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  • Armed Robbers Raid Business in Independence Village

    Armed Robbers Raid Business in Independence Village

    In an audacious daylight criminal incident that has sparked law enforcement investigation in Belize’s Stann Creek District, a four-person armed gang robbed a local business in Independence Village on a Sunday, making off with a licensed pistol, an undisclosed sum of cash, and critical business documents before fleeing the scene. No people were harmed in the attack, according to official updates from Belize’s National Crime Investigation Unit.

    ACP Hilberto Romero, head of the national investigative agency, confirmed the details of the heist in an official briefing. The target of the attack was CIB Brewery, owned by Kang Young, who was present at the location when the robbery unfolded. Romero recounted that the suspects arrived at the brewery in a Kia sedan, before all four armed individuals exited the vehicle and confronted Young directly. Brandishing their weapons, the gang held the owner at gunpoint, forced him to hand over the keys to the establishment’s safe, and cleared the container of all valuables and documents. Among the stolen property was Young’s privately owned 9-millimeter licensed firearm.

    Immediately after taking the loot, the perpetrators fled the brewery premises before any coordinated response could be organized. While the gang itself remains at large as of the latest update, law enforcement teams were able to track down and recover the getaway vehicle abandoned at a banana plantation located in the nearby Bella Vista area. As the investigation into the robbery continues, all stolen property – including the firearm, cash, and documents – remains unrecovered. Police have not yet announced any arrests or named persons of interest in connection with the incident. This report is based on a transcribed transcript of a television news broadcast focused on criminal activity in the Stann Creek District.

  • Was Approved Design Ignored at Canery Wharf Near Corozal Central Park?

    Was Approved Design Ignored at Canery Wharf Near Corozal Central Park?

    Months of work on a key waterfront component of the highly anticipated Corozal Central Park revitalization project has come to a halt, as crews began demolishing defective sections of Canery Wharf this week after an independent engineering review uncovered dangerous structural flaws linked to construction that deviated from the officially approved design plans. The unexpected setback has triggered widespread public scrutiny of construction quality controls, project oversight protocols, and lingering uncertainty over who will bear the financial cost of fixing the costly mistakes.

    Local officials have moved quickly to reassure residents that the structural issues are isolated exclusively to the wharf segment of the broader park renovation, and do not pose any risk to other completed or ongoing parts of the project. In a press briefing Thursday morning, Corozal Bay Area Representative Thea Garcia Ramirez confirmed that corrective construction work is already actively underway, framing the discovery of flaws as evidence that the project’s oversight system is working as intended.

    “I know community members have a lot of questions about what went wrong, and that’s completely understandable,” Ramirez told reporters. “Like any large infrastructure project, setbacks can happen occasionally. That is exactly why we put independent supervision systems in place. The supervising engineers did their job: they caught the defects early, before the park opened to the public, which could have prevented a serious safety incident.”

    Ramirez explained that under the terms of the original construction contract, the contractor was given a formal opportunity to correct the non-compliant work that failed to meet the project’s engineering standards. If the contractor is unwilling or unable to remedy the breaches of contract, a formal legal process exists to terminate the agreement and bring in a new firm to complete the work – a step that has already been taken in this case, according to Ramirez.

    “I’m not an engineer, and I’m not a lawyer, so we defer to the experts to carry out assessments and follow the legal processes laid out in the contract,” she added. “Right now, a new team is on site working closely with oversight engineers, and we are already seeing steady progress on the corrected build.”

    As of September 28, 2026, government authorities have not released any public figures detailing the total cost of the construction error or how much additional public funding will be required to complete the rebuild, leaving open key questions about budget overruns for the public project. This report is adapted from a transcribed broadcast segment of the outlet’s evening television news program.

  • Missing Without Medication: Where Is Zebedee Castillo?

    Missing Without Medication: Where Is Zebedee Castillo?

    A family in the Seine Bight region already grappling with the total loss of their home to a devastating fire less than 12 months ago now faces a fresh, terrifying crisis: 33-year-old Zebedee Castillo has been missing for four days, last spotted by a local motorist near Riversdale Village heading toward Santa Cruz Junction at around 9:48 p.m. Zebedee’s sister, Talesha Castillo, is sounding the alarm that her brother is without the critical daily medication he requires to manage his behavioral health, a situation that has amplified the whole family’s anxiety over his safety.

    Talesha shared that after the fire destroyed the family home, Zebedee had been living rough, sleeping on a mattress in the yard where their house once stood. He visits her one-bedroom rental home daily to shower and eat, but she has not seen him since he left before his disappearance. Without his regular medication, Zebedee can become agitated and aggressive when his needs are not met, but when he takes his medication as prescribed he remains calm. Talesha explained that Zebedee has a history of being targeted for violence, having been assaulted multiple times in the past – including being stabbed, beaten, and struck in the head with a glass bottle – which leaves the family deeply fearful he could be hurt again while he is unmedicated and alone.

    With no clear information on where Zebedee could be, the family is growing increasingly concerned about his basic survival. Zebedee will not accept food or water from strangers, meaning he risks severe dehydration or starvation the longer he remains missing. The entire family is on edge, and Talesha says their grandmother’s health has deteriorated from the stress of the situation.

    Talesha is urging any member of the public who may have spotted her brother or has information about his whereabouts to contact her directly or reach out to the nearest local police station. The family is asking for urgent assistance to locate Zebedee before his medical condition or an outside threat puts his life in danger.

  • Belize’s National Champion Earns International Chess Master Title

    Belize’s National Champion Earns International Chess Master Title

    The small Central American nation of Belize has etched its name into international chess history for the first time, after national champion Alfred Awe secured the country’s inaugural FIDE Master title at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad held in Uzbekistan. The breakthrough achievement, earned on September 2026, marks the highest competitive chess honor Belize has ever claimed, ending a decades-long stretch where elite international chess titles were seen as an unattainable milestone for the country’s small local chess community.

    Not content with one historic win, the Belizean delegation left the competition with a second major milestone: teammate Kenneth Perez also earned the esteemed Candidate Master title during the tournament, becoming just the second Belizean ever to claim an official FIDE master ranking. The dual wins cap years of grassroots work to grow chess participation and elevate player skill across Belize, a payoff Awe said he has waited a long time to see.

    In an on-the-ground interview following his final match, Awe laid out the historic weight of the moment, explaining that elite master titles had long felt like a distant, almost mythical achievement for Belizean chess players. “We used to hear about these candidate masters, FIDE masters, and they were like these mythical chess players. And to us it was something we would never be able to achieve in Belize,” Awe said. “But we’ve grown the federation to the point where we can compete in these international events and we’ve, me and my fellow teammate, we’ve shown that it’s possible for us. So it’s a pretty big achievement.”

    Awe’s path to the FIDE Master title unfolded dramatically over the course of the Olympiad. He first earned his Candidate Master title in an earlier round, then watched Perez match that milestone in the penultimate round of competition. In the final tournament round, played on Belize’s Independence Day, Awe defeated another sitting Candidate Master to hit the required rating threshold for his FIDE Master ranking – a moment he called “pretty exciting” given the symbolic timing.

    This year’s FIDE Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan stands as one of the largest international chess competitions ever organized, with delegations from more than 200 nations sending their top players to compete across 11 rounds of play. For Belize, which has participated in the event for years without claiming a single master title, the 2026 tournament has cemented a turning point for the future of the sport in the country. As the team prepares to return home with their two new titles, the moment is already being celebrated as proof that Belizean players can compete and succeed at the highest levels of international chess.

  • Belize Jaguars Victorious And Office Ballers Impress

    Belize Jaguars Victorious And Office Ballers Impress

    On a packed weekend of sports action across Belize, athletes across multiple disciplines delivered memorable performances, capped off by a long-awaited home win for the country’s national men’s football team. This week’s edition of *Sports Monday*, sponsored by the National Sports Council of Belize, brought together all the highlights from the pitch, city streets, and indoor basketball courts.

    First up at the FFB Stadium in Belmopan on Saturday, the Belize Jaguars delivered a dominant display against visiting St. Maarten’s national side, ending a years-long dry spell of home victories. From kickoff, Belize controlled the tempo of the match, holding 66% of total possession and registering five total goal attempts, while holding St. Maarten to zero shots on target. The only goal of the match came from a powerful left-foot strike from Nhajib Guerra: the shot deflected off the St. Maarten goalkeeper before bouncing into the top-left corner of the net, securing the full three points for the home side. Belize’s veteran goalkeeper Woodrow West anchored a clean sheet that made the narrow win stand.

    In a post-match interview, West shared his relief at returning to winning ways on home soil. “I was glad to see the turn out. I mean, we could do much better but it was good enough, and I felt good that we gave them a victory which we owe them for quite a while now,” West said. The team’s last competitive victory dated back to a win against French Guiana two years prior, making Saturday’s result a long-awaited milestone. West called on local fans to turn out for the team’s next fixture, scheduled for Tuesday evening against St. Vincent and the Grenadines with an 8 p.m. kickoff. For the young squad, West noted that a successful run could open doors to major international competition: “I’ve been to the Gold Cup already. It’s something huge. These guys are very young. The Gold Cup could change some of their lives.”

    Across the country in Belize City, hundreds of runners of all skill levels gathered for the sixth annual Belize City Half Marathon, which featured three distance categories: the grueling 21-kilometer half marathon, 10K, and 5K. For elite competitors, the race was a chance to claim podium positions and bragging rights, but for many casual participants, simply crossing the finish line counted as a personal victory. The event fostered a strong sense of community among Belize’s growing running scene, with local clubs turning out in force to support their members.

    Belize City Deputy Mayor Eluide Miller, who not only helped organize the event but also laced up to compete in the 5K, highlighted the race’s role in supporting local athletic culture. “I think you see it out here, the comradery. We have a lot of running clubs in Belize, and so we have to offer them the opportunity to come out and continue to train,” Miller said, noting that many participants already had their sights set on the city’s upcoming triathlon scheduled for December. “It’s an excellent initiative,” Miller added, explaining he participates every year to encourage other community members to join.

    When the final times were tallied, two familiar names topped the podium in the half marathon’s elite divisions. In the women’s race, Dorsha Sabido of Team Quench Your Thirst crossed the line first, acknowledging the unique challenge of the long-distance course. When asked what advice she had for new runners looking to take on similar events, Sabido emphasized preparation: “Train properly, you know, get a plan, follow it, hydrate, fuel properly and you should be successful.”

    The men’s title went to Leon O’Brien, a long-time dominant force on Belize’s long-distance running circuit. O’Brien noted that the early start kept conditions comfortable through the opening miles, but rising humidity as the race went on added a new layer of difficulty. With no competitors able to keep pace with him from the early stages, O’Brien adjusted his pace to conserve energy while securing the win. Beyond the cash prizes awarded to top finishers, event organizers highlighted the mass turnout as the biggest win of the day, with dozens of first-time participants stepping up to test their endurance.

    Over at the Belize Civic Center, the Interoffice Basketball League delivered a night of edge-of-your-seat action on Friday, with three consecutive games that all came down to final-game shots as teams fought for valuable playoff positioning. In the first game, Caye Caulker held a one-point lead over Heritage Bank with just 1.3 seconds left on the clock, when Heritage’s Arnold launched a last-second desperation three-point attempt that just missed the mark, securing the win for Caye Caulker. The second game saw the Ministry of Defence jump out to an early 22-point lead over BWS, but BWS mounted a steady second-half comeback, sinking a game-tying shot in the final minute to force overtime. The Ministry of Defence found an extra gear in overtime, though, using full-court pressure and aggressive attacks on the rim to pull away for the win.

    The biggest upset of the night came in the final game, where the 10th-ranked Atlantic Bank High Court team pulled off a stunning win over the previously undefeated Bowen and Bowen squad, handing the season leaders their first loss of the whole campaign. With playoff matchups now set, upcoming league games are expected to deliver even more high-stakes competition. This report from Shane Williams wraps up this week’s *Sports Monday*, sponsored by the National Sports Council of Belize, ending with a reminder to local fans that friendly competition unites communities, and athletic passion keeps Belize moving forward.

  • Natio ook langs Martinique en pakt volle buit uit eerste twee duels

    Natio ook langs Martinique en pakt volle buit uit eerste twee duels

    Suriname’s national men’s football team, known locally as Natio, has earned its second straight victory under newly appointed head coach Henk Fraser, defeating Martinique 2-1 on Monday night in front of a sold-out crowd at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion. The result comes on the heels of a dramatic 3-2 away opening win over Honduras just days earlier, pushing the side to six points from two matches and delivering a dream start to its Group B campaign in Concacaf Nations League A.

    From the opening kickoff, Suriname controlled the tempo of the match, holding nearly 75% of possession and dictating play throughout the first half. Despite their overwhelming territorial dominance, the side struggled to convert sustained pressure into clear-cut scoring chances, with Martinique’s organized defense holding firm to block every attacking threat. The two sides went into the halftime break locked in a goalless stalemate, leaving the home crowd waiting for the breakthrough they expected.

    After the interval, Suriname retained its grip on the match, and Fraser’s tactical substitutions shifted the momentum further in his side’s favor. The changes opened up more gaps in Martinique’s backline, and Suriname finally got its reward in the 54th minute. Midfielder Justin Lonwijk slipped past the attention of Martinique’s defenders to slot home the opening goal, putting Natio up 1-0.

    Suriname continued to push forward for a second goal, though Martinique began to create dangerous attacking opportunities on the counter as they chased an equalizer. The home defense weathered the early storm, however, and Natio doubled its advantage 10 minutes after the opening goal. In the 64th minute, Gyrano Kerk received a perfectly weighted through pass from Liam van Gelderen, burst between the last defender and goalkeeper, and finished coolly to extend the lead to 2-0.

    Martinique refused to fold under pressure, though, and ramped up their attacking intensity in the final 25 minutes. The visitors forced a quick series of corner kicks, and capitalized on one set piece to head home a consolation goal that brought the score back to 2-1, reintroducing tension to the closing stages of the match. Suriname’s defense held firm through stoppage time, however, closing out the match to secure a second consecutive three points.

    Suriname kicked off its 2026 Nations League campaign with a standout upset, claiming a 3-2 away win over Honduras in Tegucigalpa this past Friday. With Monday’s win over Martinique, Fraser’s side sit top of Group B with the maximum possible six points after two matchdays. The full group standings will not be finalized until the remaining Group B fixtures – Jamaica against Honduras and Guatemala facing El Salvador – are completed later in the window.

    Natio has two remaining group matches left on its schedule, both against Guatemala. The first will be held on Friday, October 2 at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion, kicking off at 7:00 PM local time. Four days later, on Monday, October 5, Suriname will travel to Guatemala City to face Guatemala away at the Estadio Manuel Felipe Carrera, with kickoff scheduled for 9:00 PM Suriname local time.

    The top two teams from Group B will advance to the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Nations League. They will be joined by pre-seeded quarterfinal qualifiers Mexico, the United States, Canada, and Panama, who received byes directly to the final eight round of the tournament.

  • Antigua and Barbuda Calls on U.S. and Cuba to Return to Negotiating Table

    Antigua and Barbuda Calls on U.S. and Cuba to Return to Negotiating Table

    During the opening general debate of the 81st United Nations General Assembly on Monday, a top Caribbean diplomat delivered a clear, human-centered appeal, calling for a resumption of diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Cuba to mend decades of bilateral tensions. Dr. Walton Aubrey Webson, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, emphasized that the international community cannot ignore the growing daily hardships that ordinary Cuban citizens face as a result of long-running political standoffs between Washington and Havana. Webson stressed that placing the well-being of the Cuban population at the core of all diplomatic efforts is not just a moral imperative, but a necessary step toward building a lasting peaceful resolution. He made it clear that collective punishment of an entire population over political disagreements is unacceptable, arguing that civilian lives and livelihoods should never be held hostage to bilateral disputes. This appeal aligns with Antigua and Barbuda’s broader regional vision, which prioritizes diplomatic dialogue, cross-border cooperation, and shared stability across the Caribbean and beyond. “Across our region, our purpose is clear: to protect human dignity, strengthen stability and ensure that dialogue and cooperation prevail,” Webson told the assembled global delegation. The call comes amid years of frozen diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba, with ongoing economic restrictions that have widely been documented to exacerbate economic hardship for ordinary Cuban households, a concern that has drawn repeated calls for diplomatic engagement from across the Global South and the Caribbean community.

  • Deposit insurance to level playing field, says largest credit union

    Deposit insurance to level playing field, says largest credit union

    After a decade of advocacy and preparation, Barbados’ largest credit union is poised to expand its lending footprint, buoyed by newly passed legislation that brings state-backed deposit protection to the cooperative financial sector for the first time.

    The Barbados Public Workers’ Co-operative Credit Union Limited (BPWCCUL) has publicly praised the recent passage of the Protection of Depositors Act, a policy shift that leaders say will erase the long-held competitive advantage commercial banks have enjoyed in the local financial market. In an exclusive interview with local outlet Barbados TODAY, Group Chief Executive Officer LeVere Catlyn and Chief Operations Officer Corinne Clarke laid out what this regulatory change means for the institution, its 1000s of members, and the wider Barbadian cooperative movement.

    For generations, commercial banks in Barbados have operated with the security of legally mandated government-backed deposit insurance, a benefit that credit unions were never able to offer their own customers. This gap created a persistent market imbalance: many savers chose traditional banks over credit unions out of concern for deposit security, even when credit unions offered more favorable rates. Catlyn noted that this disparity has been a top priority for the sector for many years, and the new law finally closes that gap.

    “This journey has been roughly a decade in the making,” Catlyn explained. “We saw this change coming years ago, and we proactively set aside $260,000 to help cover the transition costs, even though we know the total expense will ultimately be higher. For years, our members have asked for this protection, and it’s a milestone to finally deliver it.”

    Under the new regulatory framework, individual member deposits will be insured up to a threshold of $25,000. That coverage offers critical peace of mind for savers at a time of ongoing global economic uncertainty, Catlyn said, putting credit unions on equal footing with commercial banks as a secure home for consumers’ primary savings. Beyond the direct benefit to BPWCCUL’s own membership, the change also lifts up smaller credit unions across the island. Catlyn explained that BPWCCUL has long served as a stabilizing force for the Barbadian cooperative sector, stepping in to merge with and absorb smaller institutions that face insurmountable financial challenges. Now, all members of those absorbed institutions will automatically gain access to the same state-backed deposit protection that BPWCCUL can offer.

    Alongside the new deposit insurance regime, Catlyn confirmed that policymakers are also developing a dedicated bankruptcy and insolvency framework to streamline resolutions for failing financial institutions in the sector, a complementary reform that will further strengthen systemic stability.

    When asked if the new legislation meets the sector’s expectations, Catlyn offered a cautiously optimistic assessment. “The bill meets the core baseline requirement of protecting our members, which was our top priority,” he said. “The one outstanding question is what the full long-term cost of this framework will be for our operational budget, and we won’t know that until the regulations are fully implemented.”

    Beyond regulatory changes, BPWCCUL is also benefiting from a recent improvement in Barbados’ macroeconomic outlook. In its 2026 annual reporting, the credit union noted that Standard & Poor’s upgraded the rating of Barbados sovereign debt—where BPWCCUL holds large investments—from B- to B+ with a stable outlook. Catlyn explained that the upgrade does not change the institution’s day-to-day liquidity management, which is driven primarily by member deposits, but it has a major positive impact on the credit union’s balance sheet under current international financial reporting standards.

    “Under modern IFRS rules, we have to set aside provisions for expected future losses on sovereign debt holdings, rather than just accounting for losses when they are incurred,” he explained. “When the government first defaulted and restructured its debt years ago, we were required to set aside roughly 23% of our total government debt holdings to cover expected credit losses. Now that the rating has been upgraded multiple times, that provisioning requirement has dropped substantially, freeing up capital that we can put to work for our members.”

    With a strengthened balance sheet from lower loss provisions and the competitive boost from new deposit insurance, BPWCCUL is now shifting its strategy to grow its loan portfolio and deepen engagement with its membership. Clarke, the operations chief, said the credit union is targeting new, first-time borrowers who already hold savings accounts with the institution but currently borrow from other financial providers.

    “For years, we have gradually opened up our lending practices to accept a broader range of member borrowers, as long as their risk profile aligns with our appetite,” Clarke said. “Right now, we have a lot of members who save with us but take out loans elsewhere. We want to change that. We’re rolling out more competitive credit products to encourage members to bring their entire financial portfolio under our cooperative framework, where it belongs. This new regulatory and economic landscape gives us the flexibility to reach those borrowers aggressively.”

  • Ongoing crackdown nets million$, raw gold

    Ongoing crackdown nets million$, raw gold

    In a recent enforcement crackdown on unregulated mining activity, Guyana’s Ministry of Natural Resources announced Monday night that two individuals suspected of illicit gold trading have been taken into custody at Tamakay Landing, located in the country’s Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni). The joint operation, carried out on September 28 by the enforcement division of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, not only netted the two suspects but also resulted in the seizure of 6 million Guyanese dollars, approximately two ounces of unlicensed gold, and an array of unspecified specialized trading equipment. As a direct consequence of the violations uncovered during the inspection, the retail gold shop operating out of Tamakay Landing in the Mazaruni mining district has had all its operational activities suspended pending further investigation. Ministry officials confirmed in an official statement that the site was found to be actively buying and selling gold without holding the mandatory government approvals and operating licenses required for participation in Guyana’s regulated gold sector. Following the arrest, the two suspects were transferred to local police custody for further processing and legal proceedings. In the statement, the Ministry emphasized that this latest enforcement action is just one component of its sustained, nationwide campaign to eliminate illegal mining and all associated illicit activities that undermine the regulated sector. Monitoring and enforcement operations will remain active across every mining district in the country, as authorities work to curb unregulated activity that deprives the nation of tax revenue and weakines regulatory oversight of the critical mining industry. The Ministry closed its statement by issuing a formal call to all industry stakeholders, from small-scale traders to large mining operators, to proactively verify that their operations fully comply with all existing national laws and mandatory licensing requirements governing Guyana’s mining sector, warning that additional enforcement actions will continue in the coming months.

  • Senior Officer Shoots Man During Burglary in Ladyville

    Senior Officer Shoots Man During Burglary in Ladyville

    In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, a high-stakes confrontation between a senior law enforcement officer and alleged burglary suspects in Ladyville, Belize left a 30-year-old Belize City man wounded, according to official police accounts of the incident.

    The incident unfolded on Compassion Lane, where Senior Superintendent of Police Cristopher Noble responded to an urgent report of an ongoing burglary shortly after 4 a.m. on September 28. When Noble arrived at the scene, he encountered two male suspects, both armed with crowbars, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero.

    Romero detailed the sequence of events in an official statement: after Noble ordered the two men to halt their activities, one of the individuals fired shots directly toward the officer’s position. Noble took immediate cover to avoid the incoming fire before returning fire at the suspect.

    Thirty-year-old Devon Grant, one of the two suspects involved, later made his way to Belize’s primary healthcare facility, Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, seeking treatment for multiple gunshot wounds. As of the latest updates, Grant remains in the hospital in stable condition, with no immediate reports of life-threatening injuries.

    Investigators processing the scene have already recovered key physical evidence linked to the alleged burglary and subsequent shooting. Among the items collected are the crowbars the suspects were reportedly carrying, as well as expended bullet casings from the exchange of gunfire. Authorities also documented visible damage to the targeted property’s door and window, consistent with a forced entry attempt.

    The case remains under active review by Belizean law enforcement, with additional details expected to be released as the investigation progresses.