A sweeping investigation is now underway at Ministry of Transport, with potentially serious consequences for how the department has been managed over the past four years. Minister of Transport, Dr. Louis Zabaneh, has confirmed to News Five that a file detailing alleged irregularities has already been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for review.
Recently Public Service Union President Dean Flowers challenged both Minister Zabaneh and Transport CEO Clyde Williams to take immediate action to address claims of corruption within the ministry. Minister Zabaneh said that the investigation began two months ago.
“When we came in we found, irregularities across the country,” Dr. Zabaneh stated. “And in fact, we have a case with the DPP… we’re investigating.”
While Dr. Zabaneh declined to disclose specific details of the case due to its ongoing nature, he saidthat the ministry is taking the matter seriously. “We feel that until we are able to, in a sense make an example of rogue employees who are there stealing the resources of our people… maybe until then, it continues business as usual,” he said. “Hopefully at that point people start to get the message that we’re serious.”
According to the minister, the issue appears to involve deep-rooted collusion within various levels of the ministry. “What we’re seeing is that there’s collusion between various levels,” he explained. “When you don’t have a system in place where you have clear terms of reference for people, who is responsible for what, then there’s always a setting where people can point fingers and say, it wasn’t me. It was that one. It was the other one.”
The State of Emergency (SOE) currently in effect in Belize City and parts of the Belize and Cayo Districts has entered its second week, drawing increasing scrutiny over the suspension of basic legal rights. While the government maintains that the SOE is a necessary response to a surge in gang-related violence, concerns are mounting over how the rule of law is being applied, particularly regarding access to legal representation.
Dozens of young men, mostly from neighborhoods like Lake Independence, remain detained at the Belize Central Prison. Among them is at least one inmate whose attorney has reportedly been denied access, raising significant legal and ethical alarms.
Under normal circumstances, every Belizean citizen has the constitutional right to legal representation. But during this SOE, that right appears to be under threat. Reports indicate that the Belize Central Prison has blocked attorneys from meeting with clients detained under the emergency measures, citing security reasons. This decision has drawn strong criticism from members of the legal community, who say it sets a troubling precedent.
Attorney-at-law Leeroy Banner expressed disbelief at the actions of prison authorities. “Just yesterday a colleague of mine shared with me an email from the prison, and I can’t believe that the prison would put this in writing,” Banner said. “One of my colleagues went to the prison to see someone who is detained under this current SOE and the prison will put in an email, ‘You can’t see your client because he is detained under the SOE.’ Like, you really would put that in writing? How can you be so bold and misguided to say to an attorney that your client cannot see an attorney and he needs a court order for him to see an attorney? That is ridiculous.”
Legal experts warn that denying detainees access to legal counsel not only undermines constitutional protections but also places the justice system at risk of long-term damage.
Minister of Health and Wellness, Kevin Bernard, is representing the country at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, where global health leaders have convened to address urgent issues such as health emergency preparedness, equitable healthcare access, and international cooperation.
In his address to the Assembly, Minister Bernard said Belize remains steadfast in its commitment to the principle that health is a fundamental human right. “We continue to advance universal health coverage, strengthen our primary healthcare system, and improve health outcomes for our population,” he said.
Bernard highlighted Belize’s focus on equity, resilience, and community engagement, stressing the country’s determination to ensure that no one is left behind. He noted recent national progress, including the expansion of digital health, improvements in mental health services, and efforts to combat non-communicable diseases. The Minister also underscored the importance of preparedness, stating, “We are improving public health surveillance and emergency preparedness, recognising that in today’s interconnected world, no country is truly safe unless all are protected.”
A key part of Belize’s strategy, he said, is investing in the health workforce through training, retention, and supportive environments. Bernard also pointed to climate change as a critical health threat, noting that “climate resilience remains a key part of our strategy, particularly as we confront the health impacts of rising temperatures and extreme water events.”
Belize’s participation in the WHA also served as a platform to stress international solidarity and multilateral cooperation. “One World for Health must mean access to health, knowledge, innovation, and cooperation for all,” Bernard said, expressing Belize’s gratitude for its partnerships with PAHO, CARPHA, and the World Health Organization.
In a strong diplomatic gesture, Belize reiterated its support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in global health governance. “We therefore support the meaningful participation of Taiwan in the World Health Assembly and all the WHO technical meetings,” Bernard stated. “Taiwan’s contributions to global health are significant, and its 23 million people deserve representation in shaping the global health agenda.”
The last known wild pillar corals at Laughing Bird Caye National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, have now fallen victim to a deadly and fast-moving disease that has been decimating reefs across the Caribbean.
SCTLD was first documented in Florida in 2014 and has since spread across the region, killing over 90% of coral in some areas. It was first reported in Belize in 2019 and has been steadily moving south along the Belize Barrier Reef. Its arrival at Laughing Bird Caye in 2025 marks a deeply worrying development, especially after some of the park’s corals had survived bleaching events in both 2023 and 2024.
“It’s bad. It kills corals so quickly. It’s faster than any of the other diseases we’ve seen,” said Melanie McField, Executive Director of Healthy Reefs for Healthy People.
The disease is relentless, highly contagious, and affects over 26 species of hard coral—many of which are key to reef structure and marine biodiversity. Once infected, corals exhibit rapid tissue loss, revealing their white skeletons before dying entirely.
“It’s terrible. It’s really bad. It’s really awful. So it’s been devastating for the entire Caribbean,” echoed Lisa Carne, founder of Fragments of Hope.
Researchers believe SCTLD may have spread via ballast water from ships or by attaching to biofilms on ship hulls. Its origin is closely linked to environmental disturbances near the Port of Miami, including dredging, coral bleaching, and leaking sewage pipes.
Efforts to contain the disease have been exhaustive but limited by time and resources. Organizations like Fragments of Hope, Belize Audubon Society, TASA, and the University of Belize are at the frontlines, treating infected corals with an antibiotic paste made from amoxicillin.
Victor Faux, site coordinator for Fragments of Hope, has personally treated over 600 corals. “I do see that the treatment has been working to some point where it stopped the disease, but it’s not a fix… The coral can still be re-infected,” he said.
The challenge is vast. During a monitoring mission at Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Gabriela Ugarte of the Belize Audubon Society reported that out of 4,000 coral colonies surveyed, 16% were infected and 11% had died completely. “We focused our treatment efforts on hotspots near Half Moon Caye and the Blue Hole—areas critical for tourism,” she noted.
The disease’s spread is a direct threat to Belize’s Blue Economy, which heavily depends on healthy marine ecosystems for tourism and fisheries. According to Minister of Blue Economy Andre Perez, “Tourism and the fishing industry are major contributors to the GDP. We must find a balance that preserves our waters for generations to come.”
Without healthy corals, the reef cannot survive. And without the reef, Belize’s shoreline, marine life, and the livelihoods of thousands are at risk.
“Only a living reef can break up wave energy,” Lisa Carne said. “Engineered shoreline protections erode over time, but living reefs grow and adapt.”
The ecological loss is also cultural. The last wild pillar corals at Laughing Bird Caye, once resilient symbols of survival, are now dying.
World Health Organization (WHO) member countries have approved a new global agreement aimed at improving how the world prepares for and responds to future pandemics. The agreement, three years in the making, was adopted without opposition during the WHO’s annual assembly in Geneva, drawing applause from delegates. The deal is seen as a major step toward strengthening international cooperation and public health systems in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
World leaders welcomed the agreement, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling it “a shared commitment to fight future pandemics with greater cooperation while building a healthy planet.”
However, the United States, traditionally WHO’s top donor, did not participate in the final negotiations or send a delegation to the assembly. U.S. officials have criticised the WHO for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and raised concerns over political influence, particularly from China. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called the WHO “bloated” and “inefficient,” urging countries to consider alternative institutions that are more transparent and accountable.
Meanwhile, China pledged up to $500 million in additional support to the WHO over the next five years. Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong stressed the need to support WHO’s leadership in global health efforts. In another major move, WHO member states agreed to increase their mandatory contributions by 20% to ensure more reliable funding, as the organisation has historically relied on voluntary, often inconsistent, donations.
Despite its adoption, the treaty still faces challenges. Countries aim to finalise an annex to the agreement by next year that would guarantee equitable access to tests, treatments, and vaccines. Known as the Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing system, it would ensure that up to 20% of pandemic-related products are given to WHO for distribution to developing nations. While the deal marks a significant milestone in global health cooperation, its effectiveness will ultimately depend on how committed countries are to implementing its goals, especially without enforcement measures or full U.S. participation.
A Belize City café is under fire tonight after a routine payment issue spiraled into a national controversy. It all began when fifty-seven-year-old Allaire McDougal’s debit card was declined at Spoonaz Reggae Café, leaving her unable to cover a modest forty-eight-dollar bill. What followed was a chain of events that generated a strong public reaction, police involvement, a night in jail, and a court-ordered remand to the Belize Central Prison. But tonight, McDougal is free, and the café is issuing a public apology after facing a wave of backlash online. So, what really happened that Saturday afternoon? And who is Allaire McDougal? News Five’s Paul Lopez has the full story, including a look into McDougal’s complex past in the United States. Here’s that report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
A popular café in Belize City is doing some damage control tonight after a situation that didn’t sit well with the public. Spoonaz Reggae Café has issued a public apology after they called the police on a retired nurse who couldn’t pay her bill. It all happened on Saturday when fifty-seven-year-old Allaire McDougal stopped by the café, ordered some food and drinks, and ended up with a tab of forty-eight dollars. But when it came time to pay, her card was declined—and that’s when things took a turn.
Voice of: Allaire McDougal
Voice of: Allaire McDougal, Retired Nurse
“What I was charged with was intentionally trying to defraud a business. That sounds huge. It sounds like I was laundering money from some business, but it happened that I could not pay my twenty-four U.S. dollar bill. It was good, oxtail and rice and beans, fry plantain. I was referred there from a friend. Blueberry cheese scone, and a Mackeson. The chocolate Mackeson, I am hooked. As soon as this interview is done, I am not going to lie to you, that is what I am going to have.”
Staff at Spoonaz Reggae Café say they tried to work things out before calling the cops. According to them, Allaire McDougal’s debit card was declined not once, not twice, but three times because of insufficient funds. They say they spent about half an hour trying to sort it out with her, but when no solution came up, they decided to file a police report. McDougal, for her part, says this wasn’t the first time that day she ran into trouble. She told us she had a similar issue earlier at another restaurant in Belize City.
Allaire McDougal
Allaire McDougal
“Belize sometimes the systems are down and it is not as fluid in the states. I am kind of patient. I am patient as I can because I have lived in both places, not everything is perfect in Belize. So she says your card is declined, I said well I am going to have to do dishes. She says come back and take care of it. I go to Spoonaz, that is when they told me your card is declined for insufficient funds. When I leave there, there is a man that looks like a homeless man down the street he grabs me and he says you have to pay your bill. He has the tourism police waiting for me as I am going to Belize Bank to get the cash. She said you have to go with one of our people to get the cash. I said sure, him and I could go to Belize Bank.”
Paul Lopez
“When you went to sit down at Spoonaz, was it with the intent to pay and the understanding that you have that money on your account?”
Allaire McDougal
“Of course, of course.”
After her card was declined at Spoonaz Reggae Café, McDougal was detained by police, held overnight at the Queen Street Police Station, and later charged with obtaining services by deception. Unable to meet a five-hundred-dollar bail, she was remanded to the Belize Central Prison. But what happened next was a wave of public outrage. Social media lit up with criticism of the café’s handling of the situation, prompting Spoonaz to issue a public apology. In their statement, they expressed regret and clarified that their intention was never to criminalize hardship. With mounting pressure, the café dropped the charge, and McDougal was set free.
Allaire McDougal
“I understand from the gentlemen that she is apologetic and wants me to come to the restaurant. I don’t know if I am ready for that. As good as the oxtail was, we will have to come to the understanding that we will sit down and talk about what is this, what is going on.”
But according to McDougal, this isn’t about financial hardship. She says she gets money from the U.S. every month, but claims that whenever she goes out to eat, the funds mysteriously vanish from her account.
Paul Lopez
“How do you occur this occurrence taking place repeatedly at repeated establishments.”
Allaire McDougal
“I can’t and that is the only reason I am doing this interview. I think if I bring awareness to it more people will talk about it. I just want to thank everyone for their support, I think that in times likes these when there is a lot of confusion going on to support one another it says a lot about the human nature.”
Paul Lopez
“What do you say to people that maintain the few that you have visited these establishment with the intent to receive meals, services by deception.”
Allaire McDougal
“Let us just wait until all the investigation is done.”
McDougal, the retired nurse at the center of the Spoonaz Café controversy, has a history that’s both tragic and complex. According to a CBS News report, she once served time in a U.S. prison after attempting to drown her eight-year-old son in a swimming pool. Bystanders intervened and saved the child, and witnesses say they heard her shouting, ‘It is the end of the world, I have to let you go.’ A relative has since come forward, revealing that McDougal has been diagnosed with a mental illness and is not well. That same relative, and many others, have offered to pay her outstanding bill at Spoonaz Café, hoping to bring some peace to a situation that has clearly touched a nerve across the country. It’s a reminder that behind every headline, there’s a human story and sometimes, a cry for help. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez
A powerful court ruling is sending shockwaves through the justice system and reigniting debate over the use of emergency powers in Belize. Sixteen men detained during the 2020 Southside state of emergency have been awarded compensation after the High Court ruled their detention was unlawful and unconstitutional. But the story doesn’t end there. Some of those same men are now back behind bars under a new state of emergency—raising serious questions about rights, policing, and accountability. Tonight, we hear from one of the men at the center of it all, and from the attorney demanding justice be served.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Sixteen men who were locked up during the 2020 Southside state of emergency are now set to receive tens of thousands of dollars in compensation. That’s the ruling from High Court Justice Nadine Nabie, who found their detention was unlawful. Well-known defense attorney Richard ‘Dickie’ Bradley is weighing in, and he’s not mincing words. He says the government needs to move quickly to pay up. According to Bradley, this isn’t just about money, it’s about justice and making things right after these men were wrongfully imprisoned.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
Richard “Dickie” Bradley, Attorney-at-Law
“Even though in some quarters a few of you have conducted yourself badly, you still have rights, prisoners have rights, a horse who have been chopped have rights, animal have rights.”
Tonight, that debate takes a personal turn. One man, often at the center of police investigations for alleged gang ties, is speaking out. Hubert Baptist says that despite the accusations, his rights to liberty and legal protection matter just as much as anyone else’s. For him, being suspected of gang involvement should not mean being stripped of his basic human rights.
Voice of: Hubert Baptist
Voice of: Hubert Baptist, Lake Independence Resident
“So basically your door get broke down for nothing, your whole neighborhood get sabotaged for nothing. They put everybody in one bunch, when certain people the do certain things. They cant come grab people for couple people’s doing. If the police was investigating correct, who involved in things, do the correct vetting, pick up the correct people that is involved in the crime, that is justifiable. But don’t lock up any and everybody in the neighborhood. That is not correct.”
While the men were given official detention orders and told why they were being held, they say the reasons didn’t hold up. According to their testimony, police never provided solid evidence linking them to any gang activity. Instead, the men believe they were targeted simply because of where they live. The ruling is now fueling a broader conversation about justice, policing, and the protection of constitutional rights, especially for those living in high-crime areas.
Paul Lopez
“What are you thinking when an SOE is called?”
Voice of: Hubert Baptist
“Bway I gwen dah jail nothing else. I gwen dah jail and there is nothing I can do about it. Nuh care if you get a lawyer, three four lawyer, they sing to you that your rights get taken away from you, because it is not right. If you do something for your rights to get taken away then it makes sense, but if you don’t nothing and they take away your rights, that is violation. They take away your liberty.”
Paul Lopez
“You or anybody ever get an opportunity to argue your case, maybe a judicial body?”
Voice of: Hubert Baptist
“Never yet, you just get grab. They take you in a basic interview, sometimes to. Dah just the other day they take us in interviews. Before in 2020 you just go to piss house, they bring a paper to you, they say you are going up under state. They never had no interviews.”
Under Section 19(1) of Belize’s Constitution, anyone detained during a state of emergency has the right to have their case reviewed by an independent and impartial tribunal. But according to Justice Nadine Nabie’s recent ruling, that never happened for the sixteen men detained in 2020. The court found that no such tribunal was ever set up—meaning the men’s constitutional rights were violated. It’s a serious breach that adds weight to the court’s decision declaring their detention unlawful.
Paul Lopez
“Do you think that people in the street understand their rights, rights to protection of law, rights to liberty, rights to judicial review.”
Voice of: Hubert Baptist
“I don’t think so, but I think people the learn. Knowledge is key so when they get knowledge and know that bway this nuh correct, it will be a problem for whole of society, because everybody is in this.”
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
“What is unlawful is unlawful and what is a violation of people’s rights, we must all speak up for that. This is how a society increasingly loses their rights. The biggest reason for losing their rights is that they don’t even know what is their rights.”
In a striking development, most of those same men have reportedly been detained again, this time under the current state of emergency. It’s a detail that’s raising fresh concerns about how these emergency powers are being used. Among the claimants is Earl Baptist, who was awarded fifteen thousand dollars in compensation under the court’s judgment. But there’s a complication, he’s currently serving a prison sentence for murder. His uncle, Hubert Baptist, has been vocal about the case, and tonight, the spotlight is once again on the balance between public safety and constitutional rights.
Voice of: Hubert Baptist
“That dah nuh wah victory for we, it is a victim for everybody. It is time for them to open up their eyes and start to understand that. The system have to do their job the right way. This will straighten them up to let them understand you cant just grab deh bally and send them up, you have to put them before a tribunal to know that they are involved.”
As this story continues to unfold, it’s clear the conversation around justice, detention, and due process is far from over. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
Twenty-five-year-old Dray Mossiah, a painter from Cleghorn Street, is now facing two criminal charges after a late-night police search turned up suspected cocaine and drug paraphernalia in his home. Police say they executed a search warrant at Mossiah’s residence around eleven p.m. on Monday. Inside, they reportedly found a small bag of white powder, along with straws believed to have cocaine residue. But things took a turn when Mossiah allegedly tried to bribe one of the officers with a hundred and forty dollars in cash, asking to be let go without charges. That move landed him a second charge, attempting to corrupt a police officer. Mossiah appeared in court this morning without a lawyer and initially pleaded guilty. But after hearing the details, he seemed unsure and told the magistrate, quote, no drugs were found in the straw, end quote. The court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and advised him to seek legal counsel. The magistrate noted that as a first-time offender for these particular charges, Mossiah could face fines between a hundred and two hundred dollars per count. However, it turns out he still owes over nine thousand, five hundred dollars from a 2021 drug conviction. Before he could post bail today, he was ordered to pay five hundred dollars toward that outstanding fine. Mossiah managed to make the payment just before four p.m. and was granted bail. He’s due back in court on July fifteenth and must make another payment toward his old fine by June.
A tragic accident this morning claimed the life of a dedicated public servant while he was on the job. Raymond Belgrave, a well-known driver for the Belize Family Court, was killed in a crash along the Philip Goldson Highway in Orange Walk. Belgrave was on official duty, driving a government-issued Foton pickup truck, when he reportedly lost control just before a roundabout. The vehicle flipped and slammed into a nearby fence, landing on the opposite side. The impact proved fatal. Belgrave’s sudden passing has left family, friends, and colleagues in shock. Many have taken to social media to share their grief, remembering him as a dedicated worker and loyal friend. The tragedy comes just months after the Belgrave family mourned the loss of Raymond’s brother, Elwin Belgrave.
Police are still trying to piece together what happened in the moments leading up to the death of thirty-year-old Selvin Sealy, a San Pedro resident who died shortly after being taken into custody. According to early reports, Sealy was arrested for allegedly trespassing and was restrained by officers due to what they described as aggressive behavior. But not long after his arrest, he was dead. A post-mortem has since ruled his death a homicide, confirming that he died from restraint asphyxia—a condition that occurs when someone is held in a way that prevents them from breathing properly. The news has left Sealy’s family devastated and searching for answers. His father, Selvin Sealy Senior, says his son had recently been released from prison and was dealing with mental health challenges, but insists he wasn’t violent and didn’t deserve the level of force used against him.
Selvin Sealy Sr.
Selvin Sealy Sr., Father of Deceased
“It’s the violence. I think he never had been charged with violent, just behavior. But never like violent. His history is not I probably the record I would have to go back, but not in terms of beating people up or, violent, beating somebody up or something like that. So I would try to recall, but I don’t recall anything that, so I think the force was a little bit excessive. Because if you have a bunch of police that hold you and arrest you, they have you in handcuff. There’s no reason for you. There’s some different thing that I heard. I want to get the videos that some other thing transpire in that process that the police had him. But I just want justice. I’m not pointing fingers, but my son died.”
Now, the family is calling for justice, as the investigation continues and the public demands accountability.
