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标签： Belize

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  • GOB Promises Reform Soon, Belizeans Demand Accountability Now

    GOB Promises Reform Soon, Belizeans Demand Accountability Now

    Weeks after a high-stakes defense ministry spending scandal broke in Belize, a national debate has emerged over whether the government is prioritizing systemic reform over holding wrongdoers accountable, leaving the public demanding answers for alleged mismanagement and corruption.

    The controversy, which centers on questionable supply contracts and non-compliant spending practices within the Ministry of Defense, has already placed two former defense ministers—Florencio Marin Jr. and Oscar Mira—on administrative leave as the Auditor General completes a full independent audit. When the scandal first emerged in early July 2026, Prime Minister John Briceño offered a clear public guarantee: no one would be shielded from consequences, regardless of their position.

    “The auditor general will carry out a full, unobstructed investigation. If any wrongdoing is uncovered, whether connected to career public officers or elected politicians, those responsible will be held to account. We will not engage in a cover-up,” Briceño stated in a July 3 address to the nation.

    In the weeks that followed, however, the national conversation has shifted steadily toward broad structural changes to Belize’s long-troubled public procurement system, rather than immediate accountability for the current controversy. Cabinet ministers across the ruling People’s United Party (PUP) administration have framed the scandal as a long-overdue opportunity to fix systemic flaws that have plagued successive governments of both major parties for decades.

    Kareem Musa, a senior cabinet minister, noted July 23 that problematic procurement processes have “bedeviled us for decades, not just this PUP administration, past UDP and PUP administrations.” Home Affairs Minister Francis Fonseca echoed that assessment on July 21, acknowledging “we have a broken procurement system and that has been the case for many years. Successive governments under both administrations may have been comfortable with that broken system.”

    Cabinet Minister Henry Charles Usher added July 27 that the priority is to close gaps in oversight and update existing controls, a position that aligns with the government’s growing focus on systemic reform. “I think it’s important that if there are areas that need improvement, that those areas are improved, that if there are additional controls that need to be put in place… What is important is that an audit is done,” Usher said.

    While most political leaders agree that reforming the broken procurement framework is a critical long-term goal, many public figures and ordinary Belizeans argue that accountability for the current scandal is being sidelined. The core unresolved question remains: once the audit is finalized, will any senior officials or public servants actually face consequences for violating the Finance and Audit Reform Act?

    Richard “Dickie” Bradley, a former public service chief executive with decades of experience in government finance, warned that the country’s public financial management framework is already failing at its most basic functions. “We have started to see in the country that something is going terribly wrong with the control of public monies. There is no accountability. There are no checks and balance. There is no transparency. You can’t run a country like that,” Bradley argued.

    Unlike many commentators who have focused blame on the two former defense ministers on leave, Bradley contends that ultimate responsibility for improper spending lies with the career public officers tasked with managing public finances. “There is a pressure on some public officers, but there is also corruption involved because if I defending my invoice to collect money, I can say to you, you know if you speed up my thing, you gonna get something. And then the second time around you say like, I don’t want to speed up nothing because da wa lee slightaz, can’t even pay school fees for that kind of money. I give you more and so,” Bradley explained, using local Kriol phrasing to describe the incremental growth of corrupt practices. “The buck stops at the public officers. The accountants, the finance officers, the chief executive officer. That is where the problem can be resolved and solved. If we find that the procedure is a little outdated and a bit colonial, we have the ability to improve and change it.”

    Bradley’s position rejects the government’s framing that systemic reform must come before accountability, arguing instead that holding individual bad actors responsible is the more urgent priority. The Public Service Union (PSU), the country’s main public sector labor body, has gone even further, openly calling for the permanent removal of former defense minister Oscar Mira from Cabinet. PSU president Dean Flowers stated July 24 that the organization has formally demanded Mira’s permanent ouster from government.

    As calls for broad procurement reform grow louder, the fate of accountability remains unresolved. Belizeans are now watching closely to see whether the government will hold wrongdoers responsible first, or push through systemic changes before any consequences are handed down. Reporting for News Five, Paul Lopez delivered this update from Belize City.

  • Price Gaps in BDF Food Contracts Go Beyond Mayonnaise

    Price Gaps in BDF Food Contracts Go Beyond Mayonnaise

    What began as a public controversy over inflated mayonnaise pricing for military rations has expanded into a broader investigation of Belize Defense Force (BDF) food supply contracts, with newly leaked procurement documents revealing systemic price gaps across multiple staple products that have cost taxpayers millions of extra dollars.

    Local outlet News Five’s months-long review of Ministry of Defense tender records from the 2023-2024 fiscal year confirms that the abnormal markup on mayonnaise was not an isolated incident. In multiple product categories, the ministry awarded contracts to suppliers that submitted far higher bids, even when substantially lower-priced offers from qualified vendors were on the table. The findings have reignited public debate over government procurement transparency, asking whether public funds are being managed to deliver maximum value, or if unstated factors are driving contract awards.

    The mayonnaise scandal first broke when records showed J&J Imports won a BDF supply contract despite pricing its product nearly 400% higher than a competing bid from Mount Pleasant Fresh Produce – and both firms ultimately secured contracts to deliver the condiment. The newly reviewed documents show this pattern repeats across other common ration items.

    Take coconut powder, for example. Belize Imports and Goods (BIG), a firm registered in 2017, offered a 12-packet unit of coconut powder for just $12.84, and supplied 421 units to the BDF each month. By comparison, the Ministry of Defense paid Mount Pleasant Fresh Produce $28.60 per identical unit, for a monthly allocation of 500 units. The highest bidder, A and Y Fresh Vegetables, received a contract at $30 per unit – more than double the price of BIG’s low bid.

    The same pricing discrepancy appears in the procurement of pepper sauce, another staple for military rations. Northern Heat, a food manufacturer founded in 2013, supplied 20 cases of 10-ounce pepper sauce monthly at a contract price of $37.20 per case. Mount Pleasant Fresh Produce, meanwhile, was awarded a contract to supply 3,396 cases annually of 10-ounce Marie Sharp Pepper sauce at $74 per case – a markup that far outpaces even the producer’s current retail price of $56 per case directly to consumers. A third supplier, Elodia Cervantes, was paid $86 per case of the same 10-ounce product. Once again, the highest contracted price was more than double the lowest available bid.

    While the available tender documents do not clarify whether differing product brands or specifications explain any of the markup for items outside of Mount Pleasant’s Marie Sharp line, the sheer scale of the price gaps has prompted serious questions about the bid evaluation and award process. Reporters note that the pattern of awarding contracts to higher bidders across multiple product categories cannot be easily dismissed as a clerical error, leaving taxpayers to wait for answers about how public procurement for the national military is being conducted.

  • Five Years Later…. where is Belize’s Whistleblowers Bill?

    Five Years Later…. where is Belize’s Whistleblowers Bill?

    Five years after government draftsmen completed the first version of Belize’s landmark Protected Disclosures Bill—better known as the Whistleblowers Bill—the proposed anti-corruption legislation remains mired in legislative limbo, leaving would-be corruption informants exposed to retaliation and derailing the country’s commitments to strengthen good governance. Today, legal analysts, labor leaders and transparency advocates are calling for sweeping revisions to the existing draft, arguing that the current text falls far short of international standards to protect people who speak out against public and private wrongdoing, leaving a critical gap in Belize’s accountability framework.

    The push for formal whistleblower protection in Belize stretches back more than a decade. Dean Flowers, president of the Public Service Union of Belize, explained that the campaign for dedicated legislation first emerged as a collective bargaining demand in the union’s 2009 policy proposals, was officially tabled for debate under the previous Barrow administration in 2012, and only secured a commitment to draft formal legislation from Prime Minister John Briceño’s current administration in 2020. The final draft was completed in 2021, but five years later, it has yet to move to a parliamentary vote or enactment.

    Across the broader Commonwealth and Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Belize’s delay is not an anomaly. Of the 56 member states that make up the Commonwealth, fewer than half have passed dedicated whistleblower protection laws, and within CARICOM, only a small number of nations have followed Jamaica’s lead in enacting comprehensive protected disclosure legislation.

    For many Belizeans, the human cost of lacking this legislation is not an abstract issue. In 2013, high-profile whistleblower Alvarine Burgess exposed a major national immigration scandal that forced calls for the removal of then-Minister of State Edmond Castro. According to prominent Belizean attorney Richard “Dickie” Bradley, Burgess was ultimately forced to flee the country after facing retaliation for speaking out publicly about the corruption.

    Today, the Briceño administration faces new scrutiny over leaked documents revealing lax oversight of the Ministry of Defense’s Smart Stream payment program, with key questions left unanswered as government agencies deflect responsibility. Transparency advocates warn that without formal whistleblower protections, potential informants are unlikely to step forward with evidence that could resolve the lingering controversy. Compounding the gap in accountability, Belize has operated without an ombudsman since late 2025, leaving no independent body to field reports of misconduct.

    Former Ombudsman Major Gilbert Swaso (Ret’d) noted that fear of retaliation has created a culture of silence across the public sector, which is Belize’s largest employer. “Fear is defeating integrity,” Swaso explained. “Several people are afraid to do the right thing, which is to report any wrong that is being perpetrated by anyone.”

    After the draft bill was released in 2021, key stakeholders including the Public Service Union and the Belize Chambers of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) conducted a formal review and identified multiple critical deficiencies in the text. Reyhan Rosado, chief policy analyst at BCCI, said the draft’s existing protections for whistleblowers and their family members fall far short of international best practices, and the legislation lacks a key incentive common to effective whistleblower frameworks: a reward system for disclosures that recover lost public funds.

    Critics point out that while Belize already has accountability-focused institutions such as the Integrity Commission, these bodies are not equipped to protect whistleblowers from retaliation. The full list of flaws identified in the current draft includes: no full protection for anonymous reports, no provisions for financial rewards, no formal physical safety protections, limited formal reporting channels, no independent dedicated whistleblower oversight agency, and no reverse burden of proof for people facing retaliation after making a disclosure.

    Bradley warned that without comprehensive whistleblower protections and an end to political interference in public service hiring, Belize risks deepening systemic corruption. “If we continue as a young country to allow politicians to give their supporters these important jobs, Belize is on the way to become a failed state because then the politicians and the public servants are going to be in collusion to be able to waste and steal resources, which primarily is money,” Bradley said.

    Stakeholders have put forward a package of proposed amendments to address the gaps in the current draft. The changes would create an independent whistleblower protection agency, mandate formal police protection for at-risk informants, introduce financial rewards for disclosures that lead to recovered public funds, codify full protections for anonymous reporting, extend protections to whistleblowers’ family members, increase penalties for people who retaliate against informants, and establish faster legal relief for whistleblowers who face retaliation.

    Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre confirmed that the recommendations have been formally submitted to the government and are currently under active review. “That’s an ongoing discussion. The unions and other stakeholders and social partners have raised that as an issue. As to that live issue, no final determination has been made, but certainly it is something that has been brought to government’s attention and it is still under review,” Sylvestre said.

    Across the board, advocates agree that Belize needs whistleblower legislation—their concern is whether the current draft before lawmakers goes far enough to encourage people to speak up. If potential informants continue to fear job loss, retaliation, or putting their families at risk, critics note, most will choose to stay silent, leaving systemic corruption unchallenged and undermining Belize’s commitments to transparent, accountable governance.

  • New Liquor Laws Proposed, But Who Will Enforce Them?

    New Liquor Laws Proposed, But Who Will Enforce Them?

    As Belize’s urban landscape and nightlife economy have evolved dramatically over recent decades, with residential neighborhoods expanding around existing bars, clubs, and liquor-selling outlets, the nation’s outdated liquor regulatory framework has failed to keep up with shifting community needs. In response, the Belizean government has launched a public consultation process to modernize the century-adjacent rules, with proposed reforms covering key areas including licensing protocols, noise management, operating hours, and regulatory structure. But at the first public consultation held Tuesday night at Belize City’s House of Culture, local residents made clear their top priority is not what the new law says — it is who will guarantee the new rules are actually enforced.

    The consultation, covered by News Five reporter Shane Williams, centered on one of the most pressing community concerns: the dangerous overconcentration of liquor-selling establishments near educational institutions. Standing outside Belize City’s All-Saints Primary School, which has served hundreds of children aged 5 to 13 since its founding in 1958, Williams noted that more than five licensed alcohol vendors operate within a short walk of the school grounds. A local resident from the Kings Park neighborhood confirmed that at least five alcohol-serving clubs sit within 100 feet of the school, a persistent complaint from local families. He added that even after a shooting incident two weeks prior at a popular Bayman area nightlife spot, the venue has continued operations as if no event occurred.

    Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner explained that many of the problematic existing licenses were issued decades ago, long before current land use patterns developed. Today, the city council has enacted a formal policy rejecting new liquor license applications for locations near schools and houses of worship. “For new applications that come before the board, in respect to schools and churches, we keep those context in mind and try to ensure we don’t grant any liquor licenses in those areas,” Wagner explained. “Of course, you have established businesses that have been there for some time. Any changes to legislation will require us to figure out how to grandfather these existing operations into the new framework.”

    While proximity to sensitive community sites remained a core concern, most attendees quickly shifted the conversation to what they called the far bigger issue: systemic failure to enforce existing liquor regulations. A Wilson Street resident shared a harrowing personal experience to illustrate the gap between law and practice. His 99-year-old grandmother lives in an upstairs unit of his home, and he described a recent night when loud bass from a nearby nightclub blared nonstop until 4 a.m. “I went to bed at nine, woke up at four, and the music was still playing — I could hear it clearly from my bed,” he recalled. “I took a video, called the police, and they said there was nothing they could do because the club had a permit. When I went down to the club myself after 4 a.m. to ask to see their after-hours permit, police already on site pulled pepper spray and warned me to step away.”

    This experience struck a chord with other attendees, many of whom shared similar stories of intimidation after reporting regulatory violations. One Kings Park resident noted he had repeatedly reported violations to local authorities and even received direct threats from license holders for speaking out, saying “I’m not afraid to say it because I received threats from somebody that they will do me harm, but I care less.”

    Some business owners also criticized the draft reforms for being one-sided. Linsford Rosado, owner of local open-air nightlife venue Thirsty Thursdays, argued the proposed changes focus almost exclusively on bars and nightclubs while ignoring a longstanding unaddressed issue: unregulated liquor sales to minors at small neighborhood shops. “The reform seems to be one-sided. I haven’t heard anything about the shops that sell liquor even to minors,” Rosado said. “As you walk into any shop in Belize, the first thing you see is alcohol. This is not just a nighttime problem — it’s a daytime problem, it’s a Sunday problem, because liquor is being sold hand over fist in every small shop across the country.”

    Officials from the Ministry of Local Government noted that feedback collected from public consultations across Belize will be used to refine the final comprehensive reform package. The stated goal of the update is to create a modern regulatory system that strikes a fair balance between supporting the growth of the local hospitality and nightlife industry and protecting the quality of life for residents living near licensed establishments.

  • Jaguar Cub Controversy Ends in Fine

    Jaguar Cub Controversy Ends in Fine

    A widely circulated social media video showing a Belizean man interacting with a wild jaguar cub has reached a legal conclusion, with authorities issuing a substantial fine and sending a firm message about protected species conservation in the Central American nation.

    The incident, which took place earlier this month in Belize’s protected Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, sparked widespread public outrage after footage of Ruben Stoll handling the young wild big cat spread rapidly across digital platforms. Conservation advocates and members of the public condemned the act, arguing that disturbing protected wildlife for viral content sets a dangerous precedent for the country’s vulnerable ecosystems.

    Following weeks of public pressure and an official investigation, Belize’s Forest Department confirmed that Stoll voluntarily returned to the country and turned himself in to law enforcement officials. He was formally charged under Belize’s Wildlife Protection Act, and ultimately ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, which he has already settled.

    Beyond resolving this specific case, local environmental authorities are using the controversy to reinforce longstanding conservation rules: jaguars are listed as a protected species across Belize, and wild animals are not suitable as domestic pets or props for viral social media content. Officials emphasized that the legal consequences for this incident are not an isolated action, and that any person who disturbs protected wildlife will face similar legal penalties going forward.

    The incident has also reignited broader calls from conservation groups for stronger, more consistent enforcement of existing wildlife protection laws across Belize, which is home to one of the largest remaining healthy jaguar populations in Central America. Environmental advocates argue that increased patrols in popular protected reserve areas and greater public education about the risks of interacting with wild big cats are needed to prevent similar incidents that threaten jaguar conservation efforts.

  • Team Belize Falls Short, But Makes a Statement

    Team Belize Falls Short, But Makes a Statement

    The 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games delivered one of its most talked-about underdog stories on July 28, when Belize’s unheralded national men’s basketball team pushed heavily favored host Dominican Republic to the final seconds before a narrow 78-75 defeat. While the loss sparked polarized debate among Belizean fans on social media, basketball insiders and program leaders frame the matchup as a landmark milestone for the tiny Caribbean nation’s growing sports program.

    After a sluggish opening quarter that saw Belize trailing the Dominican side, the underdog squad rallied to put the regional powerhouse on the defensive for the rest of the match. For nearly three full quarters, Belize matched Dominican Republic possession for possession, staying within striking distance until the final play of the game, ultimately falling just three points short of what would have been one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history.

    Three years prior, a similar Belizean roster (without star player Josiah Mosley) lost to the Dominican Republic by a 17-point margin on Belize’s home court. This year, playing in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo, Belize held its own against the heavily favored opponent until the final buzzer, a jump in performance that program leaders say did not happen by accident.

    Jacob Leslie, president of the Belize Basketball Federation, explained that the tight final score is the culmination of four years of intentional program building focused on developing team chemistry, gaining international competition experience, and building a culture of belief among young players. “I think what you’re seeing is a culmination of what we’ve been doing over the past four years, and I think Belize should be proud of these young men,” Leslie said in an interview with News Five’s Shane Williams. “Every time they have showed up they have demanded the respect of their opponents. Regardless of the outcome, we should be proud of them because they play together, they play with heart, and they are very aware of what it means to put Belize across their chest. And so they play with pride.”

    The gap in resources between the two national programs makes Belize’s performance even more striking. Belize counts a total population of fewer than 430,000 people, compared to the Dominican Republic’s 11.6 million residents. The financial disparity is even wider: Belize’s total annual budget for all national sports programs sits at roughly $2.5 million, combining core government allocations of $500,000 and an additional $2 million in lottery revenue. For comparison, the Dominican Republic allocated $370 million specifically for its 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games programs alone.

    Despite the massive gap in population and funding, Belize’s team stood toe-to-toe with one of the tournament’s top title contenders. Leslie pushed back against the critical commentary that emerged on social media after the loss, noting that negative feedback disproportionately impacts young athletes, and called on the Belizean public to offer consistent encouragement instead of condemnation.

    “I hope that the Belizean public can be supportive of them. And when they’re commenting on social media, always try to show that support and love for them because they’re still young and sometimes the negative feedback does impact them,” Leslie said. “We try our best to keep them focused and locked in but I would encourage our Belizean people to be supportive of these young men because they have always represented us and they will continue to do so.”

    For this young Belizean squad, every match at the tournament carries meaning beyond the final scoreboard. While the result will officially be recorded as a loss, program leaders argue that the team achieved something far more valuable: proving it belongs among the region’s top basketball competitors. Respect, they note, is not only earned through wins, but through the courage and grit to compete with far better-resourced opponents. Belize is set to return to the court on July 31 for its next group stage match against Guatemala.

  • More Money for Football, But at What Cost?

    More Money for Football, But at What Cost?

    A sweeping new commercial initiative from global football governing body FIFA has ignited fierce debate across the international football community ahead of a critical vote by member associations, with small federations like Belize’s facing a high-stakes choice between massive new funding and protecting the sport’s long-term independence.

    The plan, which asks for backing from FIFA’s 211 global member groups, would establish a new commercial entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise. Under the terms of the proposal, FIFA would sell a 20% non-controlling minority stake in the new subsidiary to private investors, a move the organization projects will generate more than $4.2 billion in new revenue in 2026 alone. For national federations, the windfall would translate to drastically increased funding over four-year funding cycles: Belize’s program, for example, currently receives just 8 million Belize dollars over a four-year period, and would see that sum jump to 20 million Belize dollars, equal to 10 million U.S. dollars annually, if the plan moves forward. That additional funding would be earmarked for critical development priorities including new field infrastructure, youth training programs, coaching education and expansion of women’s football.

    But the promise of new cash has come with sharp pushback from major regional governing bodies and football leaders, who warn that opening the sport’s commercial operations to outside private investors carries irreversible risks. European football’s governing body UEFA has led the criticism, arguing that bringing private equity into FIFA’s core commercial structure threatens the long-standing independence of global football. Concacaf, the governing body for North, Central American and Caribbean football, has also raised red flags, citing a lack of transparent due process in how the proposal was developed and circulated to members.

    In an interview with local Belizean media, Sergio Chuc, president of the Football Federation of Belize (FFB), shared his frank perspective on the unexpected proposal, which he only received via email late last week. Chuc noted that he initially mistook the communication for a hoax, given that FFB had no advance warning of the plan before the document landed in his inbox. FFB’s executive committee has been holding urgent discussions to formulate an official position, but has not yet finalized whether it will support or oppose the measure at the upcoming vote.

    Chuc acknowledged the proposal is an enticing offer for small, cash-strapped federations like Belize’s, calling the increased funding a “carrot they have dangled in front of our eyes and all small member associations.” Still, he argued that FIFA has alternative paths to increasing member funding that do not require ceding a stake in the sport’s commercial future to outside mutual fund and equity investors. Chuc made his core stance clear: “What I want to state categorically is that football will never be for sale once I am in charge here in Belize. My country will not mortgage the future of our children for a quick buck.”

    Critics of the plan have also pointed to FIFA’s current structure as a non-profit association registered under Swiss law, noting that the shift toward private investment would create inherent pressure to prioritize shareholder profit over the core values of sportsmanship and open access to the game. As member associations continue to review the full terms of the proposal, the vote on FIFA Forward Enterprise remains one of the most consequential decisions facing global football in recent years.

  • Entertainment Community Unites for Kendoyll Simpson

    Entertainment Community Unites for Kendoyll Simpson

    Over the course of more than 20 years, Kendoyll Simpson — known professionally as KSBEATS — cemented his status as one of the most foundational figures in modern Belizean music. Far beyond his work crafting chart-topping tracks for local artists, his legacy is defined by the decades he spent nurturing emerging talent, opening doors for new creators that would otherwise have never gotten their start in the industry. His influence stretched well past the walls of recording studios, weaving into the very fabric of Belize’s national music culture.

    After a two-year, hard-fought battle with cancer, Simpson passed away, leaving the entire Belizean entertainment community in mourning. In the weeks following his death, tributes from fans, collaborators, and proteges have flooded in from across the nation. Now, as his loved ones finalize plans for his memorial service in Belize, members of the local music industry have come together to organize a special benefit event at the iconic Bliss Center: the goal is to raise the funds needed to transport Simpson’s body home for burial and honor his decades-long contributions to Belizean music.

    Speaking on behalf of the Simpson family, Kendoyll’s sister Tiffany Simpson shared her gratitude for the outpouring of support from the community. “The turnout has been absolutely incredible. Every artist here today is someone Kendoyll helped launch their careers, and they’ve all shown up to stand with our family,” she explained. Simpson also outlined the event’s fundraising structure, noting that attendees who make a $50 donation at the concert will receive entry into a commemorative raffle. For those unable to attend the main benefit, a second memorial event featuring additional artists who could not fit on the first show’s lineup is already in the works. The family aims to complete Simpson’s burial no later than August 12, and Simpson issued a public appeal for further donations, noting multiple channels are available for people to contribute.

    Wilson Grinage, host of the Kendoyll Simpson Legacy Concert, echoed those sentiments, highlighting the extraordinary range of artists that turned out to honor Simpson. “Even I was shocked by how expansive the lineup is – we have legendary pioneers from the early days of Belizean popular music like Instruments of Love, veteran hitmaker Melonie Gillett who stepped in to support production, rising contemporary stars including Six Frass, J Money and Young Dan, and seasoned fan favorites like Ernestine, who will take the stage later in the evening,” Grinage shared. He also highlighted the performance of Center Stage, a beloved Belizean band that Grinage described as Simpson’s “brainchild,” forged under his mentorship and guidance. For Grinage, the event is far more than a fundraiser: “This is a truly historic, momentous occasion. We’re not just here to raise funds to lay Kendoyll to rest – we’re here to celebrate the incredible life he built, and the impact he had on every generation of Belizean artists, from the earliest pioneers to the up-and-coming creators breaking into the industry today. This event just proves how far his influence reaches, and how many lives he changed through his work.”

    In total, more than 30 Belizean artists and bands are performing at the one-day legacy benefit concert. Any members of the public who wish to contribute to the fundraising effort can contact Tiffany Simpson directly to make a donation.

  • Inspiration Behind Breakout KTV Performances

    Inspiration Behind Breakout KTV Performances

    As one of Belize’s most anticipated annual talent competitions enters its fourth week of competition, the hit showcase *KTV The Remix* has narrowed its field of aspiring performers down to just six remaining contestants vying for the top title. For this week’s themed challenge, competitors are tasked with delivering soulful, captivating performances centered on the R&B genre, a style rooted in emotional storytelling and raw personal expression.

    To uncover the personal experiences and creative motivations shaping the contestants’ upcoming sets, local News Five reporter Shane Williams went behind the scenes of the production to sit down with each finalist and explore the inspiration driving their soulful R&B interpretations.

    This online feature is a direct transcript of the evening television broadcast set to air on local Belizean networks. For any passages where contestants or interview subjects speak in Kriol, the outlet’s production team has transcribed the dialogue using a standardized, widely accepted Kriol spelling system to preserve the authenticity of the conversations. Readers can access the full original broadcast via the link included in the original publication.

  • 23 New Peace Corps Volunteers Sworn In Across Belize

    23 New Peace Corps Volunteers Sworn In Across Belize

    On July 29, 2026, a formal swearing-in ceremony held in Belmopan marked the official induction of 23 new Peace Corps Volunteers, who will soon begin their service placements across all six administrative districts of Belize.

    This latest incoming cohort is structured as a dual-sector group, splitting its focus between two critical areas of community impact. Fifteen of the new volunteers will join the Youth Development sector, representing the fourth consecutive group deployed under the Youth Empowered by Sports (YES) Project. The remaining eight volunteers will serve as Peace Corps Response Volunteers focused on the Education sector.

    The YES Project operates as a collaborative partnership between the Peace Corps and Belize’s Ministry of Tourism, Youth, Sports and Diaspora Relations. Its core mission centers on empowering Belizean young people through three key pillars: structured sports programming, one-on-one mentorship, and targeted resiliency skill-building. To prepare for their roles, the new Youth Development volunteers completed rigorous technical training aligned with these project goals, alongside immersive cultural learning and language training in either Kriol or Spanish to help them connect effectively with local communities.

    For the eight Education-focused volunteers, their work will be carried out in partnership with two key stakeholders: Belize’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, and the international education non-profit PathLight International. Their assignments will focus on expanding access to and improving quality of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) programming, supporting early childhood education development, and expanding literacy support services for communities across the country.

    The timing of this swearing-in ceremony carries special institutional significance, coming as the Peace Corps prepares to observe its 65th anniversary of global volunteer service. The induction also forms part of the America250 “America Gives” initiative, a national effort designed to celebrate and promote a culture of volunteerism across the United States as the country marks its 250th anniversary. Following the ceremony, the newly sworn volunteers have begun final preparations for their deployment to communities across Belize, where they will spend their terms working alongside local partners to advance shared development goals.