The High Court has dismissed a constitutional challenge against Belize’s Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), calling it an improper attempt to reopen a case that was already settled. Roody Lewinskey Wade and six others argued that the country’s current electoral boundaries violate the Constitution by failing to ensure equal representation. But Justice Hondora ruled that the group was simply rehashing arguments from a 2019 lawsuit that had already been resolved through a consent order in 2022. That agreement had required the EBC to review and propose changes to the electoral map. When the claimants later returned to court, alleging non-compliance, the judge said their actions amounted to an “abuse of process.” Even though Wade wasn’t part of the original case, the court found he had a “privity of interest” and was still bound by the previous outcome. Justice Hondora struck out the case, emphasizing that legal disputes must come to an end and cannot be endlessly revived. Both sides have until July thirty-first to settle the issue of legal costs.
The Minister of Agriculture is stirring the pot, this time, over sugar. Jose Abelardo Mai says Belize’s cane farmers have been quietly footing the bill for years, selling sugar below the cost of production. He claims that while the public enjoys sweet prices at the store, farmers are taking a bitter hit. And while some may laugh at the idea, Minister Mai isn’t joking. He says it’s simply unfair, and with rising production costs and growing health concerns around sugar consumption, he’s hinting that a price adjustment may be on the horizon. But don’t panic, he insists it won’t break the bank. In fact, he argues it might even be a good time for Belizeans to cut back on sugar altogether.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“The cane farmers have subsidized the Belizean public with sugar.”
Reporter
“People have laughed when you said that.”
Jose Abelardo Mai
“Yes, they laugh because it is true. Why, if it costs me seventy-five cents to produce a pound of sugar, why would I sell it for seventy-three. It is unfair, it is unfair to the cane farmers and we’ve lived with that price for so many years. It was cheaper than that before. It was at fifty cents, I think. So who would produce and sell something cheaper than what it costs to produce.”
Reporter
“One of the things that I pointed out was that we only sell what, fifteen thousand tons, plantation white and brown on the local market. Like how much of revenue would an increase be for that tonnage?
Jose Abelardo Mai
“I have those figures, but I am not prepared to share them yet until I go over them again. But if you look at the per capita consumption of sugar, it’s not a lot, you know. I think it’s about fifty pounds, fifty-six pounds per person, per year, times seventy-five cents. That’s what it costs. So if you increase by twenty-five cents or fifty cents, that will not impoverish everybody. So, it’s not like you will spend thousands of dollars more for sugar. We should consume less sugar as a country. We have obesity, we have hypertension, we have diabetes. We have a lot of these cases in Belize. So we should consume less sugar. And so, I believe that it is not something that would impoverish a nation. It’s not that. It’s not that.”
Molasses might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of national debates, but it’s now at the center of a growing conversation in Belize. Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai says local farmers want to raise the price of molasses sold to rum producers, arguing that the current low cost fuels the production of cheap rum, something even Cabinet members have linked to social issues in urban areas. But rum makers are raising objections, warning that a price hike could push them out of the market. So, here’s the question: should the focus be on protecting local industry, or addressing the broader impact of cheap alcohol? It’s a sticky situation, pun intended, and one that’s sparking real debate.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“We export molasses to the US. There are essentially only two buyers of molasses in the world, both of them are in the U.S. But we are talking about molasses that is sold in Belize locally to the rum makers and they’re only like three or four, maybe half a dozen rum makers that buy molasses to make rum. You know the companies that sell rum, over and over again, you hear cabinet members saying, “Unu know this rum di destroy families in the cities because it is cheap, it is so cheap.” It is cheap because molasses sold locally is cheap So the farmers are saying, on the C molasses, increase the price by one and a half times, and then the B molasses, you increase by two times the price. Those molasses are used to make rum, and so, if you think rum is a good thing, then you’ll have to pay for it. But that is what the farmers are asking in their joint release that they issued.”
Reporter
“The producers of these liquors are saying that an increase may push them out of the market completely.”
Jose Abelardo Mai
“Look, I won’t get into that because I won’t get into any argument or debate with the rum makers. But some of the rum makers in this country are some of the wealthiest people. That’s all I will say.”
Burning cane fields has long been part of Belize’s sugar industry, but is it time to put out the flames for good? Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai says yes, and he’s pointing to a future where burning is replaced by machines. While regulations already exist, Mai admits they’re not enforced. And with fewer people willing to take on the grueling work of cutting cane by hand, the shift toward mechanized harvesting is not just necessary, it’s inevitable. But here’s the bigger question: can Belize modernize its sugar industry while also turning environmental challenges into economic opportunities, like carbon credits? The answer, it seems, lies in how quickly the country can adapt.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“There is a regulation for burning, you know. You should get a permit to burn and so on, but it’s not enforced. It’s not enforced. We need to, in the near future, move away from burning cane fields, but that will only happen when you start to mechanize the cane fields. Right now, this year, we found it difficult to find cane cutters and clearly you have to understand why. Cutting cane is an enslaving job, it’s almost inhumane. And so, people don’t want to cut cane anymore because they have a job to do somewhere else. And we are now, you are seeing farmers who are buying combine harvesters, they are starting to invest in combine harvesters and the government supports that because they need to get the cane harvested. When you have a hundred percent cane harvested mechanically, there is no need to burn. There is no need to burn. You can convert that, like I said before, to bio-char and collect carbon credits, sell it as carbon credits. So this, again, needs to be something that’s done in the near future.”
When it comes to sugar cane, timing is everything. Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai is shedding light on a key issue affecting the quality of Belize’s sugar crop, what’s known in the industry as ‘kill to mill.’ That’s the time between burning the cane and delivering it to the mill, and the longer it takes, the more the quality drops. But that’s not the only factor; how the cane is cut, whether it’s mature, and even how much mud ends up in the load all play a role. Now, farmers are calling for change, not just in how cane is harvested, but how they’re paid. They want individual payments based on quality, not group averages. So, could new legislation and better practices be the key to sweeter results for everyone involved?
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“Well I’ve heard that. I mean there are so many things that lead to low quality sugar cane, right. Kill to mill, that’s what they call it. From the time you burn the cane to the time you deliver it, the longer that period extends, the lower the quality. The quality is affected. Kill to mill. So that affects it. The way you cut cane affects it, you take mud into the cane field. If you harvest cane that’s not mature, it again affects the quality. So there are many things that affect quality.”
Reporter
“But you’d want to legislate that. Like when they harvest and so?”
Jose Abelardo Mai
“I think it can be. I’m not saying it should not be but it could be controlled. It could be controlled.”
Reporters
“The farmers are asking for a change in payment. Right now, it’s being done by group. They want it to be done individually. Do you favor that?”
Jose Abelardo Mai
“I think they are referring to core sampling. Right now, the farmers get paid per quality, by group. So if it’s my group, say San Lazaro branch, which is C15, I think the price paid was above some of the others because the quality was better or something like that. So it is payment by quality, but per group.”
It’s piling up fast and it’s not going away. San Pedro is now under a sargassum emergency. The town council says they’re fighting a losing battle, only managing to clear a fraction of the seaweed before it comes right back. With limited resources and mounting pressure from frustrated businesses and residents, the call is out for everyone to pitch in. The stench is strong, the beaches are brown, and marine life is dying. So, what’s the way forward? News Five’s Paul Lopez went to the island to find out more. Here’s his report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
It’s a seaweed invasion and it’s getting worse by the day. Ambergris Caye is now under a sargassum emergency as thick mats of the brown algae continue to blanket the island’s once-pristine shores. Crews with shovels and wheelbarrows are working around the clock, but the seaweed just keeps coming. The stench is overwhelming, the beaches are buried, and coastal businesses, especially those over the water, are feeling the heat as guests complain about the view and the smell.
Franklin Mercado
Franklin Mercado, Bartender, Wayo’s Beach Bar
“It affects the business as a whole. We have a lot of people coming in everyday. And one of the most important thing for us is our beach front view, our ocean view and without that ocean view, you don’t really see the ocean because everything is covered with that nasty seas grass. It affects us as a business where we have people avoiding come too close to the beachside, because of the smell being two strong and it just unbearable.”
Paul Lopez
“A normal day on the beach in San Pedro looks like sitting down, enjoying the sun and the view. But that is not the case today because sargassum has taken over the beach for miles.”
As thick layers of sargassum continue to blanket the shores of Ambergris Caye, local businesses like Wayo’s are doing their best to stay afloat. Despite the challenges, they remain hopeful and determined to weather the storm. But it’s not just the tourism industry feeling the impact. The dense, toxic seaweed is also choking marine life, making it nearly impossible for anything beneath the surface to survive. With both livelihoods and ecosystems at risk, the call for urgent solutions is growing louder.
Luis Gomez
Luis Gomez, San Pedro Town Resident
“All around here in the front area of the sea, you will find bone fish, small snappers and stuff like that. So, the bone fish, they call them schools. So every time I come and the sargassum is a lot you will see a bone fish floating there and another floating there. Surprisingly even big fish I have seen, like big jacks, they float up and get bloated and it is destroying anything that is in the front, grass, fish, jacks, crabs, you name it, it is dying because they don’t have any oxygen. And the sargassum let go a toxin that they cannot survive in the environment.”
On the island of Ambergris Caye, the fight against sargassum feels never-ending. Every day, a small team made up of local businesses and the San Pedro Town Council works tirelessly to clear the beaches, but the seaweed just keeps coming back. Now, with the situation worsening, the Mayor’s Science Advisor, Valentine Rosado, is sounding the alarm. He says it’s time for an all-hands-on-deck approach. That means more people, more resources, and a united community effort to tackle what’s now being called a sargassum emergency.
Valentine Rosado
Valentine Rosado, Science Advisor, Office of the Mayor
“If we get people to come and assist, near their homes or just volunteers, all we need to do is to take it out of the water, even if they don’t have the ability to take it somewhere else, put it high up on the beach so that when it dries it does not smell. That is the priority and that is what we are asking people to assist with, because right now the council is removing a hundred and thirty-six tons of sargassum a week.”
Residents and business owners all agree that solving the sargassum crisis cannot be a task for the council alone. It requires all hands-on deck.
Miguel Alamilla
Miguel Alamilla, Resident, San Pedro Town
“We are tackling the problem when it drift to our shoreline and how effect we are depends on who you talk to, but it is difficult given the amount we have. It is very difficult. Even here we have to have a collective approach.”
Paul Lopez
“Do you that if business and community members come together, put their resources together that they can make a dent in this?”
Miguel Alamilla
“Of course, it is required given the extend of the problem. That is what we need.”
Nicole McRay
Nicole McRay, Co-Owner, Fresh Express Bakery
“I mean we can all volunteer to help out a little bit, if not volunteer some money to help put up for this, because it does, if affects everybody in the neighborhood and on the island.”
It just won’t stop. Day after day, the sargassum keeps rolling in—and despite constant cleanup efforts, the beaches of Ambergris Caye are still buried under the brown tide. The smell? Overwhelming. The view? Far from paradise. Locals and tourists alike are trying to go about their day, but the truth is, if this keeps up, the entire island’s tourism industry could take a serious hit. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
Belize is putting the spotlight on cooperatives and their power to drive real change. Today, the country marked the International Day of Cooperatives with a national forum in Belize City, bringing together leaders, policymakers, and changemakers. The event kicked off with opening remarks from Registrar of Cooperatives Gareth Murillo, setting the tone for a day focused on innovation, inclusion, and economic resilience. Minister of Agriculture Jose Abelardo Mai delivered the keynote, emphasizing how cooperatives are helping to build stronger rural communities and a more sustainable future. News Five’s Tanya Arceo was there and brings us the story.
Tanya Arceo, Reporting
When you think of cooperatives in Belize, agriculture might come to mind, and you’d be right. But there’s a lot more to the story. We caught up with Gareth Murillo, the Registrar of Cooperatives, who gave us a snapshot of the movement across the country. From sugarcane and livestock to women-led processing groups, Belize is home to sixty-nine registered cooperatives, most of them rooted in farming. But that’s not all. Transportation, hospitality, and especially the fishing sector are also thriving under the cooperative model.
Gareth Murillo
Gareth Murillo, Registrar of Co-operatives
“I would argue that compared to our population our number of cooperatives and the number of cooperative members are relatively small part of the aim of our activity here is to improve on that publicity so that we are able to attract more inclusion from other sectors of the population if I may say this the majority of corporative members are what you would call grass roots persons the cooperative model allows people who may not necessarily be able to do so on their own to become a part of a business to be a part owner, to be a collective owner and in that way they are able to share their resources, they’re able to share their capacities and to try and build a business together.”
And in a sweet twist to our coverage, quite literally, we also caught up with a couple of hardworking members from a local cooperative. They proudly showcased a variety of products they’re crafting, with a special spotlight on their high-quality honey. But it’s more than just delicious, it’s a lifeline. These products are helping sustain their families and fuel their local economy, proving that when communities come together, everyone thrives.
Ileanna Ayuso
Ileanna Ayuso, Chairman, BCSL
“Today we are presenting some natural soaps which bis good for your skin we have the honey also that is produced by our cooperative we are like seven females working in beekeeping and the rest are males we are 21 members at the moment we work together and also we have a food contract with BMDC that we produce every year so the product if you notice our honey has BMDC on it because they buy all our honey.”
“I’m Mariela Ramirez I’m the chair for Prosperity Women’s Corporative from Orange Walk and here we have some local products to present we usually do honey bi products we do agro processing we do caterings and food sales in Orange Walk we are located in Orange Walk.”
Today’s forum was more than just a meeting, it was a powerful reminder of how cooperatives are helping shape stronger, more inclusive communities. From economic empowerment to sustainable development, when people work together, everyone benefits. As the conversation continues, cooperative leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders are gearing up to collaborate even more closely to build resilience and unlock new opportunities. Reporting for News Five, I’m Tanya Arceo. Tanya Arceo for News Five.
Just one week after a Gales Point resident went public with a terrifying story of being chased and bitten by a pack of dogs, a new twist has emerged. Crystal Slusher took to social media, warning others and pointing fingers at Manatee Lodge owner Nancy Bailey, claiming her dogs were behind the attack. But now, Bailey is speaking out, saying the story isn’t as clear-cut as it seems. She insists her dog, Steele, wasn’t the one who bit Slusher, and in a shocking claim, says he was killed despite being innocent. So, what really happened that night? News Five’s Britney Gordon has the latest.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
A troubling video has surfaced showing a woman crashing her vehicle through the gates of a private residence. That driver has been identified as forty-four-year-old Crystal Slusher, the same woman who, just a day earlier, accused the homeowner, Nancy Bailey, of harboring dangerous dogs that she claims attacked her. But Bailey says she only owned one dog and insists it never bit Slusher.
Nancy Bailey
Nancy Bailey, Owner, Manatee Lodge
“The dog should never have bitten the woman. But she was under the assumption that it was my dog and got very hostile and angry and I understand that she was upset because she got bitten, but apparently then she jumped in her vehicle with her daughter and started to race down the street and we are maybe a city block or more away from her house. So she built up a lot of speed if there were any dogs there. And you can see in the video that there were some puppies that were running through the gate away form her. Trying to get away away.”
The mystery deepens in Gales Point Village. Nancy Bailey, the homeowner at the center of a heated dog attack allegation, says she wasn’t even in Belize when it happened. According to her, a neighbor told Crystal Slusher that it was his dog, not hers, that bit her. But what happened next has only added fuel to the fire. Bailey’s own dog was later found dead nearby, with a broken spine.
Nancy Bailey
“Apparently, at that time time she saw my rottweiler, who if he was hearing barking and commotion, would’ve definitely gone to go see what was happening. But he’s a friendly dog, so he would never run from the car because anytime if I come home, he runs out to the car and then brings me back home and he’ll run ahead of the car and look back, like to say, come on, let’s go. She admitted to the young man and the police because he went down with the police to apologize and tell her that he would cover her any expenses she had, medical expenses, anything like that. He felt very bad for what had happened. And then she admitted that she ran over my rottweiler with her vehicle and knocked him down and we found him dead in the yard.”
Crystal Slusher says the attack wasn’t just one bite, it was multiple. She claims she was bitten on her hip, arms, and thigh by a pack of dogs. And according to her, this wasn’t a surprise. Slusher says she’s been warning Nancy Bailey for years about the dangers these dogs posed and believes Bailey should take some responsibility for what happened.
Crystal Slusher
Crystal Slusher, Gales Point Resident
“I just feel sorry, whoever is trying to take the blame because I don’t feel like it should be one person taking the blame. This one guy that’s my daughter’s cousin is trying to take the blame and I don’t feel like it’s all his fault. I feel like Miss Nancy needs to take responsibility for her consequences of what’s going on becausethey’ve been irresponsible with these animals for several years.”
Nancy Bailey, the homeowner accused of harboring dangerous dogs, says the claims made by Crystal Slusher are not only damaging her reputation, but also hurting the businesses of her neighbors and local tour guides. In a tight-knit community that depends on tourism, even a single allegation can have ripple effects.
Nancy Bailey
“My neighbor called and said that he is getting calls from people that want to come and camp at his place, and they’re afraid to come because she’s making it sound like I have a pack of wild dogs that are trained to kill. That’s what she said on the one of the social media, what they sent me. And that is not the case at all. A rottweiler, what I had is a perimeter dog. We have the tip of the peninsula, so he makes sure that nobody comes from the front by, coming into the place. And he barks if he sees anything outside.”
Bailey’s dog was also a service animal to her, as she often struggled to walk through her yard. She says that while she sympathizes with Slusher, her dog was not responsible for her injuries and should not have died as a result.
Nancy Bailey
“I have a rottweiler who I had to have buried while I was gone, who was my company and my security and also my service animal to me. And so it’s a huge loss to me in that way. But it also, she was driving reckless down the street right through the gate and, then was slandering me all over the internet and put me on the news as that I don’t care And act as though I have trained vicious dogs that are roaming the village, looking for people to kill. And I love animal and I feel badly that she was bit by the dog, but enough is enough. It’s, it wasn’t even my dog. And I am very sad about the loss of my pet.”
While Nancy Bailey says she’d rather stay out of the spotlight, her son is ready to take action. He’s looking to press charges against Crystal Slusher, not just for the destruction of property, but also for the death of their family dog. Britney Gordon for News Five.
Police are on the scene investigating a brazen daylight shooting that occurred just after 4 p.m. on Amandala Drive in Belize City.
Details remain limited at this time, but initial investigations indicate that the victim was inside a property belonging to the late Carlos Diaz when gunshots rang out.
The victim was reportedly hit multiple times. Residents reported hearing nearly a dozen gunshots ring out in the area.
More on this developing story in tonight’s News 5 Live newscast.
“He promised he would live for our daughter,” said Elizabeth Vasquez, the mother of Alfredo Trapp’s only child. “He stayed out of trouble for five, six years.”
As previously reported, Trapp’s life was cut short on Thursday night after he was gunned down in the San Mateo area of San Pedro. The attack took place just a block from their homes.
Police have confirmed that around 9 p.m., Trapp, 28, and Gabriel Villafranco Salazar, 38, were riding a golf cart down an unnamed street in the San Mateo area when two men on a motorcycle opened fire. Trapp died from his injuries, while Villafranco survived and remains in stable condition.
“While both Villafranco and Trapp are known to the police, no clear motive has been established in this investigation,” said Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith this afternoon.
Trapp was previously wanted in connection with the 2024 murder of American nursing student J’Bria Bowens, while Villafranco has been accused of murder multiple times.
Police recovered eight spent shells at the scene.
Though no motive has been confirmed, ASP Stacy Smith said that “for the past few weeks there has been intensive operations in that area that has led to the recovery of weapons and drugs, and police continue to monitor the situation in that area.”
