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  • Espat on Mira Scandal: ‘Can’t Throw This Under the Rug’

    Espat on Mira Scandal: ‘Can’t Throw This Under the Rug’

    A growing public controversy over millions in government contracts awarded to relatives of Belize’s Minister of Home Affairs Oscar Mira is set to be formally discussed at the highest level of the country’s government next week, senior cabinet official Julius Espat has confirmed in an exclusive interview with local outlet News Five. Espat emphasized that the allegations of improper contracting are far too serious to be dismissed or swept under the rug, requiring a full, transparent review by the cabinet.

    The scandal gained new urgency this week following the emergence of official payment records showing that MP Farms – a company publicly linked to Brian Mira, Oscar Mira’s brother – received 44 separate, back-to-back payments on a single day in September 2025. All 44 transactions were individually processed for less than $10,000, a threshold that often triggers additional competitive bidding requirements for public contracts, and together the payments added up to $389,796.85. The structured, split-payment format has raised widespread questions about potential procurement rule-breaking to avoid oversight.

    This latest revelation is not an isolated incident: it builds on months of existing scrutiny over other public contracts awarded to additional members of the Mira family, including separate payments to Jenny Mira and a third contract tied to Stanley Mira, Oscar Mira’s other relatives.

    In his own defense, Oscar Mira has repeatedly denied any improper involvement in the contracting process. The Home Affairs Minister told reporters he does not sit on any government procurement committees, has never exerted influence over contracting decisions, and bears no responsibility for how the government structures payments to private suppliers. While he acknowledged the controversy has sparked negative public opinion toward his office, he maintains he has done nothing wrong and has no connection to the unusual payment structure linked to his brother’s company.

    For Espat, the accumulating allegations demand that the cabinet confront the issue head-on when it convenes for its scheduled meeting next week. He argued that the scandal is not something that can be hidden from public view or allowed to fade without formal review. “It will come up. It has to come up. Something like this can’t be thrown under the rug. It has to be discussed, analyzed. It has to be looked at closely,” Espat stated.

    Espat added that the full review of all relevant facts presents an important opportunity for the government to strengthen its oversight processes and address any existing gaps that allowed the situation to unfold. “All of these things that are happening and have happened in the past should give us an opportunity to learn and to better,” he noted.

    Under Belize’s governing structure, any final decision regarding Oscar Mira’s future in cabinet rests exclusively with Prime Minister John Briceño, as all cabinet ministers serve at the prime minister’s discretion. Espat stressed that Mira retains the right to defend himself against the allegations, and cabinet members will have the opportunity to share their perspectives on the findings before Briceño makes a final determination.

    “We don’t know all the facts and details yet, but we will get clarity because all relevant records are currently being compiled,” Espat said. “We have a right to voice our opinion as the process unfolds. At the end of the day we hope we can make the right decision.”

  • Derde helft WK 2026: Tsjechië komt niet langs Zuid-Afrika

    Derde helft WK 2026: Tsjechië komt niet langs Zuid-Afrika

    In a critical Group A clash at the 2026 Men’s FIFA World Cup held at Atlanta Stadium, Czechia and South Africa battled to a 1-1 draw, leaving both nations still in contention for a spot in the knockout stage of the tournament.

    The match made history off the pitch as well, with American referee Tori Penso taking charge of the fixture. Penso is only the second woman ever to officiate a men’s World Cup match, marking a landmark milestone for gender inclusivity in elite international football.

    Both sides entered the contest under intense pressure, having dropped all three points in their opening group matches. A defeat on the day would have eliminated either nation from advancing to the knockout round, creating a high-stakes atmosphere from kickoff.

    Czechia burst out of the gates with a dominant attacking display, carving out a clear goalscoring chance within the opening 60 seconds. Star striker Patrik Schick failed to convert the early opportunity, a miss that would prove costly for his side later in the match. South Africa struggled to contain Czechia’s relentless early pressure and survived multiple dangerous attacking surges from their European opponents without conceding an immediate second goal.

    Czechia made their early dominance count just five minutes into the match, when Michal Sadílek coolly finished off a well-crafted team attacking move to put his side 1-0 up. The Czechs looked set to extend their lead in the minutes following the opening goal, but South Africa’s defense held firm to prevent further damage. At the other end of the pitch, South Africa created their own promising chances, but attacker Thapelo Maseko was unable to find the net when presented with critical opportunities. No further goals were scored before halftime, sending Czechia into the break holding a narrow one-goal advantage.

    After the interval, Czechia returned looking to kill off the contest with an early second-half goal. They came close multiple times: Vladimír Darida saw his goal-bound shot deflected away by a South African defensive block, and South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams pulled off a spectacular save to turn away a 64km/h thunderbolt from Lukáš Červ, tipping the effort around the post for a corner. Williams was kept busy through much of the second half as Czechia continued to push for a second.

    The breakthrough for South Africa finally came in the 81st minute. Teboho Mokoena stepped up to take a penalty, firing his spot-kick into the corner as the Czech goalkeeper dived the wrong way to level the score at 1-1. Both sides pushed for a late winning goal in the remaining regulation time, with further chances carved out at both ends of the pitch, but neither could find a decisive finish.

    The final 1-1 scoreline means both Czechia and South Africa still retain a mathematical chance to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament, heading into their third and final group stage fixtures with everything still to play for.

  • Sentencing Day for Elmer Nah

    Sentencing Day for Elmer Nah

    Three years after a horrific New Year’s Eve shooting destroyed a Belmopan family, a disgraced former law enforcement officer convicted of the brutal massacre is set to receive his official sentence Wednesday.

    Elmer Nah, once a decorated police corporal, will appear before the Belize High Court this afternoon for the final phase of one of the nation’s most high-profile homicide cases. He was found guilty in late May of three counts of murder and one additional count of attempted murder for the bloodshed that unfolded at the Ramnarace family residence on December 31, 2022.

    The gunfire left brothers Jon and David Ramnarace dead at the scene. Jon’s wife, Vivian Belisle Ramnarace, pulled through the initial assault but died from her complications two weeks after the attack. The fourth person targeted in the attack, Yemi Alberto, escaped with his life and survived the shooting.

    Presiding Justice Nigel Pilgrim is scheduled to issue the official ruling on punishment at 1:00 p.m., closing the book on a case that has gripped public attention across Belize for years. A key turning point in the trial came from a dying declaration recorded by Vivian Belisle Ramnarace before her passing. In his May verdict, Justice Pilgrim emphasized that her account was both credible and consistent, adding that surveillance video evidence aligned perfectly with her description of the attack and the attacker.

    The court also entirely rejected Nah’s claims about his location during the shooting, finding that the former officer had intentionally provided false information to both investigators and the judicial panel. This finding of deliberate perjury was cited as a major factor supporting the guilty convictions handed down last month. Today’s sentencing will bring long-awaited closure to a case that has shocked the small Central American nation since the deadly 2022 attack.

  • St Andrew man remanded on attempted murder charge

    St Andrew man remanded on attempted murder charge

    A young man from St Andrew has been placed in pre-trial custody at Dodds Prison following his arraignment on a serious charge of attempted murder.

    25-year-old Zaire Keshon Goodman, who resides at Radcliff Way in the Belleplaine Housing Area, made his first court appearance on Thursday before Chief Magistrate Douglas Frederick at the District ‘A’ Criminal Court. The charge stems from an alleged violent incident that took place on June 8, according to court records.

    As the offense against Goodman is indictable — meaning it will proceed to a higher trial court if the case proceeds — the defendant was not required to enter a formal plea during this initial hearing. Court officials have scheduled Goodman’s next appearance in the criminal court for July 16, when the case will be revisited as the legal process moves forward. No further details about the alleged incident or the alleged victim have been released alongside the court announcement.

  • FAO Sub-regional Office of the Cbean pays tribute to the late Dr Shelly-Ann Cox

    FAO Sub-regional Office of the Cbean pays tribute to the late Dr Shelly-Ann Cox

    The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is honoring the legacy of Dr. Shelly-Ann Cox, Barbados’ late Chief Fisheries Officer, following her unexpected death, hailing her as a transformative trailblazer who redefined sustainable fisheries management across the Caribbean island nation and left an indelible mark on the entire region.

    In an official tribute released after her passing, the FAO described Dr. Cox as an irreplaceable strategic collaborator whose work drove critical progress in sustainable fishing and aquaculture through forward-thinking policy design, strengthened institutional governance, and an unwavering dedication to the long-term growth of the global blue economy. The entire FAO team covering Barbados and the wider Caribbean expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the leader, who reshaped the sector in just three years in her role as chief officer.

    From the start of her tenure, Dr. Cox worked hand-in-hand with FAO as an ally to advance sustainable fisheries development across Barbados and the Caribbean, aligning local efforts with the UN body’s Blue Transformation vision for ocean sustainability. In her short time in the top role, she delivered outsized impact, drawing on deep technical expertise, a collaborative leadership style, and a persistent focus on empowering the next generation of fisheries professionals. Her vision, drive, and devotion to fishing communities stood out as unmatched among regional peers, FAO noted.

    One of Dr. Cox’s most landmark achievements was guiding Barbados’ 2023–2033 National Fisheries Policy through its final development and approval stages, an initiative backed by FAO funding and technical support. Under her leadership, the policy broke new ground by introducing innovative frameworks to add value to fish by-products, turning what was long categorized as discarded waste into new opportunities for economic growth and reduced environmental impact. Her success in turning policy text into actionable, on-the-ground change has already become a model for other Caribbean nations working to advance their own sustainable fisheries transitions.

    Planning to update and modernize Barbados’ outdated fisheries legislation began before the COVID-19 pandemic, and when public health priorities shifted short-term focus to developing the national fisheries policy through the FAO-supported StewardFish Project, Dr. Cox never abandoned her broader goal of reforming the entire legal framework for aquatic food system sustainability. Building on the foundation laid during the policy development process, she took a central role in steering the drafting and adoption of Barbados’ 2025 Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development Act, a flagship initiative of the island’s government.

    Her technical knowledge and leadership shaped this ground-breaking legislation, which strengthens fisheries governance, boosts environmental protection standards, expands social safety nets for fishing communities, and ensures Barbados maintains access to key international markets by meeting the compliance requirements of the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. Through these systemic reforms, Dr. Cox secured a lasting legacy that will benefit Barbados’ fisheries resources and the thousands of families that depend on the sector for generations, FAO emphasized.

    In a May 2026 meeting with FAO leadership, just shortly before her passing, Dr. Cox laid out her bold long-term vision: that Barbados could reach the milestone of zero fish waste by 2028. That ambitious target reflected both her relentless drive for progress and her confidence in the gains the country had already made toward building a sustainable, circular bioeconomy for aquatic food systems.

    Dr. Cox’s final professional projects with FAO underscored her enduring commitment to advancing regional fisheries development. These included wrapping up work on a new guide to anchored Fish Aggregating Devices (aFADs), a common fishing practice across the Caribbean, and launching a regional study on dolphinfish maturity. Barbados was selected as the pilot nation for this initiative by the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), a choice that reflected the widespread regional confidence in Dr. Cox’s leadership and Barbados’ technical capacity under her direction.

    Tributes continue to flow in from colleagues, project partners, and industry stakeholders who worked alongside Dr. Cox on FAO-backed initiatives, all of whom highlight that beyond her far-reaching professional achievements, she will be remembered for her warm personality, contagious passion for her work, and unwavering commitment to lifting up others. Her collaborative approach united diverse stakeholders around shared goals, her leadership inspired confidence and urgent action, and her genuine kindness left a lasting impact on every person she worked with.

    While her sudden passing has left a deep gap across the regional fisheries community, FAO notes that the impact of her life’s work and the legacy she leaves behind will continue to shape progress across Barbados, the Caribbean, and all the communities and institutions she served with such passion. “Rest well, Dr. Cox. We will miss you,” the tribute concludes.

  • Kings, Blazers take pole position in KFC basketball league

    Kings, Blazers take pole position in KFC basketball league

    The 2026 edition of the KFC National Basketball League’s postseason got underway Wednesday evening at Beausejour Gymnasium, kicking off the semifinal round with two action-packed opening matches. The top four squads emerging from the regular season are now competing in a best-of-three series, with the first two victories from any team securing a spot in the league’s final championship round.

    In the first matchup, reigning title holders Soufriere Kings kicked off their championship defense with a hard-fought 67-60 win over challenger Morne Gladiators, grabbing a critical 1-0 series lead. The defending champions got off to a fast start, jumping out to a 21-17 advantage in the opening quarter. However, the Gladiators mounted a steady comeback to flip the scoreboard, taking a 36-32 lead into halftime — a feat made even more impressive by the fact that they suffered an early injury to starting guard Lanse Prospere.

    The two sides remained neck-and-neck through the third quarter, heading into the final frame tied at 50 points apiece. In the closing minutes of regulation, the Soufriere Kings drew on their championship experience to pull away from the Gladiators, locking in a seven-point victory to open the series.

    Leading the charge for the winning side was Sydney Didier, who put up a well-rounded stat line of 17 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Kimani Charles earned Player of the Game honors for his standout defensive performance, notching 15 points and a staggering nine steals. Frontcourt presence Jayzee Saltibus dominated the glass, recording a double-double of 13 points and 18 rebounds, helping the Kings win the rebounding battle 66-52 overall. On the free throw line, the Kings also held an edge, converting 12 attempts to the Gladiators’ seven. For the Morne Gladiators, forward Shamoir JnBaptiste put on an offensive showcase, scoring a game-high 29 points, but his efforts were not enough to overcome the Kings’ collective rebounding and late-game push.

    In the second semifinal opening game, the Bonne Terre Blazers extended their undefeated streak against the Courts Jets with a dramatic one-point 71-70 win to claim their own 1-0 series advantage. Troy Louison led all Blazers scorers with an impressive 34 points on 12-for-24 shooting, adding 14 rebounds to secure a massive double-double. Andre Louison contributed 18 points and eight boards, while Kyanni Elwin rounded out the core scoring with 15 points and five rebounds. Long-range shooting proved to be the deciding factor for the Blazers, who knocked down 12 three-pointers compared to just seven made triples from the Jets.

    For the Courts Jets, sharpshooter Tristan James matched the Blazers’ perimeter effort early, finishing with 20 points that included five three-pointers. Guard Ron Dumurville added 16 points and dished out eight assists to pace the Jets’ offense. The narrow one-point loss leaves the Jets trailing the series heading into Game 2, but still in contention to tie the series in the next matchup.

    The semifinal round will continue this Friday, June 19, with the second game of both series tipping off at 7:00 p.m. local time at the same Beausejour Gymnasium venue.

  • DOMINICA: UWP Unveils Fresh Faces as Opposition Positions for Major Electoral Breakthrough

    DOMINICA: UWP Unveils Fresh Faces as Opposition Positions for Major Electoral Breakthrough

    On a Thursday marked by high political energy, Dominica’s main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) took a decisive step forward in its bid to unseat the long-governing Dominica Labour Party, introducing two fresh candidates and formally locking in former parliamentarian Danny Lugay as its nominee for the widely anticipated Roseau North by-election. Party leaders framed the event as proof of building momentum ahead of what could be the end of nearly three decades of continuous Labour Party control.

    Dubbed the launch of “Team Dominica”, the event brought forward Juliet Schillingford, a seasoned urban planner, as the UWP’s candidate for the Roseau Central constituency, alongside local businessman Delbert Paris, who will stand for the party in Marigot. Lugay, who has previously held the Roseau North parliamentary seat, was confirmed as the opposition’s official representative for the upcoming by-election, which political observers widely expect to be called within the next 90 days.

    Already, this single-seat contest has emerged as a critical early barometer of national sentiment: it will be the first chance for Dominican voters to deliver a formal public judgment on the Labour administration’s performance, and a test of widespread appetite for systemic political change after 27 years in power.

    UWP leader Dr. Thompson Fontaine positioned the upcoming Roseau North vote as the opening salvo of a national campaign to replace the sitting government, urging local constituents to rally behind Lugay’s candidacy. “As we face a potential by-election in the Roseau North constituency, I call upon the constituents to send a strong message to this government,” Fontaine declared to a crowd of cheering supporters. He added, “Twenty-seven years is a long time for this generation of youth to be in the valley of economic depression”—a comment that drew resounding applause from party backers.

    The candidate launch was intentionally structured to showcase the UWP’s vision for a new generation of governance, blending the experience of veteran political hands with fresh perspectives from young professionals and established community leaders. Schillingford, a Roseau native and widely respected urban planning expert, delivered one of the event’s sharpest rejections of the incumbent government’s track record in the capital. “Roseau Central has been neglected. Roseau Central has not been a priority, and the people of Roseau Central deserve better,” she said.

    She outlined a litany of unaddressed issues facing the constituency: crumbling public infrastructure, chronic traffic congestion that has crippled movement, small businesses struggling to stay afloat, and a string of long-promised development projects that have never broken ground. After decades of unfulfilled pledges from the ruling party, she argued, Roseau Central residents have been forced to accept steadily declining quality of life.

    For his part, Paris earned unanimous backing from local UWP supporters in Marigot, framing himself as part of a new wave of leaders committed to upholding the constituency’s long-standing tradition of independent political thought. He called on all Dominicans to reject complacency in the nation’s political life and step up as active participants in building the country’s future.

    The event also put on display a newly consolidated unity within opposition ranks. Fontaine confirmed that veteran Dominican political figures, including former Prime Minister Edison James and former Opposition Leader Lennox Linton, will take on active, prominent roles in upcoming campaign efforts, as opposition factions align to challenge the governing Labour Party.

    Throughout the launch event, speakers repeatedly drew a clear line between the UWP’s policy vision and what they described as a culture of political dependency fostered by the Labour Party. The UWP, by contrast, pledged to deliver sustainable jobs, broad economic opportunity, and national self-reliance.

    Fontaine specifically criticized the incumbent government’s reliance on political patronage and one-off handouts, arguing that Dominicans deserve long-term, stable employment rather than periodic, temporary assistance. “We’ll work to dismantle this red clinic so that the people of Dominica will not expect handouts from us, but they will expect jobs,” he said.

    The party also used the launch to pull back the curtain on its formal policy platform, the “10 Pillars to Shared Prosperity”. The agenda includes commitments to raise national wages, overhaul the country’s tax code, expand support for the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, boost youth entrepreneurship, strengthen government accountability, and gradually reduce Dominica’s heavy economic reliance on its controversial Citizenship by Investment programme.

    The Roseau North by-election is set to pit Lugay against Labour Party candidate Ashma McDougall, and has grown far beyond a race for a single parliamentary seat. For a UWP that has rebuilt its strength after years of internal divides and electoral losses, the contest is a critical opportunity to prove that Dominica’s political landscape is shifting, and that the Labour Party’s decades-long grip on power is no longer unassailable.

    After years on the back foot following internal rifts and poor election results, Thursday’s candidate launch was crafted to deliver one unambiguous message: the United Workers Party is back as a competitive political force, and it intends to contest every parliamentary seat in upcoming elections with the explicit goal of forming the next national government.

  • Trump Administration Ramps Up Denaturalisation Cases

    Trump Administration Ramps Up Denaturalisation Cases

    A sweeping new policy shift from the second Trump administration is set to dramatically escalate the number of denaturalization cases pursued by the U.S. Department of Justice, with a target of filing at least 250 such actions by October 2026, according to a senior anonymous DOJ source interviewed by CNN. This initiative marks an unprecedented acceleration of efforts to strip citizenship from naturalized American citizens, a process that has remained exceptionally rare over the past 18 years.

    Data compiled by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) underscores the severity of this new push. From 2008 through June 12, 2026, just 166 denaturalization cases were filed across all presidential administrations, averaging fewer than 10 cases annually. Even in the full four-year term of the prior Biden administration, only 24 such cases were brought to court. So far in 2026 alone, the current DOJ has already filed 29 cases centered on allegations of fraud during the naturalization application process.

    CNN reports that this expanded crackdown is a core component of President Trump’s broader anti-immigration policy agenda, and has already triggered internal reshuffling of department resources. To handle the expected surge in caseload, the DOJ has reassigned civil litigators to work on denaturalization actions and has mandated participation from U.S. attorney offices across every federal judicial district in the country.

    Department officials outlined to CNN the types of conduct targeted under the new initiative. Most cases center on claims of application fraud, failure to disclose prior criminal activity, or allegations of child sexual abuse. A smaller subset of cases also involves individuals suspected of having ties to terrorism-related activity that was concealed during the naturalization process.

    Under longstanding U.S. immigration law, naturalized citizenship can be legally revoked if it is determined that the status was obtained illegally or through the knowing misrepresentation of material information on a citizenship application. If the government prevails in a denaturalization case, the individual is returned to their prior immigration status and almost immediately becomes eligible for deportation from the United States.

    While DOJ officials emphasize that the policy is narrowly targeted at serious fraud and threats to national security, independent legal experts have raised notes of caution. They point out that denaturalization remains a procedurally complex legal process, and successfully pursuing hundreds of such cases at scale presents unprecedented practical and legal challenges that could limit the administration’s ability to meet its aggressive target.

  • Award-winning Cuban musician to perform in Italy

    Award-winning Cuban musician to perform in Italy

    Celebrated Cuban experimental composer Ernesto Oliva is set to take the stage at two of Italy’s most prestigious contemporary music events this coming season, having secured invitations to perform at the Piano City Pordenone Festival and Rome’s iconic Rive Gauche Jazz Festival. The announcement, confirmed by Cuba’s official Cuban Music Institute (ICM), frames the upcoming performances as the latest validation of Oliva’s standing as “one of the most compelling voices in modern Cuban music.”

    A graduate in musical composition from Havana’s esteemed Higher Institute of the Arts (ISA), Oliva first rose to prominence as the founding mind behind the innovative Ernesto Oliva y La Aldea creative project. Throughout his career, his work has been defined by a relentless pursuit of unexplored sonic languages, shaped by a singular perspective on contemporary creation that weaves together experimentation, commitment to Cuban cultural identity, and profound expressive sensitivity.

    Oliva’s genre-defying sound draws from multiple interconnected influences: rooted in the traditional folk music of his native Guantanamo province, it also incorporates structural elements of contemporary classical composition, improvisational energy from jazz, and rhythmic traditions pulled from Afro-Cuban cultural heritage. This unique blend has allowed his work to resonate with diverse audiences across four continents, earning a loyal following across Cuba, Latin America, Europe, and the United States. The ICM emphasizes that Oliva’s greatest artistic strength lies in his ability to deliver an original, viscerally communicative experience to listeners, merging disparate stylistic threads into a cohesive, immersive whole that defies easy categorization.

    Most recently, Oliva’s artistic contributions have been recognized with three 2026 Cubadisco Awards, one of Cuba’s highest honors for recorded music. His critically acclaimed album *De regreso a la aldea* (Returning to the Village) took home top prizes in three competitive categories: Chamber Music, Musicological Notes, and Feature-Length Concert, cementing his reputation as one of Cuba’s most talented and forward-thinking contemporary musicians ahead of his Italian festival debut.

  • Cuban Parliament assesses economic transformation proposals

    Cuban Parliament assesses economic transformation proposals

    Havana, Cuba – Cuba’s Council of State has called an extraordinary third session of the National Assembly of People’s Power, to be held Thursday afternoon during the legislative body’s 10th term. The gathering carries major national significance, as it will bring together parliamentary representatives to evaluate a sweeping set of policy blueprints for economic and social development that were publicly unveiled just days prior by Miguel Diaz-Canel, who serves both as President of Cuba and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC).