño en el Senado, fue claro en su respuesta.
“No juego con puestos tan serios como este. Discutir asuntos parlamentarios es algo serio, y ese tema no ha surgido,” dijo.

El político afirmó que su regreso se dio por compromiso con su partido, no por ambiciones personales.
“Regresé por amor al Partido Democrático Unido, y se los digo con toda sinceridad, regresé con mucha renuencia,” declaró.

Mike Peyrefitte retoma liderazgo del UDP tras pedido de unidad interna

Mike Peyrefitte ha regresado oficialmente como presidente del Partido Unido Democrático (UDP), pocos meses después de haber renunciado al cargo. Su salida anterior ocurrió apenas seis días después de la aplastante derrota del partido en las elecciones generales del 12 de marzo.

Ahora, tras llamados de ambas facciones internas del UDP, Peyrefitte ha decidido retomar el liderazgo.

“Pensé que mi ausencia sería lo mejor para el partido en ese momento. Pero ambas facciones se acercaron a mí para que rescindiera mi renuncia. Creen que puedo ser de ayuda para avanzar, sanar y tener un liderazgo definitivo,” explicó Peyrefitte.

El político señaló que inicialmente se resistió, pero que, por el bien del partido, presentó su visión a los líderes internos.
“Estoy completamente preparado para tomar las riendas hasta que se realice una convención nacional,” añadió.

Su retorno marca un nuevo intento por estabilizar al partido y encaminarlo hacia una posible renovación interna.

Patrick Faber enfrentará juicio por agresión agravada a oficial

El exrepresentante del área de Collet, Patrick Faber, compareció este martes ante el tribunal por cargos de obstrucción y agresión agravada contra un oficial de policía. Los cargos se derivan de un incidente ocurrido durante una parada de tráfico en horas de la madrugada en abril pasado.

Acompañado de su abogado, OJ Elrington, Faber recibió la divulgación completa del caso, la cual incluye veintitrés páginas de documentos y un CD con pruebas. El juicio ha sido fijado para el próximo 16 de septiembre.

Según la versión policial, el altercado comenzó como un control de tránsito rutinario y terminó en un enfrentamiento que ha generado repercusiones legales para el exministro. Faber no emitió comentarios públicos tras su comparecencia.

Estudio revela por qué Belize sigue rezagado económicamente

Durante un seminario de investigación de políticas en la Universidad de Belize, el economista Victor Bulmer-Thomas presentó un análisis crítico titulado “La economía beliceña en el siglo XXI: cuándo y por qué Belize se quedó atrás y qué hacer al respecto.”

Aunque el gobierno celebra un crecimiento del PIB del 8,2% en 2024, Bulmer-Thomas señala que el ingreso per cápita del país es casi el mismo que en 2007 y que Belize sigue siendo el tercer país más pobre de la región.
“Las exportaciones siguen siendo bajas, la inversión interna es limitada y el gasto público en áreas clave como salud y educación es insuficiente,” afirmó.

El economista recomienda que el gobierno aumente sus ingresos combatiendo la evasión fiscal en lugar de subir impuestos. También sugiere diversificar la economía imitando modelos exitosos de otros países del Caribe.
“Hay muchos ejemplos exitosos en exportación de servicios, no solo en turismo,” añadió.

Por su parte, el Dr. Dylan Vernon, director del Instituto de Investigación de Políticas de Belize, coincidió en que hay problemas estructurales profundos:
“La baja inversión y las importaciones excesivas han reducido el nivel de vida,” dijo.

Ambos expertos proponen la adopción de la matriz insumo-producto para rastrear el flujo económico entre sectores y mejorar la formulación de políticas. El documento completo ya está disponible en línea a través de la Universidad de Belize y BELPRI.