标签： Belize

In a landmark step for rural education development in northern Belize, construction has officially kicked off on a new pre-primary and primary school serving the Black Water community of Trial Farm village. This project marks the second major investment in regional education infrastructure delivered in Orange Walk District in just 10 days, signaling a sustained push to expand learning access across the country’s rural zones.

Per an official statement released by the Belizean government, the new facility was designed to directly fill long-standing gaps in accessible early childhood and primary education for residents of Black Water and its neighboring smaller settlements. Beyond simply adding classroom space, the initiative is framed as a strategic investment in youth empowerment, with the explicit goal of unlocking more diverse and promising future opportunities for the next generation growing up in this rural region.

The project is the result of a collaborative partnership between two key stakeholders: Belize’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), a regional financial institution focused on supporting sustainable development across the Caribbean. Local firms are leading the on-the-ground delivery of the build: Anthony Thurton & Associates Ltd. serves as the project consultant, while Kee-Chanona Ltd. has taken on the role of general contractor for the construction phase.

The formal groundbreaking ceremony, held to mark the start of construction, drew a host of senior officials from both the government and the CDB. Attendees included Belize’s Minister of State Ramon Cervantes, as well as Elbert Ellis, the Caribbean Development Bank’s Portfolio Manager for the Social Sector Division, alongside other project leadership and local community representatives.

This latest groundbreaking comes on the heels of another major education milestone in the district just one week prior. On June 23, 2026, officials inaugurated a $581,000 pre-primary facility in Orange Walk’s Santa Cruz Village. That project was also delivered through a multi-partner partnership, bringing together the Belize Social Investment Fund, the Caribbean Development Bank, and the Ministry of Education. The new Santa Cruz preschool sits adjacent to the Santa Cruz Government Primary School, which opened its doors in October 2025. Together, the two facilities create a complete, continuous early learning corridor that serves all young children in the Santa Cruz community from early childhood through primary education.

As the highly anticipated 2026-2027 lobster fishing season approaches, hundreds of Belizean fishers gathered on the Belize City waterfront on June 30 to take part in a centuries-old tradition, marking Caribbean Fisherfolk Day ahead of the season’s official opening on July 1.

The annual boat blessing event, jointly hosted by the Belize Fisheries Department and Wildlife Conservation Society Belize (WCS Belize), unfolded across two key cooperative venues first: the National Fishermen Cooperative and the Northern Fishermen Cooperative. Following ceremonies at these sites, Father Scott Giuliani traveled along the waterfront to bless dozens of docked fishing vessels one by one, offering prayers for safe voyages and bountiful catches for all fishers heading out to sea this season.

Running from July 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027, the lobster fishing season is a cornerstone of Belize’s seafood economy, supporting hundreds of working fishers and generating substantial revenue for coastal communities across the country. This year’s Fisherfolk Month celebration, themed “Celebrating and Empowering Fishers’ Contribution to Food Safety and Security”, highlights the critical role that commercial and small-scale fishers play in Belize’s national food system, feeding millions of domestic consumers and supporting the country’s thriving seafood export sector.

To ensure the long-term sustainability of Belize’s lobster populations, the Fisheries Department has issued a clear set of regulations that all harvesters must follow in the upcoming season. Only lobsters with a minimum shell length of three inches and a minimum tail weight of four ounces may be legally caught. Soft-shell lobsters and female lobsters carrying eggs are fully protected under Belizean fishing law, meaning they cannot be harvested or possessed. Additionally, no individual or licensed food establishment is allowed to hold or process pre-filleted or diced lobster tail, a rule designed to prevent illegal poaching and mislabeling of undersized catch.

Regulators have also called on members of the public to act as watchdogs for sustainable fishing, urging anyone who observes illegal fishing activity to report it directly to the Fisheries Department for investigation. Conservation leaders note that strict enforcement of these rules is essential to preserving Belize’s vibrant marine ecosystems and ensuring that lobster fishing remains a viable livelihood for future generations of coastal workers.

On a quiet Sunday night in San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye, Belize, what should have been a routine evening of business at the busy Island Supermarket erupted into brutal violence that has left two men dead, two injured, and a tight-knit community grappling with shock and grief.

The deadly incident unfolded shortly after 9 p.m., when proprietor Ahmad Harmouch and his relative Iman Harmouch returned to the supermarket after stepping out briefly. Just two minutes after their re-entry, four masked gunmen pushed through the store’s entrance and opened fire indiscriminately. Three members of the Harmouch family – Ahmad, Ayman, and long-time local resident David Harmouch – were struck by gunfire. Despite immediate emergency response, David Harmouch, a 20-year San Pedro resident who married a local Belizean and raised six children, could not be saved.

As the assailants fled the scene, they turned their weapons on Daniel Jones, a well-respected security guard and former educator who was working at the store the night of the attack. Jones, described by loved ones as a generous, kind man who stepped into a fatherly role for his stepchildren and supported his entire extended family, was killed instantly in the barrage of gunfire.

According to law enforcement officials from Belize’s National Crimes Investigation Branch, the attackers fled on foot across the main street to a pre-docked boat, then sailed south from the island. ACP Hilberto Romero, head of the branch, confirmed that investigators have taken a number of persons into custody for questioning, but no formal charges have been announced as the investigation remains active.

What makes the attack even more chilling for local residents is the suspicious history of the supermarket itself. The business only opened its doors for the first time in December 2025 – just three days after its grand opening, arsonists set the building on fire in an unsolved attack. The Harmouch family invested time and resources to rebuild, and only reopened the store for business the previous Monday, less than a week before the shooting.

When asked whether the fatal shooting is connected to the earlier arson, Romero confirmed that investigators have not yet established a link, and no suspects were ever charged in the arson case. This lack of progress has drawn criticism from members of San Pedro’s Lebanese community, many of whom believe authorities failed to follow up on critical leads after the arson, warning that a more thorough initial investigation could have prevented Sunday’s bloodshed.

The two injured Harmouch family members, Ahmad and Ayman, were transported across the border to Chetumal, Mexico, for advanced medical care, and authorities confirmed they remain in stable condition as of Tuesday morning.

For the families of the two deceased men, the violence has come as an unfathomable shock. David Harmouch’s cousin Wisszam Harmouch told reporters that David had never mentioned receiving any threats prior to the attack, and was known across the community as a humble, quiet man. “He never talked about any threat and anything, and I don’t think if he was threatened he would be working at that store,” Wisszam Harmouch said Monday, mourning his loss while listening to readings from the Koran at his own store. “It’s a shock for everybody.”

Tributes to Jones echoed the same sentiment of shock over the death of a man who had done no wrong. A relative of Jones recalled his gentle, giving nature: “He gave everything to my sons. He gave everything to his parents, for his brothers. He was such a good person. I cannot remember anything wrong he did. This touched me and I can’t believe it.” Another family member added that Jones’ mentorship shaped the younger generation of the family, saying “my uncle was very strict and that is why I am the boy I am because he taught me that way.”

As investigators continue to canvass witnesses and pursue leads, San Pedro residents are left to mourn two beloved community members and wonder when – or if – answers about the brutal attack will come to light.

A deadly attack at a San Pedro supermarket has left two people dead and sparked public outcry, with the island’s Lebanese community taking to the streets on June 29, 2026 to demand accountability from local law enforcement.

By 3:15 p.m. that afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators had assembled outside the San Pedro Police Station, channeling widespread grief and frustration over the fatal killings of local businessman David Harmouch and on-site security guard Daniel Jones. As tensions rose over what many community members see as slow progress in the investigation, protesters deployed a fleet of golf carts — a common mode of transport on the island — to block access points around the police station perimeter, grinding vehicle traffic in the surrounding area to a complete standstill.

Beyond calls for a swift and transparent investigation, News Five has confirmed that Harmouch’s immediate family is pushing authorities to release his remains, so that he can be transported to his native Lebanon for a traditional burial according to his family’s wishes. This remains an active and developing story, and updates will be provided as new details from the investigation emerge.

As the community enters a period of mourning, public figures and colleagues across Belize’s political and business spheres are remembering Harmouch not just as a successful entrepreneur, but as a committed community member and political ally. Harmouch was an active participant in local public life, previously serving as a delegate on the United Democratic Party (UDP) Belize Rural South Executive Committee, and supported the party through both on-the-ground organizing and resource contributions for many years.

In an exclusive interview with News Five, UDP caretaker and Senator Gabriel Zetina opened up about his decades-long personal relationship with Harmouch and the shock of the attack. “A thing many people do not know is that through David I got my first golf cart and this was many, many years ago. So, but within the island, David has always been there. But even more so with the party, through time, resources. He was a former executive member and he would always show up for the party when it mattered the most,” Zetina recalled.

Zetina shared that he is still reeling from the unexpected tragedy, and traveled to San Pedro immediately to pay his respects to Harmouch’s family. He noted that the killing is particularly devastating because Harmouch had only recently rebuilt his supermarket following an earlier arson attack that destroyed the original store. “He did a lot of sacrifices, because the first time they burnt it down. This time he did a lot of sacrifices to get it reopened. It is unfortunate that as he reopens it, this happens to him,” Zetina said. “I can only now think about his kids and his wife and family, how they might be feeling. For us it is a big loss. David was always there for us.”

Andre Perez, the elected Area Representative for Belize Rural South, also released a public statement of condolence via his official Facebook page. In the post, Perez extended his sympathy to the families of both victims, and wrote that he has full confidence in local law enforcement to carry out a full, thorough investigation and hold all perpetrators accountable for the attack.

This report is a transcript of an evening television newscast, with Kriol-language remarks transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accuracy.

In the tight-knit coastal community of Dangriga, the Makin family is trapped in overwhelming grief, just days after a targeted, cold-blooded ambush claimed the life of 16-year-old Isaiah Norales, a teenager they spent years fighting to protect from the dangers of street life and harmful influences.

The fatal attack unfolded just after 5 a.m. on Sunday, as Norales rode his bicycle along Penn Road in the Benguche neighborhood. Local law enforcement confirmed that two men on a motorbike pulled alongside the teen after he passed a speed bump, and one gunman opened fire multiple times at close range. First responders rushed the wounded teenager to a nearby medical facility for urgent treatment, but he ultimately succumbed to his severe gunshot injuries.

Speaking on behalf of the National Crime Investigation Branch, Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero confirmed that investigators have already taken two persons into custody in connection with the murder, as of the latest update. “On Sunday around 5:30 a.m., police responded to reports of a shooting in the area,” Romero stated. “Upon arrival, we found the 16-year-old victim with multiple gunshot wounds, and he passed away shortly after arriving for care.”

Norales’ life was marked by hardship from his earliest days: his mother passed away when he was only one year old, and his father has been incarcerated for his entire life. Stepping up to raise the boy as her own child was his aunt, Sharilee Makin, who surrounded him with the love and structure every young person needs to thrive. His cousin, Sharwell Makin, grew to be more than a family member — she was his closest confidante and constant companion, who never suspected violence would cut her loved one’s life short.

“ I was out at Y-Not not long before the shooting, and I saw him there,” Sharwell Makin shared in an emotional interview. “We hugged, we talked, and he never said anything about anyone threatening him. By the time I got home, my little sister called and told me he’d been shot and was in the hospital. I was just about to go to sleep, but I jumped up right away and rushed to the hospital with my mom. I still couldn’t believe it — I’d just seen him, and he had no idea what was coming.”

The teenager’s family made repeated, deliberate efforts to pull him away from the dangerous peer group he had begun associating with in Dangriga. First, they sent him to live in Georgetown in the hope that a change of scenery would steer him toward a safer path. When that effort failed to keep him off the streets, Makin reached out directly to Belizean police, requesting intervention and placement in a support program to get him out of harmful environments. Tragically, those repeated requests for help went unanswered, and the family’s worst fears came to pass.

Despite the profound trauma of growing up without his biological parents, those who loved Norales remember him as a warm, open-hearted young man who was still searching for purpose and a place to belong. “Everyone has their own version of who Isaiah was, but to me, he was just a very loving kid,” Sharwell Makin said. “He told me everything, he trusted me completely. I never heard him say he thought his life was in danger, not once.”

Now, as law enforcement continues to build their case against the two suspects in custody, the Makin family is left to plan a funeral for a life cut far too short, and to cling to one simple demand: accountability. “We know who is responsible, because Isaiah was able to share that information before he died, and police have that now,” Sharwell Makin explained. “We don’t want anything else. We just want justice. That’s all we ask for.”

Reporting from Dangriga for News Five, Shane Williams. This report is a transcript of an original television broadcast, with Kriol language quotes transcribed using a standardized spelling system.

In the early hours of Sunday, a targeted shooting in Belize’s Orange Walk District has escalated long-simmering public anxiety over a recent nationwide spike in gun-related violence, leaving a 28-year-old man injured and investigators working to unpack the circumstances of the attack.

The incident, which unfolded around 3:15 a.m. on June 29, 2026, saw 28-year-old Eric Martinez shot while sitting inside a vehicle alongside another man. According to official law enforcement details, the pair were followed by a second vehicle, whose occupants opened fire multiple times in their direction. Martinez, the only person hit in the attack, survived the shooting and is currently listed in stable condition at a local medical facility.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero, head of the National Crime Investigating Branch, confirmed to reporters that while no definitive motive has been finalized, investigators are working off the lead that Martinez had a prior dispute with an unknown party that may have led to the pre-planned attack. “We have not established a clear motive,” Romero told reporters in a post-incident briefing. “Information is that he had dispute with someone in the past, and this person may have followed him in that vehicle.”

As of the latest update, authorities have taken two persons into custody for questioning in connection with the shooting. The weapon used in the attack remains unaccounted for, and law enforcement teams continue to actively search for the firearm. Police also confirmed that Martinez has no prior criminal record with the department, a detail that has deepened local public unease over the randomness of recent violent outbreaks.

This shooting is just the latest in a wave of violent incidents that have shaken the country over the weekend, which already claimed three other lives across Belize. As investigators continue to process evidence and follow leads, residents of Orange Walk District remain on edge, with growing public pressure on law enforcement to address the accelerating surge in gun crime across the nation.