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  • Douane legt beslag op rijst Ramadhin; ECD kreeg geen toestemming OM

    Douane legt beslag op rijst Ramadhin; ECD kreeg geen toestemming OM

    A bureaucratic misstep has led to a high-stakes legal dispute over a large shipment of unlicensed rice entering Suriname, after customs authorities ultimately seized the controversial consignment that was initially supposed to be seized by a different government agency.

    The shipment, totaling 282 big bags of parboiled rice (over 385,000 kilograms), is imported by Guyanese entrepreneur Bhagwatpersad Ramadhin. Earlier announcements from Minister of Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation Andrew Baasaron indicated that the Economic Control Service (ECD) would carry out the seizure operation. However, Starnieuws has confirmed that ECD inspectors never received required authorization from the Public Prosecution Service to execute the seizure. Instead, Suriname’s Customs service took action on Monday at 6:37 p.m., acting on orders from the Inspector of Import Duties and Excise, according to an official Customs report.

    After seizure, the entire shipment was moved onto the vessel *Falk* and placed under constant armed supervision. The case was first brought before a judge on Tuesday, after Ramadhin filed a summary proceedings lawsuit against the Surinamese state. The importer is seeking court approval to have the rice inspected independently; if no phytosanitary safety risks are identified, he wants the shipment cleared for entry into Suriname’s domestic market. State representatives have pushed back against Ramadhin’s request, arguing that he failed to secure all legally required permits before bringing the rice across Suriname’s border.

    Under current Surinamese trade regulation, rice is listed on the country’s “Negative List” of controlled imports, meaning no commercial shipment can enter without a pre-approved import license. As an agricultural plant product, rice is also subject to strict phytosanitary rules that require advance government approval for all imports. The official Customs report also sheds new light on how part of the shipment was accidentally released before the seizure.

    The shipment was first declared to Customs on September 30. When officers attempted to verify the declaration and accompanying documentation in the automated ASYCUDA customs processing system, a widespread internet outage prevented access to the full set of submitted documents. According to the report, a representative for Ramadhin told Customs that all required paperwork, including approvals from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries and a valid phytosanitary certificate, had already been uploaded to the system by the importer’s customs broker. Since the shipment had also been processed and stamped by the Customs Exemptions Department, officers initially granted approval to release the entire cargo.

    Shortly after the initial release, internet connectivity was restored, allowing Customs officers to conduct a full check of the system. To their surprise, the inspection confirmed that none of the required documentation was actually present in the system, as Ramadhin’s representative had claimed. Officers immediately halted further release of the cargo and ordered the portion of the rice that had already left the port to be returned to Customs custody, ahead of the full seizure.

    Customs grounded its final seizure order in the 2020 Plant Protection Act, a national law that explicitly grants authorities the right to seize imported agricultural shipments when required documentation is missing. In court proceedings, the state has also reiterated that Ramadhin never submitted a request for advance phytosanitary import approval, and cannot produce a valid import license for the shipment, as required by law.

    Prior to the seizure, Minister Baasaron had publicly stated that the ECD would lead the seizure operation, due to the shipment’s entry without required permits. He also announced an official probe into how Customs was able to accidentally release part of the cargo last month.

    With the official Customs report now public, it is formally confirmed that Customs itself carried out the full seizure of the shipment. The judge has not yet issued a ruling on Ramadhin’s claims, and the legal proceedings are scheduled to resume on Thursday.

  • Major Government Overhaul Emerges from Marathon Meeting

    Major Government Overhaul Emerges from Marathon Meeting

    In a long-awaited announcement following marathon closed-door negotiations, Belize Prime Minister John Briceño has announced a sweeping restructuring of top government leadership that reshapes key Cabinet portfolios and reconfigures the country’s internal security governance framework, dated October 6, 2026.

    After days of public speculation and behind-the-scenes negotiations, the most significant shift sees senior politician Michel Chebat take control of the newly renamed Ministry of National Security, absorbing the former Home Affairs portfolio that had been held on an interim basis by Julius Espat. This appointment grants Chebat one of the most powerful positions in the national government, combining oversight of the country’s entire internal security apparatus with his existing control over two major economic sectors: energy and ports. The new portfolio will officially be styled as the Ministry of National Security, Energy and Ports.

    Other key adjustments across the Cabinet include a senior role shift for Ramon “Monchi” Cervantes, who will take the helm of the newly reorganized Ministry of Public Utilities, Logistics and Solid Waste Management. Ramiro Ramirez will retain his position within the ministry as Minister of State, maintaining continuity in the sector’s day-to-day governance. The reshuffle also includes a well-documented promotion for Osmond Martinez, who steps up from his previous role to become a full Cabinet minister leading the portfolio of Economic Transformation. Meanwhile, Henry Charles Usher has been appointed to the substantive full ministerial post with oversight of Enterprise, cementing his role in the government’s economic growth agenda.

    While Prime Minister Briceño publicly praised Julius Espat for what he called Espat’s “stellar work” guiding the former Home Affairs portfolio in its interim phase, the official government announcement omits any detail of a new Cabinet portfolio for Espat, leaving his future role in the restructured government unconfirmed publicly. Beyond individual appointments, the renaming of Home Affairs to the broader Ministry of National Security signals a deliberate policy shift to expand the scope of internal security governance across the country.

    Following the official release of the reshuffle details, on-the-ground reporter Shane Williams pressed Prime Minister Briceño for additional context outside the Sir Edney Cain Building in the capital city of Belmopan. When asked why the Prime Minister selected Chebat for the senior national security role and whether he was satisfied with his new Cabinet line-up, Briceño confirmed that Chebat was the best possible choice for the position. He reaffirmed his gratitude to Espat for his interim service, noting that Espat would be better placed in his new role at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Development and Housing (MIDH). When pressed on whether any members of the previous Cabinet held hard feelings over their changed roles, Briceño dismissed the suggestion outright, saying the negotiations had concluded with a productive, amicable meeting and that no friction remained between team members. He declined to add further comment, noting the extended length of the day’s negotiations.

    This report is a transcribed excerpt from an evening television newscast, with Kriol-language dialogue preserved using standard Kriol spelling conventions for accuracy.

  • DP World viert 15 jaar in Suriname met investering in leefomgeving La Vigilantia

    DP World viert 15 jaar in Suriname met investering in leefomgeving La Vigilantia

    Global port and logistics giant DP World is celebrating 15 years of operations in Suriname by centering its anniversary activities on environmental sustainability and local community development. In partnership with COSCO Shipping Lines Suriname, the company organized a large-scale public cleanup in the La Vigilantia district, timed to align with the 2026 World Cleanup Day campaign. The event brought together a diverse coalition of stakeholders, including the District Commission of Para, the La Vigilantia resort board, local residents, and independent volunteers, all working together to improve the area’s public spaces and natural environment.

    Going beyond one-time cleanup efforts, DP World and COSCO Shipping Lines Suriname donated a full set of practical tools and maintenance supplies to the La Vigilantia resort board to enable long-term upkeep of the cleaned areas. Donations included brushcutters, wheelbarrows, and assorted maintenance materials that will be used for regular environmental maintenance activities long after the initial cleanup event wraps up. The initiative also included refurbishment work on a local community bush house located opposite the Heilig Hartschool, which received a full refresh including a fresh coat of paint to restore the public space for local use.

    DP World notes that this cleanup is not an isolated effort – the company has participated in environmental action and cleanup campaigns across Suriname for multiple years. These activities align with the firm’s broader goal: not only to create cleaner living environments for local communities, but also to raise public awareness of the shared collective responsibility to protect natural ecosystems. All of the anniversary community activities fall under DP World’s global sustainability framework, Our World, Our Future, a corporate program that prioritizes progress across key global priorities including accessible education, gender equality, urgent climate action, and the protection of marine ecosystems.

    DP World first launched its Suriname operations 15 years ago, and currently runs port, storage, and logistics services from multiple key locations across the country: these include the Nieuwe Haven terminal in Paramaribo and its site in La Vigilantia, Para. For its part, COSCO Shipping Lines Suriname is a leading provider of international shipping and logistics services, connecting Suriname’s local economy to major global trade routes. At the conclusion of the cleanup initiative, both organizations issued statements thanking the District Commissioner of Para, the La Vigilantia resort board, local community members, and all participating volunteers for their collaboration and commitment to the project’s environmental and community goals.

  • Legal Bombshell Interrupts Ambassador Rosado’s Criminal Trial

    Legal Bombshell Interrupts Ambassador Rosado’s Criminal Trial

    One of the most closely followed criminal cases in Belize has hit an unexpected procedural snag, after sitting ambassador and veteran diplomat Alexis Rosado abruptly dismissed his lead defense counsel on the second day of trial, forcing an immediate adjournment of proceedings.

    The pause came Tuesday before Justice Natalie Creary Dixon at the Belmopan High Court, where Rosado confirmed he had severed his professional relationship with attorney Leeroy Banner. He requested additional time to recruit and secure new legal representation to lead his defense, a motion the justice granted, pushing the resumption of trial to 9 a.m. Wednesday.

    Rosado, who currently holds the post of Belize’s ambassador to Guatemala and has held multiple senior diplomatic appointments over his decades-long career, including a tenure as chief executive officer of Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, faces three serious felony charges: rape, sexual assault, and aggravated assault. The allegations against him were first filed in 2022, with formal charges brought in April of that year, and he was officially indicted by the grand jury in January 2024. The case has already navigated years of procedural delays in the Belizean court system before opening arguments finally began earlier this week.

    On Monday, the first day of trial, prosecution attorneys launched their case against the veteran diplomat, calling two key witnesses to the stand: the lead investigating officer assigned to the case, and an IT manager from Belize’s Immigration Department. Both witnesses testified to establish Rosado’s whereabouts during the timeframe outlined in the criminal allegations. Prosecutors had planned to call an additional four witnesses to give evidence on Tuesday, but those plans were scrapped immediately following Rosado’s announcement of his split from Banner.

    The adjournment marks yet another hold-up in a case that has already been postponed multiple times. Just at the opening of proceedings this week, the court rejected an earlier defense request for a delay, noting that the matter had already been deferred repeatedly and that it was time for the trial to move forward. Court observers across Belize have been closely following the high-profile proceedings, given Rosado’s long career in public service and his active diplomatic post. All attention now turns to Wednesday, when the trial is scheduled to resume, and the prosecution will finally call its remaining witnesses once new defense counsel is in place.

  • Belize Warns Drug Operations Cannot Violate Its Sovereignty

    Belize Warns Drug Operations Cannot Violate Its Sovereignty

    In a firm rebuke of cross-border military activity that violated its territorial integrity, the government of Belize has formally requested the Organization of American States (OAS) launch a full investigation into an unauthorized incursion by a Guatemalan military reconnaissance aircraft that took place last September. The request comes after an emergency convening of Belize’s National Security Council, chaired by Prime Minister John Briceño this Monday, where top security officials reviewed classified radar data confirming the unauthorized entry.

    According to declassified details from the meeting, the Guatemalan aircraft, registered with tail number FAG706, entered Belizean airspace from the eastern border at 7:29 p.m. on September 24, flying at a steady altitude of 4,000 feet. Roughly 38 minutes after crossing into Belizean territory, at 8:07 p.m., the aircraft intentionally shut off its transponder – a move that hides the plane from standard secondary radar tracking systems. Primary radar systems operated by Belizean security forces regained consistent contact with the aircraft three minutes after the transponder was disabled.

    After regaining detection, security officials tracked the aircraft as it traveled southwest through Belizean airspace, passing within close proximity of Punta Ycacos in the country’s southern Toledo District, before exiting back into Guatemalan territory at approximately 8:40 p.m. In total, the military plane remained within uncontested Belizean borders for one hour and ten minutes.

    Belizean authorities confirmed the aircraft was part of a regional counternarcotics operation that did not include any official authorization from the Belizean government, nor was Belize notified of the mission in advance. This latest incursion adds to a growing pattern of unauthorized Guatemalan military activity along the shared border, including repeated incursions into southern Belizean waters and heightened tensions along the Sarstoon River.

    The National Security Council’s decision to request a full OAS investigation marks an escalation from Belize’s earlier diplomatic action, which only asked the regional body to seek formal clarification from the Guatemalan government. Council officials have directed Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to submit the formal request, and have confirmed the government will turn over all available radar evidence and cooperate fully with any OAS-led probe.

    In a clear statement of principle following the meeting, the Belizean government emphasized that regional efforts to combat transnational drug trafficking do not justify violations of national sovereignty. The government has again called on Guatemalan authorities to honor all existing bilateral border agreements, and to cease unilateral actions that risk increasing tensions and destabilizing the broader Central American region.

  • Can Briceño Administration Do More to Cut Fuel Costs?

    Can Briceño Administration Do More to Cut Fuel Costs?

    As global oil market volatility pushes fuel costs steadily upward, motorists across Belize are facing growing financial strain, intensifying public calls for the John Briceño-led government to implement additional relief measures for consumers.

    Prime Minister Briceño has pinned the recent surge in fuel prices on the ongoing geopolitical stalemate between the United States and Iran, a conflict that has roiled global energy markets and hit small, open economies like Belize disproportionately hard. Unlike larger, more diversified nations that can absorb sudden energy price shocks, Belize’s limited economic scope leaves it extremely vulnerable to external market shifts driven by international conflict.

    Addressing public calls for more aggressive intervention, Briceño noted that his administration has already moved to cut fuel taxes for consumers, bringing the price of diesel below two dollars per gallon. Critics of the government’s response, however, point to neighboring Guatemala’s more expansive relief package, where President Arévalo has implemented temporary full tax exemptions and binding price caps that remain in place through December. Local lawmaker Isani Cayetano has questioned why Belize cannot adopt a similar framework to ease the burden on working drivers and businesses that rely heavily on fuel for daily operations.

    Briceño pushed back on calls for deeper cuts, framing the debate as a delicate balancing act between short-term consumer relief and long-term public service sustainability. Fuel tax revenues contribute more than $200 million annually to Belize’s national budget, accounting for over 10 percent of total government income. Eliminating these revenues entirely to match Guatemala’s policy, he argued, would force devastating cuts to critical social programs that rely on that funding, leaving the government with no clear way to fill the resulting budget gap.

    “We can’t spend what we don’t have,” Briceño emphasized, noting that while greater tax cuts would bring immediate relief at the pump, they would undermine the government’s ability to deliver healthcare, education, and other core public services that Belizean families depend on. For the foreseeable future, the administration remains stuck between growing public frustration over rising fuel costs and the hard fiscal constraints that limit more aggressive policy action, with no clear resolution to the geopolitical tensions driving global price hikes on the horizon.

  • Government Scrambles to Save Punta Gorda Flights

    Government Scrambles to Save Punta Gorda Flights

    In a developing update from October 6, 2026, Belize’s national government is racing against time to preserve air connectivity to the southern district of Toledo after local carrier Tropic Air announced plans to discontinue all scheduled flights to Punta Gorda, the district’s primary urban center. The impending withdrawal of service has triggered urgent government action to avoid leaving the southern region cut off from critical air access.

    Prime Minister John Briceño has characterized Tropic Air’s decision as a purely business-driven move, rooted in persistent low passenger volumes and ongoing operational losses on the Punta Gorda route. According to Briceño, the airline loses approximately half a million dollars annually on this service, a gap that has become unsustainable amid rising global operational costs.

    While the prime minister acknowledged the commercial logic behind the carrier’s choice, he also confirmed that the suspension of flights would carry severe repercussions for Toledo District, harming local residents who rely on air travel for emergency and personal trips, undercutting small business operations, and derailing growth in the region’s key tourism sector.

    Briceño addressed lingering public frustration over claims that government policy around runway upgrade fees pushed Tropic Air to exit the route, pushing back against that narrative. The government has a mandatory responsibility to upgrade Punta Gorda’s existing runway to improve safety standards, he explained, a project that will reduce wear and tear on aircraft operating from the airfield and lower the risk of catastrophic accidents caused by poor runway conditions. To fund the upgrade, the government had proposed a small user fee, but agreed to delay implementation to accommodate industry concerns: the original $10 fee proposal has been scaled back to $6, with rollout pushed to June 2027.

    “It was not fair to tie the exit to our safety upgrade plans,” Briceño said, adding that he maintains a positive working relationship with Tropic Air’s leadership and remains open to further negotiations to reverse the carrier’s decision.

    Currently, the government is holding active talks with Maya Air, Belize’s other major regional carrier, to explore taking over the Punta Gorda route. Briceño confirmed that officials are also considering targeted government support to incentivize continued service, an approach the government has previously used to sustain critical public transportation access in the country’s bus sector. The end goal, the prime minister emphasized, is to ensure southern Belize does not lose its air connection entirely.

    This report is adapted from a televised evening news broadcast transcript originally published online.

  • “Mira Millions” Audit Complete, Findings Still Under Wraps

    “Mira Millions” Audit Complete, Findings Still Under Wraps

    It has been 90 days since investigators launched the first official audit into the so-called “Mira Millions” procurement scandal that has rocked Belize’s Ministry of Defense, and the review has officially reached completion. But members of the public hoping for immediate transparency will need to wait months more to access the full results of the probe.

    The investigation, led by Auditor General Maria Rodriguez, focused on suspicious and non-compliant procurement practices that occurred during the tenures of former Defense Ministers Florencio Marin Jr. and Oscar Mira. Both politicians have already been removed from their Cabinet positions pending the outcome of the audit. Before Rodriguez can submit her preliminary findings to government leadership next week, she is scheduled to hold a closing exit meeting with Francis Usher, the chief executive officer for the relevant government portfolio.

    While a preliminary report is expected as early as this October 2026, Prime Minister John Briceño confirmed that the full, finalized audit report will not be delivered to government until as late as February 2027. In a press question-and-answer session with reporter Isani Cayetano, Briceño clarified that his administration has not yet received any formal documentation from the Auditor General’s office, noting that leadership was notified the preliminary assessment would land this month, with final completion pushed to the end of Q1 2027.

    During the session, Cayetano pressed Briceño on the future of Oscar Mira, who previously led the Ministry of Home Affairs before being sidelined alongside Marin, and asked about the performance of current Home Affairs Minister Julius Espat, who stepped into the role to lead reforms in the sector. Briceño offered high praise for Espat’s work in the role, noting that the architect-turned-politician has brought renewed energy and a results-first approach to the department, which oversees the national police force.

    “Minister Espat has been doing a good job. He has brought in renewed energy,” Briceño stated. “He has an ability to go in and identify processes that are not working, and push to get things done effectively. With his background as an architect, he is a strong manager, and we have already seen a lot of improvements in the police department under his leadership.”

    Briceño acknowledged that Mira also delivered solid performance during his time leading the Home Affairs Ministry, but emphasized that the sector needed a fresh approach to implement wide-ranging changes. When pressed on Mira’s long-term political future, the Prime Minister emphasized that all decisions will be put on hold until the full audit findings are released. “Before I could answer on Oscar Mira, I think we just need to wait for the report,” Briceño added.

    This report is adapted from a transcript of an evening television news broadcast, with Kriol language dialogue transcribed according to standard regional spelling conventions.

  • Government Puts Meal Money in BDF Soldiers’ Pockets

    Government Puts Meal Money in BDF Soldiers’ Pockets

    In a policy shift aimed at addressing long-standing logistical and cost challenges surrounding feeding personnel of the Belize Defense Force (BDF), the government of Belize has launched a new direct meal allowance program that puts food funding directly into the hands of service members. The change, which took effect this month, was announced by Prime Minister John Briceño, who has overseen the Ministry of National Defense since Florencio Marin Jr. stepped down in the wake of the “Mira Millions” corruption scandal.

    Under the new framework, every active BDF soldier will receive a daily stipend of 17 Belize dollars to cover their meal costs. Briceño explained that the previous centralized feeding system had grown unmanageable for both the defense ministry and individual BDF camps across the country, prompting the need for an innovative, flexible alternative. The new model retains official oversight to ensure nutritional standards and fair pricing: senior BDF leadership, including Commandant staff, have negotiated pre-set prices with approved local vendors, who are only permitted to sell nutritionally appropriate food on bases during lunch breaks. Unhealthy items such as chips are banned from base vendor offerings.

    The new policy also includes special provisions for soldiers deployed on patrol: personnel on operational missions receive both their standard daily 17-dollar allowance and pre-issued field rations, creating an opportunity for extra savings. Perhaps the most notable benefit highlighted by Briceño applies to the large share of BDF soldiers who do not reside on base. Per BDF Chief Executive Officer Francis Usher, a former BDF officer whom Briceño praised as a competent, experienced defense leader, most service members commute home from their posts daily. This new system allows off-base soldiers to prepare meals at home or pack food from home, rather than being required to eat at central base mess halls, letting them keep any unspent portion of their daily allowance as extra income.

    Briceño emphasized that he has delegated day-to-day technical management of the BDF to experienced in-house defense leaders like Usher, noting that his role as prime minister is to oversee policy and implement changes proposed by the service’s own technical experts. The new meal system is designed to solve immediate operational challenges while giving soldiers greater autonomy over their food choices, with built-in benefits that put extra savings in the pockets of service members, particularly those living off base. This report is a transcription of an evening television news broadcast.

  • Prime Minister Pressed on Respect for the Media

    Prime Minister Pressed on Respect for the Media

    A heated exchange between a Belizean journalist and Prime Minister John Briceño last week has ignited a national conversation over political respect for independent media and expected standards of conduct for the country’s top elected leader.

    The controversy began when a reporter raised a question about Special Envoy Rossana Briceño’s recent official trip to Guatemala. Instead of addressing the policy-related inquiry, the Prime Minister responded with a personal insult, turning the offhand remark into a major public story rather than the original diplomatic visit itself.

    Days after the incident, Prime Minister Briceño appeared on the local morning current affairs program *Open Your Eyes* to address the growing public outcry, where host Isani Cayetano pressed him on the appropriateness of his words.

    In his on-air remarks, Briceño framed his reaction as rooted in personal loyalty. “I’m a human being, first and foremost, and I am very protective of my family,” he said. The Prime Minister went on to note longstanding tensions between his administration and the national media, arguing that many outlets position themselves as political opposition rather than focusing on neutral issue coverage. “We are never going to agree on everything. But I think that we can agree on important issues, the issues that are affecting our country, the issue of governance and how we can do better, and so forth,” he added.

    When Cayetano pressed further to ask whether the Prime Minister’s insulting language could ever be justified, Briceño cut the line of questioning short, saying “I think I’ve answered that question. So, mek we noh continue. Thanks.” Picking up the conversation afterward, Cayetano noted that the incident had left journalists questioning what norms of interaction they could expect going forward, calling the moment uncharted territory for press-political relations in the country.

    Responding to that concern, Briceño pushed back on the idea that the incident marked a fundamental shift in norms, emphasizing that democratic governance inherently accommodates disagreement. “It’s important for us to be able to maintain good dialogue, a respectful dialogue. We don’t agree on all the issues and that’s okay. That’s why we live in a democracy,” he said. Looking ahead, Briceño said he would continue engaging with reporters respectfully, and would simply ignore any interactions he perceives as disrespectful going forward rather than responding in kind.

    While the Prime Minister offered a commitment to more respectful future exchanges with the press corps, he stopped short of issuing a formal apology for his earlier insult, leaving many in the media community still seeking full accountability. This report is a verbatim transcript of an evening television broadcast, with Kriol-language phrases transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accuracy.