2025 - Greater Belize Media

Minister Musa Says Raccoon Street Police Station Will Be Replaced

Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa told News Five that the Raccoon Street Police Station in Belize City continues to be plagued by longstanding structural problems.

He said that these issues can no longer be solved by temporary fixes. Speaking in the aftermath of a viral video showing rain pouring inside the station, Musa said the time has come for a complete overhaul.

“As you know, the Raccoon Street Police Station has been suffering these leaks for decades,” he said. “We keep doing patchwork to it, but it’s obvious that we need a completely new building.”

Musa said that replacing the station will not be a minor undertaking. “That’s going to be a significant investment that’s going to be required to replace such a huge police station as Raccoon Street,” he explained. “And so that is obviously going to be the long-term plan to replace the building altogether.”

In the interim, the ministry is considering short-term strategies to address the current conditions. “It does require that we take some short-term strategies, maybe even find a new location for a lot of the offices on Raccoon Street and do some of the remedial work on the building itself in terms of the roof,” Musa added.

Montenegro Siblings Die in Crash While Returning Home

Police are investigating a fatal road traffic accident that claimed the lives of two siblings and left one man hospitalised on Sunday evening near Bladden Village, Toledo District.

The incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. between Miles 62 and 63 on the Thomas Vincent Ramos Highway. Police reported arriving at the scene to find a brown Wingle pickup truck overturned in a roadside drain. Initial reports indicate the vehicle was heading from Medina Bank to Bella Vista when the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to flip.

21-year-old Sidney Montenegro Ruiz and her brother, 20-year-old David Luis Montenegro, were found unresponsive at the scene and were later pronounced dead at Southern Regional Hospital. Reports are that Sidney was found motionless near the crash, indicating she had been flung out of the vehicle during the incident.

Travelling with them was 42-year-old teacher Asucion Tush of Independence Village. He sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment.

The Montenegro siblings had spent the day swimming at the Bladen River and were returning home to Bella Vista Village. They were originally from Costa Rica and had settled in Belize. Sidney Montenegro was known to be a standout footballer after joining Rumberas and then Sagitun Girlz in 2023. The team won the Premier Women’s League of Belize championship on 31 May. The win qualified them to represent Belize at the upcoming UNCAF tournament in July.

Images from the crash site show the vehicle with its roof crushed in and extensive damage to the body.

State of Emergency Expires, 48 Detainees Released from Kolbe

Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa confirmed that the state of emergency (SOE), which was declared to address a spike in gang-related violence in specific parts of the country, has officially expired. As a result, 48 young men who were detained under the SOE were released from the Kolbe Foundation prison.

Speaking to News 5, Minister Musa said, “We did have a meeting last week with the Eastern Division, as well as the specialised unit, in terms of a plan moving forward, a strategy moving forward.”

He added, “I’m pretty confident, pretty comfortable with the plan that was devised by the commissioner and all the officers. And so you’ll see some of the strategies playing out over the next coming weeks and months.”

Minister Musa explained that the SOE was put in place because of the spike in crime. “Based on the information that was coming out at that time, there was bound to be a lot of retaliation,” he said. “Since the young men have been under the state of emergency, we have had mediation sessions, interventions. We have arrested in two of the cases, two of the murders, we have arrested the suspects.”

“We have taken a lot of guns off of the streets, and so you could see where for that period we were able to quell the crime and to reduce the tensions in the streets,” Musa stated.

With the release of the detainees, authorities are hoping for a lasting effect from the interventions. “We are hoping that the mediation sessions that were carried all behind prison, that they’re going to have great effect and upon their return out to society, that there would not be that continuation of crime and violence,” he said.

KHMH Union to GOB: ‘Wheel and Come Again’

Ongoing negotiations over pension concerns continue between the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority Workers Union (KHMHAWU) and the Briceño administration.

A letter sent by the KHMHA Board Chairman on June 5 claimed GOB proposed to contribute 4% retroactively to the KHMHA Employee Provident Fund for 2001–2018, and that the Union countered with a demand for 7%.

The letter also stated that “the KHMHAWU will refer this matter to their membership and consider not taking any form of industrial action during that period.”

But KHMHAWU President Andrew Baird flatly rejected that narrative.

In a formal response letter, the union clarified no counterproposal was made. “The KHMHAWU did not table a counterproposal to GOB’s offer of 4% retroactive contributions,” Baird said in the letter. He explained that the 4% was cited only to demonstrate its inadequacy compared to severance payouts.

Baird added that the union remains firm on its demand for a pension scheme. “The Union’s formal position remains aligned with its longstanding mandate from membership: the establishment of a pension, not a Provident Fund,” Baird stated. “Any departure from this position must be explicitly mandated by membership through due process.”

Baird also responded to the Board Chairman’s statement suggesting that the Union would refrain from industrial action during the review period. In his letter, he clarified that such a commitment cannot be made without the union’s membership decision.

“With respect to the request for a period of no industrial action while the proposal is being reviewed, we must reiterate that such a decision rests solely with the Union’s membership,” Baird stated. “The leadership of KHMHAWU cannot unilaterally commit to a moratorium on industrial action without the express approval of the membership through the proper internal procedures.”

According to Baird, the letter does not reflect what was discussed in the meeting held Thursday.

A revised proposal is expected from the government by June 20. ” We await a proposal that is favorable to the affected KHMHA staff, who have borne the burden of this unresolved issue with significant implications for their long-term financial security,” Baird added.

World Oceans Day: “The Clock is Ticking”

A global push to strengthen protections for the world’s oceans began today in the city of Nice, France, where 30 research and exploration vessels sailed into the Bay of Angels to mark the opening of the third United Nations Ocean Conference. The launch coincided with the annual celebration of World Oceans Day.

This year’s parade theme is “Ocean Wonders,” which aims to draw attention to the importance of ocean conservation and inspire stronger commitments from governments. World leaders, scientists, and NGOs will gather to address ocean issues such as rising sea temperatures, overfishing, and marine pollution.

At the centre of this year’s conference is the drive to ratify the High Seas Treaty, which was agreed in 2023. Belize made history in 2024 by becoming the first Caribbean nation to formally ratify the agreement.

The Treaty will come into effect once 60 countries have signed and ratified it and enable nations to establish marine protected areas in international waters for the first time.

According to the High Seas Alliance’s Treaty Ratification Tracker, “The clock is ticking,” with 28 more countries still needed to ratify the Treaty before it can enter into force and become the world’s first international law focused on the conservation and management of biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ).

“The High Seas Treaty is critical to ensuring we can protect biodiversity in the ocean,” said Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance. “We’re in the middle of a biodiversity and climate crisis. We absolutely have to protect the ocean to address those crises.”

Sílvia Tavares from the Oceano Azul Foundation added, “The ambition is not there, the speed is not there, and the scale has not been there.”

Following today’s parade sail, the “Ocean Wonders” vessels will remain docked in the city’s bay and open to the public until 13 June.

State of Emergency Expires

The State of Emergency (SOE) in Belize City, the Belize District, and parts of the Cayo District officially ended on Friday, June 2. Authorities have confirmed that individuals detained under the emergency powers have been released.

The SOE was put in place last month in response to a spike in gang-related violence, with Police Commissioner Richard Rosado calling it a security threat that had escalated to a “critical level” in a May interview.

Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa, told News 5 that the police and relevant officials met to review the situation and decided there was no need to extend the SOE.

Flood at Police Station Caused by Open Roof Hatch

A hatch left open on the roof is believed to be the cause of flooding at the Racoon Street Police Station during Wednesday night’s heavy rain. After issuing a press release about the incident, authorities discovered that the roof hatch had been left open.

Videos of the flooding show water pouring through the roof, severely affecting the building’s interior. The ministry said in a press release on Thursday that “The well-being of our officers and the integrity of our law enforcement infrastructure remain matters of the highest priority.”

The ministry added in the statement that temporary accommodations are being arranged for key units to ensure that officers have safe and functional workspaces and confirmed it is working with international partners to develop modern, climate-resilient police facilities.

In an interview this morning, the Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries, Kareem Musa, told News 5 that building a new police station is a long-term plan that will require a significant investment.

‘Shyne’ Barrow: “Both Political Parties Have Failed Teachers and Public Servants”

The Joint Union Negotiating Team (JUNT), representing the country’s major public sector unions, issued a firm rejection of the Briceño administration’s latest salary adjustment proposal following a four-hour meeting on Friday.

The Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU), Public Service Union (PSU), and Association of Public Service Senior Managers (APSSM) described the 4% salary offer as a “step backwards” and “insulting.” BNTU President Nadia Caliz criticised the proposal, stating, “You are offering us four percent with one hand and on the other hand you are talking about pension which the rate is five percent annually… We don’t call that good faith, we call that down right disrespect.”

Caliz confirmed the rejection was unanimous among union leaders, and the matter will now be brought to members for a vote.

Meanwhile, former Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow issued a sharp rebuke of the Briceño administration on social media, calling the situation a “continued betrayal” of teachers and public officers.

Barrow accused both major political parties of neglecting the welfare of workers.

“For far too long both sides of the political divide have taken the people and teachers for granted. Successive governments are guilty of failing the teachers, public servants and society at large,” Barrow stated.

He criticised Prime Minister John Briceño for not fulfilling his 2020 campaign promises. “I call on the Prime Minister to be a person of his word and give teachers what he promised in 2020, which was a 20% pay raise,” Barrow added.

“When the PM was Opposition Leader he marched with the Unions and implored the then Administration to better compensate teachers,” he said. “Now he sits in a position where with the stroke of a pen he gives $200 million for acquisitions, $30 million for Airport security to cronies who failed to prevent one of the worse National Security breaches ever… but they refuse to give the teachers and public servants their due.”

“HIV Is Not a Death Sentence”: NAC Responds to Viral Video

A viral video posted by a San Pedro resident living with HIV has brought national attention to the reality of stigma and discrimination in Belize, the National AIDS Commission (NAC) said in a statement on Friday.

“We want to remind the country that HIV is not a death sentence,” NAC said. “With access to proper healthcare, support, and treatment, including antiretroviral therapy (ART), individuals living with HIV can live long, healthy, and fulfilling lives.”

The organisation urges the public to show compassion and support for those affected. “It is critical that we, as a society, move beyond fear and misinformation and instead embrace compassion, truth, and inclusion,” it said.

NAC also reminded the public that it continues to offer key services such as mental health counselling, trauma support, and nutritional aid to affected individuals and families.

“We encourage individuals to reach out for support, access available services, and know that they are seen, heard, and valued,” NAC added.

Union Leaders Reject Government 4% Increase Proposal

Leaders of the joint unions met today in Belize City to discuss the government’s recent salary adjustment proposal. They will now go back to their membership to put the matter to a vote. But, after four hours of meeting today, President of the Belize National Teachers Union, Nadia Caliz confirmed with News 5 that the leaders in today’s meeting outrightly rejected the proposal. She referred to it as a disrespect and a move backward from the government’s initial proposal.

Nadia Caliz, President, BNTU

“It is downright disrespectful and conning. You are offering us four percent with one hand and on the other hand you are talking about pension which the rate is five percent annually. You have given us nothing, four and five when you do the math, subtract, it is an additional one percent. We believe that they need to consider the workers of this country and the fact that they told us we can meet for clarity. We cant event negotiate and yet you are talking about we can meet in good faith. We don’t call that good faith, we call that down right disrespect. And we live in a democratic country, we are not tolerating that or accepting it any at all.”

Paul Lopez

“That is to say it is an outright rejection?”

Nadia Caliz

“Yes, it is an outright rejection. That is why the councils have to meet today. We cannot allow the government to disrespect our workers like that, no.”