Important Note: This Internet version of 7 News is a verbatum
transcript of our evening television news script. Many interviews on our newscast
are conducted in Creole. In the interest of clarity for our foreign readers,
we attempt to paraphrase the Creole quotes in English
If you kept track of all the potholes you had to maneuver today, how high would that tally be?
It would certainly be in the double digits and likely you would've lost count, especially since many of them have amalgamated into small ponds.
It's happening all over the country after the incessant rains and very average road stock. But, here in the City - which has the greatest number of streets the Council has been rapidly assessing the damages following the incessant rains. But the report is only the first part - the second will be getting the money to fix it all. And tonight we can tell you that the tab will run into the 7 digit range.
Courtney Menzies spoke to the City Administrator about the report and the work that CitCo hopes to commence soon. Here is that story.
The streets of Belize City are no match for three weeks of relentless rains, and over time, the potholes have multiplied in number and size, and today they are more like craters. And according to the City Council's Damage Assessment Report, the cost of the repairs of the 157 streets that sustained the most damages will amount to over a million dollars. But since that's not in their budget, the City Admin says they've gone to the government for help.
Albert Vaughan, City Administrator, Belize CitCo "Of course we can't get out there and fix them right away because the rain keeps coming and so we don't want to waste resources and so we had to send out our technical team out there and they brought back the report with the cost center, I think it cost like $1.69 million in damages."
"If we are going to ask local government, or even MIDH to help, then there must be some kind of cost center to the damages. These are not normal rains, these were bad weather that affect the city and the 1.69… I think the mayor have made that approach already to local government, we had to report to local government to say listen, this is what it cost the city with those two weeks, now three weeks of rains."
But what will those repairs look like, and will they hold up against another bout of rain?
Courtney Menzies: "We know that we have to build streets that are climate change resistant and whatnot, so I don't think, in many of these cases the regular chip and seal and just patching up the potholes, they don't work anymore because they don't last very long. do you find a lot of these streets that were paved in this type of way, those ones have already received damages, and that in itself is a waste in resources, rather than just cementing it one time."
Albert Vaughan, City Administrator, Belize CitCo "You're absolutely right. Technology as we go along, and you are right because we find that the concrete street stands up better with the water. Many of those are still standing up, yes they flood but when that water goes down the concrete street stands up but you are right. I think we have to find some way to get the correct material. I am not an engineer so I can't help in that field but yes, we have to look at it, those chip and seal, but you know we are doing hot mix so I think the hot mix will stand up much better in this weather so it has to elevate from that, definitely."
And Vaughan says that the work will commence once the sun starts shining - and the funds come in.
Albert Vaughan, City Administrator, Belize CitCo "I met with the technical team just yesterday and we're working on a plan of action, it think by tomorrow morning that plan of action should be with us where we would, in particular the thoroughfare, try to fill those holes with some kind of materials, until the weather is much more friendlier to us that we can go in and do the patch. Because patch do hold in dry weather, it won't hold in this dry weather, so we're not going out there to waste those materials so yes we have a plan, we will present that plan tomorrow to the mayor and of course that plan will come with a money, so we'll have to figure out where we'll get this money from."
"I asked the team to prioritize so you'll find that Lake I and Port Loyola will be the area that we need to prioritize in. Jane Usher Boulevard, it's crazy. So yes the team will come up with that."
While the initial report said 157 streets, a finalized version has decreased it to 149.
And while the residents of those 149 streets will be more than happy to see the construction begin, drivers - and even pedestrians - throughout the city will be very relieved to know that St Thomas Street will soon be upgraded.
It's a major roadway that's riddled with potholes and has city residents crying out for help after months of disrepair. We've heard that CitCo was consulting with BWS and MIDH - but that was months ago.
Well, today, the City Admin says the contract has been signed with RodLa Construction and the work will begin soon.
Albert Vaughan, City Administrator, Belize CitCo "The talking is finishing, let me say to you that I have signed the contract with a company and what happened, 14 days after we signed the contract, and we did that on Friday, work should begin. But the contractor promised me that is this week is holds up, he will start this week so St Thomas Street is on the way. All the talking is finished, the money is in the bag, and the contractor now has a contract to work with."
Courtney Menzies: "By when do you think the entire street will be finished fixing?"
Albert Vaughan, City Administrator, Belize CitCo "It won't be long because it will be hot mix, so he told me it will not be a long journey at all. But with these work, what they have to do, these contractors work off site first. Meaning they have to get the material, blah blah blah, and then when they ready, they will go on St Thomas and do their first work, grade, rip, so it won't even be two weeks. What I was hoping on is that we have very good weather this week, that would have started the project. But the contractor is on, we already pay 50% of that, so as I've said, the talking is finished, it's now about getting St Thomas Street going."
There was blood on the floor at the PGIA this evening. It happened after a stabbing incident between two workers from Belize Aero Dispatch. The Manager of airport operations told us the young men had a verbal dispute outside the airport and then they both pulled out knives. One started chasing the other, and when the one at the back started to catch up with the one at the front, he swung backwards, cutting across his pursuer's forehead. The victim was rushed to the BDF hospital for treatment and the matter has been handed over to the police for investigation and charges. Hoare told us that because of this, none of the young men can work at the airport again.
The Coco Plum Island resort is one of the most highly rated in all Belize - but last week, one of the resort's employees was accused of committing an outrageous sexual assault on a guest.
On the night of October 30th between 9:45 and 11:45, a 48 year old American Government Contractor from Maryland was along with her boyfriend staying at a cabana named "Sun Set" having quality time on a patio located at the back.
Both were seated on a love seat and felt asleep but she was awakened by a sudden feeling that someone was fondling her right breast, and when she saw that it wasn't her boyfriend, she screamed. He sprang up and began to make checks in the surrounding area and discovered a pair of footprints which led to the direction to a cabana where all the staff stayed.
They reported the matter and were later escorted off the island by the manager.
The resort today confirmed to us that police have arrested an employee who started working recently. They said because he was new, their suspicion was immediately directed at him. They add that the guest cooperated and was glad that the arrest was immediate.
Last week Monday American Elvira Mulholland was charged and remanded for four criminal offenses of robbery, attempted murder, harm and use of deadly means of harm upon her husband, Jeffery Mulholland. This after shooting him with his own weapon on the Coastal Highway on October 26.
And despite making an application for High Court Bail, Mulholland will be spending another few weeks behind bars. Her attorney Lyden Jones filed her bail application on Friday November 1st, but before the bail hearing could take place, a judge went through the facts of the case and ordered that a detailed psychiatric evaluation be done on Mulholland before they proceeded any further. Her bail hearing was adjourned for November 25th.
And also appearing in Court last Friday was the attorney for Inspector Chris Martinez. He's the cop who was sentenced to jail for 5 months in jail for wounding. That was in September, and on Friday, his attorney Hubert Elrington was back before the Chief Magistrate asking for a stay of execution on the sentence. That would set him free while he waited for an appeal of his sentence to be heard.
But, the court rejected the request for a stay and his attorney expressed his displeasure because by the time his client's appeal is heard, he will have served his sentence:
Hubert Elrington, Attorney for Inspector Martinez "If he were to remain in prison until the appeal that he has filed against his sentence be heard the time of his sentence would long expire before his appeal is heard and this would mean that his constitutional right and his legal right to a fair trial within a reasonable time, apparently magistrate believes that there is still time in which the court of appeal might decide to hear the appeal right away and that therefore there is still time to ensure that his constitutional and legal right is reserved."
"Mr. Martinez is therefore left with no option but to go right away to the high court to ask for a stay or that his appeal be heard immediately."
Martinez has served just under two months of his 5 months sentence. Our sources say that currently there are 16 other police officers serving sentenced or on remand.
Shamar Foster was 19 years old when he was assaulted by police officers at the municipal airstrip back in 2022. The incident was captured on his cellphone camera, which caught one of the cops hitting the phone out of his hand. Foster was a tour guide and full time student but in that airstrip, he was stripped of his constitutional rights. He retained attorney Leslie Mendez and took the matter to court.
Yesterday, the court decided in his favor for two of the three constitutional claims he brought, regarding the unlawful search and the breach of his right to freedom of expression as it relates to recording the incident.
Today Mendez told us that while they are satisfied with the outcome, she fears it will do little in the way of deterring officers from repeating the breach.
Leslie Mendez, Attorney "On the award for damages, we are satisfied with the award for damages and that's because traditionally really in the Caribbean we don't really see very large awards of damages being given. Sometimes even in cases of death you don't really see these extravagant awards that we might see on tv and all these things.
"So looking at just what the standard has been what other cases um what has been awarded in other cases I have no issue with the 25,000. I think Shamar is satisfied with that."
"Um, also it it wasn't the most egregious act of violence that we have seen and so again we are reasonably I think that is something that we are satisfied with but it's another question as to whether I actually believe it will function as a deterrent against further options or not further options, but against further actions similar actions being taken."
"It is precedence setting at least in the Caribbean, it's the first case that we would have where a court is specifically acknowledging um and recognizing the right to record and also giving some insight as to why that is important."
"What is assumed is that the public authorities will then operationalize that and ensure that that is placed on policy that that is there's some sensitization across the board for police officers to know that that is in fact a right and that you're not allowed to ask anybody to stop recording, that's the assumption. But for instance you say that well this has been acknowledged by the department, um by the minister even I believe um that you have the right to record."
"But when something happens as we have seen many times now we've seen videos in the news where there is an explicit request by a police officer saying stop recording, you need to stop recording and there's no follow -up to that."
"So in theory we do have affirmative statements from the public authorities from the commissioner, from the minister accepting that this is in fact the right and yes you have the right to record, but then there's no follow -up."
"It places people at risk when you don't follow up when you don't follow up with actual policy and more than that disciplinary actions when that right is not respected."
And the final claim that Foster brought before the court was that the process and the proceedings were unfair to him. Mendez explained why their argument was not accepted.
Leslie Mendez, Attorney "The proceedings before the professional standard branch need to be fair, not only to the officer, but to the citizen that has made the complaint. That is what our argument was. We said, in this case, there's a complaint of police misconduct and police misconduct that is a breach, which is equivalent to a breach of the citizen's constitutional rights."
"Which is, again, we placed a premium on that. It's contained in our supreme law, and so we have a very high interest, a duty, an obligation to ensure that those rights are respected. And so our argument was that in that context, when a member of the public makes a complaint against an officer for abusive conduct that has now breached their constitutional rights, the process that the professional standard branch now adheres to has to respect the right of the citizen to be heard, to be included, to be able to participate, to at least know when the proceedings are starting, know what the outcome of the proceeding is. Before we went to court, we didn't know what the outcome of the proceeding was."
"We had sent several requests for updates, and those were not responded. So the argument that we were trying to make is, even though this is an internal disciplinary process for the police department, because now it's engaging with making determinations and assigning sanctions for breaches of constitutional rights that affect members of the public, then members of the public ought to be included."
"The response to that was that, well, again, it's an internal, contained process, and in terms of fairness, the principal person that might be affected by this process is the officer that is now facing disciplinary proceedings, and so the obligation of fairness lies to him."
"And the court agreed, the court agreed with that argument. I must say we were disappointed."
Mendez says they are considering an appeal on the final claim.
She says that he allegedly pulled a gun on her in-front of her two kids. The accused is the chairman of Santa Cruz village and the victim is his ex common law.
We spoke with her via phone today and she recounted for us a horrific experience. Jomarie Lanza Reports.
A mother of two is living in fear after the father of her children allegedly pulled a gun on her last night. She claims he attempted to shoot her in front of her children. Dalia Cabal's life was spared, however, when the gun jammed.
The incident happened here at this two storey house in Santa Cruz village, and the victim says that it all started when her ex common law husband, Vincent Scott, who is also the chairman of Santa Cruz village, came by to find a maintenance man working in the house. Cabral says he became enraged and chased the man out from the house.
Voice of: Dalia Cabral, Assault Victim "And Mr Scott Found him yesterday inside his house and that's when Mr Scott got a gun and chased the guy but the guy jumped out of the window and form that Mr Scott ran downstairs and he chased him with the gun and the whole neighborhood saw that. I don't understand why he would do something like that he already moved on and he already have a new born why are you disturbing my peace just because it's your house but the judge say, when him and I went through the judge, the judge said that I can stay here because it's over 7 years and this house is for you and the kids. Why does Scott always come here and thinks he can do whatever he wants with me because it's his house. I've tolerated him all my life I depended on him that's why he does what he does but after 8:00 last night he came again with the gun, the window was broken so he entered, the door was locked and he jumped inside and cranked his gun in front of the two kids I saw him so I just jumped from the back door downstairs and I ran to my neighbor where they were. Now my ankle is sprained and it's really hard and as I saw his vehicle go away I went and got my kids and we went and file a report and now they transferred the report to independence village."
Cabral and Scott have been separated for some time now, and since the incident she filed a report and is now filing for a protection order. She says that she is fearful that Scott will attempt to harm her and her children again.
Dalia Cabral, Assault Victim "I thought it wouldn't have gotten this far but it went too far when he pulled that gun on me and that's why I had to do what I had to do right now."
"Please I just don't want anyone to judge me. They don't know what I am going through. I just want assistance. That's all from anyone it would be greatly appreciated."
We reached out to Scott for comment but received no answer.
Up until this evening, we had tried a number of times to get the Chairman's side of the story...
Dangriga Police are in search of one man, after he escaped from his cell block at the Dangriga Police Station on Thursday October 31st just before 10:00am.
Police Constable Leonel Waight was instructed to escort 5 prisoners from the police station to the Belize Central prison. And so he took 21 year old Ornell Reyes out from his cell along with another detainee and handcuffed them both. PC Waight claims that he simply turned around to open another cell block and that's when Reyes ran off towards the back door, stomped it open and made his good escape.
And in an update, we have been informed that Reyes was detained on Saturday and taken back into custody.
We've been telling you all about the fusarium fungus that will have a major negative effect on cane production - but there is some good news for the industry tonight.
The Ministry of Foreign Trade today announced the UK's recent decision to maintain its current Autonomous Tariff Quota for raw cane sugar. A release says there will be no increase in access for suppliers who are not part of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States. What this does is, it preserves critical market access for Belize's sugar exports in 2025.
This means the UK will continue to allow 260,000 tonnes of raw cane sugar to enter its market at a 0% tariff rate, and Belize's sugar exports will retain duty-free, quota-free access under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement.
Sugar is Belize's leading export and creates around 12,000 direct jobs. The industry accounts for approximately 41% of the nation's foreign exchange earnings.
What would you do with a million dollars? That's what we asked city residents today after yesterday's announcement of the "one and a million" anniversary jackpot. It's GOB's way of celebrating the one year anniversary of the Belize Government Lotteries Limited. The way it works is that customers will be able to purchase a 4 digit sequence, similar to the jackpot, and have a chance to win up to a million dollars. If there are more than one winners, then the money will be shared equally.
And here's what residents on the streets said they'd use the money for:
Tickets can be purchased at any BGLL sub agent, and sales will end on December 20th.
They may be pushing 50 years and above - but they can still ride a bike at half that number, 25 miles per hour. That's the story for four Belizean master's riders who went to the Dominican Republic over the weekend for a series of races known as the "Triple Cien" - 3 days of 100 kilometer road races.
Roque Matus came home with a third place trophy and bragging rights for 5th overall. He told us about the ride at the airport today:
Roque Matus, Masters Cyclist, 3rd Triple Cien "It's three 100 kilometer race over three days. Each day you can, you know, there's general classification and you can win the individual stage. So I was third in one stage and I was fifth overall, right, out of about 78 riders."
"To be honest with you, it's a very fit set of people, riders, they come from all over the place. And there's no big difference between the average speed between the 30 plus, the 40 plus, the 50 plus, you know."
"I mean, they're very fit people. And we had trained hard, it was myself, Liam Stewart, and Warren Coye that went and we represented the country very well, as well as Dwight Lopez. I think that they were a bit shocked to see how fast these guys ride, as well as, you know, how much they jostled for position, you know, and the fact that the roads are more technical than Belize, right, these roads are kind of easier."
A total of $70,000 worth of materials for the expansion of San Narciso's water system was handed over today by UNICEF in collaboration with the ministry of Rural transformation, community development, labor, and local government. This investment will assist the water board in ensuring that all residents have access to a reliable water supply. Here are the highlights from today's handing over ceremony.
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If you kept track of all the potholes you had to maneuver today, how high would that tally be?
Albert Vaughan, City Administrator, Belize CitCo
And while the residents of those 149 streets will be more than happy to see the construction begin, drivers - and even pedestrians - throughout the city will be very relieved to know that St Thomas Street will soon be upgraded.
There was blood on the floor at the PGIA this evening. It happened after a stabbing incident between two workers from Belize Aero Dispatch. The Manager of airport operations told us the young men had a verbal dispute outside the airport and then they both pulled out knives. One started chasing the other, and when the one at the back started to catch up with the one at the front, he swung backwards, cutting across his pursuer's forehead. The victim was rushed to the BDF hospital for treatment and the matter has been handed over to the police for investigation and charges. Hoare told us that because of this, none of the young men can work at the airport again.
The Coco Plum Island resort is one of the most highly rated in all Belize - but last week, one of the resort's employees was accused of committing an outrageous sexual assault on a guest.
Last week Monday American Elvira Mulholland was charged and remanded for four criminal offenses of robbery, attempted murder, harm and use of deadly means of harm upon her husband, Jeffery Mulholland. This after shooting him with his own weapon on the Coastal Highway on October 26.
And also appearing in Court last Friday was the attorney for Inspector Chris Martinez. He's the cop who was sentenced to jail for 5 months in jail for wounding. That was in September, and on Friday, his attorney Hubert Elrington was back before the Chief Magistrate asking for a stay of execution on the sentence. That would set him free while he waited for an appeal of his sentence to be heard.
"Mr. Martinez is therefore left with no option but to go right away to the high court to ask for a stay or that his appeal be heard immediately."
Shamar Foster was 19 years old when he was assaulted by police officers at the municipal airstrip back in 2022. The incident was captured on his cellphone camera, which caught one of the cops hitting the phone out of his hand. Foster was a tour guide and full time student but in that airstrip, he was stripped of his constitutional rights. He retained attorney Leslie Mendez and took the matter to court.
"Um, also it it wasn't the most egregious act of violence that we have seen and so again we are reasonably I think that is something that we are satisfied with but it's another question as to whether I actually believe it will function as a deterrent against further options or not further options, but against further actions similar actions being taken."
She says that he allegedly pulled a gun on her in-front of her two kids. The accused is the chairman of Santa Cruz village and the victim is his ex common law.
"And Mr Scott Found him yesterday inside his house and that's when Mr Scott got a gun and chased the guy but the guy jumped out of the window and form that Mr Scott ran downstairs and he chased him with the gun and the whole neighborhood saw that. I don't understand why he would do something like that he already moved on and he already have a new born why are you disturbing my peace just because it's your house but the judge say, when him and I went through the judge, the judge said that I can stay here because it's over 7 years and this house is for you and the kids. Why does Scott always come here and thinks he can do whatever he wants with me because it's his house. I've tolerated him all my life I depended on him that's why he does what he does but after 8:00 last night he came again with the gun, the window was broken so he entered, the door was locked and he jumped inside and cranked his gun in front of the two kids I saw him so I just jumped from the back door downstairs and I ran to my neighbor where they were. Now my ankle is sprained and it's really hard and as I saw his vehicle go away I went and got my kids and we went and file a report and now they transferred the report to independence village."
Dangriga Police are in search of one man, after he escaped from his cell block at the Dangriga Police Station on Thursday October 31st just before 10:00am.
They may be pushing 50 years and above - but they can still ride a bike at half that number, 25 miles per hour. That's the story for four Belizean master's riders who went to the Dominican Republic over the weekend for a series of races known as the "Triple Cien" - 3 days of 100 kilometer road races.
"I mean, they're very fit people. And we had trained hard, it was myself, Liam Stewart, and Warren Coye that went and we represented the country very well, as well as Dwight Lopez. I think that they were a bit shocked to see how fast these guys ride, as well as, you know, how much they jostled for position, you know, and the fact that the roads are more technical than Belize, right, these roads are kind of easier."
