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Two time murder suspect killed during robbery
Roshane Andrewin, a notorious figure, has twice beaten murder charges but he ran out of luck today. Just after midday Andrewin was gunned down on the corner of Vernon and Mosul Streets. He had just jacked one of three men in a yard and did not get too far when the fatal shot were fired. News five Delahnie Bain was on the scene shortly after and has this report.
Delahnie Bain, Reporting
It was a brazen move when twenty-one year old Roshane Andrewin held up three men at gunpoint in the middle of the day. But accoutring to Deputy Officer in Charge of the Police Crimes Investigations Branch, Hilberto Romero, the robbery victim was not about to let his valuables go that easily.
Inspector Hilberto Romero, Deputy O.C., C.I.B. “Just one person was robbed of his valuables; namely a gold chain, gold bangles, two cellular phones and two gold earrings. And as soon as the robbery had been committed with a firearm, the victim then pulled out his licensed firearm and a freeze the male person and told him to stop and to hand him back his properties, at which time the deceased pulled out his nine millimetre pistol and pointed it at the victim, at which the victim fired shots at him. He was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.”
We met Andrewin’s mother, Derva Miles at the K.H.M.H. She had just received the news that her son was involved in a shooting. What she wasn’t expecting was to find him at the morgue.
Derva Miles, Mother of Deceased “My babysitter call me and seh dat dehn just shot ah up pan Vernon Street and she noh know if ih dead. But ah come to di hospital and…”
Delahnie Bain
“We understand that he attempted to rob someone or something to that effect, was he someone that gave a lot of trouble?”
Derva Miles “Ih noh live wid me so I noh know weh mi di go on but I always scold ah bout dat. I tell ah dat noh mek sense, find something fi do.”
Delahnie Bain
“When was the last time you saw him before…”
Derva Miles “Last night. Last night he was at his friend’s father wake. I left him like minutes to one. I left from there and he was still there.”
While he would not release the name of the man who pulled the trigger, Romero says he has been detained.
Hilberto Romero “Presently, we are conducting an investigation and as soon as that is completed we will forward it to the Director of Public Prosecutions who will give us directives from there.”
Andrewin was recently released from prison after serving time for Murder. Delahnie Bain for News Five.
Andrewin was charged for the murder of Meldrick Flowers in May of 2007 and a few months later in September, he was charged for the murder of Curlin Felix. In the Flowers murder, Andrewin was released when the prime witness could not be located. The Felix murder case also fell apart for lack of evidence in the preliminary inquiry.
Family still suspects foul play for youth’s death
And while police were forthcoming with information on today’s fatal shooting, they did not shed any light on the circumstances leading to the death of sixteen year old St. Michael’s College student, Kevin Francis. Francis’ body was retrieved from behind the BTIA building near the Memorial Park on Monday. He had been hanging from the lower part of the building with a cord tied around his neck. Police stood guard over the body almost all of Monday until the pathologist arrived and reportedly hurried the family to bury Francis. The anticipated post mortem did not yield the results the family had suspected - foul play. The family says Francis left home last Saturday afternoon after he had a dispute with his mother. It was not strange, they say, because he always went but came back. But this time he didn’t. After the police Pathologist, Dr. Mario Estradabran told the media that he was of the opinion that Francis died from hanging, the family began their own investigations.
On Tuesday, the family alleged that they had received eye witness accounts that police shot Francis on East Collet Canal on Saturday night and then moved him in a vehicle. Today Deputy Commanding Officer of the Crimes Investigations Branch, Inspector Hilberto Romero, told News Five that the matter remains under investigation and that he had no comment on the family’s allegations.
Thursday night stabbing on Mahogany Street
In more violence in the City’s streets, one man was critically wounded on Mahogany Street just after eleven Thursday night. According to the police, Claiborne Pascasio was stabbed during an altercation with Giovanni Tillett.
Hilberto Romero “We have one Claiborne Pascasio who received a stab wound to the right side of the abdomen. This is after an argument at Mahogany Street. He is presently at the K.H.M.H. in critical condition. We have one person detained, Giovanni Tillett, who will be charged this evening. He will be charged for Attempted Murder, Dangerous Harm and Use of Deadly Means of Harm. It was an argument and as a result the friends of the victim were the ones who chased down the suspect and a struggle ensued again and the police responded and he was apprehended.”
Factory construction ongoing at Belize City Lagoon
The Krooman Lagoon, the only reserve within Belize City limits, has been in the spotlight for the past month and it still is. Tuesday’s Cabinet decided that a portion of the Krooman Lagoon that was sold to Jitendra Chawla, the owner of Xtra House, will be taken back and Chawla would be compensated for the nine point three acres of land for which he paid close to seventy thousand dollars in June and was awaiting title. Area Representative for Collet, Patrick Faber’s view is that the filled portion will be used for the people of Collet. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said that any plans for the lagoon and surrounding area had to be consistent with the objectives of the South Side Poverty Alleviation Program. It seemed like a closed and done deal; Chawla gets back his money and government, the land. But that is easier said than done. Chawla, better known as Jack Charles, has not backed down and has continued to construct his potato chip factory. As far as our crew could see today, he is using a smaller portion of the land he originally paid for, but it still stretches across a part of the lagoon he has filled with clay. A crane and trucks belonging to Matus and Matus Engineering could be seen placing columns while the construction work continues full steam ahead at the site at mile one behind the Xtra House warehouse on the Western Highway. Chawla associates say that the construction is on land he received title from the previous P.U.P. administration; Chawla himself denied News Five an interview, until he receives some unspecified documents. So what’s the next move? A verification is expected to be done of the area that Chawla continues to work at.
Minister has Canadian ancestry but Belizean blood
Does Minister Elvin Penner have dual nationality? That issue came up last night at consultations on the seventh amendment bill to the constitution held in San Ignacio. And like the previous round in Belize City, there was general rejection to the proposal. But why amend the constitution? There has been limited official explanation, but much speculation that the motive behind GOB’s proposal to allow members of the House of Representatives or the Senate to hold two passports, is because there is at least one member who already does. Under section fifty-eight of the Constitution of Belize, any individual who has sworn allegiance to another country cannot be a member of the House of Representatives. The Constitution bars citizens of Belize who also possess the passport of another country from serving as Representatives or as Senators. At the consultation last evening, Penner disclosed that he does not have dual citizenship. In front of a small crowd at the Centre of Employment Training, the Minister of Sports admitted that his parents are Canadian citizens and this makes him a Canadian by ancestry.
Voice of Elvin Penner, Minister of Sports “An amendment has to be made. And we are all trying for an amendment because as far as I understand this Constitution right now, a Guatemalan born can come to run in this country, an American born can run in this country. I will support this amendment because this amendment will no longer disenfranchise our Belizeans that have been living abroad to come and live in Belize. And for your information, for those of you who have been questioning my legality of being a Representative, my parents are Canadian. I am Canadian by descent but I owe no allegiance to any other country. And if I were to leave this country today I would not deal it over to Canada. I owe no allegiance to any other country but Belize and I am proud to be a Belizean and I will never leave this country.”
And for people who were wondering if Penner ever held a Canadian passport before his nomination and then election, we got his reaction this afternoon and this is what he told us, “I have never held any travel documents other than Belizean documents, nor do I intend to. I cannot change the fact that my parents are Canadian”.
Ernest Raymond Jr. charged; this time for concealing docs
In mid July, he was released from charges for money laundering and unlicensed firearms. But today he was brought back to court and the most recent charge against thirty-three year old Ernest Raymond Junior is for Concealing Documents. The charge against Raymond is linked to an ongoing investigation of money laundering. Police allege that on January second, the same day cops busted Raymond with a nine millimeter pistol, they found him with over seven thousand dollars and documents, including Money Gram Transfer receipts payable to Melonie Coye in the amount of over two million dollars. There were also receipts in the sum of half a million dollars payable to Michael Coye. The discovery was made in a White Ford Escort car registered in the name of Melonie Coye. According to Inspector Hilberto Romero, at about eight on the night of January second, they were on patrol when they detected a White Ford car which had no license plates. The car was parked with the engine running and Romero saw Raymond talking on a cell phone. He said that when he approached Raymond he walked away from the car. While Raymond had nothing incriminating on him, Romero alleges that the documents and the weapon were all inside the vehicle. The documents and receipts are believed to be part of a Money Laundering case which the Financial Intelligence Unit started to investigate on December thirty first against the Coyes. On January second the entire Coye Family including, Melanie, Michael Coye, his wife, Marlene Coye, his son, Jude Coye of the US and their son-in-law, James Gerou, were taken to court for Money Laundering. Police later charged Raymond. Attorney, Dickie Bradley earlier today said the charge against his client is bogus. There was no objection to bail today in court but Raymond’s attorneys, Arthur Saldivar and Dickie Bradley asked that the matter be dealt with at the Magistrate’s Court level. Senior Magistrate, Dorothy Flowers then took a plea of not guilty from Raymond. He was offered bail in the sum of seventy five thousand dollars, which he met. Another person, Dean Fuller, has also been charged with Money Laundering of six million dollars.
Woman with baby charged possession of crack
Also in court, a woman who went to visit with relatives on Caye Caulker finds herself in all kinds of trouble tonight. Thirty-three year old Michelle Sedacey was allegedly busted in the village with crack cocaine inside a bag. Police say they thought Sedacey was acting suspiciously and that’s why they detained the Belize City resident and searched her. It yielded seventeen grams of crack cocaine. The incident occurred around one-thirty on Thursday afternoon on the beach front near the old Cemetery. In court this evening, Sedacey pleaded not guilty to Drug Trafficking before Senior Magistrate, Dorothy Flowers. She met bail of three thousand dollars and is due back in court on September twenty-fifth.
American citizen charged for uncustomed goods
A wanted U.S. national was nabbed today between mile two and three on the Northern Highway by Customs and Immigration personnel and finds himself behind bars tonight. A bench warrant had been issued in San Pedro earlier this year for forty-seven year old Rod Cooper. He was found traveling northwards in an SUV this morning when the officers recognized his face from all-point bulletin. Originally from California, Cooper was charged in June of this year for Uncustomed Goods in connection with two jet skis. But when Cooper failed to appear in court a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. Cooper was escorted before Senior Magistrate Dorothy Flowers but she could not deal with the matter since it is before the San Pedro court, so Cooper was remanded to the Hattieville Prison until Monday when he will appear before the San Pedro Magistrate.
Still no action in missing money allegations at CitCo
And it was on July tenth that Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced during a press conference at the Radisson Fort George Hotel that the police would be making arrests for financial improprieties after Patrick Tillett, the government-appointed Financial Controller to City Hall, gave a statement to police. Well it’s the end of July and so far, the PM’s announcement and Tillett’s statement to police have amounted to zilch. We revisit the statements made by Barrow and Mayor Zenaida Moya Flowers’ denial of illegal activities involving the Council’s finances, saying it was simply an awkward accounting procedure referred to as under-depositing.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow (July 10, 2009) “I’m deadly serious about the commitments I made to the Belizean public. In that context, I want to tell you that the Financial Controller or Regulator—I’m not sure what the term is—that we put in place at the Belize City Council. Remember we passed a law in December that gave the Minister of Local Government the power to send in a regulator if he was of the view that the affairs of the council so required. We also introduced some new accounting regulations with penalties for breaches of those regulations. That Financial Regulator, who is Mr. Patrick Tillett reported to my office and to the Ministry of Local Government, that during the course of his work, he has uncovered what he deemed to be some serious financial irregularities. We and the Ministry arranged for him to make a statement to the police. That has now been done and it is my sense that arrests are going to be made in consequence of the report formally given to the police by Mr. Tillett.”
Zenaida Moya Flowers, Belize City Mayor (July 10th, 2009) “A meeting with representatives from the government audit department was held on Tuesday June sixteenth, 2009 at my office to discuss the findings of said 2003 to 2009 audit. In attendance we myself, the Director of Financial Services Mr. Dwane Davis, Internal Auditor Mr. Anthony Castillo and government auditors Ms. Carla Faber and Ms. Kimberly Ellis. At this meeting, no irregularities were stated. We were advised, however, about shortcomings with respect to financial procedures and internal controls to which recommendations were made to improve and strengthen both. Apart from the measures recommended by the auditors, the council decided to strengthen the finance department with someone considered to be versed with government accounting procedures, financial and store orders.”
And when we spoke with Tillett last week about his position on the review he has conducted of the Council’s books he was convinced that things did not add up. But equally as convinced that nothing illegal took place is the Council’s Director of Financial Services, Dwane Davis. In an update to news five, Davis said he is sure that police will have no charges to file because no crime was committed.
Minister will open up housing documents to media
While things are quiet at the Belize City Council, the ground work is set for a battle royale between the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the government. Cabinet rejected N.T.U.C.B.’s tardy decision to hold a seat on the commission that would oversee how the twenty million dollars from the Venezuelan grant program would be spent. But how transparent can the Housing Ministry be without the N.T.U.C.B.? Earlier in the week, Housing Minister, Michael Finnegan said there is still one other social partner that he would invite to his office to go through the paperwork, that is the media.
Michael Finnegan, Minister of Housing “Like two point five million dollars spend up to now, I guess since last week. I don’t really know the numbers offhand. I guess from last week to now wah lot more spend. So often from now I will call unnu in and mek unnu get an update and mek unnu peruse the documents them, mek unnu peruse the process that is taking place because there is nothing to hide. I don’t want to quarrel with nobody. I am an old politician looking to go out in grace and peace with everybody. I have been in politics for donkey’s years. I noh want quarrel wid nobody. I have total respect for the National Trade Union Congress and all the other social partners in this country. They have a view. I have my own view and that is over with me. Cabinet has made a decision; Cabinet is above me. I cannot redo what Cabinet do. I cud just tell you from the day before what is my point of view. If Cabinet me gone di other way, glory to Cabinet.”
The N.T.U.C.B. isn’t taking rejection lightly, on Thursday morning N.T.U.C.B.’s Secretary General, Javier Roberts sat behind the Prime Minister at the official inauguration of the K.H.M.H. Commission of Inquiry. After the event, Roberts said that the N.T.U.C.B. and its associate unions would decide on a plan of action to respond to G.O.B. Roberts said that the N.T.U.C.B. is fine tuning its plan of action and would let us know early next week how it intends to spar with the Barrow administration.
Stop Crime by supporting Crime Stoppers sale
Crime Stoppers Belize provides a toll free hotline 0-800-922-TIPS for people to call and report on illegal activities. There are occasionally rewards offered through the organization which heavily depends on donations. But Crime Stoppers does not rely solely on kindness, it also fundraises. This weekend Crime Stoppers is hosting a yard sale at Old Belize. Francis Woods told us about the variety of goods and deals available, all in an effort to combat crime.
Francis Woods, Chairman, Crime Stoppers Belize “The purpose, like most of our fundraisers is to fund the promotion of the Crime Stoppers stuff; wanted posters, billboards, questionnaire posters and our operating costs such as our fees for the Crime Stoppers International and some programming costs. We have female shoes, we have hand bags, we have male shoes, we have clothing, we have dishes, restaurant equipment, juice dispensers, thirty-six inch char grill. We have a double bed, we have a king size bed, a bunk bed; double on the bottom, single on the top. We have engines; marine engines, Perkins, Volvo, we have fifteen hundred feet of brand new stainless steel cable, Yamaha outboards—four stroke. We have transmissions, we have a washing machine; front loading, we have the top loading washing machine, we have about six small paddle boats, we have about five or six big boats, we will have some fairly good condition vehicles on sale on the weekend as well.”
Jose Sanchez
“So you have everything.”
Francis Woods “We have—you wouldn’t believe what we have. It’s more of what we don’t have.”
Jose Sanchez
“How successful has the program been so far?”
Francis Woods “So far, it’s been very successful compared to other Caribbean countries. In total, we’ve had about forty-four arrests and over thirty cases solved and the recovery of over six thousand dollars worth of stolen goods or contraband goods.”
Woods says that the Crime Stoppers yard sale starts at nine in the morning until five in the evening on Saturday and Sunday at Old Belize located at mile five on the Western Highway.
Educational summer camp closes
With the new school year around the bend, summer camps are coming to an end. Today, Growing the Future Foundation concluded its camp with an awards ceremony for the two hundred plus children of primary school age. The foundation which offers education services and an after school program for underprivileged children has run the program for six years. This year the focus was on reading and mathematics. In the presence of parents and sponsors, the foundation presented certificates of completion to the children. Director, Peter Lacey told us more from the Radisson Hotel.
Peter Lacey, Director, Growing the Future Foundation “This program caters to the entire city and in the past we’ve had children from out-district as well. But majority of our students are from the south side of Belize City so I believe it is our duty to cater for the parents and the children that is why we have our program on south side of Belize City. It is not a south side program but most of the students are from the south side so we cater to them.”
Duane Moody
“How many students were in this summer program this time around?”
Peter Lacey “This year we had two hundred students taking part in the program and for the past sixth years we’ve reached out to over one thousand children.”
Lacey says the program will prepare the participants for the upcoming school year.
B.D.F. Aviation Summer Camp touches down
Meanwhile, the aviation camp of the Belize Defence Force Summer Program drew a large number of participants fascinated with the art of flying. It is the first of its kind where the students actually lived for two weeks at the Price Barracks in Ladyville. A News Five crew captured the beginning of the camp last week and its culmination today. Duane Moody has this report.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Some one hundred and sixty-seven kids received certificates for participating in the aviation camp. The two weeks camp catered to both primary and high school students and according to Brigadier General Dario Tapia, the program is geared at promoting education.
Brigadier General Dario Tapia, Commandant, B.D.F. “This summer program is really a part of the ministry’s strategy to be able to get the young people to channel their energies into something positive during the summer holidays and I think by doing the summer program we have achieved that aim.”
The participants got hands on experience on the technical aspect of aviation.
2nd Lieutenant Radford Baizar, Aviation Camp Coordinator “Our goal is to equip the participants with the knowledge and skill of the wonderful world of aviation. How we intend to do this is by actually instilling in them basic ground school lessons pertaining to aerodynamics, flight instruments, meteorology. Also we try to give them a little flight simulator experience. We also have for them in store, aircrew survival. Belize is sixty percent jungle so we actually give the skills and knowledge of how to survive in a non-permissible environment.”
Emil Gillett, Participant, Aviation Camp “I’m learning a lot in this camp. I really wish that I can become a pilot and join the B.D.F. It teaches you to be a good cadet, a good student.”
Ganey Dortch Jr., Participant, Aviation Camp “It teaches you to keep fit so you don’t have to be fat like yoh obese and yoh healthy, to eat the right food and get healthy den yoh could control di plane.”
Duane Moody
“Any chances that you guys will become B.D.F. soldiers yourselves?”
Emil Gillett “I guess so.”
Kori Dawson, Participant. Aviation Camp “I know a little by myself but I’ve been learning at lot here like the empennage and the fuselage of the of the plane, which is the body of the aircraft where the passenger and the cargo fit in the aircraft. There are the wings which consist of the ailerons which balances the plane left or right. Then they have the rudders of the aircraft, which what we would say yaw the aircraft; let it dance from left to right.”
And while camps such as these are both educational and recreational; Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel Ganey Dortch, says it changes the stereotype of the B.D.F.
Lt. Col. Ganey Dortch, Chief of Staff, B.D.F. “We are always looked at as killers, we are always looked at as those people in the jungle. But there is much more to the B.D.F. than just being in the jungle. We have pilots, we have cocks-wins, we have cooks, we have doctors, we have lawyers, etcetera, etcetera. So it is important for us to recognize what is it that these kids can eventually grow up to be.”
Duane Moody reporting for News Five.
Concert in memory of Lucky Dube, Michael Jackson
Reggae lovers will know that in August renowned reggae legend, Lucky Dube, celebrates his birthday. And right in line with that will be the third in a series of live concert recordings by promoter, Joel “Dara” Robinson. Robinson says the event this Sunday will be a family function that will promote peace and denounce crime and violence. And while the show is in memory of Lucky Dube, Robinson says the death one month ago of another legendary peace promoter, Michael Jackson, has prompted him to also pay tribute to the megastar. But while Robinson is keeping these entertainers and their music alive, he is also using the event to address another real life issue, poverty. He explains what will take place on Sunday.
Joel “Dara” Robinson, Promoter “Dah di legend earth day, we talking about South Africa, King of Reggae, Lucky Dube, yoh noh. So on Sunday, second of August we wah pay tribute fi di third time to di great Lucky Dube, yoh noh? And dis event include live DVD performance of Lucky Dube pan di big screen. Right now di vibes deh deh cause soh di years di goh afta deh kill di bredda di people dehn more into di music. But I also have a next legend weh we just lost di other day. Ih noh might sing reggae music but di music weh he mek is powerful as Reggae. Ih bring people together, ih preach love and peace and most of all di bredda deal with kids and fight fi di rights ah people. We di talk about Michael Jackson soh from six to eight we wah pay tribute to Michael Jackson; two hours. How we wah do it, I have wah special female selector weh wah play di music through di system, I myself wah use di big screen and yoh wah see so much performance and so much thing wid Michael Jackson. Di whole event dah wah community event, wah family event. I like bring people together, ih noh matter yoh colour, race, breed and thing, just bring people together under one thing wid peace, love and unity. Fi February I had a food drive weh I ask people fi bring out canned food. Most people seh Dara, we neva hear much bout it so I add it to di ad, I add it to di flyers and I di beg and ask people fi if yoh want be wah part ah di show, just pass through and drop off wah canned food. I, myself, wah mek di media follow me and mek I show dehn how I deliver it. I noh di do it fi no vote, I just do it because dat dah me and I always want help.”
The big screen presentation takes place this Sunday, beginning at four in the evening at the M.C.C. tennis court. Robinson says he is inviting the media to witness the food distribution. Entrance to the event is five dollars. T-shirts and DVD’s will also be on sale at the event.
Safiyyah finds weekend fun for family and adults
The weekend is here and it’s time to relax. So get ready for Safiyyah’s hot summer activities from north to south where there is something for you.
Hey I’m Safiyyah and this is What’s Happening Belize.
This weekend is filled with activities you can enjoy all over the country. Let’s start in the capital city Belmopan. They will be celebrating Belmopan Day this Saturday with a huge fair filled with music, sports and culture. The expo fair will be held at the Governor General’s Field. Music will begin at ten a.m. with cultural performances by a steel band. There will also be lots of DJs and other performances throughout the day. They will also have lots of funs sporting activities to participate in. And don’t forget the official after party for Belmopan Day will be held Barrio Fino Sports Bar featuring Cloud Nine, Stone Jam and performances by New Rebels featuring Vida and Continental Cat.
Hopkins will also be celebrating their Day this weekend. Their celebration will be held over the entire weekend so you have both Saturday and Sunday to enjoy the fun. While in Hopkins we spoke to the organizer and he told us all about it…
Albert Nunez, President, Garifuna Council, Hopkins Branch “Hopkins Day is August first and second on the old school grounds. We’re gonna kick the morning off with a bicycle race through Hopkins to the Southern Highway, through Sittee River. Then it’s gonna end up at the Old School Grounds. We’re gonna have activities like Hudut eating contest, pack bread and peanuts butter eating contest, just to name a few. We have tug of war, greasy pole, volleyball, beach football marathon and just to name a few of them. We’ll have musical performance in the day. We’ll have Lebiha Boys that’s gonna do a bit of drumming for us. Then we have Selecta G, our very own and Sam, our very own as well. Then in the night, we have a massive dance as well with Belizean Movements, backed up by Wagerale Band from Dangriga. There’s a lot of things to see in Hopkins and especially around Hopkins. There's a lot of development and Hopkins is always place where it’s a paradise.”
And up north in Sugar City, Orange Walk this weekend it’s Fiestarama! So you know what that means, its party time. Tonight the weekend will start off right with a beauty and cultural pageant, Señorita Flor de la Feria, inside the multi purpose complex followed by and 80’s dance. During the day on Saturday you can go out and check out a flower and dog show as well as marching band displays while enjoying all the festivities of the fair. There will be lots of food and drinks on sale as well as lots of games and rides for the kids. The fair will be running all weekend and I must tell you that while you’re out there you have to support the Rotorac’s Tropical Paradise stall, where they will be selling adult mixed drinks. This will be done as a fundraiser to help some high school students with their school expenses.
And if you’re in Orange walk for Fiestarama make sure you check out the Autoshow featuring Xclusive Car Club. This will be held inside the stadium from one to four p.m. on Sunday.
Now its time to check out One Hot Summer in the Amazing Hopkins Village…
[Tour of Hopkins Bay and Belizean Dreams resorts…]
Well that all for now, there’s no excuses of nothing to do this weekend, so go out and have fun. Bye!
If there’s an event that you want featured, give me a call at 625-3079. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday at ten p.m.
Roshane Andrewin, a notorious figure, has twice beaten murder charges but he ran out of luck today. Just after midday Andrewin was gunned down on the corner of Vernon and Mosul Streets. He had just jacked one of three men in a yard and did not get too far when the fatal shot were fired. News five Delahnie Bain was on the scene shortly after and has this report.
And while police were forthcoming with information on today’s fatal shooting, they did not shed any light on the circumstances leading to the death of sixteen year old St. Michael’s College student, Kevin Francis. Francis’ body was retrieved from behind the BTIA building near the Memorial Park on Monday. He had been hanging from the lower part of the building with a cord tied around his neck. Police stood guard over the body almost all of Monday until the pathologist arrived and reportedly hurried the family to bury Francis. The anticipated post mortem did not yield the results the family had suspected - foul play. The family says Francis left home last Saturday afternoon after he had a dispute with his mother. It was not strange, they say, because he always went but came back. But this time he didn’t. After the police Pathologist, Dr. Mario Estradabran told the media that he was of the opinion that Francis died from hanging, the family began their own investigations. 
In more violence in the City’s streets, one man was critically wounded on Mahogany Street just after eleven Thursday night. According to the police, Claiborne Pascasio was stabbed during an altercation with Giovanni Tillett.
The Krooman Lagoon, the only reserve within Belize City limits, has been in the spotlight for the past month and it still is. Tuesday’s Cabinet decided that a portion of the Krooman Lagoon that was sold to Jitendra Chawla, the owner of Xtra House, will be taken back and Chawla would be compensated for the nine point three acres of land for which he paid close to seventy thousand dollars in June and was awaiting title. Area Representative for Collet, Patrick Faber’s view is that the filled portion will be used for the people of Collet. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Dean Barrow said that any plans for the lagoon and surrounding area had to be consistent with the objectives of the South Side Poverty Alleviation Program. It seemed like a closed and done deal; Chawla gets back his money and government, the land. But that is easier said than done. Chawla, better known as Jack Charles, has not backed down and has continued to construct his potato chip factory. As far as our crew could see today, he is using a smaller portion of the land he originally paid for, but it still stretches across a part of the lagoon he has filled with clay. A crane and trucks belonging to Matus and Matus Engineering could be seen placing columns while the construction work continues full steam ahead at the site at mile one behind the Xtra House warehouse on the Western Highway. Chawla associates say that the construction is on land he received title from the previous P.U.P. administration; Chawla himself denied News Five an interview, until he receives some unspecified documents. So what’s the next move? A verification is expected to be done of the area that Chawla continues to work at. 
Does Minister Elvin Penner have dual nationality? That issue came up last night at consultations on the seventh amendment bill to the constitution held in San Ignacio. And like the previous round in Belize City, there was general rejection to the proposal. But why amend the constitution? There has been limited official explanation, but much speculation that the motive behind GOB’s proposal to allow members of the House of Representatives or the Senate to hold two passports, is because there is at least one member who already does. Under section fifty-eight of the Constitution of Belize, any individual who has sworn allegiance to another country cannot be a member of the House of Representatives. The Constitution bars citizens of Belize who also possess the passport of another country from serving as Representatives or as Senators. At the consultation last evening, Penner disclosed that he does not have dual citizenship. In front of a small crowd at the Centre of Employment Training, the Minister of Sports admitted that his parents are Canadian citizens and this makes him a Canadian by ancestry.
In mid July, he was released from charges for money laundering and unlicensed firearms. But today he was brought back to court and the most recent charge against thirty-three year old Ernest Raymond Junior is for Concealing Documents. The charge against Raymond is linked to an ongoing investigation of money laundering. Police allege that on January second, the same day cops busted Raymond with a nine millimeter pistol, they found him with over seven thousand dollars and documents, including Money Gram Transfer receipts payable to Melonie Coye in the amount of over two million dollars. There were also receipts in the sum of half a million dollars payable to Michael Coye. The discovery was made in a White Ford Escort car registered in the name of Melonie Coye. According to Inspector Hilberto Romero, at about eight on the night of January second, they were on patrol when they detected a White Ford car which had no license plates. The car was parked with the engine running and Romero saw Raymond talking on a cell phone. He said that when he approached Raymond he walked away from the car. While Raymond had nothing incriminating on him, Romero alleges that the documents and the weapon were all inside the vehicle. The documents and receipts are believed to be part of a Money Laundering case which the Financial Intelligence Unit started to investigate on December thirty first against the Coyes. On January second the entire Coye Family including, Melanie, Michael Coye, his wife, Marlene Coye, his son, Jude Coye of the US and their son-in-law, James Gerou, were taken to court for Money Laundering. Police later charged Raymond. Attorney, Dickie Bradley earlier today said the charge against his client is bogus. There was no objection to bail today in court but Raymond’s attorneys, Arthur Saldivar and Dickie Bradley asked that the matter be dealt with at the Magistrate’s Court level. Senior Magistrate, Dorothy Flowers then took a plea of not guilty from Raymond. He was offered bail in the sum of seventy five thousand dollars, which he met. Another person, Dean Fuller, has also been charged with Money Laundering of six million dollars. 
Also in court, a woman who went to visit with relatives on Caye Caulker finds herself in all kinds of trouble tonight. Thirty-three year old Michelle Sedacey was allegedly busted in the village with crack cocaine inside a bag. Police say they thought Sedacey was acting suspiciously and that’s why they detained the Belize City resident and searched her. It yielded seventeen grams of crack cocaine. The incident occurred around one-thirty on Thursday afternoon on the beach front near the old Cemetery. In court this evening, Sedacey pleaded not guilty to Drug Trafficking before Senior Magistrate, Dorothy Flowers. She met bail of three thousand dollars and is due back in court on September twenty-fifth. 
A wanted U.S. national was nabbed today between mile two and three on the Northern Highway by Customs and Immigration personnel and finds himself behind bars tonight. A bench warrant had been issued in San Pedro earlier this year for forty-seven year old Rod Cooper. He was found traveling northwards in an SUV this morning when the officers recognized his face from all-point bulletin. Originally from California, Cooper was charged in June of this year for Uncustomed Goods in connection with two jet skis. But when Cooper failed to appear in court a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. Cooper was escorted before Senior Magistrate Dorothy Flowers but she could not deal with the matter since it is before the San Pedro court, so Cooper was remanded to the Hattieville Prison until Monday when he will appear before the San Pedro Magistrate. 
And it was on July tenth that Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced during a press conference at the Radisson Fort George Hotel that the police would be making arrests for financial improprieties after Patrick Tillett, the government-appointed Financial Controller to City Hall, gave a statement to police. Well it’s the end of July and so far, the PM’s announcement and Tillett’s statement to police have amounted to zilch. We revisit the statements made by Barrow and Mayor Zenaida Moya Flowers’ denial of illegal activities involving the Council’s finances, saying it was simply an awkward accounting procedure referred to as under-depositing.
While things are quiet at the Belize City Council, the ground work is set for a battle royale between the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the government. Cabinet rejected N.T.U.C.B.’s tardy decision to hold a seat on the commission that would oversee how the twenty million dollars from the Venezuelan grant program would be spent. But how transparent can the Housing Ministry be without the N.T.U.C.B.? Earlier in the week, Housing Minister, Michael Finnegan said there is still one other social partner that he would invite to his office to go through the paperwork, that is the media.
Crime Stoppers Belize provides a toll free hotline 0-800-922-TIPS for people to call and report on illegal activities. There are occasionally rewards offered through the organization which heavily depends on donations. But Crime Stoppers does not rely solely on kindness, it also fundraises. This weekend Crime Stoppers is hosting a yard sale at Old Belize. Francis Woods told us about the variety of goods and deals available, all in an effort to combat crime.
With the new school year around the bend, summer camps are coming to an end. Today, Growing the Future Foundation concluded its camp with an awards ceremony for the two hundred plus children of primary school age. The foundation which offers education services and an after school program for underprivileged children has run the program for six years. This year the focus was on reading and mathematics. In the presence of parents and sponsors, the foundation presented certificates of completion to the children. Director, Peter Lacey told us more from the Radisson Hotel.
Meanwhile, the aviation camp of the Belize Defence Force Summer Program drew a large number of participants fascinated with the art of flying. It is the first of its kind where the students actually lived for two weeks at the Price Barracks in Ladyville. A News Five crew captured the beginning of the camp last week and its culmination today. Duane Moody has this report.
Reggae lovers will know that in August renowned reggae legend, Lucky Dube, celebrates his birthday. And right in line with that will be the third in a series of live concert recordings by promoter, Joel “Dara” Robinson. Robinson says the event this Sunday will be a family function that will promote peace and denounce crime and violence. And while the show is in memory of Lucky Dube, Robinson says the death one month ago of another legendary peace promoter, Michael Jackson, has prompted him to also pay tribute to the megastar. But while Robinson is keeping these entertainers and their music alive, he is also using the event to address another real life issue, poverty. He explains what will take place on Sunday.
The weekend is here and it’s time to relax. So get ready for Safiyyah’s hot summer activities from north to south where there is something for you.
