标签： Belize

In October 2025, while many public sector employees in Belize celebrated a newly implemented salary increase, a significant group of workers found themselves excluded from this financial uplift. Among those left out were employees of the National Library Service, who did not receive the anticipated adjustment in their paychecks. According to Dean Flowers, President of the Public Service Union (PSU), this exclusion stems from the library service’s conversion into a statutory board over two decades ago, which reclassified its workers outside the public officer category. Flowers expressed deep concern over this development, labeling it a ‘sad situation’ and criticizing it as a result of flawed political decisions. He emphasized that these workers are now deprived of not only the salary adjustment but also their pension benefits, which have been ‘wiped out completely.’ Flowers called for urgent action, including the design of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to address the issue. He also warned that other statutory bodies, such as the Belize Tax Services Department, could face similar challenges if economic analyses fail to demonstrate their ability to sustain proposed benefits. Flowers’ remarks highlight broader concerns about the sustainability and fairness of public service reforms in Belize.

Two individuals convicted for the heinous murder of 70-year-old businessman Oscar Rosado Sr. are now challenging their convictions and sentences in the Court of Appeal. Brandon Hughes, identified as the shooter, is serving a life sentence with no parole eligibility for 30 years, while his accomplice, Jose Gomez, who claimed he only intended to rob the store, is serving a 12-year sentence with a minimum of eight years before parole. Both have been incarcerated for less than two years but are now seeking to overturn their verdicts. After two hours of rigorous arguments, the court reserved its decision for a later date. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Sheiniza Smith defended the convictions, emphasizing the profound impact of the crime on Rosado’s family and the necessity of upholding justice. In contrast, defense attorneys Orson ‘OJ’ Elrington and David McKoy argued that the convictions were ‘unsafe,’ citing missing transcripts, incomplete notes, and the absence of a written judgment. They contended that these omissions hindered a fair assessment of the trial judge’s application of the law, labeling it a ‘tremendous miscarriage of justice.’ For the Rosado family, the appeal has reopened painful wounds. Oscar Rosado Jr. expressed his anguish, stating, ‘They should be thankful their lives are in limbo. They should be thankful to be alive—because my dad is dead. My dad cannot ask for an appeal.’ The Court of Appeal’s decision remains pending.

In a distressing turn of events, the McKoy family from Unitedville has spoken out after being wrongfully accused in the murder of Police Constable Oswald Young Senior. The incident, which occurred on October 10, 2025, has raised significant concerns about police procedures and the impact on innocent families. Jamil McKoy, a local mechanic, was arrested on the night of the shooting but was later exonerated when surveillance footage confirmed his alibi. The Ministry of Home Affairs has labeled the killing as a targeted attack on law enforcement, emphasizing the urgency of the ongoing investigation. The McKoy family, still reeling from the trauma of the wrongful accusation, has called for greater care in handling such sensitive cases to prevent further distress to innocent parties.

A harrowing incident unfolded on Simon Lamb Street in Belize City on Saturday afternoon, leaving two young individuals dead in what authorities suspect to be a murder-suicide. The victims, identified as 26-year-old Kiera Gentle and 27-year-old Harrison Arnold, were found lifeless in a bedroom, both suffering from gunshot wounds. Police were alerted to the scene following reports of gunfire within a residence. Upon arrival, they discovered the tragic aftermath of what appears to be a domestic dispute turned fatal. An audio recording from the vicinity captured a woman’s screams followed by three gunshots, with another three shots heard 14 seconds later. A nine-millimeter pistol, registered to Arnold, was recovered at the scene. Investigators revealed that Gentle and Arnold had been in a relationship but had recently separated. Friends and family described the pair as vibrant and full of life, making their untimely deaths all the more shocking. The Belize Police Department has launched a full investigation into the incident, which has left the community in mourning.