The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially began on Sunday, June 1, and runs through November 30. With forecasts predicting a normal to above-normal season, Belizeans are being urged to prepare early and stay informed. Experts anticipate 13 to 19 named storms, 6 to 10 hurricanes, and 3 to 5 major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher) forming across the Atlantic Basin this year.
Two major climate factors are influencing this outlook: a medium chance of neutral El Niño conditions, which support average activity, and warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures, which could supercharge storm development and intensity.
Though it’s impossible to predict exactly where or when a storm will strike, Belize’s position in a high-risk zone means yearly readiness is critical.
Daniel Mendez, National Emergency Coordinator at NEMO, told News 5, “The time to prepare for hurricane season is now. You need to know your emergency plan—where you’ll go, what you’ll bring, who you’ll stay with, and how you’ll get there.” He also reminded the public that NEMO operates 24/7 and not just during hurricanes. “We monitor anything that may threaten public safety.”
To help Belizeans prepare, NEMO provides family and business emergency plan templates, shelter directories, and storm-tracking tools on their website at nemo.org.bz.
Authorities are warning the public not to wait for a storm to start preparing. Stock up on supplies, stay tuned to official updates, and talk to your family about your emergency plan.
The Ministry of Transportation is working with Taiwanese officials to restore the Belize Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing System (BMVrals), which has been offline due to unpaid service fees.
A high-level meeting was held this week between the Ministry and representatives from the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The Belizean delegation also included senior officials from the Ministry and the Central Information Technology Office (CITO).
The BMVrals system, developed in collaboration with Taiwan and launched in 2018, is essential for processing and issuing driver’s licenses and managing vehicle registration data across the country. Since the system went offline, Transport Offices nationwide have only been able to issue receipts for license renewals, as no new licenses can be printed. Drivers must present these receipts at checkpoints in place of physical licenses.
Contrary to earlier assumptions of a technical failure, the disruption stemmed from the non-payment of contractual fees to the Taiwanese system developers. While the necessary funds were available in a designated government account, administrative oversight delayed the payment, leading to suspension of the service.
Less than a week ago, Captain Howell Grange found himself in a life-and-death situation straight out of a movie. On Holy Thursday morning, he boarded his Tropic Air flight in Ranchito for what should have been a routine twenty-minute trip to San Pedro. Instead, the flight turned into a horrific two-hour hijacking ordeal. Despite being badly wounded, Captain Grange managed to land the plane safely and live to tell the tale. This afternoon, Tropic Air issued a statement thanking the community for their support during this challenging time. Shortly after, Captain Grange was wheeled out of Belize Healthcare Partners Limited, greeted by applause from hospital staff, friends, and family. Before heading home, Captain Howell Grange made his first stop at the Divine Mercy Church, where he and his family attend mass every Sunday. He was there to give thanks for surviving the ordeal. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Howell Grange
Howell Grange, Pilot, Tropic Air
“When I found out I was going to be released, I told my wife I need to go to church before we get home. I think I owe everything right now to the good Lord. That’s why I’m here because right when the deal started, I prayed to him and asked him to fill me with the strength and the knowledge to get to that man’s head, so all we have a good outcome for the day.”
Holy Thursday turned out to be a good day for the passengers and Captain Grange, despite the critical injuries inflicted by hijacker Akinyela Taylor. Taylor took control of the aircraft soon after takeoff, Grange recounted, as he relived the harrowing experience.
Howell Grange
“I took off normal, crossing over Cerros, then I started to hear the commotion and that’s when I saw when Mr. Brown, he was already injured and Mr. Castaneda was already injured, so I started to turn back to Corozal. Then that’s when he said it was a hijacking and then he demanded the little boy to go to the back, everyone to the back, and everyone went to the back. And he started telling me I was going to take him to the United States. So, I said, okay, no problem. So, I told him which airport you want to go? So, I found my airport in the GPS, the G-1000 equipment we use, and I put it in and I move it from the map. So he was not seeing where I’m going.”
Seeing two passengers bleeding, Captain Grange knew the situation was dire. He contacted air traffic control in Spanish to alert them about the unfolding crisis. Then, he cleverly flew over water to confuse the hijacker.
Howell Grange
“I started to head over to the international airport, but I passed behind the international airport. I told him we’re heading into Mexican territory, and I had spoken to the controllers over the radio and asked them to speak in Spanish and they understood what I was trying to do. Then I went out at sea, came back, but different direction, not in the same route. So he doesn’t recognize any area.”
Marion Ali
“Yes, we saw the loops.”
Howell Grange
“Yeah, so I was mainly trying to fly over water. It’s hard to get orientated over water and I was changing altitude every minute just to change the direction, you know, try to head back closer to Belize and just try to stay over water as much as I could. I had asked them to please get someone that speaks proper American English, and they got someone and they were vectoring me to the final, and this was already like an hour and change into flight, so when I was landing, he thought he was landing in the US.”
But the hijacker soon realized that he was not in the US and that was when he also stabbed Grange.
Howell Grange
“He said he doesn’t recognize the airport for me to go around. So, I went back out and that’s when we started to argue in the airplane, me and him. And he told me, if you’re not gonna take me to the airport, then we all gonna die here today.”
Marion Ali
“What airport was that?”
Howell Grange
“I don’t remember the name, it was one in the U.S, somewhere in Missouri, Mississippi, or something like that. I don’t really recall, but I started heading back. Well, I started to argue with him because I wanted to distract him from seeing me getting closer to the airport. At the same time I was descending that time. I only had about 10 minutes more of fuel, and I decided to land. When he realized it was not where he wanted to be, then the whole scuffle start inside the airplane.”
Marion Ali
“That’s when he stabbed you?”
Howell Grange
“Yeah, he stabbed me, yeah.”
After Taylor stabbed him, Captain Grange cut off the plane’s engine and they began to fight inside the aircraft. Taylor inflicted ten stab wounds on Grange, including one behind his ear that cut through his tongue and another serious wound to his right hand. Suddenly, two gunshots rang out.
Howell Grange
“He hit me in my chin here. He was a pretty skillful guy with the knife, pretty skillful guy with the knife. He tried to hit my temple, but I had my shades on and this was the biggest one. I was trying to hold his hand and then he just grabbed the knife and sliced it open.”
Grange is at home recovering now, something he said was first on his mind.
Marion Ali
“What was going through your mind?”
Howell Grange
“Getting home to my family, getting home to my family, that was playing through my mind. That’s all I wanted.”
Captain Grange endured ten stab wounds, each narrowly missing vital vessels that could have been fatal. He now looks forward to a full recovery and hopes to return to the pilot’s seat one day. Marion Ali for News Five.
The Government of Belize and the World Bank Group (WBG) are moving forward with the development of a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF)—a 10-year strategy aimed at boosting national resilience and fostering inclusive growth.
The Ministry of Economic Transformation (MET) led discussions during an in-country mission by the World Bank team, held to shape the design of this long-term framework. The CPF will serve as the World Bank Group’s roadmap for its engagement with Belize, focusing on key sectors such as the blue economy, education, agriculture, energy, and transportation.
The mission included consultations with line ministries and a broad range of national stakeholders. These meetings are expected to ensure that the final strategy aligns with Belize’s national priorities, including Plan Belize and the Medium-Term Development Strategy.
According to officials, the CPF will be a living document—continuously shaped by local insights and emerging needs. It aims to strengthen the relationship between Belize and the World Bank Group while unlocking increased investment and development support across the country.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Carriacou, and Petit Martinique, along with Jamaica, bore the brunt of Hurricane Beryl’s fury, with Dominica, St. Lucia, and Barbados also feeling the storm’s impact. Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell, who has assumed the chairmanship of the 15-member regional integration movement, outlined the extensive damage on the Grenadine islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique.
“Ninety percent of all buildings on these islands were destroyed,” Prime Minister Mitchell reported. “Homes, schools, commercial buildings, shops, the airport, port facilities, marinas, gas stations, the hospital, health centers, community centers—all severely damaged. The road infrastructure, the shoreline, the coastline, the economic sectors have been reduced to zero. Carriacou and Petit Martinique are primarily fishing and agricultural communities.”
“The boats, engines, and fishing equipment were all destroyed,” Mitchell continued. “Livestock were badly affected, with many animals dying. In summary, the agriculture sector, fishing sector, marine industry, businesses, and tourism were all badly devastated by Hurricane Beryl.”
Similarly, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines shared the experiences of his citizens on Canouan, Mayreau, and Union Island. In the archipelago of 32 islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, nine of which are inhabited, five of the southernmost islands suffered severe devastation.
“Canouan, Mayreau, Union Island, and the resort islands of Mustique and Palm Island were hit hard. Further north, the main Grenadine island of Bequia, while not as devastated as the southern islands, still saw extraordinary damage and loss,” Prime Minister Gonsalves stated. “The main island of St. Vincent also suffered significant damage and loss.”
Grenada is hosting the CARICOM summit, which coincides with its 50th anniversary of political independence from Britain. Prime Minister Mitchell emphasized the importance of showing the world that Grenada is open for business despite the impact of Hurricane Beryl. The ceremonial opening of the summit takes place on Sunday, with usual agenda items including agri-food security, the CARICOM single market and economy, as well as Haiti and regional transportation.
CARICOM Assistant Secretary General Elizabeth Solomon expressed optimism about the developments in Haiti. “This meeting will demonstrate how effective we have been, especially in the last year. The commitment made by CARICOM heads of government to support Haiti through a difficult period has led to significant progress. We now have a Haitian-led, Haitian-owned process with a transitional presidential council and prime minister in place, entirely due to the efforts of Caribbean heads of government.”
During the opening ceremony, the Order of the Caribbean Community will be conferred on former West Indies cricket captain Sir Clive Lloyd of Guyana and Jamaican-born former CARICOM Secretary General Roderick Rainford. The Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland, is the summit’s special guest.
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.
The destruction
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.
Signs of a Worsening Climate
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.”
The Urgent Need for Climate Finance
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.
Calling for COP29 to mark a pivotal turning point, Luteru demanded concrete actions, including a 45% reduction in emissions by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. “And a new climate finance goal that is fit for purpose for small island developing states is imperative. Developing countries must finally get a commitment from developed countries to provide efficient flows and access to the trillions of mostly concessional climate finance needed to recover from worsening climate change impacts and build resilience.”
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.
As part of the year-long celebration of the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) 50th anniversary, rum producers across the region are set to present specially curated 50th Anniversary Rum Blends to CARICOM governments. These contributions from the rum industry will mark the culmination of a year-long celebration of CARICOM’s 50th anniversary. Producers from all rum-producing CARICOM Member States, a total of thirteen, which are also members of the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA), will showcase their products to national governments during the month of June. The thirteen distilleries involved include:
Mount Gay Distilleries (Barbados)
Demerara Distillers (Guyana)
Suriname Alcoholic Beverages (Suriname)
Angostura (Trinidad and Tobago)
West Indies Rum Distillery (Barbados)
Saint Lucia Distillers (Saint Lucia)
Belfast Estate – Dominica (Dominica)
Antigua Distillery (Antigua)
Grenada Distillers (Grenada)
Travellers Liquors (Belize)
Watlings Distillery (Bahamas)
National Rums of Jamaica (Jamaica)
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Distillers (St. Vincent and the Grenadines)123.
The products being showcased by regional rum producers will be distributed to CARICOM Member States, with some products available for sale in local markets. Several of the special edition rums are unique blends that will only be available for this purpose and in very limited quantities.
Police in Belize City are investigating a murder that occurred last night on St. Joseph Street. The victim has been identified as sixty-seven-year-old Griffith McNaughton Cadle. Reports indicate that Cadle was fatally stabbed.
Cadle was in the company of a man believed to be his killer. They were seen walking towards Baymen Avenue and then onto Nurse Seay Street when Cadle was stabbed.
Investigators found a knife believed to be the murder weapon at the scene.
One of Griffith’s neighbours described Cadle as a humble and mannerly man. She told News Five that she was shocked when she learned that Cadle had been murdered.
Authorities are investigating the murder of Benito Cal, a 67-year-old man, in Roaring Creek Village, Cayo. According to police, the investigation commenced after officers responded to a report at the Roaring Creek Cemetery earlier today. Upon arrival, officers found the motionless body of Cal, bearing injuries to his face.
Cal was last seen around 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12, and was discovered lifeless at approximately 6:30 a.m. the following day.
The body was subsequently transported to the Western Regional Hospital, where Cal was pronounced dead. The investigation is ongoing.
Amid escalating gang violence in Haiti, a transitional council tasked with steering the country towards stability is undergoing significant changes. Instead of a single council president, four seasoned politicians will rotate leadership every five months, marking a departure from traditional Haitian politics where power is centralized.
This surprising shift aims to foster shared governance and unity within the council, a rarity in Haiti’s political landscape according to experts.
The four members set to share leadership duties include Edgard Leblanc Fils, Louis Gérald Gilles, Leslie Voltaire, and Smith Augustin. These adjustments come after internal conflicts threatened to derail the council shortly after its inception on April 25. Initial disagreements emerged when four council members unilaterally announced a council president and prime minister, sparking widespread surprise and debate.
The next step for the council involves selecting a new Cabinet, a process expected to involve intricate negotiations with influential political figures.
Against a backdrop of unprecedented gang violence that has ravaged the capital, Port-au-Prince, Haiti grapples with dire humanitarian challenges, including food shortages and escalating crime. The recent release of thousands of inmates following prison attacks has further exacerbated security concerns.
The situation remains urgent, requiring decisive action to address the root causes of violence and ensure justice and security for all Haitians.
