Benita Keme-Palacio - Greater Belize Media

Patrick Faber Pleads Not Guilty to Assault and Obstruction Charges

UDP’s Patrick Faber appeared before the Magistrate Court this afternoon, where he was arraigned with aggravated assault and obstructing a police officer. He pleaded not guilty to both offences.

Faber, 47, was granted bail of $1,000 with one surety and no conditions. He is represented by attorney OJ Elrington. The case was adjourned to June 24. Faber is said to be filing a counter-complaint.

The charges relate to an incident involving police officers during a traffic stop near the Bel-Can Bridge in the wee hours of Tuesday, April 29. Faber was accused of failing to stop at a checkpoint and was later intercepted on Buttonwood Bay Boulevard. Officers claim the vehicle he was driving was unlicensed and that he initially said his driver’s licence was at home.

Police escorted Faber to his Bay Street residence, where he later presented the licence. During the issuing of traffic tickets, PC Dante Smith alleges that Faber recorded him at close range, refused to step back, and acted in a threatening manner, actions which led to the assault and obstruction charges.

Patrick Faber Appears in Magistrate Court Over Alleged Assault of Police Officer

Patrick Faber appeared at the Belize City Magistrate Court this afternoon to face charges following a confrontation with police officers during a traffic stop near the Bel-Can Bridge in the wee hours of Tuesday. According to reports, Faber allegedly failed to stop at a checkpoint, which prompted officers to pursue and stop his vehicle on Buttonwood Bay Boulevard.

Police say the vehicle was unlicensed, and Faber initially claimed his driver’s licence was at home. Officers followed him to his Bay Street residence, where he later produced it. During the process of issuing traffic citations, one of the officers, PC Dantae Smith, alleges that Faber aggressively recorded him with a mobile phone at close range, refused to step back when asked, and made the officer feel threatened.

The incident was filmed and has circulated widely online. A formal complaint led to Faber’s arrest. Sources say Faber is filing a counter-complaint against the officer involved.

Faber was arrested after leaving a UDP press conference this afternoon in Belize City.

UDP’s Patrick Faber Arrested

Former United Democratic Party (UDP) Collet Representative, Patrick Faber, is in police custody after being accused with aggravated assault and obstruction of a police officer. The arrest follows an incident involving a heated exchange between Faber and a police officer at a checkpoint.

The confrontation, captured on video and circulating online, allegedly took place over a disputed traffic matter. Police say the officer involved, identified as Dantae Smith, filed a complaint leading to Faber’s detention.

Faber had just spoken at a UDP press conference at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel when police approached him. He left the venue in a private vehicle, followed by officers, and later presented himself at the Queen Street Police Station, where he was officially arrested and charged. Faber has been in police custody since.

According to internal police reports, Faber was informed of the allegations before being cautioned and taken into custody. While no official public statement has been made by authorities, sources say Faber is now filing a counter-complaint against the officer involved.

Faber left the Queen Street police station moments ago, and is appearing at the Magistrate Court in Belize City.

Father Accused of Raping 13-Year-Old Daughter

Police are investigating a case of incest involving a 13-year-old female in southern Belize.

According to the mother’s report, the incident involved the child’s father sexually abusing her daughter three different times in 2023.

The police have since launched an investigation. A medical examination is pending to confirm whether the child was “carnally known,” police reported.

Belize Maya Demands Return of Sacred Artefacts Including Human Remains

The British Museum is facing renewed calls to return cultural objects taken during colonial expeditions, this time from Belize. San Benito Poite, a small, village in southern Belize, has formally requested the return of human remains and artefacts taken from the ancient Maya city of Pusilha nearly a century ago, along with a $1 million BZD repatriation grant.

In a signed resolution addressed to the British Museum, San Benito Poite’s Alcalde Manuel Cucul and Village Chairman Richard Caal lay out seven key demands. These include the return of all human remains to Pusilhá for proper reburial. It also seeks the repatriation of carved stelae and altars that were previously removed from the area. The museum is asked to send back a selection of ceramic and lithic objects, with transportation costs covered by the institution. The letter requests a $1 million BZD grant to build and operate a visitor centre in Pusilhá to house and interpret the artefacts. A 10-year scholarship fund is also proposed, among others.

Between 1928 and 1931, British Museum expeditions, assisted by looter Thomas Gann, removed numerous artefacts from Pusilhá without the consent of the Maya people and in violation of archaeological standards. Items including stelae, altars, pottery, and human remains were taken, often damaged during extraction, with no proper documentation or inventory kept. The museum has since admitted it does not hold legal title to many of these objects, which remain unregistered and out of public view in storage.

15 lbs of ‘High-Grade Cannabis’ Sparks Internal Customs Investigation

Authorities have launched an investigation after a shipment containing 15 pounds of high-grade cannabis was intercepted at Customs earlier this month. The drugs were found in a consolidated shipment from the United States, the type typically sent through freight services in barrels.

According to reports, a customs officer inspecting the shipment reportedly received prior calls from two colleagues asking him to monitor a specific box, which they claimed contained bath and body products. Instead, the officer found bags of cannabis, not soap and lotions. He immediately reported it to his supervisor.

The officer who made the discovery has given a statement to police. The cannabis found is reportedly of top-tier quality, with a street value estimated in the hundreds of thousands of US dollars.

Police are investigating if this could be part of a wider, long-running smuggling operation.

National Defence Minister Takes Closer Look at Key Southern Coast Guard Base

Minister of National Defence and Border Security, Oscar Mira, continued his national tour of military facilities with a key stop at the Belize Coast Guard’s Forward Operating Base (FOB) on Hunting Caye, located in the remote south of the country.

The base, nestled within the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve, holds strategic importance. It serves as a frontline post in enforcing Belize’s maritime laws, carrying out vessel inspections, conducting search and rescue missions, and protecting vital marine resources.

In a statement, the ministry said that Minister Mira “received a capability briefing from the Sector Commander and observed an interoperability demonstration between the Coast Guard Drone Squadron and the 1st Fleet, showcasing coordination in maritime security and search and rescue operations.”

This area has been extensively reported as an ‘area of concern’ for illegal fishing, and Belizean fishermen are suspected of seeking illicit substances.

Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, joined the minister during the inspection.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Only Woman PM Returns to Power in 2025 Election

Kamla Persad-Bissessar was elected Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago after defeating the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) in a closely watched election on Monday.

The 73-year-old United National Congress (UNC) leader, who previously held office from 2010 to 2015, becomes the first person in the country’s history to return and remain the only woman to ever have led the twin-island Caribbean nation.

The vote follows the sudden resignation of former Prime Minister Keith Rowley and the short-lived appointment of Energy Minister Stuart Young, whose decision to call early elections backfired. The UNC, long weakened by internal rifts and past defeats, capitalised on growing public anger over crime, inflation, and political instability.

In her victory speech, Persad-Bissessar promised to raise public sector wages, reopen the long-delayed children’s hospital, expand job opportunities, and provide laptops to schoolchildren. “This victory is yours,” she told supporters, “and no one will be left behind.”

The PNM conceded late on Monday, with Rowley admitting the party had lost its grip. The new government faces immediate pressure to tackle rising violence and economic uncertainty.

Belize congratulated Persad-Bissessar in a social media post, stating, “The Government and People of Belize convey sincere congratulations to the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar on her election as the 9th Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.”

Who will be the New Pope?

The Vatican has announced that the conclave to elect the next Pope will begin on 7 May 2025, as the Catholic Church prepares to select its 267th Pontiff following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday.

The decision came after nearly 180 cardinals met for a fifth General Congregation. Just over 100 are eligible to vote. The conclave will be held behind sealed doors in the Sistine Chapel, which will be closed to visitors during the election process.

Cardinal electors will take a solemn oath to uphold secrecy and avoid external interference. They are barred from communication with the outside world and must reach a two-thirds majority to elect a new Pope. Ballots will be burnt after each vote—black smoke signals no result; white announces a new Pope.

This comes after the deeply moving farewell to Pope Francis, whose coffin rested with the Gospel open atop it, its pages turning in the breeze. Thousands, including world leaders and young pilgrims, gathered at St Peter’s Square to honour a pontiff.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis was elected on 13 March 2013, becoming the first Jesuit, the first Latin American, and the first pope to take the name of St Francis of Assisi. His papacy was marked by a focus on humility, compassion, and social justice. He championed the poor, urged action on climate change, and consistently called for peace, especially during times of global conflict, The Vatican News reported.

Belmopan Remembers Skyler Williams: ‘Devoted Father and Talented Cook’

Police are investigating the tragic death of well-known local businessman Skyler Williams, 34, who died in a motorcycle crash on Sunday evening in Belmopan.

Williams was riding along George Price Boulevard with a female passenger when they collided with an oncoming van while turning into the Golden Phoenix Supermarket. The van, driven by 47-year-old Teresa de los Angeles Reyes from Frank’s Eddy Village, struck the motorcycle on its front left side.

Williams suffered fatal head and body injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the Western Regional Hospital. A post-mortem examination is pending. Nicholson, who escaped with minor injuries, remains hospitalised with rib pain.

Local resident Chantel Petzold, who arrived at the scene just moments after the crash, told News 5 she was able to identify Williams when his mobile phone rang and displayed his photo. She stated that first responders took about 20 minutes to arrive. According to her, Williams was still alive at the scene, stating, “He fought for his life before they took him to the hospital.”

“She said he was giving her a ride, taking her home, and they were turning into the Chiney to go to the store, and the van was coming,” Petzold said the female passenger who was with Williams at the time told her. She added, “I guess, probably, he was trying to beat the turn before the van, and he slammed into the side of the van.”

Petzold described Williams as a joyful and loving person who was “never not happy… he was one of the best male cooks,” adding that he was “an exceptional dad.. When this guy talks about his children, you see a different glow in Skyler’s eyes… He was all about love.”

The crash has sparked an outpouring of grief online, where tributes continue to pour in for Williams, remembered not only as a successful businessman but also as a devoted father and talented cook, with one stating, “All of Belmopan will miss his delicious cooking.”

One social media user called Williams “an amazing father,” adding, “If we were to choose Father of the Year, your dad [Skyler Williams] would have gotten that award.”

While another user said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to all his friends and family during this difficult time. May you find comfort in knowing how much Skyler meant to so many people.”