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  • Espat Speaks to News 5 on Taking Over Ministry of Home Affairs

    Espat Speaks to News 5 on Taking Over Ministry of Home Affairs

    In a major cabinet reshuffle triggered by an official investigation, Belize’s Minister of Home Affairs Oscar Mira has been granted an immediate leave of absence from his post, as the nation’s Auditor General launches a 12-week probe into public procurement practices from Mira’s time leading the Ministry of Defence.

    The Office of Prime Minister John Briceño made the announcement official on June 22, 2026, confirming that Julius Espat — the current Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing — will step into the acting role of Home Affairs Minister while retaining his existing responsibilities for the full duration of the audit. The temporary appointment will be formally finalized once Espat completes the required documentation signing before the Governor General.

    In an official statement released to the public, Briceño framed the administrative adjustment as a demonstration of the current administration’s unwavering commitment to governmental accountability. “It is critical that the public understands we treat any questions about ministerial conduct with the utmost seriousness,” Briceño noted. “Our core obligations are twofold: ensuring taxpayer funds deliver maximum public value, and upholding full compliance with all existing procurement rules.”

    Contrary to many forced cabinet removals, the Prime Minister’s office confirmed that Mira himself requested the leave of absence. Espat corroborated this account in an interview with News 5, confirming that Mira volunteered to step aside following a direct discussion with Briceño.

    Espat told reporters he first received the request from the Prime Minister on Saturday evening, and accepted the temporary posting after an extended conversation about the scope of the role. He characterized the dual portfolio appointment as one of the most demanding professional challenges of his political career. “This is easily the most difficult assignment the country could put forward right now,” Espat said. “But our team is ready to meet the challenge head on. We will assemble a qualified working group, and we will work through this process step by step.”

    Moving forward, Espat plans to first receive a comprehensive full briefing on the Home Affairs Ministry’s command structure, ongoing initiatives and daily operations before rolling out any major policy or administrative changes. He also acknowledged that he will need to reorganize his existing leadership team to effectively manage two overlapping cabinet portfolios. To date, no extended timeline for the acting appointment has been confirmed beyond the scheduled three-month audit period.

    When asked if Mira made the correct choice to step aside rather than remain in post during the investigation, Espat declined to offer a definitive judgment, noting that the choice was entirely personal to Mira. “Only he could make that decision,” Espat explained. “Every decision we make as politicians and local representatives doesn’t just impact us as individuals. It touches our families, the constituents we were elected to serve, our legislative colleagues, our party, and the entire nation.”

    The audit itself is focused specifically on contracting procedures during Mira’s tenure at the Ministry of Defence. Recent public allegations have claimed that members of Mira’s family were awarded millions of dollars in government supply contracts, with payments intentionally split into amounts under $10,000 to bypass mandatory Treasury Department oversight protocols. Mira has issued a formal statement denying any personal involvement in improper procurement decision-making.

  • Police Officer Shot by BDF Soldier

    Police Officer Shot by BDF Soldier

    A violent altercation between an off-duty Belize police officer and a member of the Belize Defence Force (BDF) has left both men receiving medical care at Belize City’s premier public medical facility, Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH). The clash unfolded in the early hours of Sunday in Lemonal Village, a quiet community located in Belize River Valley, after a verbal dispute escalated into physical harm, law enforcement officials confirmed.

    Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Hilberto Romero, who leads the National Crimes Investigation Branch, outlined the sequence of events to reporters on Tuesday. Both men—Police Constable Pharon Musla of the Belize Police Department and BDF Lance Corporal Alexander Reynolds—were in attendance at a repast gathering shortly after midnight when tensions boiled over between them. All official accounts confirm that both personnel were off-duty at the time of the incident, and alcohol was involved in the gathering, per ACP Romero’s statement.

    Initial accounts from the police investigation allege that Musla first inflicted a chop wound to Reynolds’ head. In response, Reynolds drew a personal firearm and fired multiple shots at Musla. There remains a discrepancy in early official accounts over the weapon’s specifications: ACP Romero stated the firearm was a privately licensed 9-millimeter pistol, while preliminary investigations conducted by the BDF have identified the weapon as a 0.380 caliber handgun registered to a female owner.

    Following the exchange of violence, both injured men were rushed to KHMH for urgent medical intervention. Musla was admitted with multiple gunshot wounds, while Reynolds is being treated for the head injury he sustained during the confrontation. As of the latest update, both individuals are in stable condition, and a full joint investigation is underway to clarify the details of the incident and determine what criminal charges, if any, will be filed.

    “They are both at the KHMH receiving treatment. They are both in stable condition,” Romero reiterated to reporters. “A thorough investigation will be carried out to determine charges.”

  • Lashley shines as Wales advance to BFA Champions Cup final

    Lashley shines as Wales advance to BFA Champions Cup final

    The stage is now set for the Barbados Football Association Champions Cup final, after two dramatic semi-final clashes delivered contrasting outcomes but the same result: two elite clubs booking their spot in the title decider. Defending champions Weymouth Wales turned in a clinical first-half performance to see off Brittons Hill United 3-1, led by veteran striker Armando “Sugar” Lashley who continued his red-hot scoring streak with a first-half brace. The match unfolded at the BFA Technical Centre on Sunday, where Lashley found the back of the net as early as the 4th minute, and doubled his tally just 11 minutes later to put the defending champions firmly in the driver’s seat. Before halftime, in the 42nd minute, defender Akeem Hill extended Weymouth Wales’ lead to three, putting the result almost out of reach for Brittons Hill.

    Brittons Hill was not without opportunity in the opening 45 minutes, however, squandering at least two clear scoring chances that could have shifted the momentum of the tie. A late injury-time penalty converted by Cotrey Hoyte gave the side a consolation goal, but it was not enough to reverse the deficit. The defeat means Brittons Hill will return to the third-place playoff for the second straight year, a disappointing outcome for a side that had enough openings to compete much closer.

    Speaking to reporters after the final whistle, Weymouth Wales assistant coach Andrew Jean expressed satisfaction at returning to the Champions Cup final, but acknowledged room for improvement in his side’s second-half performance. “The first half was excellent, and we stuck to the game plan, as we moved the ball quickly and maintained possession,” Jean explained. “The second half was not so good, however we are working towards a bigger goal which is the final and the upcoming Caribbean Football Union competition. This week is going to be a lot of recovery, but obviously we’re here to win the game.”

    The result marks a notable turnaround for Weymouth Wales, which struggled with inconsistent finishing for much of the current season after a rash of injuries depleted their starting roster. Jean credited the club’s focused behind-the-scenes training for the recent improvement in front of goal, singling out Lashley’s return to form as a major boost. “Our last five sessions were really just attacking drills, movement off the ball, one touch play, getting behind the defense,” he said. “We are also very happy that Sugar found some form. Everyone knows he is a top goal scorer.”

    In the second semi-final, Division Two underdogs Mavericks – the lowest-ranked side remaining in the tournament – faced off against Paradise, and were on the wrong end of a dominant 10-0 defeat that saw Paradise cruise into the final. Boosted by the return of forward Jaron Ougtherson, who recently rejoined the club following a stint playing overseas, Paradise’s attack ran rampant throughout the 90 minutes. Ougtherson notched a first-half hat-trick, while forward Sheran Hoyte bagged four goals of his own to cap off the lopsided result. Even with the heavy loss, Mavericks can count themselves a little unlucky, after hitting the woodwork twice in the match, which would have given the youthful side at least one consolation goal.

    After the match, Paradise head coach Mario Harte praised his squad for securing their place in the final, while also offering high praise for the young Mavericks side, tipping them to be a force to be reckoned with in coming years. “Obviously we’re happy with the victory, because it is a semi-final game regardless of the score,” Harte said. “The main thing is to make it to the final, which we did so congrats to the boys for that. Hard luck to the young Mavericks team. I hope that they hold their heads high and continue to build because their time will be coming soon. They have some very good talent.”

  • Joy, tears, hope fill St Paul’s as students embrace next chapter

    Joy, tears, hope fill St Paul’s as students embrace next chapter

    On the much-anticipated results day for primary school students transitioning to secondary education, the halls of St Paul’s Primary School, located on Brittons Cross Road in St Michael, hummed with a complex tapestry of emotions: unbridled excitement, quiet relief, and raw, heartfelt emotion. Students and educators gathered to mark the milestone, celebrating successful school placements before the cohort moves on to the next chapter of their academic journeys.

  • Windies XI stun Sri Lanka

    Windies XI stun Sri Lanka

    On Sunday at Antigua’s Coolidge Cricket Ground, a pair of West Indies fast bowlers produced one of the most dramatic late-game turnarounds in recent warm-up cricket, delivering an incredible 15-run comeback victory for the West Indies Select XI against Sri Lanka. Pace partners Nial Smith and Alzarri Joseph shared all but one of the opposition wickets between them, tearing through Sri Lanka’s batting order to turn a seemingly inevitable defeat into a historic upset.

    Sri Lanka entered the fourth and final day of the warm-up fixture perfectly positioned to chase down their 124-run target, sitting comfortably at 30 for one overnight. For the opening phase of play, the result looked all but confirmed: batters Nishan Madushka and Dinesh Chandimal steadily pushed the score to 46 for one, putting the visitors well on course to hit the required mark with more than enough wickets in hand.

    The match’s momentum shifted irreversibly in a single half hour, starting with Smith’s first breakthrough. The paceman trapped Chandimal leg before wicket for 19, then sent Madushka’s stumps cartwheeling for 30 just a few overs later. That collapse left Sri Lanka reeling at 60 for three, and Smith kept the pressure on by catching Dhananjaya de Silva behind the wicket for just one run to extend the visitors’ losing streak of wickets.

    Joseph joined the demolition job shortly after, bowling Pasindu Sooriyabandara for a duck, while off-spinner Ojay Shields claimed the only wicket that did not go to the pace duo, removing Sonal Dinusha for four to drop Sri Lanka to 60 for six at the midpoint of their chase. Even with eight wickets down, Sri Lanka still held a narrow advantage, as Prabath Jayasuriya and Milan Rathnayake pushed the total to 89 for six, bringing the visitors within 35 runs of victory with just four wickets remaining.

    Yet Smith and Joseph refused to let the chance of victory slip. Smith pouched a sharp return catch to remove Jayasuriya for 10, before Joseph bowled Rathnayake for six to leave the visitors reeling at 93 for eight. The pair closed out the contest in quick fashion, dismissing Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara in consecutive overs to skittle Sri Lanka out for just 108 from 29.5 overs, 15 runs short of their target. Smith finished the dominant bowling display with career-best figures of 5 wickets for just 30 runs, while Joseph backed him up with 4 wickets for 41 runs, wrapping up one of the most surprising comeback wins of the international cricket warm-up season.

  • Prime Minister Browne Calls for Strategic OECS Partnership with Panama to Reduce Costs and Expand Trade Opportunities

    Prime Minister Browne Calls for Strategic OECS Partnership with Panama to Reduce Costs and Expand Trade Opportunities

    Against a backdrop of growing regional economic integration efforts, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has publicly outlined a bold vision for a strategic collaborative partnership between the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Republic of Panama. Browne, who is currently spearheading discussions on expanding regional trade connectivity, argues that this alliance would address long-standing cost burdens that have held back Eastern Caribbean businesses while opening untapped commercial channels for the bloc’s member nations.

    The core of Browne’s proposal centers on leveraging Panama’s established position as a global maritime and logistics hub. Panama’s flagship Panama Canal already serves as a critical artery for global maritime trade, and Browne points out that formalized cooperation between the OECS and Panama could streamline shipping routes, reduce transit fees, and cut down on customs delays that currently inflate the cost of imports and exports for the small island economies that make up the OECS. For these nations, which rely heavily on international trade for both domestic consumption and export-led growth, even marginal reductions in logistics costs can translate into significant competitive advantages for local producers and lower prices for consumers.

    Beyond infrastructure and logistics, Browne also highlights the potential for expanded market access. A formal partnership could create new pathways for OECS agricultural products, tourism services, and specialty goods to reach global markets through Panama’s extensive trade networks, while also attracting increased foreign investment from Panamanian and international firms that use Panama as a regional base. Browne made the call during a recent diplomatic engagement, noting that the geographic proximity of the OECS bloc to Panama creates natural synergies that have yet to be fully exploited. He added that aligning trade regulations and facilitating cross-border business collaboration would lay the groundwork for more inclusive, sustainable economic growth across the entire Caribbean region.

    Regional trade analysts have noted that the proposal comes at a time when small island developing states in the Caribbean are actively seeking ways to diversify their economies and reduce their vulnerability to global supply chain disruptions, which were amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. A strategic partnership with Panama, they argue, could help the OECS address multiple pressing economic challenges simultaneously, from high trade costs to limited market access, while also creating new opportunities for cooperation in areas like tourism, maritime security, and climate resilience.

  • DLP urges caution over proposed citizenship law changes

    DLP urges caution over proposed citizenship law changes

    Barbados’ main opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is calling on national parliamentarians to approach proposed amendments to the country’s citizenship and immigration legislation with deliberate caution, following a bombshell investigative report uncovering a thriving transnational birth-tourism trade that markets Barbadian citizenship to high-net-worth clients overseas. Corey Greenidge, the DLP’s shadow minister for legal and home affairs and shadow attorney general, told reporters that the recent media exposé underscores exactly why gradual, thoughtful deliberation is non-negotiable as lawmakers debate the landmark Citizenship Bill and Immigration Bill.

    “If unregulated organized groups are already actively marketing access to Barbadian citizenship across international markets, leveraging the global strength of the Barbados passport as a core selling point, parliament has a duty to ask three critical questions: do we actually need additional accelerated pathways to citizenship, what binding safeguards must be built into any reform to mitigate risk, and what cumulative effects will these changes have on our nation decades from now?” Greenidge said.

    The front-page investigation, published by local outlet the Sunday Sun, lays out how foreign-based commercial operations are explicitly targeting expectant mothers in Nigeria, marketing Barbados as a premium birth-tourism destination that automatically grants newborns Barbadian citizenship and a passport. The report details that operators promote the travel document heavily on social media, highlighting its visa-free access to more than 150 countries and framing it as a gateway to expanded global educational, professional, and economic opportunities for children born in Barbados to foreign parents.

    Greenidge emphasized that the core issue extends far beyond a question of whether existing laws are being broken by these commercial operations. Instead, he argued, the investigation offers concrete proof of a reality many ordinary Barbadians have not yet fully grasped: Barbadian citizenship and its associated passport carry substantial international value, and are increasingly sought-after assets for non-citizens seeking greater global mobility.

    Throughout its submissions to the parliamentary Joint Select Committee reviewing the proposed bills, the DLP has consistently maintained that citizenship should not be treated as a mere bureaucratic classification or a commodity to be used for short-term economic gain. “Citizenship is first and foremost membership in the Barbadian national community,” Greenidge explained. “It carries binding legal, political, and constitutional implications, and every policy decision we make on this issue today will shape our country for generations to come.”

    Greenidge noted that the investigation confirms foreign nationals are already exploiting existing legal pathways to Barbadian citizenship and all the benefits that come with the island’s passport. Regardless of whether lawmakers support or oppose the current legal provisions, he said, the exposé serves as a urgent wake-up call: citizenship policy cannot be drafted in isolation, and must always account for its international ripple effects.

    The shadow minister was quick to clarify that the DLP is not calling for Barbados to close its borders to migration or turn away international investment. The country has long reaped the social and economic benefits of its identity as an open, welcoming society, he said, and that legacy remains a core strength. Even so, Greenidge stressed that the island nation has an non-negotiable responsibility to protect the integrity, credibility, and global standing of its citizenship system.

    “Recent global developments have made clear that citizenship policies around the world are facing growing scrutiny from foreign governments and major international institutions,” he noted. “Small island states like ours face disproportionate risk when confidence in our citizenship framework erodes. That is why Barbados must move slowly and deliberately any time changes to citizenship access rules are proposed.”

    In line with this position, the DLP has renewed its official call for thorough, line-by-line scrutiny of the pending Citizenship Bill and Immigration Bill, pushing for reforms that prioritize the long-term integrity and inherent value of Barbadian citizenship. “Citizenship is one of the most important legal statuses the nation of Barbados can grant to any person,” Greenidge added. “Its value has been built carefully over generations by the people of this country. It deserves the same level of care and vigilance to protect it that went into building its reputation in the first place.”

  • Second Venezuelan charged in AK-47s bust

    Second Venezuelan charged in AK-47s bust

    On Monday, June 22, 2026, Guyana law enforcement announced that a second Venezuelan national has been formally charged and remanded to custody in connection with a major illegal arms seizure earlier this month that uncovered 23 AK-47 assault rifles.

    The accused individual is 54-year-old Juan Felipe Gonzalez, a resident of Tuschen Housing Scheme located on Guyana’s East Bank Essequibo. According to official statements from the Guyana Police Force, Gonzalez faces one count of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony, a charge brought under Section 33 of the country’s Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.

    The charge stems from an ongoing multi-agency investigation into the unauthorized possession of firearms and ammunition, an incident that was first uncovered on June 11, 2026, in Schoonard, a community on Guyana’s West Bank Demerara. Gonzalez was taken into law enforcement custody one week after the initial seizure, on June 18, 2026, and appeared before Magistrate Rhondell Weaver at the Wales Magistrate’s Court this Monday to hear the formal charges read.

    Court procedures saw Gonzalez not required to enter a plea at this stage of proceedings. Requests for bail were rejected by the court, and Gonzalez was immediately remanded to prison to await further action in the case. The legal matter has been adjourned until July 14, 2026, when a progress report on the investigation is scheduled to be submitted to the court.

    Gonzalez is the second person to face charges connected to this high-profile arms cache. The first suspect, 27-year-old construction worker Jonathan David Gans, a resident of Great Diamond on East Bank Demerara, was arrested on the same day the cache was discovered. Gans has already been charged with two separate offenses: possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of unlicensed ammunition.

    The illegal arms stockpile, which included 23 fully automatic AK-47 assault rifles alongside more than 500 rounds of matching ammunition, was seized during a coordinated joint operation conducted by the Guyana Police Force and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit, launched to target illicit contraband smuggling in the region.

  • Defending champs advance to netball final

    Defending champs advance to netball final

    Two under-division netball fans witnessed two gripping semifinal matches at the Garfield Sobers Gymnasium this week, as top contenders Shirley Chisholm Primary and West Terrace Primary fought their way into the final of the Pedialyte Sport National Sports Council Netball Competition. As defending title holders, Shirley Chisholm Primary entered the semifinal against Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary as the team to beat, and they lived up to every expectation with a dominant 17-5 win over their opponents. The defending champions built their lead steadily through each quarter of play. By the end of a tightly contested first quarter, Shirley Chisholm held a narrow 4-2 advantage. They expanded their gap to six points by halftime, sitting comfortably at 9-3, and pushed their lead further to 13-4 heading into the final quarter. Top scorers dominated the scoreboard for the winning side: Lashanae Pasley delivered an impressive performance, sinking 9 of her 11 shot attempts, while teammate Kimaria Allen-Farell followed closely behind converting 8 of 12 attempts. For the defeated Wilkie Cumberbatch Primary, Zuri Stoute turned in a flawless shooting performance, making all four of her attempts, and Empress Nurse added one more point from three tries. In the first semifinal of the day, West Terrace Primary claimed their own spot in the championship match with a solid 12-6 win over Christ Church Girls. Similar to the second semifinal, West Terrace built their lead incrementally through each quarter. They jumped out to an early 4-1 lead after the first 15 minutes of play, and held a two-point 5-3 lead at halftime. By the end of the third quarter, West Terrace had expanded their advantage to 9-5, putting the match out of reach for Christ Church Girls. Ajela Gittens led all scorers for West Terrace, connecting on 7 of 11 shot attempts, and Lyah Williams put in an especially efficient performance with 5 successful shots from just 6 attempts. For Christ Church Girls, Hailey Bourne Skeete made her only shot attempt of the match, and Aaniyah Folkes converted 5 of 9 tries to round out the scoring. With both semifinal matches now completed, the stage is set for a high-stakes final between the defending champion Shirley Chisholm Primary and the undaunted West Terrace side, with the national title on the line.

  • UWI Five Islands Campus launches Blue Finance and Ocean Innovation event ahead of CHOGM

    UWI Five Islands Campus launches Blue Finance and Ocean Innovation event ahead of CHOGM

    During the 11th Our Ocean Conference held on June 16, a major new initiative to advance sustainable ocean development took center stage. The Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy (COBE) based at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Five Islands Campus formally announced the launch of its Blue Finance and Ocean Innovation Side Event, which will run parallel to the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled for November 2026.

    The launch announcement was delivered as part of a partner progress update during the Commonwealth Ocean Ministers Roundtable, a joint initiative hosted by the government of Kenya and the Commonwealth Secretariat. Dr. Branson Belle, COBE’s Executive Director, opened his address by introducing attendees to the core research and outreach missions of both the UWI Five Islands Campus and the specialized center, before walking stakeholders through the full planned agenda for the November side event.

    Per official event plans, the gathering will kick off with a multi-stakeholder exhibition highlighting cutting-edge ocean conservation projects led by organizations across local, regional and international levels. After the exhibition, participants will gather for an informal, solutions-focused “beachside chat” moderated by Charles Goddard of Economist Impact, which will bring together C-suite executives and senior leaders from the blue finance and ocean innovation sectors to share insights and opportunities. The full program also includes keynote presentations from participating heads of government, before the event concludes with a networking reception.

    Ocean restoration and sustainable ocean governance have long been top policy priorities for the Commonwealth, a bloc that brings together nations with extraordinary stakes in global ocean health. Collectively, Commonwealth member states manage roughly one-third of the world’s total ocean area under national jurisdiction, host 45 percent of the planet’s coral reef systems, and count 25 Small Island Developing States among their ranks — nations that are disproportionately reliant on healthy ocean ecosystems for economic and social stability.

    In 2024, the bloc reinforced this commitment when member nations unanimously adopted the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, a landmark agreement that binds signatories to take urgent, coordinated action to protect and restore global marine environments. The upcoming side event builds directly on this commitment, organizers said, by creating a dedicated space to connect policymakers, researchers, and financial leaders.

    Against this backdrop, the Blue Finance and Ocean Innovation Side Event aims to reframe global conversations about the ocean, emphasizing its irreplaceable role in supporting inclusive economic growth and livelihoods across all Commonwealth nations. Beyond discussion, the gathering is designed to catalyze new, increased investment in ocean conservation projects and scale up innovative, sustainable blue economy initiatives that balance human use with long-term marine protection. COBE is organizing the event in formal collaboration with two key institutional partners: the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.