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  • Police Hunt One Suspect in Jory Bowden Murder

    Police Hunt One Suspect in Jory Bowden Murder

    On a Friday night in late 2026, a quiet residential yard on Belize City’s Central American Boulevard became the scene of a brutal fatal shooting that left 27-year-old Jory Bowden dead, marking the third homicide in the same neighborhood within a single 24-hour window. Law enforcement agencies have now launched an active manhunt for one male suspect connected to the killing, according to official updates from Belize’s police leadership.

    During a scheduled press briefing held the morning after the shooting, Assistant Commissioner Hilberto Romero, who leads the country’s National Crimes Investigation Branch, shared detailed preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation. Romero confirmed that Bowden was sitting unarmed in the yard when the suspect scaled a perimeter fence and opened fire multiple times directly at the victim. The gunman fled the scene immediately after the attack, leaving Bowden with critical, life-ending injuries.

    Emergency responders rushed Bowden to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, the country’s main public medical facility, but medical teams were unable to save him, and he was pronounced dead on arrival. Crime scene investigators have already documented key evidence at the attack site, including multiple expended bullet casings and traces of blood collected from the yard.

    When addressing questions about the possible motive for the killing, Romero pointed to long-standing territorial and gang rivalries that have plagued the Central American Boulevard neighborhood for an extended period. “This killing is tied to the ongoing rivalry that these groups have in this area right now,” Romero told reporters, declining to share further details that could compromise the active investigation.

    Investigators are currently working to determine whether Bowden’s murder is linked to the two other homicides that took place in the same neighborhood just hours before the shooting. As of the latest briefing, no definitive connection has been confirmed, but law enforcement teams are conducting extensive follow-up interviews and evidence analysis to establish any links between the three incidents.

    In response to the surge in violent crime and rising community tensions, Belize police have deployed additional patrols and ongoing operational assets to the Central American Boulevard area. Officers are maintaining a visible presence to monitor local unrest and prevent further outbreaks of violence as the manhunt for the suspect continues.

  • Found Chopped to Death in OW

    Found Chopped to Death in OW

    A grisly homicide discovery has shaken the quiet community of Carmelita Village in northern Belize’s Orange Walk District, where local resident Wilson Perez was found dead with severe chop wounds early Tuesday morning, according to senior law enforcement officials. The 41-year-old’s body was uncovered by concerned family members who launched a search after he failed to return home from a nighttime outing on Monday.

    Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero confirmed details of the incident to local reporters, noting that Perez left his residence around 10:30 p.m. Monday, telling family he planned to walk to the village’s public football field. When he did not come back by the early hours of Tuesday, his relatives grew increasingly anxious and organized a search of the surrounding area. That search ended in tragedy when the group located Perez’s body in an undeveloped patch of land near the village.

    Unconfirmed police sources, speaking on condition of anonymity to local outlet News 5, revealed the particularly brutal nature of the killing: Perez was found with his head severed from his body, and there is evidence that an unknown attacker attempted to set the corpse on fire to destroy evidence. Authorities were alerted to the scene at approximately 7:50 a.m. Tuesday, and immediately dispatched forensic investigators and homicide detectives to process the area.

    In a press statement Tuesday, Romero said that forensics teams have completed their initial processing of the crime scene, and that detectives are now working through a full list of potential leads and persons of interest. Police have not yet released information about a possible motive for the killing, nor have any arrests been announced. The entire Carmelita Village community has been left reeling from the violent attack, with local leaders urging anyone with information about Perez’s movements or possible suspects to contact police to assist with the investigation.

  • Doctors at Dominica China Friendship Hospital Stage Protest Outside Medical Facility

    Doctors at Dominica China Friendship Hospital Stage Protest Outside Medical Facility

    A group of medical practitioners and other healthcare staff have assembled outside the Dominica China Friendship Hospital to raise public attention over a series of unconfirmed issues impacting the major medical facility, according to local media reports.

    Local publication Dominica EMO News Online first documented the demonstration, noting that multiple participating workers were still wearing their standard medical coats and surgical scrubs while holding handcrafted placards to signal their discontent. Visual footage of the event has been made available to the public via the media outlet’s platform.

    As of the latest update, the specific grievances and formal demands put forward by the protesting group have not been verified through independent third-party sources. Key details surrounding the action also remain unclear, including whether routine hospital services for patients have been disrupted by the gathering, and whether any formal discussions have already been initiated between the protesters, hospital management teams, and national public health authorities.

    Additional information about the scope of the gathering and any official statement or response from institutional leaders is still pending, with updates expected as more details emerge from the island nation.

  • Subisco betwist importverbod op Franse kippen en benadrukt voedselveiligheid

    Subisco betwist importverbod op Franse kippen en benadrukt voedselveiligheid

    A major commercial dispute over poultry imports has emerged in Suriname, with leading importer Subisco International N.V. firmly denying allegations that it knowingly brought chicken products from a bird flu-affected zone in France in violation of national import restrictions. The company says official veterinary documentation from French authorities confirms that the disputed shipment originated from an area officially certified as free of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu.

    The core of the disagreement between Subisco and Suriname’s Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (LVV) centers on differing interpretations of how recently implemented import restrictions apply to this specific shipment. With neither side able to reach a resolution through informal negotiations, the dispute has now been formally referred to the national courts for a binding ruling.

    Subisco, which has sourced poultry products from well-known French brand DOUX for nearly 20 years, says it followed all standard protocol after LVV announced new import restrictions in February 2025, sparked by regional bird flu outbreaks. The company confirms it placed an order for fresh and frozen whole chickens in January 2025, before the restrictions were put in place, and immediately reached out to its French supplier to confirm the veterinary status of the production areas after the new policy took effect.

    According to Subisco, French veterinary authorities issued official documentation clearly stating that the region from which the shipment was sourced was free of bird flu. The company adds that the specific shipment also came with a valid veterinary health certificate and an additional veterinary declaration confirming its disease-free status. Based on these official documents, Subisco maintains that the shipment does not fall within the scope of the import ban, as it did not originate from one of the supervised bird flu restriction zones covered by the new policy.

    Beyond the core question of the shipment’s origin, Subisco has pushed back against public insinuations that it knowingly violated import rules to protect commercial interests. With the matter now under judicial review, the company has declined to comment on the specifics of the case or speculate on the potential outcome of the court proceedings. However, it has emphasized that it considers it critical to correct public misperceptions that it would intentionally import poultry products from a bird flu-infected region into Suriname.

    The company reaffirmed that food safety and product quality for consumers on the Suriname market have always been its top priority. It says it has consistently ensured that all imported and distributed products meet all existing national food safety regulations, and that despite the ongoing legal process, it remains committed to working collaboratively with competent national authorities to reach a fair resolution that aligns with both regulatory requirements and commercial needs.

    “Commercial interests can never outweigh our responsibility to guarantee the safety and quality of products for Suriname’s consumers,” a spokesperson for Subisco emphasized in a statement.

  • National naming competition deadline approaches

    National naming competition deadline approaches

    As the entry deadline draws near for a national naming competition to craft the public identity of Grenada’s proposed new Public Hospitals Authority, the official Hospital Statutorisation Transition Team is making a final push to encourage all Grenadians to share their creative input and help shape the future of the island nation’s public healthcare system.

    Submissions for the competition – which calls on participants to propose original concepts for the authority’s name, official logo, and brand tagline – will close at the end of Friday, 23 October 2026. Transition team officials emphasize that public creativity will be key to developing an institutional identity that reflects the core values, collective aspirations, and long-term strategic vision of Grenada’s public hospital network.

    This naming initiative forms a core public engagement component of the broader Hospital Statutorisation Project, a systemic reform effort designed to elevate the quality and efficiency of public hospital services across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. The project centers on establishing an independent statutory body with its own dedicated governing framework, a shift that organisers say will unlock greater operational flexibility, strengthen institutional accountability, streamline management processes, and embed a more robust patient-centered focus across all public hospital services.

    Through the national competition, ordinary Grenadians gain a direct opportunity to contribute to this transformative reform by shaping how the new authority will be presented and recognized across the country. Organizers ask that participants center core principles including public trust, compassionate care, inclusive access, innovative improvement, clinical excellence, and national pride when developing their entries. The winning concept is expected to embody a steadfast commitment to high-quality care and inspire public confidence in the future of Grenada’s public healthcare system.

    The competition is split into two age-based divisions to open participation to people across all life stages: a Student Category for participants under 18 years old, and an Adult Category for those 18 and older. Cash prizes will be awarded to top entries in both divisions, with first-place winners receiving 1,500 Eastern Caribbean dollars and second-place winners taking home 1,000 Eastern Caribbean dollars.

    The Transition Team has extended an open invitation to students, young creatives, working professionals, and all community members to take part, noting that impactful, meaningful ideas can emerge from people of any age or background. While winning submissions will be formally recognized, competition organizers note they retain the right to refine, adapt, or modify winning concepts before final adoption. A winning entry is not guaranteed to become the official permanent identity of the new authority.

    All completed submissions must be sent via email to [email protected] no later than the 23 October 2026 deadline. For full competition guidelines, official rules, and real-time updates, the public is advised to follow the Grenada Hospitals Statutorisation Transition Team’s official Facebook page.

    As the entry window closes, the Transition Team is reminding Grenadians that this initiative is far more than a simple branding exercise. It is a rare chance for community members to contribute their ideas toward building a shared vision for the future of public hospital care across the tri-island nation, summed up in the initiative’s rallying cry: “Your Voice. Your Hospitals. Our Future.”

  • DOE Sounds Alert Over Declining Water Quality in the New River

    DOE Sounds Alert Over Declining Water Quality in the New River

    As unusually dry weather continues to impact Belize, the country’s Department of the Environment (DOE) has issued a public alert and launched an official investigation into a steady decline in water quality along the New River. The agency warns that ongoing shifts in key water metrics could put the river’s entire aquatic ecosystem at serious risk if left unaddressed.

    In an official statement released Friday, the DOE reported that its continuous monitoring station on the New River had tracked a consistent downward trend in critical water quality indicators over the three days prior to the announcement. These impacted measurements include Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP), conductivity, salinity, and chlorophyll-a levels. Each of these metrics plays a core role in supporting healthy aquatic life, and the documented shifts could have cascading negative effects on native organisms and the long-term stability of the New River ecosystem, the agency explained.

    In response to the alarming readings, the DOE has deployed specialist field teams to conduct on-site surveys of the river and collect water samples for comprehensive laboratory analysis. The primary objectives of this field work are to verify the initial monitoring data, identify any potential anthropogenic or natural sources of the water quality decline, and determine whether targeted remedial interventions are required to reverse the damage.

    Department officials linked the emerging water quality issue to the extreme dry conditions currently affecting Belize, noting that reduced rainfall and the corresponding slowdown in river flow alters natural water chemistry and contributes to destabilized conditions in waterways across the nation. “Lower water volumes concentrate pollutants and organic matter, creating conditions that throw aquatic ecosystems out of balance,” the DOE contextually noted.

    This alert comes just weeks after the department publicly released its findings from a previous major ecological incident: a large-scale fish kill that stretched across 17.5 miles of the nearby Belize River. Speaking at a September 11 public information session held in Double Head Cabbage, Chief Environmental Officer Anthony Mai explained that the 2026 Belize River fish kill was triggered by a sudden large input of organic matter into the waterway. That input sparked uncontrolled algae blooms, which in turn depleted dissolved oxygen levels in the water to the point that they could no longer support fish life.

    To strengthen its monitoring and response efforts, the DOE is calling on all local residents, recreational users, and commercial operators that access the New River to report any visible signs of ecological distress immediately. These signs include unexpected changes in water color, unusual foul odors coming from the water, fish showing visible signs of distress, or any new fish kill events. Early reporting, the agency emphasizes, will allow teams to respond faster and limit the scale of potential ecological damage.

  • LETTER: Hon. Senator Govia: More Punishment Will Not Work

    LETTER: Hon. Senator Govia: More Punishment Will Not Work

    In an open letter dated October 13, 2026, Caribbean policy advocacy group ASPIRE has publicly pushed back against the punitive approach to minor protection proposed by Senator Govia, Leader of Government Business, arguing that harsher punishment fails to deliver meaningful social outcomes and that prevention-centered policies rooted in evidence are far more effective.

    ASPIRE acknowledges that Senator Govia’s motivation to protect minors stems from good intentions, but takes sharp issue with her push for more draconian criminal penalties as a solution. The organization points out that regional policy making has long fallen back on a knee-jerk reliance on punishment as a supposed deterrent. But this reactive strategy only addresses harms after they occur, rather than stopping them from happening in the first place. Instead of prioritizing punitive measures against offenders, ASPIRE argues policy should center on supporting adolescent development through expanded education and access to healthcare, not mass incarceration.

    This position is not unfounded idealism, the group emphasizes: it is backed by decades of empirical data. To illustrate the failure of punitive approaches, ASPIRE cites the region’s long-standing strict abortion laws, which have been in place for more than 150 years. Despite these criminal provisions, the Caribbean holds the highest abortion rate globally. Broader global data supports this pattern: 62% of countries that criminalize abortion record high annual abortion rates, defined as more than 30 procedures per 1,000 women of reproductive age (15 to 49). Conversely, 95% of countries with low abortion rates (fewer than 15 per 1,000 women annually) have legalized abortion, a difference that ASPIRE notes is statistically significant.

    The group also draws attention to the Caribbean’s status as having the second highest adolescent fertility rate in the world, arguing that punitive policies have done nothing to reverse this trend. ASPIRE contends that the only viable path to cutting adolescent fertility is expanding access to sexual and reproductive health services, mandating comprehensive, robust sexuality education in all primary and secondary schools, and building stronger engagement between parents and young people on these issues.

    ASPIRE points to Argentina as a successful example of this prevention-centered approach. Between 2015 and 2021, the South American nation cut adolescent fertility rates by 57% by expanding autonomy for young people to access healthcare. The reform removed mandatory parental consent barriers, granting full adult access to care for 16-year-olds, allowing healthcare professionals to assess access requests for 13- to 15-year-olds, and permitting minors under 13 to access care with a trusted adult of their own choosing. The results speak for themselves, the group argues.

    In closing, ASPIRE criticizes the current policy debate for relying on anecdotes and good intentions rather than rigorous statistical evidence, noting that public policy demands better from elected legislators. The organization concludes that while harsh punishment may satisfy the desire of a small group to feel morally vindicated, it does not achieve the shared goal of building safer, healthier outcomes for minors.

  • US Condemns China’s “Coercion” After Belize Minister Sanctioned

    US Condemns China’s “Coercion” After Belize Minister Sanctioned

    In a sharp escalation of cross-strait and diplomatic tensions, Beijing has imposed sanctions on Francis Fonseca, Belize’s foreign minister, and a senior Paraguayan minister, triggering immediate criticism from the United States over what Washington calls Chinese “coercion and aggression.” The targeted sanctions come in response to the two Latin American nations maintaining official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims as an integral part of its territory.

    The Trump administration issued a formal rebuke of China’s actions through State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, who told reporters that Washington opposes Beijing’s efforts to intimidate nations in the Western Hemisphere that are exercising their legitimate sovereign rights. Pigott’s statement echoed earlier remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who affirmed that the U.S. will not permit major power rivals to establish operational footholds in the region to threaten American security or erode partnerships between Washington and regional allies. “We stand with our friends and partners, including Taiwan, to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values,” Pigott added in the official statement.

    In response to the U.S. condemnation, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson urged Washington to halt its practice of sending misleading signals to pro-independence factions that advocate for Taiwan’s separation from China.

    Belize’s foreign ministry moved quickly to reject the unilateral sanctions announced by Beijing on October 12, emphasizing that the punitive measures targeting Fonseca will not shift the Central American nation’s long-standing foreign policy. The ministry noted that Fonseca has only acted in accordance with his official duties, under the instruction of Belize’s government and in pursuit of the country’s national interests. “Measures directed at an individual for carrying out the lawful duties of his office are unwarranted, and we reject them,” the ministry said in an official release. It added that the sanctions will neither alter Belize’s diplomatic course nor prevent the government from fulfilling its core responsibilities, and that the administration remains fully unified behind Fonseca. Belize also called on all sovereign states globally to avoid adopting unilateral coercive measures against officials of other sovereign nations.

    Fonseca, who reported he had not received any formal notification of the sanctions prior to the public announcement, struck a defiant tone: “Belize is proud to stand with Taiwan in support of the principles of self-determination and international law.”

    Belize and Paraguay are two of the 13 remaining United Nations-recognized countries that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei. China holds the position that Taiwan is merely a provincial-level administrative region with no legal right to conduct state-to-state diplomacy, a claim that Taiwan’s government categorically rejects. While the U.S. does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei, it remains the island’s most prominent and powerful international backer, providing extensive military and diplomatic support.

    Reuters analysis notes that the sanctions are largely symbolic, as senior officials from Taiwan’s diplomatic allies rarely travel to mainland China for official engagements. In Taipei, Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi framed the sanctions as an expansion of Beijing’s “transnational repression” targeting Taiwan and its diplomatic partners. Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai condemned Beijing’s move, arguing that the Chinese government has no legal authority to interfere in the domestic affairs or diplomatic decision-making of any sovereign state, “including the Republic of China”, the formal constitutional name of Taiwan. “At the same time, we will resist any expansion of hegemony or authoritarianism,” Cho added.

  • CSEC awards a first for SAASS and extend SJC legacy

    CSEC awards a first for SAASS and extend SJC legacy

    Grenada’s top secondary school graduates celebrated academic excellence at an awards ceremony hosted by the University of the West Indies Global Campus Grenada on October 9, where two standout students claimed the country’s most prestigious CSEC honors, marking new milestones for their institutions.

    Cydney Steele, an alumna of St Joseph’s Convent St George’s (SJC), took home the 2025 T A Marryshow Memorial Award, while Myah Joseph of St Andrew’s Anglican Secondary School (SAASS) became the first student from her school to win the A A La Grenade Shield, since the award’s launch 30 years ago.

    Established to honor two influential Grenadian leaders who shaped the nation’s public life and education sector, the two awards recognize distinct areas of academic achievement. The T A Marryshow Memorial Award pays tribute to the legendary Grenadian journalist, political activist and pioneering West Indian federalist. It judges candidates on their performance in four core subjects — English A, Mathematics, Information Technology and Caribbean History — alongside their top four additional subject scores, with a requirement that the group includes either a foreign language or a science discipline.

    In contrast, the A A La Grenade Shield honors the legacy of a former Chief Education Officer and prominent educator, who was also the father of current Grenadian Governor-General Dame Cécile La Grenade. This award recognizes exceptional performance in technical and vocational education, paired with strong results in English, Mathematics and a science subject.

    This year’s selection process was exceptionally competitive, with 22 nominated students hailing from 8 local secondary schools, 18 of whom were young women. The UWI Territorial Advisory Committee evaluated results from the May/June 2025 sitting of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations to select the winners. Jahzara Johnson, a student from J W Fletcher Catholic Secondary School, earned a rare distinction as the only nominee in 2025 shortlisted for both awards, a feat that only two students have managed to turn into dual wins in the history of the honors: Cerisse Nedd of Anglican High School in 2008 and Canaa Gittens of SJC in 2021.

    For Steele, her win extends SJC’s unrivaled legacy at the Marryshow Memorial Award, which has been awarded annually since 1977. To date, SJC has claimed the top honor 26 times, including an unmatched six-year consecutive winning streak from 1996 to 2001, and shared the prize twice, in 2012 and 2013, with other local institutions. Steele delivered an outstanding performance across 13 CSEC subjects, earning 11 Grade One passes and 2 Grade Two passes.

    Speaking at the ceremony, which coincided with Jill Viechweg–Philbert’s 10th anniversary as SJC principal, Viechweg–Philbert attributed the school’s decades of success to the core values instilled by the institution’s founding order, the Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny. “To work is to pray, so we work hard, and so do we honour God,” she explained, echoing the order’s guiding principle. Steele reflected on the intense pressure of exam preparation, noting that consistent prayer helped her navigate the challenging period. She offered advice to future CSEC candidates, encouraging them to work through past examination papers and trust the knowledge they built over years of schooling. Steele is now considering pursuing further study in biophysics or biomedical engineering, with the University of the West Indies’ Trinidad campus among her top options.

    Joseph’s win is a historic breakthrough for SAASS, marking the first time the school has claimed the A A La Grenade Shield since the award was introduced in 1995. SAASS’s only previous win across either of the two top awards dates back to 1984, when former student Janice Malcolm took home the Marryshow Memorial Award. Like Steele, Joseph sat for 13 CSEC subjects, earning an impressive 8 Grade One passes and 5 Grade Two passes.

    Joseph, who has already advanced to the next stage of her post-secondary education, credited her success to the support of God, her family and her former SAASS teachers, who supported her growth both as a student and as an individual. She shared that she never expected to earn a nomination, and hopes her achievement sends a message to young learners across the country: that students do not need to be perfect to achieve academic success.

    Both winners received substantial recognition for their achievements, along with institutional honors for their schools. The Grenada Co-operative Bank awarded EC$1,000 to each student, while Ariza Credit Union sponsored a laptop for Steele, and Nexa Credit Union provided a laptop for Joseph. Each student also took home a personal trophy and certificate from UWI Global Campus Grenada, while SJC claimed the permanent Marryshow winning cup for this year’s award, and SAASS took possession of the La Grenade winning shield.

    Beyond celebrating individual student success, the annual awards serve a dual purpose: they uplift high academic standards across Grenada’s secondary education sector, while preserving the lasting legacies of two prominent Grenadians who dedicated their careers to advancing the nation through journalism, public service and education.

  • Shoman: Book Cover Is Exact 1907 Coat of Arms

    Shoman: Book Cover Is Exact 1907 Coat of Arms

    A public controversy has erupted in Belize over the cover art of a new history book, pitting author Assad Shoman against the National Kriol Council (NKC) over a decades-old colonial coat of arms image accused of perpetuating harmful racial stereotypes.

    The dispute centers on the Sapphire edition of Shoman’s work *A History of Belize in Thirteen Chapters*, which uses the 1907 British Honduras Coat of Arms as its front cover. The NKC has publicly objected to the image, claiming it includes exaggerated racial imagery that echoes the degrading caricatures long used to dehumanize, ridicule, and strip dignity from people of African descent. The organization has called on Shoman and his publisher to provide a formal explanation for why the controversial image was selected for the book’s cover.

    In a public open letter shared with the NKC and distributed to local media, Shoman has pushed back firmly against the council’s accusations, denying any intent to mock or disrespect people of African descent. He says the image printed on the book cover is not an altered or manipulated version of the 1907 coat of arms—it is an exact, authentic reproduction of the original official design.

    Shoman traces his first encounter with the 1907 coat of arms back to a 2019 public lecture delivered by Nigel Encalada, then director of the Institute of Social and Cultural Research at Belize’s National Institute of Culture and History (NICH). During that talk, Encalada presented the design as the authentic official coat of arms issued by royal warrant in the United Kingdom in 1907. Shoman notes that no attendees at that 2019 event raised objections to the racial depiction in the historical design.

    The author explains his decision to use the controversial image is rooted in the core thesis of his book: that colonial rule was inherently racist and exploitative by design. The 1907 coat of arms frames Black African figures as “hewers of wood,” a colonial trope that Shoman says perfectly illustrates how the colonial state portrayed Afro-Belizean workers. Shoman emphasizes that his body of work is dedicated to honoring the long history of resistance by Belizean ancestors against colonial oppression, from slave revolts and mass uprisings to 20th century working-class movements.

    To support his claim of the image’s authenticity, Shoman says he formally applied to London’s College of Arms, the official heraldic authority for the United Kingdom, to obtain an officially photographed copy of the 1907 design and secure a legal license to reproduce it. A detailed note on pages 14 and 15 of the book outlines this process, and Shoman included official email correspondence from the College of Arms confirming the image’s authenticity with his open letter, urging the NKC to reach out to the London-based institution directly to verify his claims.

    Weeks before the controversy broke, Shoman adds, he shared the draft cover design with around 50 Belizean Studies teachers. According to Shoman, the group broadly agreed that the image would spark much-needed public conversations about decolonization, and none raised formal objections to the design.

    “My purpose in using the image was to invite readers to confront colonial imagery directly—to see how Afro‑Belizean labourers were depicted by the colonial state and to reflect on how such depictions echo in our present national symbols,” Shoman wrote in his open letter.

    The NKC has stood firm in its criticism, responding that the harmful caricature at the center of the debate does a disservice to the legacy of Belizean ancestors. “Our ancestors were not caricatures,” the council said in a public statement. “They were people whose labour, resilience, resistance, knowledge, and cultural contributions helped shape Belize.”