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  • Nieuwe escalatie: VS bombardeert Iraanse olietankers na aanvallen op Amerikaanse schepen

    Nieuwe escalatie: VS bombardeert Iraanse olietankers na aanvallen op Amerikaanse schepen

    Six months after the outbreak of open conflict between the US, Israel and Iran, tensions in the strategic Gulf region have surged to a new critical peak following a series of tit-for-tat military strikes that began in early September. The latest round of escalation started when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s elite military force, launched two separate attacks on a US Navy vessel within a 48-hour window, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM). The warship successfully evaded both attempts, and no US personnel were injured or killed in the strikes. The IRGC also carried out a separate attack on US troops stationed at a base in Jordan, setting the stage for a rapid US retaliation.

    In response to the IRGC actions, US military forces carried out targeted airstrikes against five Iranian-owned oil tankers operating in the Gulf of Oman and near Iran’s Kharg Island. CENTCOM confirmed that advance warnings were issued to the crews of the targeted vessels — identified as the M/T Kaviz, M/T Charminer, M/T Horizon 1, M/T Riesco and M/T Derya — before the strikes to allow them to evacuate. Footage circulating from the strike zone confirms that the M/T Riesco has sunk following the attack.

    Iran quickly confirmed the strikes on its oil tankers and launched an immediate counteroffensive. The IRGC announced it had carried out “intense rocket attacks” against the US Al-Azraq Air Base in Jordan, claiming it destroyed hangars housing US fighter jets in the strike. Iranian military officials also added that it carried out missile strikes against two US destroyers, inflicting substantial damage on the vessels, and expanded its offensive to target 10 vessels in the broader region, two of which it claims are US-owned.

    Jordanian military authorities offered a separate account of the Al-Azraq base attacks, confirming that their air defense systems intercepted 20 ballistic missiles launched toward the base, destroying 18 of the projectiles mid-flight. No casualties were reported from the incident, with the two remaining missiles that evaded interception landing in unpopulated desert areas.

    Beyond the direct military exchanges, the escalating conflict has already had tangible global economic impacts. On Wednesday, international benchmark oil prices climbed above $100 per barrel amid fears of disrupted shipping through the region, which handles roughly a fifth of the world’s daily oil trade. Iran has already closed the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical chokepoint for oil shipments, while the US has maintained a strict maritime blockade of Iranian port facilities. Following the US tanker strikes, Iran’s foreign ministry labeled the attack a “war crime” and announced a new restricted maritime zone stretching from Iran’s Chabahar port across large swathes of the Arabian Sea, with exact coordinates of the zone set to be released in the coming days.

    Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors global shipping security, reported Wednesday that an additional attack was carried out against a cargo vessel off the coast of Iraq, approximately 52 kilometers south of the al-Faw peninsula.

    In a confirmation of US policy during a diplomatic visit to Colombia, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the strikes on the Iranian tankers. Rubio stated that Iran has continued to target American commercial and military vessels in the region, and that every hostile attempt from Tehran will result in further losses for Iran’s maritime and oil sectors.

    In a separate development that adds to regional tensions, the IRGC also announced that it seized an American unmanned submarine near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. US officials confirmed that a drone submarine suffered a technical malfunction during a routine surveillance mission in the area, but denied that the vessel was collecting sensitive intelligence at the time of its loss.

  • Column: Evalueren en bijsturen!

    Column: Evalueren en bijsturen!

    Suriname has long been recognized as a breeding ground for elite athletic talent. For decades, both male and female athletes from the South American nation have delivered standout individual performances that have left a lasting mark on regional and global sports, while Suriname’s national and club teams have also notched remarkable achievements in team competition over the years. In recent years, however, a clear downward trend has emerged: with only a handful of exceptions, locally trained Surinamese athletes have failed to secure competitive victories at regional and international sporting stages, leaving the sports community grappling with a pressing question: why have performances fallen so far short of expectations despite the country’s deep pool of natural talent?

    This question cannot be resolved from behind a desk, argues Surinamese sports analyst Mireille Hoepel. A comprehensive, multi-faceted investigation into the entire athlete development pipeline is urgently needed to pinpoint where the system is failing. Hoepel emphasizes the importance of assessing whether Suriname’s approach to nurturing athletes has stagnated, holding to outdated methods that worked in the past but have not adapted to evolving global sports standards. If training and development strategies have been updated in recent years, she adds, a rigorous evaluation is required to confirm whether these changes have been effective—and policymakers and sports leaders must be willing to make mid-course corrections if current approaches are not delivering results.

    To fully unpack the causes of widespread performance decline across Suriname’s sports sector, all key stakeholders and contributing factors must be examined. Hoepel notes that potential weaknesses could lie anywhere in the system: from athletes’ immediate training environments and personal support networks to access to high-quality medical and scientific backup, or even structural flaws at the level of governing sports organizations. Once the root causes of underperformance are identified, Hoepel stresses that the sports community must be prepared to implement sweeping changes to reverse the trend. Urgent reform is required to lift Surinamese sport back to a competitive, acceptable standard, and early intervention is critical: young athletes must be introduced to proper training pathways and professional expectations from the start of their careers to build the mental and technical foundation needed to compete at the highest level.

    Targeted, strategic action is particularly critical for Suriname’s most popular sport: football. Hoepel argues that the country must first identify a clear, proven formula for sustainable success before committing resources and investments to improve the sport. Without this foundational analysis, wealthier Surinamese football clubs often fall back on impulsive, ad-hoc player transfer policies. While clubs are entitled to manage their own budgets, Hoepale notes that a far more effective approach is to first map gaps in a club’s player development and squad before signing new talent.

    A recurring issue across Suriname’s local football scene, Hoepel observes, is poor finishing accuracy among domestic players, a problem that plagues nearly all of the country’s clubs. To address this widespread gap, Hoepel proposes that the Suriname Football Federation (SVB) reach out to Surinamese football professionals based in the diaspora to leverage their specialized expertise. By sharing their knowledge and experience with local clubs, these experienced professionals could deliver a much-needed quality boost to the goal-scoring ability of Suriname’s homegrown footballers, helping to lift the overall standard of the sport across the country.

  • Waarnemend president Venezuela donderdag in Suriname voor besprekingen

    Waarnemend president Venezuela donderdag in Suriname voor besprekingen

    Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez will touch down in Suriname Thursday evening at the head of a high-level governmental delegation, bringing a long-postponed diplomatic visit back on track after months of delays. Multiple working discussions are scheduled for Friday, and bilateral agreements between the two South American nations are widely expected to be signed during the event, according to local reporting.

    As of press time, the Surinamese government has not released any official public statement detailing the visit or its full agenda. Local outlet Starnieuws has confirmed that logistical preparations for the visit are already well underway, with Venezuelan security officials having already arrived in Suriname to coordinate safety arrangements for Rodríguez and her delegation.

    Key details surrounding the trip remain under wraps: officials have not yet disclosed what specific agreements will be signed, what core topics will take center stage during bilateral talks, or even the full composition of the Venezuelan visiting delegation.

    Rodríguez assumed leadership of Venezuela’s executive branch in January this year, after a dramatic shift in the country’s political landscape. A former vice president under long-time leader Nicolás Maduro, she stepped into the acting presidency after Maduro and his wife were detained during a U.S. military operation inside Venezuelan territory on January 3, and subsequently transferred to the United States to face criminal prosecution.

    Since taking office, Rodríguez has overseen a significant warming of diplomatic and economic ties between Caracas and Washington. Her administration has already signed a landmark broad energy agreement with the United States, and has made active efforts to court foreign direct investment into Venezuela’s critical oil sector. Earlier this month, Rodríguez was present for the signing of new cooperation deals between the Venezuelan government and major international energy firms, including U.S.-based Chevron and Italy’s Eni.

    This upcoming visit to Suriname was first scheduled earlier this year. Back in June, the Surinamese Cabinet of the President announced that Rodríguez would carry out a courtesy visit to Surinamese President Jennifer Simons on June 23, with a joint press briefing at the Presidential Palace also on the public schedule. However, just days after the announcement, the cabinet confirmed the visit would be postponed without explanation.

    Now, Rodríguez’s trip is finally going ahead this week, with a broader scope than the original courtesy visit. Beyond the scheduled working meetings, the diplomatic agenda now explicitly includes the signing of new bilateral agreements between the two neighboring countries.

  • FOLLOW THE MONEY: Campaign Finance Reform Back on the Table

    FOLLOW THE MONEY: Campaign Finance Reform Back on the Table

    After six years of repeated failed attempts to pass comprehensive campaign finance regulation in Belize, cross-sector civil society and business leaders have reignited the push for reform with a concrete, detailed draft bill that outlines a full regulatory architecture for political campaign financing.

    Leading the renewed initiative is the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), which has partnered with major national stakeholders including the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, the Belize Network of NGOs, and national faith organizations to circulate the updated 2026 draft of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, a copy of which has been obtained by local outlet The Reporter. Unlike prior efforts that only called for broad reform, this draft lays out specific, actionable provisions to address longstanding gaps in Belize’s campaign finance rules.

    The 20-page draft bill proposes amending Belize’s existing Representation of the People Act to build a binding legal framework for campaign financing, establish a dedicated National Election Campaign Fund, and mandate full public accounting of all contributions and expenditures by both political parties and individual election candidates.

    One of the draft’s most transformative provisions is the introduction of binding spending caps. Under the proposed rules, registered national political parties would be limited to $4 million in total campaign spending per election cycle, while individual candidates would face a ceiling of $215,000. The Elections and Boundaries Commission would retain authority to adjust these amounts in the future, pending formal affirmative approval from relevant governing bodies.

    To curb the outsized influence of large individual donors, the draft also sets proportional contribution caps. No single contributor can provide more than 10% of an individual candidate’s total allowed spending, while contributions to a national party are capped at 5% of the party’s total permitted expenditure.

    Addressing widespread transparency concerns around unreported political funding, the draft mandates timely public disclosure of all large contributions. Any donation of $10,000 or more must be reported to the Elections and Boundaries Commission within seven days, including full details of the contribution amount, date, and donor identity. The commission is then required to publish this information promptly for public access. For corporate or other organizational donors, additional disclosure of ultimate beneficial owners, controlling stakeholders, and any shareholders holding 10% or more of the entity is required.

    Cash donations would face strict new limits as well: no cash contribution over $1000 can be accepted, and all larger donations must be made via traceable financial channels including bank transfers, checks, or electronic funds transfers. A full ban on donations from prohibited sources is also written into the draft, including foreign governments, public foreign bodies, anonymous donors, and contributors using intermediaries or false identities. Any funds received from prohibited sources must be returned, and any untraceable unidentifiable contributions must be transferred to Belize’s national Consolidated Fund.

    The draft also creates new reporting requirements to link political donations and government contracting. Any individual or company that makes a political donation must disclose the contribution if they held a government contract worth more than $7,000 in the two years prior to the donation, or if they enter into such a contract within two years after making the contribution.

    Political parties would be required to submit annual financial statements under the new framework, and independent audits would be mandated for parties meeting a size threshold to be set by the Elections and Boundaries Commission. All campaign finance reports, declarations, and disclosures would ultimately be published online in a searchable, machine-readable format to simplify public oversight.

    Third-party groups that spend money to influence election outcomes would also be brought under regulation for the first time. Any organization spending over $10,000 on election-related activities would be required to register with the Elections and Boundaries Commission, maintain detailed financial records, and comply with the same donor disclosure and campaign finance rules that apply to parties and candidates.

    The draft includes strong enforceable penalties for deliberate serious violations. If the High Court finds that a candidate knowingly committed a major breach of campaign finance rules, sanctions can include forfeiture or repayment of illegal funds, and in the most severe cases, nullification of the candidate’s election victory or a ban from running for public office for up to five years.

    At this stage, the document remains a working draft rather than formal legislation introduced to Belize’s National Assembly, and multiple provisions are marked for further stakeholder review and debate. Observers note that the most important contribution of the current draft is not the specific monetary thresholds it proposes, but the fact that it puts a complete, workable regulatory model—including spending limits, donor identification, public disclosure, and enforceable penalties—back onto Belize’s national policy agenda after years of inaction.

  • Second fire in more than 15 years ravages Regent House Household Plus

    Second fire in more than 15 years ravages Regent House Household Plus

    Seventeen years after an out-of-control fire first gutted Regent Household Plus, the beloved downtown Guyana department store has been struck by disaster again: a fast-spreading inferno tore through the multi-story concrete building on September 9, 2026, leaving millions in inventory destroyed and putting dozens of workers at risk of sudden unemployment.

    Shaheed Hamid, owner of the long-standing Regent Street business, confirmed to reporters on the scene that the previous destructive blaze at the property dates back to 2009. In a rare stroke of luck amid the devastation, Hamid confirmed all employees made it out of the burning structure safely, with no injuries reported in connection to the incident.

    While fire crews managed to contain the majority of the blaze within the bounds of Regent Household Plus, neighboring DM’s Beauty World—an adjacent retail outlet located to the west of the affected building—suffered extensive secondary damage. The beauty retailer’s stock suffered widespread water damage from firefighting efforts, and its exterior facade was heavily scorched by intense heat from the main fire.

    As of Wednesday evening, officials had not yet confirmed the root cause of the ignition. Dwayne Scotland, Deputy Chief Fire Officer of the Guyana Fire Service, shared key timeline details with reporters on the ground: the department received the first emergency call about the fire at 1:03 PM local time. By the time crews gained some control of the blaze, the western end of the building had already collapsed under the intense heat.

    Even after the fire was officially classified as under control after 5 PM, hotspots continued to flare up at the rear of the gutted store, and local residents voiced urgent fears that the blaze could spread to nearby wooden residential structures in the backyards off Charlotte Street. Fanned by a mild north-easterly wind, the residual fire kept crews working late into the afternoon; by 5:15 PM, firefighters had extended hose lines into the residential backyard area to prevent the blaze from jumping to neighboring properties.

    Firefighters drew water for their operations from two primary sources: fire hydrants maintained by Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and the nearby South Road canal. City Mayor Alfred Mentore later publicly praised the response efforts of the firefighting team, noting their quick work prevented the fire from spreading to adjacent structures and limiting the overall scale of the damage.

    For the local community and Regent Household Plus’ owner, the disaster marks a devastating second blow, decades after the business first rebuilt following the 2009 fire.

  • UKEF willing to support Guyanese private sector’s importation of non-oil sector products

    UKEF willing to support Guyanese private sector’s importation of non-oil sector products

    In an announcement made during a private sector-focused workshop in Georgetown on Wednesday, the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF), Britain’s official export credit agency, outlined new financing terms for Guyanese imports that carve out a clear exception for non-oil sector activity while adhering to the UK government’s formal fossil fuel financing policy.

    Senior UKEF officials emphasized that while direct financing for oil and gas sector contracts is off the table in line with national climate policy, the agency will not impose blanket restrictions on Guyanese companies active in the country’s growing hydrocarbon supply chain. George Hames, UKEF’s regional head of business origination for the Americas, clarified the key distinction between targeted policy and broad exclusion at the event. “Whilst, unfortunately, we’re not able to help you necessarily in procuring very specific oil and gas equipment, we’re not looking to penalise companies that are active in the wider Guyanese oil and gas supply chain. That’s a really important distinction for us,” Hames explained. He added that no blanket “purity test” will be applied to local firms operating in the oil sector, allowing most Guyanese businesses to still access UKEF-backed financing for non-hydrocarbon purchases from the UK and third-party nations.

    The new financing framework includes a notably flexible UK local content requirement, which has drawn praise from Guyana’s top finance official. Unlike most export credit agencies that demand a far higher share of domestic content to qualify for support, UKEF only requires that at least 20 percent of a contract’s total value come from UK suppliers. Guyana’s Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh called the terms unprecedented during his opening address to the workshop, held at Georgetown’s World Trade Centre. “That formula makes UKEF the most flexible export credit agency that I have encountered across the entire spectrum of export credit agencies,” Singh noted, highlighting that most peer agencies require significantly higher domestic content thresholds.

    Hames expanded on the reasoning behind the 20 percent rule, explaining it is designed to combine the strengths of UK industrial supply chains with local Guyanese goods, services, and employment. The goal, he said, is to foster new downstream business opportunities for firms in both countries. A £3 billion financial window for Guyana’s public and private sectors was already opened by UKEF several months prior to the workshop, giving eligible projects substantial capital to draw from.

    Judith Huijnen, head of the Commonwealth Caribbean section at UKEF, detailed the full range of financing products available to eligible applicants. The agency works through commercial banks and insurers to fill market gaps in lending, offering everything from short-term working capital solutions and bond support to export insurance and long-term buyer credit facilities. For priority sectors including renewable energy, transport infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and airport development, UKEF even provides direct fixed-rate lending. Huijnen outlined the risk-mitigation structure of the agency’s guarantees: once a UK exporter signs a commercial contract with a Guyanese buyer, the buyer’s bank issues a loan to pay the exporter, and UKEF provides an unconditional 100 percent repayment guarantee. “The credit risk sits with UKEF,” Huijnen explained. “UKEF de-risks a transaction and unlocks financing. There’s no longer a project risk. The risk sits with the [UK] government.”

    UK High Commissioner to Guyana Joseph Fisher underscored the growing economic ties between the two nations at the workshop, noting that Guyana is now the UK’s largest trading partner in the Commonwealth Caribbean. Current trade figures reflect a booming bilateral relationship: total UK-Guyana trade hit a record high of more than £2.2 billion in the 12-month period ending the first quarter of 2026, representing a 35 percent year-on-year increase, and accounting for nearly 44 percent of the UK’s total trade with the Commonwealth Caribbean region.

  • Youth market ‘moving away from rum’

    Youth market ‘moving away from rum’

    Barbados is undergoing a profound transformation of its export economy, driven by evolving global consumer preferences, particularly among younger generations, according to Mark Hill, Chief Executive Officer of Export Barbados. In an interview with Barbados TODAY, Hill outlined how long-standing core export sectors are being disrupted, while new high-growth areas are emerging to meet shifting global demand.

    One of the most noticeable shifts is impacting Barbados’ centuries-old rum export industry. Hill explained that the global push toward health and wellness has reshaped alcohol consumption patterns, with younger consumers leading the move away from traditional rum and strong alcoholic beverages. Instead, this demographic is opting for alcohol-free mocktails, lighter low-alcohol cocktails, and convenient canned beverage formats, creating a drag on traditional rum export growth. Beyond beverages, broader dietary and lifestyle changes among younger consumers, combined with demographic shifts from aging populations across many major markets, are driving widespread changes in what global buyers demand from Barbadian exporters.

    To position the country to capitalize on these new trends, Export Barbados has launched targeted initiatives to address key structural challenges holding back export competitiveness. Hill noted that high energy costs have long been a barrier to scalable, cost-effective local production. The organization’s Green Industrial Gateway for Global Investors (GIGA) programme was designed specifically to tackle this issue by reducing industrial energy costs, enabling Barbadian producers to compete more effectively on the global stage.

    Hill also emphasized that modernizing production and expanding into new export sectors requires strengthening Barbados’ technological and scientific foundations. Access to artificial intelligence is becoming a critical tool for improving product design, development, and production efficiency, and Export Barbados is working to build this capability locally. At the same time, tightening international certification requirements have emerged as a major barrier to market entry for many new products, pushing the country to scale up its scientific capacity and meet strict global standards. “We’re just strengthening the fundamentals of our capacity to produce new goods, strengthening the fundamentals of our productive sector so that we can respond to the changes that are happening within the globe,” Hill explained.

    Alongside changes to goods exports, Barbados is seeing rapid growth in a new range of exported services that extend far beyond its traditional finance and insurance sectors. Hill reported particularly strong growth in scientific and certification services, alongside emerging sectors including software development, artificial intelligence solutions, and engineering. Even Barbadian construction and engineering skills are seeing rising global demand, as skilled labor becomes an increasingly traded global commodity. Hill noted that this new scientific and engineering export base has expanded consistently over the past several years, establishing a durable new pillar of the country’s export economy.

    To feed this growth with a skilled workforce, the Barbados Centres of Excellence programme has become a key intervention. The initiative trains young people to meet global industry skill standards, combining structured learning with hands-on internship opportunities. Trainees can then launch their own independent operations with targeted financing support, creating a pipeline of new export-focused businesses. Hill explained that the programme’s model removes many of the biggest barriers facing new entrepreneurs: the public sector invests in capital equipment, infrastructure, and core capabilities, so emerging business owners only need to focus on product quality, marketing, and distribution, without carrying heavy upfront capital or operating costs.

    Another innovative new initiative is Export Barbados’ International Fashion Technology Institute, which is taking a unique approach to the global fashion industry by focusing on technology-enabled services rather than traditional clothing production or design. Hill pointed out that the boom in online apparel shopping has created a huge unmet demand for custom fit adjustments: most mass-produced garments ordered online do not fit consumers properly, creating a fast-growing market for on-demand alteration services. The institute trains students in ergonomic design and custom fit adjustment, while investing in cutting-edge technology like full-body scanners that can quickly map individual body types to create custom patterns. By combining advanced technology with skilled craft, the institute is able to deliver faster, more efficient, higher-quality services that meet evolving consumer needs. Like the Centres of Excellence programme, the institute supports emerging fashion tech entrepreneurs by covering capital expenditure, allowing founders to focus on growing their businesses rather than covering upfront infrastructure costs.

    Overall, the shifts underway represent a deliberate reorientation of Barbados’ export strategy to align with 21st century global demand, turning consumer and demographic trends into new economic opportunities for the island nation.

  • Ambulance driver remanded on serious bodily harm charge

    Ambulance driver remanded on serious bodily harm charge

    A 48-year-old ambulance driver has been placed into pre-trial detention at Dodds Prison following his court appearance on charges of inflicting serious bodily harm on a local man in the parish of St Michael. Identified as O’Brien Antonio Franklyn, a resident of Quarry Road in Bank Hall, St Michael, the defendant appeared before Magistrate Jared Richards at the District ‘A’ Traffic Court to answer to the criminal allegation.

    Court documents allege that on September 2, Franklyn intentionally caused severe physical injury to Andre Harry, with the explicit intent to maim, permanently disfigure, or disable the victim. Represented by experienced legal advocate Senior Counsel Andrew Pilgrim, Franklyn was not required to enter a plea at this initial hearing, as the charge against him is classified as an indictable offence that will proceed to a higher court for trial.

    Following the brief hearing, Magistrate Richards ordered Franklyn to be held in custody at Dodds Prison until his next scheduled court appearance, which is set for September 30. No further details about the circumstances of the alleged incident, including the current condition of the victim Andre Harry, have been released to the public as the legal process moves forward.

  • BTV Defies Warnings, Presses Ahead with Annual Sarstoon Trip

    BTV Defies Warnings, Presses Ahead with Annual Sarstoon Trip

    A long-running territorial dispute along Central America’s Sarstoon River is back in the headlines this week, as the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) prepare to launch their annual border expedition Thursday, moving forward despite official safety warnings from Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Sarstoon River, which forms the contested border between Belize and Guatemala, has been a flashpoint for cross-border tension for decades. Past BTV expeditions have already resulted in heated confrontations between Belizean civilian participants, Belize’s national military forces, and the Guatemalan Armed Forces, leading officials to urge citizens to avoid the area amid the ongoing unresolved border disagreement.

    Wil Maheia, the founder of BTV, is pushing back against the government’s warning, arguing that officials are intentionally discouraging Belizeans from participating in the expedition. For Maheia and the BTV, the trip is far more than a recreational journey: it is a public assertion of Belizean sovereignty over the territory, timed this year to align with Belize’s independence month. He says Belizean citizens should never be made to feel intimidated or unwelcome traveling in what is legally their own country, and he has openly expressed disappointment with the government’s decision to issue the warning.

    In an interview ahead of the 2026 expedition, Maheia noted that pushback from authorities has become a regular part of the BTV’s annual event, which has been held for more than 15 consecutive years. While he called this year’s official pushback unnecessary, he added that it was not an unexpected development. “Our idea is to just go down to the Sarstoon peacefully as Belizeans and this is the spirit of independence,” Maheia explained. “This is our independence month. Show Belize where our borders are. And that is all we plan to do, go down there and show Belize where our borders are and have a celebration.”

    After initial tensions, Maheia says BTV organizers have held productive discussions with personnel from both the Belize Defense Force and the Belize Coast Guard. Organizers have shared their full, peaceful itinerary with national security officials, who have since approved the group’s plans. According to Maheia, the expedition will travel downriver to Belize’s forward operating base along the border, with the goal of educating the Belizean public that the country’s southern border begins at the Sarstoon River.

    Maheia emphasized that participant safety remains the BTV’s top priority for every expedition. To avoid escalating tensions or risk of conflict, all participants are strictly prohibited from bringing weapons of any kind aboard the expedition’s boats. This long-running annual expedition continues to highlight the persistent political and diplomatic friction surrounding the unresolved Sarstoon River territorial dispute, drawing national attention to a border issue that remains unaddressed between Belize and Guatemala.

  • Celebration or Colonial Construct? The Tenth Debate Returns

    Celebration or Colonial Construct? The Tenth Debate Returns

    As the 2026 observance of the Battle of St. George’s Caye approaches, Belize is once again grappling with a long-simmering national debate over the historical meaning and modern relevance of the September 10 commemoration. For decades, this event has held a complicated place in the Central American nation’s collective identity, shifting in prominence alongside the country’s journey from colonial rule to full sovereignty.

    Once the primary national celebration in Belize, the holiday has gradually been overshadowed in the decades following independence. After the country secured full self-governance, the ruling People’s United Party (PUP) chose to reframe national commemoration around September 21, the date Belize formally emerged as a sovereign state. Now, one of the country’s most prominent former leaders is adding his weight to calls to reexamine the holiday’s place in national life.

    Former Prime Minister Said Musa, who holds the title Right Honorable, went public with his perspective in a recent televised discussion, arguing that the September 10 commemoration is inherently tied to Belize’s colonial era and should no longer be romanticized by the nation’s citizens.

    Musa explained that George Price, the founding father of Belizean independence, intentionally moved the national day of celebration from September 10 to September 21 specifically to break from the country’s colonial past. “The tenth of September historically was our national day. The problem was that it was from the colonial days, the tenth of September was tied to the colonial period and Mr. Price realized that we have to break away from that. And that is why he came and proposed that we have our independence on the twenty-first of September,” Musa said.

    Responding to a question from journalist Shane Williams about whether it was time to revise public education around the holiday and abandon the romantic framing of what Musa calls a colonial construct, the former prime manufacturer reaffirmed his position. He stressed that avoiding an honest confrontation with the holiday’s colonial roots would leave Belizean national identity muddled, saying “I think so, because if we don’t, to me, we will very be humbugged, if we are scared of confronting it head on. I think that is the way to go.”

    This debate emerges as Belize continues to refine its national narrative decades after breaking from British colonial rule, with competing perspectives on which historical events deserve central focus in the country’s shared story. This report is a transcribed excerpt from an evening television broadcast published online.