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Well-known street figure executed in Pink’s Alley
Gunshots rang out in the Pink’s Alley neighbourhood on Monday night and in the silence that followed, residents emerged to find their friend and loved one murdered. And while the victim was a husband and father, he was also a notorious street figure and tonight there are fears that his execution will trigger even more deadly violence. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Around ten last night, former gang leader, George “Junie Balls” McKenzie was gunned down on North Front Street. The shooting occurred in front of the New Chon Sing Chinese restaurant near the mouth of Pink’s Alley where McKenzie resided. According to Officer Commanding the Crimes Investigations Branch, Assistant Superintendent Aaron Guzman, McKenzie’s attacker acted alone.
Aaron Guzman, O.C. C.I.B., Belize City “Investigations revealed that he was approached from behind by a lone gunman who got off a bicycle and fired a shot, an initial single shot which caught him to the back of the head. Other shots were fired, however, so far the police have noted only one wound and that’s the wound on the head, to the body. We have since gone through the preliminary process of onvestigation, and we are in possession of a warrant in the first instance for one Edward Lord.”
Tonight investigators have put out this wanted poster for Belize City resident, twenty year old Edward Lord in connection to McKenzie’s murder.
Aaron Guzman “Edward Lord as far as I know is just another youth in the City. I’m not sure if he’s working or if he was working. The connection to Junie Balls I don’t know. So far we have not established definitely a motive but it could be that they had previous confrontation, but so far we don’t have something definitive to say.”
Marion Ali
“Now everybody knows Junie Balls had a very colourful past. Do you think that his past may have come back to haunt him?”
Sylvia Major, Sister-in-law “Well I wouldn’t say no. I wouldn’t say no, because whenever you try change dah den people get back to you.”
Despite McKenzie’s criminal history, the murder has come as a shock to his friends and family as they say he has been on the road to reform for more than a decade.
Sylvia Major “George was at the Chon Saan out there by the alley mouth standing outside noh, talking with Diggidap, Fredrick Lynch, noh, and up comes a young man on a bicycle, shot him in his head.”
“Eh jus done drop two eggs and my sista tell ah mek ih come drink ih tea and he seh ih gwen go get ah wah soda fi they eat noh and dat’s when hi gaan. And my sista tell ah go and come back. And ih neva did come back.”
Sylvia Major says while her brother-in-law had been a well known gang banger in the 1990s, he had transformed himself into a positive example to kids in the area.
Sylvia Major “He went to the Youth for the Future. He get involved with the Youth for the Future. He even get involved with the football team at the M.C.C. Grounds and bring out fih he own team with lone lee children. He even have some people come in from the States, some white man come in from the States and have church service through yah fih the childrens them. He also sent children to school. They come to him and he help dem, assist them noh, in schooling and stuff. Children weh cannot go to school, weh cannot afford fu go to school, he did it for them.”
Assistant Superintendent Aaron Guzman, says while they still are not sure what the motive was, the Police Department is making all efforts to discourage any type of retaliation from McKenzie’s friends and associates in Majestic Alley.
Aaron Guzman “Several senior officers were out last night up to the wee hours of the morning And since then we have met again since eight o’ clock this morning; and we have made some adjustments. We put some extra patrols in place and we will definitely keep those extra patrols out until we deem it necessary to scale down.”
According to police, several eyewitnesses have been detained for questioning.
McKenzie was the father of two sons, George Junior and Kiffer. He had been living with his long-time girlfriend, Melissa at their Majestic Alley residence. His funeral date has not yet been set as yet. Reporting for News Five, I am Marion Ali.
According to our sources, wanted suspect Edward Lord was last in the news after he was charged along with another man, Darren Banks, for the murder of Sherwin Requena. The charges were later dropped against both men.
Belize City messenger charged w/ Sunday shooting
Meanwhile, investigations into Sunday night’s shooting in the Rocky Road area have resulted in the arrest of one man. Police reports are that twenty year old Ashley Zuniga has been charged with three counts of Attempted Murder, three counts Use of Deadly Means of Harm and three counts of Dangerous Harm in connection to injuries sustained by three men around seven-thirty on Sunday. Twenty year old Jermaine Cattouse was the most seriously wounded as he was shot in his chest and back. Sixty year old Bernard Bradley was hit in the shoulder while thirty eight year old Jerry Graham was hit three times, twice in the right leg and once in the left. Initial findings are that all three men were in the vicinity of West Canal and Rocky Road when two armed men approached them and started shooting. The second suspect in the incident is still being sought.
Deportee found w/ unlicensed gun ... again
While homicide detectives are working overtime following the spate of shootings in the old capital, their colleagues at the Anti-Drug Unit are also keeping busy. Last Thursday, a mobile unit detained thirty-three year old Arthur Young with a nine millimetre pistol loaded with twelve rounds of ammunition. However before Young could be taken into custody, he managed to escape. Young eluded capture until sometime last night when he was rearrested. Today he was charged with handling stolen goods, resisting arrest, failure to report to authorities following his deportation, keeping an unlicensed firearm and possession of unlicensed ammunition. He appeared before Magistrate Dorothy Flowers this morning where he pleaded not guilty to the offences. Young was offered bail of five thousand dollars, which he met, leaving him free to walk out of court this afternoon. The matter has been adjourned until October fourth. Tonight we understand Young also has another case pending involving separate charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
American tourist drowns while snorkelling
An American tourist visiting his daughter in Belize has drowned at sea. According to police reports, around noon on Sunday sixty year old Terrence Langville was snorkelling at Gallows Point, off the coast of Belize City with his wife and daughter Emily when he started having trouble breathing. Langville was pulled onto the boat where C.P.R. was used in an attempt to resuscitate him, but the visitor was pronounced dead on arrival at Belize Medical Associates. A post mortem has been scheduled but authorities do not suspect foul play. Emily Langville is currently working as a dolphin trainer at Spanish Lookout Caye and her parents had travelled from their home in Atlanta earlier this month to visit her.
Carnival ships to return to Belize on Thurs...
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Dean the cancellation of cruise ships calling on ports along the Yucatan peninsula was to be expected but even after the all clear had been declared in Belize, one cruise line extended its withdrawal. Last Wednesday local port agent for the Carnival ships, Eurocaribe, was asked for official confirmation that the English Channel was clear of silt and that all marker buoys were in place. The letter was sent from the Port Authority Commissioner the next day but Carnival had already decided to pull its ships from Belize for the rest of the week. The drastic move prompted a delegation headed by Minister of Tourism Godfrey Smith to move up travel plans to Miami in order to make courtesy calls to all the cruise lines in order to assure them that Belize’s cruise ship industry has not been affected by the storm. This morning Director of Tourism Tracy Taegar-Panton told us that the group will also use the opportunity to lobby the cruise lines for additional business.
Tracy Taegar Panton, Director of Tourism, B.T.B. “We are open, we’re ready for business. We have the infrastructure in place, the capacity to host additional ships, especially during this low season and our hope is that we can improve on our cruise ship schedule. There are a number of ships going to Mahahual that have not been coming to Belize but the shift could be made very easily from Mahahual, to Belize and onto Cozumel and so we are hoping that we can sell them that idea of keeping the ships in the Western Caribbean rather than taking them to the Eastern Caribbean.”
Janelle Chanona
“Do you think that we would be, I know you say we’re ready, but do you think we’ll be able to facilitate those extra people?”
Tracy Taegar Panton
“We are able to, in terms of infrastructure on the ground, in terms of the tenders, and the trained tour guides, tour operators. Yes, the infrastructure is in place to host extra ships.”
The Mexican cruise port Mahahual sustained substantial damage as a result of Hurricane Dean and is not expected to be back on line for at least six months. According to Eurocaribe’s Martha Williams, while the Carnival Glory will not call on Belize until December eighteenth, the Valor and the Legend will get back to its regular schedule starting on the sixth of September. This time of the year is considered the off season as the cruise trade normally picks up steam at the end of October.
...but cruise tourists complaints mean trouble
And while those working in the cruise tourism sector are anxiously awaiting the Valor and the Legend next Thursday, an even bigger problem is brewing in the Belize City habour. News Five’s Janelle Chanona explains.
Tracy Taegar Panton ”I think that it has gotten to the level where the cruise lines say, you know, either you fix it or we leave.”
At the height of the season, more than six thousand cruise ship passengers and crew disembark at the Fort Street Tourism Village and either head off to destinations in the district or take tours of the city. But according to industry insiders, a significant number of those visitors have been making serious complaints against Belize, criticisms that could see the ships stop coming to port.
Tracy Taegar Panton “The primary concern is the whole organization and management of the immediate area outside of the tourism village. You know, all that from the Tourism Village to the Swing Bridge, there needs to be some zoning in terms of traffic management in the area, moving the vendors off the street side because it just creates a lot of congestion. And we have a tremendous amount of harassment of our visitors which is a major concern. There are visitors who are afraid to leave the gates of F.S.T.V. because they are accosted by the various groups that are working outside.”
According to Director of Tourism Tracy Taegar Panton, at the request of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association, this week Minister of Tourism Godfrey Smith and members of the Belize Tourism Board are meeting in Miami to discuss the situation. Panton says part of the solution would include a craft and vendor market.
Tracy Taegar Panton “Change is always difficult and— but I think the vendors have seen the impact of this week where we’ve lost three ships and I think they would be much more open to making the move. I had taxi drivers and tour guides approaching me and saying whatever we can do to help to bring back the ships. We certainly don’t want to lose ships, it’s harder to get them back and I think the vendors will be open once we can put the infrastructure in place. The resources are there as you know Janelle, the Local Government Tourism Development Fund was established which is being funded by three agencies, the B.T.B., PACT and the F.S.T.V. and hopefully we can go to the F.C.C.A. with tangible projects and definitive timelines for when those projects will be in place.”
Panton and Mayor Zenaida Moya met this afternoon to discuss the latest developments regarding Belize City’s cruise industry. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
Spanish Gov’t donates equipment to Bz. district students
Over the last two days, representatives of the government and people of Spain have been in Belize to hand over computers and kitchen appliances to two local institutions. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
This morning’s ribbon-cutting ceremony was not the typical opening of a new school or health facility as the event marked the official donation of kitchen appliances to Excelsior High School by the Government of Spain. According to Regional Coordinator of the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation, Ignacio Nicolau, the contribution is the start of new things for Belize.
Ignacio Nicolau, Regional Coordinator, Spanish Agency of International Cooperation “This is a first step and I mean, the relationship is the started and now its each year. And I think the next year we are coming here making the same thing and the other year too. At least in the next two years we are supporting the Ministry of Education of Belize, maybe in equipment or I don’t know. It depends on the personnel of the Ministry.”
Marion Ali
“Is the education the only area that you look at?”
Ignacio Nicolau “Education and professional education. So I mean regular education and professional education.”
Excelsior High was not the only beneficiary of Spanish generosity. On Monday, the Belize District Education Centre received computer equipment worth twenty thousand Belize dollars. Director of General School Services in the Ministry of Education, Yolanda Gongora, says the groundwork for receiving the aid began when officials from the Spanish Regional Office for Education and Culture made their first visit to Belize last year.
Yolanda Gongora, Director of General School Services, Ministry of Education “They asked us to send proposals and we invited these two offices to write proposals for the assistance because we saw that the District Education Centre really need assistance in computer technology and Excelsior High School needed equipment materials, utensils, for the Home Economics Department.”
Excelsior’s Principal Gayle Thompson considers the donation a blessing.
Gayle Thompson, Principal, Excelsior “The skill that they will learn using these equipment will help them to prepare for employment as well as create their own employment.”
Marion Ali
“How was the school coping with passing on home management techniques and skills to these students before the donation?”
Gayle Thompson “We had offered basic home economics with limited resources that we had prior to the donation today. So we used what we had, which was very limited.”
There are approximately a hundred students enrolled at Excelsior High. Reporting for News Five, I am Marion Ali.
Excelsior High is now hoping to enhance its Clothing and Textiles department. If you would like to donate sewing machines and supplies, please contact Gayle Thompson at Excelsior High School in Belize City.
Free Zone/Chetumal open for business
One week after Hurricane Dean slammed into Northern Belize and Southern Mexico, efforts to clean up, rebuild and reopen are well underway. Today I travelled to two popular sites in the affected areas for progress reports.
Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Inside the Corozal Free Zone this morning, it was business as usual.
Joel Cervantes, Director General, C.F.Z. “I think we are about fully recovered, in the sense that we have removed all the debris, all canopies and signs that fell on the main road and everything, all that was done last week.”
Once the compound was cleared of the debris, C.F.Z. opened its gates to its’ Mexican clients.
Joel Cervantes “There were about three to four businesses that got damaged. The insurance companies have already reviewed that. What they are doing, is they have already gotten the contractors to work on those.”
Although we did not see many shoppers inside the C.F.Z., the Director General Joel Cervantes says they have been somewhat busy and he expects the traffic to increase by the weekend.
Joel Cervantes “Because we are back to school in Mexico, Chetumal and all over, so it is usually slow and then on weekends it picks up. But I believe, actually today we’ve had quite an influx of Mexicans and tourists coming in, and people purchasing. I think it should pick up. September is the slowest month, and I believe it will be pretty good due to people coming from Campeche and who are going to purchase their personal clothing, footwear and things like that.”
Traffic was equally slow at the Belize/Mexico border station which closed on Monday, August twentieth, from nine p.m. to twelve-thirty on Tuesday afternoon. The only people allowed to cross into Mexico, were foreigners returning home.
Cesar Pulido, Immigration officer, Northern Border “Belizeans were not allowed to go to Chetumal, the Mexican border was closed and they did not allow anyone to go.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“And since it reopened, what has traffic been like?”
Cesar Pulido “Very slow, considering the vast exodus of people that we have had before the storm. The people that are exiting are mostly doing business, clearing stuff at customs that had sat at the Mexican border. But it’s been slow, when it comes to excursions and the locals, it’s very slow.”
Today as we travelled across the Mexican border and into neighbouring Chetumal, the effects of the storm took the form of knocked down trees, destroyed billboard signs and building damage. As in Belize, Mexican officials have been working hard to clean the mess and most businesses have reopened.
Cesar Pulido “Some areas are still experiencing power failure, off and ons, shortage of water in some area. Other than that, everything is normal.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“So Belizeans who want to continue doing shopping, there should be no problem?”
Cesar Pulido “Of course, there is no problem. We are advising the public to come and if there is any delay it is because of, you know, sometimes the systems are down. But everything is normal. We are asking people to come, Chetumal is open and we see no problems so far.”
Tonight officials from the National Emergency Management Organization are reporting that only ninety-five people are still using the various community centres in Corozal as shelters. According to NEMO, efforts by Belize Water Services, Belize Telemedia and Belize Electricity Limited to restore water, power and telephone service in the affected areas are continuing at a steady pace. Today NEMO also announced that it distributed food packages to ten thousand residents in thirty villages that should last fourteen days.
Gunshots rang out in the Pink’s Alley neighbourhood on Monday night and in the silence that followed, residents emerged to find their friend and loved one murdered. And while the victim was a husband and father, he was also a notorious street figure and tonight there are fears that his execution will trigger even more deadly violence. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Meanwhile, investigations into Sunday night’s shooting in the Rocky Road area have resulted in the arrest of one man. Police reports are that twenty year old Ashley Zuniga has been charged with three counts of Attempted Murder, three counts Use of Deadly Means of Harm and three counts of Dangerous Harm in connection to injuries sustained by three men around seven-thirty on Sunday. Twenty year old Jermaine Cattouse was the most seriously wounded as he was shot in his chest and back. Sixty year old Bernard Bradley was hit in the shoulder while thirty eight year old Jerry Graham was hit three times, twice in the right leg and once in the left. Initial findings are that all three men were in the vicinity of West Canal and Rocky Road when two armed men approached them and started shooting. The second suspect in the incident is still being sought. 
While homicide detectives are working overtime following the spate of shootings in the old capital, their colleagues at the Anti-Drug Unit are also keeping busy. Last Thursday, a mobile unit detained thirty-three year old Arthur Young with a nine millimetre pistol loaded with twelve rounds of ammunition. However before Young could be taken into custody, he managed to escape. Young eluded capture until sometime last night when he was rearrested. Today he was charged with handling stolen goods, resisting arrest, failure to report to authorities following his deportation, keeping an unlicensed firearm and possession of unlicensed ammunition. He appeared before Magistrate Dorothy Flowers this morning where he pleaded not guilty to the offences. Young was offered bail of five thousand dollars, which he met, leaving him free to walk out of court this afternoon. The matter has been adjourned until October fourth. Tonight we understand Young also has another case pending involving separate charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. 
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Dean the cancellation of cruise ships calling on ports along the Yucatan peninsula was to be expected but even after the all clear had been declared in Belize, one cruise line extended its withdrawal. Last Wednesday local port agent for the Carnival ships, Eurocaribe, was asked for official confirmation that the English Channel was clear of silt and that all marker buoys were in place. The letter was sent from the Port Authority Commissioner the next day but Carnival had already decided to pull its ships from Belize for the rest of the week. The drastic move prompted a delegation headed by Minister of Tourism Godfrey Smith to move up travel plans to Miami in order to make courtesy calls to all the cruise lines in order to assure them that Belize’s cruise ship industry has not been affected by the storm. This morning Director of Tourism Tracy Taegar-Panton told us that the group will also use the opportunity to lobby the cruise lines for additional business.
And while those working in the cruise tourism sector are anxiously awaiting the Valor and the Legend next Thursday, an even bigger problem is brewing in the Belize City habour. News Five’s Janelle Chanona explains.
Over the last two days, representatives of the government and people of Spain have been in Belize to hand over computers and kitchen appliances to two local institutions. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
One week after Hurricane Dean slammed into Northern Belize and Southern Mexico, efforts to clean up, rebuild and reopen are well underway. Today I travelled to two popular sites in the affected areas for progress reports.
