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标签： Belize

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  • Special Envoy Demands Action After Cop’s Domestic Abuse Case Collapses in Court

    Special Envoy Demands Action After Cop’s Domestic Abuse Case Collapses in Court

    A high-profile domestic abuse case against a serving Belizean police officer has ended in dismissal after the victim withdrew her cooperation, sparking urgent calls for administrative action from the country’s top family and children’s welfare official.

    On Monday, a local magistrate threw out all charges against 39-year-old Phillip Garbutt, a constable with the department’s Traffic Support Unit, after 38-year-old Deidra Jacobs, Garbutt’s common-law wife and the alleged victim, told the court she did not wish to proceed with the prosecution. Jacobs, a caregiver who alleged Garbutt attacked her and her 8-year-old son during a February 17 altercation at their Watermelon Street home, denied under questioning from prosecutors that she had been threatened, coerced, or bribed to drop the case. With no cooperating complainant, the prosecution had no evidence to present, forcing the magistrate’s ruling to dismiss both the wounding charge connected to Jacobs and the harm charge linked to her son, and Garbutt — who represented himself in court — was released immediately.

    The case first gained widespread public attention after graphic security footage from inside the family home circulated widely across social media platforms. Official police allegations outline that during the dispute, Garbutt choked and punched Jacobs multiple times. When the child stepped in to defend his mother, Garbutt slapped him, resulting in injuries classified as wounding for Jacobs and harm for the child per medical examinations.

    Rossana Briceño, Belize’s Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, has publicly decried the outcome, releasing an official statement expressing deep concern and outrage over the alleged incident. Briceño’s office emphasized that the accused’s status as a sworn police officer — a role that requires him to protect public safety and uphold the law — makes the alleged abuse even more disturbing.

    The Special Envoy’s office is now pushing for urgent administrative intervention from senior government and law enforcement leadership, including the Minister of Police, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Commissioner of Police. The office is calling for Garbutt to be immediately removed from active duty and held accountable through internal police disciplinary processes, regardless of the collapsed criminal prosecution.

    “No officer should ever stand above the law,” the official release read. “Those who fail in their fundamental duty to protect citizens — even more so when the violence is committed against their own family inside their home — forfeit the privilege of wearing the police uniform.”

    The collapsed case has reignited public debate in the country over barriers to prosecuting domestic violence, particularly when perpetrators serve in law enforcement, with advocates noting that victim intimidation often goes unreported even when victims deny coercion on the stand.

  • Another Young Man Found Murdered

    Another Young Man Found Murdered

    A young life has been cut short in Belize, as law enforcement launches a homicide investigation into the death of 19-year-old Jamir “Jam” Cambranes, a Belize City-based technician residing on Euphrates Avenue. His bullet-riddled body was recovered from thick underbrush off the Burrell Boom/Hattieville Road, marking the latest in a disturbing string of violent deaths and unresolved missing persons cases rocking the Central American nation.

    Details of Cambranes’ final hours paint a grim picture. The 19-year-old left his family home on Tuesday evening on bicycle, telling those close to him he planned to meet two acquaintances traveling in a silver Chevrolet Equinox. That meeting turned out to be his last: contact with Cambranes was cut off shortly after he arrived at the prearranged meeting spot.

    Emergency services received the first official report of a shooting in the area just after 1:00 a.m. Wednesday, and local law enforcement dispatched officers to the scene immediately. It was not police, however, that located Cambranes’ remains: his girlfriend used location tracking to pinpoint the approximate position of his cell phone along the roadside. His brother and brother-in-law then conducted an independent search of the surrounding terrain, finding the teen’s body hidden in nearby bushes, where he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

    As the investigation moves forward, authorities have confirmed they are currently reviewing security camera footage from areas near the crime scene and Cambranes’ home in hopes of identifying potential suspects or persons of interest. As of the latest update, no arrests have been made in connection with the killing, and police have not released any information about possible motives for the attack.

    The tragedy has already sparked an outpouring of grief from Cambranes’ loved ones and the broader Belizean community. Friends and relatives have rallied around the 19-year-old’s family, sharing messages of support and solidarity — with many urging Cambranes’ immediate family to stay strong in the face of their devastating loss.

    Most concerning for many Belizeans is that Cambranes’ murder is far from an isolated incident. In recent weeks, the country has seen a sharp uptick in homicides and unresolved missing persons cases that have left communities on edge. The growing list of young victims includes 24-year-old Dangriga delivery worker Steve Lewis, 17-year-old Alwin Marin Jr., and 19-year-old Jaheil Westby, another Belize City resident. Jericho Humes, also from Dangriga, was initially reported missing before his body was discovered days later. As of the latest update, two other Belizeans — 23-year-old Lidahni Martinez and 28-year-old Deborah “Bree” Arthurs — remain unaccounted for, leaving their families in agonizing limbo.

  • Gas Leak Blaze Destroys Home of 19

    Gas Leak Blaze Destroys Home of 19

    A devastating accidental fire sparked by a disconnected gas line has completely destroyed a multi-person residence on Marina Drive in San Pedro Town, leaving 19 residents – nine of them children – displaced just hours after the blaze broke out on Tuesday evening.

    Local emergency response teams confirmed that the fire spread with extraordinary speed, and when first responders arrived shortly before 8 p.m., the elevated residential structure was already completely swallowed by raging flames. Preliminary investigation into the cause of the incident has painted a clear picture of how the disaster unfolded: 31-year-old housekeeper Naisy Chi was in the middle of frying an egg when a flexible fuel hose connected to an external gas tank unexpectedly slipped loose. Uncontrolled gas quickly ignited, catching a nearby rug on fire before the blaze extended to other parts of the structure in minutes.

    Firefighters, commanded by Fire Chief Kenneth Mortis, worked aggressively to bring the blaze under control and prevent it from spreading to neighboring properties. Beyond the efforts of official emergency teams, dramatic footage captured from the scene shows immediate community solidarity: local neighbors rushed to the site to assist, carrying buckets of water and deploying nearby garden hoses in a valiant attempt to slow the fire’s spread before professional crews arrived.

    Unfortunately, the battle to save the home was unsuccessful. The entire structure and every personal belonging inside were reduced to ash. Further compounding the family’s misfortune, authorities confirmed that the property held no insurance coverage to cover rebuilding or replacement costs. As of the latest update, officials have not released a confirmed estimate for the total monetary damage caused by the fire.

    In a stroke of good fortune amid the crisis, no injuries or fatalities have been reported connected to the blaze. The 19 displaced residents are now turning to the wider public for support, asking for donations of shelter, clothing, food and other essential supplies to help them rebuild their lives after the sudden loss.

  • Iran Seizes 2 Ships in Strait of Hormuz

    Iran Seizes 2 Ships in Strait of Hormuz

    The Strait of Hormuz, one of the global energy market’s most critical strategic chokepoints, has become the site of sudden maritime escalation after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it seized two transiting vessels and brought them into Iranian territorial waters. A third commercial ship was also targeted in the incident, leaving it disabled off Iran’s coastline, according to multiple regional and security sources.

    The provocative maritime move came just hours after United States President Donald Trump extended a temporary ceasefire agreement with Tehran, granting Iranian leadership a limited timeframe to submit what Trump described as a “unified proposal” to restart negotiations aimed at reviving the stalled nuclear and peace talks between the two nations.

    Iranian state media confirmed that IRGC naval units carried out the strike on the third vessel, leaving it immobilized in waters near the Iranian coast. Early reports from a private international maritime security agency had previously noted that at least two container ships had sustained damage from gunfire while traversing the key waterway, which connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and carries roughly a fifth of the world’s daily oil consumption.

    Greece’s foreign ministry has verified that one of the vessels involved in the incident is a Greek-owned cargo ship flying under the flag of Liberia, though officials noted that it remains unclear whether the vessel has been formally seized alongside the two confirmed. In response to the escalation, the Greek government has issued an urgent advisory for all Greek-owned or Greek-operated vessels to avoid transiting the Strait of Hormuz entirely until further notice, and to exercise extreme caution if passage through the region cannot be avoided.

    Any disruption to shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz carries immediate and far-reaching consequences for the global economy, as disruptions to oil supplies through the chokepoint typically trigger sharp volatility in international energy prices and ripple across global manufacturing, trade, and consumer markets.

    U.S. officials have previously signaled that the current temporary ceasefire will not be extended indefinitely, and according to anonymous sources familiar with internal administration discussions, the White House believes that applying incremental mounting pressure on Tehran will force Iranian leaders to return to the negotiating table with a willingness to reach a diplomatic breakthrough quickly.

  • Strike Averted! Government Greenlights Tiered Bus Fares

    Strike Averted! Government Greenlights Tiered Bus Fares

    In a last-minute breakthrough that defuses a week-long standoff that threatened to paralyze intercity public transit across Belize, the national Cabinet has formally approved a new tiered bus fare system, persuading the Belize Bus Association (BBA) to call off a planned strike that would have disrupted travel for thousands of daily commuters.

    The agreement comes after weeks of mounting pressure from bus operators, who have long argued that outdated fixed fare rates left them unable to cover rising operating costs. Following urgent formal requests from the BBA, Cabinet stepped in to broker a solution that balances the financial needs of service providers with the economic realities of ordinary commuters, avoiding sudden, across-the-board price hikes that would have strained household budgets.

    Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh explained that the final policy was shaped by detailed negotiations that weighed both operating expenses for bus companies and the potential financial impact of fare increases on the traveling public. Rejecting a proposed flat rate increase that would have burdened all riders equally, policymakers settled on a three-tiered structure designed to deliver transparency and fairness for both drivers and passengers.

    Under the new framework, three service levels will carry distinct per-mile rates: standard regular bus service will be priced at $0.18 per mile, express service will cost $0.20 per mile, and a newly created premium service will be set at $0.22 per mile. The premium tier will come with strict service standards to justify the slightly higher cost: operators offering premium service must use buses no older than seven years, provide spacious bucket seating, on-board Wi-Fi, and operate nonstop routes between major municipalities and high-density population centers.

    Despite the formal approval of the new fare structure, the changes will not go into effect immediately. Minister Zabaneh noted that transport officials still need several additional days to finalize the detailed pricing for individual routes, round all final fares to the nearest $0.25 for customer convenience, and confirm that every existing stop along intercity highway routes is properly accounted for in the new pricing model.

    The new fares will apply exclusively to intercity highway routes operated by BBA and National Bus Company (NBC) members, including service for large communities located along these intercity corridors. Zabaneh added that government teams are working closely with BBA leadership and the NBC to ensure all route details are incorporated correctly before the new system launches.

    For the BBA, the approval marks the end of a nearly two-decade long campaign to update the country’s fare structure and create a more equitable operating environment for independent and association bus operators. With the strike now called off, stakeholders and commuters alike are turning their attention to the rollout of the new system, waiting to see how the tiered model will function in daily practice across Belize’s transit network.

  • 36 Hours Missing, Many Questions Remain in Indian Creek Case

    36 Hours Missing, Many Questions Remain in Indian Creek Case

    It has been seven days since the normally quiet community of Indian Creek Village in Toledo unexpectedly captured national public attention, and the cloud of uncertainty hanging over the disappearance of First Alcalde Marcus Canti has yet to lift. Though Canti returned to his home just 36 hours after he suddenly vanished from his rural property, public demand for answers has only grown in the days since his reappearance. The local leader claims he was abducted by two unknown assailants, but law enforcement has released no official updates on the case, leaving residents and observers demanding full transparency and accountability from authorities.

    On April 13, Canti disappeared without warning from his family farm. He resurfaced before dawn on April 15 on the outer edges of the village, unharmed beyond minor injuries but offering little detail about what transpired during his absence. According to initial police accounts, Canti told investigators he was taken against his will from his property by two men, held captive, and later released. Beyond that basic statement, no further information has been made public, leaving the unusual incident shrouded in ambiguity.

    When pressed by reporters last week about whether investigators had confirmed Canti’s account of a forced abduction, ACP Hilberto Romero, head of the National Crime Investigation Branch, confirmed that the probe was still active. “We are carrying out a thorough investigation and so we’ll have all the facts when his statement is concluded today. So that is all I know at this time,” Romero stated on April 16.

    To date, law enforcement has not issued any formal update on the reported abduction, beyond confirming that Canti presented with minor bruises and soreness when he returned home. While Canti was still missing, two leading local groups—the Toledo Alcalde Association and Maya Leaders Alliance—launched a community search and called on authorities to release all available information. But after Canti’s return, efforts to secure public clarity have hit a wall. Multiple attempts by News Five to contact Canti directly for comment have received no response, and a joint public statement released by the two organizations on Friday offered no new details, only noting that the incident is a serious matter and that a full official investigation had been requested.

    Police have confirmed that five local residents were taken into custody for questioning in the early days of the probe, all of whom have since been released. Among those detained are three prominent local leaders: Indian Creek Village Chairman Domingo Choc, Second Alcalde Manuel Ack, and former Village Councilor Santiago Pop. All three have publicly denied any involvement in Canti’s disappearance.

    “Each one of us was questioned and then we had proof. We showed them proof that all of us are innocent. So that is why we were released,” Choc explained in an interview on April 15.

    Ack echoed that claim of innocence, saying: “The officer ask me, you know why you are here. I told him no sir. Then the man take a little minute and asked me again, sir do you know the Alcalde is missing? Sir, I don’t have no idea about that.”

    Pop echoed the calls for full transparency to clear his name and the names of other detainees, saying: “I need to clear myself that I have not done anything as a criminal. So, I want to clear my name and the others’ name as well.”

    Shortly after returning to the village, Canti traveled out of the Toledo District to receive outpatient care at a private medical clinic in Belmopan. News Five’s attempts to reach Canti at the clinic for comment were also unsuccessful. Adding another layer of uncertainty to the case is an unconfirmed audio recording that purports to capture Canti pleading for help during his captivity. Pressure continues to build on authorities to verify the authenticity of the recording, a step that has not yet been taken.

    With the official investigation still ongoing and no new information forthcoming from Canti himself, the unresolved mystery of his 36-hour disappearance continues to hang over Indian Creek Village. This report was compiled by Paul Lopez for News Five, out of Belize.

  • Viral Domestic Violence Case Crumbles as Cop Walks Free

    Viral Domestic Violence Case Crumbles as Cop Walks Free

    A high-profile domestic violence case that sparked widespread public outrage after graphic footage circulated online has concluded with all charges against a serving police officer being dismissed, leaving community tensions simmering over the outcome.

    Thirty-nine-year-old Constable Phillip Garbutt, assigned to the local Traffic Support Unit, walked out of the magistrate’s court a free man on Monday morning, just hours after proceedings got underway. Garbutt had faced two separate criminal charges: one count of wounding against his 38-year-old common-law wife Deidra Jacobs, a caregiver by profession, and a second count of causing bodily harm to Jacobs’ 8-year-old son. Both charges were formally struck from the court record shortly after 10 a.m.

    The case collapsed entirely when Jacobs took the witness stand and informed the magistrate she no longer wished to pursue legal action. Speaking in regional Kriol, Jacobs stated directly, “I nuh wah no further court action.” Prosecutors launched an immediate inquiry into the possibility of outside influence, pressing Jacobs repeatedly on whether she had faced threats, coercion, or improper incentives to drop the proceedings. On each occasion, Jacobs denied any form of pressure.

    With the primary complainant unwilling to move forward with the prosecution, legal representatives had no choice but to present no evidence against Garbutt. The magistrate accordingly granted an order dismissing all charges. Garbutt, who appeared in court unrepresented by legal counsel, was immediately released and cleared to leave the courthouse.

    The case first captured national public attention in February, when raw smartphone footage filmed inside the couple’s Watermelon Street residence was uploaded to social media and quickly went viral. The footage, captured in the immediate aftermath of a February 17 domestic dispute, triggered such widespread public outcry that Garbutt was taken into police custody shortly after the video spread.

    Official police allegations outline that during the argument, Garbutt physically assaulted Jacobs by choking and punching her. When her 8-year-old son attempted to step in to protect his mother, Garbutt slapped the child, according to police reports. Subsequent medical examinations classified Jacobs’ injuries as wounding and the child’s injuries as harm, meeting the legal threshold for the charges laid.

    Despite the viral circulation of the incident footage and significant public backlash against the officer over the allegations, the criminal prosecution is now formally closed. What remains unresolved is whether the Jamaica Constabulary Force (or local law enforcement) will launch an internal disciplinary review into Garbutt’s conduct, with no official confirmation of pending administrative action as of Monday’s court ruling.

    This report is adapted from a televised evening news transcript, with regional Kriol dialogue preserved per standard regional transcription practices.

  • Scammers Beware: Belize Launches Instant Payment System

    Scammers Beware: Belize Launches Instant Payment System

    For months, small business owners and consumers across Belize have fallen victim to a pervasive and costly digital scam: fraudsters send convincing fake screenshots of completed bank transfers to secure goods or services, leveraging the multi-hour or even overnight delays in traditional payment processing to disappear before victims discover the funds never actually arrived. That loophole that scammers have exploited for years is about to be closed, after the Central Bank of Belize announced the full rollout of its new Instant Payments System (IPS), a 24/7 real-time transaction network designed to eliminate processing delays and cut off digital fraud at its source.

    Under Belize’s current banking framework, all digital payments are restricted to standard business operating hours and processed in segmented settlement windows. Payments initiated after the midday cutoff do not reach recipient accounts until the following business day, creating a gap between when a payment is marked as “sent” and when it is officially finalized in a user’s account. This gap has been the critical enabler for the screenshot scam, which has cost local merchants thousands of dollars in lost goods across the country.

    Central Bank of Belize Governor Kareem Michael explained that the new IPS system eliminates this gap entirely by enabling year-round, 24/7 payment processing that settles transactions in seconds. “What our target is that these transactions will be processed and settled typically in ten seconds or less. It is like sending a WhatsApp message,” Michael said. Unlike the current system that locks payments outside of banking hours, the IPS aligns transaction speed with the actual pace of economic activity, allowing funds to move whenever consumers and businesses need them to.

    Beyond cutting out delays to stop fraud, the new platform also addresses longstanding interoperability issues in Belize’s financial sector by connecting all domestic banks, credit unions, and digital wallet providers into a single unified network. This means users will be able to send instant transfers between different financial institutions seamlessly, no longer facing extra wait times or fees for cross-provider transactions. “IPS will connect banks, credit unions, and digital wallets into one shared payment system, allowing money to move easily and instantly between individuals, businesses, regardless of the provider,” Michael added.

    To deliver a system that meets global security and functionality standards, the Central Bank partnered with Montran Financial Services, an international payment infrastructure provider with decades of experience implementing real-time and instant payment systems for central banks across nearly 100 countries. Matt Walsh, Montran’s Global Sales Director, noted that the firm’s customizable solution is built to adapt to Belize’s unique financial ecosystem while adhering to the latest international technology standards. “All of our solutions are customizable, very flexible in terms of scaling them and implementing the exact requirements,” Walsh explained. “They’re all of course modern and built on the latest standards and technology. All of our solutions are multicurrency, multi-institutional and multilingual, so that could be accommodated and we have references all over the world.”

    For everyday consumers and small business owners, the changes brought by the IPS will be subtle but transformative. The system will support convenient quick payments via QR codes, and most importantly, it delivers immediate confirmation that funds have been successfully deposited to a recipient’s account. This removes the need for merchants to rely on a customer’s screenshot proof of payment, closing the key loophole scammers have relied on for years. When fully operational, the system will bring Belize’s domestic payment infrastructure in line with global modern banking standards, cutting fraud risk and streamlining everyday commercial activity for all users.

  • Minimum Purchase and Extra Charges for Using Your Credit Card

    Minimum Purchase and Extra Charges for Using Your Credit Card

    For countless consumers across Belize, running into arbitrary minimum purchase requirements or unexpected surcharges when paying with a credit or debit card has long been a persistent source of frustration. Now, the country’s top financial regulator is stepping up its long-running campaign to stamp out these controversial industry practices, framing them as harmful to consumers and counter to national goals for broader financial inclusion.

    Kareem Michael, Governor of the Central Bank of Belize, explained that the issue has plagued shoppers for years, and he has even encountered the unfair practices firsthand during his own regular transactions. In one recent example, Michael shared that he attempted to purchase roughly $9 worth of goods at a local grocery store, only to be turned away when he tried to pay with his debit card because the store enforced a $15 minimum card purchase requirement, forcing him to pay with cash. When he returned to the same outlet for another sub-$15 purchase later, the store had adjusted its policy — but not to the benefit of customers: it instead added a mandatory $1 surcharge for processing debit card payments for small transactions.

    Many merchants that impose these rules argue that minimum purchase thresholds and surcharges are necessary to offset the transaction processing fees they are required to pay to financial institutions. But regulators push back that these practices are fundamentally unfair to consumers and directly contradict the core mission of Belize’s financial system.

    The Central Bank is now collaborating closely with the Belize Bankers Association and local credit unions to develop a permanent solution to the problem. Michael noted that discussions between stakeholders have been productive, with proposals ranging from strict outright bans on the practices to more nuanced frameworks designed to balance the needs of both merchants and consumers. The regulator is aiming to finalize a resolution in the near future.

    Michael emphasized that the campaign against these unfair card practices is not an attempt to push Belize toward a fully cashless economy. Instead, it centers on protecting the most vulnerable members of society, who are disproportionately harmed by policies that disincentivize card use. When merchants impose extra costs or barriers to card payments, they push many people away from participating in the formal financial sector entirely, undermining years of work to expand access to affordable financial services across the country. Ending these abusive practices, Michael said, is a top priority for the regulator and its industry partners.

  • Banks Change Savings Accounts, Customers Now Face New Fees

    Banks Change Savings Accounts, Customers Now Face New Fees

    Scheduled publication date: April 21, 2026

    A quiet but significant shift in retail banking policy has left thousands of customers across Belize grappling with unexpected new costs, as the nation’s two largest commercial lenders—Belize Bank and Atlantic Bank—have restructured their basic savings account offerings into new “Full Access” and “Essential” tiers that bear a striking resemblance to traditional checking accounts.

    While the reclassification comes with one key customer benefit: looser withdrawal limits and more flexible ATM access, the trade-off has proven far more impactful for ordinary account holders. Under the new terms, all restructured savings accounts no longer generate any interest earnings, and new monthly maintenance fees and per-transaction charges are now applied to regular account activity.

    For the large share of Belizean households that live paycheque to paycheque, these incremental fees add up quickly at a time when the country is already facing rising cost of living. The banks have defended the change, arguing that it aligns account structures with how the majority of customers actually use their savings accounts day-to-day. But many consumers have pushed back against the framing, questioning whether “full access” is nothing more than a rebranding for increased revenue for the banks.

    When pressed for comment on the policy shift, Central Bank of Belize Governor Kareem Michael emphasized that the country’s top banking regulator played no role in approving or mandating the changes. “First thing I have to correct is that the Central Bank was not involved in that decision. There was no approval sought for Atlantic Bank or any other bank to have done that,” Michael stated in a press briefing.

    He went on to clarify the scope of the Central Bank’s regulatory authority over commercial banking in Belize, noting that the regulator only has power to set caps and floors for lending rates and minimum floors for savings deposit interest rates. Roughly 18 to 24 months ago, the Central Bank launched a collaborative review of fee-based income practices at Belize’s commercial banks, a process that took months of negotiation to reach a compromise that satisfied both regulators and financial institutions. Michael acknowledged, however, that public frustration over growing bank fees has mounted amid broader inflation, pointing out that consumers are now facing the double blow of lost interest earnings on savings alongside rising everyday expenses.

    Michael also confirmed that the move is not limited to one smaller institution, noting that the decision by Belize’s two largest banking players to restructure their accounts reveals key dynamics of the country’s domestic banking market. “Those two are the biggest banks,” he added, underscoring the widespread impact of the policy change across the nation’s consumer banking sector.

    As it stands, no regulatory reversal of the changes is currently on the table, leaving customers to adjust to a new normal where their savings generate no passive income, and regular account activity comes with recurring out-of-pocket costs.