Belize is taking a moment to say thank you to the thousands of men and women who keep our government running every single day. It’s Public Service Day, a time to recognize the dedication and hard work of those serving across ministries and departments. But the celebration doesn’t stop here, festivities will continue throughout the week, wrapping up with a big celebration. Minister of Public Service, Henry Charles Usher, shared a heartfelt message of gratitude for the people behind the public sector.
Henry Charles Usher
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service
“This is public service week. It runs the entire week. There is a series of activities countrywide. It started today with Ecumenical Services throughout the country. What they usually do on Tuesday is a public service march and then there are information sessions being set up in the different municipalities. On Thursday there is the award ceremony that we normally do for public officers who reach twenty-five years of service in the public service. But we also have certificates given out for our public officers who reach ten, fifteen twenty, twenty-five, thirty, up to thirty-five. I believe in September we are going to have the induction of those thirty-five year public service employee in the walk of fame that we have in Belmopan so that they can get their little space on that walk. Ti is certainly something I am honored to be a part of, because I recognize the work public servants have been doing, those who have been their for thirty years, thirty-five years giving up their entire working life to public service, we cant take that for granted and must acknowledge them. This is public service week and we want to have the public know what the public service is doing and what these officers are doing.”
Get ready, Belize—some serious volleyball action is coming your way. In less than a month, the country will play host to the Under-23 Women’s Central American Volleyball Championship, and it’s all happening right inside the Belize City Civic Center. So, if you’re a fan of fast serves, fierce spikes, and Team Belize pride, mark your calendars. We caught up with the President of the Belize Volleyball Association to hear how preparations are going and what fans can expect when the tournament kicks off.
Allan Sharp
Allan Sharp, President, Belize Volleyball Association
“As with the past few years we are hosting the U-23 Female Central American Championship. This is right next to the seniors, so we will have a lot of the big guns coming and a lot of the big guns we will have on our own. We have our own big guns. Five teams coming, but Nicaragua and Costa Rica says they cant make ti this time. So, in the case of Costa Rica, not a surprise we felt like they may not want to come again. But nevertheless, the other five countries will be here to battle. The teams arrive July eighteen and they depart on the twenty-fifth. That is a Friday to a Friday. The tournament will being on the twentieth, the Sunday the twentieth and it runs through Thursday. Two matches per day and you will see the information popping out because we are one month away. So that is what will happen.”
Good evening, Belize. I’m Paul Lopez, and welcome to your weekly dose of action on Sports Monday. We had a jam-packed weekend of sporting excitement, and we’re diving right into it. Let’s tip things off with week six of the Belize Premier Basketball League. The Belize City Thunderbolts were back on their home court Friday night at the Civic Center, facing off against the Capital City Kings. Now, outside it was all wind and rain—but inside, the Thunderbolts were bringing the heat, looking to settle the score after a tough loss to the Kings just a couple weeks ago in Belmopan. Let’s look at how that rematch played out.
Victor Evans taking Jayden Lopez all the way inside on the drive to put up the first basket of the game, and its an And-1. Jayden Lopez, responding on the other end with a three-pointer off the assist from Brandon Flowers. Five minutes in the first, the ball game is at eleven to three, the Kings down by seven points. Flowers with the layup to cut down the lead. Nisani Mendez shortly after with the step back and made three-pointer. Victor Evans on the other end, over Mendez from the arch. That is good. The first quarter ended with the Thunderbolts in the lead; twenty-two to fourteen points, an eleven points quarter for Evans. Shane Pratt here early in the second quarter, misses his first three-point attempt. John Kelly with the offensive rebound, finds Pratt again and that time the three is good. Twenty-two to nineteen, the Thunderbolts still in the lead.
And Evans responded immediately at the other end with a beautiful jump shot over Pratt. The first half ended thirty-nine to thirty-four, with the Thunderbolts still in the lead. They led from the start of the game up to this point. The Kings coming alive early in the third, Jevaughn Mckenzie makes a three. Flowers followed with a nice layup off the Mckenzie assist, again the Thunderbolt’s lead is cut to three points. Late in the third, with three minutes left on the clock. The ball finds Clency “Cope” Lopez at the three-point line and he extends his team’s lead to ten points, fifty-five to forty-five. The Thunderbolts went on an eleven-three run to end the third with eighteen points lead.
The Thunderbolts realized their largest lead of the game in the fourth quarter, twenty-five points lead. And it was all but over for the Kings at that point. They tried to claw their way back but were unfortunately unable to do so. Evans led the game with twenty-four points, while Mathew Young came out with twelve rebounds and eleven points for a double double. Brandon Flowers and John Kelly also had double double performing nights, with twelve points and thirteen rebounds and eighteen points and thirteen rebounds respectively. Also, the EZ Investment Dream Ballers brought down the Corozal Cerros Suns on Friday night, sixty-nine to sixty-three points. The Tiger Sharks are now six and zero after defeating the Punta Gorda Panthers eighty-to seventy-five on Saturday inside the Civic. On Sunday….
Now, that is enough for basketball, but as we said it was a rainy Friday night and Saturday across the country. But that did not stop football from playing in both the William Dawson Peace Cup and the Anthony Mahler Youth Football Tournament. The Yabra Greens was the stage for this weekend’s Peace Cup matchups. The mud and winds were no match for Ceasar Ridge FC and Graveyard FC. They came to play. Eleven minutes in, Lawnie Leslie timed the ball perfectly for a kick from outside the penalty box and through the legs of the goalkeeper. A tremendous effort from Leslie. Watch Leslie again on the left-wing sprinting towards the penalty box. Leslie connects in front of the goal and gives his team two goals to zero lead.
Fifty-nine minutes into this one, young Zebulon Leslie for Graveyard FC sprints down the left wing in similar fashion and celebrates one goal for his team. But Caesar Ridge would come back to score three additional goals, including this miss and recovery from Leslie for a hat-trick, his third goal of the match. CRFC won the game five goals to one. In the Youth football tournament Belize United’s youth team defeated the Reality Youth. Shae Gordon out the gate with back-to-back early goals for Belize United. Marques Martinez with a goal in the fourth minute for Reality Youths as well. Belize United won this one, three goals to one. Ladyville Rising Stars overcame Sampson Academy two goals to one. Fredrick Garbutt and Elton Anthony scored the goals for Ladyville, while Lloyd Burgess rose to the occasion for Sampson Academy. Well folks, that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one!
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority (KHMHA) has expressed support for an ex gratia payment to staff members employed between 2001, when KHMHA was formally established, and 2017, the year the hospital’s Provident Fund was created.
According to the KHMH, the proposed ex gratia payments, as outlined in a letter to the union dated June 20, 2025, aim to recognise the years of service by eligible staff prior to the creation of the fund. According to the proposal, payments will be made upon retirement, resignation, or release from service.
“This payment is in addition to other benefits every staff member accrues during the referenced period of employment and includes severance, social security benefits, vacation days, and provident fund benefits,” the KHMH said.
KHMHA also highlighted the comprehensive package of incentives currently available to staff, which includes hospital service discounts, free medical care, access to the staff and family clinic, group health insurance, study leave, meals, night transportation, various allowances, and concessionary staff loans.
While the union had requested a pension scheme, the Authority explained that such benefits are reserved for public officers covered under the Pensions Act and paid by the Government of Belize. Employees directly hired by KHMHA do not qualify under this system.
U.S. President Donald Trump declared what he described as a “Complete and Total” ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran, expressing hope that the truce will become permanent. He did so on social media.
The ceasefire is scheduled to begin in approximately six hours, allowing both nations to conclude ongoing military operations. According to Trump’s statement, the initial phase will last 12 hours, during which Iran will cease hostilities, followed by Israel joining the truce in the second 12-hour phase. At the 24-hour mark, the president said, “an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World.”
Neither Israel nor Iran has issued official confirmation of the ceasefire terms or its implementation timeline. Trump’s post stated that each side is expected to remain “PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL” during the other’s ceasefire window.
Vice President JD Vance, speaking moments after the announcement on Fox News, praised the development and said he had seen a draft of the ceasefire announcement shortly before it was published. “That’s good news, that the president was able to get that across the finish line,” Vance said, noting that Trump had been “working the phones” on the deal throughout the day.
Vance added that, due to U.S. military action, “Iran is incapable of building a nuclear weapon with the equipment they have, because we destroyed it.”
Police in Benque Viejo del Carmen are investigating the disappearance of 14-year-old Aurora Gonzalez, who was reported missing on Sunday morning. Gonzalez was last seen at her home. Her stepmother reported checking the minor’s bedroom around 9 o’clock in the morning and said the teen was gone.
According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, efforts to locate Gonzalez have proven fruitless, and police [are] seeking on person of Benque Viejo for questioning.
Police say locating him could be key to finding Aurora.
Gonzalez is described as fair-skinned, approximately 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing around 105 pounds.
Police urge anyone with information on the whereabouts of Aurora or Florentino Iglesias to contact the nearest police station or call Crime Stoppers at 922.
The countdown for the Miss Universe Belize 2025 crown officially began this morning with a launch ceremony featuring the five delegates competing for the national title. Over the coming days, the contestants will engage in a week-long series of jam-packed activities, all leading up to Saturday night’s coronation.
National Director of Miss Universe Belize, Destiny Arnold, says this year’s competition is tighter than ever. “I believe that this is the first year where I can honestly say that I don’t even know who are going to be in the top three,” Arnold said. “It’s really going to come down to those minor point deductions that are going to cost someone the crown.” She added, “You have to make sure that you are dotting your I’s and crossing your T’s and that you are very intentional with the execution of how you plan to win the crown.”
The week’s activities include visits with national leaders, rehearsals, photoshoots, excursions, and opportunities for the women to share their personalities with the public.
Current titleholder Halima Hoy reflected on her experience, stating that the journey has brought her many opportunities, not only for personal growth but also for advancing her platform in health.
“An advice to the new queen is to remember who you are in this journey, and that’s what a past queen did; she gave me that advice, and I will always hold it close to my heart because it is easy to get lost and forget who you are, so do things that you normally do, enjoy time with your family when you have time to do so, and just stay grounded in yourself,” she said.
The public is invited to attend Tuesday night’s Meet and Greet Fundraiser as well as the final episode of Becoming Her, airing on Wednesday.
The Belize Port Authority (BPA) and San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi have issued official statements in response to a viral video circulating on social media showing several passengers standing on the lower deck of a passenger vessel.
The Belize Port Authority confirmed awareness of the video and assured the public that passenger safety remains a top priority. It said that it continues to engage with vessel operators to ensure compliance with the country’s maritime safety standards, but also noted that vessel owners bear primary responsibility for the safety and well-being of all passengers aboard.
“Compliance with safety protocols is a shared obligation,” the BPA stated. “We encourage all operators to consistently uphold these standards.”
The public is encouraged to report any safety concerns by contacting BPA via telephone at 222-5666, the emergency line 966, or through their official social media channels.
In a separate public notice, San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi clarified the context of the footage. The company explained that the vessel shown is a double-deck craft, and that the passengers seen standing on the lower deck had temporarily moved from the upper level due to unexpected rainfall. This brief relocation, they said, led to a temporary gathering in the lower section.
The company asserted that all vessels display clear capacity limits, and are inspected daily and approved for dispatch by BPA representatives. “The video appears to have been shared with the sole intent of drawing media attention, rather than accurately representing the circumstances,” the notice added.
The Belize Fisheries Department announced that the 2025-2026 Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) season will officially open on July 1, 2025, and run through February 28, 2026.
The department urges all licensed fishers and members of the public to adhere strictly to the Fisheries Resources Act and its Subsidiary Regulations, which govern the sustainable harvesting of this vital marine species.
As part of its public advisory, the Fisheries Department outlined the following key regulations for the lobster fishery:
Minimum carapace length must be three inches.
Minimum tail weight must be four ounces.
It is illegal to possess soft-shell (moulting) lobsters or females carrying eggs (berried lobsters).
Tampering with egg-bearing females—including removing eggs, spawn, or the protective setae—is strictly prohibited.
Filleted or diced lobster tails are not allowed in any person’s or establishment’s possession.
Anyone witnessing illegal fishing activities is strongly encouraged to report them by calling 224-4552 or emailing Fisheries_department@fisheries.gov.bz.
A broad coalition of community, environmental, and tourism groups from Ambergris Caye has issued a united call for urgent government action amid growing frustration over what they describe as the mismanagement of Belize’s marine reserves, particularly the Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
In a joint statement released Monday, the Ambergris Caye Fishing Guide Association, San Pedro BTIA, Belize Flats Fishery Association, San Pedro Tour Operators Association, San Pedro Tourist Guide Association, North Ambergris Alliance, Green Reef Environmental Institute, the Ambergris Caye Citizens for Sustainable Development (ACCSD), and the San Pedro Town Council, including Mayor Wally Nuñez, expressed deep concern over government-approved developments they say are threatening critical marine habitats and livelihoods.
At the centre of their concerns is Cayo Rosario, located within the Conservation Zone of Hol Chan. Despite its protected status, the site faces the prospect of dredging, seabed destruction, and over-the-water construction by private developers. The coalition says such activities not only endanger vital ecosystems but also threaten Belize’s $200 million catch-and-release fly-fishing industry, which depends heavily on preserving habitat for species like the protected permit.
Equally troubling, they say, is recent bulkhead construction and dredging in front of the Mexico Rocks Marine Reserve. These projects, they claim, have proceeded without sufficient environmental assessments or meaningful public consultation.
The coalition is demanding: an immediate independent financial and operational audit of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve administration, covering the last five years of park fee collection and spending; legal action, including criminal charges where appropriate, if mismanagement or missing public funds are uncovered; the immediate resignation of Hol Chan’s Executive Director and Chairman of the Board for alleged failure to enforce protections and uphold the public interest; a new permitting system that requires formal approval from the local community for any proposed development projects; Public disclosure of official approvals from Hol Chan and the Belize Fisheries Department for all current and future developments within the reserve, with immediate halting of any project lacking proper documentation.
