In connection with the attempted murder of Andrews Muns and the murder of Clint Castillo on Saturday, July 6, 2024, police have formally arrested and charged 22-year-old Jamal James Hyde, a Belizean construction worker from the Cayo District, with two counts of abetment to murder.
Thirty-nine-year-old Castillo collapsed and died after he was shot in the face shortly before eleven on Saturday night in Cotton Tree Village.
Guyana’s National Assembly recently passed the Criminal Law Procedure (Paper Committals) Bill 2024, marking a significant change in the country’s legal system by eliminating lengthy preliminary inquiries (PI). The bill, presented by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC, aims to replace traditional oral preliminary inquiries with paper committals. This shift is expected to streamline judicial processes, reduce case backlogs, and alleviate the burden on the prison system.
Under the new legislation, instead of conducting oral hearings with witnesses present, paper committals will involve a review of written evidence and arguments submitted by both the prosecution and defense. This method, already in use in other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, promises efficiency and expediency, addressing issues of prolonged remand periods and ensuring fair trials within reasonable time frames.
Google Translate has recently expanded its language offerings to include 110 new languages, among them Zapotec, Nahuatl, Maya Yucateco, and Qʼeqchiʼ. These additions reflect Mexico’s rich linguistic diversity, where 68 Indigenous languages are spoken by 7.5 million people. However, nearly 300 Indigenous languages in Mexico are at risk of disappearing.
This enhancement is significant for efforts to preserve minority languages, crucial for Mexico’s Indigenous communities. Zapotec, for instance, with over 50 distinct languages, primarily spoken in Oaxaca by approximately 425,000 people, is part of this initiative. Nahuatl, spoken by about 1.7 million Nahua people in Central Mexico, and Qʼeqchiʼ, used by the Maya people across Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, are also now supported.
Google’s expansion aims to support the world’s 1,000 most spoken languages, benefiting over 614 million speakers globally, or about 8% of the world’s population. This effort utilises advanced AI models like PaLM 2, trained on multilingual texts, which enhances translation accuracy across diverse linguistic contexts.
Currently, Google Translate supports 243 languages at varying proficiency levels, underscoring its commitment to linguistic inclusivity and accessibility worldwide.
We start off tonight with a report of a fatal shooting incident that left a man dead and another in critical condition and paralyzed. The attack happened on Saturday night in Cotton Tree Village, which is one of the communities that the State of Emergency covers. The incident was sparked by an argument among friends and quickly escalated into gun violence when the deceased went out to see what was taking place. He was the first to be shot, then the other man, who attempted to run away. The shooter and the men were reportedly having a few drinks when the altercation happened. News Five’s Marion Ali visited Cotton Tree Village and brought back this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The bloodstained spot on the dirt road is where thirty-nine-year-old Clint Castillo collapsed and died after he was shot in the face shortly before eleven on Saturday night. He was asleep on a sofa in one of the homes when he heard a ruckus outside and went out to investigate what was happening. A group of friends who were drinking on the street got into an argument and Castillo stepped in to deescalate the situation. But it didn’t.
One of the men produced a handgun and shot Castillo at close range, before turning the weapon on the man with whom he had the dispute, Andrew Muns. Andrew Muns is reportedly paralyzed and in a critical condition in the K.H.M.H. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero shares what the police have gathered so far.
A.C.P. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“On Saturday, the sixth day of July 2024, about 10:50 p.m., police responded to a shooting incident at Cutting Tree Village. Upon the arrival, they learned that two persons had been shot. They were identified as Clint Castillo and Andrew Muns. Information is that these persons were along with other persons in the area when an argument started between them. One of the persons then pulled out a firearm and fired shots towards him. Causing the fatal injuries to claim Castillo. Andrew Muns remains at the hospital in critical condition. They were hanging out drinking together and at some point, an argument began between them. Uh, we are not sure what the argument was about.”
Castillo’s sister, Anna Middleton, tells News Five that gun violence and tragedy have revisited the family just four months apart.
Anna Middleton, Sister of Clint Castillo
“We’re just getting over mourning our brother that they killed March 4th, 2024, Cruz Castillo. We are trying to get over him and they did this to us. Clint Castillo, within four months, I have to be here planning another brother’s funeral. Clint was a sweet, funny dude. He – the only thing we had with him was the drinking, and I wa miss ah. Clint wasn’t a criminal. He wasn’t; just the drinking. They had problem with him.”
Anna Middleton
“From the time we buried Cruz Castillo, we have always told him, I said, Clint, find somewhere else to live, move out of that village. They’re coming, they will come out to you. They will come out to you because of our brother’s reputation. So every two weeks they be calling me, Anna. Clinton get into and I’d be like, Oh my goodness, my brother when I, when we check into it, he’s not in the wrong. People is always attacking him when he’s drunk. I’m hearing they had an altercation two weeks ago when that same, I think they said the said dude end up punching my brother in his mouth.”
Police have detained one man and are seeking a second in connection with the incident. Clint Castillo would have turned forty next month. Marion Ali for News Five.
Tonight, a father who claims he was keeping a loaded gun for the protection of his family is on remand at the Belize Central Prison. He is forty-five-year-old Ernie Zelaya, who was charged with keeping an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Reports are that on Friday, July fifth, at around twelve thirty a.m., police were conducting mobile patrol on the Phillip Goldson Highway between Miles seven and eight in Ladyville Village when the officers encountered a taxi with no lights on the highway, belonging to Zelaya. The officers instructed the vehicle to pull over and upon search, they discovered a rusty, three-eighty pistol and three live rounds of ammunition, for which he failed to produce a license. Today, in court, Zelaya, who appeared unrepresented, initially pleaded guilty to the offenses, stating that he only kept the gun for the protection of his and his family’s life, which he claims is under threat by a gang member in his neighborhood. Court proceedings were put on pause after Zelaya broke down crying and his family members phoned to calm him. The sitting magistrate asked Zelaya if he understood the offenses he was pleading guilty to. Zelaya was informed that a fine would not be imposed and that he would be going to jail. After the break, Zelaya changed his guilty plea to not guilty. However, due to the nature of the offenses, no bail could be granted and Zelaya was remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until August twenty-fourth, 2024.
Tonight, a thirty-three-year-old man is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after being charged for the rape of a sixty-year-old woman inside her home. He is Samuel Bernardez, who appeared in court today and was read a single charge of rape. Allegations are that on July third, 2024, at about four a.m., a resident of southside Belize City heard a noise outside her window and upon investigating, spotted a man she recognized to be Bernardez. She further told police that he pretended to leave her residence, however, after she exited her home to seek help, she was dragged back into her home, attacked and raped. Bernardez appeared unrepresented in court today where he was arraigned. Due to the nature of the offense, no plea was taken. However, Bernardez was allowed to plea for bail to be granted to him, to which he stated that he would like to report to work. Unconvinced by his reason, the magistrate upheld the prosecution’s objection to bail and agreed that the safety of the victim must be considered. Bernardez was denied bail and remanded into custody at the Belize Central Prison until September seventeenth, 2024.
The first major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Beryl, was historic.
Hurricane Beryl has affected numerous countries and territories, including Barbados, the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), and Trinidad and Tobago. As of July 4th, the storm has tragically caused ten fatalities across the Caribbean—three in Grenada, SVG, and Venezuela, respectively, and one in Jamaica—alongside five reported missing.
On July 1, Beryl made landfall on Grenada’s Carriacou Island, unleashing its fury as a Category 4 hurricane. Fueled by unusually warm ocean temperatures, Beryl underwent remarkably rapid and unexpected strengthening.
It quickly surged to become the earliest Category 4 and Category 5 hurricane ever recorded, surpassing Hurricane Dennis in 2005.
Beryl also broke records by becoming the earliest Category 5 hurricane by over two weeks and ranks as the third earliest major hurricane recorded in the Atlantic. Only two storms, Alma in 1966 and Audrey in 1957, formed earlier in the season.
Beryl became the earliest June major hurricane to develop east of the Lesser Antilles, surpassing Hurricane Audrey’s 1957 record. Its wind speeds dramatically escalated from 65 mph on June 29 to 130 mph on June 30, a rapid intensification of 95 mph in just 42.5 hours.
Hurricane Beryl shredded through the Caribbean after making landfall on Grenada’s Carriacou Island as a powerful Category 4 hurricane on July 1. Beryl’s destruction of Carriacou and Petite Martinique is unimaginable. It is, however, real. Officials painted a grim picture: almost every structure on the islands, where 9,000 to 10,000 people reside, lay in ruins. Structures were completely flattened. Among the casualties were Carriacou’s essential Princess Royal Hospital, its airport, and its marinas. Both islands languished in darkness, cut off from the world with no electricity and communications in shambles in the aftermath.
Simon Springett, UN Resident Coordinator in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, via video link from Grenada, said, “The entire island is completely affected… that is literally 100 percent of the population.”
A day after the passage of Hurricne Beryl, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell addressed the nation. He said, “The situation is grim.”
Beryl caused widespread destruction in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). According to the Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, 90% of the homes on Union Island suffered severe damage or complete destruction. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that approximately 200,000 people have been affected in both Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. Media reports indicate that around 1,752 individuals in SVG are currently housed in 71 public hurricane shelters. The hurricane also caused significant damage to hundreds of homes, as well as government buildings and multiple churches in Saint Vincent. PM Gonsalve did a fly-over to see the extent of Beryl’s devastation.
Colvin Harry is a journalist working for NBC Radio in SVG. He covered the passage of Hurricane Beryl and continues to report on the devastation left behind. While he understood his responsibility as a journalist, Harry said it was a “scary point for us.”
Beryl struck Barbados on July 1. The Barbados Red Cross reported that around 208,200 people, or nearly 74% of the total population, felt the storm’s effects. Initial assessments revealed that 40 homes sustained damage, including roof loss, partial collapse, and leaks. Boats at the Bridgetown marina were damaged.
Beryl grew in strength as it neared Jamaica. Now, a powerful and dangerous Category 5, Beryl barreled towards Jamaica. It brushed Jamaica’s coast on July 3 as a CAT 4. In its wake, devastation. The storm delivered strong winds, hazardous storm surges, and widespread power outages to Kingston. Beryl, boasting sustained winds of 110 mph, was moving in a west-northwest direction and was forecast to retain hurricane intensity as it neared the Yucatan Peninsula. This prompted warnings and watches along the coastline.
Camol Walker was on the fifth floor of his apartment building when Beryl struck.
Over the past year, the world’s oceans have experienced an unusual heating event. Since March 2023, global sea surface temperatures have hit record highs daily and remained elevated. As of 2024, temperatures are even higher than those in 2023. And warm water is fuel for hurricanes. Experts believe that this directly contributed to Beryl’s quick intensification.
Regional Coordinator for Climate Tracker Caribbean, Dizzanne Billy, told News Five, “Hurricanes like Hurricane Beryl are becoming more intense and frequent due to climate change, devastating Caribbean communities.” She said, “The human and economic toll is immense, with lives lost, homes destroyed, and livelihoods disrupted.”
“It’s imperative we address this through climate justice, ensuring those most affected receive the necessary support and resources. Climate finance is crucial in helping these vulnerable regions build resilience and recover swiftly. We need to see action, and we need to see it now.”
Hurricane Beryl has significantly impacted Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, and Jamaica, affecting over 1,280,000 people. On Grenada’s Carriacou and St. Vincent’s Union Island, every resident has been severely affected. Barbados’ southern coastal parish of Christchurch, including Bridgetown port and fishing communities, suffered extensive damage from storm surges. Jamaica’s southern parishes experienced the brunt of Beryl’s force as it moved along the coastline.
In a poignant statement, Ambassador Fatumanava Dr. Pa’olelei Luteru, Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), expressed the deepening sense of despair among SIDS populations, stressing that decades of appeals for urgent, ambitious climate action have gone largely unheeded. Despite forewarnings of escalating climate impacts, such as the rapid strengthening of storms driven by rising sea temperatures, small island nations persist in shouldering the primary burden of a crisis not of their making. “Yet, we continue to be sacrificed on the frontlines of a climate crisis we did not cause. Our sea temperatures grow warmer, encouraging storms to strengthen at alarming speed and increasing the dire threat to our developing countries. The increased danger is evident for the world to see,” he said.
Dr. Colin Young, Executive Director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), said that Hurricane Beryl’s impact underscores the urgent necessity for robust climate action and resilience-building efforts in the region. “The impacts from Beryl lay bare the climate injustice happening in the Caribbean and other small island developing states. The people whose lives and livelihoods have been lost and destroyed did nothing to contribute to the climate change that is now causing these monster hurricanes,” Dr. Young said in a statement. Highlighting the significant losses and damages incurred, Dr. Young stressed the urgent need for the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund under the UNFCCC to expedite financial resources to impacted countries.
In a July 1 statement, Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, said, “This is a time for all of us as a regional community to stand together and extend our support to those impacted or likely to be impacted by Hurricane Beryl. Let us mobilise the necessary assistance and relief efforts in the true spirit of regional solidarity.”
Restoration efforts have begun. It will take years.
Murder in Cotton Tree
A murder occurred on Saturday night in Cotton Tree Village, Cayo.
Clint Castillo was identified as the murder victim, and Andrew Muns was injured in the shooting incident. Both men were shot multiple times. The incident occurred around 10:35 p.m. near the primary school in the village, which remains under a State of Emergency due to increased crime and violence. According to police reports, an argument among a group of individuals, including Castillo and Muns, escalated, leading to the shooting. Castillo succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the Western Regional Hospital early Sunday morning. Muns remains in critical condition, with gunshot wounds to his shoulder and neck. Police have detained one person in connection with the shooting.
Dramatic Rescue at Rio On Pools
On Saturday evening, a daring rescue operation took place at Rio On Pools in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Cayo. A Canadian couple became stranded on a rock as water levels rapidly rose around them. The Belize Defence Force (BDF), Technical Rescue and EMS Teams, BISART, and Spanish Lookout Fire-Rescue-EMS quickly mobilised to the scene.
The rescue, which took hours, required a meticulous setup of ropes, tag lines, and a raft to safely extricate the couple. Both individuals were successfully rescued and treated for mild hypothermia. Authorities stress the importance of exercising extreme caution around rivers and waterways during this rainy period, as flash floods remain an imminent threat.
Controversial Police Incident in San Pedro
Over the weekend, San Pedro police were involved in a high-stakes pursuit of two armed men. During the detention of one suspect, a bystander captured a video showing a police officer pointing a gun at the detainee’s head, slapping him with the pistol, and using abusive language. The officer then aggressively commanded the bystander to stop recording.
The video has sparked controversy and raised questions about the officer’s conduct.
With extreme fires, devastating hurricanes, and heartbreaking floods, who wouldn’t? Belize has been increasingly exposed to natural disasters, and many people do not understand why. There is a dire need for human intervention in terms of climate change adaptations. However, are the present and future generations truly prepared to combat this crisis?
How do we adapt with the limited knowledge of climate change, especially when younger generations are often kept outside the loop or have limited exposure to these issues? Do these younger generations want to be more included when it comes to their environment?
Fun fact: they do! A survey conducted with high school students revealed their interest in integrating climate change topics across different forms of education. Here are the demographics and results of the survey:
A total of 29 responses were obtained, with the largest number coming from third form students, a crucial transitional period as high school students choose their specialized field of study. Of the responses, 69% of participants were interested in having climate change-related topics integrated into their curriculum, while 24.1% were neutral on the topic.
Belize has made significant strides in climate education, such as the 1.5 Degree Initiative from the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center, which provides modules for educators to implement into their curriculum. Belize’s Environmental Research Institute also has a future project titled ‘Empowering Youth to Embed Curriculum Change, Agency, and Action Related to Natural Risks’. There have also been numerous outreach activities in schools by governmental and non-governmental organizations.
However, as the threat of climate change grows more severe, this form of education should no longer be periodic but a solid part of high school curriculums. Education prepares us for the future with subjects such as Math, English, and Science. But what future are we preparing for if we cannot enjoy it due to the negative effects of climate change?
Not only are students interested in environmental topics, but professionals in the field also emphasize their importance in the curriculum. Dr. Ivis Chan, Science Program Manager for Sustainable Landscapes, shared her thoughts on the issue. She expressed her deep concern about informing kids from an early age about what is happening to their homes. This will prepare future generations to understand better what their future might look like, whether it involves food shortages or increased hurricane damages, and how to prepare for these possibilities.
Dr. Chan also stresses the importance of viewing climate change as a tangible reality rather than something nebulous. To remove the haze surrounding the topic, it is crucial to provide education to younger generations.
Of course, such a feat is not an easy task. It is important to face the reality that teachers have packed curriculums and children already have a heavy workload. Grades and examinations are of the highest priority, but are they truly the priority when we have underlying environmental and societal issues?
Dr. Chan shared her opinion on the true challenge of implementing climate education. Overcoming the barriers to climate education requires challenging the status quo. As mentioned above, we place high priority on grades and examinations. Although it is important to be prepared for national exams, safeguarding our planet is just as critical. As we step into the future of mitigating climate change, this requires innovation. We need to return to the roots of education, which involve investigation and critical thinking.
However, all is not bleak. From the survey, it is clear that high school students show an interest in climate education. In fact, they are not only interested but also aware of what climate change is.
According to World Vision Canada, “The ultimate goal of education is to help an individual navigate life and contribute to society once they become older.” The survey results clearly show that youths need more work in terms of their preparedness for climate change and their interest in being better equipped for a sustainable future.
In line with this a workshop was conducted on June 15th to further gauge students’ interest in learning about environmental and sustainability topics such as Climate Justice. 58.6% of students expressed interest in the workshop.
Stay tuned for the next story to hear how these kids want to contribute towards a sustainable future.
By Anwar Wade
This story was published with the support of the Caribbean Climate Justice Journalism Fellowship, which is a joint venture of Climate Tracker and Open Society Foundations.
The National Meteorological Service issued a small craft warning in the wake of the passage of Hurricane Beryl across the Yucatan Peninsula. Chief Meteorologist Ronald Gordon also spoke about a tropical cyclone that will likely produce rainfall over the country this weekend.
Ronald Gordon, Chief Meteorologist, NMS
“We do maintain a small craft caution because winds will become gusty especially after persons operate small vessels, we advise them to be very cautious. We are open, it is all clear, but certainly we need to take heed and to ensure we take precautions against anything out there. In terms of the weather conditions, we expect continued showers as I said before. There is another tropical wave coming in behind Beryl that we were monitoring previously. That system no longer has a chance of becoming a tropical cyclone, but certainly it will produce some more rains over the weekend. We are not out of the rainy season so expect more rains and we will keep monitoring and operating. And of course, as you all know we forecasted and expect a very busy Atlantic basin season so certainly it is possible that we may see another threat before the season is over. We take lessons learnt from this system to ensure we are better prepared in every way possible.”
