Brianna Bennett - Greater Belize Media

Cow Pen Man Killed in Bicycle Dispute

A tragic and shocking incident out of Cow Pen Village; police say a man was killed over something as simple as a bicycle. The victim, Carlos Garvin, was found lifeless in front of a liquor store on Friday night, the result of a fatal chop wound to the upper body. Authorities say the attacker was armed with a machete. So, what led to this deadly confrontation? Here’s what police know so far.

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“On July twelfth about seven twenty-eight p.m. based on information received police discovered the lifeless body of Carlos Garvin near a local liquor establishment in the said village. The victim sustained fatal chop wounds in the upper body. Preliminary investigation revealed that the attack may have been motivated over a bicycle. Police subsequently apprehended the suspect and charges will be laid today.”

Reporter

“Any alcohol involved?”

Dr. Richard Rosado

“We have not ascertained that as yet but we do know the incident happened near a local liquor establishment.”

American Arrested for Shipping Guns and Ammunition into Belize

A major bust at the northern border has landed a U.S. national with Belizean roots in serious trouble. Authorities say the man was arrested after a shipment inspection on Friday uncovered three firearms, multiple magazines, and over a thousand rounds of ammunition. According to Commissioner of Police, Doctor Richard Rosado, the suspect had already arrived in Belize through the PGIA before the shipment was flagged. Tonight, we take a closer look at what led to this arrest and what charges the individual could be facing.

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“On the twenty seventh of June during a routine custom inspection at the northern border led to the discovery of an undeclared dutiable in a shipment. Upon further examination on July eleventh, in the presence of the owner, custom officers subsequently discovered three firearms, several magazines and approximately one thousand, three hundred rounds of ammunition. This subsequently led to the arrest of Darnane Garcia for illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition. The individual that was detained is a U.S. national but his parents are Belizean. From our information he was returning home. And, he arrived in Belize through the PGIA on July eleventh and subsequently went to collect his items at the northern border which was shipped before his arrival in Belize.”

Reporter

“He is a U.S. armed veteran I believe?”

Dr. Richard Rosado

“We have not confirmed that as yet, but I highly doubt it.”

Police Bust 70-Year-Old With 133 Pounds of High-grade Cannabis

A routine checkpoint stop in northern Belize turned into a major drug bust over the weekend. Police say they discovered more than 133 pounds of high-grade cannabis stashed in the trunk of an SUV. The driver? Seventy-year-old Eric Duhaney, who’s now facing serious charges for possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply. Commissioner of Police, Doctor Richard Rosado, shared more details about the bust and how it all unfolded.

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“On the twelfth of July about nine p.m. at the northern border checkpoint, police responded to a custom request where vehicle driven at the time by seventy-year-old Eric Duhaney was search which led to the discovery of a hundred and thirty-three pounds of high grade cannabis. Duhaney was subsequently detained and charged for possession of control drugs with intent to supplier to another.”

Reporter

“Is he a known peddler?”

Dr. Richard Rosado

“Not to my knowledge.”

Police Report Crime Drop, Except Up North

Today, top brass from across the country gathered in Belmopan for the Belize Police Department’s second-quarter COMPSTAT meeting. Held at the National Police Training Academy, the session brought together senior commanders to crunch the numbers, track crime trends, and fine-tune strategies to tackle violence and improve public safety. According to Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa, there’s good news; major crimes are down compared to this time last year. But not everywhere. The northern region saw a slight uptick, prompting fresh discussions on how to respond.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs & New Growth Industries

“COMPSTAT also affords us the opportunity to strategize most importantly based on the crime trends that we are seeing in particular areas obviously with a greater focus on the utilization of innovation and technology the allocation of our resources, patrols in hotspots in the country especially in Belize city right now that we are seeing a spike in gang violence over the last two or three weeks and so that was in essence the purpose of the COMPSTAT this morning in terms of the murder statistics for this very same period. In certain situations retaliation can be expected and so that is one of those scenarios that can definitely result in an optic in the crime statistics increasing gang tensions increasing violence and retaliation because it only takes one murder to result in three four five six. We do have the influence of a cartel so to speak narcotraffickers influencing crime in that northern region which is why government has made it a point to focus our resources in that northern area each and every year and it is expected toward the later part of this year that we have a significant increase in the amount of resources dedicated specifically to the northern region because as you know each year for the last three years the government has allocated between eight hundred thousand to a million dollars but we see where there is greater need for resources there because of the type of networking that the narcotraffickers are having with the Belizean players on the Belizean side.”

Top Cop Pushes Unity to Tackle Crime

Commissioner of Police Doctor Richard Rosado is putting relationships at the heart of crime-fighting. At today’s COMPSTAT meeting, he emphasized the need for stronger bonds, not just within the police force, but with the communities they serve. Doctor Rosado says teamwork and collective decision-making among commanders are key to transforming how the department tackles crime. But he also acknowledged a major challenge: investigating gang-related violence, where victims and suspects often come from the same tight-knit neighborhoods, making witnesses hesitant to speak out.

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“Today we had the opportunity indeed to review our achievement discuss our challenges and find new opportunities on how we can address the growing or evolving stress of crime we have indeed seen a downward trend in major crimes and for the first six months murder is down by twenty nine percent when compared to the same period last year. First of all as a commissioner of the police my first few months have focused on establishing a vision of transparency, accountability, a stakeholder centric approach I believe my leadership style has been transformational yet inclusive racing collective input adapted decision making and engagement and I think our commanders now feel more empowered more motivate in moving the department forward to address the many challenges we face in the department.”

UB Union Plans to get Subvention by any Means Necessary

Tensions are heating up between the University of Belize and the Government, and it all comes down to a ten-million-dollar promise that’s been left hanging for nearly a decade. The UB Faculty and Staff Union says they’ve waited long enough, and now, they’re drawing the line. At a recent NTUCB solidarity rally, UBFSU President Julianne Pasos didn’t mince words, she says the university is underfunded, staff morale is slipping, and the union is ready to do whatever it takes to get that long-overdue subvention delivered.

Julianne Pasos, President, UB Faculty & Staff Union

“Our faculty and staff are demoralized at this point, and they do want to. The nine percent is ten years coming. In 2015 when we got our five percent, I just got an email that reminded me that at that point we were negotiating for fourteen percent and we only got five and we did not get the additional nine percent. So this is long in the making, so our faculty and staff are really going to do whatever it takes to get it. And so they, I just have to say, be prepared for whatever.”

Reporter

“Even if that means pushing school back>”

Julianne Pasos

“I don’t know. I can’t say, you know, and honestly, at the cabinet meeting on Teusday, we plan to be out there for that meeting on, and I invite the students to come and join us because doesn’t only impacted faculty and staff, but it also impacted students. So I invite the students to come join us and the public come on. It affects all of us there. What affects our national university affects the entire country of Belize. At this this point, I believe you’re aware of the last stand, the issuing that came out. We are calling on a meeting for requesting a meeting with the Minister of Education and the Minister of Finance to discuss the subvention for the university. That meeting has been postponed to hopefully next week after the meeting with Cabinet. We have been informed the issue of the university subvention will be tabled on the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. So hopefully we make some headway after that.”

BNTU Demands Allowances and Tax Write Offs for Teachers

After six weeks of back-and-forth negotiations, the Belize National Teachers’ Union has finally struck a deal with the government, a two-year, four-point-five percent salary adjustment and increment plan is now on the table. It wasn’t easy. The B.N.T.U. leaned on the strength of solidarity from other unions, and with over three thousand, five hundred members casting their votes, the majority said yes to the government’s offer. But not everyone’s celebrating. Some members of the public are calling it a sellout. B.N.T.U. President Nadia Caliz isn’t having it. She told us the fight is far from over as the union now shifts focus to the long-awaited Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Nadia Caliz, President, Belize National Teachers’ Union

“The public senator accused the unions of selling off. But if you look at what is happening here today, union members are here, where are they? Where are the keyboard warriors? Where are all of those who are accusing us of collecting IES from the government? Where are they for this change to take place, it’ll take every single Belizean, even the keyboard warriors to play their part. But when you start that kind of narrative, you the same movement. You want to see take life through your language, whatever you write, whatever you say, you kill it. But as a leader, I stay true to the cause and I ensure that my members understand what is the cause. Because the cause starts with them. We are gonna submit our proposals. One of the things I’m looking at for my teachers happens to be the resource allowance. They spend a lot of money out of their pockets for the classrooms, and we want two things with that. We want that they’re given an allowance either in July of every year or monthly for those resources. The other thing that we want for them. Is that they can use those receipts for the things that they acquire to file against their taxes. So all of that we have in it. Then you have the longevity award. If you are on a particular point, if you’re at the end of the pay scale, let me say for three years, then at the end of the third year you can apply for a longevity award, which is equal to an entire year’s increment. And for the public service, they get to do that three times. For educators, we are only once, so through this medium, we need to change that. So, so that it can match it. And a lot of things that we see public servants being given the BNTU is now looking at mirroring that.”

New JPAC Members Named in Senate Push for Accountability

There’s a renewed push for transparency and accountability in government spending. In the upper house, Government Senator Eamon Courtenay moved a motion to finalize the makeup of the Joint Public Accounts Committee, or JPAC. The committee, which plays a key role in overseeing how public funds are used, will now include nine members: six from the House of Representatives and three from the Senate’s social partner senators. On the House side, names like Julius Espat, Kareem Musa, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia and Godwin Haylock are on the list. And now, the Senate has nominated Senators Kevin Herrera, Glenfield Dennison, and Janelle Chanona to round out the team.

Eamon Courtenay, Senator for Government Business

“Madame President, I move that whereas Standing Order 73A of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives provides that the Joint Public Accounts Committee shall consist of nine members, as follows: six members nominated by a committee of selection to consist of four members who support the government and two members who will not support the government, unless they are now members or insufficient members of the House of Representatives who do not support the government, and three members nominated by the President of the Senate from among the social partner members of the senate. And, whereas on the twelfth of May, 2025 when the House of Representatives appointed the following six members to serve on the Joint Public Accounts Committee: Lee Mark Chang, Julius Espat, Kareem Musa, Kevin Bernard, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, and Godwin Haylock. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the senate nominates Senator Kevin Herrera, Senator Glenfield Dennison, and Senator Janelle Chanona to be the social partner members in the Joint Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives.”

It’s a significant move toward keeping government spending in check and making sure every tax dollar counts.

Belize Defends Taiwan’s Sovereignty in Senate Show of Unity

Taiwan took center stage in the Senate as both sides of the aisle came together in a rare show of unity. Government Senator Eamon Courtenay and Opposition Senator Patrick Faber delivered strong statements in support of Taiwan’s right to self-determination and Belize’s long-standing friendship with the island nation. Courtenay called on China to adopt a more mature and enlightened approach, urging an end to threats and pressure against Taiwan. Meanwhile, Faber echoed that support, highlighting Belize and Taiwan’s thirty-six-year diplomatic relationship built on shared values like democracy, human rights, and mutual respect. It was a powerful moment of bipartisan solidarity on the international stage.

Eamon Courtenay, Senator for Government Business

“We call on the People’s Republic of China to have a more mature and a more enlightened posture with respect to Taiwan. Simply put, the people of Taiwan have a right to self-determination. They have a right to determine their future, they have a right to determine that they wish to exist as a country, separate from the People’s Republic of China. And we call on the People’s Republic of China to desist from the threats and the use of force, and the threats of the use of force in relation to Taiwan and, in fact, to remove its obstacle to Taiwan fully participating in the international organizations of which Belize is a member.”

Patrick Faber, Lead Opposition Senator

“I rise on behalf of the opposition to give my full and unwavering support to this important motion, a resolution that affirms Belize’s commitment to democracy, freedom and the unbreakable bond of friendship with the people and government of Taiwan. Belize and Taiwan have shared thirty-six years if strong and meaningful diplomatic ties, but more than that, we have shared a partnership built on mutual respect and shared values, the belief in human rights, self-determination and democratic government. These are not abstract ideals, they are principles that shape our daily lives and strengthen the foundation of our nation.”

Warrants Waived? 13th Amendment Raises Red Flags

Lawmakers are pushing the Thirteenth Amendment Bill, calling it a bold step to crack down on crime. But critics say it could come at a steep cost: your constitutional rights. If passed, the amendment would give the government sweeping powers to declare ‘special areas’—zones where police could search, seize, and arrest without a warrant. It also proposes a brand-new Gun and Gang Court and aims to retroactively validate past states of emergency, even those already ruled unconstitutional by the courts. Supporters, including Police Commissioner Doctor Richard Rosado, say it’s a necessary move to keep communities safe. But legal experts and human rights advocates are sounding the alarm, warning that this could open the door to government overreach.

Darrel Bradley, Attorney-at-law

“I’m very concerned with that and I do not support it. And the reason I don’t support it is because you cannot deal with fundamental changes in one sense and not deal with structural changes in the other and that type of power in a system overall that has inequalities and structural problems can inure to the detriment of certain element of society which we’ve oftentimes punished. So the face of crime in Belize, not that we don’t have a serious crime situation and we need policing and so forth. But those kinds of fundamental changes to our constitution and our democratic must be one within the context of other structural changes that rebalances the negative harm. So when you’re talking about those serious types of powers, it’s actually dangerous.”