Carib Scope

作者： admin

  • Gas scent a week earlier

    Gas scent a week earlier

    On the day after an explosion damaged the third floor of R&M Plaza on San Fernando’s High Street, fire investigators returned to the scene Tuesday to unravel what caused the Monday evening blast, with the building’s owner standing by to observe the probe. The commercial hub stayed fully closed Wednesday, leaving scores of tenants waiting for official clearance from the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service before they can re-enter to evaluate harm to their business spaces.

    Kiran Singh, president of the Greater San Fernando Area Chamber of Commerce and owner of R&M Plaza, told reporters that as of Tuesday, investigators had not reached a conclusion on the explosion’s origin, pushing back on unconfirmed reports that an unaddressed gas leak was to blame. Singh confirmed that roughly 10 days before the blast, maintenance contractors from Ramco were called to the building’s food court on an emergency call after staff detected a faint gas odor. The team resolved the issue on site, he said, and no additional gas leaks were detected after the repair. As a standard safety measure, the entire building’s gas supply was shut off immediately after Monday’s explosion, he added.

    Singh outlined the layout of the three-story building: the ground and middle floors hold a range of retail outlets, while the third floor houses both the food court and Skyline Pub, the exact site where the explosion occurred. To date, only the pub has been confirmed as sustaining major structural and interior damage from the blast.

    The explosion struck just after 5 p.m. on Monday, blowing out glass panels along the third floor’s front facade and sending shards and other debris falling onto the sidewalk and High Street directly adjacent to the Penal taxi stand. One person was injured in the incident: a woman who runs a clothing store inside the plaza, who was cut by flying shattered glass. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment, received medical care for her wounds, and was discharged the same day.

    Singh confirmed the building is fully covered by insurance, and expressed cautious optimism that operations could restart as early as the end of this week. “We’re just waiting for investigators to complete their work before we can get access back to the building. Once they wrap up their probe, they’ll hand the property back to us so we can start cleaning up and repairing the damage,” he said, adding “We don’t have a full estimate of the total damage yet, and the plaza will stay closed until the Fire Service gives us formal approval to reopen. We hope that by the end of the week operations can resume—the sooner, the better.” He also noted that San Fernando Mayor Robert Parris has reached out to offer the city government’s full support to tenants and the building owner in the wake of the incident.

    For tenants waiting out the closure, uncertainty about lost revenue looms large, especially ahead of the upcoming Divali holiday. Malini Paltoo, owner of Malini’s High Fashion, a ground-floor clothing outlet, stood on the High Street sidewalk Tuesday watching investigators work, and shared her concern about how an extended shutdown would impact her small business and her two employees. Paltoo said she and her staff were just wrapping up work for the day when the explosion hit, and is eager to get back to business. “I am a bit worried because I do not want the store to be closed for too long,” she told reporters. “This is a time when events are taking place on the Hindu calendar and Divali is around the corner, so I hope to reopen soon.”

    The blast has also disrupted local transit operations: the Penal/Debe taxi stand, which sits directly across from the plaza, has been temporarily relocated to the opposite side of High Street. Taxi drivers reported significant initial disruptions to their daily routes and passenger pickups at the new site. “The place is a bit congested right now, because this is a one-way street. I am hoping for a speedy return to normal operations,” said local driver Ivan Roopnarine. Fellow driver Anderson Mendez added, “This morning there was a lot of inconvenience in this relocation. But we are still waiting to see how it will affect us with our passengers.”

  • Padarath threatens to sue CWU head

    Padarath threatens to sue CWU head

    A high-stakes political and legal dispute has erupted in Trinidad and Tobago, after Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath launched pre-action legal proceedings against Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) Secretary General Joanne Ogeer over damning allegations she made at a September 14 union-hosted press conference. The contentious claims centered on Padarath’s supposed involvement in improper activities at state-owned Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT).

    Attorney Jared Jagroo delivered the formal pre-action letter to Ogeer on Monday, with senior counsel Anand Ramlogan and attorney Ganesh Saroop also representing Padarath in the matter. The correspondence outlines a 14-day window from receipt for Ogeer to meet all of Padarath’s demands; failure to provide a satisfactory substantive response will result in immediate court filings without additional advance warning.

    According to the legal document, Ogeer’s public statements framed Padarath as complicit in unreported wrongdoing at TSTT, accused him of intentionally ignoring alleged corruption and other improper conduct, and claimed he was unduly influenced by TSTT chairman Kern Dass. Additional allegations included claims that Padarath received internal documentation detailing purported corruption, conflicts of interest, and suspicious business deals at the telecommunications firm, and that he subsequently ordered TSTT’s chief executive officer to step down. Ogeer also reportedly claimed Dass acted as Padarath’s personal political financier – an assertion Padarath flatly denies.

    Padarath’s legal team stresses that all of the allegations put forward by Ogeer are entirely false. The minister has never received the purported corruption file, never issued an order for the TSTT CEO to stand down, and denies all claims of financial impropriety or improper ties to Dass. The legal team adds that the false claims have intentionally painted Padarath as dishonest, financially compromised, and complicit in unethical activity at TSTT, causing severe and ongoing damage to his professional and personal reputation.

    The original press conference was carried live on air and later uploaded to the CWU’s official Facebook page, before being picked up and reprinted by multiple mainstream Trinidad and Tobago media outlets. This widespread distribution, Padarath’s attorneys argue, has significantly amplified the harm caused by the false claims.

    Among Padarath’s demands are a formal written apology, a high-profile public retraction posted to the CWU’s Facebook page and any other platform where the original allegations were shared, the removal of all social media content including the original Facebook reel that repeats the claims, and a formal written promise that Ogeer, the CWU, and all affiliated representatives will not reprint or repeat the allegations in the future. Padarath is also seeking monetary damages for defamation and full reimbursement of his legal costs. If Ogeer fails to meet all terms within the 14-day period, or issues any repeat allegations, Padarath will move forward with full legal proceedings seeking aggravated and exemplary damages, a court-ordered injunction blocking further publication of the claims, and additional legal relief.

    This latest pre-action letter marks the second legal threat leveled against Ogeer stemming from the same September 14 press conference. Last week, separate pre-action correspondence was sent on behalf of Kern Dass and TSTT Corporate Secretary Viveka Pargass. In that matter, attorney Samantha Singh-Poona gave Ogeer 48 hours to withdraw her claims against the two TSTT executives, issue public apologies, and provide all factual evidence supporting her original allegations. Ogeer’s claims against Dass included attacks on his professional competence and his handling of TSTT’s bond refinancing and activities tied to the entity Maritime, while Pargass disputed allegations made about the circumstances of her appointment to her TSTT role. Singh-Poona also warned that failure to meet the 48-hour deadline would result in immediate court filings, including applications for injunctive relief to block further publication of the claims.

  • Stand up against MPs

    Stand up against MPs

    A fierce political confrontation over the controversial Special Operations Bill (SOB) has escalated in Trinidad and Tobago, with senior cabinet minister and ruling party official Roger Alexander calling on residents of opposition-held constituencies to pressure their elected representatives to support full implementation of the legislation across the country. Alexander made his remarks Thursday while speaking to reporters on a site visit of the Canopies at Caura housing development, a new Housing Development Corporation project in his Tunapuna constituency, ahead of the development’s official public launch.

    The current clash stems from a decision announced earlier this week by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, leader of the ruling United National Congress (UNC). Facing widespread opposition and threats of mass protest from Members of Parliament belonging to the opposition People’s National Movement (PNM), Persad-Bissessar declared Monday that her administration would limit enforcement of the special operations framework exclusively to constituencies, local government districts, and the autonomous island of Tobago that are controlled by pro-government parties.

    In a sharply worded social media statement, the Prime Minister accused PNM representatives of deliberately opposing the anti-crime legislation to protect the violent criminal gangs and local drug trafficking networks that operate in their constituencies. “Therefore, I will only authorise special operations in the 26 UNC-held constituencies, 70 UNC-held local government electoral districts and in the two TPP-held constituencies after consultation with Chief Secretary Farley Augustine,” she confirmed.

    Opposition lawmakers have mobilized against the bill on constitutional and civil liberties grounds. During last Friday’s parliamentary debate, senior Opposition MP Stuart Young argued that the broad powers granted by the legislation risked transforming Trinidad and Tobago into an authoritarian police state. That opposition has extended to on-the-ground organizing: Port of Spain South MP Keith Scotland has already publicly pledged to mobilize his constituents to oppose both the bill and the proposed policy of designating high-crime neighborhoods as restricted “closed areas” for law enforcement operations.

    Alexander pushed back against the opposition’s position Thursday, framing the government’s limited implementation plan as a defensive barrier that would keep criminal activity contained within opposition-held areas and away from pro-government communities. “We will build it like a fence. So, we will keep them away from good people,” he told reporters. He added that PNM representatives’ opposition to the bill does not reflect the will of ordinary constituents in opposition-held districts, arguing that lawmakers live outside the communities they represent and are out of touch with residents’ demand for stronger anti-crime action.

    “He said constituents in those areas needed to stand up against their representatives and say, listen you are speaking for you because you do not live here, we want to speak for ourselves,” Alexander stated, adding that constituent pressure would force opposition MPs to reverse their position on the legislation.

    When asked whether the government would open the policy up to broad public consultation before moving forward with implementation, Alexander noted that opposition lawmakers already rejected a consultation process during last week’s parliamentary debate. He confirmed that the administration has no plans to force the policy on constituents whose representatives have actively pushed back against it. When pressed to point to specific language in the legislation that allows for enforcement to be limited along political constituency boundary lines, Alexander stated the scope of implementation would ultimately be shaped by public attitudes toward the policy.

  • Direct threat to small states

    Direct threat to small states

    At the 81st United Nations General Assembly session held in New York, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has amplified Trinidad and Tobago’s long-running campaign against illicit firearms, drug trafficking and cross-border organized crime to the global community, issuing a stark warning about the existential risks these networks pose to small island developing states.

    In her address to the assembly, Persad-Bissessar stressed that the illegal trade in weapons and narcotics has grown beyond a national crisis for Trinidad and Tobago, emerging as a destabilizing force across the entire Caribbean region. Unlike major global powers, small states like her country face a deeply asymmetric challenge: well-funded, technologically sophisticated criminal networks that directly undermine public safety, weaken state institutions and block long-term socio-economic development. “For Trinidad and Tobago, this is not an abstract threat,” she told delegates. “These networks directly endanger our citizens, our institutions and our development.”

    Since her administration took office in 2025, Persad-Bissessar noted, the government has centered its domestic policy agenda on people-centered priorities: building safer communities, attracting productive investment, modernizing public services, and expanding economic opportunity for all citizens. At the core of this agenda is restoring lasting public security, a goal that the country has pursued through deepened collaboration with international partners. She singled out U.S. President Donald Trump for specific praise, extending gratitude for his administration’s commitment to deepening security cooperation and extending an invitation for Trinidad and Tobago to join two key regional anti-crime initiatives: the Shield of the Americas and the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition.

    Trump first launched the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition during the inaugural Shield of the Americas Summit held in Florida this past March, where Trinidad and Tobago was counted among the founding participating nations. The initiative is designed to coordinate cross-border action to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations operating across the Western Hemisphere. “We remain confident that this partnership will continue to promote freedom, security and prosperity in our region,” Persad-Bissessar said.

    Looking ahead, the prime minister outlined Trinidad and Tobago’s planned priorities for its upcoming two-year term on the UN Security Council, which the country will assume on January 1, 2027. Trinidad and Tobago secured its non-permanent council seat for the 2027-2028 term in a June election, winning support from 181 UN member states—an outcome Persad-Bissessar thanked the global body for. This marks only the second time in Trinidad and Tobago’s history that the country will sit on the Security Council, and the first time in more than 40 years. During its tenure, she said, the country will uphold the mandate it campaigned on: “Building Consensus for the Realisation of Sustainable Peace and Security.”

    As a Small Island Developing State, Persad-Bissessar noted, Trinidad and Tobago will bring a unique, on-the-ground perspective to the council’s work, all while remaining fully committed to the principles of the UN Charter, international law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. Curbing the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons will top the country’s list of priorities. She emphasized that while no Caribbean nation manufactures the illegal weapons that fuel widespread violence across the region, Caribbean states bear the devastating human and economic cost of their proliferation. “Although the region does not manufacture these weapons, their availability fuels gang violence, organised crime, drug trafficking and loss of life across our societies,” she said.

    During its Security Council term, Trinidad and Tobago will push for expanded global cooperation to map the source countries and trafficking routes of illicit weapons, and block these weapons from being diverted into illegal markets. Key priorities for action include strengthening global firearms tracing mechanisms, expanding cross-border intelligence and information sharing, boosting joint border and maritime security efforts, and deepening collaboration between source, transit and destination countries. These efforts must also target the illegal narcotics trade and the illicit financial flows that fund and sustain transnational criminal syndicates, she added.

    Persad-Bissessar emphasized that the crisis in the Caribbean offers a clear lesson for the global community: transnational organized crime can destabilize sovereign states and threaten regional security even in the absence of traditional armed conflict. Through its work on the Security Council, she said, Trinidad and Tobago will bring this firsthand experience to the global stage to rally collective action against a shared global threat.

  • Lula waarschuwt VN voor buitenlandse inmenging in Braziliaanse verkiezingen

    Lula waarschuwt VN voor buitenlandse inmenging in Braziliaanse verkiezingen

    The 81st United Nations General Assembly, underway at the global body’s New York headquarters, has become a stage for sharp geopolitical friction, as Brazil’s sitting President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued a stern warning against foreign meddling in his country’s upcoming October 4 general election, shortly before U.S. President Donald Trump delivered an aggressively worded address asserting Washington’s dominance across the Western Hemisphere.

    Lula, who is running for a fourth presidential term in Brazil’s tightly contested race, made clear that neither foreign nor domestic actors would be allowed to undermine the will of Brazilian voters during his address to assembled global leaders on Tuesday. “Brazilian democracy belongs to the Brazilian people,” he stated. “Brazil will remain a fully sovereign nation, and it will never become anyone’s backyard.”

    While Lula did not explicitly name the United States or the Trump administration in his critique, the underlying message was unambiguous. For months, the Trump White House has ramped up economic pressure on Brazil: new 25% tariffs on Brazilian exports went into effect on July 22 this year, followed by an additional 12.5% levy that pushes total tariffs on some Brazilian products as high as 37.5%. Lula has repeatedly decried these levies as “unjustified” and framed their implementation as a politically motivated move. To date, Brazil has held off on retaliatory measures as trade negotiations continue, but Lula’s administration has threatened to activate the country’s Reciprocity Law — which allows for matching trade restrictions — if talks collapse.

    The tariffs are not the only step Brazil views as interference in its domestic affairs. The Trump administration recently designated two major Brazilian criminal groups, the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV), as foreign terrorist organizations. Critics widely see this designation as a deliberate political tactic to paint Lula as soft on organized crime ahead of the election.

    Minutes after Lula wrapped up his address, Trump took the UN podium to deliver a 37-minute speech that doubled down on his hemispheric policy agenda. The U.S. president emphasized Washington’s massive military capabilities and warned that the United States would not hesitate to deploy “military power when necessary” to defend its perceived interests across the Western Hemisphere.

    “Our actions in Venezuela prove that the United States will no longer allow threats against America to gain a foothold anywhere in the Western Hemisphere,” Trump claimed. He went on to praise a recent oil deal with the South American country, closing his remark on the topic with the line “to the victor go the spoils.”

    Trump also targeted Mexico in his address, labeling the country “the epicenter of cartel violence” and demanding that Mexican authorities “retake control of their territory from the enemies of humanity.” Midway through his speech, the entire Cuban delegation walked out of the General Assembly chamber in protest.

    Brazil’s upcoming election, scheduled for October 4, is unfolding against a backdrop of extreme political polarization in the South American giant. Lula’s leading opponent is Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence following his conviction for orchestrating a 2022 coup attempt after losing re-election to Lula.

    Recent polling shows the race is a dead heat. One survey puts Flávio Bolsonaro at 42% and Lula at 41% in a projected second-round matchup, a gap that falls well within the poll’s 2-percentage-point margin of error. A separate poll flipped the ranking, placing Lula one point ahead of his challenger. Political analysts broadly view the Trump administration’s pressure campaign on Brazil as an attempt to tip the scales in favor of ideologically aligned right-wing candidates across Latin America.

    Beyond his warning against foreign interference, Lula also used his UN address to launch a blistering critique of the United Nations itself. “The UN is failing in one of its core fundamental missions: to deliver humanity from the scourge of war,” he said, adding that the global body’s credibility “has never been lower.” Lula called for urgent, comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council and warned that the world is sliding back into a new era of division into spheres of great power influence. “We are once again witnessing interference in electoral processes and neocolonial incursions aimed at seizing strategic natural resources,” he added.

  • Inflatie daalt naar 8 procent, groenten en fruit fors duurder

    Inflatie daalt naar 8 procent, groenten en fruit fors duurder

    In a preliminary data release published Tuesday, Suriname’s General Bureau of Statistics (ABS) confirmed that the country’s annual inflation rate continued its downward trend in August 2026, falling to 8.0% from 8.9% recorded in July. This marks the fourth straight month of cooling price growth following a peak of 11.4% in May, when the 12-month rate came in at more than double the August reading.

    Month-over-month, consumer prices saw a modest 0.3% increase between July and August 2026, a far slower pace of growth than seen in earlier months of the year. Despite the steady decline in annual inflation, the 12-month average inflation across the past year still stands at 10.6%, far above the August 2026 year-on-year reading.

    Behind the headline 8.0% average inflation figure, there is stark variation in price changes across different product and service categories. The most significant year-on-year price hikes were concentrated in essential consumer goods and services: medical and paramedical services recorded the largest annual increase at 28.2%, followed closely by fresh fruits and vegetables, which cost 28.1% more than in August 2025. Dairy products and eggs rose 13.7% year-on-year, while other food categories and non-alcoholic beverages saw a 12% annual increase.

    Not all food items saw price increases in August, however. Compared to July, seafood products including fish, fish products and shrimp fell 3.2% in price, while meat and meat products dropped 0.8% on a monthly basis. Even with these monthly declines, both categories remain more expensive than they were a year ago, up 9.9% and 5.9% respectively year-on-year. Sugar and sugar products emerged as a rare category with annual deflation, coming in 4.5% cheaper than in August 2025.

    Prices for food consumed outside the home continued to outpace average inflation, with restaurant and takeaway meals up 11.7% year-on-year, and pre-prepared bread, pastries and snacks rising 13.3% annually. Communication equipment and services also saw above-average growth, with prices up 15.2% compared to August 2025.

    ABS officials emphasized that the headline inflation rate is a weighted national average, and may not match the actual cost of living experience for every individual consumer. Price movements for the 316 separate goods and services included in the consumer price index (CPI) basket ranged widely in August, from a 46% price drop to a 201% price increase for certain items.

    The August 2026 CPI came in at 978.7, up slightly from 976.2 in July. ABS collects price data for the CPI basket from approximately 630 measurement points across seven of Suriname’s districts, but does not currently conduct price sampling in the inland districts of Marowijne, Brokopondo and Sipaliwini, where consumer prices are generally many times higher than in coastal regions.

  • OWRO begint met aanpak bouwwerken op bermen

    OWRO begint met aanpak bouwwerken op bermen

    A new government enforcement operation targeting illegal construction on public road verges has kicked off in Suriname, stirring public debate over public land use regulation and conflicting permit rules. The country’s Ministry of Public Works and Spatial Planning (OWRO) has begun issuing formal notices to individuals and private businesses that have erected unapproved structures and outbuildings along roadside verges, ordering these parties to dismantle and remove the unauthorized constructions within an unspecified timeframe.

    Minister Stephen Tsang confirmed the details of the operation in an interview with local outlet *Starnieuws*, clarifying that the current round of enforcement specifically targets new construction projects that never received formal approval from either OWRO or local district commissioners (DC). “This action is exclusively for new builds that were put up without getting authorization from either the district commissioner or my ministry,” Tsang stated to reporters.

    The crackdown comes after the issue of unauthorized verge construction gained significant public and political attention in recent weeks. Weeks prior, Rabin Parmessar, parliamentary leader of the opposition National Democratic Party (NDP), called for strict enforcement against illegal construction on road verges during a sitting of the National Assembly. Parmessar argued that despite previous agreements to crack down on the practice, unapproved structures were still being allowed to go up, highlighting multiple examples along Jan Steenstraat in the northern district of Paramaribo. He further emphasized that district commissioners should not have the authority to approve any verge construction projects without formal review and approval from OWRO.

    Long before the current operation launched, Minister Tsang had already announced a full suspension on new construction permits for road verges, linking the illegal construction to growing stormwater drainage problems across the country. He explained that when structures are built on verges, they block access for OWRO crews to perform regular maintenance on ditches, canals, and other critical drainage infrastructure, worsening flood risks during heavy rainfall.

    While the operation is framed as targeting unapproved new builds, it has already sparked confusion and questions surrounding the fate of older structures that were built with previously issued permits. *Starnieuws* has confirmed that at least one business owner on Plutostraat, also in northern Paramaribo, has received a removal order for their verge structure — despite holding a valid construction permit issued in 2025. It remains unclear why this permit-holding structure is targeted, what entity issued the original 2025 permit, and whether OWRO plans to distinguish between permits issued solely by district commissioners and those approved with OWRO’s input, a distinction that could shape the future of hundreds of existing structures.

    Suriname’s government has long maintained that road verges are classified as public open space, requiring formal approval from competent government authorities for any private construction or use. With Tsang’s explicit confirmation that the current operation focuses exclusively on unapproved new builds, critical questions remain unanswered: what enforcement action, if any, will be taken against existing legal structures built with previously issued permits, and how will the government resolve conflicting past approval processes?

  • Three Months Later: Will Mira and Marin Return to Cabinet?

    Three Months Later: Will Mira and Marin Return to Cabinet?

    Three months after two senior Belizean government ministers were placed on administrative leave over the controversial ‘Mira Millions’ procurement scandal, Prime Minister John Briceño is nearing a high-stakes decision that will shape public perception of his administration’s commitment to accountability.

    Oscar Mira, the former Minister of Home Affairs, saw his three-month temporary leave expire on September 22, 2026 – but the official audit into alleged procurement irregularities and conflict of interest claims linking Mira and several of his family members is still ongoing. The first official report from the Auditor General’s office is on track to be delivered by the end of September, according to Auditor General Maria Rodriguez.

    In an early September 2026 interview, Rodriguez confirmed the investigation is proceeding as scheduled, noting: “We are on time, we are on schedule. We have began some interviews. We have done site visits to confirm information and analysis has been completed for the first report. So we are on time for submission at the end of September.”

    When pressed last week about whether Mira would be reinstated before the audit wraps, Briceño declined to tip his hand, calling the final call a core prime ministerial prerogative. “Well, I think you’re, you’re asking something that it is a prerogative of the prime minister. Uh, when that time comes, I will let you know,” he told reporters mid-September.

    For his part, Mira has remained publicly confident that the audit will clear him of any wrongdoing. The former minister, who voluntarily requested the leave of absence to allow the probe to proceed unimpeded, says he has stayed focused on development plans for the capital city of Belmopan amid growing political chatter around the scandal.

    “I am focused on working. I am focused on the development. We have a plan to develop Belmopan, to make it the city we want to be. I can’t be deterred by the noise. That noise is going to be extinguished by itself. That noise is going to, people will realize at the end of the day it is political noise and I am prepared to see the process through. I think it is one of the reasons why I asked the PM let me go on leave,” Mira said in an early June statement.

    In Mira’s absence, Minister Julius Espat stepped in to lead the Ministry of Home Affairs, and has already notched visible progress in modernizing the Belize Police Department over the past three months. Briceño highlighted that Espat’s tenure has brought tangible improvements to the force: “Over the past two months, we have significantly improved the interdiction capability by acquiring fifteen vehicles for the Police Department, installing numerous surveillance cameras at strategic locations, and, most importantly, strengthening the morale of the men and women of the Police Department.” A potential return by Mira would trigger a second leadership shuffle at the ministry in under four months.

    Mira is not the only official whose political future hangs in the balance. Former Defense Minister Florencio Marin Junior was placed on administrative leave roughly two weeks after Mira, and has kept a low profile throughout the investigation. When contacted for comment earlier this summer, Marin declined to speak at length, saying he would wait for the audit’s findings before addressing the allegations. “I am prepared to speak, but please let us have the audit finished first. Right now it is ongoing and I believe that it is prudent that we reserve our comments for when that comes up,” Marin said in June.

    As the Auditor General’s office prepares to hand over its first findings, all eyes in Belize’s political sphere are on Briceño. The prime minister’s choice on whether to reinstate Mira and Marin will not only shape the composition of his cabinet, but will also determine how the public – already shaken by the scandal’s impact on trust in government – judges the ruling People’s United Party. Should the audit find evidence of wrongdoing, their return could become a major electoral liability ahead of future contests; if the pair are cleared, Briceño will face pressure to restore them to their posts. For News Five, reporter Paul Lopez brings this update from Belmopan.

  • Belmopan Endorsement Draws Smaller-Than-Expected Crowd

    Belmopan Endorsement Draws Smaller-Than-Expected Crowd

    Five months out from Belize’s upcoming municipal elections, a low-voter turnout at a key endorsement convention for the ruling People’s United Party (PUP) in Belmopan has sparked fresh questions about how deeply the ongoing “Mira Millions” political scandal is eroding the party’s local support base.

    On September 22, 2026, incumbent Belmopan Mayor Pablo Cawich and his sitting municipal council gathered for a formal endorsement event, laying the groundwork for their campaign to win a second consecutive term in office. In pre-event comments to local outlet Plus TV, Cawich set an ambitious attendance goal, projecting that at least 2,000 loyal supporters would turn out to back the PUP slate. To draw crowds, organizers offered multiple incentives: complimentary meals, discounted $2 beers, soft drinks, and a post-ceremony performance by popular local act Super Furia. Senior party figures, including sitting ministers and Belize’s prime minister, were also scheduled to speak at the gathering to boost the ticket’s profile.

    Despite these planned attractions, independent credible estimates put actual attendance at only around 300 people — just 15 percent of the mayor’s projected target. The unexpectedly small crowd has amplified ongoing public conversation about the unresolved political futures of two PUP figures, Oscar Mira and Florencio Marin Jr., who are at the center of the unfolding Mira Millions corruption scandal.

    Cawich maintained before the convention that the event would serve as a formal confirmation of the entire incumbent council as the PUP’s official candidate slate for the 2027? No, 2026? Wait, corrected: the municipal elections are scheduled five months after September 2026, so early 2027. Wait, original says five months away, yes. Cawich acknowledged ahead of the event that rainy weather was a possible factor that could lower turnout, but political analysts note that the scale of the attendance shortfall goes far beyond what bad weather could explain. Many are now pointing to the low turnout as tangible evidence that the public backlash from the Mira Millions scandal has reached the mayor’s office, even though Cawich and his council are not directly implicated in the controversy.

    As the campaign period officially kicks off in the coming weeks, the question now hanging over Belmopan’s municipal race is whether Cawich and his team can rebuild voter confidence and distance themselves from the scandal to secure re-election, or if the public anger over the corruption affair will prove to be the deciding issue that pushes voters to reject the PUP ticket at the polls.

  • Belizean Pride Dominates Briceño’s Independence Day Address

    Belizean Pride Dominates Briceño’s Independence Day Address

    As Belize marked its 45th year of sovereignty on September 21, 2026, the national Independence Day celebrations unfolded as a study in contrasts: a unifying, pride-focused address from the nation’s prime minister in the capital, while a local commemoration in the southern district of Punta Gorda devolved into a heated public political confrontation.

    In his keynote national address, Prime Minister John Briceño centered his remarks on deeply personal ideas of national identity, shifting away from the economic policy and development metrics that dominated his public remarks the previous week. Aligning with the 2026 celebration theme, “Look at me. I am Belize at 45,” Briceño paid tribute to the quiet strength, ingenuity and relentless determination that define ordinary Belizeans across every sector of society.

    Briceño highlighted that Belizean identity lives in every member of the community: from farmers tending fertile lands and fishers venturing into Caribbean waters, to educators molding the next generation, entrepreneurs building new businesses, honest public servants, and union advocates fighting for workers’ rights. He emphasized that beyond the nation’s globally renowned natural attractions — including the UNESCO-listed Belize Barrier Reef and the iconic Blue Hole — and its vibrant multicultural heritage, the world should recognize the core character of the Belizean people as the nation’s greatest asset.

    A key focal point of Briceño’s forward-looking address was the long-running territorial dispute with neighboring Guatemala. He announced that the International Court of Justice had scheduled oral arguments in the Belize-Guatemala case for February 2027, to be followed immediately by oral presentations in a separate border dispute between Belize and Honduras. After decades of unresolved border tensions, Briceño expressed confidence that the ICJ process would vindicate Belize’s territorial sovereignty, clearing the way for improved, constructive relations with both the Guatemalan government and people.

    In a moment of tribute to foundational Belizean leaders, Briceño honored the late Gwendolyn Lizarraga as a paragon of public service, holding her up as a model for young Belizeans to follow, citing her lifelong commitment to using her talents to strengthen the nation.

    While the national event maintained a focus on unity, the mood shifted sharply during Independence Day activities in Punta Gorda, the capital of Belize’s southern Toledo District. For years, Belizean political leaders have intentionally separated partisan political messaging from Independence Day commemorations to preserve a spirit of cross-party unity around national pride. But that consensus broke down during a local ceremonial address, when a verbal exchange between opposing party politicians escalated into a public confrontation.

    The clash began when Frank “Kranka” Polonio, the United Democratic Party (UDP) mayoral candidate, used his speaking time to deliver a blistering critique of the current administration’s failures. Polonio questioned the meaning of national independence for ordinary Belizeans, pointing to widespread unaffordability of land, lack of economic opportunity for young people, household financial strain, underfunded public schools where teachers must beg for basic classroom supplies, and a system he claimed awards opportunities based on political connections rather than merit. He also demanded public answers regarding unaddressed corruption allegations tied to the Toledo Teachers Credit Union and claims of millions of dollars in misappropriation linked to a local political family, arguing that silence cannot be accepted as a response to public concerns.

    Polonio’s remarks drew an immediate fiery response from Dr. Osmond Martinez, the incumbent People’s United Party Area Representative for Toledo East. Martinez pushed back against Polonio’s claims, revealing that he had personally assisted Polonio in processing his own land title documents. He also attacked Polonio’s record in public office, noting that during Polonio’s six years as deputy mayor of Punta Gorda, Polonio was forced to sue the UDP-led town council to receive his earned monthly stipend, as the council could not even afford to pay its own deputy mayor. Martinez challenged Polonio to compare that six-year record to the progress delivered by the current administration over just two years in office, and accused Polonio and the UDP of discriminating against Mayan communities, highlighting that Polonio is currently campaigning against a PUP candidate of Mayan descent — a move Martinez called unacceptable for any self-described leader.

    After the public exchange, Martinez declined to comment further, noting that he had attended the event committed to the spirit of unity, and only responded after Polonio delivered a deliberately negative, partisan address.

    This report is a transcript of an evening television newscast, with all Kriol-language statements transcribed using a standardized spelling system.