2025 - Greater Belize Media

Unions Yet to Decide as Government Proposes 14% Salary Adjustment

Tensions continue to mount across Belize as the nation anxiously awaits a response from the Joint Union Negotiating Team (JUNT) regarding the government’s latest salary proposal. With the possibility of a nationwide strike looming, all eyes are on the Joint Union Negotiation Team, which has yet to issue a formal decision on whether to accept or reject the offer.

Last week, the Briceño Administration submitted its Cabinet-approved proposal to the unions, outlining what it describes as a significant compensation package for teachers and public servants.

Minister of Public Service Henry Charles Usher addressed the matter during this morning’s budget debate. “In reference to the salary adjustment, the government is proposing a 3% adjustment in October 2025 and an additional increment at the start of fiscal year 2026–2027 to make up for the frozen increment in 2021. In addition, the remaining 5.5% and a second frozen increment will be adjusted within a maximum three-year period.”

Minister Usher said that each increment is valued between 2.5% and 3%, noting, “So the actual figure is not 8.5%, but over three years, it’ll be closer to 14.5% in this three-year period.”

Was Romano Cal Killed because of “Jealousy and Hatred?”

Romano Cal, 50, was fatally attacked with a machete outside his home on Sunday, shortly after returning from refueling his bus. Police have detained his brother, 55-year-old Rafael Cal, in Tambran Village for questioning. He is being accused of killing his own sibling.

Romano’s daughter, Modesta Cal, witnessed the attack. She told News 5, “I was shocked to see that happen, because I was there, I saw it. I didn’t know what to do next, because when seeing my dad in that situation I didn’t know what to do after that. We just informed our family and they come assist us as well,” she said.

She believes the attack was driven by “jealousy and hatred,” adding there was no fight leading up to the incident, stating that the attack appened “from nowhere.”

Modesta described her father as “very respected, trustworthy, humble,” and always willing to help others.

The Toledo Alcaldes Association condemned Romano’s killing, calling it a “heinous crime” that violates their core values of peace, unity, and hard work. “We condemn any act of violence in our communities,” it said in a statement on Monday.

Police are continuing the investigation.

Maya Leaders Condemn Killing of Medina Bank Alcalde

The Toledo Alcaldes Association has issued a strong condemnation following the killing of 50-year-old Alcalde Romano Cal, a respected community leader from Medina Bank Village. Cal was found dead on Sunday evening, May 25, with chop wounds to the upper body. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Punta Gorda Hospital.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Toledo Alcaldes Association described the killing as a “heinous crime” that violates their core values of peace, unity, and hard work. “We condemn any act of violence in our communities, as it goes against our principles of remaining peaceful, united and hard-working communities,” it said.

It added, “This loss of one life deeply affects our collective peaceful legacy.” The Association has called for a full investigation.

Police detained Romano’s brother, Rafael Cal, 55, in Tambran Village this morning. He is accused of brutally killing his brother.

No motive has yet been established, and there is no indication of drug or alcohol involvement. Authorities have also confirmed that there were no prior reports of violence involving Rafael.

Rabies Cases Increase

The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) and the Ministry of Agriculture have issued a public advisory following a noticeable rise in paralytic rabies cases among horses and cattle.

BAHA warns that paralytic rabies is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted to humans, primarily through the saliva of infected animals. Both domestic and wild animals can carry and spread the virus.

Farmers and the public are urged to exercise caution when handling sick animals. “Signs of rabies include changes in behavior, such as nervousness and aggressiveness, excessive drooling and foaming at the mouth, difficulty eating, drinking, or swallowing, loss of appetite, circling, and eventually death,” BAHA stated in its advisory.

To reduce the risk of infection, authorities recommend vaccinating dogs, cats, and livestock through a licensed veterinarian and maintaining updated records; animals should be kept within property boundaries, and uncovered food or waste that may attract wildlife should be removed.

Suspected rabies cases should be reported immediately to BAHA’s Animal Health Department.

Suspect Accused of Killing His Brother Detained

Police have detained 55-year-old Rafael Cal of Medina Bank Village, who is being accused of the brutal killing of his brother, Romano Cal, 50.

Romano, the alcalde of Medina Bank, was found dead on Sunday evening, May 25, just after 8 p.m., with chop wounds to the upper body. He was transported to the Punta Gorda Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

At Monday’s police briefing, the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Stacy Smith, confirmed that the incident occurred shortly after Romano returned home. Investigators have not yet identified a motive, and there is no evidence suggesting either drugs or alcohol were involved.

No prior reports of violence involving Rafael have been confirmed.

Rafael was found this morning in Tambran Village, Toledo District.

Transport Department Cracks Down on Improper Motorcycle Use

The Department of Transport (DOT) has reactivated nationwide enforcement operations to tackle the improper use of motorcycles on the country’s roadways. “This initiative is being launched in response to an increasing number of public complaints and observed violations of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act,” the department said in a statement on Tuesday.

Residents have raised concerns about excessive motorcycle noise, especially in residential areas. Authorities have also reported a rise in serious safety violations, including failure to wear helmets and the illegal transport of multiple passengers.

The Transport Department will work along with the Police Department and municipal traffic departments to carry out targeted inspections across the country. These checks will focus on roadworthiness, noise levels, and rider safety compliance.

Motorcycles found in breach of the law will be impounded, and offending riders will face legal penalties.

Budget Talks Heat Up in Belmopan

It’s budget season in Belmopan and the numbers are big, bold, and stirring up plenty of debate. For the next three days, members of the House of Representatives are deep in discussion over a nearly two-billion-dollar national budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Two weeks ago, Prime Minister John Briceño laid out his one-point-seven-eight-billion-dollar plan, covering everything from roads and infrastructure to education, healthcare, and social support. But not everyone is convinced. Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar-Panton came out swinging today, calling the budget “optimism passed with selective statistics.” In her opening remarks, she argued that while the Prime Minister’s presentation may have been polished, it missed the mark on addressing the real, urgent needs of everyday Belizeans.

Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“The government has prioritized a single high visibility intervention, the NHI roll out for the Cayo district. While neglecting other key components, boost, grocery bag assistance, housing for the underprivileged, skills training for the unemployed, healthcare for the elderly and abuse, and labor protections for those who are victimized. All are necessary for a comprehensive and resilient social protection system. It is on this platform that the PUP was first elected to govern in 2020 and again in 2025. The rallying cry, the promise of plan Belize and Plan Belize two 2.0 is that everybody fuh win, todos ganamos, we the stay pan track, let us be fair. While the roll out of our community-based healthcare made accessible to all Belizeans is indeed welcome, one program does not a system make. I hope to make the case on behalf of all Belizeans that the numbers presented by this Briceño administration does not, and let me say that again, does not signal performance. Rather it reveals a government that is obsessed with spending and allergic to accountability, reform and measuring the economic impact of their failing social protection policies.”

Panton Slams Government Over Airport Security Contracts

The budget debate took a fiery turn today as Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar Panton zeroed in on what she called questionable government spending. Referring to reports of twenty-eight million dollars in airport security contracts awarded to two firms under the Briceño administration, Panton didn’t mince words. She argued that when the government wants to find money—it does. But when it comes to the real needs of the people, she says, the funds suddenly disappear. Panton went further, accusing the administration of fostering a culture of corruption and calling for an end to what she described as the misuse of public funds.

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“Why has the government not contributed financially to improve household resilience. For the avoidance of any doubt, those of us on this side of the house support the call of our teachers for overdue salary increments and an eight-point five increase in salary. This administration can find the resources for all sort of programs and initiative, so let us find the money to pay our teachers and public officers who are first on call to make sacrifices whenever the needs arise. There should be consented efforts to improve the efficiency of government service, to enhance oversight of the public resource uses. To rebuild a severely problem financial system and to mitigate against that misappropriation of public funds. Corruption is rampant, the misuse of public funds must stop. Doing so will allow this administration to address the pressing concerns within the public sector.”

Fonseca Fires Back at Opposition Leader’s Budget Response

Freetown Area Representative and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francis Fonseca, didn’t hold back during today’s budget debate. He dismissed Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar-Panton’s response as nothing more than “empty, hollow rhetoric.” Fonseca criticized her remarks as weak and uninspired, even suggesting her notes were filled with Google searches and ChatGPT-generated content. He also took a jab at the opposition’s presence in the House, pointing out that Hugo Patt and Miguel Guerra were both absent from the debate, leaving their side short on representation. Fonseca’s comments added another layer of tension to what’s already a fiery exchange over the proposed national budget been.

Francis Fonseca, Area Representative, Freetown

“She said we are not here to just criticize and oppose, we are here to be balanced and so, but the absolute betrayal of that desire was almost immediate when she started to talk. What followed was empty hollow rhetoric, this dark meaningless rhetoric which offered no vision for the country not one plan for the country. She said nothing about what the UDP could do, no plan for the country, no vision, ideas, solutions. Typical UDP, so in my view it was a very weak, lazy response. I say that, before anybody say the lady weak, lazy, I said that about the former leader too, his response was always lazy. No thought or effort had gone into the preparation of their presentation. Just lot of googling, lot of google thing extracted and paced, a lot of cut and pace or googling. Chat GPT nuh. Very disappointing. Even two members of the other team on her side already have a slim team over there, a maga team and two of them couldn’t bother to show up. Two of them could not get them selves out of bed to witness the leader of the opposition.”

Opposition Leader, “this crowd di tek we fuh kunumunu”

The budget debate continued with sharp criticism from the Opposition today, this time over a twenty-six-million-dollar loan motion tied to the Western Highway upgrade. Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar-Panton took aim at the Briceño administration’s infrastructure strategy, questioning its priorities. She pointed out that while nearly half of the highway project is being funded through this loan, not a single dollar is being invested in upgrading bus terminals, a key part of the public transport system. Panton argued that the government is leaning too heavily on road construction as its main economic driver, while overlooking the everyday needs of commuters.

Tracy Taegar Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“To tell the Belizean people, at our very first working session, before the prime minister could dot the last I and cross the last a loan motion was approved for the sum of twenty-six million dollars to over forty-seven percent of road repairs from Democracia to Belmopan. According to the member for Cayo South, who is responsible for the ministry of housing and infrastructure development, urgent repairs are needed. To listen to his logic one would never understand that millions have been invested over the years for highway upkeep that include this eighteen mile stretch. There was a time when the member of Cayo south use to stand up and make the case that people cannot eat streets. Now this is lauded as this government’s preferred strategy to keep the wheels of this economy going. This crowd the take we for kunu munu.”