Belize’s primary power utility provider, Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), is sounding the alarm over a pervasive and growing crisis of unauthorised power connections that are endangering communities across the country and shifting unfair costs onto law-abiding customers. What is often framed as a low-impact, victimless offense is in fact a multifaceted problem that creates urgent safety risks and systemic financial strain for both the utility and the public it serves.\n\nAcross every district in Belize, unauthorised power lines and tampered utility meters are siphoning energy from the national power grid, draining resources that would otherwise serve formal, paying customers. In high-risk communities, the makeshift wiring that powers these illegal connections is often strung through tree branches or left completely exposed in low-lying, flood-prone regions. This shoddy, unregulated infrastructure puts nearby residents at constant risk of fatal electrocution and devastating electrical fires, turning a hidden financial crime into an immediate threat to public safety.\n\nMaking the problem even harder to address is its constantly shifting nature: as enforcement teams target illegal connections in one area, offenders simply move their operations to another district. This cat-and-mouse dynamic has driven up the cost of crackdowns for BEL, making it increasingly difficult for the utility to get ahead of the crisis.\n\nIn an interview with News Five, BEL Executive Chairman Lynn Young acknowledged the company’s deep concern over the growing scale of electricity theft across the country, confirming that the issue is a top corporate priority for the utility. Young declined to share specific details of BEL’s enforcement strategy publicly, noting that tipping off potential offenders would only allow them to relocate before crackdown operations can be completed.\n\nYoung also confirmed that unauthorised connections create substantial annual financial losses for the utility, costs that do not simply disappear from the company’s balance sheet. Unpaid for energy drives down BEL’s bottom line, and the increased operational and enforcement costs associated with addressing the crisis ultimately creates pressure to raise electricity rates for all customers. “The cost doesn’t just disappear,” Young explained. “It affects BEL’s bottom line and, by extension, everyone else. Keeping the lights on under those conditions drives up costs, which in turn pushes BEL toward requesting higher rates.”\n\nThis is not a new challenge for BEL. As far back as 2022, the company reported losing thousands of dollars each year to illegal power connections. At that time, BEL expressed willingness to regularise power access for households in underserved communities that relied on unauthorised connections, but cited inadequate grid infrastructure in these areas as a major barrier to formalising service. Today, the problem has grown more persistent, putting renewed pressure on the utility to curb theft and protect the interests of its paying customer base.
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Two Persons of Interest Held in Eleazer “Fresshy” Francis Killing
A small Caribbean community is reeling from a brutal early-morning murder that has left local residents shocked, as law enforcement officials ramp up a full investigation into the killing of a well-known local businessman. Sixty-year-old Eleazer “Fresshy” Francis, a prominent entrepreneur based in Freeman’s Village, was shot and killed at his own supermarket around 8:30 a.m. last Thursday, in broad daylight that has amplified public concern over public safety in the area.
Speaking publicly about the ongoing case, Police Commissioner Everton Jeffers confirmed that investigative teams are leaving no stone unturned in their search for answers, following up on every potential clue and tip that has emerged in the days since the shooting. So far, law enforcement has taken two persons of interest into custody as part of the probe, as investigators work to piece together exactly what led to the deadly confrontation.
Preliminary accounts from the initial investigation paint a clear picture of the attack: two unknown male suspects arrived at the supermarket in a silver-colored vehicle, entered the retail property, and an altercation broke out between the suspects and Francis before the shooting. Francis was pronounced dead at the scene immediately after the gunfire.
Commissioner Jeffers stressed that the investigation into Francis’ killing has been assigned the highest possible priority within the police department, as officers work quickly to build a complete case and bring those responsible to justice. In a public appeal for community assistance, Jeffers urged any local resident who may have witnessed the shooting, noticed suspicious activity in the area around the time of the attack, or holds any other information that could advance the probe to come forward. Tips can be submitted directly to the department’s Criminal Investigations Department, or anonymously through the regional Crime Stoppers hotline, Jeffers confirmed.
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Judge Approves Video Link Testimony for Key Witness in Krismar Espinoza Murder Trial
In a landmark ruling handed down on July 23, 2026, a Belize High Court justice has cleared the way for the prosecution’s star witness to give evidence remotely via video link from the United States in the high-profile murder trial of Krismar Espinoza, rejecting defense claims that the arrangement would compromise the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
Espinoza stands accused of the fatal shooting of Wilbert Bank, which took place on April 5, 2024 in Belize. The Crown prosecution had petitioned the court to allow primary witness Jenella Armstrong, who currently resides in the U.S. while pursuing an asylum claim there, to testify outside of the domestic courtroom. In her sworn affidavit, Armstrong outlined two urgent reasons for her request: she claims Espinoza has directly threatened both her life and that of her minor son, leaving her in credible fear for her safety if she returns to Belize, and she warned that a trip home to appear in person would put her pending U.S. asylum application at serious risk.
Espinoza’s defense team mounted a fierce challenge to the remote testimony request, raising two core objections. First, they argued that a witness testifying from outside Belize’s jurisdiction would face little to no practical consequence for lying under oath, as extradition for perjury is rare, removing a key incentive for truthful testimony. Second, the defense cast doubt on the authenticity of Armstrong’s stated safety fears, claiming she actually sought to avoid in-person court appearances to prevent public speculation that she was somehow complicit in Bank’s murder.
Justice Pilgrim, the presiding judge in the case, rooted his ruling in two existing pieces of Belizean legislation: Section 64(1)(c) of the Evidence Act, which explicitly allows courts to accept remote video evidence, and Section 186 of the Senior Courts Act, which grants the High Court broad discretionary power to conduct virtual hearings. Both statutes apply to all case types, including criminal matters, and do not set rigid limitations on when virtual testimony can be approved.
To bolster his decision, Justice Pilgrim also referenced binding international legal precedent, including a historic ruling from the UK House of Lords and a 2020 decision from the Privy Council. He emphasized that a fair trial does not require a witness to be physically present in the same courtroom as the defendant — the only core requirement is that the defense retains full opportunity to see, hear, and cross-examine the witness, a standard that modern video technology can easily meet.
The judge was careful to carve out key boundaries to his ruling, noting that he was not making any preliminary determination on whether the alleged threats against Armstrong actually occurred; that question, he stressed, will be decided by the trial itself. He also pushed back against the defense’s perjury concerns, clarifying that false testimony from Armstrong would still violate Belize’s Criminal Code regardless of her physical location when giving evidence, leaving her open to prosecution for the offense.
Moving forward, Armstrong will deliver her testimony under oath via the Microsoft Teams platform. She will be visible to all parties in the proceeding — the judge, the defendant, defense counsel, and members of the public — and will undergo full cross-examination exactly as she would if she were appearing in person in the Belizean courtroom.
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New Report Examines How Climate Change Is Affecting Belize’s Children
On July 23, 2026, a landmark collaborative report between the Government of Belize and UNICEF Belize has pulled back the curtain on the unequal impacts of the global climate crisis across the Central American nation, shining a critical spotlight on the heightened dangers facing children and marginalized communities.
Titled the Climate Landscape Analysis for Children Plus (CLAC+) Report, the assessment marks the first comprehensive national effort in Belize to map how interconnected challenges – from shifting climate patterns and environmental degradation to energy insecurity and extreme weather disasters – shape daily life and long-term outcomes for children and other vulnerable population groups. Unlike broad national climate assessments that often overlook marginalized demographics, the report specifically centers its analysis on four high-risk groups: children, people living with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and pregnant and lactating women.
Researchers behind the report explain that the in-depth study fills a major gap in Belize’s climate data, offering a granular, unfiltered view of the overlapping struggles these communities confront. For these groups, climate change is not a distant future threat: it manifests in more frequent and destructive climate-driven disasters that destroy homes and infrastructure, it cuts off access to life-sustaining essential services including healthcare, primary education, and social protection programs that millions rely on, and it erodes long-term economic and social stability for generations.
The findings from this pioneering assessment are not intended to only highlight gaps – they are designed to serve as a actionable roadmap for national decision-makers. Officials confirmed that the data and conclusions from the CLAC+ Report will guide the development of future climate adaptation policies and direct public and private investment toward initiatives that build more climate-resilient communities across Belize, prioritizing the groups that need support the most.
In a key takeaway from the report launch, national and UN officials emphasized that meaningful progress addressing climate inequality cannot be achieved by a single actor. Meaningful change requires coordinated cross-sector cooperation that brings together government agencies, local community organizations, primary and secondary schools, public and private health providers, and dedicated environmental organizations to align efforts and center vulnerable groups in climate action.
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Businessman Killed in Freemans Village Identified as Eleazer ‘Fresshy’ Francis
A wave of grief has swept through the tight-knit community of Freemans Village in Antigua and Barbuda following the fatal shooting of prominent local businessman and cherished community leader Eleazer “Fresshy” Francis on Thursday morning.
According to initial reports from local law enforcement and eyewitness accounts, the violent attack unfolded just after 8 a.m. at the small grocery superette that Francis owned and operated along Freemans Village Main Road. Emergency responders were called to the scene immediately, but Francis succumbed to his gunshot wounds at the location.
Francis’ death marks the latest homicide recorded in Antigua and Barbuda, a development that has deepened the somber mood across the island nation. For many local residents, the loss comes as a sudden and devastating shock, as Francis had long been embedded in community life, earning a reputation as a kind, dependable figure who was widely respected across the area. In the hours after the shooting, residents gathered near the superette to share memories of Francis, expressing disbelief at the violent end to a life that had benefited so many in the village.
In response to the killing, the Antigua and Barbuda Royal Police Force has formally launched a full criminal investigation. Investigators are currently working to piece together the full sequence of events that led to the shooting, interviewing witnesses and collecting forensic evidence from the crime scene. A key priority for the investigation team is identifying any suspects and determining what motivated the attack, as authorities work to bring those responsible to justice.
As the investigation progresses, local community leaders have called for anyone with information related to the shooting to come forward to assist police, while residents continue to mourn the loss of one of their most beloved members.
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Rockell Browne Convicted of Wounding Transport Board Colleague, Sentencing Set for September
What began as an ordinary end to a work shift at the Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board spiraled into shocking violence in late 2022, leaving one woman injured and her coworker convicted of unlawful wounding.
The confrontation, which unfolded in a suddenly darkened office room, has resulted in convicted defendant Rockell Browne being placed in custody ahead of her sentencing hearing scheduled for September 25. Following a judge-only trial, Justice John Spencer delivered the guilty verdict, rejecting Browne’s repeated claims that she had acted in self-defense during the physical altercation.
Court testimony laid out the sequence of events that led to the attack. After clocking out for the day, the alleged victim entered an office room to retrieve her personal bag, and the two women met in the narrow doorway. Prosecutors allege that Browne intentionally shoved her coworker backward into the room’s light switch, which cut power to the space and left the entire room in complete darkness.
Seconds after the lights went out, a full physical fight broke out between the two employees. A third worker on site rushed into the darkened room to intervene and separate the combatants, but the chaos of the encounter allowed Browne to grab a nearby pair of scissors. In the confusion, she stabbed her colleague three times, causing visible wounds that led to the criminal charges.
Throughout the trial, Browne maintained that she was the one who had been attacked first. She told the court that the complainant had repeatedly engaged in aggressive behavior toward her at work, including purposefully bumping into her on multiple occasions. Browne added that she had filed formal complaints about this behavior to three separate Transport Board supervisors, though one of those supervisors directly refuted that testimony, telling the court they had never received any such report from Browne.
Browne also claimed that the third worker who stepped in to break up the fight did not act as a neutral peacemaker — instead, she alleged that the intervenor was romantically involved with the complainant and actively joined the altercation against her.
Justice Spencer did not find Browne’s version of events credible, leading to the guilty conviction. Crown Counsel Curtis Cornelius served as the lead prosecutor for the case, while defense attorney Wendel Alexander represented Browne throughout the trial proceedings. Browne is currently being held on remand, and the court will set her official punishment at the upcoming sentencing hearing next month.
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Government looks to new Contour Airlines route to boost regional connectivity
Regional air travel across the Eastern Caribbean is poised for a major upgrade, after U.S.-based regional carrier Contour Airlines announced plans to launch a new nonstop route linking Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago, scheduled to begin operations on October 5, 2026. The new service will connect Dominica’s Douglas-Charles Airport (DOM) to Piarco International Airport (POS) in Port of Spain, operating on a twice-weekly schedule to meet demand from both leisure and business travelers.
Per the official flight schedule released by the airline, the route will operate with outbound flights from Dominica to Port of Spain departing at 6:05 PM on Mondays and Thursdays, arriving at 7:25 PM the same day. Return flights from Port of Spain to Dominica will depart at 8:30 AM on Tuesdays and Fridays, landing in Douglas-Charles at 9:50 AM. Beyond the core nonstop service, Contour Airlines will also offer convenient one-stop, same-plane connecting services linking Port of Spain to two major Caribbean hubs: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The one-stop service operates once weekly for each hub, matching the carrier’s core route schedule to streamline connections for passengers.
All flights on the new route will be operated using Contour Airlines’ fleet of 30-seat regional jets, configured to prioritize passenger comfort with extra legroom, complimentary onboard snacks, and full inflight service. This marks a noticeable upgrade from smaller regional turboprop services that have historically served the route, offering a faster, more comfortable travel experience for all passengers.
In an official statement released by the Discover Dominica Authority, the Dominican government framed the new route as a critical milestone in its long-term strategy to expand the country’s air connectivity network, unlock new growth opportunities for tourism, trade, and cross-border business development. Denise Charles-Pemberton, Dominica’s Minister for Tourism, emphasized that the direct jet service addresses longstanding gaps in regional travel, making access to Dominica far more convenient and reliable for international and regional visitors.
“Trinidad is a high-potential emerging market for Dominica’s nature-focused tourism sector,” Charles-Pemberton noted. She highlighted that Trinidad has a large, active community of birdwatching enthusiasts, a group that aligns perfectly with Dominica’s core tourism offerings: the island’s unspoiled rainforests, hundreds of unique native bird species, and world-class outdoor recreation including hiking, scuba diving, and nature-based wellness retreats. Beyond nature tourism, the minister added that the new route will also open up access to Dominica’s growing range of cultural events and adventure tourism experiences for Trinidadian travelers. The service also restores a convenient transit hub through Piarco International Airport, giving Dominican and international passengers more options for connecting onward to destinations across North and South America.
“We are thrilled to expand our growing footprint across the Caribbean with this new nonstop connection,” said Ben Munson, President of Contour Airlines. Munson emphasized that the route will strengthen regional integration for residents, business operators, and tourists alike, cutting down on travel time and eliminating the need for inconvenient layovers for passengers traveling between the two islands.
Industry observers note that the new route comes as Dominica continues to invest in expanding its tourism infrastructure, targeting high-value, nature-focused travelers seeking off-the-beaten-path experiences in the Caribbean. The addition of twice-weekly jet service from Trinidad is expected to not only boost visitor arrivals from Trinidad itself but also increase inbound tourism from global travelers connecting through Piarco International’s extensive regional and long-haul network.
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Prisoner Rashawn ‘Turtle’ Shabazz Dies After Police-Assisted Prison Cell Extraction
A controversial operation at His Majesty’s Prison has ended in the death of an inmate with a documented severe mental health condition, prompting an official investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
Lt. Col. Trevor Pennyfeather, the prison’s top superintendent, publicly confirmed Wednesday that 45-year-old Rashawn “Turtle” Shabazz passed away early Thursday morning in the aftermath of a joint intervention carried out by prison staff and local law enforcement.
According to Pennyfeather’s official account, the crisis unfolded when Shabazz barricaded himself inside his locked cell and rejected repeated requests to exit for scheduled off-site medical care. Tensions escalated when the inmate allegedly made verbal threats to responding prison officers, prompting senior officials to call in local police for backup to de-escalate the situation.
Multiple sources close to the operation confirm that law enforcement deployed less-lethal crowd control tools during the intervention, including rubber bullets and tear gas, to force Shabazz out of his cell. He was removed from the cell still breathing, but immediately began experiencing severe respiratory distress and persistent coughing. Emergency responders rushed him to the territory’s main public care facility, Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, where medical teams were unable to save him and he was pronounced dead a short time later.
In the wake of the death, Pennyfeather said he had personally met with Shabazz’s immediate family to extend official condolences on behalf of the prison administration. To address lingering questions about how the incident unfolded, a full independent investigation and formal autopsy have been ordered to document the exact cause and sequence of events leading to Shabazz’s death.
Background on the deceased reveals a long history of interaction with law enforcement and mental health services. Shabazz was first shot by police in August 2023 during a public disturbance near the Perry Bay Supermarket, after which he was admitted for intensive treatment at Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital. Court and medical records confirm he had a formal diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, a chronic mental health condition that impacts mood and cognitive function.
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Cost of Living Assistance Programme
Facing persistent global economic pressures that have driven up living costs for households and businesses across the nation, the Government of Grenada has launched a comprehensive, fiscally responsible 2026 Cost of Living Assistance Programme. Valued at a maximum of EC$18 million, the temporary five-month relief package combines energy-focused tax cuts, expanded household subsidies, and consumer-focused tax exemptions to ease immediate budget strains, curb inflation, and support local economic activity, all while preserving long-term fiscal sustainability.
The first and most broad-reaching measure of the programme is a full temporary removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on all electricity consumption, effective from 1 August through 31 December 2026. Unlike targeted relief that benefits only specific groups, this cut applies to every category of electricity customer across the country: residential households, small commercial enterprises, large commercial operations, industrial producers, public institutions, and all other energy users. As a core input to every sector of Grenada’s economy, lower electricity costs will reduce expenses across the board—from monthly household budgets to overhead for local businesses and production costs for agriculture and manufacturing. By August, all electricity customers will see a zero charge for VAT in the government charges section of their monthly bill, delivering immediate, transparent savings directly to end users.
The second energy-focused measure complements the VAT cut by eliminating the Customs Service Charge on imported diesel used exclusively for electricity generation, running for the same August to December 2026 period. Because Grenada relies entirely on imported fuel to produce much of its electricity, import taxes directly pass through to end users in the form of higher power tariffs. By removing this charge at the border, the government reduces the underlying input cost of electricity generation, helping to offset upward pressure on power prices driven by volatile global fuel markets. Unlike the immediate VAT cut on retail bills, the benefits of this measure will be passed to consumers gradually, aligned with existing billing cycles and the flow of new duty-free fuel shipments into the national energy supply.
Third, the government is dramatically expanding its existing residential electricity subsidy programme to reach thousands more vulnerable households, while more than quadrupling the monthly benefit amount. Previously, the programme offered just EC$10 per month in relief for households consuming 99 kilowatt-hours (kWh) or less monthly, supporting approximately 22,089 households. The enhanced scheme raises the monthly subsidy to EC$50 and expands eligibility to all households consuming 200 kWh or less per month, pushing the total number of beneficiary households to 38,640 across Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique. The expanded subsidy will take effect for August 2026 bills, putting extra cash directly back into household pockets to cover groceries, back-to-school supplies, and other essential daily needs. Like all measures in the package, the enhanced subsidy is temporary, targeted, and designed to cushion household disposable incomes from global energy price shocks while the government advances long-term solutions in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
As a fourth measure to support consumers and stimulate local business activity, the cabinet has approved two VAT-free shopping days per month for August, September, and October 2026. The first VAT-free weekend is scheduled for 28–29 August 2026, timed perfectly to help families cover back-to-school costs and stock up on essential household goods. Only approved, VAT-registered, tax-compliant businesses are permitted to participate, and the exemption applies to a wide range of everyday goods: groceries, clothing, school supplies, books and uniforms, household goods, appliances, electronics, and hardware. The initiative has four core goals: deliver direct immediate cost-of-living relief to households, boost consumer spending and retail sales, support compliant local businesses, and encourage broader tax compliance by strengthening public-private collaboration. Clear pricing and compliance rules have been built into the programme design to ensure consumers receive the full benefit of the tax exemption. The Ministry of Finance will launch a full public information campaign in the coming weeks to share details on participating businesses and eligible items with the public.
In addition to these four new measures, the government will extend existing fuel price stabilisation measures through the end of December 2026. These measures include keeping price caps in place for domestic consumption of key fuel products: gasoline, diesel, and kerosene are capped at EC$17 per gallon, 20-pound LPG cylinders are held at EC$40, and 100-pound cylinders are capped at EC$350.
Throughout the announcement, the Ministry of Finance emphasized that the entire relief package has been structured to be fiscally responsible, with an expected maximum total fiscal impact of EC$18 million. Years of prudent public financial management have created the fiscal space to deliver this meaningful immediate relief without putting long-term national fiscal sustainability at risk, officials noted. This targeted investment is designed to protect household budgets, support economic stability, and buffer Grenadians from ongoing external economic uncertainty, representing what the government calls responsible governance that balances short-term relief with long-term national stability.
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Electoral Office says software issue behind duplicate names on Confirmation List
Public anxiety over duplicate entries on the new voter confirmation list in Dominica has prompted an official response from the country’s Electoral Office, which moved quickly to clarify that the administrative flaw stems from third-party-developed software and is not the result of any improper action by election authorities.
In an official written statement released to the public, Chief Election Officer Anthea Joseph’s team confirmed that election officials had already detected the irregularity and shared the public’s concern over the potential impact on upcoming electoral processes. The office has formally notified the external contractor that built the voter registration software responsible for the glitch, and the contractor has classified the investigation and resolution of the issue as an urgent priority.
Electoral officials emphasized that they are maintaining constant, close oversight of the investigation and remediation process. A further public update will be issued immediately once the problem has been fully resolved to eliminate any remaining irregularities from the voter rolls.
While the office acknowledged that duplicate voter entries represent a serious concern that could undermine public trust in election outcomes, it reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to upholding the integrity of all electoral processes. Officials stressed that every step will be taken to ensure all voting activities are carried out in full compliance with national electoral legislation, with complete transparency and fairness for all participating parties and voters.
In closing, the Electoral Office extended its gratitude to the Dominican public for their patience and understanding as teams work to correct the software error and restore the full accuracy of the voter confirmation list.