2025 - Greater Belize Media

Modern Solar-Powered Irrigation Systems Delivered to Corozal Farmers

Two agricultural cooperatives in the Corozal District have received state-of-the-art solar-powered irrigation systems as part of a major investment by the Resilient Rural Belize (RRB) Programme, under the Ministry of Economic Transformation (MET). The initiative aims to improve climate resilience and boost rural economic opportunities.

The two beneficiaries, the Northern Sustainable Agro-Producers Co-operative Society Limited and the Concepcion Vegetable Farmers Co-operative Society Limited, successfully tested and troubleshot the new systems.

The irrigation systems, powered by solar energy, include three solar pumps, 36 solar panels, 12 solar batteries, and two inverters, all installed by Prosolar, a Belmopan-based company. To protect the equipment, two custom-built sheds were also provided.

The total investment, valued at approximately $311,333.60, is expected to significantly enhance water access for farming during dry seasons, reduce electricity costs, and enable the use of fertigation systems. Each cooperative also received rainwater harvesting tanks and full drip irrigation kits, allowing members to irrigate up to 10 acres of farmland.

The systems will support the cultivation of crops such as onions, cabbages, carrots, and other vegetables, providing a sustainable path for year-round agriculture.

Taxi Man Rapes Customer

A 30-year-old Belizean taxi driver has been formally arrested and charged with the crime of rape, following a police investigation into a serious allegation made earlier this week.

According to police, the investigation began on Tuesday, May 13, after a woman reported that she was assaulted two days earlier.

The victim stated that on Sunday, May 11, around 8:00 a.m., she boarded a taxi operated by someone she knew. Instead of taking her to her intended destination, the driver allegedly diverted to his residence, where he proceeded to rape her.

BDF Completes Warrant Officers’ Course to Prepare Future Leaders

The Belize Defence Force (BDF) has successfully concluded its Warrant Officers’ Course 01/25, an intensive leadership and training program held at Price Barracks in Ladyville from March 24 to May 15, 2025. The course was tailored for staff sergeants preparing for promotion to company sergeant major roles, with a focus on enhancing their leadership and operational skills in both peacetime and combat scenarios.

Participants from the BDF and the Belize Police Department underwent a rigorous curriculum that included administration, military law, service writing, communication skills, and parade and ceremonial duties. The training aimed to develop their capability to lead effectively and uphold the core values of discipline and service.

The course was led by Lieutenant Colonel Lionel Olivera and Warrant Officer Class 1 Wilfred Mojano, who were commended for their dedication to excellence in military education.

Benque Lupus Walk Set for Tomorrow

The Benque Viejo Chapter of the Belize Lupus Association is continuing its 2025 Lupus Awareness Campaign with a community walk scheduled for tomorrow. This follows the successful hosting of its Second Annual Lupus Awareness Campaign earlier this week at Mopan Technical High School, where students, teachers, and staff gathered for an impactful educational event focused on lupus and autoimmune diseases.

Held on Monday, May 12, the event brought together medical professionals, advocates, and community leaders to raise awareness and foster dialogue around lupus—a chronic and often misunderstood autoimmune condition.

Jilma Leon, a lupus advocate, shared her powerful 58-year journey with the illness, detailing how a traumatic medical experience as a teenager led to her diagnosis.

The chapter now turns its focus to tomorrow’s community lupus walk, continuing its mission to raise awareness, foster empathy, and support those affected by lupus. Participants are encouraged to wear purple and join the movement for better understanding and care.

The walk starts at 5 p.m. at the Civic Centre.

Belize Launches Online Criminal Records Registry for Faster, Easier Access

The government has launched a new Online Criminal Records Registry (CRR), aimed at modernising access to police records and streamlining public services.

The initiative is a joint effort between the Ministry of Home Affairs & New Growth Industries and the Ministry of E-Governance.

The project is part of the government’s wider strategy to modernise the justice system and improve service delivery through the use of digital technology.

The new CRR system enables Belizeans to apply for Police Records of Conduct online, make digital payments, and receive their documents electronically, eliminating the need for in-person visits. Applicants will also receive real-time updates via SMS or email, enhancing transparency and accountability in the process.

While the system allows for fully online submissions and pickups, in-person assistance remains available at nine police stations across the country.

Public Backs Teachers’ Call for Pay Raise Amid Soaring Costs

Tonight, the voices of everyday Belizeans are ringing loud and clear and they’re standing in solidarity with the nation’s teachers. As educators continue to call for an eight-point-five percent salary increase to keep pace with inflation, the public is echoing their demands. Teachers argue that the rising cost of living is making it harder to make ends meet, and they’re pointing to a recent fifteen percent salary bump for government CEOs as a glaring double standard. Their message? If top officials can get a raise, so should the people shaping the future of this country. Today, News Five hit the streets to take the pulse of the people and the response was overwhelming. From shopkeepers to commuters, residents say the teachers’ call for fair compensation is not only justified, but also overdue.

Resident 1

“The teacher dehn know why dehn di ask fi that. Dehn know weh da fi dehn blood sweat and tears. Da just like when a taxi man ask fi wa extra two dollars pahn dehn fare because gas di goh up soh da wa business dehn deh eena and dehn high eena demand. Da nuh like – to be honest, teachers di get soh rough up, I have lotta customers weh da teachers weh di stop be teachers and goh work da wa call centre, soh I suggest dehn help dehn people.”

Resident 2

“Dehn work hard and dehn tek care ah dehn kids. Dehn all time assist dehn eena dehn school stuff to. One ah dehn tell mi that every summer holiday ih save at least four hundred dollars fi spend back in the classroom outta ih own pocket.”

Resident 3

“They deserve it and also we got bills to pay, dehn got kids and dehn need fi eat. That da the reason dehn deserve weh dehn di ask fa.”

Resident 4

“It’s correct because everything is – the price of everything is going up and the teachers are people that have to get wa fair salary because dehn di teach kids weh wa be the men and women of tomorrow. Soh dehn have to have peace of mind fi teacher correctly.”

Resident 5

“Dehn deserve it, fi real dehn deserve it. The teachers are the backbone of Belize. So dehn deserve that eight point five percent raise. Dehn deserve it.”

Marion Ali

Do you have anybody who teaches your child or maybe your grandchild?

Resident 4

“My wife is a teacher. She helps the students. Some children come to school without eating and she have to fill in that gap. Soh that’s why they deserve it. Everybody need a teacher in Belize. All the lawyers, all the prime ministers need teaches so the teachers deserve to be looked at.”

Teachers Want a Raise—But It’s Not That Simple, Says Labor Minister

Belize’s teachers are turning up the pressure, calling for an 8.5% salary adjustment to help offset the rising cost of living. But government officials are signaling that change won’t come overnight. Minister of Labor Florencio Marin Jr. addressed the issue this week, acknowledging the educators’ demands and affirming that their voices have been heard. However, he made it clear that this isn’t a decision that can be made with the stroke of a pen. Marin emphasized that the matter is now in the hands of the negotiating teams, representatives from both the government and the unions, tasked with finding common ground. While the teachers remain firm in their call for fair compensation, the road to resolution appears to be a process of dialogue and deliberation.

Florencio Marin Jr., Minister of Labour

“I think you’ve heard the Prime Minister saying that he’s nominated a team that gonna actively engage with them for discussions to see how they could come to a solution to this process. So, I think we just have to wait out how that consultation would work with the teachers and with the team from Cabinet to bring about a solution to that. I don’t want to jump ahead of that consultation process. So let’s find out what results that will lead to and then from there our ministry would participate where necessary.”

As negotiations continue, the nation watches closely. Will the government meet the teachers halfway, or will this become another drawn-out standoff?

Economist Says Government Needs to Reduce Food Prices

But the teachers’ plight is not just about salaries. Today, economist Doctor Phillip Castillo weighed in, pointing to inflation as a critical factor. He says the government must also focus on reducing the cost of living, especially food prices, which continue to strain household budgets across the country.

Dr. Phillip Castillo, Economist

“You want to look at inflation, meaning that I’m very familiar with persons in the B.N.T.U. and I’m very familiar with the level of expertise that they bring to their analysis. I’m certain that they would’ve crunched the numbers. They’ve looked at inflation over the past years. The issue with Belize’s inflation numbers, whereas the overall number may be very low, for example, I think we are at 1.4%, but the food component of that is extremely high. I think the food component is around 15 point something percent. So what’s happening in Belize then is that food expenditures have been substantially going up far more than the average level of prices on goods and services. And it’s based on that the unions are making their demands that food inflation has been going up. So what government may want to do, if there’s something that government can do to reduce food prices or to keep food prices from not rising as fast as just about everything else, then that could mitigate some of the wage demands that teachers are making.”

Two Men Arraigned in Shocking Murder of San Pedro Fisherman

Two southside men have been formally charged in connection with the brazen murder of a San Pedro fisherman. The victim, twenty-six-year-old Zinedine Pinelo, was gunned down last Friday and now, two suspects are behind bars, facing the most serious of charges. Twenty-eight-year-old Dashay Williams of Neal’s Penn Road and nineteen-year-old Kaylen McFoy of Hunters Lane were arraigned earlier today, jointly charged with Pinelo’s murder. The courtroom saw tense moments as Williams, who had been detained under the recent State of Emergency, told the magistrate he’s been suffering from a lodged bullet wound and has not received medical care. The Senior Magistrate ordered that Williams be taken to the K.H.M.H. for immediate medical attention before being remanded to the Belize Central Prison—where both men will remain until their next court date on July second. It’s a case that’s drawing attention not only for the crime itself, but for the conditions under which one of the accused claims he’s being held.

State of Emergency Nets 46 Suspects—Critics Say It’s Just a Band-Aid

The government’s latest move to curb gang violence has already resulted in the detention of forty-six suspected gang members, who have been transferred to the Belize Central Prison. The State of Emergency, which took effect last week, is expected to last for one month, but officials say it could be extended if necessary. Authorities argue that this measure is vital to restoring public safety in areas plagued by escalating violence. But not everyone is convinced. Critics are calling the State of Emergency a ‘Band-Aid solution’—a temporary fix that fails to address the deeper, systemic issues fueling gang activity. They point to a lack of long-term strategies, limited economic opportunities, and inadequate community support as root causes that remain unaddressed. So, what’s the real plan to tackle violent crime in the long run? That’s the question we put to the Commissioner of Police, Doctor Richard Rosado, during a press briefing on Wednesday. Here’s his response and what it could mean for the future of crime prevention in Belize.

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“Our effort has always been three-fold, prevention, intervention and the enforcement strategy. The intervention aspect of it, we rely on our stakeholders, we rely on the leadership intervention unit, they have been instrumenting in terms of the opportunistic programs, in terms of the mediation and the other intervention programs and support services. So, we rely on that. We primarily focus on the prevention aspect of it and the enforcement aspect of it. All three levels must be coordinated and communicated with one another for it to be effective.”