He Was Killed Over a Bicycle 

Police continue investigating the fatal chopping of Carlos “Galazan” Garvin, whose body was discovered near a liquor establishment in Cowpen Village on the night of 12 July, the Commissioner of Police Dr Richard Rosado told the media this afternoon.

“The victim sustained fatal chop wounds to the upper part of the body. Our preliminary investigation revealed that the attack may have been motivated over a bicycle,” ComPol Rosado added.

According to Rosado, the suspect has been apprehended, and “charges will be laid today.”

A friend remembered Garvin as a man with deep biblical knowledge despite his struggles. “He was a man who, despite his mistakes, had a deep knowledge of the Bible.”

 

Belize Defends Taiwan’s Sovereignty in Senate Meeting

Belize’s Senate came together in a rare moment of unity to reaffirm the nation’s support for Taiwan and its sovereignty and its right to self-determination.

The motion “Resolution to Support Democratic Taiwan and Strengthen Bilateral Bond,” was passed in the Senate, which reaffirmed Belize’s commitment to Taiwan’s democracy and international participation.

Government Senator Eamon Courtenay pointed out the strength of Belize and Taiwan’s 36-year diplomatic relationship and cited the “common values of democracy, freedom and human rights.”

“Taiwan is not only a faithful ally and a development partner of Belize but also an active contributor to addressing pressing global challenges,” Senator Courtenay added.

Opposition Senator Patrick Faber also supported Belize’s long-standing diplomatic ties with Taiwan, stating, “I rise on behalf of the opposition to give my full and unwavering support to this important motion, a resolution that affirms Belize’s … the unbreakable bond of friendship with the people and government of Taiwan.”

Senator Courtenay called on China to end its threats toward Taiwan. “The people of Taiwan have a right to self-determination. They have a right to determine that they wish to exist as a country, separate from the People’s Republic of China.”

“It is an opportunity for us today to reaffirm our commitment to that relationship,” Courtney added.

Belize’s Silver-Winning Volleyball Team’s Next Stop: Home

Belize’s Men’s National Volleyball Team secured silver at the AFECAVOL Men’s Final Four Championship in El Salvador over the weekend. It was a close five-set match against gold medallists Guatemala.

The win represents Belize’s best showing yet at the regional tournament. Francis Hauze earned 1st Best Attacker, while Hakan Godoy was named 2nd Best Blocker.

President of the Belize Volleyball Association, Allan Sharp, said the team came just four points shy of gold. “It’s definitely a time that we want to celebrate… This is a step closer now. In fact, we were four points away from getting gold. So, we came so, so close, but it shows the growth of the programme, and it shows that the guys are putting in a lot more work.”

The team’s return home was delayed after getting stuck in a teacher-led blockade in Guatemala. Sharp confirmed that the roadblocks stemmed from a nationwide strike by the Guatemala Education Workers Union.

“We did our best to try and leave as early as possible. So, we missed a few of the roadblocks but unfortunately missed this one by just a few minutes,” Sharp said. “They told us to just get ready for a long wait; sometimes they let the traffic through in some stages… so we’re hoping for that. If that doesn’t happen, then we just have to wait it out, unfortunately.”

The team waited for a few hours before they were able to peacefully pass at around midday.

Volunteers Mobilise to Battle Sargassum in Caye Caulker

The persistent invasion of sargassum along Belize’s coast continues to drive community action. Over the weekend, volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at (AMJ) joined a clean-up in Caye Caulker to help remove the seaweed from the island’s shores.

“The community joined residents and local stakeholders to remove large amounts of the seaweed, which continues to threaten marine life, damage tourism, and create health hazards due to its foul odor and decay,” AMJ said on social media.

The problem is not limited to Caye Caulker. Sargassum has been piling up in San Pedro and even along Belize City’s coastline as of last week.

Just last month, Minister of Blue Economy Andre Perez described this year’s influx as a “relentless” challenge, surpassing previous years.

Meanwhile, Belize is among a group of countries preselected by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for funding to support innovative solutions that convert sargassum into valuable resources for industries such as agriculture and renewable energy. However, the country’s participation is still pending a due diligence process.

Iranian Group Places $40 Million Bounty on Trump’s Head

A religious fatwa from Iran’s top clerics is calling for the assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump, with reports claiming an online crowdfunding campaign has already raised more than $40 million as a bounty for carrying out the threat.

The calls for Trump’s death follow recent remarks by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who, during a televised speech, mocked the former president’s security, saying, “Trump has done something that he can no longer sunbathe in Mar-a-Lago. As he lies there with his stomach to the sun, a small drone might hit him in the navel.”

According to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), an Iranian group calling itself the “Blood Covenant” is behind the online campaign, which includes a website showing Trump in crosshairs and urges supporters to donate “in order to help establish stable peace.” The poster on the site reportedly quotes the Quran: “Strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah,” describing the bounty as a legitimate call for jihad.

The threats come weeks after the U.S. reportedly carried out significant airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. MEMRI says Iran’s religious establishment has recently increased explicit calls for Trump’s assassination.

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Travis Scott Samples Shyne, Barrington Levy on New Album

US rapper Travis Scott has once again tapped into Caribbean classics, this time sampling Belize’s own Shyne and reggae icon Barrington Levy for his brand-new album, Jackboys 2.

Released over the weekend in collaboration with his “Cactus Jack” collective, Jackboys 2 has already stirred a wave of reactions across social media. One standout track, fittingly titled Shyne, features rising Memphis rapper Glorilla and has quickly become one of the album’s most talked-about songs.

‘Shyne’ heavily samples the 2000 hit Bad Boyz.

The original track, produced by Ez Elpee, famously blended hip hop with reggae and dancehall, sampling Grace Jones’ Nightclubbing and showcasing Barrington Levy’s iconic vocals and unmistakable “Broader Than Broadway” riff.

Travis Scott’s version goes a step further, with Scott himself attempting Barrington Levy’s trademark “shibbily dabbily” style.

Reacting to the track’s release, Shyne shared his pride in seeing his work inspire a new generation of artists. “I am honored that two of the biggest popular artists out right now have remade my classic song,” Shyne said.

Scott now joins other artists, including Lady London, Sean Price, and Cassidy, who have sampled Bad Boyz over the years.

 

Major Crimes Drop in First Half of 2025

New data released by the Belize Police Department show that major crimes across Belize have decreased by 9 percent in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year.

From January to June 2024, Belize recorded 536 major crimes. That number dropped to 489 for January to June 2025, a decrease of 47 cases. Murders saw the biggest decline, falling by 29 percent from 58 to 41 cases. Reports of burglary dropped slightly by 4 percent, robbery by 15 percent, and theft by 26 percent.

However, reports of unlawful sexual intercourse (USI) rose by 5 percent, from 62 to 65 cases. Meanwhile, rape cases remained unchanged at 17 for both periods.

When comparing the first and second quarters of 2025, the data shows mixed results. Murders decreased from 24 in the first quarter to 17 in the second quarter, a drop of 29 percent. Robbery and theft each saw small quarterly drops as well.

But rape almost doubled, rising from 6 in the first quarter to 11 in the second, an 83 percent jump. Burglary also increased, climbing from 130 cases to 142, marking a 9 percent rise in just three months.

UDP Claims “Successful Reunification Meeting”

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has set 5 October 2025 as the date for its National Convention, following Saturday’s National Party Council (NPC) meeting. While the party touted the gathering as a “successful reunification meeting,” unresolved internal disputes indicate otherwise.

In its statement, the UDP said NPC members “voted unanimously to reinstate all members that were expelled and not in good standing except for one individual.” That individual is former party leader and current Opposition Senator Patrick Faber, who was denied reinstatement during a virtual vote held via WhatsApp.

Party Chairman Mike Peyrefitte told the media on Saturday, “We are putting forth to the NPC to not have him return to the United Democratic Party, and I was the first one to vote to not bring him back to the UDP.”

Peyrefitte accused Faber of entering the in-person meeting uninvited and attempting to cause a disruption. Faber disputed that, telling reporters he had every right to attend. “I am the former leader of the UDP and current senator for the party and the caretaker for the Collet constituency; therefore, no invitation is needed.”

He pointed to a court ruling that, he said, declared his expulsion “illegal, void; it never happened.”

Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar Panton took to Facebook, stating, “Whenever the current UDP Leadership Executive is ready to do the right thing and do things the right way, we will be here ready to participate. In the meantime, the UDP Parliamentarian Caucus and I will focus on the national issues.”

The UDP release said, “The UDP looks forward to the coming weeks where 18 Special Constituency Conventions will be held for the people to elect their Caretakers and ultimately the National Convention on October 5, 2025 for the Delegates to elect new Leaders.”

Darrell Bradley says 13th Amendment “Dangerous”

Attorney Darrell Bradley says that the Belize Constitution (Thirteenth Amendment) Bill, 2025, is “dangerous.” Bradley shared his view on the matter during his appearance on Open Your Eyes today.

Bradley joins the growing list of legal voices expressing strong concerns over the proposed 13th Amendment. He argues that it risks harming marginalised Belizeans if not accompanied by wider reforms.

“I think that I’m very concerned with that and I do not support it,” Bradley said. “The reason I don’t support it is because you cannot deal with fundamental changes in one sense and not deal with structural changes in the other.”

Bradley explained that granting new powers in a system already marked by inequality could deepen social injustices. “That type of power in a system overall that has inequalities and structural problems can endure to the detriment of a certain element of society, which we’ve oftentimes punished,” he warned.

The proposed 13th Amendment bill introduces several significant changes to Belize’s legal framework in the fight against crime. One key provision allows the Governor General, acting on the advice of the National Security Council, to declare any part of the country a “special area.” In these zones, certain constitutional rights, such as freedom of movement and protection from warrantless searches, could be suspended to address security threats. The bill also proposes the creation of a specialised “Gun and Gang Court,” which would combine the powers of both the Magistrate and High Courts to expedite the prosecution of gang-related cases. Additionally, the legislation includes a retroactive clause that would validate all past States of Emergency and regulations, even those previously declared unlawful, by deeming them constitutional under the new law.

While he acknowledged that Belize faces serious crime challenges, Bradley argued that major constitutional changes must come with safeguards and broader social reforms to balance their impact. “Those kinds of fundamental changes to our constitution and our democratic tradition must be done within the context of other structural changes that rebalances the negative harm,” he said.

Bradley also questioned whether adequate protections are in place to prevent abuse of expanded police powers. “How can we prevent the fact that this tremendous change will not be abused by police officers, will not be abused by the system? I am not satisfied that that is the case,” he said bluntly.

UB Faculty Union: ‘We’re Ready to Do Whatever It Takes’ for the Subvention

At the NTUCB’s 59th anniversary on Saturday, UBFSU President Julianne Pasos told reporters that staff morale is low, but their push for the promised funding continues.

“Our faculty and staff are demoralised at this point. The 9% is ten years coming. In 2015, when we got our 5%, I just got an email that reminded me that at that point we were negotiating for 14%, and we only got five, and we did not get the additional 9%. So this is long in the making. So our faculty and staff are really going to do whatever it takes to get it. I just have to say, Be prepared for whatever,” Pasos said.

Pasos did not rule out the possibility that the union’s next steps could lead to class disruptions.

She said that the union has been requesting a meeting with Oscar Requena, the Minister of Education, and Prime Minister John Briceño but added that it has been delayed but is expected to take place following Tuesday’s Cabinet session.

In the meantime, UBFSU intends to attend the upcoming Cabinet meeting, where the subvention issue is expected to be tabled. “I am going to invite the students to come and join us. Because the subvention does not only impact the faculty and staff but it also impacts the students and the public, it affects all of us. What affects the national university affects the entire country of Belize,” Pasos added.

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