During re-registration, the Vital Statistics Unit has been more criticized in the public than any other government department., And that's because of the pressure to produce birth and other documents and the difficulties associated with that - especially when a population of hundreds of thousands is making demands from a staff of less than three dozen.
Today, their Minister,. Attorney General Mike Peyrefitte held a press conference to say take it easy on Vital Stats - they're not nearly as bad as some would make them out to be:...
Peyrrefitte also took questions on the various criticisms leveled against the department including the one that UDP agents had penetrated the inner vault. He said not under his watch:..
And speaking of delays and difficulties many complain of in getting their documents - PEyreffite said many born in Guatemala are trying to fraudulently obtains Belizean birth papers:..
Tourist Drowns While Snorkeling
A snorkeling trip turned deadly for a 67 year old American national. Laura Peterson drowned in San Pedro yesterday morning. Police told us more.
How Real Is a Tsunami Threat in Belize?
Back in 2018, we had a tsunami scare in Belize - which caused a partial execution of Belize City. That led many to scoff at the idea that a tsunami would hit Belize when there hasn't been one in our recorded history.
Well, now the experts are making a determination at a Tsunami Inundation Modelling and Evacuation Maps Workshop held at the Radisson today. It is led by an Oceanographer from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US. They send out the tsunami warnings - and the expert told us what Belize can realistically expect:…
It's called the Tsunami Ready Pilot Project organized by the Caribbean Tsunami Warning Program.
Lucio Walks Free
Lucio Salazar, the man who was charged with murder for 25 year-old Jeremy Baptist, is free tonight. Baptist went missing 6 years ago, and at this time, his body has not been found. So, with no body, and no proof that Baptist is dead, the crown counsel had to discontinue their case against Salazar, who was charged with murder.
The case was heard today before Justice Marilyn Williams. The victim's wife told police that on Sunday, May 17th, 2013, he was at home, and he wasn't feeling well, but a friend invited him to family event. His wife said that she accompanied her along with their 1-year-old baby to the event on the island. While he was at the event, he allegedly got into an altercation with Lucio Salazar.
Reports were that he left the social event with his wife and baby, took them home, and returned to the function at around 10:30 p.m. that night. The next day, his wife realized that he didn't return home, and she reported him missing. That was just under 6 years ago.
Police began investigating Baptist's disappearance, and they were led to believe that he had been murdered. They gathered statements which suggested that he was shot 3 times in the head, and that his killer drove his body on a skiff out to the open sea, where it was disposed off. Police followed up on leads, but they could not find Baptist's body. They forwarded the file to the DPPs Office, and instruction came back that they should charge Salazar with murder, which they did.
Today before Justice Williams, the case was called up, and the prosecutor, Christelle Wilson, announced to the court that the DPP's Office was entering a "nolle pros" against Salazar. With that, the judge told him that he was free to go with the understanding that the DPP's office can decided to prosecute him for murder once again, if they believe that have the evidence to prove that he committed the crime.
He had been out on bail since June of last year, after his attorney, Simeon Sampson, convinced a Supreme Court judge that his remand duration was unduly long.
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Lucio Salazar, the man who was charged with murder for 25 year-old Jeremy Baptist, is free tonight. Baptist went missing 6 years ago, and at this time, his body has not been found. So, with no body, and no proof that Baptist is dead, the crown counsel had to discontinue their case against Salazar, who was charged with murder.