We’re keeping a close eye on your wallet tonight. New data from the Statistical Institute of Belize shows that while prices are still on the rise, the pace is finally slowing. The national inflation rate for April stands at one-point-three percent—modest, but still noticeable. Food prices continue to climb, with everyday staples like bread, watermelon, and even fruit juice seeing double-digit spikes. Renters are also feeling the squeeze, and butane gas just got pricier. But there’s a silver lining, fuel prices are down, offering some relief at the pump. We’ll break down what’s getting more expensive, what’s easing up, and what it all means for your bottom line. Here’s Isani Cayetano with an economic snapshot.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
New numbers are in from the Statistical Institute of Belize, and they show that while prices are still rising, the pace is slowing. The national inflation rate for April 2025 stands at 1.3 percent, a modest increase from the same time last year. The Consumer Price Index—or CPI—now sits at 119.6, up from 118.1 in April 2024. Once again, food prices are leading the charge. The cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 2.7 percent, with notable spikes in everyday staples. Bread and bakery products jumped by 3.5 percent, while fruits like watermelon and lettuce soared by over 20 percent. And if you’re reaching for a refreshing drink, be prepared to pay more—fruit and vegetable juices surged by a whopping 15.4 percent.
Renters are also feeling the pinch. Housing-related costs rose by 2 percent, driven by a 2.3 percent increase in home rental prices. The price of a 100-pound cylinder of LPG climbed by nearly $7, now averaging $127.63. But there’s some relief at the pump. Fuel prices dropped across the board—diesel is down 7.2 percent, regular gasoline fell 6.6 percent, and premium is down 4.1 percent. This helped pull the overall transportation category down by 1.7 percent. Looking at short-term trends, the month-over-month inflation rate was nearly flat at -0.03 percent, suggesting price stability between March and April. Regionally, Belmopan and San Pedro saw the highest inflation at 3.5 percent, driven by rising costs in food, rent, and personal care. Meanwhile, Independence Village bucked the trend, with prices actually falling by 2 percent, thanks to lower costs in food, fuel, and even mobile phones. And finally, the year-to-date inflation rate, which looks at the first four months of 2025, sits at 1.6 percent, with food, housing, and personal care again being the main contributors. So, while prices are still climbing, the pace is easing—and that’s a trend worth watching. That’s your economic snapshot. Isani Cayetano for News Five.
The Government of Belize’s Firearm Control Board is tonight coming under heavy criticism from gun dealers. These dealers are saying that since the board was established back in 2024 there has not been proper communication with members of the public on the changes implemented when acquiring a gun license. According to Abner Murillo, the Owner of Lock N’ Loaded, upstanding citizens like farmers and business owners are being frustrated in their attempt to gain the necessary documentation to acquire a license. Murillo says, the good is paying for the bad. He contends that the statistics paint a picture of unfair treatment.
Abner Murillo
Abner Murillo, Owner, Lock N’ Loaded
“Every other day we are having farmers come here that are extremely frustrated, people that are planting crops, people farming, people loosing livestock, because the changes that they brought to the firearm licensing process is extremely tedious and they are not communicating things. They went for example form requiring one ID, the policy states one ID, and we have people from Red Bank, Mennonites, they don’t have cell phones, they don’t have vehicles, they travel seven eight hours and they being turned back because they don’t have a second ID. So, stuff like that they are making it complicated and making it a bit more complicated and every time they are making changes without notifying the public. We have one of the highest crime rate in the Caribbean yet none of these are being carried out by licensed firearm holders. The streets have a lot of guns. Every week you are finding two to three rifles, AKs, high powered weapons on the streets to commit crime, yet the license firearm holders, there is about twenty-four to their thousand licensed firearm holders in the country and just based on my research and what we discussed earlier there is about three to five incidents with licensed weapons a year. That is not a one percent incident rate, that is not a point zero one percent incident rate. It is not a point zero, zero one percent incident rate. It is a point zero, zero, zero, one percent incident rate, with license firearm holders. There is a classroom and the license firearm holders are doing their homework, coming to class on time. They are the good students in the class and then you have the bad guys in the class, the ones brining the illegal guns, because it is so easy to get an illegal gun. You go anywhere in Belize and get an illegal . you go to the border and you can get an illegal gun. The bad guys are walking away free no homework and the good guys, they are saying that there is crime in the country and you all are getting detention and getting extra homework and the bad guys, hand up a thing and you can walk away.”
Gun dealer Abner Murillo says the challenges facing the industry shouldn’t be seen as a criticism of the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Police Department. He believes crime in Belize is driven by many complex factors—and licensed gun owners aren’t the root of the problem.
Abner Murillo, Owner, Lock N’ Loaded
“I am not bashing anyone. I think the minister of home affairs is doing an excellent job at combating crime. The previous commissioner, our beloved Chester Williams, brought crime down historically. He did contribute a lot of positive to the country. The new Commissioner Rosado, I have heard nothing but positive about him and I know he will continue that trend of brining down the crime rate. The crime in Belize has to do with, we have the highest lack of father figure in houses. We have an alcoholism culture. There is a lot that needs to be done to take down crime. It is not the police fault, not Minister Musa’s fault and the police fault. They are doing their job. But at the end of the day, we are being published, the upstanding citizens, the good kids in the class are being punished.”
We will continue this conversation in a subsequent newscast. You will hear how instructors and dealers are also being adversely affected.
Here’s a quick update that’s sure to bring relief to drivers across the country. After a brief disruption that affected the printing of driver’s licenses nationwide, the Department of Transport has announced that the Belize Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing System is back online and fully operational. Thanks to quick action from Minister Louis Zabaneh and C.E.O. Chester Williams, help was called in right away. They immediately engaged the Embassy of Taiwan and the Central Information Technology Office. A technical meeting held earlier today led to CITO’s in-house experts stepping in to troubleshoot and resolve the connectivity issues. The Department is taking proactive steps to strengthen the reliability and security of all transport-related digital systems moving forward. So, if you’ve been waiting for your license, there’s good news. Services are back up and running.
The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially kicks off this Sunday, June first, and runs through November thirtieth. Forecasters expect a normal to above-normal season, with thirteen to nineteen named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to five major hurricanes likely to form. While there’s a medium chance of neutral El Niño conditions, which typically support average storm activity, warmer ocean temperatures could fuel stronger storms. What does this mean for Belize? It’s impossible to predict exactly where or when a storm will hit, but officials stress that everyone should be ready. Whether we face one storm or none, preparation is key.
A group of Belize City artists is using music to spark motivation and reflection. Their new song, “Changes,” dives into the challenges and growth that come with embracing life’s transitions. The track features local talents Unlmtd (Unlimited), J Monie, and Vince the Prince, with production led by Kenneth “Big Tom” Flowers of Rod Mack Records. The artists stopped by our office today to share the inspiration behind the project, describing it as a message of hope and resilience for anyone navigating change.
Kenneth “Big Tom” Flowers
Kenneth “Big Tom” Flowers, Owner, Rod Mack Records
“My involvement in this is to make sure the youth they keep a positive mind and start forward positivity to the other youths so that we can make a difference in our country and make changes. The song named changes. We are trying to show the youth you need to work together, because if you have a talent you have to work behind it, cause usually people have the time but they don’t want to work.”
Unlmtd
Unlmtd, Artist
“Overall everything dah bout changes. J Monie came in with a different perspective. I came in with a different perspective. We dah kings eena the earth. A lot of us want the change but we don’t want to work on it. A lot of us have entitled behavior. A lot of us want things to drop in our lap that we don’t work for. So, we need to put in the work. A lot of us see the muscle but we don’t know how to use it.”
Vince the Prince
Vince the Prince, Artist
“The message we the try send across dah fuh build hope and motivation, inspire the youths. A lot of youths have a dream but discouraged because of the lack of support and help from the communities people in places that could give that help, so we have to do it by we self.”
It was a moment that shook the nation back in 2019, an eleven-year-old boy caught in the crossfire of gun violence. Today, six years later, we bring you a rare follow-up on his journey—a story of grief, but also of resilience, hope, and the power of dreams that refuse to fade. As we conclude this month’s search for a bright side in grief, Sabreena Daly shares an updated story of Kyron Green, whose dreams keep him moving forward against all odds. Here’s more.
Kyron Green
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
In May 2019, an eleven-year-old boy attending St. Luke Methodist Primary School was shot in a senseless act of violence. Kyron Green was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when a gunman opened fire near a neighborhood store. Caught in the crossfire, Kyron’s life changed forever. Now, six years on, what once seemed like a temporary setback has become a permanent reality. Kyron is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair, carrying not just the physical scars, but the emotional weight of that tragic day.
Kyron Green
Kyron Green, Shooting Victim
“When I go to the boulevard, I sometimes pass the shop. I would just look inside there and watch the area where I got shot. But I don’t really make that bother me because it already happened and I can’t change anything about it.”
His mother remembers that day as the moment her life also changed.
Marsha Belisle
Marsha Belisle, Mother
“That day, that night, I felt like my whole world just crashed. You know, everything just changed inside of me. I felt like I could have just ripped it out and thrown itaway.”
Grief manifests in different ways. And while Marsha Belisle remains grateful that the incident didn’t claim her son’s life, the reality that followed was life-altering. Her son’s life changed in a heartbeat, and over time, she’s learned to live with that reality. Still, Belisle admits there are quiet moments when the “what ifs” linger, and she can’t help but wonder how different things might have been.
Marsha Belisle
“That’s my biggest thing because there are many times when he’s out there with his friends, and they’re running around playing, and he’s sitting in the corner watching them. And I could just look at him and say, man, if he could only get out of that chair and walk, you know. That was my biggest thing. And I hold that a lot because I always wanted to see him up, back walking, moving around. I’d say, man, if he was only up again, different things would happen. But God always sees farther than us. He knows best.”
At Canaan SDA High School, thirty-one students are getting ready to celebrate a major milestone—graduation day. As they rehearse their steps and lend their voices to the commencement song A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman, one story stands out. Among them is Kyron Green—perhaps the biggest dreamer of all. While many dreams are still taking shape, one has already come true for him and his mother, he’s about to graduate high school.
Marsha Belisle
“Yes, that’s the biggest dream. Because I said, despite your injury, son, that doesn’t define who you really are, you know. You still have brains. Your brains didn’t get affected—thank God for that. You may not be walking, but you have a life, and we give God thanks for that every single day.”
Kyron’s high school journey was far from ordinary. It took teamwork—his family, the National Resource Center for Inclusive Education, and Canaan SDA High School all came together to help him succeed. The school’s principal shared that supporting Kyron wasn’t viewed as going the extra mile—it was simply doing what was right: ensuring he had the opportunity to learn and succeed like any other student.
Jaime Roberts
Jaime Roberts, Principal
“When he came here, he was in a wheelchair due to gunshot violence, and we said, yes, we need to do something. We believe in all inclusion. We believe that every child deserves a rightful education.”
Marsha Belisle
“And they had planned that we would do the package every two weeks. We’d go in, get the package, come home. I would literally teach myself the work and then teach him the work, you know. And I had to do a lot of Google studies and things. So he took me back to school myself. And, you know, it’s been a struggle. But he’s here. He’s graduating now.” Kyron Green
“I say thanks to my mom. She’s been there with me, and she helped me go through school and everything. Even though some people from school disliked me, my mom still tells me not to worry about anybody. Nobody will bring you down.”
Kyron Green’s journey hasn’t been easy, but he’s proof that determination can overcome even the toughest challenges. Though his injury changed his life, his dreams and hope remain strong. Now, as he prepares to graduate alongside his classmates to the song “A Million Dreams,” Kyron shares a message of hope and resilience for others facing similar struggles
Kyron Green
“So people could be in my stage, like in a wheelchair, too, and they might be going through the same thing as me. I never gave up, So you don’t give up, either. If I made it through, you can make it through, too. Just put your mind to it, don’t worry about what nobody says.”
A living proof that even when life takes a turn, dreaming doesn’t have to end. Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.
La administración Briceño propone enmiendas constitucionales para mejorar la respuesta legal a la violencia armada y el crimen organizado en Belize, tras sentencias contradictorias de la Corte Superior sobre el estado de emergencia decretado en 2020. Aunque el gobierno apelará la decisión, la audiencia no será hasta marzo de 2026, por lo que las reformas buscan reducir la incertidumbre y fortalecer la seguridad nacional.
El Primer Ministro John Briceño señaló que “el crimen evoca emociones fuertes en los ciudadanos… todos merecen una acción firme y decisiva por parte de su gobierno”. Citó además la advertencia de un juez: “no debemos perder sensibilidad ante el valor de la vida humana… Hacer lo contrario es rendirse a las leyes de la selva.” Por ello presentó la “Decimotercera Enmienda Constitucional 2025 como intervención legislativa necesaria”.
Entre las propuestas está otorgar al Consejo de Seguridad Nacional la autoridad para recomendar estados de emergencia válidos, validar legalmente los estados de emergencia desde 2018, y crear un Tribunal de Armas y Pandillas con poderes híbridos de magistrados y jueces para atender delitos violentos. Briceño explicó: “El nuevo Artículo 94-A, el establecimiento de un Tribunal de Armas y Pandillas… el poder judicial debe ser independiente… En la actualidad, no existe la autoridad de crear y establecer un tribunal especializado… que tenga poderes híbridos especiales.”
Sin embargo, aclaró que esta medida “no es la forma de resolver el crimen. Es una medida temporal… Necesitamos analizar las causas fundamentales… el reto de que cuando nuestros jóvenes salen de la escuela sienten que no tienen futuro.”
La desaparición del mecánico James Méndez, de 49 años, terminó en tragedia cuando su cuerpo fue hallado el viernes en un pozo de su propiedad en la aldea San Pablo, distrito de Orange Walk. Según la asistente superintendente Stacy Smith, “la policía visitó una granja en el distrito de Orange Walk, donde descubrieron el cuerpo sin vida de James Mendez… La escena fue procesada por el personal de escenas del crimen, y el cuerpo… fue transportado al Hospital Regional del Norte, donde fue declarado muerto al llegar”.
Méndez había sido reportado como desaparecido el 21 de mayo por un familiar, quien indicó que fue visto por última vez el día anterior cuando salió de casa para un trabajo. La policía ha clasificado el caso como homicidio tras descubrir múltiples heridas de arma blanca en el cuerpo.
La Corte de Apelación ha confirmado un fallo que determina que Misty Michael, exejecutiva de la Junta de Turismo de Belice (BTB), fue despedida injustamente de su cargo como Directora de Mercadeo.
Empleada bajo un contrato de tres años en 2020, Michael fue despedida en mayo de 2021, con el argumento de que la BTB enfrentaba dificultades financieras debido al COVID-19. Sin embargo, el tribunal determinó que la BTB no logró demostrar que no podía cubrir su salario, especialmente cuando tenía reservas de efectivo y contrató a un reemplazo.
La BTB también impugnó la validez del contrato, pero la corte dictaminó que este fue ejecutado correctamente por miembros autorizados de la junta directiva. La apelación de la BTB fue desestimada y se le ordenó pagar a Michael más de $217,000 en daños y perjuicios, además de intereses y costos legales.
