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Important Note: This Internet version of 7 News is a verbatum
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After One Month Of 7News Exposure, Airport Contracts Cancelled (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
They were some of the most odious contracts to be revealed in recent memory and tonight those airport security contracts have been suspended.
A release from the Belize Airports Authority this afternoon confirmed what we reported two days ago. The board has decided to suspend payments for the contracts awarded to ISECURITY and Four Diamond Security.
That's $43,333.34 monthly for ISECURITY and 124,610.63 monthly for Four Diamond.
This comes after exactly one month of reporting on these previously secret contracts by 7News. So secret, even the PM claims he didn't know when they were being signed in December of 2024. Here is that excerpt of our story from last week Friday:
John Briceno, Prime Minister:
"Was I involved in the process? No. Had I known, I would have probably given advice that we need to go a different route."
But, it was the PM's job to know, actually his legal obligation. The Belize Airports Authority Act says explicitly "The Authority shall appoint a Tenders Committee from amongst the Board of Directors and all contracts above forty thousand Belize Dollars awarded by the Authority shall require the prior approval of the Minister.
In this case, the Minister of Civil Aviation, PM Briceno. These contracts were way, way above that threshold.
And, as the Minister of Finance, the PM also had a duty of oversight, because the act says:
Except with the approval of the Minister of Finance after consultation with the Minister for Communications, no further sum shall be expended during any financial year other than is provided in the estimates relating to such financial year.
So, that may have given the Airports Authority the out it needed. The contracts were unlawfully entered into by the previous board. And indeed, their release today blames it all on the former board, saying "The newly appointed Board of Directors is conducting a thorough investigation of the procurement process employed and due diligence processes employed by the previous board members. The newly appointed Board of Directors has instructed legal counsel to provide a legal opinion as to the validity of these contracts and the said board has taken the decision to suspend all payments under those contracts with immediate effect pending the board's investigation and that legal review and opinion."
It goes on, "The new Chair stated, ‘After careful examination, it appears as though the proper procedures may not have been observed in the award of these security contracts. The new Board has taken swift action to rectify this matter and ensure that all future contracts are awarded in full compliance with Belizean laws and best practices."
The release adds that "Going forward, the BAA will initiate a new, transparent tender process to secure qualified security service providers for the nation's local aerodromes."
So, there it is, a renunciation of past errors and a commitment to move forward and do better.
But is it all really that simple? I'm joined by News Director Jules Vasquez who has been leading the reporting on this for the past month. Jules, it seems like a happy ending and in the public interest, and that 7News should be taking victory lap - but is that all there is?:
Cops Get Serious With BNTU: President Taken In For Questioning, Dangriga Members Charged (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
Jules, thanks for that, and we turn now to the teachers charged for obstructing traffic yesterday.
The President of the BNTU, Nadia Caliz is currently at the police station in Belmopan after the department tried to bring charges against her for inciting violence after yesterday's protest. However, those charges weren't levied since the other members of the union reportedly threatened to amplify their industrial action. Instead, Nadia Caliz, alongside two attorneys, is meeting with the Commissioner of Police to sort out the matter.
But several teachers in Dangriga were issued with charge sheets after their protest became rowdy yesterday morning. At least three attorneys have since taken up their case and one of them, Norman Rodriguez, spoke with us over the phone about the charges his clients are facing.
Norman Rodriguez, Attorney:
"Now we have 11 teachers and they may be more in the near future who will be added to that list who have been summoned to appear next Wednesday, the 11th day of June 2025 before the Dangriga Magistrate's Court to answer to the allegations of unlawful assembly."
"They have been summoned and they have to answer to that next Wednesday so I will be there with them and I join other attorneys, Ms Sharon Pitts is one, and I believe attorney Banner will be assisting with this and others will be coming on board because what these teachers are asking for is not only for them, what they deserve. But for the whole country."
And one of the teachers - who is also the secretary of Stann Creek branch of the union - says she has yet to be charged since the police can't find her. But Ifasina Efunyemi insists that she and the other members did nothing wrong and explains that they are planning to plead not guilty.
Ifasina Efunyemi, Secretary, BNTU Stann Creek Branch:
"They haven't criminally charged me yet, apparently they're hunting for me."
Jules Vasquez:
"So are you in hiding?"
Ifasina Efunyemi, Secretary, BNTU Stann Creek Branch:
"I'm not in hiding but they can't find me."
Jules Vasquez:
"But how do you feel knowing you're a wanted person and they want you for certain charges?"
Ifasina Efunyemi, Secretary, BNTU Stann Creek Branch:
"How do I feel? Maybe I could use the word disappointed because I am law abiding citizen. I am a warrior for the people and everybody who knows me knows that."
"It is an outrage that they would now take a stance against me when I have been fighting and speaking up on their behalf as well as my own."
Jules Vasquez:
"Have you all been apprised of what charges you'll face?"
Ifasina Efunyemi, Secretary, BNTU Stann Creek Branch:
"Yes, they're saying that we unlawfully assembled. That's the charge, unlawful assembly."
Jules Vasquez:
"And how do you plan to plea?"
Ifasina Efunyemi, Secretary, BNTU Stann Creek Branch:
"Not guilty."
Jules Vasquez:
"But it seemed like you all were unlawfully blocking the road."
Ifasina Efunyemi, Secretary, BNTU Stann Creek Branch:
"We were not unlawfully assembled. We were right there like any other citizen who is entitled to be on any public thoroughfare. We were right there with the police officers, standing around and talking. That is not illegal. And we have to protect the vehicles. We will leave it there so that someone could come and take the wheels and take the battery and take whatever they want? No man."
"The main one is the unlawful assembly and some of the teachers are also being charged for impeding the police and assault. And there are a few that also received traffic violation tickets."
Jules Vasquez:
"do you feel this is a deliberate act with directives from the state that, you know, we need to make those teachers feel?"
Ifasina Efunyemi, Secretary, BNTU Stann Creek Branch:
"Yes I believe that strongly. If you listen to all these different political leaders that spoke to the media yesterday and even when you look at what has been said over the past week and a half, and then all of a sudden these summons got distributed. Late night, they were banging down teachers' doors, teachers that have to get up in the morning to go to work. Late at night, after 11, they are banging on the doors of teachers to issue these summons. Imagine that. And how is that not a direct act against teachers by the state?"
As you heard, they are expected to appear in court next week Thursday. As for Caliz, we will keep following for more developments.
FinSec Alludes To Tax Increase If Teachers Get Their Way (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
And back in May, the PM said that in order to give the teachers an 8.5% salary increase, about 63 million dollars would be added to the already bloated wage bill. Today the FinSec stated that the government can hardly manage its current bill, and alluded to increased taxes as a solution to the BNTU's demands.
Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary:
Reporter:
"It is alarming for you, the figures, giving how the wage bill has ballooned over time?"
Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary:
"It continues. Any point increase is 7 million dollars or so for 1 percentage. Do the math."
Reporter:
"So you all are crunching those numbers."
Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary:
"We have to do it everyday but then the question is, one is to determine how much it will cost, the bigger question is how will you pay for it?"
"We can hardly afford what we're doing right now but we have to look at it and we have to see where things go. Hopefully, we don't have to raise taxes but you never know."
And in a press release by the Joint Union Negotiations Team, they rejected statements made by Ministers Usher and Fonseca yesterday. They explained that after receiving the government's official offer on May 21st, they rejected points #4 and 5 which referred to their preferred method for the salary adjustment and increment restoration.
However, they emphasized that despite the comments by the ministers, they have not received any response or counteroffer from the government.
KHMH Union Talks Pension With GOB High Level Team (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
Earlier in the news, you saw the latest development with the labor dispute between the BNTU and the government. Well, they're not the only union at the negotiating table. We've been following the developments with the KHMH Workers Union as they fight for their pension. Well, today they met with a team from the government as well as the hospital's administration. Courtney Menzies was at the hospital today and has this story.
The KHMH Workers Union is not retreating in the fight for their pension. And after their demonstration last week, the government today brought the financial secretary, the hospital's CEO, and the Ministry of Health's CEO, as well as the Director of Public Health.
But before the meeting, the union's president told us that they expected a favorable response from the government.
Andrew Baird, President, KHMHWU:
"We would expect to hear from the government that we will be added to the government pension list, just as they recently did in the House Meeting on the 27th when Minister Oscar Mira announced that the coast guard will not be pensionable, a package just like the BDF and just like how the prime minister have stated that the teachers from the grant aided schools, the management was responsible for a percentage of their pension and the government is responsible for the other percentage, the government has now taken on the full responsibility for those grant aided teachers and paid their full pension, at a time when they are telling us that they cannot add us to the government pension because they are moving on to a contributory pension but they are still opening the jar to other officers."
About 90 minutes later, the meeting was over but both sides were tightlipped about the proposals laid on the table.
Andrew Baird, President, KHMHWU:
"Certainly it was an amicable meeting, of course like in all meetings you have little hiccups here and there but it was amicable and we now go back to our members later tonight and reveal the position of the government and then we continue to get mandate from our members as to how we move forward after we state the government's position. We will be receiving a letter from the government or the authority to clarify their position and then we go from there so we wait on that letter by 5:00 this evening."
Courtney Menzies:
"So far, is their position favorable to you all and your pension?"
Andrew Baird, President, KHMHWU:
"We have yet to speak to our members so I do not want to put anything out there as yet but we go back to the membership tonight."
Reporter:
"for you all how worthwhile has the escalation of your actions over the last two days and more so keeping your foot on the gas on this issue over the years, how worthwhile has it been to come to this moment today?"
Andrew Baird, President, KHMHWU:
"Certainly from the meeting that was held we believe that there was far way more commitment from their side to get this initiative going or get our pension going so it's been good."
Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary:
"Useful meeting, productive, we have to go back, they have to go back so I can't say anything of substance but it was respectful and constructive."
Reporter:
"You're obviously here to crunch the numbers."
Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary:
"That's still in process but it's a big number."
And tonight, the union will decide if they will be ramping up their industrial action.
Andrew Baird, President, KHMHWU:
"As you can see, we continue our phased plan of action, we have our representatives out here with their t-shirts to show support as we go into this meeting at 10:00 and if the result is not in our favor, or what we believe is good enough for us to accept then our plan of action continues with a go-slow starting tomorrow, work to rule, and then that leads us into that 21 days notice of strike action."
By tonight, the KHMH union will know their next plan of action.
Case Collapses For Cops Who Forced Couple Into Sex Act And Filmed It (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
Body Found In Unitedville Cemetery Identified (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
As welted you last night, the decomposing body of a man was found yesterday afternoon in Unitedville Village cemetery.
Well, tonight we can confirm that he was killed by apparent gunshots. He was found with three apparent gunshot wounds, one to the left side of his neck, another left of his shoulder area and another to the abdomen. At the scene, police also found a nine millimeter shell close to the body.
The man was later identified as 48 year old Paul Serrano, a mechanic and resident of the Cayo district who reportedly lives close to the cemetery. Prior to the discovery of his body, his whereabouts were unknown.
Mayor Says 6 Figure Payment For Painting City Hall Was No Contract, Lawyer Disagrees (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
Last night we broke the story on the 6 figure contract awarded to a well connected nurse to paint city hall and the traffic department. But, the Mayor says it's contract at all, just invoices.
But, does that really hold up to the light of scrutiny?
Jomarie Lanza had a closer look:
The exterior of the council hasn't been painted yet, but don't expect to see a nurse on a scaffold outside. Even though, Nurse Kelsey Gillett got the payment of 191 thousand dollars - Mayor Bernard Wagner says they did due diligence on an unnamed sub-contractor:
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City:
"I don't know the the particulars If it is, if it's a female on where she work, but we, we have the, the we did our due diligence on the on the person who, who is the actual contractor doing the work."
Which begs the question if the person receiving the payments was just a front. But, the one who got paid is the person named here - reportedly a special relation to one of his councillors - which the mayor also professed no knowledge of.
But even more curious is the nature of the transaction. The total disbursements are 193 thousand - a tidy sum but it seemed negligible to the mayor and not worthy of his direct oversight:
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City:
"to paint the city hall, you know, for maintenance of our assets. I am comfortable with the with the quality of the work that we are receiving."
"So you you're certain it's 100,000 for both, or could it be you could be a little bit over?"
"I, I, I don't have the figures at hand again, because it's not a, it's not a real it's not a contract. It's, it's a work order that you do X amount, you do the interior, you get paid, you do the exterior, you'll get paid. So it's not a contract, per se."
A work order, but he earlier said it is an invoice:
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City:
"There's no contract. It's a sort of what we call, an invoice. You know, you bring in an invoice, a cost estimate of what would cost the city, to get that done. And we facilitated that."
But while he may not have had a written contract - which would have had to be approved by the caucus of the council - even an oral agreement is a contract. Here's what attorney Brandon Usher said on Sunup on 7:
Brandon Usher, Sunup on 7 Host, Attorney:
"A contract, sir, does not always have to be written it can be an oral contract but according to him we never entered no contract she just you know put in an invoice and yes she was awarded she was given the incentive to go ahead and no bidding no tendering, no nothing like that she just presented an invoice. Was there any advertisement of this? No I don't think so 142k, and 45k right so in any case that is an offer. The offer is to paint my building please, I am offering you to paint my building. The consideration which forms a part of it is the 145k and the 142k and the 45k and then the acceptance is that well you get to paint it, you get to paint it. Three parts of a contract met, you have created a contract sir but the thing is when he started saying you know what this is a little bit of money I wouldn't even sign off on something like this 187k."
So, if there was a contract, that was not disclosed to the council caucus, and was not put out to tender:
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City:
"Was it put out to tender?"
"No, not not that small amount. If I would put out our contract for, for ten, 20,000 for painting a building or a 30 to 40,000, I'm not quite clear on what the question is alluding to. But the point is that for a small contract size."
"So how much was the contract? I would believe it's a little bit over, over 100,000, I would believe."
The mayor kept hedging, and of course, the figure we have seen on the record is almost twice that. And could all that money have been saved if it had just been done in house?:
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City:
"But couldn't the council works department have done this painting."
"The council work department is very stretched right? We are, we are stretched pretty, pretty thin. Our works team are always on the ground trying to facilitate potholes. All across the city. For painting the building. I don't see our, our staff getting this done with the very stretched resources that we have."
So, instead of stretching resources, the council stretched its finances - and in the end the mayor makes no apologies:
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City:
"Listen to me, this is the city hall. This is the city hall. The city hall requires it in the normal course of business to be kept in, a maintained on an annual basis."
We'll keep following the story.
Raining Cats And Dogs Inside Raccoon Street Station, Ministry Looking For Solution (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
Police at the Raccoon Street stain have long been suffering with leaky ceilings, mold and rat infestation. And yesterday, when theJune rains came, well, it poured down the staircase. It may have looked good if you were maybe filming a music video, but that's no kind of working condition for hard working law enforcement officer.s.
Tonight, the Ministry of Home Affairs has put out a statement saying, quote, "We share the public's concern and wish to assure Belizeans that the well-being of our officers and the integrity of our law enforcement infrastructure remain matters of the highest priority."
So what's the solution?
The release says they are "pursuing temporary accommodations to relocate critical units operating from the Racoon Street Police Station."
The release adds that for the long term, the Ministry is collaborating with international partners to design and construct modern, climate-resilient facilities.
New Book By British Violence Expert Examines Gang Phenomenon In Belize (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
Dr Adam Baird, an expert in armed violence prevention, gangs, and organized crime launched his new book today in Belize. It's called "From South Central to Southside, Gang Transnationalism, Masculinity and Disorganised Violence in Belize City."
That launch happened at the UWI Open Campus, where a number of the attendees were teenage boys.
We spoke to Baird and asked him what kind of impact he believes the launch of his book had on those within his audience today.
Dr Adam Baird, Sociologist, Author:
"Well I have been researching gangs and gang violence for 20 years or so in the whole region also in the Caribbean, in Trinidad and a little bit in Kingston in Jamaica and I had the fortune to come to Belize about 15 years ago and then I realised there were not many publications on gangs in the country and so I resolved after that to come back, do some research and finally publish a book. And so this began with two or three articles supporting the design of these Southside youth success programs back in the day and culminating in this book launch in Belize. The book came out a few months back we got some copies into the country and for me it's the most important thing is sharing this book with Belizeans because every time I sat down to write it I was thinking about the Belizean population and as you said today in the book launch it's about giving a voice to the people on the south side so they are heard and some of these issues are raised."
"I was really delighted to have young men here so I flagged to them some of the vulnerabilities that they will face, if you are a young man today and you join a gang on the south side the chances of you becoming disabled, permanently injured, ending up in jail or getting killed, are very very high so there was a message for them saying you know it might seem like an attractive space to engage with but it is important to try and find different avenues when you are growing up and different things to do because if you end up in that space as a young man then things could end badly for you."
The book is solid locally by Cubola for 60 dollars.
First It Was 3%, In Latest Letter To Unions, GOB Offering 4% Increase (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
Earlier in the news, we told you that the joint unions hadn't received a counteroffer as yet. Well, it finally came late this evening singed by Minister of State for Finance Chris Coye. Of the 7 points listed, GOB and the JUNT came to an agreement on 6 of them, with the exception being the phased salary increase. The unions rejected the first offer of a 3% increase in the next fiscal year and the eventual unfreezing of increments. In this new letter from the government, they decline the request for the full 8.5% salary and pension increase for public workers, citing the projected $60 million dollar annual cost as fiscally unsustainable.
Instead, Cabinet has approved another phased package of increases beginning October 1, 2025, including: A 4% salary increase, an additional increment in fiscal year 2026/27, and a further 4.5% increase phased over two years.
These are conditional on pension reform, cost-saving measures, and performance-based criteria. Pension reform will begin with a contributory scheme for new hires in October 2025 and later extend to existing workers.
The letter also reiterates that only two missed increments are under consideration, not three. They emphasized that the government never agreed to restore past increments but they did resume them earlier than promised and commits to paying the two outstanding ones if fiscally viable.
The unions have announced an emergency general memebrshiip meeting for tonight.
E-Taxi Service Set To Take Off But Where Are The Drivers? (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
The mayor of Belize City has been much in the news these past two nights, and the spotlight has been harsh. But, it's not all bad news coming out of City Hall.
When The Belize City Council first launched it's pilot program for the E-Taxis last month, the concept behind the project was to give taxi driver's an opportunity to lease to own the E-vehicles.
For the council the initiative goes hand in hand with their green initiative by reducing the number of taxis that run on fuel, and replacing them with smart vehicles.
But, so far, only 2 taxi drivers have come on board with the project. They are still hopeful that others will join:
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City:
"We are trying to go into a modern, smart way, utilising innovation and technology to drive the development of the transportation, industry within our city."
"The arrangement we have with the drivers is similar like any other lease agreement would have. Most of the taxi men nowadays, if you don't have a vehicle and you want to get into the taxi business, someone would lease you their car and then you just pay them I believe it's like 65, 70. Some people ask for up to $80 a day. So we the arrangement we have with our drivers is to pay us our $65 a day, Whatever else you make over that is yours."
"Now with the app now that money is going directly into a merchant account for the city. Right, for the city. It is a merchant account. And then we do at the, at our offices, we would do, sort of reconciliation at the end of the day. But at the end of the day, we just require $65 per day from the driver, whether it be via what he collects, manually or what is collected electronically."
"We want this to be taken over by four taxi men in the city. We are we do create opportunities rather than barriers. We want them to own it We want, but we want to see a transformation from the old gas guzzling ice engine vehicles to cleaner, green, small, less pollution type smoother ride for the residents. And the tourist visiting."
Killer Bee Swarms An Increasing Problem, City Hall Steps In To Help (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
And in other municipal news, the mayor says they have dealt with killer bees in the past, but it's never been this bad before. We are talking about the swarms of killer bees that have been nesting in populated neighborhoods, and killing pets in backyards. And if you do happen to come across a swarm who would you call? According to the mayor it's BAHA, but lately they also had to step in and assist. He says he believes there are several different things causing bees to nest in the populated areas of the city:
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City:
"The bees issue, particularly this time of the year generally speaking, as always, it has not been at this level. So there is concern from the city's standpoint. And so we need to we need to collaborate and coordinate properly with all additional stakeholders. Because at the end of the day, even though we are not mandated to deal with Bees, if it is impacting our residents, then we have to have a say at the table. We have to be proactive. And so when this incident occurred, Saturday."
"This is the beauty of local government, local government is the closest point to the people, right? I am in a graduation for my daughter at SCA and I get the call. The bees killed. Six seven dogs. And there was a lot of back and forth on who, the responsibility I think they called the BAHA team and the BAHA team was, stretched out pretty thin in in the agricultural school grounds.They couldn't be here to alleviate it. And so they were one of the residents call me and there was, sort of gridlock between, this private entity who could, really control the situation. But the other in there was nobody really saying who will take on the cost. And I said, listen, this is our resident of this city. The city will pay for it and we will take it on and it was in that fashion that we were were able to have the entity come in and, take care of the Bee nest, but again, it's, part of a larger problem in the city. They abandoned lots. The old houses are breeding grounds for bees. And we have to do something about these abandoned lots, all of these issues stem from neglect not only from the government or authority side but the residents of the community as well."
General Registry Crippled By Ransomware Attack (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
7News has confirmed that the High Court registry is the victim of hackers, who have crippled the system with a ransomware attack. We are told that the entire system is down for general registry and that all operations are compromised.
Tonight the in-house staff - which comprises only two persons - along with BTL and CITO are trying to resolve the problem.
The attack has crippled the courts operations right down to the cashier. We'll keep following it.
Festival of Arts (posted on Thu Jun 5, 2025)
And, that's it for 7news tonight. We leave you with
Some more primary school Festival of the Arts golden winners.
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In April of 2020 three cops were placed on interdiction for coercing two individuals into performing a sex act and recording the incident. Those police officers were charged criminally and put on trial before a jury of 9 persons this week. Those officers are Leslie Martinez, Jason Shaw and Anthony Villamil. But before the trial could commence today with Justice Candice Nanton overseeing the case, the charge was withdrawn against Villamil. And the other 2 accused, Shaw and Martinez were represented in court by Leeroy Banner.