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  • BDF Doubles Ambulances, Debuts Critical Medical Tools

    BDF Doubles Ambulances, Debuts Critical Medical Tools

    In a transformative upgrade to Belize’s local emergency healthcare infrastructure, the Belize Defense Force (BDF) has announced a major expansion of its medical capabilities: doubling its active ambulance fleet and rolling out the first on-site X-ray machine and automated external defibrillator (AED) in the force’s history.

    The life-saving new equipment was gifted to the BDF through a donation from Tonic Life Belize, arranged by local medical sector businessman Issac Fehr, a veteran industry professional who previously built his career operating medical businesses in Mexico. Beyond serving active-duty BDF personnel, the upgraded resources will extend care to civilian residents of the nearby Ladyville and Lord’s Bank communities, addressing longstanding gaps in local emergency access.

    Local media conducted interviews with key stakeholders involved in the donation rollout, including Belize’s Minister of National Defense Florencio Marin Junior, BDF Commandant Brigadier General Anthony Velasquez, and Fehr himself, all of whom framed the donation as a paradigm shift for the BDF’s healthcare services.

    Minister Marin highlighted the sweeping impact of the new additions during the interview, noting that the standalone, fully outfitted X-ray unit eliminates the need for the BDF Hospital to outsource diagnostic imaging for service members. “It’s a significant game changer for the health sector of our Belize Defense Force,” Marin said. “As now they can do their own X-rays. I was just getting a tour. It is fully equipped with everything. It is standalone. So the Belize Defense Force Hospital now can do its own X-rays. There’s also a defibrillator for those, let’s hope we don’t have to use it very much, for those who suffer heart attack and definitely an ambulance that will also be used within the surrounding area. So it’s not just for the BDF, but for the wider Ladyville and Lord’s Bank community.”

    Commandant Velasquez expanded on the scale of the capacity boost, explaining that prior to the donation, the entire BDF operated only one functional ambulance. “Presently, the Belize Defense Force, we only have one functioning ambulance, so this will be a great, like a fifty percent exponential capacity building for us, right? And we have had several need, several reasons to deploy ambulances so the ability to have another one is a great game changer for us. The X-ray machine, we’ve never had one before, and we’ve always needed to send our soldiers for various injuries to get X-rayed.”

    For Fehr, the donation grew from a core mission to reduce preventable death and support vulnerable communities in Belize. After connecting with skilled BDF medical personnel, he saw an opportunity to pair his access to medical equipment with the force’s existing trained staff to create a fully functional, sustainable emergency care program. “Why it started? Saving lives. Be there for the suffering people and for that reason I get to know some of the BDF medics. It has been amazing being part of it. Today I had the equipment but not the professionals. So now the BDF do have the professionals. Bringing those two things together, that makes one complete,” Fehr explained.

    A BDF spokesperson confirmed that all donations undergo a formal vetting process before being accepted into service, to ensure alignment with the force’s operational and community care standards. This report is adapted from a transcribed evening television broadcast, originally published online.

  • Corazon Creek School Expansion Opens Doors for Rural Students

    Corazon Creek School Expansion Opens Doors for Rural Students

    In a landmark development for rural education in Belize, Corazon Creek Technical High School has formally opened the doors to its brand-new $2 million campus expansion, marking the start of a transformed learning journey for hundreds of young learners across the region.

    Supported through a collaborative funding partnership between the national government, the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF), and international development partners, the new facility addresses longstanding gaps in educational access and infrastructure for rural communities. Beyond expanding the school’s physical capacity, the project delivers a safer, upgraded learning space that equips local youth with the foundational resources they need to pursue academic and professional growth.

    Alvin Pop, chairman of the Corazon Creek Village council, framed the completion of the building as far more than a construction milestone for the region. “Today marks a major milestone for future education in our community,” Pop shared. “This building is more than concrete and classrooms. It is a symbol of hope, progress, opportunity, and the strong belief that our young people deserve the very best foundation for their future. This new facility will provide a better learning environment, and create greater opportunity for both technical and academic development.”

    Carlos Tun, executive director of the Belize Social Investment Fund, outlined the scope of the new construction and the broad reach of the project, noting that the facility serves learners far beyond the boundaries of Corazon Creek itself. “This new facility was designed to significantly enhance the learning environment for students and teachers while also expanding access to secondary and technical education,” Tun explained. “This school serves not only Corazon Creek but also students from sixteen surrounding buffer communities who will all benefit from this investment.”

    The scope of work for the expansion includes eight new fully equipped classrooms, dedicated administrative office spaces, separate restroom facilities for male and female students and staff, two storage areas—one under the building’s stairwell and a second dedicated space for janitorial equipment—and an accessibility ramp to ensure full access for people with disabilities. All new classroom and office furniture was also included as part of the completed project.

    Dr. Osmond Martinez, Minister of State in the Ministry of Economic Transformation, joined the opening celebration and shared a surprise announcement for graduating students ahead of their upcoming ceremony. “I will take this opportunity to congratulate all of you who are graduating this year, most of whom are here from fourth form,” Martinez said. “Unfortunately, your graduation is scheduled for June seventh, and I will not be able to attend as I have to travel to the Bahamas for the Caribbean Development Bank annual meeting. But I can share this good news with all of you: your graduation fees have already been paid. You can go home and tell your parents that you do not need to pay anything for the ceremony.”

    Local education stakeholders say the expansion will remove longstanding barriers to secondary and technical education for rural youth, opening new pathways for employment and higher education that many students were unable to access before. The project reflects a broader push to upgrade public educational infrastructure across underserved rural areas of Belize, with cross-sector partnerships playing a key role in delivering community-focused public investment.

  • Hundreds Join March To Raise Cancer Awareness

    Hundreds Join March To Raise Cancer Awareness

    In a pre-dawn gathering that stretched across the highway from Ladyville to Belize City, hundreds of Belizeans turned out on Saturday, May 25, 2026, for the annual Cancer Walk, transforming the route into a vibrant wave of neon solidarity. This year’s event brought together cancer survivors, grieving and supporting family members, and public health advocates unified under the rallying slogan: “Early Detection. Equal Access. End Cancer.”

    What would otherwise be a routine annual demonstration of community support took on new, urgent significance this year, unfolding against a charged public health backdrop: the Catholic Diocese of Belize has recently raised formal objections to the provision of the HPV vaccine in diocese-run schools. The HPV vaccine is universally recognized by leading global and national health authorities as a critical, evidence-based intervention to drastically reduce rates of cervical cancer, one of the most preventable yet deadly forms of the disease affecting women across Belize and the Caribbean.

    Organizers and participants framed the 2026 walk as more than a fundraiser or show of solidarity for those impacted by cancer. It emerged as a bold, collective call to action for expanded public health education, greater access to free and low-cost early cancer screenings, equitable access to life-saving treatment for all Belizeans regardless of income or location, and accelerated investment in evidence-based cancer prevention strategies across the country. The event drew cross-community participation, with attendees emphasizing that consensus around saving lives from preventable cancer transcends institutional and ideological divides. (Video footage from the event is scheduled to be uploaded to the publication’s digital platform at a later date.)

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

  • FLASH Sunrise Airways New direct route between Cap

    FLASH Sunrise Airways New direct route between Cap

    Haiti-based carrier Sunrise Airways is set to launch a groundbreaking nonstop air link connecting Cap-Haïtien’s international airport (CAP) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on June 1, 2026, marking a major step forward in boosting transportation ties between northern Haiti and the densely populated New York-New Jersey metropolitan region.

    For decades, Haitian diaspora members living in the northeastern United States have faced inconvenient layover requirements to reach northern Haiti, typically routing through connecting hubs in Florida or other parts of the U.S. This new direct service eliminates that extra travel time and hassle, creating a more streamlined connection between the community and their home country.

    Gary Stone, chief executive officer of Sunrise Airways, emphasized the deep significance of the new route for the global Haitian community. “With this direct route between Cap-Haïtien and Newark, Sunrise Airways is strengthening a vital link between Northern Haiti and one of the largest Haitian communities in the United States,” Stone explained. “We are proud to offer the diaspora a simpler and more direct connection to Haiti.”

    Strategically located just outside the core of New York City, Newark Liberty International Airport stands out as one of the most accessible major air hubs on the U.S. East Coast. It provides seamless connections to Manhattan, dozens of surrounding suburban and urban centers across New Jersey and Connecticut, and integrates directly into the region’s expansive highway, rail, and public transit networks. This makes the new route convenient not just for travelers departing from the New York area, but also for those connecting from other parts of North America.

    The new round-trip CAP-EWR-CAP route aligns with Sunrise Airways’ long-term corporate growth strategy, which centers on building robust air connections between Haiti and the large Haitian diaspora population settled across North America. Beyond simplifying travel for family visits, the airline expects the route to drive tangible economic benefits for Cap-Haïtien and the broader northern region of Haiti, supporting growth in local tourism, cross-border commerce, and small business development that relies on easier travel links.

    Flights will be operated using Airbus A320 family aircraft, with an estimated scheduled flight time of roughly 3 hours and 45 minutes for the transoceanic journey. The new service will operate on a weekly schedule: the outbound flight from Cap-Haïtien to Newark departs every Monday, while the return flight from Newark to Cap-Haïtien departs every Tuesday.

    Travelers interested in booking tickets can purchase fares through multiple channels, including Sunrise Airways’ official website www.sunriseairways.net, the airline’s dedicated mobile application, by contacting customer support representatives directly, or by visiting any authorized Sunrise Airways sales outlet.

  • Evelyn wins Enhanced Games 100m

    Evelyn wins Enhanced Games 100m

    The first-ever edition of the controversial Enhanced Games wrapped its opening track and field session Sunday night in Las Vegas, with two-time Barbadian Olympian Tristan Evelyn securing top honors in the women’s 100-meter sprint and walking away with a $250,000 cash prize. The 28-year-old veteran sprinter crossed the finish line with a time of 11.25 seconds, outpacing the rest of the competitive field to claim the historic win at the unconventional sporting event. What makes Evelyn’s victory particularly notable is that multiple credible industry reports confirm she competed as an unenhanced athlete, meaning she did not leverage the performance-enhancing substances or technologies that the event explicitly allows participants to use. Since it was first announced, the Enhanced Games has drawn global scrutiny and widespread media attention for its unprecedented approach to performance enhancement in competitive sport, breaking with longstanding international anti-doping regulations that govern most major professional and Olympic athletic events. The inaugural gathering has sparked fresh debate across the global sports community about the future of competitive integrity, drug testing, and what counts as a fair advantage in elite athletics.

  • Slater hooks Fisherman of the Year title with 929lb catch

    Slater hooks Fisherman of the Year title with 929lb catch

    On Monday, May 25, 2026, veteran angler Eli Slater from Clare Valley cemented his status as one of the region’s top competitive fishermen by successfully defending his Fisherman of the Year title at the annual Fisherman’s Day competition held at Kingstown Fish Market. The retired Coast Guard officer’s stunning 929-pound total catch put him at the top of the tournament’s highly competitive Class 1 division, earning him his second consecutive championship and third career victory in the event, with his first win dating back to 2007.

    This year’s Class 1 competition drew one of the strongest fields in the event’s recent history, with 107 participating anglers aboard 48 registered vessels. By the end of the competition day, only 28 boats returned to shore with qualifying catches, combining for a total aggregate haul of 5,872 pounds of fish across all participants.

    In addition to the coveted championship title, Slater took home a diverse prize package headlined by an EC$25,000 cash award. His other prizes included a new Samsung Galaxy S26, six bottles of marine engine oil, a navigational compass, a case of Hairoun beer, a case of Village Ram, and a curated package of local seamoss products.

    Speaking to reporters shortly after accepting his award, Slater expressed gratitude and satisfaction with his performance, crediting his win to a deliberate shift in fishing strategy that he adopted after gaining regional fishing experience. He explained that he switched to a semi-long line technique using live bait, a method he learned from a fellow angling colleague based in Grenada. While Slater took the top spot for total category weight, he also claimed second place in the separate single heaviest fish division with a 99.4-pound catch, falling only to Winston Hazelwood, who took that sub-award with a massive 143.7-pound individual fish.

    Rounding out the top three overall finishers in Class 1 were Oscar Richardson and Lamar Cordice. Richardson secured second place with a total catch of 742 pounds, earning him an EC$12,000 cash prize, a raincoat, a promotional “taste of Guinness” experience, a compass, and four bottles of engine oil. Cordice finished third with a 567-pound total haul, taking home EC$7,000 in cash, the same raincoat and Guinness experience package, a compass, four bottles of engine oil, and a $300 gift voucher from local retailer Lulley’s Tackle Shop. Richardson also claimed third place in the single heaviest fish category with a 94.5-pound catch.

    The annual competition draws competitive anglers from across the region each year, celebrating local commercial and recreational fishing culture while rewarding top performing participants with both cash and in-kind prizes from local and regional sponsors.

  • Barbadians, Guyanese to travel with ID cards from July

    Barbadians, Guyanese to travel with ID cards from July

    As two Caribbean nations prepare to mark six decades of independent sovereignty, Barbados and Guyana have unveiled a landmark bilateral agreement that will eliminate passport requirements for mutual travel starting July 1, 2026. Under the new arrangement, eligible citizens of both countries will only need a valid national identification card to travel between the two states, a policy shift billed as a major milestone for regional integration within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

    The joint announcement, made public this week by the two governments, follows months of coordinated work including cabinet approvals of necessary regulatory orders, multi-stakeholder consultations with national officials, the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), and other regional bodies. Both leaders framed the policy as a people-centered step that will tangibly improve daily life for ordinary citizens across the two nations.
    “This is exactly the type of practical regional cooperation that delivers tangible benefits to Caribbean communities,” Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said in the joint statement. She emphasized that the initiative advances not only CARICOM integration but also broader south-south collaboration, noting that the timing of the change, ahead of both countries’ 60th Independence anniversaries, holds symbolic meaning. “This makes Caribbean integration a lived reality that people can experience every time they travel to visit family, do business, or explore neighboring cultures,” Mottley added.

    Guyanese President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali echoed this enthusiasm, positioning the travel agreement as a reflection of the deep, longstanding diplomatic and cultural ties between the two nations. “As we celebrate 60 years of independence together, this step embodies our shared commitment to building a more connected, accessible, and united Caribbean community,” Ali said. He added that the arrangement reaffirms the two countries’ shared vision of open regional cooperation rooted in mutual benefit.

    Government officials project that the policy will reduce travel costs and remove administrative barriers for cross-border movement, with expected ripple effects across multiple sectors: it will strengthen intergenerational family ties separated by borders, boost bilateral tourism, expand cultural exchange opportunities, and support growth in cross-border business travel, trade and direct investment. The two governments noted that further details on eligibility criteria and on-the-ground implementation protocols will be published in advance of the 2026 launch date to ensure a smooth rollout.

  • Air Peace route hailed as boost for tourism, trade

    Air Peace route hailed as boost for tourism, trade

    A new chapter in inter-regional connectivity between West Africa and the Caribbean has officially opened, after Nigerian flagship carrier Air Peace completed its maiden direct flight from Lagos, Nigeria to Barbados’ Grantley Adams International Airport this past Sunday. Touching down with more than 280 passengers on board, the flight marked the first ever direct air link between the two regions, a development that industry and government leaders are hailing as a game-changing opportunity for economic growth.

    Addressing an official launch ceremony for the new service at Bridgetown’s Hotel Indigo on Monday, Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport Ian Gooding-Edghill framed the route as a transformational development for both Barbados and the wider Caribbean bloc. He emphasized that Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy with a population exceeding 220 million and a fast-growing, affluent middle class, represents a largely untapped high-value tourism market for the island nation.

    “Nigerian travelers are discerning – they seek quality, authenticity, and one-of-a-kind travel experiences,” Gooding-Edghill noted. “Barbados delivers all of those in spades, and we are ready to compete for and capture this growing market.” Beyond tourism, the minister pointed to the far-reaching connectivity benefits created by Air Peace’s existing regional network, which spans multiple West African countries. This single route, he explained, gives Barbados access to a far larger pool of potential visitors beyond Nigeria’s borders, unlocking substantial economic upside if the island executes its growth strategy effectively.

    Gooding-Edghill added that Barbados’ entire tourism ecosystem – from hotels and restaurants to cultural attractions and hospitality services – is fully prepared to capitalize on this new opportunity, with the goal of delivering exceptional experiences that drive repeat visits and powerful organic word-of-mouth promotion.

    Okey Ihejirika, Chief Operating Officer of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), which championed the new route initiative, echoed the minister’s optimism, noting that inadequate air connectivity has long held back mutually beneficial exchange between Africa and the Caribbean. “For decades, the lack of a direct, reliable transportation link between our two regions has constrained trade growth, capped tourism flows, slowed business exchanges, and limited opportunities for deeper people-to-people connections,” Ihejirika explained. “Current inter-regional trade volumes between Africa and the Caribbean are negligible at best, but this new route marks a definitive turning point.”

    He added that expanded cross-regional connectivity is expected to unlock new opportunities across multiple sectors, including commerce, tourism, foreign direct investment, innovation, and cultural exchange. The initiative aligns with Afreximbank’s broader strategic goal of deepening trade and cooperation between African and Caribbean economies.

    For its part, the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. has already laid out a strategy to grow Barbados’ brand presence across Africa, rolling out targeted market education campaigns and forging new local partnerships to build awareness of the island as a premier travel destination.

    Air Peace will operate the bi-monthly service on a seasonal schedule from May through September. The route runs from Lagos to Barbados, then continues onward to Antigua, with the return leg departing the following day. This new service marks Air Peace’s third international destination outside the African continent, joining existing routes to London and Antigua.

  • Starnieuws komt met WK-special ‘Derde Helft WK 2026’

    Starnieuws komt met WK-special ‘Derde Helft WK 2026’

    As the 2026 FIFA World Cup rapidly approaches, Surinamese news outlet Starnieuws has announced the launch of a dedicated, daily World Cup special series titled *Derde Helft WK 2026*, designed to bring immersive, multi-faceted World Cup coverage and Surinamese football culture closer to fans across the region.

    Unlike basic match result-focused coverage, the new special series integrates breaking updates, in-depth expert analysis, rich statistical breakdowns, and authentic on-the-ground Surinamese football experiences to create a one-stop hub for all World Cup content. Starnieuws has structured the series to combine timely tournament news, interactive fan engagement, and immersive cultural storytelling, going far beyond surface-level reporting to build a community-focused space for supporters.

    The full lineup of content planned for *Derde Helft WK 2026* includes: daily pre-match previews complete with tactical and performance analysis; a dedicated data section packed with custom statistics and visual illustrations; full detailed match reports for every contested game; features on trending tournament storylines and unique off-pitch World Cup narratives; and rolling live blogs for all high-stakes matches including the tournament final.

    Per Starnieuws’ announcement, the outlet’s core goal for the series is not just to report on the 2026 World Cup, but to build a relatable, shared football experience where fans can collectively follow, discuss, and analyze every moment of the world’s biggest single-sport tournament.

    The series also opens up new partnership opportunities for businesses looking to connect with highly engaged football audiences. Starnieuws will offer a range of flexible advertising and sponsorship packages tied to the special’s content, allowing brands to showcase their offerings to a large, deeply invested audience during one of the most-watched global sporting events of the year.

    *Derde Helft WK 2026* will be available exclusively through Starnieuws’ official website and social media channels, running from the opening days of the tournament all the way through to the World Cup final match.

  • Dashcam Captures Moment Truck Smashes Into Food Truck

    Dashcam Captures Moment Truck Smashes Into Food Truck

    A shocking traffic collision that unfolded on a busy urban arterial road last Wednesday has been preserved in full thanks to a passing driver’s dashcam, with the footage showing the exact moment a heavy-duty delivery truck slammed into a stationary food truck parked along the curb. Local law enforcement confirmed that the incident occurred just after 11:30 a.m. during the peak lunch rush, when the delivery truck reportedly suffered a brake failure as it descended a steep downhill section of the roadway. Eyewitness accounts complementing the dashcam footage indicate the out-of-control heavy truck swerved briefly across multiple lanes in a failed attempt to avoid obstacles before striking the unoccupied food truck. The food truck vendor had stepped away just two minutes before the crash to drop off an order at a nearby office building, according to local fire department officials. Emergency responders arrived at the scene within six minutes of receiving the first 911 call. They cleared the debris blocking the roadway and assessed the damage: the food truck was completely totaled, while the delivery truck sustained significant front-end damage. The delivery truck driver was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening minor injuries, and no other pedestrians or bystanders were hurt in the collision. Local transportation authorities have launched an investigation into the crash, focusing on whether the delivery company failed to conduct required safety inspections on the truck’s braking system prior to the incident. The dashcam footage, which has been shared with investigating officers, is expected to serve as key evidence in determining official fault for the accident. Members of the local small business community have already started organizing a fundraiser to support the food truck owner, who relied on the mobile business as their primary source of household income.