Clarita Pech has been appointed as Clerk of the National Assembly, effective 2nd January 2025. Pech is the first woman in Belize to hold this prestigious position.
A government press release says that during her tenure as Acting Clerk, which began on 1st July 2024, Pech demonstrated exceptional leadership and administrative expertise. It added that Pech effectively managed the day-to-day operations of the National Assembly, ensuring its efficient functioning.
“In addition to her procedural responsibilities as Clerk, she will continue in her role as the Accounting Officer for the offices of the Contractor General, the Ombudsman, and the Integrity Commission, underscoring her expertise and commitment to upholding transparency and accountability within Belize’s parliamentary and public institutions.”
Pech expressed gratitude and a firm commitment to her new role and stated that one of her primary focuses will be supporting initiatives to increase public awareness of the National Assembly’s roles and functions.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday a controversial proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” escalating his rhetoric against Mexico.
He also criticised Mexico for contributing to increased drug trafficking into the U.S. and vowed to impose substantial tariffs on both Mexico and Canada.
The Gulf of Mexico, historically known as the “Golfo de México” since the mid-16th century, spans approximately 600,000 square miles and is the ninth-largest body of water in the world. The name was first recorded on maps during Spanish colonial rule over the regions now recognised as Cuba, Mexico, and parts of the U.S.
This isn’t the first time the idea of renaming the Gulf has surfaced. In 2012, Mississippi State Representative Steve Holland jokingly proposed a bill to rename it the “Gulf of America,” criticising Republican anti-immigrant policies. Holland later clarified that the proposal was satirical, intended to highlight discriminatory rhetoric.
Where are all the car licenses? Belize City drivers want to know. Those who have undergone the tedious process of licensing their vehicles and renewing their driver’s licenses know how much of a hassle it can be. The lack of license stickers and driver’s license cards has made the process more difficult. Some drivers have been renewing their licenses at full force, only to receive a receipt for several years with no physical card or license sticker in hand.
News 5 reached out to the Chief Transport Officer of the Department of Transport, Leon Gentle, for an update. He told us that he was not in a position to comment as he is currently out of office, and assured us that the issue is expected to be rectified sometime next week.
Some drivers have been given receipts for several months, or even years, yet are still waiting for their official license cards, despite being told by the department to return in two weeks.
One driver shared a receipt dated three months ago with the note “NO lic printing at D.o.t.,” and still has not received the physical card.
“It’s very frustrating because when you have a receipt, it can get damaged or anything, and when they ask you if you lost it, then it gets frustrating,” said one driver. She added, “We are paying full price, so we expect to get it.” According to this driver, she has been trying to get her driver’s license card since 2023.
Another driver who went to renew his license at the Department of Transport, Juan Colocho, stated that for years he’s been trying to get a license card but has only been receiving a receipt instead. “Three years they don’t bring driver license, only get the receipt,” Colocho said.
It’s been less than a month into the new sugarcane crop season, and farmers in Corozal District say they continue facing a series of challenges that hinder the timely delivery of their crop to the mill.
In a letter to Prime Minister John Briceño on Monday, the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association (CSCPA) raised serious concerns that accessibility issues have made it difficult for farmers to meet daily mill requirements.
The CSCPA stated that while the road repairs maintenance report claims “that 90% of the roads being mentioned in the report have been now repaired,” the reality is the contrary for the farmers “on the ground.”
Just a week ago, Minister of Agriculture Jose Abelardo Mai stated that “there seems to be some type of miscommunication regarding how many sugar roads are being done.” He explained that according to the Ministry of Infrastructure, Development & Housing (MIDH), 80% of the contracts were “completed” in Corozal District, but he was receiving contrary reports from farmers. Mai assured that efforts were being made to address these issues and would “proceed to meet with the cane farmers… and we’ll go over the area to see which roads have been repaired and which have not.”
Belize Sugar Industries’ Financial Director, Shawn Chavarria, called the issue a “long-term failure,” saying, “Infrastructure is critical for any sector, any industry, especially ours, which requires transportation of their raw material to the mill. And so without the proper infrastructure, it’s difficult for us to be able to make a good start.”
Chavarria stated that the roads have been in disrepair for years, and the delays are now costing the industry. “The state of the roads is not one that just occurred this year, or the year before. It’s been successive years of inadequate maintenance and repairs,” he added.
CSCPA added that farmers already “carry out tremendous investments before the advent of all sugar cane crops,” and the combination of poor road conditions, high humidity from ongoing rains, and crop pests is “affecting sugar cane quality.”
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced it will discontinue the use of independent fact-checkers on its platforms, replacing them with “community notes” inspired by X (formerly Twitter). The new system allows users to provide context or clarifications on posts, relying on input from diverse viewpoints.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg justified the move in a video accompanying a blog post on Tuesday, stating that third-party moderators were “too politically biased” and that Meta aims to prioritise “free expression.” Joel Kaplan, Meta’s new head of global affairs, echoed this sentiment, saying the reliance on independent moderators, while well-intentioned, had led to unnecessary censorship.
The decision has sparked criticism from online safety advocates, who argue it could exacerbate the spread of hate speech and disinformation. Ava Lee of Global Witness accused Meta of aligning with the incoming Trump administration, calling the change a “blatant attempt to curry favour” and avoid accountability for harmful content.
Meta’s current fact-checking program, introduced in 2016, flags potentially misleading posts for review by independent organizations. These posts can be labelled with additional context or deprioritized in feeds. Under the new system, community notes will initially roll out in the U.S., with Meta stating there are no immediate plans to discontinue fact-checkers in the UK or EU.
The timing of the announcement, ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, has also drawn scrutiny. Meta’s leadership changes and a $1 million donation to Trump’s inauguration fund have been interpreted as signs of a strategic shift in the company’s political priorities.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Catholic Church Diocese of Belize on the successful commencement of its Jubilee Year, themed Spes Non Confundit – Hope Does Not Disappoint. The opening Mass and ceremony, held on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at 10 a.m. in Belmopan, marked a significant spiritual milestone with the opening of the first Holy Door.
The Jubilee Year, a period of special significance within the Catholic Church, offers the faithful an opportunity for spiritual renewal and a deepening of faith. The theme, Spes Non Confundit – Hope Does Not Disappoint, underscores the enduring strength of hope and the assurance found in faith.
The opening of the Holy Door, a tradition steeped in symbolism, signifies an invitation to enter a closer relationship with God and to embrace forgiveness and grace. This act reflects the Papal Bull—a formal decree issued by the Holy See—which emphasizes mercy, hope, and reconciliation during this sacred time.
The Ministry acknowledged the profound impact of the Jubilee Year on the Catholic community and beyond, highlighting its role in fostering unity, reflection, and spiritual growth. It commended the Diocese for its unwavering dedication and commitment to leading the faithful through this transformative journey.
In celebrating this momentous occasion, the Ministry joined in prayer and solidarity, embracing the theme of hope that unites all. It encouraged the wider community to actively participate in the events and opportunities for reflection that will be offered throughout the Jubilee Year.
The National Police Training Academy has certified 12 park rangers as Special Constables.
The training was supported by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). According to Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD), the training took place over ten days at Las Cuevas Research Station and covered topics like constitutional rights, criminal liability, powers of arrest, and green laws.
Rangers from Chiquibul National Park and Elijio Panti National Park participated in the program. The Forest Department, Department of the Environment, and the National Biodiversity Office also contributed lectures. At the end of the training in December 2024, the 12 rangers swore an oath during a ceremony at Las Cuevas. FCD anticipates that this training will “better support and protect the rich natural and cultural resources of the Western Maya Mountains.”
Additionally, the WWF also supported a recent leadership training that focused on enhancing the skills of 10 more rangers on “discipline and strong conservation ethics.”
The United Democratic Party (U.D.P.) is still struggling to mend fences, even with a general election likely before the end of the first quarter of the new year. The tension stems from recent comments by Albert Area Representative Tracy Taegar-Panton, who leads the Alliance for Democracy faction of the U.D.P. Her remarks didn’t sit well with Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow. On Friday, after a strategic meeting, Panton announced that the Alliance for Democracy would be fielding eighteen candidates for the embattled party. She also referred to Shyne Barrow as the former party leader, which Barrow’s attorney, Doctor Christopher Malcolm, says contradicts the High Court’s orders regarding the leadership dispute. Late this afternoon, the law office of Arnold and Company, representing Panton and the Alliance, shared a letter with the media. Dated January sixth, 2025, and addressed to the Registrar of the High Court, the letter indicates that the defendants, including Tracy Taegar-Panton and Phillipa Bailey, are agreeing to court-recommended and facilitated mediation. However, it’s unclear how the Alliance’s recent actions and Panton’s statements will impact the mediation process. Earlier today, we spoke with Doctor Malcolm about the latest legal developments.
Dr. Christopher Malcolm
Dr. Christopher Malcolm, Attorney-at-law
“We now have a matter which is before the court. That court has made a number of orders, two in particular, so far in this matter and in one of them certainly the court confirmed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that at present and until there was a contrary order of the court, the legitimate leader of the U.D.P. is Moses “Shyne” Barrow and the executive with him is what is appropriate. Now for anyone at all, reading what the court has said, to conclude until the court determines otherwise that there is any question of Barrow being a former leader of the party and so on, is plain wrong or a preparedness to be mischievous because the court has said clearly and, in fact, not only is it a question of being mischievous, it’s a case of them being contemptuous of the court and that is something that should not be countenanced by anyone. I’m speaking as a lawyer, and I invite, quite frankly, the lawyer on the other side, Mr. Peter Knox, preeminent King’s Counsel out of England, or anyone else, to seek to refute anything that I’ve just said or to put aside that it is different from what I’ve given because the only thing I know how to do is to properly reflect what is and not to seek to be mischievous. I’m not at all suggesting that counsel, certainly not Mr. Knox, or anyone else has been giving advice for there to be mischief. But I’m saying that I’ve seen some very mischievous videos and postings that have been made which I think are plain wrong. It is in circumstance where I’m saying that the court should be respected and people must really measure in the scale the way the respective parties have been behaving and then determine for themselves who has been most respectful of the process and who it is that has shown some level of humility and balance, which is necessary in the circumstances.”
Doctor Malcolm asserts that Panton’s recent statements put her in contempt of court. He warns that if she continues to disregard the High Court’s order, another contempt application will be filed against her. Regarding Shyne Barrow’s selection of standard bearers for the upcoming general election, Malcolm explained that reverting to the status quo before the October twentieth Unity Convention allows Barrow to choose his candidates.
Dr. Christopher Malcolm
Dr. Christopher Malcolm, Attorney-at-law
“She is in further contempt of court, in my view, because we had said that prior to then, she was, in our view, already in contempt, in my view, but as I say here, the question of whether there was a finding of contempt is ultimately a matter for the court to determine. We are of the view that by her actions and her conduct, she has done enough for there to be a proper application made to the court for contempt of court which the court can pronounce upon and if this behavior persists, we will have no option but to renew our application with a further application for contempt of court which I think would be justified. Mrs. Panton has had enough rope to hang herself. Nobody has sought to hang her, and she has been engaging in actions which, quite frankly, are unbecoming and show an utter disregard for the process of the court.”
Reporter
“Is your client operating within the realm of the law or is he, as Tracy Panton alleges, gone far beyond what he is permitted to do?”
Christopher Malcolm
“Let me answer by starting, the moment she introduces the word former, in relation to Mr. Barrow, shows you how misguided Mrs. Panton is, because there is nothing former about Mr. Barrow’s leadership in relation to the U.D.P. at this time. So we can start there and get that established. The other thing is, by reverting the status ante, the court has said that Mr. Barrow is not only the leader of the party, but empowered by reference to the U.D.P. constitution to do such things and acts as are appropriate for the proper functioning of the party which includes its preparations for the upcoming elections. So what Mr. Barrow is doing, the question that must be asked, is he doing anything that proper leader would not require which is to, among other things, ensure that the U.D.P. has the best chance possible to select candidates under his leadership who are best able to contest the elections. Is there anything wrong with doing those things? And the answer is absolutely no.”
News Five also sought the insights of political scientist Doctor Dylan Vernon on the ongoing U.D.P. infighting that’s unfolding in the courts. With an election on the horizon, we asked him whether he thinks the High Court should be involved in determining the legitimacy of the party’s leadership. Doctor Vernon also shared his thoughts on the possibility of the fractured party losing all thirty-one seats in the House of Representatives.
Isani Cayetano
“In terms of the U.D.P., there is currently a claim that is before the High Court with respect to the leadership of the party. Many would argue that that’s not necessarily the place for the court to determine how that proceeds. What do you think would be the effect of this should there be an actual election called prior to the court being able to determine who, in fact, is the leader of the U.D.P.?”
Dr. Dylan Vernon
Dr. Dylan Vernon, Political Scientist
“Well, if this happens, and I agree with you, because political parties are not registered in Belize there is no law, it seems to me, that a judge can look at and say well I will follow this. Maybe there’s precedence in other countries that could be followed, but what I think will happen if the court does not rule before the election is that we will have, unless the two parties, I mean they are scenarios, the two parties can come and say, okay we’ll still get together as one U.D.P. That’s one scenario. If it stays divided and tries to have candidates run in every constituency, then we’ll have a multi-party election and there could be other parties out there, smaller parties, and people are talking about the color of the ballots and all that, that to me is a trivial sort of, one: instead of having the colors being something that divides people, or maybe no red is used at all, they could use some other colors. I think that would be the responsibility of the Chief Elections Officer to decide. But we would have an election in that case where the U.D.P. and the Alliance for Democracy and other parties and the P.U.P. are all competing for seats. Understanding how politics works and how electoral politics works, the U.D.P. would be in an even worse position to lose all of the thirty-one seats, if that were the case, because you divide the so-called opposition in every constituency. Unless they have some agreement between themselves, okay I’ll run some in this constituency, you’ll run some in that constituency. So there are a lot of scenarios that can play out, so it’s hard to really predict, except to say [that] if the U.D.P. does not unite before the election then the chances of a thirty-one sweep is going to be much higher.”
