Important Note: This Internet version of 7 News is a verbatum
transcript of our evening television news script. Many interviews on our newscast
are conducted in Creole. In the interest of clarity for our foreign readers,
we attempt to paraphrase the Creole quotes in English
Tonight, the Atlantic Bank is off the hook for the 62 million dollars that it loaned to the troubled Stake Bank project.
The Bank today announced that it has, quote "sold the facilities held with Stake Bank Enterprise Limited to Operaciones Portuarias, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of Honduras."
This happened on May first - and though it took them three weeks to announce - it's good news for Atlantic because the bank had been stuck with a huge non performing loan, for which the security was considered impaired. It now writes that debt off its books - which also gets the bank clear of attacks suggesting that depositors' money was at risk.
So who bought the debt? Well, Operaciones Portuarias is the same group that already invested over 150 million dollars in the project - and they now take over the Atlantic Debt and the receivership for the troubled project - which reportedly needs another 50 million dollars to reach completion.
Last week, a lightning bolt struck within the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, igniting the trees and causing a wildfire that threatening vast acreages of forest and multiple high value properties. But the reserve is managed by several entities, and together, they contained the blaze. When the smoke cleared, only 32% of the reserve received damage caused by the flames.
So while there are still fires burning in the forest, for now, they aren't a major cause for concern. But the Forest Department, along with its partners, are keeping a close eye. And yesterday, they took the media into the reserve to witness the damage firsthand, and the methods they employed to save it.
Courtney Menzies was there and has this story.
Courtney Menzies:
The smoke you see behind me is the result of wildfires burning in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. For now, these flames are across the creek, away from any private property. But last week, the blaze got too close for comfort and the Forest Department had to fight fire with fire, literally.
Shanelly Carillo Balan, Officer In Charge, Douglas D'Silva "This is Douglas D'Silva, this is where all the camps are, the houses, the offices. The fire was coming south to north and we had to open this line here as a fire line. The fire was coming in this direction here so what we had to do was in order to protect the station, the camp on this side, it was very close, we had to back burn, and this is where you can see the big difference. So when you have the back burn you make sure it is done in a controlled environment as much as possible under the conditions that we were, fighting the wildfire, and that way we have a fire fighting the wildfire coming back and that way we were able to, it helps to make sure we create a buffer."
"And it did work in this situation because you can see it, one side of the road is burnt and the other, we saved it from continued burning."
Courtney Menzies: "And this is the aftermath of a wildfire caused by a lightning strike. Pine trees turned to ash and soot. But firefighting efforts contained it up this point, saving the forest right across the road."
This area of the reserve is maintained by Bulridge Limited, and the manager, Amin Bedran explained that if they hadn't contained the fire at that point, it would have been disastrous.
Amin Bedran, Manager, Bulridge "If the fire had crossed this line, we are on Baki Line, it would have been devastating because it would have burnt all the way up to Granite Carin, there's no brakes between. The only way you can fight and control a fire in pine ridge is with the roads. You can't out this with [water] you have to fight fire with fire by doing back burns."
"What's happening, we are standing here right next to Baki Line, it does look ugly, but these pole trees are tall enough, it's Caribbean Pine, all these trees are gonna survive but what were looking at is really containing for that other side. So this area, it's about 6 or 7 miles of containment, it comes out from Granite Carin, all the way to Brunton Trail, all the way to Devil's Drive so it's quite a sizable area."
And the roads in the reserve aren't just roads - they act as fire lines to stop the the flames from spreading.
Shanelly Carrillo Balan, Officer In Charge, Douglas D'Silva "Cisco helped us in this are to just open this road because we had to create that space between the two sides of the road."
"If you see the map here, the Mountain Pine Ridge is laid out in a way that the roads act as fire lines and that's why it breaks up into compartments and sub compartments and so we see the importance of these fire lines here, year after year they can be used."
But the partners in the Pine Ridge Forest aren't out of the woods yet. Among the reserve's 100,000 acreage are resorts, camps, houses and hundreds of workers - all threatened during this particularly intense fire season.
And Fortis Belize came dangerously close to seeing their infrastructure damaged by last week's blaze, since the lightning strike was only about 7 miles away from their base. It was all hands on deck at that point - and Operations Manager Tedford Pate explained that without an Astrum helicopter helping to douse the fire, it could have gotten out of control - which would worsen the current energy crisis.
Tedford Pate, Operations Manager, Fortis Belize "The main reason for us at Fortis Belize in wanting to eliminate this threat is because what we do at this facility is very important when it comes to providing reliable power to the country. As you all know, we're in a power crisis right now in Belize and so ensuring that we maintain power to the grid is our primary concern. Had this fire extended into the transmission system, it could have had some very dire effects to the supply of electricity from this location so we're happy that with the help of all our stakeholders and our friends, we were able to control this fire up until this point."
But now, what happens to the miles and miles of forest, these vast swathes of green that were destroyed? The portion that sustained damage from the back burn will regenerate within the next few months.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development "Not all the fire is bad fire, so what we hear is those hot burns can cause the crown fires at the crown of the trees to burn, which is a small percentage, those trees might not be recoverable, so we might have to harvest them if anything else."
"But the majority of it is what they call a good fire because it's a cooler fire which doesn't burn up to the crown and there would be regeneration but also because there would be a period of time when we can already start seeing the seeding and so within the next two months or so, by July/August, we'll see these fall to the ground, by that time, you have the rains come down and so you have a lot of seedlings on the ground and hopefully it would regenerate and recover as fast as possible."
But for now, while the fires are still blazing, the Forest Department is advising the public to refrain from visiting, at least until the rains return.
And when they do, there will be hundreds of acres of scorched earth to regenerate. But it could have been far worse because the team effort allowed less than 40% of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve to be affected by the wildfires.
The Ministry of the Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management has established a Wildfire Response Task Force, led by NEMO. They will be providing immediate responses to the fires affecting particularly Toledo and Cayo. The task force held its first meeting today and is coordinating operations across the country, including in the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve. They will also provide support to the communities in the south that have already been affected.
A delivery man was the target of an attempted robbery just after midday today on Dolphin Street. And he acted swiftly to escape the attempted robbers by driving his delivery truck straight into the Racoon Street Police station parking lot.
45 year old Carlos Castellanos, a delivery supervisor for Triple A Company was making deliveries in a White Freightliner delivery truck along with his coworkers when they noticed that they were being followed by three men on motorcycle.
The men followed them up to Cluck Cluck Fast Food on Dolphin Street when one of them pulled out what appeared to be a loaded weapon from his pants and ran towards the delivery truck.
Castellanos stepped on the gas and raced off to the Racoon police station - which was around the corner. Surveillance footage is said to have been taken from the area and police have yet to detain any suspects.
32 year old Alinna Estell, a Ukrainian who is a naturalized Belizean was reunited with her family today in front of the magistrates court after she made bail for three traffic offenses. On May 9th Estell was driving on The Philip Goldson Highway in a Honda Civic, when she collided into 31 year old Gilbert Stephen who was traveling in the opposite direction on a motorcycle. Estell was served a notice of intended prosecution and Stephen was transported to the KHMH where he was placed into an induced Coma.
He later succumbed to his injuries on May 21st and Estell was then detained. Today she appeared before a senior magistrate and was read three traffic offenses of manslaughter by negligence; causing death by careless conduct and drove motor vehicle without due care and attention. No plea was taken from her and she was granted bail of $5,000 which she met.
She was represented in court by attorney, Javier Williams, and was asked to surrender her travel documents before posting bail. She is expected to appear back in court on July 24th.
On Monday we told you about 33-year-old Kareem Hamilton, who was charged for kidnapping a 5-year-old girl.
According to her mother, the little girl was in the yard when Hamilton grabbed her. She chased after him and rescued her daughter.
And while Hamilton is currently remanded - and is seen by the public as a very dangerous man, his mother is seeking justice for her son.
Janice Coleman claims that Hamilton was set up by the child's father, who is involved in a dispute with the girl's mother. Coleman explained that Hamilton was paid to do a job and that after the mother got back the child, five men came and beat him up.
Coleman stopped by our studio today.
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "The father went and told him to go for the child in the yard, two little girls are in the yard, one is playing with her and he told my son go and take her and bring her to me but my son couldn't make it where they were. And the same day, they went, the mother got the daughter, and then the boys came out and they chance my son and they beat him up bad. So if she want justice I want justice too for my child I feel for him."
Courtney Menzies: "Does your son have any relation to the little girl at all?"
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "Nothing, he doesn't know her."
Courtney Menzies: "So why did the father ask him to go for the child?"
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "Because he didn't know better and he couldn't help himself."
Courtney Menzies: "But, as a man, why would you just pick up a child you don't know?"
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "Because the father send him to her and told him to bring her."
Courtney Menzies: "But wouldn't you knock on the door to see the other adult."
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "He didn't knock on the door, he told him to go straight in the yard and bring the daughter to him."
Courtney Menzies: "But why would your son do that knowing that he doesn't know this child?"
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "I want to know why he did a thing like that. They chance my child so I want justice and this won't get away like this at all because if I have to go to court, I will go to court for him."
Courtney Menzies: "So now who beat up your son?"
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "The five men that live behind Yaborough. I don't know where they are but they beat up him and she told them they could kill him."
Courtney Menzies: "But the reason they beat him is because they believe he was taking this child."
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "But the child didn't cry."
Courtney Menzies: "But the child told her mom that she was afraid."
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "But she didn't cry."
Courtney Menzies: "She said she didn't cry because she was afraid."
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "Because the father was waiting for her by Excelsior areas waiting for his child to come. But he couldn't make it on the street same time she told the men to jump on him. And they start to beat him."
Courtney Menzies: "So you want the men who hurt your son to be charged."
Janice Coleman, Mother of Alleged Kidnapper "And the father of the little girl too."
In 2013, Hamilton was charged for committing an unnatural act with a 15 year old disabled male.
The Portico project has been back in the news this week after developer David Gegg made his second appearance before the Senate Special Select Committee investigating the genesis of the Definitive Agreement.
As has been widely reported, that controversial document was signed a month before the general election in 2020 - but it never got environmental approval.
So, when the PUP were swept into office he tried to have them pick up the project where the UDP left it off. That meant quickly engaging senior government ministers to tell them he already had a signed definitive agreement - which just needed environmental approval.
But his account differs with the Prime Minister - who - in 2023 - seemed to know little to nothing about the Definitive Agreement. Jules Vasquez has the two sides of the story:
Kevin Herrera, Senator "When the new administration came in was it you who made them aware that this agreement existed or they came to you and said that it..."
David Gegg, Portico Developer "Yes, I did. I wrote the prime minister and all the other senior ministers and let them know that we had this agreement, that it had been signed with the condition present."
Kevin Herrera, Senator "So it was in November of 2020 - When do you believe you would have briefed them that this agreement existed?"
David Gegg, Portico Developer "Probably a week later. I don't remember the exact date, but as soon as it was obvious that they had taken the reigns of Belmopan, I sent them an email with copies of documents I believe."
Janelle Chanona, SSSC - Chair "Who were those ministers that you sent correspondence to and did you attach the Definitive Agreement to those correspondences?"
David Gegg, Portico Developer "It would have been the prime minister, senator Coye, senator Mahler and senator Courtenay."
So, Gegg says he sent a copy of the documents- including the Definitive Agreement to those ministers in November of 2020. But two and a half years later- in March of 2023, the Prime Minster said he had not seen it:
posted (March 1, 2023)
John Briceno, Prime Minister "The definitive agreement - and I have not seen it - was signed by the minister responsible then obviously it is going to be binding because it's the government of Belize that signed it."
Two and a half months later, Briceno's Minister of State Chris Coye took the Cabinet Confidential and draft legislation arising from the binding clauses to the Cabinet where it was rejected.
And while Belize has only one functioning commercial cruise port - there are plans for at least four more! Of course, turning plans into projects has proven difficult for the last 15 years or so...
As we told you last night, there's another one on the horizon called the Southern Deep Port Development Facility Bill. That's going to the house next Thursday for a long list of tax exemptions and duties.
The project - which reportedly has some high level political operators involved - is reportedly being groomed to attract investors.
When talk of a Commerce Bight Port in Dangriga first came up in 2022 - we asked the area rep, Louis Zabaneh about what it might entail. He outlined the project which is being spearheaded by his cousin:
Dr Louis Zabaneh, Area Rep, Dangriga "For us here in Dangriga, that has already been aired out long ago. People already know that Mr Basilio Zabaneh who is putting up this proposal has been a very vibrant member of this community, is the largest employer as we speak, so we had this discussion on local media here in Dangriga with the Southern Workers Union and others who are fully supporting Mr Basilio who has been, as I said, a very major contributor to the development of Dangriga."
"The government has looked- there's a process, so people who have applied with interest, there's a process it goes first to the Belize Ports Authority then it goes to the minister and from there, it ends up going to the House of Representatives because I believe it's a project that's over two million dollars so these are the steps that we need to take that were not taken by the previous people who were there. So you have these various departments, entities, who will have to do their part."
Courtney Menzies: "But doesn't the Norwegian Cruise Line have the monopoly on cruise ports here in the south?"
Dr Louis Zabaneh, Area Rep, Dangriga "As far as we understand it, this project will be for small cruise ships which fall way below the number of persons per boat, so we're talking here about 100 to, say, 500 persons per boat so that's below the radar so to speak for the big guys. But very relevant for Dangriga, for our interest here in continuing to develop our tourism product. The people who come on small cruise ships usually spend 5,6 times more than those who come on the large ships, they stay longer, they're looking for quality service, things that are going to be meaningful for people who are offering those services to them."
We'll let you know what's in the exemptions package when it goes to the House next Thursday.
If you're planning to go to Chetumal this weekend, after weeks of wondering if it was safe, the law enforcement situation looks to be clearing up. Earlier this week the Commissioner of Police confirmed that the violence in Chetumal has decreased, but he told us that the police on our side of the border are still maintaining a strong presence up north.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police "The situation in Chetumal certainly has decreased tremendously. We're not hearing much about the activities of the cartels in that city. And so that is something good for us. Notwithstanding that, though, we still maintain our strong presence along our borders, both irregular and regular crossing areas."
"Again, maintaining integrity of our country is important to us. And so our actions are not going to be dictated by what happens in Chittamal, but basically what we believe is in the best interest of our people."
"And so we remain in place. We continue to do our operations daily, going after persons who we believe are involved in whatever way with the cartels over in Mexico side to make sure that we minimize the activities in our country."
In other news out of Mexico - the subject of Belize getting energy from Mexico has made it into the presidential political campaign ads there. Outgoing president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador recently announced that - following discussions with PM Briceno - Mexico's power company CFE - will sell more energy to Belize. This has hit a sour note in Mexico which is having its own energy crisis - and the ad criticizes AMLO's party, "Morena" for taking such a decision.
Today was not your average school trip day for a group of select students from 6 Belize City primary Schools. These youths took a walk through the Belize Central prison where they were exposed to the hard realities of life behind bars. Jomarie Lanza has this report.
The Belize Central prison houses a total of 1258 inmates, the majority of them men.
Regardless of its spacious compound and high end security, it is no five star resort or hidden paradise,
This select group of primary school students was given a first hand look at what life is like behind these prison walls. More specifically why this is the last place they would want to end up in life.
ACP Howell Gillett, Commander of the National Community Policing Unit "Well there are many reasons why we are here. Some of those reasons include having the children see first hand what the end state will be. There are issues they see in their communities and they are corresponding behaviors and actions between these communities. And they have seen it and so we had to bring them to let them see the end state which is prison. But we also want them to see the justice system to see how it works with the possibility of these young people choosing a career path within the justice system whether it be a social worker or a police officer a judge a magistrate a corrections officer. We want to open their minds to show them that those who they believe are the bad guys on the street they all come here. And there are two places bad people go, one is to prison you heard it in the CEOS address and the other is to the tomb."
After a pat down and search at the entrance of the prison, the students were then placed in this holding cell, where prisoners are kept upon arrival, before they undergo a full strip search.
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It's a taste of harsh reality, and a sharp deterrent in an attempt to dissuade them from a life of crime and improve the behavior of some of these students. The choice is theirs, whether they strive to change or end up in the hands of Virgilio Murrillo, the CEO at the prison.
Virgilio Murillo, CEO, Belize Central Prison "I just wanted to share the reality of prison with them because at the end of the day you can't mix with words crime is pretty much out of hand in this society and we don't want anyone to think that the prison, I hate to use the phrase bed of roses but it is certainly not a holiday and people will not come here and carry on with their behavior that landed them in prison any at all. Prisons are about order and discipline and we as the administration we make sure that we execute that obligation extremely well. Of course respecting their human rights but certainly not tip-toeing around getting them straightened out before they return to society."
The majority of the group were over 15, and came from 6 different primary schools. And if the walk through the holding cell, the smell of prison food and the glares of inmates peering through the prison windows wasn't enough to shake them up, they got to hear the blunt testimony of a young woman on remand for Manslaughter. The french national, is on remand in Belize for allegedly strangling her mother in their Tres Puntas home in the Cayo district back in late August of 2023. Life behind these walls has been a wake up call for her.
Mahault Jarossay "I came here one year ago I came one year ago to Belize and I came to prison ten months ago I already completed ten months on remand for what I am here I am risking 15 years of jail and so I am praying hard that I will not have to do those years but I have to I have to accept it because I did a mistake. It started with one bad decision and then a next. Bad decision and the next thing I know I'm in prison alone in a cell with nobody to talk to me no family to call me because it is too expensive I cannot call them neither because it is too expensive. Sending money is hard I have no visitors I have no drop off I have to eat the food here. It's really hard so try to make good decision because I am proof that coming to jail is for everybody. I have a good education I went to high school I went to university. I got money I got family and friends and people who took the right decisions but I didn't listen I wanted to travel the world and discover new things and I thought I could do it on my own but no I needed to listen and I took a really bad decision I'm here for manslaughter."
Sobering testimony - and hopefully it can keep these teenagers from taking those kinds of bad decisions.
These prison visits have been happening since 2018.
Our next two stories are about politics. The first is about Cyril Uruwei - a digital marketer - who wants to challenge Dr Louis Zabaneh for the PUP standard bearer seat in Dangriga.
Now, Zabaneh is an elected representative and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education. But, the PUP national executive did announce that it is accepting applications for 30 of the 31 constituencies.
Now, knowing how political parties work - no one takes that too literally but Uruwei is going to put it to the test. He says he's from a family of faithful PUP's and it's time for Dr Zabaneh to go:
Cyril Uruwei, Aspirant - PUP Dangriga Jules, Busha, we are tired, Dangriga, Hope Creek, Sarawee. We have an era rep, two PhDs, he has written a book, he feels as if though he is way up above everybody. Nobody can really have a one-on-one conversation with the man."
Jules Vasquez "PUP, what makes you think you can unseat an establishment figure like Louis Zabaneh?"
Cyril Uruwei, Aspirant - PUP Dangriga "Democracy, I still believe in the people. I don't give up on Dangriga, and I hope Griga will support. I don't give up on Sarawee, Hope Creek. I mean, we, my aim, one of my main aim is to prove that if we come together, we stick together, we could change. Dangriga demands change, and not small change, big change, real change."
Jules Vasquez "I would be surprised to make a big point of it in your speech if you are even allowed to contest the convention, to contest a convention, because the political establishment has no use for somebody who says, I'm not happy with the minister, you're not happy with what?"
Cyril Uruwei, Aspirant - PUP Dangriga "You don't have hope in other people, yes?"
Jules Vasquez "I don't. In politics, I believe, especially at the convention level, that a sort of political mafia in the PUDP controls the outcome of these things. That's my experience."
"Where the money is, who the executive supports, who the leader comes out with, they are who wins divisional convention."
Cyril Uruwei, Aspirant - PUP Dangriga "Because of history, I could very well tell you I believe that too, but belief is not a fact."
"Belief is just an opinion, something that you hinge on to based on repetition. Granted, I believe in the people, and I believe Dangriga, Hope Creek, Sarawee will reach out and vote for Cyril Uruwei. That's a fact."
"I want the youths out there to look at me. and say you know what if he could do it I could do it the color of my skin, where I come from, what I have. Politics is indeed a money game but conscience is another thing and I know there will be a tipping point where people will start to accept that yes we need money give me, give me, give me, give me, but at the same time they will look at me they will hear my voice and say you know what we need to give this brother a chance."
Jules Vasquez "You're a dreamer. In the history of politics this has never happened that a sitting area representative is unseated as a standard bearer that's to my recollection unprecedented. You are living a dream."
Cyril Uruwei, Aspirant - PUP Dangriga "When you interview me when I win your last word was an unprecedented that's all I have to say."
Uruwei submitted his application today - and now it's left to be seen if the party will accept it.
And, earlier this week, we got to speak with Shyne Barrow about something politicians rarely talk about: his personal fortune.
He brought up his multi million dollar contract with Disney and Jules picked it up from there:
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition "You know for a fact that I've done a multi-million dollar deal with Disney. So don't pretend as if I can't finance the United Democratic Party myself."
Jules Vasquez "From your personal fortune I know you can, sir."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition "So this idea of Diddy Combs, the only thing that he was proposing to give was the scholarship from Howard, which has not come to fruition. I don't know what's happening with Howard."
"If Howard would want to still help Belize we would take it, but at this point I want nothing to do with anyone that is engaging in that type of activity."
Jules Vasquez "Sir, so you refer to your personal fortune, which I am sure is formidable, and I know that you have signed multi-million dollar deals, multiple in your life, indeed. It is often noted in politics, and it is, I think I first heard it from the great Dean Barrow, don't use your personal money for politics, because your personal fortune is a finite resource, and we know that the needs in politics, the needs are infinite. Explain to me how you manage these competing interests of incessant needs of people in politics, your own people, and the finite nature of one's personal fortune."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition "Well I am extremely fortunate to have people that support my vision for Belize in the donor community, nationally and globally, and my only interest is the development of Belize and whatever sacrifice, whatever I have to do to ensure that our democracy is strong in opposition and that I give the United Democratic Party an opportunity to form the next government where we can implement our policies for the development and transformation of this nation. I am prepared to make whatever sacrifices I personally need to make."
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Tonight, the Atlantic Bank is off the hook for the 62 million dollars that it loaned to the troubled Stake Bank project.
Last week, a lightning bolt struck within the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, igniting the trees and causing a wildfire that threatening vast acreages of forest and multiple high value properties. But the reserve is managed by several entities, and together, they contained the blaze. When the smoke cleared, only 32% of the reserve received damage caused by the flames.
The smoke you see behind me is the result of wildfires burning in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. For now, these flames are across the creek, away from any private property. But last week, the blaze got too close for comfort and the Forest Department had to fight fire with fire, literally.
"This is Douglas D'Silva, this is where all the camps are, the houses, the offices. The fire was coming south to north and we had to open this line here as a fire line. The fire was coming in this direction here so what we had to do was in order to protect the station, the camp on this side, it was very close, we had to back burn, and this is where you can see the big difference. So when you have the back burn you make sure it is done in a controlled environment as much as possible under the conditions that we were, fighting the wildfire, and that way we have a fire fighting the wildfire coming back and that way we were able to, it helps to make sure we create a buffer."
"If the fire had crossed this line, we are on Baki Line, it would have been devastating because it would have burnt all the way up to Granite Carin, there's no brakes between. The only way you can fight and control a fire in pine ridge is with the roads. You can't out this with [water] you have to fight fire with fire by doing back burns."
Tedford Pate, Operations Manager, Fortis Belize 
"But the majority of it is what they call a good fire because it's a cooler fire which doesn't burn up to the crown and there would be regeneration but also because there would be a period of time when we can already start seeing the seeding and so within the next two months or so, by July/August, we'll see these fall to the ground, by that time, you have the rains come down and so you have a lot of seedlings on the ground and hopefully it would regenerate and recover as fast as possible."
A delivery man was the target of an attempted robbery just after midday today on Dolphin Street. And he acted swiftly to escape the attempted robbers by driving his delivery truck straight into the Racoon Street Police station parking lot.
On Monday we told you about 33-year-old Kareem Hamilton, who was charged for kidnapping a 5-year-old girl.
"The father went and told him to go for the child in the yard, two little girls are in the yard, one is playing with her and he told my son go and take her and bring her to me but my son couldn't make it where they were. And the same day, they went, the mother got the daughter, and then the boys came out and they chance my son and they beat him up bad. So if she want justice I want justice too for my child I feel for him."
The Portico project has been back in the news this week after developer David Gegg made his second appearance before the Senate Special Select Committee investigating the genesis of the Definitive Agreement.
"When the new administration came in was it you who made them aware that this agreement existed or they came to you and said that it..."
"Yes, I did. I wrote the prime minister and all the other senior ministers and let them know that we had this agreement, that it had been signed with the condition present."
"Who were those ministers that you sent correspondence to and did you attach the Definitive Agreement to those correspondences?"
"The definitive agreement - and I have not seen it - was signed by the minister responsible then obviously it is going to be binding because it's the government of Belize that signed it."
And while Belize has only one functioning commercial cruise port - there are plans for at least four more! Of course, turning plans into projects has proven difficult for the last 15 years or so...
"For us here in Dangriga, that has already been aired out long ago. People already know that Mr Basilio Zabaneh who is putting up this proposal has been a very vibrant member of this community, is the largest employer as we speak, so we had this discussion on local media here in Dangriga with the Southern Workers Union and others who are fully supporting Mr Basilio who has been, as I said, a very major contributor to the development of Dangriga."
"The situation in Chetumal certainly has decreased tremendously. We're not hearing much about the activities of the cartels in that city. And so that is something good for us. Notwithstanding that, though, we still maintain our strong presence along our borders, both irregular and regular crossing areas."
Today was not your average school trip day for a group of select students from 6 Belize City primary Schools. These youths took a walk through the Belize Central prison where they were exposed to the hard realities of life behind bars. Jomarie Lanza has this report.
"Well there are many reasons why we are here. Some of those reasons include having the children see first hand what the end state will be. There are issues they see in their communities and they are corresponding behaviors and actions between these communities. And they have seen it and so we had to bring them to let them see the end state which is prison. But we also want them to see the justice system to see how it works with the possibility of these young people choosing a career path within the justice system whether it be a social worker or a police officer a judge a magistrate a corrections officer. We want to open their minds to show them that those who they believe are the bad guys on the street they all come here. And there are two places bad people go, one is to prison you heard it in the CEOS address and the other is to the tomb."
"I just wanted to share the reality of prison with them because at the end of the day you can't mix with words crime is pretty much out of hand in this society and we don't want anyone to think that the prison, I hate to use the phrase bed of roses but it is certainly not a holiday and people will not come here and carry on with their behavior that landed them in prison any at all. Prisons are about order and discipline and we as the administration we make sure that we execute that obligation extremely well. Of course respecting their human rights but certainly not tip-toeing around getting them straightened out before they return to society."
"I came here one year ago I came one year ago to Belize and I came to prison ten months ago I already completed ten months on remand for what I am here I am risking 15 years of jail and so I am praying hard that I will not have to do those years but I have to I have to accept it because I did a mistake. It started with one bad decision and then a next. Bad decision and the next thing I know I'm in prison alone in a cell with nobody to talk to me no family to call me because it is too expensive I cannot call them neither because it is too expensive. Sending money is hard I have no visitors I have no drop off I have to eat the food here. It's really hard so try to make good decision because I am proof that coming to jail is for everybody. I have a good education I went to high school I went to university. I got money I got family and friends and people who took the right decisions but I didn't listen I wanted to travel the world and discover new things and I thought I could do it on my own but no I needed to listen and I took a really bad decision I'm here for manslaughter."
Our next two stories are about politics. The first is about Cyril Uruwei - a digital marketer - who wants to challenge Dr Louis Zabaneh for the PUP standard bearer seat in Dangriga.
"Democracy, I still believe in the people. I don't give up on Dangriga, and I hope Griga will support. I don't give up on Sarawee, Hope Creek. I mean, we, my aim, one of my main aim is to prove that if we come together, we stick together, we could change. Dangriga demands change, and not small change, big change, real change."
"You know for a fact that I've done a multi-million dollar deal with Disney. So don't pretend as if I can't finance the United Democratic Party myself."
