2025 - Greater Belize Media

Couple Accused of Attempted Murder Granted Bail After 4 Months on Remand

Tonight, a couple accused of attempting to murder a Lords Bank man in 2024 has been granted bail after spending over three months behind bars. Stacey Letricia Antonio, a twenty-three-year-old BDF soldier, and her common-law husband, William Alexander Flowers, faced charges of attempted murder, dangerous harm, and use of deadly means of harm against twenty-year-old Evan Pook Jr., along with theft of his cellphone. The couple was arraigned on December sixth, 2024, in Belize City Magistrate’s Court. Today, after exactly four months and sixteen days on remand, they appeared before the newly appointed Magistrate Ludlow Black. The prosecutor, a sergeant, stated he had no objection to bail, leading Magistrate Black to grant them bail at five thousand dollars each, plus one surety. Conditions for their bail include no interference or communication with the complainant, maintaining a distance of one hundred yards from him, and reporting every Friday at Ladyville Police Station. The stabbing incident occurred on December third, 2024, in the Lords Bank area, Ladyville, when Pook Jr. was attacked and stabbed multiple times while walking through a feeder road. His cellphone was stolen during the attack, leading to the arrest of Antonio and Flowers. The motive for the stabbing remains unknown.

Swift Brothers Out on Bail After Alleged Machete and Knife Attack in St. Ann’s Village

Tonight, three brothers from Saint Ann’s Village are out on bail following an alleged machete and knife attack at their family yard. The details of the incident remain unclear, but the brothers—Richard Swift thirty-two, Neil Swift twenty-six, and Deitrick Swift, forty—faced separate charges in court today. Richard Swift was first to be arraigned, charged with obstructing a police officer during his brother Deitrick’s arrest for traffic offenses. Richard pleaded not guilty and was granted bail of one thousand dollars. His next court date is June twelfth, 2025. Neil Swift faced a charge of aggravated assault with a knife against Delwin Jones, alleged to have occurred on April twenty-first, 2025. Neil also pleaded not guilty and was granted bail of two thousand dollars. He is due back in court on June twentieth, 2025. Deitrick Swift was charged with aggravated assault with a machete and three traffic offenses: driving an unlicensed motor vehicle, driving without insurance, and driving without a valid license. Deitrick pleaded guilty to the traffic offenses, resulting in fines totaling two hundred and fifteen dollars and a one-year driving disqualification. He pleaded not guilty to the assault charge, with his next court date set for June thirtieth, 2025. Deitrick explained that the confrontation stemmed from men disrespecting his wife near his property, affecting his business and livelihood. Despite his plea, Magistrate Black emphasized the seriousness of driving illegally and the potential harm it could cause. The Swift brothers’ legal battles continue as they await their respective court dates.

Zeta Auto Parts, A Six-Decade Escalante Family Legacy

Throughout April, our weekly Belize on Reel segments have been spotlighting longstanding businesses across the country. We’ve featured enterprises in Belize City, San Ignacio, and Punta Gorda. Tonight, we head north to Orange Walk to highlight Zeta Auto Parts, a business born from the Escalante family’s pivot from public transportation and ice production. With a second branch now in western Belize, the company is led by a third-generation family businessman. News Five’s Paul Lopez sat down with him and a long-standing employee to learn how they’ve thrived over the years and met their customers’ needs. Here’s that report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Three years before Belize gained independence, the Escalante family in Orange Walk Town founded Zeta Auto Parts. Before venturing into auto parts retail, they ran Escalante’s Bus Line and later launched Zeta Ice Factory. Today, thirty-one-year-old Adriel Escalante Jr., a third-generation businessman, is the general manager of Zeta Auto Parts.

Adriel Escalante, General Manager, Zeta Auto Parts

“It all started with my family running the Escalante Bus Line. Eventually the family decided to venture into ice and water business. They have sixty-four years running the business. Then some years passed and that is when they decided to open the Zeta Auto Parts in Town. I would say I was like eight or ten years I started to go with my dad, seeing how my dad worked with the auto parts business and then I said, I enjoyed it.”

Pedro Garcia is Zeta Auto Parts’ longest-serving employee, having been with the company for over two decades. He joined after leaving another auto parts business in town and recalls a time when Zeta Auto Parts was the only game in town for auto parts retail.

Pedro Garcia, Employee, Zeta Auto Parts

“I came to Zeta and I asked for a job and because I already had knowledge on parts it was easy for me. The customer is our number one priority. They come in and we try to give them the best service. They offer things that they would need, not just on the parts they are buying. We try to tell them you need this along with that. Sometimes mechanics send them and tell them just get that and they have to come back. So we try to tell them what would work along with other parts so that they could take it with them first.”

At Zeta Auto Parts, the hustle never stops. During our visit, customers were constantly coming and going. Fifteen years ago, the business moved from Main Street to its current location on Liberty Avenue, expanding storage to offer more products and meet new customer demands. Despite competitors with larger inventories opening up in town, Zeta has maintained its edge thanks to its longstanding reputation.

Adriel Escalante

“This property was owned by my uncle and he passed it own to my grandfather. We are here now at sixty-four Liberty Avenue. I saw it growing. I remember all my past employees and how the business was. It has been growing ever since. Now we decided to open a branch in the Cayo District. We are located in San Ignacio Town. Now, we are also going to expand in another location as well. I won’t say where. It is just coming soon. We have customers throughout the country, Corozal, Belize City, Cayo, down south.”

Pedro Garcia

“I have customers from when I was in Belize with the other company. I come this side and they still call. I have been dealing with them for over nineteen years. They just glad that they could call me and when they need parts I find parts for them. The company is still growing. I heard the boss say they want to expand. I will be here until I can.”

Zeta Auto Parts has thrived since the late Seventies on three key pillars: family legacy, dedicated employees, and customer satisfaction. Sugarcane farmers, a significant part of their customer base, benefit from the store’s strategic location. Adriel Escalante emphasizes that for Zeta Auto Parts to continue thriving for another five decades, they must constantly evolve and meet the changing needs of their customers.

Adriel Escalante

“We are looking to expand and this year we are going to bring more products and we are going to expand our inventory and also along the way we are going to have mechanical services that we are going to offer to our customers as well. We have to keep updated with a lot of things, as technology is growing. We have to stay, how you say it, “top ah things”.

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

FO4ACP Program Enhances Belize’s Market Access and Sustainable Practices in Agriculture

Belize’s agricultural sector is getting a major boost from the Farmers’ Organizations for Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific program. This initiative is transforming sustainable development and improving the livelihoods of rural communities. By advancing entrepreneurship and market access, FO4ACP helps Belizean farmers connect to larger markets, increasing their income and economic stability. Sixteen local farmer organizations are involved, focusing on business management, productivity, and sustainable agriculture practices. This program is making Belize’s agricultural sector more resilient and capable of tackling various challenges. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The Farmers’ Organizations for Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific program is a game-changer for Belize’s agricultural sector. It boosts sustainable development and significantly improves the livelihoods of rural communities. FO4ACP advances entrepreneurship and market access by creating fair value chains and offering business development services. This initiative helps Belizean farmers connect to larger markets, increasing their income and economic stability while supporting business growth.

Servulo Baeza, C.E.O., Ministry of Agriculture

“Sixteen local farmer organizations are involved with FO4ACP, focusing on business management, productivity, and sustainable agriculture practices. Participants in projects like the drone training have included farmers, extension officers, and members of the cooperative department.”

FO4ACP focuses on empowering Farmers’ Organizations to deliver economic services, create a better business environment, and support institutional development. This initiative strengthens Belize’s agricultural sector, making it more resilient and capable of tackling various challenges.

Pedro Boareto, Food & Agriculture Organization

“This initiative highlights something that we in the FAO believe and are advocating for, in terms of the needs that we have and the strengthening of the farmers’ organization’s capacity and the role, the crucial role that we have in the different territories and how it’s important to provide the conditions that you lead the transformations that we need to face the challenges that we have in terms of climate change and inequalities. It’s in the farmers organizations that we can find the solutions to transform our production in a sustainable manner.”

The program fosters collaboration among governments, stakeholders, and partners to develop a unified sub-regional policy and program. This teamwork creates a supportive environment for agricultural growth and ensures policies meet farmers’ needs.

Servulo Baeza

“At the Ministry of Agriculture, we support smallholders a hundred percent. Our ministry has specific goals and objectives which include boosting agricultural output and efficiency, encouraging investment in the agricultural and food sectors, fostering private sector participation in agribusiness, creating an environment that supports competitive agricultural practices and promoting sustainable agricultural practices to protect the environment and ensure long-term viability.”

FO4ACP prioritizes knowledge management by mapping, capitalizing, disseminating, and supporting the scaling up of existing and new information. This approach keeps farmers informed about best practices and innovations, boosting their productivity and sustainability.

Gareth Murillo, Registrar of Cooperatives

“Locally, there has been several investments made within our cooperatives. We have had capacity building activities where our farmers have received training, not just on the production side, but also on the entrepreneurial development side. We have had farmers participate in exchange visits to other countries where the project is being implemented and we have had farmers from those countries also visit Belize. It is an exchange of information and an exchange of best practices.”

FO4ACP champions sustainable food and agricultural principles, which are crucial for Belize as it grapples with climate change and environmental sustainability. By adopting climate-smart practices, farmers can boost their resilience and productivity. Isani Cayetano for News Five.

Man Dies After Being Stung by Killer Bees

Tonight, a family in Toledo is heartbroken after Jafy Perez, a father of three, was tragically killed by a swarm of bees on Monday. Perez, originally from San Pedro, Colombia, lived and worked in Caye Caulker but had returned to Toledo to spend Easter with his family. While helping out with a cleaning job on a farm, he stumbled upon a bees’ nest. Perez tried to escape but fell and was fatally stung. We spoke with his mother-in-law, Theodora Perez, for more details.

On the Phone: Theodora Coc, Mother-in-law of Deceased

“ He was working in Caye Caulker as a mechanic, but he come because Eastern now also he come with the family here with us. He was just staying with us and them everything was okay, but due to one of her sister need help, so he said, I heard this woman have jobs, so better. I go try and do a day work for myself once my sister need help. I wouldn’t do that, but, she is always disturbing with me and me for some money. So better I get a day job. That’s something for me. And if it do interesting, then I can stay here and work with those people and I stop go to that side because they said I have it good because I don’t have to pay rent and I will be with my family. That’s what he said. The African bees have attacked them on the way I think, where they’re working. Not too hard, but maybe by mistake they get that. And that’s when we hear that he did.”

Britney Gordon

“Was this Monday afternoon or Monday evening?”

Theodora Coc

“Monday afternoon, I think about three o’clock. There’s nothing that I can say about him. Because there’s no one with us. He’s the only man come with us because we are there by ourself. I am a single mother too. So she is here with my daughter and her with his three kids.”

Britney Gordon

“Okay. Are you guys asking for any sort of assistance with his funeral or stuff like that?”

Theodora Coc

“Yes. Yes, because right now he doesn’t have anything. And with the three kids, one is six, the other one is three, and the smallest one is one.”

Perez’s family can be contacted on the number six-seven-two-seven -nine-eight-two.

Deadly Bees and how to Handle Them

Earlier this week, tragedy struck Caye Caulker when a local resident, Japy Perez Senior, originally from Toledo, died after being attacked by a swarm of bees on a farm. Perez was working alongside others when the bees suddenly swarmed, stinging him multiple times. Sadly, he succumbed to the stings shortly after. With bees being particularly active this time of year, it’s crucial to know how to handle them. Today, News Five’s Britney Gordon shares tips on dealing with a bee swarm on your property. Here’s the story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

It’s harvest season, and bees are buzzing around, busy making honey for their hives. While these little pollinators are crucial for Belize’s agriculture and honey industry, their stings can be dangerous, especially for those with allergies. Beekeeper Elise Vernon advises that the key to handling bees is to stay calm and avoid panicking when you encounter them.

Elise Vernon, Beekeeper

“ When you panic, you tend to wave your arms, and you tend to run away and you everything goes wrong when you panic. The thing that you should do is stay calm. Try not to make a lot of noise and try not to create a lot of sudden movements. Sudden movements tend to get them more aggressive. They get to be more angered, and that way they come out to you even more.”

Bees can nest in just about anything. Today, Elise was called in by her neighbor Kenroy Jex, who discovered bees in an old appliance in his yard.

Kenroy Jex, Homeowner

“I believe dey mi deh there like wa year. So I get the chopman fi chop the roadside for me, and he bring it to my attention. And I fi mi call Elise from then, but weh I have so much work to do with it slip my mind. So I finally tell her yesterday when Ih come ya. So she say she was come here two o’clock and take care of it fi me”

Jex does mechanical work on his property, so the constant flow of bees has been bothersome to deal with. He also worries about the safety of his animals.

Kenroy Jex

“Dog and cow. And horse. So the horse and the cow, they always come around, so you know what, they sting the house and the cow. So I have to make a least come and deal with ney.”

After suiting up, Vernon gathered her supplies to smoke out the bees. She explained that the smoke tricks the bees into thinking there’s a forest fire, shifting their focus from the person trying to remove them to the young bees at risk inside the hive. Vernon also emphasized that the best way to remove bees is by locating the queen.

Elise Vernon

“We look for the queen first. That is the most important thing because once the queen is in the box, the entire hive tends to follow. So that’s the most complicated thing, especially in harvest season because there can be up to eighty thousand bees in a box. And finding one queen in eighty thousand bees can be quite difficult. But she does look a little bit different, so I can find her, once I find her, I put her in the box in a secure area and I start removing whatever wax they have in there with honey, with pollen, whatever they have in there, I start to remove that and put it into the box as well. And then I leave the box there for the day and then I come back in the evening so that all the other bees that are out getting their pollen and honey, they can return home. And once I know that all the bees are in there for the night, I can move it to my farm.”

Vernon shared some helpful tips for those dealing with stings.

Elise Vernon

“So I get stung once or twice through the suit, but typically I don’t. But overall, if you do get stung, something that we tend to tell other people is to always keep a couple pills of charcoal on hand. Charcoal tends to help to pull out that toxin and relieve the pain that you’re experiencing. You can also take an antihistamine if you get stung.”

Vernon advises removing stingers from the body as they release pheromones. Alerting the hive of a potential threat.

Elise Vernon

“If they are chasing you, run in a straight line to the safest place. So if you have a car that you can run to that is enclosed, run to the car and drive away. If you can go into a house or a shelter and lock up, that’s fine as well. Never ever jump in a pond or a pool because if you go to the bottom and you think that they’re going to fly away and then you can come back up, you are wrong. They wait at the surface for you, and so you could be down there for five minutes and they will be right up there waiting for you.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

PM Briceño Backs Carolyn Trench-Sandiford for Another Term as Senate President

Prime Minister John Briceño is backing Carolyn Trench Sandiford for another term as President of the Senate. After consulting with the United Democratic Party, they’ve thrown their support behind her re-appointment. PM Briceño appreciates this bipartisan cooperation for the nation’s benefit. This decision marks a continuation of Trench Sandiford’s leadership in one of the highest legislative roles in Belize, reinforcing her influence and commitment to the nation’s governance. As the Senate reconvenes under her leadership, Belizeans can expect continued efforts towards legislative reforms, social equity, and economic development. Meanwhile, discussions with the Social Partner Senators are still ongoing.

More UDP Drama Unfolds Over Leadership

Fresh drama is unfolding in the U.D.P. as ousted Mesopotamia Area Representative Moses “Shyne” Barrow insists he’s still the party leader. In a letter dated Wednesday, Barrow addressed the “U.D.P. faithful,” stating he feels compelled to continue as leader until the next National Convention, as originally planned. He wrote, quote, after speaking with many of you and seeing how our beloved U.D.P. has gone dormant, with no attempt at unity, no compliance with the Party Constitution, no adherence to procedures and structures of the Party, no vision or resources to take the Party forward, I am compelled to accept your call for me to continue as Party Leader, end quote. Barrow further stated that under his leadership, the U.D.P. will push for a reform agenda, including necessary Constitutional amendments to rebuild the party. He claims his term doesn’t expire until the convention later this year. Notably, he had resigned as party leader five days after losing his seat in the March twelfth general election, handing over to Deputy Party Leader Hugo Patt, who then yielded to Tracy Panton as the rightful leader. While Panton subtly responded to Barrow’s claim on Facebook, today, an official press release from the U.D.P. squarely addressed the contents of Barrow’s letter. The release states that Barrow is not authorized to act, speak, or conduct any business on behalf of the U.D.P. in any official capacity. It reiterates that Barrow no longer holds any leadership or executive role within the party and that any reference by him to the titles “Honorable,” “Leader of the Opposition,” or “Party Leader” is inaccurate and misleading because he is not an official voice or face of the party. The release states in part, quote, Specifically, Mr. Barrow is not authorized to solicit or accept donations—whether in cash or kind—on behalf of the U.D.P. or as a representative of the Mesopotamia constituency. Any such representations are unauthorized and should be reported to the Party Secretariat, unquote. Meanwhile, Panton will lead the U.D.P. at its first press conference since the general elections next Tuesday to discuss matters of national importance.

Fire Extinguished at Cayo Dump Site but Delays Persist

Two days ago, we reported on a fire at the Cayo transfer station facility. While the blaze didn’t halt garbage collection, it significantly slowed down operations. Although the fire has been extinguished, smoldering trash underneath is still being doused to prevent reignition. Today, San Ignacio Mayor Earl Trapp informed us that there’s still a delay in offloading garbage at the facility. We spoke with Rojelio Pop, Operations Manager of Belize Solid Waste Management, who explained that aside from the fire, space constraints at the facility are causing additional issues.

On the Phone: Rojelio Pop, Operations Manager, BSWAMA

“Once we have charred or burned materials on the ground, it is a highly – what would be the best word – improper. Yes. It’s not logical for us to place any more waste on the compound, so until we can finalize that the fire is completely out, there’s no sort of embers, there’s nothing that can trigger an outbreak of the fire, then we’ll completely push all that waste down the hill, cover it with clay, so that it’s fully contained, then we can resume taking more waste. Currently, we have capabilities to manage right now because the compound isn’t clear. Thirdly, the transfer station has a certain capacity, and right now for it to work as it should, it cannot be overfilled. Right now it’s overwhelmed with waste because San Ignacio produces a lot of waste and then you combine it with other communities, Benque, other private providers, the system is so small that the capacity is overwhelmed easy. So the machines cannot go into the transfer station and for them to load from the chute, the machines have to go into the transfer station, they have to have maneuverability. That doesn’t exist currently. So really it’s about capacity. There are many challenges that the contractor is facing. So, it’s multifaceted, but even with that, if we push all of that chart burned waste from where it is right now and clear the component, and we – my aim would be to clear that off by next week, then we would be able to place more waste. And yes, we would not see behind the curtains of what is actually occurring because there’s that lingering problem with the contractual issues. That is a long-term problem. I’m not sure we are going to address that within a short period of time, but we would be able to place more incoming waste onto the compound because it will be safe, but the problem would still persist.”

Mom Saves Toddler from Swallowing Dollar Coin

A Belizean mother took to Facebook to share a frightening moment that no parent ever wants to face — her young daughter nearly choked after swallowing a one-dollar coin.

The incident occurred while the mother was preparing to make tortillas. She noticed her daughter showing signs of distress — choking, grabbing her throat, and her eyes rolling back. In a moment of panic and prayer, the mother acted quickly, attempting to remove the object from the child’s mouth.

“I screamed, ‘GOD PLEASE HELP ME,’ and hit her back with force,” she wrote. That action led to a hard swallow from the child, followed by crying — a sign that she was able to breathe again. “Fifteen seconds felt like forever,” she said.

The family rushed to the hospital, where an X-ray confirmed that the toddler had swallowed the coin — not the smaller shilling the mother had assumed. According to doctors, the girl was incredibly lucky. The coin travelled straight down her oesophagus without becoming lodged in her throat, avoiding a potentially life-threatening situation.

The doctor assured the family that the coin would pass naturally within a few days. The mother ended her post by saying, “Being a mother can be scary sometimes. I just pray I’m always around when things like this happen, because in an emergency, people often don’t know what to do.”