2025 - Greater Belize Media

Belizean Cops Are Off to Dubai and Honduras for Training

Two Belizean police officers are set to enhance their skills abroad through specialised training. The Belize Police Department announced today that the Deputy Commander of the Orange Walk Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police Armando Dubon, is heading to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the police constable Kennara Trapp is off to Honduras for a four-year training.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Dubon will begin a four-month diploma course in Policing Innovation & Leadership on January 25, 2025. He departed Belize on January 11 and was selected after a competitive process, which included a panel interview. The course will allow him to engage with experts and explore new methods to improve law enforcement practices.

Meanwhile, PC Trapp, with the San Ignacio Special Operations Team, will head to Honduras for a four-year Officer Cadet Training at the National Police Academy (ANAPO), starting on January 25. Trapp successfully met the rigorous physical, medical, and educational requirements for the program. Once completed, she will return to Belize with enhanced expertise in police science, which will aid in her future role in the department.

OAS Has Awarded 800+ Scholarships to Belizeans Since 2018

Since 2018, the Organization of American States (OAS) has awarded over 800 scholarships and enabled Belizean students to pursue higher education and professional training that would have otherwise been out of reach. This initiative is part of the OAS’s ongoing collaboration with Belize’s Ministry of Education to create a more inclusive and sustainable nation through education.

In a statement issued on Monday, OAS stated that it has “established itself as a leading provider of scholarships for Belizean students.”

The organisation says it has also helped Belizean children and teachers embrace the digital age, with over 3,900 students benefiting from digital lessons and 920 teachers gaining new skills. In the past year alone, 197 scholarships were awarded, while Belizean educators were benefiting from specialised training in subjects like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Blockchain at the OAS Youth Academy.

“The OAS understands that scholarships have the power to transform the lives of individuals, and education can break the cycle of poverty,” the organisation added.

Additionally, up to 300 teachers are set to receive training in computer science and robotics, benefiting thousands of students in the coming years.

Wildtracks Has New Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility

Wildtracks has unveiled its newly completed wildlife rehabilitation facility, backed by a $150,000 investment from the Belize Fund for Sustainable Future. The cutting-edge facility is set to significantly enhance the rehabilitation efforts for endangered species like manatees and primates, bolstering the protection of Belize’s natural heritage.

Originally built over 30 years ago for environmental education, the centre now supports manatee rehabilitation (since 2000) and primate care (since 2010), with the new facility bringing significant improvements in capacity and efficiency.

Key upgrades to the facility include dedicated food prep areas for both manatees and primates, along with a “fruit room” designed to store tropical foods like bananas and papayas. A larger, fully equipped first-aid clinic will now handle health assessments and veterinary care on-site, while expanded storage areas improve organisation and access to equipment.

Additionally, the project has trained 24 participants in project planning and grant writing, developed manatee conservation plans for Corozal Bay and Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuaries, and provided training to nine wildlife authority officers in manatee rescue and rehabilitation.

‘Ms. Thelma’ Cleared as Partner Pleads Guilty

Charges against 61-year-old Telesfora “Ms. Thelma” Arana, owner of the popular Thelma’s Kitchen, were dropped after her common-law partner, 50-year-old Curtis Rhaburn, pleaded guilty to drug possession with intent to supply and illegal firearm possession.

Police officers searched the couple’s residence on Kraal Road in Belize City, where they discovered a loaded 9mm pistol and 112 grams of cannabis. Neither Arana nor Rhaburn had a firearm license.

Rhaburn was fined $1,200 for the drug offence and sentenced to one year in prison for the firearm charge.

Brazil Implements Smartphone Restrictions in Schools

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has signed a bill limiting smartphone use in elementary and high schools. This aligns the country with a growing global trend to curb digital distractions in education.

Starting in February, the new law will restrict smartphone use in classrooms to emergencies, educational purposes, or for students with disabilities requiring the devices. Education Minister Camilo Santana stressed the need for the measure and noted that children’s early online activity makes it harder for parents to monitor their behaviour.

The bill has received rare bipartisan support from both President Lula’s allies and opponents, including former President Jair Bolsonaro. Public opinion also favours the move, with a Datafolha survey showing that nearly two-thirds of respondents support banning smartphones in schools.

As of 2023, about 66% of Brazilian schools had some form of cellphone restrictions, with 28% banning them entirely, according to the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee. Several states, including Rio de Janeiro, Maranhão, and Goiás, already enforce local bans, though enforcement has proven challenging. São Paulo, Brazil’s most populous state, is debating similar measures for public and private schools.

Global concerns about the impact of smartphone use on children have driven similar restrictions in other nations. France bans smartphones for students aged 6 to 15, and China recently imposed limits on children’s phone use. In the U.S., eight states have introduced laws to curb classroom phone distractions, while UNESCO reports that one in four countries has implemented school smartphone restrictions.

Belize Joins Caribbean in Turning Sargassum into Economic Opportunity

Four Caribbean nations are stepping up to turn the growing sargassum seaweed crisis into a powerful economic opportunity through the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funding.

Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Belize are among the selected countries to receive support for innovative projects that will transform sargassum into valuable resources for industries like agriculture, waste management, and renewable energy.

The initiative is a response to the increasing influx of sargassum seaweed that has negatively impacted tourism, fishing, and coastal ecosystems in the region since 2011. It aims to tackle the environmental damage caused by sargassum while providing new pathways for sustainable growth and coastal resilience.

According to the IDB, “This initiative was launched to identify and support solutions that leverage advanced technologies and innovative practices to harness the potential of sargassum biomass and enhance the resilience of coastal communities in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Among the selected projects, Caribbean Chemicals will create safe products for crops by reducing arsenic and heavy metals in sargassum, while Belize will implement a Waste Recycling Environment Network to manage sargassum and produce high-quality compost and fertilisers.

By implementing the Static Pile Inoculated Compost Extension (SPICE) composting process, the Waste Recycling Environment Network in Belize seeks to sustainably manage sargassum and other waste materials. Through the production of high-quality compost and liquid fertilisers, it aims to enhance local agriculture while minimising the environmental impact of waste.

New Belizean Novel Explores Maya Underworld

A thrilling new addition to Belizean literature has arrived. A special book launch for students at Saint Peter’s Anglican Primary School in Belize City was held for the launch of The Land of the Night Sun, the first book in the Jade Necklace trilogy,

The novel takes readers on a unique journey through the ancient Maya underworld, Xibalba. It follows Itzel, a brave young girl, on her daring journey through Xibalba, the Maya underworld, to find her missing grandmother.

With Belizean teenagers in mind, this fresh fantasy-adventure series offers a perfect blend of culture, magic, and mystery.

“I feel like there’s a lot of books out there for teenagers and a lot of books for really young kids, but there aren’t that many for pre-teens, like 10- to 13-year-olds,” Ian Gibson said, the author and illustrator behind the book. “That was the age group I had in mind, but really there’s no upper age limit.”

Miss Thelma Arrested

“Ms. Thelma” has been arrested on firearm charges.The 61-year-old, whose real name is Telesfora Arana, was arrested by Belize City police following a search of her Kraal Road residence.

The operation uncovered a loaded 9mm pistol and 112 grams of cannabis.

50-year-old Curtis Rhaburn was also arrested.

Neither Arana nor Rhaburn possessed a firearm license. They are now facing charges for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as drug possession with intent to supply.

“Ms. Thelma” is the owner of the popular Thelma’s Kitchen.

Father of Three Girls Stabbed to Death at Gales Point

Police are investigating a stabbing incident that happened on Wednesday night in Gales Point Village. The incident left 39-year-old Randy Williams, also known as Randy Bowen, dead.

The victim, a father of three daughters, was allegedly attacked by someone he knew.

His mother, Barbara Bowen, says she learnt of the incident from her granddaughter, who said, “Granny, please come and bring somebody and come help mi pa because they hurt mi pa,” Barbara said.

She told News 5 that her granddaughter identified the attacker as “George.”

According to Barbara, George “never came here before; this is the first time he comes here—like it’s something they planned.”

Barbara says that by the time she reached the scene, she saw her son laid on the ground “lifeless,” with bandages scattered around his body and the wound apparently cleaned.

“The stab no have no blood or nothing, like they done clean it off,” she said.

When asked if this could be a case of dispute between the two men, Babara stated she cannot tell with certainty and that family members who live close to her son’s did not report hearing anything.

The investigation is ongoing.

Minister of Transport Pledges No More Delays in Vehicle Licenses and Plates

A few weeks ago, News 5 reported on the growing frustration of drivers across Belize who are still waiting for their vehicle license plates, stickers, and driver’s license cards—some for months, others for over a year. The Minister of Transport, Rodwell Ferguson, told the viewers of Open Your Eyes this morning that “it will not happen again on my watch; I’m sorry.”

Many drivers, especially in rural areas, have been waiting for months—even up to a year—for their required credentials. While Belize City drivers seem to experience fewer issues, with some able to get their license plates and stickers without trouble, others remain stuck with only receipts.

According to Minister Ferguson, the delays stem from an ordering issue, not a shortage of supplies. “Whenever these things go on the national radio or TV, then because I’m the minister, then I get the blame,” Ferguson said. He added, “Just two weeks ago, or last week, we made an order for a large amount of license plates, stickers, and cards, so that will not be an issue of the past.”

Ferguson says that he has held meetings with his staff to ensure that this issue does not repeat itself and to find better ways to always remain on top of the inventory orders.

“So once those license plates are produced and stickers, we can say that the department of transport is on top of that now,” he added.