Just three weeks ago, Prime Minister John Briceño quietly introduced what could become one of the most controversial pieces of legislation in recent memory, the Thirteenth Amendment Bill. On the surface, it’s about tightening the rules around declaring a state of emergency to tackle crime. But beneath that calm explanation, a storm is brewing. Union leaders are sounding the alarm, and the opposition is calling it downright sinister. Why now? Well, the timing is raising eyebrows, the bill comes hot on the heels of a High Court ruling that slammed a 2020 state of emergency as unlawful. And now, NTUCB Senator Glenfield Dennison is weighing in.
Glenfield Dennison, NTUCB Senator
”One teacher teach me in a primary school that when you lose the High Court, you go to a Court of Appeal and then after Court of Appeal you got a CCJ. They never teach me that when you lose the High Court you’re going to change the constitution to make it suit you. So that’s where we are with the 13th Amendment. The 13th Amendment is saying we recognize that we failed. We recognize that legal recourse, by virtue of appeal, will not likely be successful because there’s no evidence that you could take to the court of appeal that would convince those people that the SOE was properly in area. And if you do convince them, the law in the Caribbean is very clear about when you trigger SOE and the criteria. So when you go to the CCJ without any evidence, because you can’t add new evidence. No, you can’t change the game. You can’t say, oh, sorry, we need to give you the insight we never gave you at the High Court. So when they would’ve gone to the CCJ, the CCJ would’ve ruled it how they saw it, but I think they don’t see that game. You don’t need law, degree to realize what would have happened there. So they say, we have super majority, let’s change the law. And let’s, and this is, this is what frightens me. This is why I started with that little prose. Because today the proposal is to change the law to ratify the SOE action. But that can be a slippery slope.”
From the union halls to the halls of parliament, the Thirteenth Amendment is stirring up serious debate. This afternoon in Belize City, Opposition heavyweight Tracy Panton stepped up to the mic, leading a press conference to tackle what she called pressing national concerns. But the spotlight quickly turned to the controversial amendment. Opposition Senator Sheena Pitts didn’t hold back either, accusing the Briceño administration of trying to lower the bar for declaring a state of emergency.
Sharon Pitts, Opposition Senator
“ I said before, government is talentless. They cannot solve the crime problem. Instead, they are codifying the ability to suspend fundamental rights and freedoms, guised as prevention and control of crime. They openly, through this amendment, through legislation, accept that the state of emergencies that they imposed on Belizean people were unlawful and not consistent with the Constitution. So, since the court ruling, they change the Constitution, they say the two rulings are uncertain. You know what you do when you’re unhappy about a decision from the court, you appeal, go through the process that we have for appeal. But what does this bill intend to achieve? Because information is power, the Belizean public needs to know what is in this bill. They are creating new and lower thresholds for what constitutes a state of emergency. That is now the Governor General will need to be satisfied, simply satisfied on advice from the National Security Council on reasonable grounds that for public safety or public order in a specified area and for preventing, detecting or controlling crime in that area, a state of emergency exists. Now, what this bill is saying is that when that is declared, it will be declared for one month in the first instance by the GG but that it can be extended by resolution of the National Assembly for up to twelve months. Now, think of this, it takes a National Security Council to determine whether a state of emergency exists. Go to the GG and present that to her so that she can be satisfied to make such a declaration, but to extend it the National Assembly and the super majority could just say, yeah, it still exists we will extend it to another three months or another six months up to a year.”
Back to today’s press conference where the political heat wasn’t just about policy. We asked Leader of the Opposition Tracy Panton to weigh in on a growing controversy: a series of ads aimed at discrediting union leaders. Panton herself has become a target in the latest wave of productions, following a recent sit-down she had with a few union representatives. So, what does she make of it all? Here’s what she had to say.
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
“ It in my view, in our view, it is unnecessary. It is uncalled for. It is an attempt to intimidate. It is an attempt to cast aspersions against leaders in our country from political leaders, church leaders, union leaders who seek to defend the rights of citizens. Who forgot when the now Prime Minister put on his green T-shirt and got in the front of the line and marched with the teachers and promised them everything and the kitchen sink when he and his team became the government. And he will tell you oftentimes in the House, if you listen to House meetings, how much he loves teachers because his mother and his wife served in that profession. And so, I think that to use state resources to try and derail and try and to detract from the real issues, this country and people are experiencing really ought to stop. It will not derail the discussions we are having with the unions. They can scream and holler, but we will hold this administration to account.”
And while the headlines have been dominated by union demands and government responses, we took the conversation a step further, asking Opposition Leader Tracy Panton where she stands on the hot topic of tax hikes. Her response? Not so fast. Panton says before the Briceño administration even thinks about raising taxes, it needs to take a hard look at how it’s managing the country’s finances and where it can boost revenue without burdening Belizeans. Here’s how she broke it down.
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
”Absolutely not. We are not there yet. We must fix what is broken. We must stop the bloated contracts. We have to minimize the travel. I remember at one point under the Barrow administration; we were told you only go on absolutely necessary travel because what happens here at country must take precedent. The needs of the people must be placed first. When are we getting to get, as my colleague on my right side earlier, when are we going to get an accounting for the fifty-four million we floated as a bond, investing in the futures of tourism? When are we going to know how those money is spent and what impact those projects have had on our tourism economy and by extension, our wider economy. These are critical questions, and we can’t raise taxes until we are able to fix the system. The kind of hemorrhaging that continues, for example, at the customs department, the fact that we don’t collect taxes. At the Lands Department, there are lots of areas that require greater scrutiny and certainly trying to plug those loopholes, before we talk about increasing taxes.”
The Ministry of National Defence and Border Security is clearing the air after rumors began circulating about salary cuts for members of the Belize Defence Force (BDF). The Ministry says those claims are simply not true. A recent memo from the Ministry of Finance sparked confusion, but officials now explain it was part of an administrative fix, not a pay cut. The goal? To make sure all BDF salaries, promotions, and increments match the official 2019 pay scale, which has been in effect since June of that year.
Here’s what you need to know:
No BDF member will see a salary cut.
No one will have to repay any past overpayments.
Some soldiers were mistakenly placed on the wrong pay scale points — this correction fixes that.
There won’t be any back pay for those past errors.
And there’s some good news too: starting July 2025, BDF members will receive two new allowances, the Jungle and Maritime Allowance and the Bush Allowance, retroactive from May 2024.
Belize is on high alert as the New World Screwworm continues to spread across the country. First confirmed back in January, the parasitic outbreak has now led to one hundred and sixty reported cases, affecting communities from the deep south in Toledo to as far north as Orange Walk. Chief Veterinary Officer Doctor Roxana Alvarez shared the latest update, revealing that thirty-five communities in Toledo alone have been impacted, along with dozens more in Cayo, Stann Creek, Belize, and Orange Walk Districts. While the Ministry of Agriculture has launched an aggressive surveillance and treatment campaign, new cases in Orange Walk over the past two weeks have prompted ongoing investigations.
Dr. Roxana Alvarez, Chief Veterinary Officer
“New World Screwworm was confirmed in Belize in early January 2025. Since then, we have had a cumulative total of a hundred and sixty cases. This started in Crique Sarco, in the Toledo District and has spread across southern and central Belize. At the end of epidemiological week 24/25, June 14th 2025, or last Saturday, we had thirty-five communities affected in the Toledo District, five in the Stann Creek District, twenty-nine communities in the Cayo District, four in the Belize District and four communities in the Orange Walk District. The case distribution is as follows: Toledo – ninety cases; Stann Creek – five. Cayo – fifty-seven; Belize District – five, and the Orange Walk District – two. Within the past two weeks, two cases have appeared in the Orange Walk District and the epidemiological investigation is ongoing. The delimited surveillance area is approximately three miles surrounding the affected establishments. Epidemiological investigation includes interviews, inspection of animals, treatment of all wounds found on animals in the area. So far, no additional cases have been found in the Orange Walk District and the investigation is ongoing.”
While livestock have been the primary focus, Belize’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Doctor Roxana Alvarez, is now sounding the alarm about a sharp rise in cases among pets, especially dogs. As of June fourteenth, over fifty dogs have been affected, with twenty new cases reported in just the past month. What’s even more alarming is that many pet owners aren’t spotting the infestation until it’s too late—when large, painful wounds have already formed. Authorities are urging the public to inspect their pets regularly and treat this pest with the seriousness it deserves.
Dr. Roxana Alvarez, Chief Veterinary Officer
“Extremely concerning for us is that there is a marked increase in New World Screwworm cases in pets, particularly in dogs. On June fourteenth, we had fifty-nine cases in cattle, fifty-four cases in dogs, twenty-three cases in pigs, seventeen cases in horses, five cases in sheep, and two cases in goats. Of our one hundred and sixty cumulative cases, fifty-five are active cases with wounds in the process of healing. Notably, in the past four weeks, we have had twenty new cases in dogs. Even more concerning is that the owners of these dogs seem not to be aware of when infestation occurs and only notice when there is a large, gaping wound. We are calling on all pet owners to carefully inspect their dogs and cats as diligently as small stock and livestock producers are doing. The response from producers has been positive and the spread of New World Screwworm in Belize has not been as significant as that of other Central American countries. We continue to urge producers, pet owners and the public not to take this detrimental pest lightly.”
Belize’s sugar industry is facing a bitter blow this season, as the impact of Fusarium disease proves far worse than expected. Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai says the numbers tell a troubling story, sugarcane production is down by over one hundred and forty thousand tons compared to last year, and the country may not even hit the nine-hundred-thousand-ton mark. To make matters worse, the price per ton has plummeted, dropping from eighty-seven dollars last year to just fifty-four dollars this season. That’s a twenty-five percent decrease, translating to a staggering fifty-three-million-dollar shortfall in revenue. With rains threatening to cut the crop season even shorter, the industry is bracing for a tough road ahead.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“It is worse than we expected. We monitor the reports of the production being delivered to the mill weekly and we look at what is in the field. Just for you to have an idea, in 2024, the production estimate was 1.19 million tons of sugarcane. Our estimate this year is 1.045 million tons. That’s a hundred and forty-five thousand tons less than what was estimated. But as deliveries continue, as deliveries continue, the cane delivered in 2024, last year, was 1.043 million tons. Round it off to a million tons delivered last year. So, this year, we said that we could estimate, based on the assessment of the field, nine hundred thousand tons. So that’s a hundred and forty-three thousand tons less than last year. As of six o’clock this morning, the amount of sugarcane milled was eight hundred and fifty-nine thousand, six hundred and twenty-five tons. So, we haven’t even reached the nine hundred-thousand-ton mark, and I don’t think that it may be easy to reach the nine hundred-thousand-ton mark. So, up to this morning, we’re at eight hundred and fifty-nine thousand. If the rains continue for another two days, I don’t think the crop will be able to continue. The estimate price per ton of cane was ninety dollars and twenty-three cents. So, we already see that that’s a drop of twenty-five dollars there for the price being paid. From eighty-seven dollars last year to fifty-four dollars this year, based on the last estimate. That’s a twenty-five percent drop in price per ton. So, in total revenue, last year one hundred and sixty-three million, five hundred and fifty-one thousand dollars was generated. Today, at nine hundred thousand tons which we will not reach, the total revenue is estimated at a hundred and ten million dollars. That’s a shortfall of fifty-three million dollars.”
The Trump administration’s push for global tariffs is shaking up trade around the world. Countries are scrambling to respond without triggering a full-blown trade war. Back in May, the U.S. hit pause on tariffs for over seventy-five nations, giving them a ninety-day window to negotiate. But now, that grace period is closing fast. Earlier this month, Washington issued a new ultimatum: submit trade deal offers or face the tariff hammer. While the global economy holds its breath, Belize may have a bit more room to exhale. Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Christopher Coye, says CARICOM is in talks with the U.S., and Belize isn’t expected to take a major hit.
Christopher Coye
Christopher Coye, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance
“What I understood in discussions with government officials. Basically that we fall off until July. We basically sit tight until July as that ninety-day period expires. That ninety-day period was to provide an opportunity for the US realtor to negotiate and seek to conclude arrangements with their main trading partners, the top twenty trading partners, Belize or even Belize, as a part of Ka, the entirety of Kako actually. It does not rise to the level of that top twenty. So when that time comes, I believe it’ll be more of a discussion between the US and more so than just us and Belize.”
Schools may be out for the summer, but for forty bright young minds across Belize, the excitement of a new academic journey is already in full swing. This morning in Belize City, the non-profit organization Pathlight lit up the future for students at every level, primary, secondary, and even tertiary, by awarding them academic scholarships. But this isn’t just about tuition; it’s about transforming lives. With a focus on holistic support, Pathlight is helping these students not only succeed in school but also build the skills they’ll need to thrive in their careers. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
For nearly two decades, one organization has been quietly transforming lives across Belize, one student at a time. Pathlight, a proudly Belizean-led non-profit, has spent the last eighteen years opening doors to education for students bursting with potential but lacking the resources to reach it. But their mission goes far beyond just getting students into classrooms. As CEO Luwani Cayetano explains, it’s about equipping them with the tools to succeed, not just in school, but in life. Here’s more in this inspiring story.
Luwani Cayetano
Luwani Cayetano, C.E.O., Pathlight
“We wrap them up with love and support to make sure that they stay in high school. And what does that mean? That means that we support with the tuition and fees, but we also make sure that they have the uniforms, the books, the backpacks. Food if they need it, because we know some of our households are really struggling when it comes to food. But then, you’re in high school and your life becomes chaotic and your family might become a little bit chaotic. And so we give tutoring and counseling with the intention that if we wrap around this student with all this love and all this support, that they will thrive.”
This year, Pathlight distributed forty scholarships to students across Belize. At just sixteen years old, Alexandra is already proving that hard work and determination can open doors. Fresh off her graduation from Pallotti High School, she’s now a second-time recipient of the Pathlight scholarship, a testament to her academic drive and the support that’s helping her reach new heights. She is on her way to Saint John’s Junior College, where she will be majoring in Biology and Chemistry.
Alexandria Mai
Alexandria Mai, Scholarship Recipient
“Everything has just been amazing, and it’s an indescribable experience because I’m not sure if you were listening to the speech earlier, but students don’t only receive financial aid for high school, but we receive a multitude of different stuff. So here at Pathlight we get tutoring, we get different depending on like your academic standpoint. Of course, that’s what I said, the tutoring. You get a lot of mental, social and psychological support here. So if you ever feel a little bit mentally drained, students at PATH that have the opportunity to get counseling. We also have our own personal mentors who like, are basically our second parents here. We get to communicate with them in all matters. If you tell them, okay, like maybe I’m struggling with school or struggling at home. Like they’re not only here for school. Like they’re here for everything.”
The scholarship is highly competitive, as Pathlight conducts a thorough assessment to ensure that students have both high academic potential and high financial needs. After meeting those requirements, applicants are brought in for an interview.
Erica Clother-Joseph
Erica Clother-Joseph, Director, Sponsorship Plus Program, Pathlight
“At that stage, they get a reading assessment, a math assessment, and they. Have an interview with a panel, and from that we determine who would be the scholars that we select for this year. When it comes to our tertiary program, our tertiary scholarships are for students existing in the program already. So our associates degree scholarships are given to students who are graduating from high school this year or Bachelor’s degree or Associate’s degree students that graduated this year. “
With nearly five hundred graduates now proudly calling themselves Pathlight scholars, the organization is creating a powerful network of educated professionals across Belize. K’lynne Hyde, who will be attending Edward P, York High School. Hoped to become a pediatrician in the future,
K’lynne Hyde
K’lynne Hyde, Scholarship Recipient
“I feel proud, glad, and happy that they chose me. And going into high school now on a Pathlight scholarship, I’m proud that I have them to work along with me and my mother. Going into first form.”
Britney Gordon
“Is this your first time receiving the Pathlight light scholarship?”
K’lynne Hyde
“Yes, ma’am.”
Britney Gordon
“So what was it like when you and your mom got the news that you got accepted and you’re going to be receiving it?”
K’lynne Hyde
“I was very happy. I went home and I tell everyone in the house.”
The work of Pathlight is crucial, but it is not easy. The NGO invites all businesses and members of the public with a passion for education to reach out with potential partnerships so that they can continue giving the gift of learning for many years to come. Britney Gordon for News Five.
