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
Tonight, Belize's biggest utility, BEL, is in big trouble and desperately needs a taxpayer-funded bailout. More than that, the company has asked the PUC to double the Cost of Power Adjustment cap from 5% to 10%.
First, the bailout. Government sources in Belmopan unofficially say BEL is seeking tens of millions of dollars in financial assistance from the government to settle its mounting debt with Mexico's power supplier, CFE.Reports say CFE is threatening to pull the plug and temporarily discontinue service if BEL does not make a substantial payment towards its debt. As we understand it, this bailout request is in addition to a pending sale of $75 million in BEL preference shares to government and Social Security, as principal shareholders.
Second, regarding the Cost of Power Adjustment, or COPA, which is a regulatory mechanism to cover rising electricity import and generation costs. In July, the PUC approved it at 5% or 1.5 cents per kilowatt-hour. If the request is approved, the expanded 10% cap could vary the Mean Electricity Rate by up to 3.01 cents per kilowatt-hour.
And the justification? BEL says its power purchase expenses continue to exceed the existing 5% cap due to persistently high electricity supply prices imported from Mexico, and below-expected domestic hydroelectric generation.
With the ongoing uproar over electricity rates, it's not going to be popular, and the PUC is inviting written comments on the proposal from the public.
Written feedback should be emailed to info@puc.bz by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 17, 2026.
Tonight, one of Ambassador Alexis Rosado's defense attorneys is supporting his decision to step down as Belize's Co-Agent before the ICJ.
But even in agreeing that stepping down was the "better thing to do," Dickie Bradley believes the timing of the commencement of the criminal case could have been different.
We spoke with Bradley in Belmopan today:
Dickie Bradley, Attorney-at-Law "I think everybody is of that view that that is a better thing to do."
Jaleeza Roberts: "Including you?"
Dickie Bradley: "Yes."
Jaleeza Roberts: "Why did this not come sooner?"
Dickie Bradley: "Sorry?"
Jaleeza Roberts: "Why did this not come sooner? You know you were his counsel."
Dickie Bradley: "No, I think what happened is that it had not dawned on us. Let me back up and say something first, because you want to tease some words out of me. We are probably the only country in the world where the second highest-ranking Belizean, probably the only non-lawyer that is on the team to do everything possible to make sure that we end up coming out of the International Court of Justice with our borders and sovereignty intact-and those arguments, what they mean when you get a court, things do come up. That is the nature of court. Three months away from that, the people who prosecute persons in the High Court decide to bring about the trial of Ambassador Rosado. What was the hurry to push that through at this time? A very serious matter. So, you know, everybody believes anything can happen and so, no, how come? We only have November, December, January, and February is where everything involved in us defending what we believe is a strong case that no court will give away half of our country. We need all hands on board to deal with that.Then whoever killed, raped, burned, or did whatever could go to court the next day."
Jaleeza Roberts: "But still, why did it not come sooner?"
Dickie Bradley: "Because the word that the oral argument will be heard in February only came out, and secondly, the media picked up that the trial of Ambassador Rosado was unfolding in the High Court."
Jaleeza Roberts: "So, do you agree with his letter of resignation, whereby he stated that it was because of media pressure that he decided to take this step?"
Dickie Bradley: "Well, the media is only reflecting the wider views of the community. The media has made a lot of fuss over the Budna matter and nothing has come out of that. The Budna matter is a big joke on the government. They can't arrest the people who actually did a videotape beating that man and who are responsible for taking him out of the country. So, you can't really... it's more than just a media frenzy. It is, in fact, a reflection of a view widely held, because women have now been awakening in our society that they are not getting a fair shake. Another question is, will Rosado get a fair trial?"
Jaleeza Roberts: "Will you be representing him going forward?"
Dickie Bradley: "I am in discussion with that matter because, as you know, I have expressed views that the judge was not coming across the way a judge ought to in the matter. You can't tell a man, 'You only have till the morning to get a lawyer and start your trial whether or not you come here with a lawyer.' That kind of talk is not to take place. The mere suggestion is not fair."
With Bradley's strong opinions about the conduct of the presiding judge in the Rosado case, he is also critical of the recent appointment of two more foreign judges.
He referred to the position of the Association of Defence Attorneys, which has expressed grave concern about the continued elevation of foreign judges:
Dickie Bradley, Attorney-at-Law "Well, I belong to an organization which has publicly expressed its deep disappointment that the government does not appreciate. Not just the optics, but something is wrong. Let me try and see if I can put this in a nutshell. The colonial public service, everybody retires at 55. The Constitution of Belize says that judges can go to 60-odd, and in cases where they have outstanding judgments to write and so forth, they can go further. Now we have a whole culture of Belizean attorneys-years of experience, several over 15 years-they apply to be judges, they're not even invited to the interview. Then they see that the foreign judges who come are junior people in terms of when they were graduating from university. Something has to be wrong with that."
Jaleeza Roberts: "Do you believe that there's not enough equity when it comes to these interviews or the selection process?"
Dickie Bradley: "Clearly, the need really is for a change in the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. That is the problem."
Jaleeza Roberts: "Do you think that this discourages attorneys and also younger professionals to really pursue this career? Because if Belizeans aren't being afforded the same privileges as those regionally, do you think that it's creating some kind of disappointment for them?"
Dickie Bradley: "You're 100% correct. You're doing a legal course, you're 100% correct. Yes, it's a big discouragement for our own natives. And what it does is, in fact, if you look at it this way-and by the way, we have nothing against our Caribbean and Commonwealth brothers and sisters coming to serve us, it's just that charity begins at home. You have experienced, qualified, long-serving members who have retired as magistrates at the early age of 55 and can't get even an interview. It's sending a real bad message."
With a current vacancy for a judge on the civil side, it is still undetermined if a Belizean will be selected to fill the post. Bradley is concerned about the optics, saying that no other country prioritizes foreigners over their own:
Jaleeza Roberts: "There is a current vacancy for a judge on the civil side. Do you believe that it will be filled by a Belizean?"
Dickie Bradley: "Well, we are hoping there can be a media blitz and a media frenzy over this matter of foreigners being appointed. You saw and heard what was happening today. It's incredible that in our country,45 years after independence, not one single lawyer with experience and training and so on... Let me just tell you that the matter of the Chief Justice, whether that will continue, is coming up shortly. Coming up shortly, we have Godfrey Smith, we have Marshalleck, we have Lisa Shoman-I can call at least a dozen names of Belizeans who are qualified. Why is it that something is going wrong?"
Jaleeza Roberts: "So do you believe that it should be a Belizean that should be selected?"
Dickie Bradley: "I'm hoping now that the matter is being exposed that we don't have a problem like... This is an embarrassment to the government, you know. A big embarrassment to the government that they sit there all these years and approve, approve, approve, approve. The media should get the list of all the persons who are approved by this 'going George Price' party. Approved loan foreigners-not one Belizean. They don't even get invited to the interviews. What kind of ten-cent, clown country. .. where they look for a bill? Something is wrong."
Jaleeza Roberts: "Do you believe that going forward there needs to be some form of equity? Like, let's say if we have so many foreign judges, half of that needs to be Belizean?"
Dickie Bradley: "We need to look in the Caribbean and the Commonwealth and find a country where they do what we do. Because if the time is available and the research is done, this happens nowhere else. That says it all. This happens nowhere else. We have always had foreigners as judges in our country. We've even had foreign chief justices in this country. We had the great Abdulai Conteh, a man who said the Maya should get their right inheritance with their land, and we ran him out of the office. So something is wrong with we."
The current vacancy for a Justice of the High Court (Civil Division) closes on November 30, 2026.
Tonight, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pondering another diplomatic note to Guatemala after another aggressive encounter with the Guatemalan Navy on the Sarstoon.
It happened on Saturday, when a Belize Defence Force vessel was blocked on the Sarstoon River by the Guatemalan Navy.
But it wasn't just soldiers on board-they were escorting U.S. Embassy personnel to the Cadenas observation post on the Sarstoon River. The mission was part of an ongoing communications project, with the team traveling to the area reportedly to scout for areas to erect a tower.
The CEO in the Ministry of National Defence, Francis Usher, told us the Guatemalan military used intimidation tactics, but the BDF patrol remained professional and ensured the safety and security of everyone aboard the vessel while asserting Belize's presence in its territorial waters. The incident has since been reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which now has to follow up.
Cadenas Observation Post is a remote military installation operated by the BDF and is located along the southwestern border of Belize near the Sarstoon River.
"Everything is on the table"-that's what the CEO of Tropic Air told a trade magazine in response to a question over whether flights to destinations other than Punta Gorda could be cut.
The article is titled "Belize's Tropic Air Considers More Cuts Over Airport Plans."
It explains that Tropic Air is evaluating further route closures and flight reductions after government floated a proposal to shut down San Pedro's John Greif II Airport by 2030 and open a new one on northern Ambergris Caye.
The warning comes after Tropic Air's recent decision to terminate services to Punta Gorda-a destination it had served for roughly 25 years, most of them with losses.
Tropic Air CEO Max Greif attributed the pullout to a mix of rising operational costs, proposed new security fees, and deep uncertainty caused by government plans to replace the San Pedro airstrip.
Greif explains that San Pedro functions as the core hub that subsidizes less profitable regional routes across the country. Significantly, he noted that if the airline received firm assurances that tourism operations in San Pedro would not be disrupted, Tropic Air would resume flights to Punta Gorda immediately.
But with no official guarantees in place, Tropic Air is now reviewing its entire domestic schedule. Greif warned that further service cancellations or scaling back routes are under active consideration for destinations that fail to demonstrate standalone commercial value.
The dispute centers on a government initiative to close the downtown John Greif II Airport in San Pedro by 2030 and build a replacement airport in northern Ambergris Caye.
Greif says that Tropic maintains a cautious "wait and see" stance on its domestic network while awaiting further clarity from government officials.
In April 2023, a Valley of Peace vegetable vendor, 35-year-old Jose Antonio Lopez, was fatally shot and killed in Belize City while drinking at a bar on Barbara Harris Street.
Twenty-four-year-old Emerson Elijio, who was 21 at the time of the murder, along with 23-year-old Milton Nunez, were both charged for the murder.
Later on in 2025, Elijio's charge was downgraded to manslaughter due to evidence found within his case file.His trial for that crime began yesterday in a trial without jury. But the prosecutor from the DPP's office had to hold a trial within a trial to determine the admissibility of Elijio's caution statement, in which he told police that he only intended to rob the victim, but he did admit that he was aware that other persons in his group had a firearm.
Elijio openly admitted that he was not the shooter, but Justice Nigel Pilgrim explained to Elijio that in a joint enterprise all parties are liable, and in his case he knew that a man in the group had a gun. As a result, Elijio entered a guilty plea to manslaughter and was remanded to prison until sentencing on December 1st.
As we've been reporting, Ambassador Alexis Rosado formally resigned from his post as Co-Agent for Belize at the ICJ yesterday, bowing to public pressure due to his ongoing criminal trial.
Rosado was charged back in 2022 and the case is scheduled to resume in the High Court next month.
We've been following it closely, including the official pronouncements on Rosado's position. Courtney Menzies took a look at that timeline and has this story:
In April 2022, Ambassador Alexis Rosado was charged with rape, sexual assault, and aggravated assault. In June 2025, he was indicted at the High Court, where the matter continues to be heard.
When the charges were first levied, Rosado resigned from his diplomatic postings. However, he remained as Belize's co-agent to the ICJ case.
At that time, the Prime Minister said he was necessary to the case:
John Briceno, Prime Minister (Archival: May 2022) "This is a no-win situation on this matter because the time, you know, and when I answer that question with Alexis Rosado, you know, they jumped at me because of the young lady that has made the charges. We certainly feel for her."
"Now, God forbid that we do not use his expertise because we did not use his expertise. We go to court, and there is some mix-up, and then we pay the consequences by losing a portion of Belize. What would be your reaction? You are going to be the first that comes on top of us, like a ton of bricks saying, 'Well, you have the responsibility to protect us.'"
Following his arraignment, we had also asked the Foreign Minister about their decision to keep Rosado on board:
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Archival: June 2025) "You know, what I can say is that, you know, the decision was taken several years ago to keep Mr. Rosado in his capacity as a co-agent on the ICJ team, along with, of course, Ambassador Assad Shoman. And I think the justification for that, the rationale for that was that he had been involved with thisprocess for a very, very long time."
Rosado continued working as the co-agent, and his rape trial was originally set to begin in January, and then moved to July. But after numerous postponements, the proceedings officially began in October. Still, the case continued to be delayed. At the start of the month, Rosado's lead counsel, Richard "Dickie" Bradley, was removed from the case, keeping his second attorney, Leeroy Banner.
The following day, attorney Eamon Courtenay filed a constitutional complaint on Rosado's behalf, arguing that Rosado's right to a fair trial was violated after Bradley could not appear. Rosado then needed to find a new lead counsel.
Finally, in the last proceeding held on October 16th, Rosado was represented by new lead counsel, Jamaican attorney Deborah Martin. After they informed the court of the new lead counsel, the matter was adjourned once again to November 20th for case management.
And we once again asked both Fonseca and Briceño why Rosado was being kept on the ICJ case despite the active rape trial and serious charges against him. But they both recited from the same script: innocent until proven guilty.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Archival: October 2026) "Ambassador Rosado is charged with very serious crimes, but he is innocent until proven guilty, you know. And so in this case, I think the government's position and view was and is that, you know, his involvement in terms of... of this case helping us as we approach the final lap of this case was important, and we are following the advice of our agent and the legal team in that regard."
John Briceno, Prime Minister (Archival: October 2026) "In our constitution, in our laws, you are innocent until declared guilty. But we also have to look after the future of the country."
But not everyone in the government agrees with this stance:
Cordel Hyde, Minister of Natural Resources (Archival: October 2026) "You know, I asked myself this question: if I were to go to sleep tonight and not wake up tomorrow, would they try to preserve me, or would they have to bury me? I think ultimately they would have to bury me, and that is how I will answer that."
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service (Archival: October 2026) "Number one, of course, he is entitled to a fair trial. That's number one. Number two, he has contributed... I understand from the co-agents that he has contributed significantly to the case. But as I said, if the procedure is going to be followed, then it needs to be followed. And in life, nobody is indispensable,you know. We have to be able to make the most when a situation comes up and to make sure that there's somebody else that can do the work."
And along with them is the Speaker of the House, who wrote an extraordinary opinion piece entitled The Co-Agent Exception, demanding Rosado's departure from the case. She says that the narrative being peddled that Rosado is indispensable and that the country's case is in jeopardy if he is not on it is exaggerated,misleading, and an unconscionable form of gaslighting for the accuser.
The day after she released that statement, the Belize Network of NGOs issued a press release of their own joining the call for Rosado's resignation. They said, quote: "This is not about prejudging guilt or innocence; it is about upholding the standards of conduct and accountability that the public has a reasonable expectation and right to expect from those entrusted with public responsibilities." End quote.
And for months, Channel 7 has been leading the reporting on Rosado's rape trial and the constant delays and adjournments-whether on the newscast or on Sunup on 7's "Monday Morning Beef":
Jules Vasquez, Channel 7 News Director (Archival: October 2026) "This trial was to have started January 26th; it's still not in full swing. It's complicated because Alexis Rosado continues to enjoy... there are two standards at play here. When a public officer, an employee of the Government of Belize, which is what he is... when a public officer is facing an indictable offense, he or she has to be put on administrative leave. They face a sanction-there are many public officers right now facing this-you cannot remain on active duty. You are innocent until proven guilty, accepted; however,because of the seriousness of the allegation against you, you have to go on leave."
And after mounting public pressure, Rosado finally issued his resignation letter yesterday evening. The letter blames the media for, quote, "an active and very public campaign of calumny against me, designed to tarnish my reputation."
It goes on to say, quote: "It is one thing for a public servant to bear the slings and arrows of a hostile press; it is another for the Office itself, and the cause it serves, to be made the collateral victim of a campaign whose logic is animus rather than evidence... I do so not in retreat, but in the belief that institutions outlast individuals and that the work of the Agent must not be permitted to labour under a cloud not of its making." End quote.
So despite the support of senior government officials and the agent at the ICJ, Assad Shoman, Rosado will no longer be representing Belize at the ICJ, and in his resignation letter, he says he will continue to be at the disposal of the court and in defense of his name.
Today the 2nd annual Legal Forum was held at the University of Belize Belmopan Campus.
Today's session was about making human rights more relatable-not as an abstract concept, but as a direct guarantee of the Constitution of Belize.
Jaleeza Roberts has this story:
Have you ever wondered what can happen when students get educated on their human rights? Well, that's what the University of Belize hoped to do today as they hosted the 2nd Annual Legal Forum with guests Justice Antoinette Moore and attorneys Dickie Bradley and Ardelle Sabido. Organizer and moderator Christelle Wilson says she hopes this forum will make students look at law a bit differently:
Christelle Wilson, Attorney-at-Law / UB Lecturer "I think it's very important that students appreciate the law. We live in a country where, as you heard the presenters say, a lot of people don't know their rights. And so I think it is important to continue to do these types of discourse and discussions where these attorneys-who take time out of their busy schedule and they're doing this pro-bono-can share the wealth of knowledge that they have not only to inform the students, but everybody watching about their rights, about their legal responsibilities as a citizen of Belize, and what is afforded to them under the law, and of course the appreciation of the rule of law. So we did it because it's important."
But while we all know that a Constitution exists, very few have examined its guarantees. Ardelle Sabido provided that insight:
Ardelle Sabido, Attorney-at-Law "The Constitution begins with a recognition of fundamental rights and freedoms. And we've seen that speaks in a language that reaches beyond ordinary political reference-life, liberty, security of the person, protection of the law, freedom of conscience and expression, association, privacy, family life,protection of property subject to constitutional provisions. And there's a long list. These are not benefits that an administration may dispense to the popular or the people who did support. It's something that is supposed to be applied across the board to everyone, to everybody living in this country equally. They define the limits on the unlawful exercise of public power-that means exercised by the government, right? The guarantee of rights also carries an important implication: the person whose rights we least want to defend may be the person for whom constitutional protection matters most."
And Dickie Bradley focused on the illegal detention and arrest of persons, explaining to students their 48-hour rights:
Dickie Bradley, Attorney-at-Law "The Constitution is not pretending that it is giving you fundamental rights and freedoms,because it is not-because you are entitled to that once you could walk on two foot without tail and you talk like how you are talking."
"Don't take these things lightly. There are people who feel they can just take you to station and leave you in a cell. Without undue delay! And in any case, have reasonable suspicion and good grounds to take you to the police... delay, and in any case, no less than 48 hours after such arrest and detention. Let's go back over that,because that's the reason I'm here. When police take anybody to any station, when you say 'and in any case'-if the police station burn down, [bleep] take me to court! Don't put me at no downstairs and take me to no other station. You have a maximum of 48 hours to present me to a court of law, and that is only because I is... only because! Look at the words at the end: 'without undue delay, and in any case.' 'In any case' in there because it means something."
And hopefully, a meaning bolstered by depth after today.
And keeping it on the subject of human rights, the Association of Defence Attorneys on October 22nd denounced what it calls unlawful detentions by police in Belize City and San Ignacio, claiming citizens are being denied their constitutional rights to liberty and legal representation.
In the press release, the ADA stressed that the 48-hour detention limit is not permission for police to routinely detain individuals without lawful justification. They call on the Ministry of National Security to ensure that the abusive practice ends. Well today, leading member of the ADA, Dickie Bradley, went a step further:
Dickie Bradley, Attorney-at-Law "We are experiencing almost like a new phenomenon where there is a widespread sweeping of young people who are being locked up for the weekend all across the city. And secondly, now it has reached the stage where there are at least two of the police stations... San Ignacio has a very bad reputation in the eyes of the Association of Defense Attorneys because they go out of their way to prevent persons who are detained from having access to attorneys. If we want to stretch the words of the Constitution we just looked at,where it says that anybody who is arrested or detained shall be made to communicate with an attorney of his choice, it didn't say it has to be in person. So sometimes, like in the cases that we heard from our colleagues,a teacher in Punta Gorda was told, 'We are going to lock you up because you belong to a gang.' A teacher belongs to a gang? And so it's a family who are frantically trying to make contact with an attorney. Although the person in charge of the Punta Gorda Police Station is a very good gentleman senior officer, instructions from Belmopan were to sweep and lock up people, so he had no final say in the matter."
Jaleeza Roberts: "Do you think they are doing this because they need to find ways to address the crime situation in Belize?"
Dickie Bradley: "100%. What they are doing is to try and see that they are able to minimize criminal acts by locking up as much young people as they can."
In a release this evening, Cabinet says it is working on a new Cost of Living Plan aimed at easing financial pressure on Belizean households, particularly low- and middle-income families struggling with rising food prices, fuel costs, and housing expenses.
The plan follows Cabinet's review of a paper titled "Addressing the Rising Cost of Living/Affordability," which outlines proposed short-term fiscal, policy, and regulatory measures to help make essential goods and services more affordable.
Cabinet says the plan is expected to be finalized and approved at its next meeting.
Yesterday, while speaking to the press, Minister of Public Service Henry Charles Usher discussed the challenges of the current global fuel crisis:
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service "We have addressed the cost of living issue in numerous Cabinets, and we have seen initiatives taken by the government, decisions made in terms ofmaking sure that individuals have more resources, more money in their pocket to be able to ameliorate the effects of what's happening right now in the global economy. I just recently read a report from the UNDP that says that developing countries are facing three shocks at the same time: a rising cost of energy caused by what's happening in the Middle East; we have the El Niño effect causing severe drought, affecting our farmers, affecting our waterways; and thirdly, we have the inflation that's actually raising the costof acquiring money, capital investment. So these three shocks are happening at the same time."
"Economists like to talk about... they have a saying, they say, ceteris paribus, right? They say all other things remaining equal or remaining the same. Right now, that's not happening. We're having multiple shocks happen at the same time, so we have to be able to have tools available to respond to those multiple shocks. I'm very ready to contribute at the Cabinet level as to some ideas that we have in terms of making sure that we reduce the cost of living, reduce the cost of groceries to our citizens, and to look at different areas where we can save them. Of course, it's always a balancing act. Some people are saying, 'Oh, let us remove the taxes on this,' or 'Let us reduce,' or 'Let us subsidize.' But if you do that, then you take monies away from other initiatives. And like you said, we'll talk about disaster risk management right now, but that is something... that's an area that we also have to find priority resources for."
Reporter: "Would you be open to have your allowances cut as one of the measures or approaches?"
Henry Charles Usher: "Yes, I have no problem with it. I've heard that discussion come up before, and if that's the decision, then I am very prepared to support that decision."
The proposed measures are expected to be implemented initially from November 2026 through March 2027.
BTB's The Boardwalk project at the Fort Point in Belize City is expected to be completed by January 2027.
It will see a complete revamping of the area around the Baron Bliss Grave-including a reconstructed lighthouse.
When we followed up with Director of Tourism Evan Tillett yesterday, he explained that the project was initially a partnership between BTB and the Belize City Council, but since it is costing them $1.5 million to complete,they are seeking to partner with other agencies to complete the boardwalk and its fixtures:
Evan Tillett, Director of Tourism "The boardwalk project is very important to the area and to tourism in Belize City. The fact that we looked at it... if you know the Belize Sign is there, and they also had-and I said 'had' because the lighthouse was there, but there are some safety issues with that lighthouse and the seawall was very deteriorated-and so we looked at it and we said, 'You know, this is something that we need to do in order to uplift the area and to add to the product.' And so we got a plan and we developed an entire boardwalk which will now have an area you can go out on beyond the lighthouse, and we will replace the lighthouse in its original format, but of course it will be working. And so I think that is important for Belize, and so we did put out press releases and we consulted with all of the key stakeholders before we started this project."
And as for the iconic Baron Bliss Lighthouse, reports tell us the old one has been scrapped and a new one will be constructed.
Twelve former prime ministers from nine Caribbean countries signed an open letter to all nations of the world on the upcoming resolution at the UN General Assembly on the necessity of ending the economic,commercial, and financial embargo on Cuba by the USA. Two of the former PMs include Dean Barrow and Said Musa.
UNGA will consider the resolution tomorrow. According to the open letter, quote: "Every year since 1992,UNGA has been adopting overwhelmingly a Resolution on this subject. Yet, the USA has been ignoring the clear voice of the international community, the requisites of international law, and the most elemental of civilising principles. We, the undersigned former Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community,strongly and unequivocally urge all nations to vote in favour of the Resolution on October 28, 2026, at UNGA." End quote.
The other former PMs are those from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia,St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The multi-million-dollar war for control over the future of Stake Bank Island reached the CCJ today for a high-stakes virtual sitting. They convened to hear an application for special leave to appeal filed by Michael Feinstein, represented in this matter by Trinidadian attorney Anand Ramlogan.
Feinstein is seeking to overturn a Belize Court of Appeal decision that blocked him from introducing fresh consulting reports. Feinstein's legal team argues these reports are vital to proving that the Government of Belize's compulsory acquisition of Stake Bank lacked a genuine public purpose.
The Government of Belize and the receiver, maintaining that the acquisition was entirely constitutional and lawful, have vigorously opposed the application.
Here are a few excerpts of today's sitting:
Anand Ramlogan, SC, Attorney, Feinstein Group "This application before you is about the judge having all of the relevant evidence before him because if, as we contend, there are missing parts of the evidential jigsaw puzzle, then of necessity it impacts on the fairness of the trial and more importantly it puts the court at a disadvantage because it cannot render a fair and just determination of the matter if it doesn't have all of the relevant evidence before it."
Eamon Courtenay, Attorney, OPSA "The issue relevant for the court was whether or not the acquisition was for the public purpose stated. The improper purpose alleged is identified in paragraph 147."
"That was the improper purpose and I respectfully submit, your Honour, that this document, the report, can have absolutely no influence on the outcome of that decision."
Winston Anderson, President, CCJ "We have not been able to arrive at a decision that we could render right now and therefore the matter is reserved. We will advise you as soon as we are in a position to render that decision so that you can know what it is."
And finally tonight, the Independent United Order of Mechanics is holding its 28th Convention in Belize for the first time, where their board will be elected for the next three years.
To mark the start of the convention, the members paraded this morning from their Lodge Hall on Regent Street to Wesley Church, followed by a church service. We spoke to their Grandmaster about the event and here's what he shared with us:
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Tonight, Belize's biggest utility, BEL, is in big trouble and desperately needs a taxpayer-funded bailout. More than that, the company has asked the PUC to double the Cost of Power Adjustment cap from 5% to 10%.
Tonight, one of Ambassador Alexis Rosado's defense attorneys is supporting his decision to step down as Belize's Co-Agent before the ICJ.
"I think everybody is of that view that that is a better thing to do."
With Bradley's strong opinions about the conduct of the presiding judge in the Rosado case, he is also critical of the recent appointment of two more foreign judges.
"Everything is on the table"-that's what the CEO of Tropic Air told a trade magazine in response to a question over whether flights to destinations other than Punta Gorda could be cut.
In April 2023, a Valley of Peace vegetable vendor, 35-year-old Jose Antonio Lopez, was fatally shot and killed in Belize City while drinking at a bar on Barbara Harris Street.
As we've been reporting, Ambassador Alexis Rosado formally resigned from his post as Co-Agent for Belize at the ICJ yesterday, bowing to public pressure due to his ongoing criminal trial.
John Briceno, Prime Minister (Archival: May 2022)
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Archival: June 2025)
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Archival: October 2026)
"In our constitution, in our laws, you are innocent until declared guilty. But we also have to look after the future of the country."
Cordel Hyde, Minister of Natural Resources (Archival: October 2026)
And along with them is the Speaker of the House, who wrote an extraordinary opinion piece entitled The Co-Agent Exception, demanding Rosado's departure from the case. She says that the narrative being peddled that Rosado is indispensable and that the country's case is in jeopardy if he is not on it is exaggerated,misleading, and an unconscionable form of gaslighting for the accuser.
"This trial was to have started January 26th; it's still not in full swing. It's complicated because Alexis Rosado continues to enjoy... there are two standards at play here. When a public officer, an employee of the Government of Belize, which is what he is... when a public officer is facing an indictable offense, he or she has to be put on administrative leave. They face a sanction-there are many public officers right now facing this-you cannot remain on active duty. You are innocent until proven guilty, accepted; however,because of the seriousness of the allegation against you, you have to go on leave."
Today the 2nd annual Legal Forum was held at the University of Belize Belmopan Campus.
"I think it's very important that students appreciate the law. We live in a country where, as you heard the presenters say, a lot of people don't know their rights. And so I think it is important to continue to do these types of discourse and discussions where these attorneys-who take time out of their busy schedule and they're doing this pro-bono-can share the wealth of knowledge that they have not only to inform the students, but everybody watching about their rights, about their legal responsibilities as a citizen of Belize, and what is afforded to them under the law, and of course the appreciation of the rule of law. So we did it because it's important."
"The Constitution begins with a recognition of fundamental rights and freedoms. And we've seen that speaks in a language that reaches beyond ordinary political reference-life, liberty, security of the person, protection of the law, freedom of conscience and expression, association, privacy, family life,protection of property subject to constitutional provisions. And there's a long list. These are not benefits that an administration may dispense to the popular or the people who did support. It's something that is supposed to be applied across the board to everyone, to everybody living in this country equally. They define the limits on the unlawful exercise of public power-that means exercised by the government, right? The guarantee of rights also carries an important implication: the person whose rights we least want to defend may be the person for whom constitutional protection matters most."
"Don't take these things lightly. There are people who feel they can just take you to station and leave you in a cell. Without undue delay! And in any case, have reasonable suspicion and good grounds to take you to the police... delay, and in any case, no less than 48 hours after such arrest and detention. Let's go back over that,because that's the reason I'm here. When police take anybody to any station, when you say 'and in any case'-if the police station burn down, [bleep] take me to court! Don't put me at no downstairs and take me to no other station. You have a maximum of 48 hours to present me to a court of law, and that is only because I is... only because! Look at the words at the end: 'without undue delay, and in any case.' 'In any case' in there because it means something."
BTB's The Boardwalk project at the Fort Point in Belize City is expected to be completed by January 2027.
Evan Tillett, Director of Tourism
Anand Ramlogan, SC, Attorney, Feinstein Group