分类： society

On the small Caribbean island of Caye Caulker, Belize, a beloved local high school has made the firm decision to stand its ground and remain independent, turning down a government proposal that would have absorbed the institution into a new state-run secondary campus. The June 2026 announcement caps months of tense negotiations between school leadership and government officials, and comes amid longstanding infrastructure challenges that have disrupted classes for the school’s student body.

What was initially framed as a collaborative solution to Ocean Academy’s pressing space and infrastructure crisis quickly unraveled after government negotiators made a non-negotiable demand: the private nonprofit school would have to voluntarily surrender its operating license to make way for the new public institution. Under the original proposal, floated late last year, the government planned to partner with Ocean Academy to address the school’s long-running issues with chronic flooding, toxic mold infestations, and rampant mosquito populations that have forced the school to shift to online learning and host classes in borrowed community spaces for months. Construction on the new state high school is still scheduled to break ground next month, but it will move forward without Ocean Academy’s participation.

Principal Noemi Zaiden confirmed that the school’s stakeholder community — including parents, students, alumni, and local supporters — overwhelmingly rejected the government’s terms. “What we’ve been told is that the new government high school would have no ties to Ocean Academy, and we were also asked to voluntarily revoke our license,” Zaiden explained. “After consulting our stakeholders, it was clear they did not want us to surrender our license, so Ocean Academy will remain an independent high school serving Caye Caulker.”

To address its immediate infrastructure needs, the school has already begun adapting its current campus to the island’s flood risks, moving all core instructional and administrative spaces to the second story and permanently abandoning the flood-prone ground floor. School leadership aims to have all students back on a physical campus by the start of the new academic term in August. In the short term, two modular movable classrooms will be installed on a nearby elevated parcel of land to keep students close to the existing campus while long-term plans are finalized. Counselor Elizabeth Usher noted that the modular solution was designed to accommodate the upcoming rainy season, as the school continues to monitor flood risks on the original site.

Andre Perez, the Area Representative for Belize Rural South who has been shepherding the government’s new high school project, said he respects Ocean Academy’s right to retain its independence, but made clear he is disappointed by the outcome. “That is most unfortunate. Deeply disheartening,” Perez told reporters. “We all recognized the urgency of expanding high school access on the island, and we thought we could work together to make that happen. There were unfounded allegations that ministry officials had sold off public beachfront land for the project, which we clarified, and we had a productive meeting. The Ministry of Education was clear that this would be a government-run institution, with all teachers and students transferred to the new campus, but Ocean Academy wanted to retain its own unique curriculum and institutional identity, which did not align with the government’s plan.”

Now Ocean Academy is turning to community and donor support to fund its independent path forward, launching a public fundraising campaign to cover the cost of the temporary modular classrooms and secure a larger plot of land for a permanent, flood-resilient campus. Founder Heidi Curry says the school already has preliminary commitments from donors ready to contribute to a down payment for the permanent campus once a suitable property is finalized, and project updates will be posted regularly on the school’s official website. “The next update will include specific numbers for the cost of the temporary classrooms, and as soon as we lock in the parcel for our permanent home, we will share full details about the down payment and construction timeline we’re targeting,” Curry said.

While Perez confirmed that Ocean Academy currently qualifies for free tuition for its students through the national government’s Education Upliftment program, it remains unclear whether the school will retain access to this public funding in future years after rejecting the government’s takeover proposal.

A fresh controversy is unfolding within the Belize Police Department, as anonymous insider sources have raised serious allegations of widespread procedural violations in a recent round of senior officer promotions. According to details obtained by local media outlet News Five, multiple officers have been elevated to higher ranks through channels that bypass the institution’s long-standing formal recruitment and advancement rules.

One of the most high-profile cases at the center of the scandal involves the son of a currently serving high-ranking police official. Sources confirm that this officer previously resigned from the force, only to be rehired shortly afterward, and was fast-tracked to the rank of corporal in the recent promotion cycle without completing the full required evaluation process.

A second troubling case cited by insiders involves an officer promoted directly to the rank of sergeant, who sources say completed skipped the mandatory written examination and formal interview that are required for all advancement candidates. Compounding these allegations, this same officer was already advanced through the same promotion process in 2022, making them ineligible for a second accelerated advancement under existing department rules. The unnamed officer has also previously been linked to the high-profile Joseph Budna kidnapping investigation, though no formal criminal charges have ever been filed against them in connection to the case.

When approached by reporters for direct comment on the claims that dozens of promotions were approved for candidates who never took the mandatory promotional exam, Belize’s Police Commissioner Dr. Richard Rosado struck a dismissive tone. “Sometimes you have to stop listen to stupidity,” Rosado told reporters, pushing back against the allegations outright.

Rosado went on to reaffirm that all police promotions in the department are strictly governed by the formal Police Act, outlining a multi-step, transparent process that requires candidate applications, thorough background vetting, shortlisting of eligible candidates, formal written examinations, and a final selection vote by an independent promotional board.

Another controversial appointment that has drawn public outcry is the promotion of Wilbert Cob to the rank of sergeant. Cob gained infamy last year after surveillance footage surfaced showing him physically assaulting a woman in Benque Viejo, in an incident that sparked widespread public anger over police misconduct.

When pressed specifically to address why Cob was approved for promotion despite his documented assault case, Commissioner Rosado defended the department’s decision, saying all formal protocols were followed. “In this case, as I was briefed, the victim asked us to respect her decision, that she would seek family counselling instead of pursuing prosecution. Hence, there was no legal impediment preventing Cob from being promoted,” Rosado explained.

The promotion has renewed public scrutiny, however, as it directly contradicts Rosado’s previously stated public commitment to a policy of zero tolerance for domestic violence perpetrated by serving police officers.

Nearly three weeks after the expiration of a controversial state of emergency (SOE) in Belize District, the nation’s top law enforcement official is pushing back against widespread criticism of the security measure, highlighting key progress that the extra powers brought to long-stalled homicide investigations. The SOE, which concluded its run on June 8, 2026, has faced sharp public pushback after multiple fatal shootings, including a high-profile murder in a busy central location, occurred within the designated security zones the measure was supposed to protect.

Commissioner of Police Dr. Richard Rosado defended the policy in a press briefing this week, pushing back on narratives that the SOE represented a failure of Belize’s policing strategy. He emphasized that public safety observers and critics have misunderstood the core mandate of the recently implemented emergency order.

“One of the primary goals of this state of emergency was to give our investigative teams space to advance their work without obstruction from criminal networks or outside interference,” Rosado told reporters. “On that front, we delivered: we were able to close out at least four murder cases that would likely have remained open without the expanded authorities we received during this period.”

The extra law enforcement powers granted under the SOE gave detectives critical leeway to pursue leads, interview persons of interest, and break through barriers that had frozen progress on cold and active homicide investigations for months, Rosado explained. Without these special provisions, many of these breakthroughs would not have been possible, he added.

Dr. Rosado also addressed one of the most high-profile questions raised by critics: how a murder could take place on Albert Street, a heavily policed central commercial corridor, during peak Saturday afternoon traffic, when pedestrian and vehicle activity is at its highest. The incident has fueled speculation that criminal groups have grown emboldened and no longer fear intervention from Belizean law enforcement.

In response, Rosado acknowledged that criminals will always exploit gaps in security when they believe an opportunity exists to act. He reaffirmed the police service’s core commitment to holding violent offenders accountable: “Regardless of when or where criminals choose to strike, our mandate remains unchanged: we will identify every perpetrator, address every act of violence, and bring those responsible to justice.”

The debate over the effectiveness of emergency policing measures in Belize District continues, with residents and public safety advocates split on whether the temporary expansion of police powers delivers enough public good to justify the potential restrictions on civil liberties that come with SOE declarations.

A violent shooting incident in rural Belize has left three local men wounded, sparking an active attempted murder investigation by law enforcement authorities, according to official reports. The attack unfolded on Thursday evening in the quiet community of Lords Bank Village, located within the Ladyville area of Belize District.

First responders received the emergency call shortly before 8 p.m. local time, directing officers to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) in Belize City. Upon arrival at the main public medical facility, investigators encountered two of the wounded victims – 24-year-old Alfredo Flores and 19-year-old Giovanni Gillette – already undergoing emergency care for multiple gunshot wounds.

Preliminary investigative details outline that the three targets had been gathered with a small group of other people socializing in an outdoor yard when the gunman approached the property from outside. Without warning, the attacker opened fire on the assembled crowd, striking all three men before fleeing the scene. As of the latest update, no suspects have been taken into custody, and police have not released a confirmed motive for the attack.

Among the three victims, 42-year-old Edgar Flores – Alfredo Flores’ relative, per local naming conventions – also suffered non-life-threatening gunshot injuries in the attack. Unlike the other two wounded men, Edgar Flores declined formal medical treatment at the hospital and has not yet provided a formal statement to investigating officers. Police have appealed to any members of the public who were in the Lords Bank area the evening of June 25 with information about the shooting or the attacker’s identity to come forward anonymously to assist with the probe.