Man Dies in Motorcycle Accident in San Pedro  

Tonight, a family is heartbroken after a tragic motorcycle accident claimed another life in Belize. The victim, Eric Williams from San Pedro, was found injured on the ground early Sunday morning. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Williams sadly succumbed to his injuries. ACP Hilberto Romero has more details on this heartbreaking incident.

 

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Sunday, the tenth 2024, there was a fatal road traffic accident in San Pedro. Police visited an area around one a.m. where they saw a motorcycle with damages. Also, they saw the body of a male person. The person was taken to the hospital for treatment for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries. He was identified as Eric Williams of San Pedro.  Investigation revealed that he was riding his motorcycle when he crashed into a lamppost.  And thereafter, he was taken and succumbed to his injuries.”

More Details of Secret Beach Fatal Shooting 

San Pedro Police continue to investigate the fatal shooting of 46-year-old Matthew Jonathan Moses. Moses was found lying in a pool of blood on an unoccupied lot near Secret Beach in San Pedro Town on Friday afternoon. He had been shot several times, and, according to the police, his body showed signs of decomposition.

Nearby, a Belizean carer from an adjacent property was also present. Police detained him for questioning and seized a licensed firearm and two magazines found in his possession. The carer was informed of his constitutional rights and cautioned as part of the ongoing investigation.

Preliminary reports suggest that Moses and the caretaker had been involved in an escalating dispute over job-related issues involving a former employer. Moses had allegedly threatened to kill the carer and his family, which then led to the fatal confrontation.

At the scene, police recovered expended shell casings. The caretaker remains in police custody.

Fatal Shooting on La Isla Boñita 

Reports emerging from San Pedro Town are that 46-year-old Matthew Moses was shot and killed. The incident took place earlier this afternoon near the popular Secret Beach. Witnesses say that the shooting was a result of an altercation between Moses and a property owner.

In April 2021, Moses was stabbed, shot, and left for dead. He was sleeping in a hammock when he was attacked and shot by two men.

Did Someone Try to Set Up Minister Perez?

The Belize Police Department discovered 474 grammes of suspected cocaine on a boat owned by Minister Andre Perez in San Pedro on Friday. According to a statement from the Department, Perez stated the boat had been docked for repairs and unused for over six months. Preliminary investigations suggest the drugs were placed without Perez’s knowledge, and he is cooperating fully with authorities.

News Five caught up with Minister Perez today at the People’s United Party National Party Council meeting in Belize City. Minister Perez denied a request for an interview. But reporters pressed him as he walked away. When asked if he knows the drug peddlers, he said, “No idea.” Minister Perez added, “I have cooperated with police. No comments. I have; there is nothing to worry about.” When asked if he thinks anyone is trying to set him up, Minister Perez said, “Probably.”

Meanwhile, when asked about it, Prime Minister John Briceño said, “I don’t think it’s someone who’s trying to set up. I think someone was smart because Andre has not been using his boat. He’s just docked there for more than six months. He has not used the boat. If they put anything there, the police will not think about going to search his boat. But when somebody tipped off the police and the police were, they didn’t care if it was Honourable Andre Perez’s boat. They went to check, and they found the drugs. But it has been abundantly clear that Andre had not been using his boat.”

Suspected Cocaine Found On Minister’s Boat 

The Belize Police Department has confirmed that 474 grammes of suspected cocaine were found on a docked boat belonging to Cabinet Minister Andre Perez. The discovery was made on Friday when police were alerted by concerned residents in the Back-a-Town area of San Pedro Town about known drug peddlers frequenting a local boat yard.

According to the Department, Minister Perez explained that the boat had been docked for repairs and unused for over six months. The boatyard owner corroborated Perez’s statement, noting the minister has been paying a monthly docking fee of $250 BZD.

Initial investigations suggest the drugs were placed on the boat without Minister Perez’s knowledge. He is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation.

Construction Worker Falls to His Death in San Pedro

A construction worker fell to his death on Thursday morning on Ambergris Caye. Police reports are that the incident happened at Clearwater Belize, a property located two and a half miles north of San Pedro. The victim, forty-five-year-old Abisur Loza, a resident of Patchakan Village, Corozal, was working on the fourth floor of a six-storey building when he fell to the ground sometime around seven-forty a.m. Loza was one of several others who were working at the site. Loza was reportedly on the edge of the fourth floor of the building, trying to push a corrugated drainage pipe that was hanging. He lost his footing and plummeted to his death. His co-workers reportedly heard a thud and saw him lying face up on the ground, bleeding from the face and head. By the time the ambulance arrived a few minutes later, Loza had already died. The father had reportedly gone to Ambergris Caye a few weeks ago to seek employment to sustain his family back home.

Police Officer Accused of Stealing Bartender’s Casino Chips, Cash 

A San Pedro police officer has been arrested and charged with theft after a local bartender reported that casino chips and cash went missing following his detention earlier this month.

Kevin Salazar, a 28-year-old bartender from the San Pedrito area in San Pedro Town, reported that on the morning of Tuesday, September 10, 2024, he was socialising at the Palm Casino when a female police officer approached him, conducted a search, and found him in possession of controlled drugs. Salazar was detained and escorted to the San Pedro Police Station.

Upon arrival at the station, Salazar was asked to hand over his personal belongings to be logged. He surrendered two green casino chips worth $50 each, 22 red casino chips valued at $10 each, $15 in cash, a cellphone, a watch, and a silver chain. He signed the station diary confirming these items.

The next day, on Wednesday, September 11, Salazar was officially arrested and charged with “Possession of Controlled Drugs.” After pleading guilty at the San Pedro Magistrate Court, he was fined. When he returned to the police station to collect his belongings, Salazar discovered that the casino chips valued at $320 and the $15 in cash were missing. The diarist allegedly told Salazar that he had only signed for his other items and not the casino chips or money.

Salazar immediately filed a report about the missing items. The police launched an internal investigation, reviewing video footage and taking a statement from the bartender.

As a result, 28-year-old police officer Keir Roebin David Morey, who resides on Jewfish Street in San Pedro Town, was detained and informed of the complaint against him. After being cautioned and advised of his constitutional rights, Morey was placed under investigation.

On Tuesday, September 17, Morey was formally arrested and charged with theft in connection to the missing casino chips and cash.

San Pedro Gas Turbine Commissioned, But Power Supply Disrupted by Transformer Failure

Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) has announced the successful commissioning and load testing of the San Pedro Gas Turbine (San Pedro GT) on September 5, achieving its rated capacity of 21 MW. BEL also shared that the turbine is currently unable to supply power to the grid due to a transformer failure that occurred early on September 7.

In a press release, BEL said that the San Pedro GT was expected to be fully operational by early June. During the commissioning process, one of the three necessary transformers failed. BEL said that it acted swiftly to secure a replacement transformer, but the shipment was delayed by Hurricane Beryl’s impact on shipping routes. The replacement transformer finally arrived in the first week of August.

The replacement transformer failed shortly after installation. BEL, along with the installation contractor, is now conducting a thorough assessment to determine the cause of this failure.

BEL says that a short-term solution is already in the works. According to BEL, a new replacement transformer expected to be installed before the end of the year is being procured. In the interim, BEL says it will monitor power demand on San Pedro and implement a contingency plan to protect the single submarine cable that interconnects the island.

Mai says San Pedro D.O.E. Substation is a Success  

In late June, San Pedro welcomed its own office for the Department of Environment. There, the D.O.E conducts several duties, such as managing natural resources, preserving and protecting the environment, and controlling pollution. Today, Chief Environmental Officer Anthony Mai provided an update on the duties of the station and he told us that it has been a great success.

 

                                 Anthony Mai

Anthony Mai, Chief Environmental Officer, D.O.E.

“There are several issues that we have dealt with. So again, the San Pedro substation is our first attempt at decentralization. It is critically important to have an office in San Pedro because it is the fastest developing. And we’ve been there, we’ve been there for a couple months now, and over that period, we have definitely dealt with some serious issues, maybe four or five of them. We currently have one in the pipeline. Have people been persecuted, or are you in the works to persecute them? Yes, we’re in the process of persecuting a few, yeah, a few persons. We also are from, we, and enforcement and persecution is just one aspect of what we’re doing on the island. We have also been providing advice to the Town Council. and the Caye Caulker Village Function in terms of some of the development plans, et cetera. And we are participating in some sensitization training and et cetera, sharing of information in relation to the environment. So it’s much more than just a hardcore enforcement compliance monitoring. We’re doing other support activities as well, but yeah, we do have some enforcement related matters in the pipeline.”

San Pedro and Caye Caulker General Hospital Underway

The work has begun for the construction of the San Pedro and Caye Caulker General Hospital. For years, residents of the islands were airlifted to the mainland to receive intensive medical treatment, but they will soon be able to do so on the island. The thirty-three-million-dollar project is being funded by the Republic of China, Taiwan. We spoke with Area Representative and Minister of Disaster Risk Management, Andre Perez for an update.

 

Andre Perez, Minister of Disaster Risk Management

“I believe of course the work has started; the piles are being driven in. And I think they are doing an average of fifteen piles per day, and a total of one hundred and ninety eight piles will be driven. So everything is in set, the construction has started, and everything is on pace right now that we’re setting up. We’re close crossing our fingers that it’s going to last thirty-six months. So yes, it’s ongoing, and every now and again we do an inspection. And of course, the contractor is keeping the abreast, so we’re very excited about that one.”

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