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
In celebration of their return and historic first-place finish at the Association of Central American Volleyball Federations tournament, a motorcade was held in honor of Belize's National Men's Volleyball Team.
We caught up with some of the players right before the parade and spoke with them about their experience of victory and the joy of coming home draped in gold:
Ernest Broaster Jr., Outside Hitter, National Men's Volleyball Team "Just going there in the first set said from the start, bring the energy from the start and we won that first set, second set same thing again. And then after that second set win we saw the light at the end, but our energy dropped a little in the third set and then we brought it back in the fourth and then we won it."
"The feeling was surreal, you know. Just all the years my dad was playing-from my dad was playing he was trying to get that gold and you know, for me, the second generation years after, we won that gold so it was so real, we are on cloud nine right now."
Jomarie Lanza: "What was it like being under such intense pressure under the final game against Costa Rica?"
Kaelen Ingram, Opposite Attacker, National Men's Volleyball Team "It was a good feeling honestly because pressure is a true privilege. So being in front of such a huge fan base and playing the sport that we love, it is a great honor actually."
Jomarie Lanza: "So what do you think helped you guys to secure that win coming down to that last set?"
Kaelen Ingram, Opposite Attacker, National Men's Volleyball Team "It's just saying if not now, then when? We were tired of coming here to the same tournament and not getting the medal that we know that we deserve and you know, we are just going to get it now."
The motorcade finished at the Marion Jones Stadium a short while ago.
Turning now to other news, tonight, the SmartStream procurement scandal has hit the inner sanctum of the Briceño administration. 7News has now obtained screenshots showing payments made to RSL Group Limited, a newly formed company headquartered in Orange Walk and linked to the Cabinet Secretary himself, Stuart Leslie.
As Jules Vasquez found out, RSL is into a very current payment stream from the Ministry of Defence:
RSL Group, the company linked to Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie, has received payments of $85,874.10 from the Ministry of Defence for seasoning sold to the BDF across just two months.
Screenshots now in circulation show payments in May and June 2026 following the familiar pattern of sub-$10K disbursements.
Notably, on June 4th, five days before the screenshot leaks started, the system approved seven consecutive identical payments of exactly $6,941.25 each-a total haul of $56,224.13 for that day.
And on May 13th, four invoice payments totaled a disbursement of $29,649.97.
One larger payment of $49,534.54 is pending.
According to our sources, the Orange Walk-based RSL Group is owned by Stuart Leslie and Roel Cabrera, and was formed in October 2025. Leslie states that he is only a director and was unaware of the company's involvement in tendering for the BDF rations contract. He maintains that he has not made a dollar from the company and did not use his official position or influence to secure the supply agreement.
Leslie says the owners are longtime family friends and that they import from Chetumal.
Multiple reports suggest that RSL also supplies pharmaceuticals to the Ministry of Health, but we could not reach Cabrera to confirm this.
This evening, Cabinet Secretary Leslie told 7News that RSL has no business in pharmaceuticals. The Minister of Health Kevin Bernard texted us to say, quote, "RSL has never supplied any pharmaceutical or even participated in any of the tendering at the MoHW."
As you saw, all the payments to RSL fit under that well-known $10,000 threshold. It has become a glaring public issue in the Ministry of Defence-but the practice is widespread across government ministries. As we have told you-it is employed so that the payments can be approved by a Financial Officer-and do not have to go to the Treasury Department for a second approval.
Today, the Minister of Public Utilities, Energy, and Logistics said the pattern of payments requires a "serious investigation":
Reporter: "And then as a politician and being in cabinet, do you consider that this latest scandal involving split payments is going to hurt the party in the municipals?"
Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities "Listen, the allegations being raised are very serious allegations and they must be treated very seriously. Public funds do require public accounting, there is no way of getting around that. And I think Cabinet and Prime Minister understands that and I think we have now taken the necessary steps to make sure that this happens, so I have every faith in the process we have undertaken and I am sure that the Belizean people will see that and will understand the work we have been trying to put into place. Let me tell you this, I don't think what is happening can define the work that this government has done. We have done tremendous work in terms of education, in terms of housing, and in terms of health care, and so you need to look at the whole picture to tell the story of this government. And as I said before, these are serious allegations and they require a serious investigation."
A release today from the Association of Defence Attorneys pulled no punches when it publicly complained about the appointment of two more foreign judges to the High Court Bench. They are former Deputy DPP Sheiniza Smith, a Guyanese resident in Belize, and Peter Carter, a Trinidadian.
The ADA says, "The Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) has struck again with their latest selection of two new judges. What is particularly irksome is the almost arrogant behaviour of ignoring and disrespecting half a dozen Belizean attorneys who applied and who possess more than adequate qualifications, experience and practical knowledge."
They add, "The government's two titular representatives on the JLSC are now considered as puppets and marionettes."
The ADA calls for the government to, quote, "urgently reconstitute a new JLSC... The Chief Justice must be removed as Chairperson of the JLSC and replaced by a retired Belizean judge or a Belizean of integrity and noble nationalist character."
The release ends dramatically saying, "What could have gone so wrong. How could we reach so low."
Regarding the appointment of these judges, Attorney General Anthony Sylvester yesterday said, "The process is still ongoing and no final determination has been made on that matter as yet."
Reports say the Bar Association may be seeking to challenge the ADA's position.
7News has confirmed that a crop duster crashed in Blue Creek, Orange Walk yesterday evening. Though the aircraft received significant damage, the Director of Civil Aviation confirms that "the pilot only received minor bumps." He added that a team from his department was on its way to assess the accident.
(Public records note that just 10 days ago in Spanish Lookout, pilot Henry Plett was killed when his crop duster crashed).
Yesterday we told you that the tourists who petted a jaguar cub in the Mountain Pine Ridge area took to Facebook to double down on their actions, claiming they were only helping the cub. They said that Belizeans should focus on the illegal hunting that happens in the country. Well, in the Wildlife Act, hunting also refers to molesting an animal, especially a jaguar that is fully protected.
However, the Stoll brothers left the country before they could be penalized. But according to the Minister of Sustainable Development, it would have been excessive to issue an order to stop them at the border or the airport. Here's how he put it today:
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development "Like a friend of mine told me, it's sort of a deflection of what he did to even point to another areas or other people who are committing other crimes. I think that for all of us and I know that you would agree with me that education is key, it is paramount, not only for the foreigners but for us as Belizeans. Yes we have to be mindful that this was something that he shouldn't have done because we have legislation in place. Many times some people may not know so we have to educate them. As mentioned by Dr. Paque in the interview that you also did was that he said yes it's a crime and some of the people on Facebook were advocating that listen that cub would not find its mother, the mother would reject it, I'm an animal scientist so I know about bonding, I know about imprinting, how far and how early it happens and some of it can happen but doesn't really happen. But to say we'll put out a notice to arrest this person if he reaches the airport or something like that and to have sort of a manhunt, I think that's excessive."
On June 29th, a female forest officer was reportedly threatened with a firearm by a logger. Minister Habet explained that he received a report and attributes the threats to the Ministry cracking down on illegal logging. He told us that he already went to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Home Affairs for assistance to provide protection to the forest officers.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development "I have gotten a verbal report from the forest officer and she had already received a call and threats to her life. This has all been because we have stepped up since last year October on the compliance side of the forest department where we're trying to see how we can curb and slow down and hopefully eliminate the illegal logging activities but also we had said that we put a moratorium on those yearly logging licenses because those are the licenses that we found out were really depleting our forests. We cannot totally eliminate those from the private sector so if you have 50 acres of land that you're going to clean half of it for agriculture then it is almost sacrilegious to say that you'll bulldoze it and burn it but not being able to use it so we gave what they call a private salvage license so you could at least make something out of it. But the illegal logging is a major problem but because we have been cracking down on it severely and I think now the threats are starting to come to the department because it has been the livelihood for some of these illegal loggers for many years but there hasn't been a program where we have targeted them and tried to stop it."
Reporter: "Is there anything being done to be able to protect these forest officers even more because as you said, they are cracking down on these illegal activities?"
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development "Yes certainly I have had a conversation with the new minister responsible for the police, I also mentioned to the Prime Minister in the last cabinet meeting and he called the minister along with me and the former minister who was there, Mr. Kareem Musa, and we identified a unit which will be able to work along with the forest officers and so they will have to form a group sort of like a task force to be able to plan it that maybe mentioned that you're going on this venture to seek out the illegal loggers on a certain day at a certain time because you don't know if that information is going out and so when you get there there's nothing or they have already moved out the logs because they have been advised before time so it has to be planned but we have already spoken to the Prime Minister and the minister responsible for the police and they promised they would assist us with that unit."
And while we note that Forestry may be cracking down-7News is also in receipt of credible reports that there are multiple instances of shady business linked to Forestry Department staff and we are looking into those.
Corporal Jason Shaw and Police Constable Leslie Martinez have been unanimously convicted of willful oppression by a High Court jury after they were charged for recording and circulating a video of a homeless couple having sex during the pandemic. The deliberations took almost two hours and by 1:30, the verdict was made.
The incident occurred on April 5, 2020, when the video was recorded inside an abandoned building and shared in a police WhatsApp group named "Loyal Group." It then went viral on social media. The case was originally brought against three officers, but PC Anthony Villamil was granted immunity by the DPP in October 2025 in exchange for his testimony.
The first trial ended in October 2025 when the jury failed to reach the required majority verdict. Justice Candace Nanton then ordered a retrial, which commenced July 13 of this year before Justice Derick Sylvester. It concluded after four days of proceedings. The sentencing is now set for October 1st.
Internal tension is brewing within the Police Department following the mass distribution of form letters signed by Commissioner Richard Rosado, informing multiple veteran Assistant Superintendents of Police that they will not be recommended for promotion to Superintendent. The decision has generated widespread rancor among career officers, who accuse the administration of ignoring their seniority while fast-tracking junior candidates.
The letters, dated July 8, 2026, congratulate officers on technically passing their interviews before the Promotional Board, noting scores ranging from 67% to 70%. However, the text quickly shifts to a standard rejection template, saying, quote, "I regret to advise that this Office is presently unable to recommend your promotion to the Security Services Commission due to the limited availability of vacancies."
The administration attributes the logjam to an ongoing organizational transition, stating that priority is being given to ASPs already serving in specific posts designated for the rank of Superintendent. The letters explicitly warn affected veterans that these recommendations will result in their "supersession"-meaning junior officers will be promoted over them.
For career officers who have dedicated decades to the police service, they allege that veterans who meet the criteria for promotion are being passed over while officers favored by the Senior Command are receiving promotions.
And at the center of the controversy is ASP Stacy Smith-who is regularly seen on the evening news. The Commissioner openly notes that a formal recommendation has been forwarded to the SSC to promote ASP Smith to the rank of Superintendent.
The letter defends the choice by stating:
"Smith delivered a comparatively stronger overall performance during the assessment process... [and] is presently performing duties and carrying responsibilities above her substantive rank, specifically those associated with the post of Senior Superintendent of Police."
The fact that the Commissioner has openly told staff that Smith outperformed them has only deepened the resentment.
As the letters continue to circulate, the final decision now rests with the Security Services Commission, which will decide whether to ratify the Commissioner's selections or intervene to consider the concerns of senior officers.
Questions are swirling tonight over the transfer of Police Corporal Jhawn Gamboa to the Ministry of Transport. Allegations have surfaced that suggest the process may have been fixed for Gamboa, whose father is Superintendent Aaron Gamboa.
Best information suggests that Gamboa is the uncle of one of Chester Williams' sons, but today Williams insists the fully qualified Gamboa went through an advertised recruitment process and interview panel:
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "Mr. Gamboa, from my knowledge, is a very educated person. He's a go-getter. He holds a bachelor's degree in English. He also has an associate's in English. He is currently a corporal in the Belize Police Department and an instructor at the academy here. He has also done extensive training with the military, so he's also a PTI, and a certified PTI, and other training courses. Again, I'm not going to delve too much into the application process. That's for CTO to discuss, because he's the one who sits on panel. I know we have a number of vacancies, and my instructions to the AO was, ensure that we publish the vacancies for people to apply. The vacancies were published, and applicants applied. I instructed the CTO and the AO to put together an interview panel to interview every applicant. They did that, and I now yield to him to explain that process."
Reporter "But at any point, did you have anything to do with him working for the ministry?"
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "No."
Reporter "When it comes back to the topic of Jhawn, one of the complaints that arrived to us was that that's your son's uncle, and you had favoured him."
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "I will not answer you, but be careful, because I might have to make you prove that."
But according to the Chief Transport Officer, Leon Gentle, the hiring process isn't even complete as yet as it has not yet been finalized by the Ministry of Public Service:
Leon Gentle, CTO "The process has not even completed as yet. What happens is that when the vacancies went out, all members of the department were given an opportunity to apply for the different positions that we are looking for. We had open interviews for transport officers in the different districts. We had also open positions for assistant chief transport officer, which would be a regional commander for our department in looking at different zones to carry out the functions, to make sure that they carry out their functions under the department's mandate. Mr. Jhawn Gamboa was one of those applicants who applied for the assistant chief transport officer position. There were two applicants, and we have looked through the application, gone through the full interview process, and we believe that he is one of those persons who are fit for the position."
Reporter "What's the timeline? When would he be appointed if he is chosen?"
Leon Gentle, CTO "Well, that's a decision for the Ministry of Public Service, who then would give us that approval, so we have to wait on their time."
Reporter "Why did you all need a new deputy?"
Leon Gentle, CTO "The staff is increasing. There's a number of positions that are now being opened, and we do need overall supervision for everybody. It's impossible for one deputy to be able to deal with the entire staff as it is. So our objective is to look at a deputy from an administrative standpoint and a deputy from an enforcement standpoint."
Reporter "So would Mr. Williams still hold his title, or?"
Leon Gentle, CTO "He is the deputy chief transport officer."
And we also asked the CEO about his brother who's been hired at the Ministry during his tenure. But according to Williams, that's a bottom-of-the-chain job:
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "That was done long ago. He's well qualified, and he applied for the post, and he is the, not a license, he's a registering clerk. A very low pay scale job. He's not... Way to the bottom of the chain."
We note that Chester's son also works at the Ministry of Transport.
And we also asked about the Ministry of Transport's legal advisor, Dervin Sambula, a former police officer and magistrate. According to the CEO, he did not choose him but nevertheless he complements the Ministry:
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "Mr. Sambula comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Having served in the Police Department for many years, rose to the rank of assistant superintendent. He was a legal advisor at the Police Department as well, and his years of experience as police and his legal training is something that really and truly complements us at the ministry and certainly the Department of Transport. We are grateful to have him as a part of our staff. He is very much active out there with the officers. He's not a person who stays in office, he's out there making sure that he provides legal guidance to the officers as they perform their duties."
Reporter "And is there any specific reason why he was chosen?"
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "He applied, and let me make it clear, I did not choose him. Mr. Sambula was chosen by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. As you would know, he's a legal officer. It's not the CEO who decides who is a legal officer in any ministry. That goes to the Judicial and Legal Services Commission after having applied, and they decide if they're hiring a person and where to put that person."
And with all the changes taking place at the department, the question remains: what will happen to current Deputy Transport Officer Peter Williams? Reports say he is being sidelined-and that the CEO plans to bring in a second Deputy.
Well, Williams dismisses those claims, arguing that the double deputy roles are designed to strengthen the department:
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "That is not true. Again, it's sad to see that when we're trying to improve the Department of Transport, not for ourselves, but for the public, we perform a public function, and I believe that when we are tasked with providing a public function, we are to ensure that we do our best. We cannot have a situation where we have mediocrity, and we're striving for that. Peter Williams is very essential to the Department. He has been there before, Mr. Gentle. He has a wealth of knowledge, a wealth of experience. I don't understand what would even cause someone to think that Mr. Williams is being tossed aside. How can we? We simply want to ensure that we do things that are going to enhance. He cannot be everywhere at the same time. He cannot be looking after administrative issues and enforcement issues, and that's the reason why the role of the deputy has been split, to ensure we have two deputies who can perform in the two different areas, and they work together for the greater good of the Department. Now, we have not yet advertised the post for deputy, but hopefully soon we will advertise that post, and we'll invite applicants. We want to ensure that whenever we select a deputy, it's going to be someone who is going to complement the Department, who is going to bring value to the Department, and I can say to you, there are many police officers who have been asking for transfer over to transport, many. If we entertain all of them, the police is going to be left with nobody, right? That's the truth, but what we want, again, is people who can bring value. Police officers are already trained in traffic laws extensively, so it is easy for us to look at somebody from the Police Department, to fill that vacancy. I'm not going to say that is the case, because then we're going to open the application to everyone in the public out there, but again, experience is going to have a great weight on determining who fills that vacancy for deputy chief, deputy, the second deputy."
And when it comes to how the ministry has been sourcing parts for its transport fleet, reports tell us that the ministry has been exclusively using a Belmopan-based company named Special Effects.
But Williams denies that; he says when they purchase anything, they get the standard quotations from three different companies, and in most cases, Special Effects happens to be the cheapest:
Reporter "We have been reliably informed that the transport department under your direction, sources say that spare parts are being sourced strictly from special effects in Belmopan, not other companies like Westtract. Would you be able to comment on that?"
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "Again, I believe that when you deal with public funds, and Channel 7 is a master of this, exposing how the government has been wasting money, paying too much for things that they could procure at a less value. My instructions to my people is that when they're going to get parts, they're going to get invoices from three different locations. They would normally get from Westtract, they get from Special Effects, and sometimes they get from Caribbean Motors. I will look at the one that is more cheaper, and I will direct that they get it from the cheaper one. So, if we are getting parts from Special Effects, it simply means that it's because the parts there are cheaper, and sometimes the parts are the same. So, my interest is to make sure I save the government funds, and do not spend it unreasonably for things that we can get cheaper at other locations. And I'm sure that your news director would be extremely happy to see that we're not squandering public funds."
Reporter "It wouldn't be that all the parts are coming from one, just Special Effects?"
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "That's not true. We have also procured parts from Westtract. We have also gotten parts from Belize Diesel, Caribbean Motors. We have also got from Belize Estate. So, it's not true to say that we only get from Special Effects. That's not true. No."
But why is the Ministry known for only using one Belmopan-based mechanic?
Information to our newsroom is that transport vehicles have to travel from as far as Punta Gorda to get repairs at a specially designated mechanic located near Belize Christian Academy in Belmopan. According to the CEO, it's because he is the best:
Reporter "We have received reports that your ministry has one preferred mechanic, the one by Christian Academy, and that staffers have to bring the transport vehicles from as far as Punta Gorda to get service from that specific person. Can you comment on that?"
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "That is not true. Again, it depends on the nature of the mechanical work that needs to be done. And again, it also has to do with value for money. Say, for example, you have situations where a vehicle went to a specific workshop. I'm not going to say where. And that workshop was charging us something along $5,000 to do some work. We looked at it, and we compared the price with the mechanic you're speaking about. We're now getting the same work done for $3,000. So, it's not just to say, again, to go to the specific mechanic. But again, we have to look at the capability of the mechanic in dealing with the extent of repairs that the vehicle needs, as well as the value that we're going to pay. We can say we can go and pay a street mechanic any amount of money, less. But the thing is, how reliable is the vehicle going to be when it comes from that street mechanic? If I have to go to the street mechanic, pay less, and we're not done from there, two days they have to get right back again to the same one we're trying to avoid. So, again, we have to look at it very carefully and see how best we can get the services for the work that we need to do. At the end of the day, these vehicles are vehicles that carry our officers daily, and we need to ensure that they're properly fixed and reliable to be able to get our officers to work and get them back home safe to their families."
Reporter "So, even in the instance of the Punta Gorda vehicle, could you guys not find something in, like, Dangriga or somewhere closer?"
Chester Williams, CEO - Ministry of Transport "We would always look in a particular area to see if there are mechanics there that can do the work. And there are instances where there is just no mechanic there. We have a vehicle right now for the Indigenous Peoples Affairs Office at a mechanic shop in Punta Gorda. Can't fix it. We have to move it and have to bring it up. So, again, like I said, not any mechanic can work on any specific vehicle, and not any mechanic can fix a particular problem. So, we have to look at the diagnosis of the vehicle and see if we can find the best mechanic at the most reasonable price to be able to repair the vehicle for us."
And while we have delved into the details at the Ministry of Transport-the news they were pushing out today was about the 35 traffic officers who have completed specialized enforcement training designed to strengthen highway policing and ensure cases stand up in court. They have also added new technology to keep up with the growing demand in the transport department. Jaleeza Roberts attended the completion ceremony and has this report:
Switching subjects now, Belize gets about 40% of its power from CFE, the national power company in Mexico.
But whenever there is too much demand in the state of Quintana Roo, the first thing they cut is Belize-which results in load shedding and power outages on this side of the border.
It's the bitter reality of energy dependence, but becoming energy independent is no simple process.
Minister of Public Utilities Michel Chebat says government is actively working on a solution:
Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities "We are in continuous discussion with CFE. The situation is that they themselves have shortages in Mexico and so when they experience it then here in Belize we have to load shed, and so that is where we are. But for us as a country, it is important for us to find local means of energy production. A couple days-actually Wednesday-we had a meeting with the government, with the IDB, the PUC, and BEL so that jointly we can find a solution. There is a certain gap we are trying to fill and so we felt that it is important to bring in our local producers so we can have energy created here at home and lessen the dependence we have on CFE."
And Belize's most important renewable energy source is hydro. But with this year's extended drought, how is that affecting it? We asked Chebat:
Reporter: "Can you talk about droughts and so impacting Hydro Belize, speaking about its feasibility long term given climate change? And another part to that question is they were suppose to be launching solar and I know that they were suppose to engage BEL in terms of purchase and so, but do you know where that project stands?"
Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities "So obviously drought will always impact any hydro industry, correct? But luckily for us over the past year or so we have not had any drought or so on, but I think Hydro Belize understands that and I think what they are trying to do is add some diversification. For example, the solar that you speak about, I know that they are still pursuing that and I can tell you that was raised at the meeting we had on Wednesday, and so I am hoping that shortly we are going to see a firm proposal from them that both BEL and PUC may find acceptable."
And even if BEL decides to invest in solar, finding the funding for that project will be a challenge since the company is financially underwater. Chebat says he has every faith in the national utility, despite last year's losses of 23 million dollars.
Reporter: "What about the fact that BEL did not declare any dividends this year, which means that the government that has invested in BEL-in a sense it is a loss because you expected a return annually and you are not getting any?"
Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities "Well it is not a loss, it is never a loss when you invest in BEL. Remember that BEL has to keep the lights on. Listen, I don't know about you all, but when the light goes off at my house I get mad, I get mad. We need to keep the lights on and BEL is one of our fundamental institutions that require our support. And yes, they are going through some challenge right now, but I have no doubt that in a few years the returns we have not gotten now we are going to be getting down the road and perhaps double, so I have every faith in BEL."
Reporter: "What about the fact that as a utility they are facing this claim and demand from former employee that they should be paid severance and that is another pressure on their low income?"
Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities "You know it is good we have a High Court in Belize to determine these issues and whether they are justifiable or not, that is why the court is there. I don't want to pass any judgment on it. I think the former workers have an interest and they have a claim, and so what needs to happen is that needs to be determined judicially."
Post Office Rolls Out New Definitive Stamps Featuring National Events
Every five years, the post office rolls out its new definitive stamps, and this year, the images portrayed on the stamps are Belizean events. This includes the Queen of the Bay Pageant, Carnival, Easter's sawdust tapestries, and more. At the launch, the postmaster general explained that they have been working on these designs for over a year.
Dr. Marsha Price, Postmaster General, Belize Postal Service "Basically we have a committee to come together with different ideas to see what it will feature this year so that took some time, everybody had their idea of what we would want to see featured this time and we just came up with different events in Belize and I think it was something new, something different, I like things that are different and we wanted to do it differently than previous years, we wanted something grand for this 2026 definitive feature."
"The image tells a whole story and we wanted that when these stamps reach internationally, we wanted people to know the history of Belize and that's something we wanted to touch when we selected these images for the 2026 definitive collection."
Jose Sanchez, Photographer "I was hoping to at least get 50 cents so I could say try to get rich or die trying but I didn't expect the highest paying one, I kept looking which one it was going to be so I was extremely surprised."
"They know I'm almost out taking pictures at the carnival and they went through what they wanted and I believe they chose this one because it's the king for the specific group but it was something natural as well."
Samantha Ramirez, 80th Queen of the Bay "No amount of words can truly express how I'm feeling right now, I'm truly honored and as mentioned in the ceremony these stamps are more than a piece of paper, these represent our culture, our national identity and I really want to urge the young ladies, look what the pageant did for me, it opened brand new doors, this stamp is going to be all around the world."
Sustainable Development Ministry and UNICEF Launch Climate Analysis for Children
Today the Ministry of Sustainable Development, along with UNICEF, launched the Climate Landscape Analysis for Children report. This comes after a lengthy consultation process where teams went into vulnerable communities and spoke with target groups, including children. The report also highlights the vulnerabilities faced by lactating mothers and pregnant women. This report is now expected to guide policies and legislation so that those vulnerable groups can be put at the forefront of the discussion. We learned more about it today.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development "For Belize it is absolutely important because we need this information so you can look at what policies we have in place that are already addressing these issues and if there are amendments to those pieces of legislation that we can do to fix it and if there's none then to start building legislation so that then we can look at how we can address the issues of climate change and as mentioned it's not only the effect of climate change, it is looking at the vulnerabilities, looking at the geography where you actually are located, looking at those groups which this project has addressed which are the youth, children, lactating mothers, and pregnant women and also indigenous communities."
"When you look at what government should be doing is to look at how we can incorporate everything, all the sectors, all the ministries so that that information can really be put into a framework that addresses all of these issues holistically."
Elizabeth Emmanuel, International Consultant "So climate interacts with what we call vulnerabilities, it doesn't create those vulnerabilities but it meets them where they are and exacerbates the vulnerability. So as I mentioned earlier, think of a child in an urban school versus a child in a rural school. What we see is that the impact of rain on both children are different and where, for example, so we mentioned a lot Toledo, Cayo, Stann Creek, versus let's say Belize District, you find that children in communities that are vulnerable will have greater impact, so the idea is to work out where are children impacted most and why."
Sajid Ali, UNICEF Rep., Belize "It's very important when you're having the climate discussion you need to bring children in the center of it and we know the number of children and young people in Belize, it's a large part of the population so we have to make sure that they're best interest is always taken into account in any decision that is taken at all levels."
"They don't really have a voice and people speak on their behalf, you actually need to speak to young people and children, even school-going children can give you more information about what are their challenges with climate and how they are facing it. It's very real now, it's in the face of everyone."
San Ignacio Backpack Initiative Brings Hope to Hundreds of Students
In many Belizean homes, the countdown to a new school year brings more worry than excitement. For parents already struggling to make ends meet, the cost of a backpack and school supplies can mean choosing between education and everyday necessities. But in San Ignacio this morning, hundreds of children walked away carrying more than new school bags; they carried a reminder that someone they had never met believed in their future. Jaleeza Roberts was there and files this report:
Shoppers Brave Grueling Lines for Mirab's Massive Clearance Sale
And finally tonight, it was an experience best described as surreal. We're talking about the Mirab 'Massive Clearance Event' held at the department store's former flagship branch on North Front Street.
Eager shoppers waited for hours outside, being let into the building just ten at a time to grab deep discounts. But the waiting didn't end at the entrance. After hunting down bargains on everything from linens and curtains to large furniture items, shoppers then faced another grueling two-hour wait just to check out at the final two operating registers.
While the long lines proved to be quite an ordeal, for dedicated bargain hunters it was an absolute bonanza - and crowds are expected to line up early once again tomorrow for the final day of the sale.
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In celebration of their return and historic first-place finish at the Association of Central American Volleyball Federations tournament, a motorcade was held in honor of Belize's National Men's Volleyball Team.
"Just going there in the first set said from the start, bring the energy from the start and we won that first set, second set same thing again. And then after that second set win we saw the light at the end, but our energy dropped a little in the third set and then we brought it back in the fourth and then we won it."
"It was a good feeling honestly because pressure is a true privilege. So being in front of such a huge fan base and playing the sport that we love, it is a great honor actually."
Turning now to other news, tonight, the SmartStream procurement scandal has hit the inner sanctum of the Briceño administration. 7News has now obtained screenshots showing payments made to RSL Group Limited, a newly formed company headquartered in Orange Walk and linked to the Cabinet Secretary himself, Stuart Leslie.
Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities
A release today from the Association of Defence Attorneys pulled no punches when it publicly complained about the appointment of two more foreign judges to the High Court Bench. They are former Deputy DPP Sheiniza Smith, a Guyanese resident in Belize, and Peter Carter, a Trinidadian.
Yesterday we told you that the tourists who petted a jaguar cub in the Mountain Pine Ridge area took to Facebook to double down on their actions, claiming they were only helping the cub. They said that Belizeans should focus on the illegal hunting that happens in the country. Well, in the Wildlife Act, hunting also refers to molesting an animal, especially a jaguar that is fully protected.
"Like a friend of mine told me, it's sort of a deflection of what he did to even point to another areas or other people who are committing other crimes. I think that for all of us and I know that you would agree with me that education is key, it is paramount, not only for the foreigners but for us as Belizeans. Yes we have to be mindful that this was something that he shouldn't have done because we have legislation in place. Many times some people may not know so we have to educate them. As mentioned by Dr. Paque in the interview that you also did was that he said yes it's a crime and some of the people on Facebook were advocating that listen that cub would not find its mother, the mother would reject it, I'm an animal scientist so I know about bonding, I know about imprinting, how far and how early it happens and some of it can happen but doesn't really happen. But to say we'll put out a notice to arrest this person if he reaches the airport or something like that and to have sort of a manhunt, I think that's excessive."
Corporal Jason Shaw and Police Constable Leslie Martinez have been unanimously convicted of willful oppression by a High Court jury after they were charged for recording and circulating a video of a homeless couple having sex during the pandemic. The deliberations took almost two hours and by 1:30, the verdict was made.
Internal tension is brewing within the Police Department following the mass distribution of form letters signed by Commissioner Richard Rosado, informing multiple veteran Assistant Superintendents of Police that they will not be recommended for promotion to Superintendent. The decision has generated widespread rancor among career officers, who accuse the administration of ignoring their seniority while fast-tracking junior candidates.
The letters, dated July 8, 2026, congratulate officers on technically passing their interviews before the Promotional Board, noting scores ranging from 67% to 70%. However, the text quickly shifts to a standard rejection template, saying, quote, "I regret to advise that this Office is presently unable to recommend your promotion to the Security Services Commission due to the limited availability of vacancies."
"Mr. Gamboa, from my knowledge, is a very educated person. He's a go-getter. He holds a bachelor's degree in English. He also has an associate's in English. He is currently a corporal in the Belize Police Department and an instructor at the academy here. He has also done extensive training with the military, so he's also a PTI, and a certified PTI, and other training courses. Again, I'm not going to delve too much into the application process. That's for CTO to discuss, because he's the one who sits on panel. I know we have a number of vacancies, and my instructions to the AO was, ensure that we publish the vacancies for people to apply. The vacancies were published, and applicants applied. I instructed the CTO and the AO to put together an interview panel to interview every applicant. They did that, and I now yield to him to explain that process."
But according to the Chief Transport Officer, Leon Gentle, the hiring process isn't even complete as yet as it has not yet been finalized by the Ministry of Public Service:
Reporter
And we also asked the CEO about his brother who's been hired at the Ministry during his tenure. But according to Williams, that's a bottom-of-the-chain job:
And we also asked about the Ministry of Transport's legal advisor, Dervin Sambula, a former police officer and magistrate. According to the CEO, he did not choose him but nevertheless he complements the Ministry:
And with all the changes taking place at the department, the question remains: what will happen to current Deputy Transport Officer Peter Williams? Reports say he is being sidelined-and that the CEO plans to bring in a second Deputy.
Every five years, the post office rolls out its new definitive stamps, and this year, the images portrayed on the stamps are Belizean events. This includes the Queen of the Bay Pageant, Carnival, Easter's sawdust tapestries, and more. At the launch, the postmaster general explained that they have been working on these designs for over a year.
"Basically we have a committee to come together with different ideas to see what it will feature this year so that took some time, everybody had their idea of what we would want to see featured this time and we just came up with different events in Belize and I think it was something new, something different, I like things that are different and we wanted to do it differently than previous years, we wanted something grand for this 2026 definitive feature."
Jose Sanchez, Photographer
Samantha Ramirez, 80th Queen of the Bay
Elizabeth Emmanuel, International Consultant
Sajid Ali, UNICEF Rep., Belize
And finally tonight, it was an experience best described as surreal. We're talking about the Mirab 'Massive Clearance Event' held at the department store's former flagship branch on North Front Street.
