Carib Scope

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  • VES betwist begrotingstekort van 5,1%: Werkelijk tekort is 7,7% van BBP

    VES betwist begrotingstekort van 5,1%: Werkelijk tekort is 7,7% van BBP

    Paramaribo, Suriname – The Association of Economists of Suriname (VES) has raised sharp questions over the methodological approach the current administration has used to calculate its projected 2026 national budget deficit, arguing that the actual gap between public spending and revenue is far larger than the government has reported. According to VES Secretary Swami Girdhari, the real deficit will reach 7.7% of gross domestic product (GDP), not the 5.1% officially claimed by the Surinamese government.

    The Council of Ministers gave its approval to the 2026 Amended Budget Memorandum on May 21, which outlines total projected public spending of 77.4 billion Surinamese dollars (SRD) against total projected revenue of 64.6 billion SRD. Under the government’s calculation framework, this results in a deficit of 12.8 billion SRD, which equals 5.1% of the 252.2 billion SRD official projected GDP for 2026.

    Girdhari, in an interview with local outlet Starnieuws, noted that the biggest red flag is the sharp upward revision to the 2026 GDP estimate. As recently as September 2025, official projections put national GDP at roughly 180 billion SRD. The new 252.2 billion SRD estimate represents a 40% increase in just nine months. Even after accounting for projected annual inflation of roughly 10%, the implied real GDP growth comes out to nearly 30% – a figure Girdhari says lacks clear justification. “The question is whether this level of growth is realistic,” Girdhari said. “The Ministry of Finance and Planning needs to provide the public with a full breakdown of the underlying calculations that led to this estimate.”

    A core point of VES criticism centers on the government’s classification of borrowed funds as regular revenue. Per the amended budget, the government expects 42.5 billion SRD in direct and indirect tax revenue and 15 billion SRD in non-tax revenue, totaling 57.5 billion SRD in baseline receipts. The administration then adds 7 billion SRD in new loans to hit the 64.6 billion SRD total revenue figure.

    This accounting approach is fundamentally incorrect, Girdhari argues. “Loans are not revenue – they are financing instruments that increase the state’s future debt obligations, and should never be counted as regular operating income,” he explained. When the 7 billion SRD in new loans is excluded from revenue in line with standard international budget accounting rules, the actual financing gap grows to nearly 20 billion SRD, pushing the deficit up to the 7.7% of GDP the VES estimates. The association emphasizes that international fiscal standards require a clear separation between regular revenue streams (including taxes, non-tax receipts, and grants) and financing sources such as loans and reserve withdrawals, noting that this distinction is required to produce a transparent, accurate picture of the government’s true fiscal position.

    VES also warns that financing the deficit and meeting existing debt obligations remains a major unaddressed risk for 2026. The current budget framework leaves the government heavily dependent on new borrowing to cover a large share of planned spending, and 9.4 billion SRD in existing debt repayments are scheduled for next year. The association is calling for the publication of an up-to-date debt sustainability analysis to give the public a complete view of the country’s overall fiscal standing, saying the government has not yet explained how it will meet its existing debt repayment obligations.

    Beyond 2026, VES has raised concerns over the government’s medium-term fiscal projections included in the budget’s Medium-Term Fiscal Framework, which covers the 2026 to 2030 period. The government projects steady growth in both revenue and spending over the five-year window, with budget surpluses emerging between 2027 and 2029, growing to 9.6 billion SRD by 2029. However, the framework projects a return to deficit in 2030, with a shortfall of 9.9 billion SRD.

    Girdhari calls this swing from a nearly 10 billion SRD surplus to a nearly 10 billion SRD deficit in just one year – a 20 billion SRD shift – extremely unusual. He notes that the shift is driven almost entirely by soaring debt repayment requirements: scheduled debt repayments rise from 9.3 billion SRD in 2029 to 32.3 billion SRD in 2030. This jump is tied to the November 2025 debt restructuring agreement, which requires Suriname to repay roughly $1 billion in 2030. “In practice, this shifts a massive financial burden onto the administration that takes office in 2030,” Girdhari said.

    Finally, the association is warning against excessive optimism around anticipated future oil revenue, which appears to underpin much of the current budget framework. VES says the government risks implicitly counting unearned future oil income in its current spending plans, despite the fact that these revenues have not yet been realized. Girdhari pointed to global precedent showing that countries that increase public spending before commodity revenues actually materialize often face severe fiscal crises when output or prices fall short of projections.

    To address these risks, VES is calling for strict fiscal discipline, full public transparency around all budget calculations, a robust savings and investment strategy for future resource revenues, and strong institutional safeguards to reduce the impact of politically driven budget cycles that prioritize short-term spending over long-term fiscal stability.

  • Cricket West Indies Announces Squad for T20 Series Against Sri Lanka in Jamaica

    Cricket West Indies Announces Squad for T20 Series Against Sri Lanka in Jamaica

    On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, Cricket West Indies (CWI) officially announced its 15-player squad for the upcoming three-match T20 International series against Sri Lanka, set to take place between June 11 and 14 at Kingston’s iconic Sabina Park in Jamaica. This home series marks the Caribbean side’s first T20I outing since their impressive run at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup earlier this year, and it serves as a critical building block for long-term preparations ahead of the 2028 ICC T20 World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

    Three new faces have earned call-ups to the squad that competed in the 2026 World Cup, held across India and Sri Lanka, where the West Indies, popularly known as the Men in Maroon, narrowly missed out on a semi-final berth. Young batting prospects Ackeem Auguste and Jewel Andrew, alongside versatile all-rounder Shamar Springer, are the three inclusions that bring fresh depth to the side. Star fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has been rested from the series as part of CWI’s structured workload management strategy; he will remain in training to prepare for the upcoming two-match Test series scheduled to be held in Antigua.

    West Indies head coach Daren Sammy expressed optimism about the upcoming contests, noting that the series provides a valuable platform for emerging and established players alike to connect with home fans while displaying the aggressive, entertaining brand of cricket the region is known for. “This series is an important one for us as it’s our first since the World Cup in India, where the team played with passion, fight and the togetherness that West Indies cricket is built on,” Sammy said in the official announcement. “Our focus now is to build on those foundations, continue growing as a team and make our fans proud with the way we compete against Sri Lanka.”

    Fast bowler Shamar Joseph, who exited the Caribbean side’s recent ODI tour of Sri Lanka early to attend to personal matters, is confirmed to rejoin the squad ahead of the series opener on June 11. The full 15-member squad led by captain Shai Hope includes: Jewel Andrew, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, and Shamar Springer.

    Alongside the player squad, CWI also confirmed the full team management unit for the series, with Rawl Lewis serving as team manager, Floyd Reifer as assistant batting coach, Ravi Rampaul as assistant bowling coach, Rayon Griffith as fielding coach, Dr Denis Byam as physiotherapist, Darc Browne as strength and conditioning coach, Harone Jackson as massage therapist, Avenesh Seetaram as performance analyst, and Jerome Foster as content and media officer.

    All three matches of the series will be hosted at Sabina Park, with the first T20I kicking off at 7:30 pm local time (8:30 pm Atlantic Standard Time) on June 11. The second match will follow on June 13 at the same time, with the third and final series decider scheduled for June 14, also under lights at the Jamaican venue.

  • Premier Brantley: Steps Being Taken to Cushion Impact on Homeowners Amid Property Tax Revaluation

    Premier Brantley: Steps Being Taken to Cushion Impact on Homeowners Amid Property Tax Revaluation

    CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS – June 8, 2026 – As the Caribbean island of Nevis nears completion of its first comprehensive property valuation exercise in nearly 18 years, Premier Mark Brantley has moved to reassure resident homeowners that the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) is putting targeted safeguards in place to prevent undue financial strain from potential tax increases tied to updated property assessments.

    The island-wide valuation initiative, led by the local Inland Revenue Department (IRD), launched its on-the-ground data collection phase in July 2025. The core goal of the project is to modernize Nevis’ outdated property tax system, bringing official assessed property values in line with current real estate market conditions that have shifted dramatically since the last full valuation was completed in 2008.

    Speaking at a recent public press briefing, Brantley emphasized that the NIA’s top priority is shielding lower and middle-income homeowners from sudden, unaffordable tax hikes while updating the system. To achieve this balanced outcome, the administration is actively reviewing policy recommendations from the Property Tax Division focused on expanding the property tax exemption threshold.

    Under Nevis’ current tax framework, the first Eastern Caribbean $80,000 of a property’s assessed value is exempt from property taxation, with levies only applied to the assessed value exceeding this threshold. Brantley confirmed that adjusting this exemption level upward is the central policy proposal under consideration, to reduce or eliminate tax increases for most residential homeowners.

    “As a government, our clear priority is to cushion the impact of any potential tax increase for local homeowners, particularly those in lower and middle-income brackets,” Brantley said during the briefing. “We are working closely with the Property Tax Division to expand the exemption threshold, and Cabinet will conduct a thorough review of the IRD’s final proposals before moving forward. Our goal is to modernize the tax system without making property tax unaffordable for residents. The core principle guiding this work is that the heaviest tax burden should fall on those most able to pay – specifically owners of high-value multi-million-dollar villas and luxury properties. That is the intentional design of this approach.”

    Brantley added that once the Cabinet reaches a final decision on the adjusted exemption threshold, the new terms will be publicly announced immediately. To ensure the entire revaluation process meets global benchmarks for fairness and accuracy, the NIA has structured the exercise around internationally recognized standards set by the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO), which guarantees assessments are consistent, transparent, and objective across all property types.

    The department has also adopted the International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS), a modern uniform framework for measuring buildings and property improvements. This update may lead to minor adjustments to previously recorded building measurements for some properties, which Brantley noted is a normal part of aligning local practices with global norms.

    The full valuation exercise is on track to be substantially completed by the end of June 2026, which will give the IRD adequate time to process new assessments and prepare for the 2026 tax cycle. To accommodate the ongoing revaluation work, the IRD has already extended the 2026 property tax payment deadline from the original June 30 date to September 30, 2026, giving homeowners extra time to adjust to the new framework.

    Once individual assessments are finalized, every property owner will receive an official Certificate of Valuation detailing their property’s updated assessed value. Taxpayers will have a 30-day window from the date of issuance to review their assessment, submit formal objections if they disagree with the valuation, or request clarification from IRD staff if they have questions about the process.

  • Tizzy Ignites Carnival 2026 With New Ep Featuring Road Anthems And A Powerful Message Of Unity

    Tizzy Ignites Carnival 2026 With New Ep Featuring Road Anthems And A Powerful Message Of Unity

    As carnival communities around the Caribbean and beyond gear up for the 2026 celebration season, breakout soca artist Tizzy has launched a highly anticipated new extended play (EP) built specifically to fuel the festivities. The seven-track collection centers on high-energy road anthems crafted to match the exhilaration of parades, street parties, and masquerade processions that define modern carnival culture.
    What sets this release apart from typical carnival projects is its intentional undercurrent of social cohesion. Across each track, Tizzy weaves lyrics that emphasize cross-community solidarity, bridging divides of class, nationality, and background that can sometimes fragment carnival spaces. In a post-pandemic era where many regional festival communities are still working to rebuild connectedness, the artist’s focus on unity strikes a particularly resonant chord with fans and industry observers alike.
    Early previews of the EP have already generated viral buzz across social media platforms dedicated to carnival culture, with listeners praising the blend of infectious, bass-heavy instrumentals and meaningful lyrical content. Festival organizers across Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and several Caribbean diaspora communities in North America and Europe have already added multiple tracks from the EP to their official event playlists for the 2026 season. Industry analysts note that the release signals a growing shift in carnival music toward more purpose-driven content, without sacrificing the upbeat energy that keeps crowds moving through days of celebration.

  • Cuban jurists, firm in defending revolutionary legality

    Cuban jurists, firm in defending revolutionary legality

    On Cuba’s annual Jurist’s Day, marking the 49th anniversary of the National Union of Jurists of Cuba (UNJC), legal professionals across the nation have issued a unified rebuke of heightened coercive measures and the ongoing energy blockade imposed by the United States, while reaffirming their unwavering commitment to defending the country’s sovereignty, socialist legality, and national government. The main national commemorative event was hosted in the eastern province of Guantánamo, which earned the distinction of being named the Most Outstanding Province in UNJC work for the ninth consecutive year, sharing the 2026 honor with six other Cuban regions: Villa Clara, Granma, Havana, Ciego de Ávila, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba.

    Presided over by high-ranking Cuban officials including Salvador Valdés Mesa, Vice President of the Republic and member of the Communist Party Political Bureau, and Roberto Morales Ojeda, Organization Secretary of the Party Central Committee, the ceremony also featured a special appearance by veteran Rebel Army Commander José Ramón Machado Ventura. In his keynote address, UNJC national president Alexis Ginarte Gato emphasized the irreplaceable role of Cuba’s legal community in sustaining the socialist state, upholding the rule of law, and shielding national sovereignty from external interference. He reiterated the jurists’ solemn commitment to defending the homeland, advancing social justice, and protecting Cuba’s independent self-determination.

    Ginarte Gato specifically condemned the recent escalation of U.S. aggressive actions, labeling the unilateral coercive measures and energy blockade as a deliberate act of genocide against the Cuban people that flagrantly violates fundamental tenets of international law and the United Nations Charter. During the event, the UNJC formally announced the convening of its 10th National Congress, scheduled to take place in June 2027, centered on the core theme: “Strengthening Institutions as a Guarantee of the Country’s Economic and Social Transformation.”

    Reading the official 49th anniversary declaration on behalf of the organization, young jurist Patricia Romero Madrigal underscored the community’s dedication to upholding foundational international principles: sovereign equality of all nations, non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states, and the peaceful settlement of international disputes. Yamila González Ferrer, UNJC vice president, also read a solidarity message from the International Association of Democratic Jurists, which praised the Cuban jurists’ organization for its long-standing commitment to legality, sovereignty, and social justice, and joined Cuba in condemning the intensification of the U.S. blockade, including the executive order-imposed energy restriction, reaffirming the international body’s steadfast solidarity with the Cuban people and their legal community.

    Speaking from Guantánamo, the host province, UNJC representatives issued a sharp public warning amid growing U.S. aggression aimed at undermining Cuban resolve, crippling the national economy, and silencing the country’s voice. “When the U.S. government becomes more aggressive in its efforts to break our will, stifle our economy, and silence our voice, Cuban jurists, with our laws and the Constitution as our shield, tell them they will not succeed,” the declaration read, delivered by rising legal professional Lisandra Premión Torres. The document stressed, “In Cuba, the law does not bend, nor does justice negotiate its dignity,” adding that current imperialist threats are merely the latest iteration of a decades-long blockade that operates without basic humanitarian principle, repeatedly violating established international law, agreements, and treaties.

    The declaration reiterated: “We reaffirm to our people that the law is on their side, and to the empire, that there will be no retreats, no concessions to blackmail. Not one step back in the defense of our socialist, independent, and sovereign Cuba.” On behalf of Cuba’s younger generation of legal professionals, the proclamation reaffirmed full support for the Cuban government’s position against imperialist threats, noting: “We inherit the tradition of decorum from those who, like Ignacio Agramonte, José Martí, and Fidel Castro, established a revolutionary law at the service of the people.”

    Guantánamo was selected to host the national event in recognition of its comprehensive work advancing jurist professional development and cracking down on crime, corruption, illicit activity, and social disorder. During the celebration, which was held in honor of the centennial of Fidel Castro, local authorities inaugurated a new headquarters building for the Guantánamo Provincial People’s Court, constructed at a cost of more than 20 million pesos to improve working conditions for legal professionals defending socialist legality and national sovereignty. The event concluded with honors awarded to individual outstanding lawyers, exemplary local organization chapters, and winners of the national competition for legal scientific societies, attended by Yoel Pérez García, Guantánamo’s First Secretary of the Party, Governor Alis Azahares Torreblanca, and other regional and national authorities.

  • Kabinet President krijgt begroting van ruim SRD 1,2 miljard

    Kabinet President krijgt begroting van ruim SRD 1,2 miljard

    Newly released 2026 budget documents for the South American nation of Suriname outline a total operating allocation of more than 1.2 billion Surinamese dollars (SRD) for the Office of the President, with nearly 70% of the total budget earmarked for employee wages and salaries.

    According to the budget breakdown published June 9, the total operating expenditure for the Presidential Cabinet and its affiliated directorates and agencies is projected at 1.199 billion SRD for the 2026 fiscal year, with ongoing current expenditures set at 1.163 billion SRD. The single largest line item is payroll costs, accounting for 829.2 million SRD – an increase of more than 127.5 million SRD compared to the 2017 baseline of 701.7 million SRD.

    Budget documentation attributes this wage increase to standard periodic pay adjustments, promotional scale upgrades, new appointments, the hiring of additional staff and external consultants, stipends for committee members, and various statutory allowances for civil servants. The allocation also includes medical benefits for executive staff, equivalent senior roles, and retired personnel.

    As of the end of March 2025, a total of 2,237 employees are registered on the payroll across the Presidential Cabinet, its subordinate directorates, and associated agencies. Budget projections anticipate that 56 employees will retire during the 2026 fiscal year, while 23 long-serving public servants will be honored for their decades of service to the government.

    Beyond payroll, 254 million SRD is allocated for goods and services, 48.1 million SRD for social security contributions, 17 million SRD for social benefits, and 15 million SRD for grants and contributions. Capital expenditures for 2026 are projected at 36.5 million SRD, up from the previous projection of 23.5 million SRD. Of this capital allocation, 20 million SRD is reserved for office equipment purchases, with budget documents noting that upgrades are required to replace outdated inventory across multiple directorates and agencies, and to accommodate planned expansions to the Cabinet’s organizational structure. The remaining 16.5 million SRD is earmarked for the acquisition of new transportation vehicles.

    The core priority outlined in the budget is to preserve the regular daily functioning of the Presidential Cabinet and all its subordinate bodies. Allocated funds are designated to support the implementation of the president’s administrative, governance, and policy objectives, and to enable the efficient fulfillment of presidential obligations. Consistent with recent budget cycles, personnel costs remain the single largest expenditure category for the office, holding a nearly 70% share of the Cabinet’s total operating budget for 2026.

  • Seally Brothers Among Three Killed in Horriffic Crash

    Seally Brothers Among Three Killed in Horriffic Crash

    A quiet weekend in the northern Belize village of Sarteneja turned into a scene of unspeakable tragedy, leaving three people dead — including two brothers from the Seally family — and a nation already reeling from a week of deadly violence grappling with more grief. The June 8 crash, which investigators are probing as a deliberate act tied to a long-simmering dispute and escalating road rage, has left relatives demanding urgent justice and community members stunned by the senseless loss of life.

    What began as a casual gathering among locals quickly spiraled into violence, according to accounts from Melvin Seally, brother of the two slain brothers. The conflict stretched back to an old argument over a local boat race, a minor disagreement that had festered for months before erupting into open conflict that night. As tensions boiled over at the gathering, a physical fight broke out: the man later identified as the suspect, Amadi Gangara, reportedly pulled a pipe and attacked one of Seally’s cousins, before bystanders stepped in to separate the two groups. Witnesses have shared that a local Chinese business owner recorded the entire altercation on camera, footage that has since become a key piece of evidence for investigators.

    Instead of letting the conflict end with the broken-up fight, Gangara waited for the group to leave the gathering and initiated a high-speed chase in his Ford pickup truck, Melvin Seally told reporters. The group he was pursuing was riding on a single three-wheeled utility tricycle, a common form of local transport in the village. As Gangara closed in near the village credit union, he rammed the back of the tricycle in an attempt to force the vehicle and its passengers off the road. One of the cousins involved in the earlier fight managed to jump off before impact, but not everyone was fast enough to escape.

    The force of the collision sent the tricycle veering out of control, and ultimately Gangara’s pickup slammed into a nearby residential building, according to initial police summaries. Brothers Godwin and Ignacio Seally, who had just come to the gathering to enjoy a night out and had no part in the original disagreement, were killed instantly at the crash site. The tragedy did not end there: Israel Chocon, a local man who was simply riding his bicycle through the area at the wrong time, was caught in the impact and also suffered fatal injuries. Two other passengers on the tricycle were badly injured; Derrick Arceo, one of the wounded, was first rushed to the local Corozal Community Hospital before being transferred to Belize City’s Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in critical condition as of Sunday night.

    Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith confirmed the basic details of the ongoing investigation in a public statement, noting that investigators are working to piece together the full sequence of events leading up to the crash. As of Monday morning, no arrests had been made in connection with the three deaths — a delay that has left the Seally family furious and heartbroken. For Melvin Seally, the crash is no ordinary traffic accident: it is a deliberate, premeditated act of murder that has stolen three innocent lives far too soon.

    “This is not an accident. This is something intentionally,” Melvin Seally told local outlet News Five in an interview. “If I had killed even a foal, police would have come and arrested me already.”

    The deadly crash pushes Belize’s road death toll for just that single weekend to seven, a staggering figure that has left families across the country processing simultaneous waves of grief. As investigators continue to review evidence and interview witnesses, the tight-knit community of Sarteneja is coming together to support the Seally and Chocon families, even as they grapple with shock over how a minor old disagreement ended in such senseless destruction.

  • Shattered by Loss, Family Pushes for Justice After Fatal ATV Collision

    Shattered by Loss, Family Pushes for Justice After Fatal ATV Collision

    On a tragic weekend in Belize, a preventable traffic collision has robbed a close-knit community of a beloved young resident, leaving his grieving family demanding urgent justice and systemic change. Twenty-seven-year-old Thomas Martinez, an auto-body technician from Georgeville, lost his life on the evening of Saturday, June 6, 2026, just minutes after leaving a family barbecue in nearby Esperanza Village, where he had been sharing laughter and a meal with his relatives.

    According to initial reports from Belizean law enforcement, Martinez was operating his all-terrain vehicle (ATV) along the highway from Esperanza Village to Georgeville when a red Dodge Charger, driven by 20-year-old Hai Ming Chen, struck the ATV from behind. The sheer force of the impact threw Martinez from his vehicle into a roadside drainage ditch, leaving him with catastrophic, fatal injuries. Both the ATV and the Charger sustained extensive damage in the collision.

    Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith shared details of the ongoing investigation with local outlet News Five, confirming that responding officers found a gravely injured Martinez being treated by paramedics upon arrival, with the wrecked ATV approximately 20 feet from his position. Investigators have already collected a urine sample from Chen to test for potential impairment, a standard step in fatal collision probes.

    Martinez’s family has pushed back against any suggestion that the deceased bore responsibility for the crash, confirming that his ATV had fully functional lights, and that Martinez always carried valid registration and licensing when operating the vehicle. While the family acknowledges that the stretch of highway where the collision occurred is unlit and notoriously dark, they argue that an attentive driver would have easily spotted Martinez on the road.

    In an emotional interview with News Five reporter Britney Gordon, Roshida Reynolds-Martinez, Martinez’s sister-in-law, described the disorienting shock of the tragedy, which unfolded less than 10 minutes after Martinez left the family gathering. She noted that Martinez had just withdrawn cash from an ATM for his mother; when his family later collected his belongings from police, only $5 remained, a small, devastating detail that has deepened their grief.

    Remembered by loved ones as a humble, hardworking person who was always ready to help others, Martinez leaves behind a community that mourns his sudden loss. The family has voiced frustration with what they perceive as delays in the investigation, saying they fear the case will be swept under the rug. They reject that outcome, calling the crash a clear case of negligent manslaughter that demands full accountability.

    “No one deserves to lose a loved one to someone else’s negligence,” Reynolds-Martinez said. “We want justice. Justice is all we’re asking for.” Beyond holding the driver accountable, the family is also pushing the Belizean government to improve road lighting and visibility on the accident-prone stretch of highway, which has been the site of multiple previous crashes. As of June 8, 2026, police have not filed any charges against Chen, and the investigation remains active.

  • Young Rider Found Dead Beside Wrecked Motorcycle

    Young Rider Found Dead Beside Wrecked Motorcycle

    Authorities in western Belize have launched an official investigation into the first of a string of deadly weekend traffic incidents, after a 30-year-old local security guard was found dead next to his destroyed motorcycle off a major highway.

    According to official statements from the San Ignacio Police Department, first responders were dispatched to the Kontiki area of the George Price Highway, near the 72-mile marker, shortly after 6:45 a.m. on Friday, June 5 following a report of a crash site spotted off the roadway.

    Upon arrival, officers confirmed the presence of an adult male’s body and a heavily damaged motorcycle, later identified as belonging to Geromey Chuc, a resident of Benque Viejo Town.

    “On Friday fifth June at around six forty-five AM, police in Kontiki were advised that the body of a male person and an extensively damaged motorcycle were observed off road in the vicinity of mile seventy-two on the George Price Highway,” explained Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith, the department’s Staff Officer, in an official briefing. “The officers responded where they were able to confirm this report and subsequently learned the identity of the deceased male person to be thirty-year-old Jerome Chuc, a Belizean security guard of Benque Viejo Town. The scene was processed as a part of the ongoing investigation into this incident.”

    Based on initial evidence collected at the crash site, police preliminary findings suggest Chuc lost control of his two-wheeled vehicle while traveling along the highway, causing him to veer off the paved roadway and suffer fatal trauma in the impact.

    Chuc’s death marks the opening fatality in a sequence of deadly traffic accidents that occurred across the region over the following weekend, with the San Ignacio Police Department continuing to process evidence and build out a full timeline of the crash to confirm the exact circumstances that led to the incident.

    This report is adapted from a transcribed broadcast of the original evening television newscast.

  • Chinese Businessman Dies After Losing Control of Vehicle

    Chinese Businessman Dies After Losing Control of Vehicle

    A deadly single-vehicle crash on Belize’s George Price Highway has ended the life of a young local businessman, marking the third fatal road accident recorded across the country in a single Sunday afternoon in June 2026.

    First responders were dispatched to the stretch of highway between mile markers 21 and 22 just after 2 p.m. on June 8, 2026, following reports of a crash. When police arrived at the scene, they made a grim discovery: a heavily damaged gray Ford EcoSport SUV resting roughly 200 feet off the paved roadway, and 43 feet away from the wrecked vehicle lay the unresponsive body of 29-year-old Jii Lung Wu, a Chinese entrepreneur based in Belmopan City.

    Preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation outline that Wu was traveling alone in his SUV when he lost control of the vehicle at the mile 21 marker. The SUV rolled multiple times after veering off the highway, ejecting Wu from the cabin, said Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith, a Belize Police Department staff officer, in an official briefing.

    This latest tragedy comes only days after another motorcyclist was killed in a crash just 50 miles north, near the highway’s mile 72 marker. Shockingly, this incident was not an isolated fatality: officials confirmed that Wu’s death was one of three fatal road traffic accidents that occurred across Belize on that same Sunday, pointing to a troubling spike in deadly road incidents in the region.

    Local law enforcement teams continue to work to pinpoint additional contributing factors to the crash, including whether speed, weather conditions, vehicle mechanical failure, or driver impairment played a role in the loss of control. This report is adapted from a transcript of a televised evening newscast original published by the local media outlet.