2025 - Greater Belize Media

Flo’s Pristine Reputation Put to the Test

She built her business from the ground up, one mop, one client, one act of trust at a time. But tonight, that trust is under fire. Florina Arzu, the face behind Flo’s Pristine Services, is facing a crisis no small business owner ever wants to deal with. One of her employees, twenty-six-year-old Samara Moody, is now the subject of a police investigation, accused of stealing jewelry and other valuables from a Belize City home. Moody wasn’t just a stranger, she was on the job, cleaning a client’s bedroom under Arzu’s company. And while Arzu wasn’t there that day, the fallout landed squarely at her feet. Now, with a wanted poster out and clients demanding accountability, Arzu is left trying to protect the business she’s worked so hard to build, while confronting the painful reality of broken trust. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with that story.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A trusted face in the home is now at the center of a police investigation. Tonight, a wanted poster is out for twenty-six-year-old Samara Moody, a single mother of two, who’s accused of stealing jewelry and other valuables from a prominent Belize City household. Moody wasn’t just a visitor, she was on the job, working for Flo’s Pristine Services, a cleaning company with a client list that includes at least fifteen homes and businesses.

Florina Arzu, Proprietor, Flo’s Pristine Services

“This particular employee was hired under Flo’s Pristine [Services] for roughly six months. The particular client that the incident happened or occurred to, we were fresh with them. We were just two months in with these clients [and] they really had a close relationship with me, trying to let my business prosper, you know. They were all about having Belizean-owned businesses prosper and so, that was the reason why she hired me.”

If you’ve been following our stories, you might remember Florina Arzu, a hardworking entrepreneur we featured back in July 2023. At the time, she had just launched her cleaning business, building a reputation and a livelihood through honest work and determination. Fast forward to today, Arzu’s company has grown, offering both residential and commercial cleaning services. But now, the very foundation of her business, trust, has been shaken. A recent incident involving one of her employees has left clients questioning what happens when that trust is broken.

Florina Arzu

“Under the contract, we needed two persons to work and so Samara was a part of the team for that particular home. She was assigned to that home. The particular incident occurred two weeks ago, the twenty-seventh, I believe, and a couple items went missing. That raised the alarm, since then, we have been trying to reach out to Samara, let her come in, just return the items, to no avail. That’s when it reached the public and we have a wanted poster for her.”

When you hand over your house keys, alarm codes, and access to your most private spaces, you’re placing a huge amount of trust in someone. For many families, that trust is given to cleaning crews, people hired to care for the spaces we call home. Florina and her employee, Samara, were assigned to clean the home on a rotation basis. While she wasn’t on duty that day, Samara was. And that’s when personal items, including valuable jewelry, went missing.

Florina Arzu

“One particular item, the client [has] had for over twenty years. We’ve tried so many alternatives to reach out to her and she is not answering calls, but she does communicates through text. She officially blocked my business page, but she still reads messages off my personal phone number. Our last, my last text to her, my last messages to her was on Sunday and I was kinda doing a scare tactic on her to let her come in, but to no avail.”

Since the alleged theft, the couple has grown restless. They are demanding answers and accountability, even pointing fingers at Arzu herself, saying that as the business owner, the responsibility stops with her. It’s a tough moment for a woman who built her business on trust.

Florina Arzu

“I’ve built my business from the ground up, by myself and this affects me emotionally, mentally, but I do have to say that I do have the support of clients who know me very well and vouch for me. So that’s one of the things that keeps me going and I just want to take this as an experience. I think it’s a big lesson for my business in itself, just trying to take proper procedures and measures on how to move forward with screening, I guess. That would be my biggest approach right now is how to best approach screening because my reputation lies at hand and I don’t want my clients to ever feel unsafe in their own space.”

From pricey electronics to private documents, cleaners often come across things that require more than just a mop and broom, they require integrity. And when that trust is broken, the consequences can be deeply personal. Isani Cayetano for News Five.

Garifuna History Comes Alive at Imagination Factri

Today, imagination met history at Belize City’s Imagination Factri, where author and researcher Myrtle Palacio brought the Garifuna story to life in a powerful and visually striking way. Through bold graphics on genocide, forced migration, and cultural resilience, Palacio peeled back the layers of Garifuna identity, not just to educate, but to inspire. Her session, based on her work The Primer on the People Called Garifuna, challenged participants to rethink history, embrace advocacy, and celebrate the enduring legacy of the Garinagu people. Here’s more on that impactful presentation.

Tanya Arceo, Reporting

From the painful legacy of genocide and displacement to the vibrant contributions of the Garifuna community, Myrtle Palacio’s presentation didn’t shy away from the hard truths. Instead, it called for action, urging participants to embrace decolonizing language and step into advocacy. The event opened with a welcome from cultural advocate Yasser Musa, setting the tone for a day of reflection, learning, and empowerment.

Voice of: Yaser Musa

“This is, in my mind, intellectual logic for this book but what’s incredible to me is what she wrote in the forward thirty plus years later, her updated forward, she says “The new and updated Primer Is the outcome of secondary or library research through an extensive literature review and narrative analysis. For that, I have provided a list of references. Identifying as Garifuna and as a member of the community, I applied the Feminist Standpoint Theory and the Theory of Indigenous Anthropology, as both research techniques empower the researcher to investigate one’s own. I maintained an emic perspective throughout and remained sympathetic to the Garinagu, a viewpoint that may be a novel undertaking in the literature on ethnicity.”

Myrtle Palacio, Author

“It is a belief that there are more than one spiritual beings, our ancestors, our Ahary group so we believe in several, innumerable ancestral spirits, that is animism. However, aspects of Christianity has entered Garifuna spirituality, we have accepted it and a part of our spirituality, a part of our belief systems, we have assimilated it into Garifuna spiritualism.”

Graphic panels told the Garifuna story in vivid visuals, all while the sound of traditional drums filled the air with pride and purpose. The event wasn’t just a feast for the senses, it also honored key contributors in an award ceremony, with guests including representatives from NICH joining the celebration. And this is just the beginning. These striking visuals are set to tour Houses of Culture and libraries across Belize, bringing this vital history to communities and classrooms nationwide.

Tanya Arceo

“If there is one thing you wish that every Belizean and every reader would truly understand about Garifuna history or identity what would that be?”

Myrtle Palacio

“I would like I am learning I mentioned the date of seventeen ninety-nine I would like that to resonate because that is a contribution to nation building another area is teaching the educators where our men from late eighteen hundred were dying in villages just to teach that was a job that they had accepted leaving their families for months for the whole term and that contribution to nation building I want us to understand that and to understand nineteenth of November those two areas to me are very much important.”

Storytelling has always been central to the Garifuna and Creole experiences, a powerful way of preserving history, identity, and resilience. From the days of enslavement to the blending of Arawak, Kalinago, and West African cultures, these stories reflect how two peoples became one. Rooted in the island of St. Vincent and the Lesser Antilles, this shared legacy is a living memory of survival, connection, and cultural fusion, inviting us all to listen, learn, and remember.

Hailey Williams, Storyteller

“Amerindian, thirty thousand years ago a group of Amerindians including the Kalinago and Arawak’s crossed the bearing straight from Eastern Asia and made their way from Alaska to South America at fifteen hundred BC the bearing structury as a voice to other theories.”

Voice of: Giovanni Pinelo, Storyteller

“We realized that what we call colonial expansionism in some books beautiful words and I know somebody else is going to speak about words but it was about total encroachment it was about dispossessing of people, displacing them of their lands, divesting them of their heritage of their caught Genocide, the definition of genocide under the union convention speaks to the radication of a people and this was precisely what was happening.”

As the event came to a close, there was a heartfelt reminder of why these stories matter. Minister of State Dolores Balderamos-García took a moment to reflect on the power of preserving and sharing the Garifuna narrative — calling it not just history, but a vital part of who we are. Her words capped off a day filled with culture, connection, and a renewed commitment to keeping these stories alive for generations to come.

Dolores Balderamos, Minister of State

“There is so much of our history as I have said before that we need to fill in all the gaps and I like the idea that we have to look at our history not only from the point of view of the hunter but also from the point of view of the hunted so we must remember the victims of the colonial system in addition to reading the book from a European perspective of what the history of Belize is so we must know our history from the indigenous people, from people who have been victims but from people who have contributed so much to what Belize is today.”

Reporting For News Five I am Tanya Arceo.

Police Pursue Two in Andre Kerr Daylight Shooting

Gun violence is flaring once again in Belize City. Since Friday, there have been four attempted murders across Belize City. The most recent incident was a broad daylight attempt on the life of Andre Kerr this morning.

Commissioner of Police Dr Richard Rosado told the media this afternoon that the incident was a targeted attack on Kerr by two men on a motorcycle who opened fire. Kerr was injured in the upper body and was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he remains in stable condition.

“We do believe that the shooting is as a result of escalating gang tension between rival groups,” he said.

Rosado added that police have since recovered the motorcycle used in the shooting and are pursuing two persons of interest.

ComPol Rosado addressed growing public concern over the recent spike in violence, stating that “the police department and our investigators are working around the clock” to de-escalate and monitor the situation and track down those responsible.

“I am confident that we will have an arrest or two very shortly,” ComPol Rosado added.

Seven Family Members Under Investigation for Alleged Assault on Officers

The Belize Police Department has released new details about the violent encounter in Paraiso Village, Corozal, which recently stirred public outrage after a video showed police striking civilians, including a woman, with batons.

Police say the confrontation began on the evening of July 8th during a mobile patrol in the village. Officers attempted to stop a man on a motorcycle for not having a taillight, but he reportedly refused and rode to his family’s home.

When police attempted to detain the man at the family’s residence, his relatives allegedly obstructed the officers and attacked them.

Police reported that several family members became aggressive and attacked the officers using pint bottles, sticks, and even a metal bar. Corporal Arturo Leal suffered a cut wound to the head from a bottle, while PC Triston Arzu was struck in the head with a metal bar. PC Asael Sanchez was hit on the arm with a stick, and PC Alvarez was punched in the face. Corporal Marin was reportedly pushed to the ground, damaging his chain and holster.

Several residents of Paraiso Village are now under investigation for aggravated assault, wounding, obstruction, and damage to property. They have been identified as Miguel Salazar, 36; Hugo Poncio 43; Javier Salazar 23; Jose Luis Salazar Jr. 34; Cesar Salazar 29; Jose Luis Salazar Sr. 63; Judith Salazar 39; and Samuel Salazar 31; all residents of Paraiso Village.

Police added that all individuals were also taken to the hospital for medical checks.

Haulover Bridge Aluminum Pipes Stolen

A routine inspection by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing has uncovered vandalism at the Haulover Bridge in Belize City. Officials confirmed that several aluminum pipes from the bridge’s safety rail have been stolen.

The ministry described the discovery as “madness,” noting that the theft poses serious safety risks for motorists and pedestrians alike.

It said, “There are no words to describe this honestly. None.”

This latest incident comes as the ministry grapples with ongoing damage to other key infrastructure. According to officials, about four kilometers of guardrails along the Coastal Plain Highway have been damaged, likely due to reckless driving, within just one year of the highway’s completion. The repair bill now stands at an estimated 1.3 million Belize dollars, a cost ultimately borne by taxpayers.

The ministry also pointed to another chronic problem: the “horrendous quantity” of roadside litter that teams are forced to clean up daily.

In its plea to the public, the ministry is urging Belizeans to take more pride in national infrastructure and to report any suspicious activity involving bridges, guardrails, signs, or other road safety features.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing at 828-5220.

“These assets are your assets,” the Ministry reminded. “Help us protect them.”

Police Behavior Scrutinised Again After Video Shows Police Striking Civilians in Corozal

The Belize Police Department is once again facing serious public backlash after a recent video emerged showing officers involved in a violent confrontation with civilians in Corozal.

The footage shows what appears to be police officers striking multiple individuals, including a woman, with batons. The incident, which reportedly took place over the weekend, has raised even more questions about police conduct.

The department has not yet issued an official statement, but an internal review is reportedly underway.

Just days ago, during Monday’s Open Your Eyes programme, Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith also commented on the public’s concern and cases like these surfacing more often.

“It would be foolish of me to think that with an organisation that stands at approximately 3,000 persons, there won’t be officers who do not conduct themselves in the manner that is befitting of officers,” she said.

She explained that some of these individuals will inevitably act in ways that do not reflect the values or standards expected of law enforcement.

“Whilst we do training, including the recruit training and continuous training, in the hope of ridding persons who may come into the department with these types of character traits, there is only so much that can be done, and certainly whatever disciplinary actions that we can take, within the confines of the law, it’s what dictates what goes after that,” she added.

Meanwhile, a few weeks ago, during a police graduation ceremony in Belmopan, Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa had briefly addressed the issue, stating that there is indeed the need for better training and decision-making in tense situations when it comes to de-escalating tactics and police involvement.

Teen’s Phone Stolen, Intimate Images Distributed

Police in Dangriga are investigating a case of theft and cybercrime involving a 13-year-old girl.

Police say the incident was reported on Tuesday, July 8, around 9:30 p.m., when the minor and her mother visited the police station.

Reports are that the child was walking along South Riverside around 8:00 p.m. when a person on a bicycle approached from behind and forcibly took her mobile phone before riding off.

Several people, including family members, then received videos and nude photos of the minor from the stolen phone. The girl said she had not shared these images with anyone.

Police are treating the case as both theft and cybercrime involving the unauthorised distribution of intimate images of a minor.

Two Men Killed in Biscayne Motorcycle Crash

A deadly collision along the Philip Goldson Highway near Biscayne Village has claimed the lives of two men from Rhaburn Ridge.

The crash occurred just after sunset on Tuesday evening, when a motorcycle carrying two passengers collided with a delivery truck belonging to Price Premier Products.

One of the victims was found near the wrecked motorcycle. The second was discovered several feet away in nearby bushes. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have identified the deceased as 34-year-old Josue Solis and 18-year-old Felipe Solis, both residents of Rhaburn Ridge in the Belize District.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the collision.

Early Flooding Tests Belize’s Hurricane Season Readiness, Ministry Says It’s Ready

Just over a month into the hurricane season, heavy rains have already caused widespread flooding in parts of northern Belize, which has turned roads into rivers and raised more concerns about the country’s infrastructure readiness.

In Orange Walk, intense rainfall caused water to overtop key roadways, with erosion reported in the San Jose area. Though some communities were briefly cut off, emergency workers were swiftly mobilised.

Chief Engineer at the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing, Evondale Moody, says the ministry began preparations as early as January.

“We have been on top of things as best as we can as a ministry,” Moody told News Five. “We assessed our road infrastructure and mobilised materials and culverts early in the year.”

He confirmed that 70% of repair work in affected areas has already been completed, including new erosion control measures in San Jose.

With months of storm activity still ahead, the ministry says it remains on standby for future emergencies.

Man Hospitalised After Belize City Shooting

A Belize City man is hospitalised with multiple gunshot wounds following a shooting incident earlier this morning.

31-year-old Andre Kerr, a mechanic of Custard Apple Street, was reportedly shot in the eye, shoulder, and arm. He was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he is receiving treatment.

News 5 has confirmed that the shooting occurred near Grace Primary school where summer classes were in session. School officials confirmed they called parents and suspended classes for the day as a precaution.

Police investigations are underway.