The fallout from a recent court ruling on the 2020 state of emergency continues and now, veteran attorney Richard ‘Dickie’ Bradley is saying the implications could be far-reaching. According to Bradley, the sixteen claimants awarded compensation for unlawful detention may just be the beginning. He believes that anyone detained under a state of emergency, past or present, could be entitled to similar payouts. Bradley also dismissed the idea that a conflicting ruling from another judge should distract from what he calls a clear message: rights matter and violating them has consequences.
Dickie Bradley, Attorney-at-Law
“Both the PUP and the UDP have started out using state of emergency to fool people that we are fighting crime and we nuh the run no joke and we wah lock up them for more time, and lock up more of them. Anybody the talk about Bukele, that criminal from next door is looking at the wrong direction. Crime is caused because there are social and economic problems and lot of times they go together, social and economic problems. It is unfortunate that the monies the government will have to pay is so small. The smallest one is twelve thousand and most are eighteen and twenty, some twenty-five thousand. And the judge says a vindicatory damage each one will get seven thousand dollars more and their legal fees will get paid by the government. They could appeal all they want. They will lose. This is a signal to us that not because we find a lee possible solution to start violate people rights, when you start to violate rights it just grow and grow. Some people suggest you should start with six months. You are a journalist and you know what I know because they talk to you too. People that have nothing to do with gun lock up right now. Those people who are in prison right now, if the procedure is the same procedure that was under the UDP, which it likely is, all of them entitled to get a money, this one month one, if they were wrongly put together. And you know we need to change in the constitution, the governor general she is being called out and she has to say that as the law require that I am satisfied these people have, because it turns out to be a lie. You tell the GG all of them are criminals and she sign a thing and it is not true.”
Bradley also criticized the political use of SOEs, warning that both major parties have used them as a show of force rather than a real solution to crime. He says the real root of violence lies in deeper social and economic issues, and that violating rights only makes things worse.
Police have made a breakthrough in the murder case of sixty-one-year-old Carlos Avelar, a mason from Belize City whose shocking death earlier this month left the community in mourning. Avelar was gunned down on the night of May first while walking along Coney Drive. Witnesses say two men on a motorcycle pulled up around 8:15 p.m. and opened fire, hitting him multiple times before speeding off. The brutal attack sparked outrage and calls for justice. Now, police have arrested twenty-two-year-old Jamal Brackett in connection with the killing. Authorities say they are still searching for a second suspect. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith shared that the investigation is ongoing, and more updates will follow as the case develops.
Stacy Smith
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
“As it relates to the murder of Carlos Avelar, that on occurred on first of May, 2025, police formerly arrested and charged Jamal Brackett. A twenty-two year Belizean of Mayflower Street with the crime of murder. Police are also seeking a second individual in relation to this investigation.”
Britney Gordon
“Have police been able to determine a motive for the murder?”
ASP Stacy Smith
“No motive has been ascertained so far. However, the information that has been gathered thus far has been sufficient to warrant. An arrest. It is believed that as the investigation continues to unfold, a motive will be made known. The investigation that was conducted led police to the arrest of that individual and to. The seeking of the other individual.”
A Belize City man is behind bars tonight, charged in connection with a deadly Labor Day shooting. Twenty-two-year-old Jamal Brackett, a construction worker from Mayflower Street, has been arraigned for the murder of sixty-one-year-old Carlos Enriquez Avelar. Brackett appeared in court this morning, unrepresented, and was read a single charge of murder. Due to the seriousness of the offense, no plea was taken, and bail was denied. He’s been remanded to the Belize Central Prison until August eighteenth. Police say the fatal shooting happened just after eight p.m. on May first, along Coney Drive. Avelar was reportedly walking near the corner of Coney Drive and Sunrise Avenue when two men on a motorcycle approached. One of them opened fire, hitting Avelar multiple times before fleeing the scene. He was rushed to K.H.M.H. but was pronounced dead on arrival. Investigators recovered expended shells and blood swabs from the scene, and the case is now in the hands of the courts.
A post-mortem has confirmed that thirty-year-old Selvin Sealy, who was arrested last week for trespassing, died from restraint asphyxia—a condition where a person suffocates because their body position during restraint prevents them from breathing properly. Police say Sealy was subdued after resisting arrest. While in custody, officers noticed he had become unresponsive and rushed him to the San Pedro Polyclinic, where he was pronounced dead. His death has since been ruled a homicide. The officers involved have been suspended following an order from the Director of Public Prosecutions. Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith says the investigation is ongoing and more details will be released soon.
Stacy Smith
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
“As it relates to an update for the Selvin Sealy homicide, he post-mortem was conducted on Friday whereby the results of that examination concluded that because of date was restrained asphyxia. As it relates to police’s action, the DPP has directed that statement, a statement be recorded from the pathologist and that will determine the next course of actions. Similarly, the police department has been doing their parallel investigation, which included the immediate suspension of the persons who are suspected to be a part of this incident.”
Britney Gordon
“So now that you know more details have come to light regarding the incident, can we have a clear timeline of the incident from when Sealy was arrested to his death- what occurred in between that time?”
Stacy Smith
“As the investigation continues, we will disclose more information as it becomes necessary to disclose.”
This concerning update has fueled Sealy’s grieving family’s demands for accountability and justice.
Tonight, there’s heartbreak in the education community as family, friends, and former students mourn the sudden loss of Brian Castillo. The forty-two-year-old Education Officer with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology tragically lost his life this morning in a golf cart accident on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Castillo was reportedly driving a rented golf cart when it collided with a fence. He was rushed to the polyclinic but was pronounced dead shortly after. The Ministry of Education has issued a heartfelt statement, honoring Castillo’s years of dedicated service and the lasting impact he made on students, colleagues, and communities across Belize. Described as kind, humble, and always willing to help, Castillo’s legacy is one of compassion and commitment. ASP Stacy Smith has more on the tragic incident and the investigation is now underway.
Stacy Smith
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
“On Monday nineteenth May, at approximately four nineteen a.m, information was received of a road traffic accident on First Street in the San Pedrito area of San Pedro, where a male person was driving a orange in colour four-seater golf cart. The police responded, and upon arrival at the scene, it was observed that a male person of dark complexion was seen lying face up on a stretcher, and police observed that vehicle cart had a small dent consistent with a collision. The male person was identified as Brian Castile and the body now awaits a post-mortem.”
Britney Gordon
“So around what time did this incident occur?”
Stacy Smith
“The information was received around four nineteenth a.m .”
Britney Gordon
“And what kind of injuries did he sustain at the his incident?”
Stacy Smith
“The extent of the injuries that was shown, at least the visible injuries as the post-mortem would be able to conclude is just minor injuries. Let me be clear. He was observed bleeding from his head and motionless.”
Britney Gordon
“There was there any alcohol involved?”
Stacy Smith
“There is nothing on the scene to indicate that, however a post-mortem will be able to identify if that is the case.”
There’s sadness tonight within the Belize Police Department and the wider community following the passing of Corporal Leroy Flowers, a respected officer with more than thirty years of service. Flowers, who once served as the personal security officer to former Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber, passed away on Saturday after suffering a stroke a few weeks ago. In a heartfelt tribute, Faber described Flowers as a man who “served with distinction, integrity, and quiet strength.” He added that Flowers was not only a dedicated officer but also a kind and dependable person whose calm presence brought comfort to those around him. Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith also extended the department’s condolences, honoring Flowers’ long-standing commitment to public service.
Stacy Smith
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
“The department wishes to extend its sincere condolences on the passing of a very consummate police officer in the person of Carle 439 Mr. Leroy Flowers, who has been with the department for over thirty years. Mr. Flowers have worked in specialized unit in the department, and even on his day off, he would volunteer his service to the fire department. So the department and the country, by extension, has certainly suffered a loss in the passing of Mr. Flowers, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family. And to all those persons who love and would’ve interacted with him.”
Tonight, a powerful call to action from Belize’s fishing community. The Belize Flats Fishery Association is turning up the pressure on the government, demanding it honor its promises to protect the country’s fragile marine ecosystems. At the heart of the issue—mangroves, marine life, and the livelihoods that depend on them. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Last month, folks in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, scored a major win. The government stepped in and hit the brakes on the controversial Cayo Rosario development. That stop order came from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing—and for many residents, it felt like a long-overdue victory. Now, this fight isn’t new. Since 2018, the community’s been pushing back hard against plans to build over the waters of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Cayo Rosario, a tiny island in that protected area, is privately owned—and the developer’s been trying to get this project off the ground for nearly a decade. But thanks to constant public pressure, it’s been delay after delay. Still, the Belize Flats Fishery Association says delays aren’t enough. At a press conference this morning, they raised the alarm again, warning that Belize’s mangroves and marine ecosystems are still under serious threat. Dr. Addiel Perez from the Bonefish Tarpon Trust broke it down, explaining just how much is at stake.
Addiel Perez
Dr. Addiel Perez, Bonefish Tarpon Trust
“Studies in Belize have shown that coral reefs are the most diverse ecosystems when there are mangroves and sea grass nearby. This means that the less mangroves, the less sea grass, the less biodiversity there’s in coral reef ecosystems. So this means, right, that the livelihoods that depend on these ecosystems would be adversely and affected in the long term. And with that, of course, the economies that these ecosystems generate.”
Perez claims that over the past decade, San Pedro Ambergris Caye has lost hundreds of acres of land, directly impacting the habitats of surrounding wildlife and contributing to an unsustainable tourism model. Phillip Leslie of the San Pedro Tour Guide Association explained that development projects receive consistent pushback from stakeholders, not because they are against development, but due to the lack of transparency and consultation regarding them.
Phillp Leslie
Phillp Leslie, San Pedro Tour Guide Association
“Environment and development can go hand in hand if you know to manage it right. If you know to plan it. Right now, developers come in and they have this idea, I don’t know where they learned it, where they could come in, take everything down, put in buildings, and then plan. When you can work around that and manage it properly. We have always said this, if Cayo Rosario is privately owned and they want to develop, make plans of development for that island, we are upset because the plans are including outside of the island, which is on the protected area, which is on the conservation zone.”
The Belize Flats Fishery Association maintains that this issue cannot be overlooked any longer and demands immediate action from the government. Janelle Chanona, Vice President of Oceana, explains that when decisions are made without consultation, industry stakeholders like fishermen and tour guides are the first to feel the impact.
Janelle Chanona
Janelle Chanona, Vice President, Oceana Belize
“We are collectively impacted by these decisions, so we should be collectivelyparticipating in these decisions. And unfortunately, when it comes to development, particularly at sea, because you know, we say outta sight outta mind, but it’s also happening terrestrially. But we don’t know about things happening until Mr. Billy drive past somewhere Mike di try go fishing somewhere, Mr. Addiell and, and Mr. Norman they fly over di look dong and see something and then you go investigate. And then it seems like there’s this constant anti-development position. But I think what is clear is that what you’re seeing is this resistance to always being the last to know, because we will be the first fi pay.”
In Belize, the law is clear, any project that could significantly impact the environment must go through an Environmental Impact Assessment, or EIA. It’s a process designed to catch potential harm before it happens. But according to local stakeholders, that process is being sidestepped. Phillip Leslie, of the San Pedro Tour Guide Association, is calling for change. He says it’s time to bring the public back into the conversation. For him and others on the front lines, it’s not just about paperwork, it’s about protecting livelihoods, ecosystems, and the future of responsible development.
Phillp Leslie
“When we look at development, a lot of it must include an EIA and part of an EIA says that you should go and talk to the public, do a public consultation. Whereas users get an opportunity to show, listen, this development will affect me. How will I be placed in a way that I am not going to lose? But they don’t do that. And then you end up putting a development and outplace users, we, the users are getting tired of being. Kicked down the lane.”
The BFFA concluded with a call to the government to halt dredging and excavation activities that are taking place on Sandfly Caye, which is a prime spot for many fishermen in the area. Britney Gordon for News Five.
The BFFA maintains that it is against development, but encourages responsible investments and transparent, community-based planning.
A major legal showdown between ASR/BSI and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association wrapped up at the High Court on Friday and the stakes couldn’t be higher. At the center of the case? A fiery dispute over a five-day factory blockade back in December 2021. B.S.I. says the association went too far by blocking deliveries to the factory, claiming the move caused serious disruptions, not just to their operations, but also to Belcogen’s. Now, they’re seeking millions in damages. Over three days, the High Court judge heard arguments from all sides: B.S.I.’s legal team, the cane farmers’ attorneys, and even the Government of Belize. With arguments now closed, the sugar industry is holding its breath, waiting for a ruling that could reshape farmer-factory relations for years to come. And this morning, Agriculture Minister Jose Mai weighed in, sharing his thoughts on what’s at stake.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“I think that the industry needs energy focused in the right direction. So going to court fighting over, quarreling over things that probably do not bring any positive changes to the industry has to change. We cannot continue like that. We cannot continue operating divided. We cannot continue operating when there’s total, complete lack of confidence from both stakeholders, the farmers and the miller. And so, I think that some serious reflection needs to be done on how we can move the industry forward.”
In a social media update that’s catching attention across the country, the president of the Belize National Teachers Union, Nadia Caliz, took to Facebook last night to deliver a key message to educators. Her post sheds light on the current state of talks between the union and the government, an update many have been waiting for. In her post, Caliz laid out the next steps for the B.N.T.U., including a vote later this week that could shape the union’s next move. This comes after last week’s big meeting between the Joint Unions Negotiating Team and the Briceño administration. She made a promise and now she’s following through. The union leader is circling back with members, delivering the much-anticipated update on what came out of last week’s crucial talks with the government.
Nadia Caliz
Nadia Caliz, President, Belize National Teachers Union
“I know that in my last meeting I said to you that we will be meeting with membership on Monday and you all will be voting on the different options. Given the number of questions the council and myself have received, we realized that it’s very, very important for us to go back to the drawing board. So council will be meeting tomorrow night, we’re looking at all the different options. They will be educated on how to properly guide you and then on Wednesday we will be meeting with you, meaning every branch will have branch meetings online. Voting in these proposals will then take place on Thursday. You will vote via the BNTU platform, so if you’re not yet registered on our new database, you have between tomorrow and Thursday morning to get yourself registered. You need a valid, valid email address because we’ll send that link directly to you. With that I say goodnight and please look forward, stay tuned, to hearing from us as we continue to agitate, advocate, negotiate for what is rightfully ours.”
The conversation is far from over, and Caliz is making sure teachers are in the loop every step of the way.
Green thumbs and bright minds were on full display as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise announced the winners of the 2025 National Agriculture and Trade Show School Garden Competition. With thirty schools from across the country digging in, literally, the competition showcased creativity, teamwork, and a strong commitment to sustainable agriculture. In the primary school category, top honors went to San Victor R.C. School in Corozal, followed by San Antonio Government School, Sandy Creek Academy, Chan Chen Government School, and Bullet Tree Seventh Day Adventist School. Over in the high school division, the Belize High School of Agriculture took first place, with Belmopan Comprehensive and New Hope High School rounding out the top three. The top two winners in each category will be officially recognized at the National Agriculture and Trade Show’s opening ceremony on May thirtieth. The ministry extended heartfelt thanks to students, teachers, parents, judges, and extension officers for making this year’s competition a blooming success—and they’re already planting the seeds for an even bigger event in 2026.
