2025-07-02 - Greater Belize Media

Caye Caulker Mom Speaks Out After Alleged Police Brutality

A video showing two police officers manhandling a young man in Caye Caulker has ignited public concerns about excessive use of force by police.

21-year-old Andrew Novelo is seen in one of the videos raising his hands and walking toward officers before being forcefully restrained. One officer puts him in a chokehold, followed by the other officer violently slapping Novelo in the face. This was despite Novelo already being handcuffed. There is an inaudible verbal exchange between Novelo and the officers who slapped him. The video shows that Novelo made a sudden move towards the officer before being hit.

His mother, who spoke exclusively to News Five, says the attack was not only unprovoked but could have easily turned deadly.

According to the mother, the confrontation began after her son questioned why a traffic officer-in-training had moved his golf cart from where it was parked. Novelo had reportedly left briefly to use the bathroom and returned to find the cart being driven away.

She said Novelo gave chase on his bike and followed the cart to the Caye Caulker Village Council (CCVC) compound.

“He kept asking if he did something wrong … And instead of telling him what the issue was, the individual just laughed and replied he can impound any vehicle he wants to,” the mother said.

Video footage shows Novelo attempting to retrieve the golf cart with his bicycle placed on the back of the cart and reversing out of the CCVC compound. At that moment, a police golf cart intersected his way with two officers on board. Novelo is seen stepping off the cart, raising his hands when the confrontation escalated.

“They forcefully grab him! Slap him! Pin him against the fence! Put him in a chokehold,” the mother said. “Instead of the officers trying to assess the situation and calm the matter down, they in fact did the COMPLETE OPPOSITE and made matters worse.”

According to the mother, her son was beaten again after being taken into custody. Images of his injuries sustained shows scrapes on his ankle and bruises on his upper body, and neck, and wrists where the cuffs would have been placed.

LEAKED: Internal Plan Reveals UDP Moves to Reunify Party Members

News 5 has obtained a leaked internal communication detailing a strategic plan by the United Democratic Party (UDP) to restore party unity, including the controversial reinstatement of expelled members such as Tracy Taegar-Panton.

According to the confidential information, UDP Chairman Michael Peyrefitte, is expected to hold a closed-door preliminary meeting with senior party figures including Party Leader Shyne Barrow, Deputy Leader Hugo Patt, former Chair Alberto August, Ethics Committee Chair Aldo Salazar, and regional representatives Omar Figueroa and Tony Herrera. The purpose of this meeting will be to finalise the National Party Council (NPC) agenda and approve the list of delegates.

The working list of NPC members will be based on the roll used during Tracy Taegar-Panton’s October 2024 convention. However, individuals who ran as her candidates in the March 2025 general election will be excluded, at least temporarily. They, along with Taegar-Panton and other expelled members, will not be allowed to attend the upcoming NPC meeting due to their current disciplinary status.

However, News 5 has learned that the first item on the NPC’s agenda will be a motion to immediately reinstate Taegar-Panton and all expelled members, including those barred for running on her “Tracy Ticket.” This maneuver would effectively restore their full standing within the party.

Barrow’s general election candidates, even in constituencies where Tracy also fielded contenders, will be invited to the NPC meeting. However, their respective chairpersons and secretaries will be excluded from the session.

The NPC is also expected to trigger a series of constituency conventions to select new caretakers and national delegates. These will take place in areas that did not contest the 2025 general election, including Pickstock, Fort George, Dangriga, and Toledo East. Conventions will also be held in the 10 constituencies where both Shyne and Tracy had rival candidates.

No further constituency conventions will be held. In constituencies with sitting UDP area representatives, or where general election candidates lost but remained active, those individuals will continue to serve as caretakers and will select delegates to the National Convention.

The leaked communication reveals that the NPC, scheduled for July 12, 2025, will confirm October 5, 2025 as the date of the party’s National Convention.

In a separate and official press release, the UDP said, “Adherence to this roadmap should lead us to the reunification and reset necessary to rebuild our beloved United Democratic Party.”

Peyrefitte Shrugs Off “Crossroads” with Tracy Panton

UDP Chairman Michael Peyrefitte has responded to the leak of a private message he sent to Tracy Panton, saying he’s not surprised and isn’t backing down from the push for party unity.

The leaked message, obtained by News 5, revealed Peyrefitte’s frustration over what he described as a breakdown in an internal agreement among senior UDP figures. Writing directly to Panton, he said that he had only returned to the chairmanship on the assurance that she, Shyne Barrow, Hugo Patt, and Alberto August had agreed on a path forward.

But this morning, Peyrefitte said the leak, while unfortunate, isn’t cause for alarm.

“Leaks will happen,” he said. “Not even presidents of big countries can stop leaks… If it leaks, it leaks. It’s not secret, we are a mass party, and I would love for the people to know every step that we are taking to get back to that place of unity and strength.

In his communication to Panton, Peyrefitte wrote, “We are at a crossroads again, and it seems that I have un-resigned only to come back to a situation that is exactly what I didn’t want to come back to.”

Despite the ongoing discord, Peyrefitte insists the communication was not misleading or malicious.

“Was it ever my desire for it to become public? No,” he said. “But nothing in there was ignitious; nothing in there was a lie and hopefully the public can see that it was an attempt to try and make peace in the party so it is what it is.

Minister Mai: Fusarium Battle May Take Another Year

Minister of Agriculture Jose Mai says the sugar industry may not see major improvements this year despite promising tests underway to combat the deadly fusarium fungus.

Mai confirmed that Belize’s current biological treatment trials could take up to a year to show significant results, which has raised concerns for next season’s sugar crop.

“The cure for bringing back the industry has to start now. We may not see results immediately this year, but next year we may start to see positive results.”

But he warned that the situation may be more serious than initially believed. Alongside fusarium, other pathogens may be threatening the country’s sugarcane.

“We are now informed that it is not only fusarium. It is accompanied by other pathogens. Nematodes could be one of them; we have sent samples for testing.”

Fusarium, which is believed to have originated from across the Mexican border, has now spread to several sugarcane fields in northern Belize. The disease has already cost the industry an estimated fifty million dollars this year.

Belize’s four sugarcane producers’ associations declared the industry’s current situation as a “critical and unprecedented crisis.” They called on the government of Belize in a joint resolution for “immediate and decisive intervention.”

Belizean-American Beauty Queen to Compete in Miss Caribbean Culture

Jahmea Bent is preparing for her biggest stage yet, representing Belize at the Miss Caribbean Culture Queen Pageant in Nevis in August of this year. Bent is described by the organisation as a multi-talented Belizean-American beauty queen whose roots run deep in the Jewel.

The 25-year-old, born in Los Angeles to Belizean parents, is no stranger to excellence, according to the organisers. She was crowned Miss Caribbean Los Angeles 2024, sweeping top awards in talent, interview, and fitness.

Now, she’s preparing to compete on the international stage on August 4th as part of Nevis’ annual Culturama celebrations.

Though based in the U.S., Bent maintains strong ties to Belize. The organisers noted that she frequently returns home, mentors young people, champions local causes, and proudly carries Belizean culture with her all the time.

Ahead of the pageant, she will appear in a pre-show interview in July and is expected to engage with local media virtually.

Her journey can be followed on Facebook at Miss Caribbean Culture Belize.

Peyrefitte Moves to Reunite UDP Ahead of October Convention

Just days after reclaiming the post of UDP Chairman, Michael Peyrefitte has moved quickly to broker peace within the fractured United Democratic Party. He convened a closed-door meeting with key party figures this morning, including Shyne Barrow, Hugo Patt, Alberto August, Omar Figueroa, Tony Herrera, and Aldo Salazar. “Those are the respective regional leaders and executives of the UDP,” Peyrefitte said.

According to Peyrefitte, the session was productive, with both factions, those aligned with Shyne and those backing Tracy Panton, engaging in what he described as a “sober conversation” focused solely on the party’s welfare.

He confirmed that the group agreed on terms that will be taken to the National Party Council (NPC), with the goal of holding a national convention on October 5th to elect official leadership.

“It is my hope and expectation that, come October 5th, we will be having a national convention to choose the leadership of the UDP moving forward so that there can’t be no doubt as to who is the leader, who is the first deputy, who is the second deputy, who is the chair, and who is the vice chair,” Peyrefitte said.

Still, the path to unity hasn’t been without setbacks. On Monday, News 5 reported on an internal message from Peyrefitte expressing frustration over what he saw as “crossroads” once again from the agreed “way forward” negotiated among senior party members. His stance indicated that despite efforts at reconciliation, internal tensions persisted despite his return.

Peryrefitte said he believes “a lot of it has been miscommunication” within the party, carried about by people “who can’t communicate properly and then disseminate that information to the rest of the party.”

BTB Loses Again: Over $1M in Payouts for Terminated Contracts

The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) has faced two more courtroom defeats over terminated contracts issued under the former government, with over a million dollars now awarded to former executives.

Last week, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Norman Young, BTB’s former IT head, awarding him more than $230,000 in compensation after finding his fixed-term contract was improperly terminated.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal upheld a previous judgement in favour of former Director of Tourism, Karen Bevans, confirming that she is owed nearly $770,000.

These rulings bring the total number of successful claims against the BTB to four, all involving contracts issued before or during the 2020 election year. Bevans’ case mirrors that of Misty Michael, the BTB’s former Director of Marketing, who was awarded $217,000 in 2023 after the court ruled her dismissal was unjustified. In both cases, the courts rejected BTB’s arguments that the contracts lacked proper approval, finding instead that senior officials who signed them had the apparent authority to do so.

BTB’s attorney intends to appeal the matter to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). BTB maintains that the contracts, many of which were signed shortly before the 2020 elections, never received full board vetting and should not be binding.

OJ Elrington Returns to Court on Rape Charge

Attorney Orson “OJ” Elrington will stand trial in September for a rape charge stemming from allegations made against him by a female complainant.

A case management conference was held on Tuesday before Justice Nigel Pilgrim, who will preside over the matter in a trial without a jury.

While a trial date has not yet been finalised, the next case management is set for September 19, when the full witness list is expected to be confirmed.

Elrington, 43, is being represented by his father, former Attorney General Hubert Elrington, as well as attorneys Norman Rodriguez and Michelle Trapp.

The prosecution is led by Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal.

Elrington denies all allegations. His defence team is expected to submit formal objections in writing by July 18.

Sugar Industry in “State of Crisis”: Stakeholders Demand Immediate Government Action

Leaders of Belize’s four sugarcane producers’ associations issued a joint resolution declaring a “critical and unprecedented crisis” in the sugar industry. The associations warned that escalating biological threats have severely undermined cane production, which now jeopardises the sector’s long-term survival.

In a resolution signed on Monday, the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA), Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association (CSCPA), Northern Sugar Cane Growers Association (NSCGA), and Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association (PSCPA) pointed to widespread crop destruction caused by the froghopper, the stem borer, and the emergence of fusarium wilt, a fungal disease that has raised alarm across farming communities.

“The current challenges cannot be borne by sugarcane farmers alone, who lack the financial capacity to shoulder the full burden of recovery and investment necessary for sustainable production,” the associations said. “Immediate and decisive intervention is imperative.”

It added, “These biological threats, compounded by the escalating effects of climate change, have placed the industry at grave risk. Immediate and decisive intervention is imperative.”

Their proposals include:

Increasing the local price of Molasses C by 1.5 times and Molasses B by 2 times the current export price, with proceeds going to a Cane Sustainability Fund.
Allocating 65% of any authorised price increase in plantation white and brown sugar to the Cane Sustainability Fund.
Raising the electricity tariff for bagasse-based energy sold to BEL by $0.055 per kilowatt-hour, with the added income supporting sustainability projects such as drainage infrastructure.

The associations also proposed alternative levies on molasses-derived alcohol products that could generate revenue directly for cane sustainability efforts.

The document was sent to Prime Minister John Briceño, Agriculture Minister Jose Mai, and Minister of State Dr Osmond Martinez.

Caye Caulker Village Council Accuses Police of Brutality

The Caye Caulker Village Council (CCVC) has issued a firm statement condemning what it describes as a growing pattern of violence and abuse of authority by members of the local police department, particularly targeting the island’s youth. In its press release, the Council expressed solidarity with those who lack the voice or resources to defend themselves and demanded immediate action to address the situation.

According to the Council, the community has witnessed a cycle where young residents are assaulted, beaten, or mistreated by police officers, often without consequence. The Council said that each wave of violence seems to escalate and, in the most tragic instances, has resulted in the death of young men. A similar incident a decade ago, they noted, had already prompted widespread outrage and concern.

The Council urged residents and leaders not to respond to violence with violence but instead to pursue every peaceful and lawful avenue to address the problem. They stressed that officers who serve in Caye Caulker must be committed to de-escalation, accountability, and genuine community protection. “The presence of officers prone to violence and improper conduct cannot be allowed on Caye Caulker,” the release stated.

The Council made it clear that there is no justification for the use of excessive force, especially against unarmed citizens. “The punishment for crimes is loss of freedom, not brutality,” they stated.

The press release also addressed concerns over reports of officers acting unprofessionally, stating that some are behaving no differently than gang members or bullies.

“We must all acknowledge that those tasked to uphold the law are not the law. They are held to the same legal standard every other citizen is held to,” the statement read.

The statement comes after a police officer fatally stabbed Kevin de Paz during a brawl.