The Belize Airports Authority has hit pause on two security contracts that were awarded under its previous board. The contracts, given to ISecurity and Four Diamonds, are now under investigation by the current board of directors. In a public statement, the BAA said it has asked its legal team to review the contracts and give an official opinion on whether they’re valid. Meanwhile, the authority plans to start a fresh, transparent bidding process to find qualified security providers for the country’s local airstrips. Former BAA General Manager and now government minister, Thea Garcia-Ramirez, also weighed in. She clarified that while she was on the board at the time, she didn’t have voting rights and never signed or approved any security contracts. In fact, she said she raised concerns about the contract and advised that it be reviewed by a lawyer before moving forward. Garcia-Ramirez pointed out that under the BAA Act, only one of the three ex-officio board members, the Financial Secretary, has voting power. When asked about the contracts today, Financial Secretary Joseph Waight was tight-lipped, saying he had no knowledge of them.
Paul Lopez
“Would you have been privy to the information on the BAA security contract, that twenty-eight million dollars?”
Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary
“No, I don’t. I am not on the board so I don’t know. No, no, no, ok.”
There’s been growing buzz about a possible shake-up in Belize’s telecom industry and tonight, Belize Telemedia Limited is setting the record straight. In a statement released today, BTL addressed speculation about a potential consolidation in the broadband, cable, and mobile telecom sectors. The company says these conversations aren’t new, in fact, discussions with other operators have been ongoing since 2018. BTL emphasized that any future consolidation would be aimed at strengthening the national telecom network, ultimately benefiting Belizeans through better service, broader coverage, and cost savings. The company says that in any economy, big or small, cutting down on duplication and making better use of existing resources leads to greater efficiency. And that, they say, is good news for customers and stakeholders alike. We’ll continue to monitor this story as it develops and bring you updates on what it could mean for your connectivity and your wallet.
A heavy downpour on Wednesday night turned the Racoon Street Police Station in Belize City into a soggy mess. Videos making the rounds on social media show water gushing through a leaky roof, flooding the station’s floors and leaving officers scrambling. This isn’t the first time concerns have been raised about the condition of police buildings. Officers have long voiced frustration over poor maintenance, and this latest incident has only added fuel to the fire. In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries issued a statement acknowledging the issue. They pointed to decades of neglect and underinvestment in public infrastructure as the root of the problem, and assured the public that the concerns are being taken seriously. The ministry further committed to repairing these dilapidated structures, stating “In response, ministry has already initiated a phased nationwide improvement plan aimed at enhancing the working and living conditions of our officers. We are currently pursuing temporary accommodations to relocate critical units operating from Raccoon Street Police Station” .
A powerful new book is shedding light on the complex realities of gang life in Belize City, and it’s sparking important conversations about violence, identity, and community. Today, sociologist Doctor Adam Baird officially launched his latest publication, From South Central to South Side, at the University of the West Indies. The book, published by Cubola, explores gang transnationalism, masculinity, and what Dr. Baird calls ‘disorganized violence’ in Belize City. Doctor Baird has spent years researching gang dynamics in Belize and beyond. His work connects the dots between local struggles and international patterns, offering a fresh perspective on how violence takes root, and how it might be addressed.
Adam Baird
Dr. Adam Baird, Sociologist & Author
“The book is a history of gangs in Belize, particularly on the south side and it focuses on how gangs came, the Bloods and Crips, from the USA into Belize, how the gangs grew, how the violence escalated. Critically, what I am trying to do in the book is to provide some sustainable solutions and responses to gang violence because, as everybody knows, it’s a critical issue in the country and we’re struggling to find solutions.”
Isani Cayetano
“What was the motivation behind putting this book together? You said you’re a researcher, you’ve done extensive work here in the country. What brought you to the point where you decided to the point where you decided to put all of this in writing?”
Adam Baird
“Well I first came here in 2011 and I designed a gang intervention program for the UNDP called the South Side Youth Success Program. What really struck me were two things: the first thing was the very high levels of violence in the country; and the second thing, myself as a gang researcher, I went to the academic literature and said, what can I find on a history of gang violence in Belize and there were very few publications. These did begin to come out, Dr. Herbert Gayle, Nelma Mortis-Jones wrote that book, “Like Bushfire” and also, Nuri Muhammed wrote his book on insights into gang culture. For me, it was very important that a foreigner comes to the country and casts an eye over what’s happening to give you a bit of an outsider’s perspective on what’s going on inside the country. And in the first book launch here at the University of West Indies, I think there was a confirmation that we share a lot of the same type of analysis about the reasons that we have gang violence and what drives gang violence in this city. So I left that first session today feeling very hopeful that we can collaborate together and generate new ideas about how to solve gang violence.”
From South Central to South Side is now available through Cubola Publishers. It’s a timely and thought-provoking read for anyone interested in the deeper issues shaping our communities.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a formal response following viral videos of the deteriorating conditions at the Racoon Street Police Station during recent rainfall.
The Ministry said, “the well-being of our officers and the integrity of our law enforcement infrastructure remain matters of the highest priority.”
The Ministry confirmed that it is working to secure temporary accommodations for critical units currently operating out of the Racoon Street station to ensure officers have safe and functional workspaces.
It added that over the past year,it has undertaken renovation and rehabilitation efforts at more than a dozen police stations and substations across Belize.
The Ministry said it is collaborating with international partners to design and construct modern, climate-resilient police buildings.
Seven months after Elon Musk threw his support behind Donald Trump, their once-powerful alliance has turned into a bitter and very public feud on social media.
Musk, the billionaire Tesla CEO, accused the president of dishonesty over his so-called “big, beautiful bill,” which is Trump’s latest tax and spending proposal.
Musk called the bill “a disgusting abomination.”
After days of Musk criticising his tax bill on his social media platform ‘X’, Trump broke his silence today to the media, saying he was “very disappointed in Musk,” the Associated Press reported.
Musk responded on social media in real time, calling out Trump for ingratitude and claiming he played a decisive role in Trump’s 2024 re-election. “Without me, Trump would have lost,” Musk wrote on X. “Such ingratitude.”
In response, Trump turned to his social media platform, Truth Social, and threatened to cancel Musk’s government contracts, including those with Tesla, SpaceX, and Starlink.
Trump said, “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” Trump wrote on his social media network. “I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”
The feud shook markets, with Tesla shares plunging nearly 12% by midday.
When News 5 asked Financial Secretary Joseph Waight if the government can afford the salary increase that teachers are demanding, he said, “We can barely afford what we are doing right now.”
According to Waight, the government is already struggling to manage its current expenditure levels. “And it continues. Every point increase is seven million dollars for one percentage point. Do the math,” he said.
He added, “But we have to look at it, see where things can come. Hopefully we don’t have to raise taxes, but you never know.”
The government has previously said it is open to gradual reinstatement but has warned that a full, immediate reversal could place the national budget under unsustainable pressure.
The Joint Union Negotiating Team (JUNT) has pushed back against recent public statements by government officials, describing them as misleading and inaccurate.
In a press release issued a few minutes ago, JUNT expressed “tremendous concern” over remarks made by two members of the Government Negotiating Team, Ministers Francis Fonseca and Henry Charles Usher, regarding the status of ongoing salary adjustment negotiations.
According to the unions, after receiving the Government’s official offer on May 21, they conducted nationwide consultations with their membership. Following those discussions, JUNT formally rejected Points #4 and #5 of the government’s proposal—specifically those related to the preferred method for salary adjustment and the restoration of increments. The rejection was submitted in writing on Saturday, May 31, 2025.
Despite claims made in the media by Ministers Fonseca and Usher, the unions state that “up to today’s date, Thursday, June 5th, 2025, there has been no response or counter offer received by any member of our joint union team.”
JUNT said that they are still awaiting a formal reply from the Government on what they describe as “this most pressing matter” for their members.
Two years after the debut of his specially designed habitat, Neo the Neotropical river otter has become one of the most popular residents at the Belize Zoo & Tropical Education Centre.
Neo was rescued as a three-week-old orphan in 2022 and was hand-raised by zookeepers and made his public debut during the zoo’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2023.
While he remains a crowd favourite, the zoo says it’s very often asked the question, “When will Neo get a friend?” Zookeepers explained in a social media statement that Neotropical river otters (Lontra longicaudis) are naturally solitary, typically living alone or in small family groups.
“While he may not have an otter companion, Neo receives daily care, and attention from our team and of course lots of love from visitors,” the Zoo added.
Neotropical river otters are semi-aquatic mammals known for their muscular tails, webbed feet, and water-repellent coats. They are skilled swimmers, capable of staying underwater for over five minutes.
River otters are native to Belize’s freshwater habitats and are threatened by illegal hunting and habitat loss.
As part of its conservation mission, the zoo houses almost 20 native mammal species, including jaguars, tapirs, spider monkeys, and much more.
They are expected to appear before the Dangriga Court of Summary Jurisdiction on Wednesday, June 11 at 9:00 a.m. The documents state that the group “unlawfully assembled with the purpose of committing a riot,” an offense under Section 229 of the Criminal Code, Chapter 101 of the Laws of Belize.
Villalta has also been separately summoned for “causing obstruction to a police officer whilst in the execution of his duties,” under Section 38(1)(a) of Chapter 138 of Belize’s criminal laws.
The protest formed part of an ongoing salary dispute between the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU) and the government. Teachers used their vehicles to block critical road junctions in Dangriga and Bella Vista, severely disrupting traffic flow and restricting movement for residents and emergency services.
Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith noted that while “teachers have the right to express their grievances,” the police are obligated to act when a protest infringes on the rights of others. Smith said authorities gave protestors up to two hours to clear the roadways before taking what she described as “measured action.”
The summonses warn that failure to appear in court may result in ex-parte proceedings or arrest warrants being issued.
