Important Note: This Internet version of 7 News is a verbatum
transcript of our evening television news script. Many interviews on our newscast
are conducted in Creole. In the interest of clarity for our foreign readers,
we attempt to paraphrase the Creole quotes in English
The gang violence that gripped the community yesterday with two murders in 6 hours - continued this morning when another man was killed.
31 year old Kadeem Orozco was targeted while walking home after dropping off his daughter at school, and while he's not known as a gang member, police are almost certain that his murder was gang related. Jomarie Lanza was one of the first on the scene and here's what she gathered.
There was bloodshed on Ebony Street this morning at 8:45, as the relatives of the deceased - who lay sprawled out bleeding in a drain - frantically made their way over to the yellow tape of the crime scene demanding answers from police.
The family consoled one another as they waited, and the only thing they could tell us was that there was nothing their loved one could have done to deserve such a fate.
Douglas Orosco, Father of Deceased "I am trying to comply with the police right I was trying to comply with the police but this is my right for me to see my son that's my son bredda."
Teresita Orosco, Aunt of Deceased "My nephew's blood is down there, right his blood is crying out in pain because of what's going on but God is hearing our voice you understand me, God hears our voice."
"He is not a guy who will fight, who will pick up a gun, he would take his own business, going and coming to his life, which is his daughter."
"He takes his daughter to school everyday she goes to St Martin de Porres school, he takes his daughter every morning to school and brings her back safely we do not, we do not pick up guns because we see what happens right, my sister was killed in 1993 Lavern Orozco by Adolf Harris."
It's the third murder in under 36 hours, one that claimed the life of this 31 year old father, Kadeem Orosco. His aunt says that they aren't the only one's grieving loved ones as a result of these acts of violence, and she is calling on the authorities to crack down, and enforce an SOE
Teresita Orozco, Aunt of Deceased "They were calling for a state of emergency and I think that state of emergency should amp up to a year in prison without parole, I know it won't slow down the crime rate but it will do something to the culprits them, If they lock up the famous gang figures them and the younger minions are out here they will still do the same this will not happen."
"This is too much, this is too much I see a lot of families crying out right now, their loved ones are in the morgue."
"My nephew is lying there in the drain for no apparent reason. What did he do to anybody? He doesn't do anything to nobody, we don't interfere with people."
And even before this morning murder, the police have been heavily mobilising, detaining a number of persons who may be connected to these string of murders:
ACP Hilberto Romero, OC Eastern Division "We have information that it is gang related."
"We have some information to suggest that it is and that is the reason why we have around 60 persons in custody at this time, we are conducting several operations within the Belize district and we continue to work on the grounds."
"We have certain information we have received so we saw it necessary so these persons can be interviewed in an effort to minimise retaliation as well as to try and solve these murders."
"They are from different gang areas in Belize City."
"We have deployed additional police officers in the city, additional police officers will be coming in sometime later and we also have other intelligence officers coming in to try an establish exactly what is happening so we can minimise the issues of retaliation."
And after the two murders yesterday, police presence was heavy in the turf of the rival gangs - which are concentrated in the Martin's area.
But, despite the heavy police presence and dozens of detention since yesterday, still, a gunman was able to take Orozco's life. The media asked the new ComPol, Dr Richard Rosado, if they faltered somewhere in their tactics. He said that the police have been on high alert since Saturday's shooting of Jimmy Rojas.
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "Since the shooting of Rojas, it has escalated to a critical level. We have increased police presence in all the areas that are affected. We have embedded our intelligence officers in all the affected area to gather the necessary intelligence."
"We have also assigned or increased the investigative team in order to identify, in order to disrupt this network and bring them to justice. We have intensified the targeted operations, looking for firearms and disrupting the gang activity."
"Criminals will take every opportunity they get to strike at their rivalry. And what happened this morning is just an opportunity that presented themselves and they decided to strike on that."
Reporter "And in terms of that network, are you able to say now if the rivalry has spilt over into other gangs, because I know on Saturday it was somewhat between the BLC and PIV, but is there any information if any other gangs are now involved?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "Presently from our assessment that we have made is only the PIV and the BLC and the affiliates that are presently going after one another. And it is such that it's a critical stage right now that drastic measure must be taken."
Reporter "Speaking of what happened this morning, I note that it took place right beneath or almost beneath a surveillance, a public surveillance camera. These men don't seem to be at all deterred at all by these cameras."
"How effective are these surveillance cameras? And in terms of the court aspect, do they come in to the prosecution? Do they really end up in conviction?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "A number of our cases that we have solved, a number of the cases that have been violent crimes, the security cameras have assisted us and they have served as important evidential material in the cases and in court."
Reporter "His family said he wasn't affiliated with any gangs. The police have a motive for his murder at this time?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "Presently, we are still exploring several theories to establish the motive. But we do know that his connection to a certain fraction, while he might not be an active member of a group, the area in which he lives is associated to one of the affiliates in the Martin's area."
Reporter "So was he kind of an innocent casualty?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "I wouldn't want to get into the merit or demerit of the case, but we do know that all the shootings, the recent shootings, they are closely connected to the rivalry in the Martin's between the two main fractions."
And following this latest murder, the main question is: will there be a state of emergency? We can confirm that there's none yet, but it's a high possibility in the immediate short term. Here's what Rosado told us.
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "I want to start off by saying that with the death of Brandon Baptist, the security threat was high. And with the shooting of Rojas, it has now escalated to a critical level. So presently we are discussing with the National Security Council to see if we will implement a state of emergency."
"But I do believe at the critical state that it is right now, there is a need for it."
Reporter "And I understand that you will be looking to have this state of emergency if implemented go longer than three months?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "I am labbing for, I believe that one month will not suffice, two months will not suffice and we must start off at six months at the very least. But at any case there must be some drastic measures to be taken."
"But before I continue with that, I want to assure the public that we are using all available resources. We are deploying all available resources to ensure that we restore peace, safety and normalcy to the street."
"Those recent incidents that recently happened, it's totally unacceptable and we are doing everything that is possible to bring those individuals to justice."
Reporter "Ahead of the state of emergency though, we have received reports that about 60 persons have been detained in those problematic areas?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "Well, you have to appreciate that with the different gangs, it's a network. And with a network, it requires an extensive investigation and it requires an extensive interview of all the players, hence the reason they were detained for the interview with the recent incidents that recently happened."
Reporter "How soon do you think it will take or how long will it take to implement the SOE? Because we've heard you say on Monday and then there have been at least two other murders or probably three."
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "Presently the National Security Council, they are meeting to discuss what measures will be taken. But we should have further decision by the end of the day."
Reporter "Is it worrying for you that you are, this is six days into May, we've already had these three murders and you're starting off your tenure as commissioner with the state of emergency potentially?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "I am not perturbed or I'm not disturbed, I'm not overwhelmed by what's happening. We will do what we need to do."
But what happens after the SOE? Will there be mediation like we saw last year? And will that be able to provide some peace in the medium term? Rosado said it's important to attack this problem with a holistic approach rather than an overly aggressive one.
Reporter "Like the last state of emergency, there was mediation happening and following that state of emergency, there was a level of peace that we experienced last year. Are you going down that same road with that same mediation strategy?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "I have maintained that trust is built on transparency, accountability and clear boundaries in our role. As police officers, we must not overstep our role. If we do, it errode trust. I have always subscribed that the police cannot be the mediators one minute and breaking down your door the next minute, it errodes trust."
"Instead, we must focus on being proactive, we must focus on being approachable, we must focus on being fair in our enforcement strategy and we must focus on promoting and encouraging those organizations and those other individuals who are assisting us."
"In doing so, we will show that we are committed to a holistic approach."
And while SOE's and mediation exist in the realm of the abstract, on the ground, motorcycles are the deliverers of death in many neighborhoods.
ACP Romero told us today why they are branching out their operations to screen men on motorcycles.
ACP Hilberto Romero, OC Eastern Division "We have seen an increase of the use of motorcycles to commit these murders, so we are targeting persons on motorcycles, but we know there are a number of motorcycles now in the city, so as soon as we identify suspicious persons, they're followed and searched."
"We know the key players, so once we see them on motorcycles, we need to target them."
Tracy Panton is the unquestioned leader of the opposition - but establishing herself as the unquestioned leader of the UDP has proved a little more difficult. That matter is still before the courts, and Panton is now taking a more cautious approach to cover all bases while trying to solidify her hold on leadership. And that means going the route of asking Acting Chairman Alberto August to call a meeting of the National Party Council.
A release today says that Vice Chairman Alberto August has refused to call a National Party Council meeting, and so Panton has put together a petition to do so.
Under the UDP's rules, a verified petition automatically triggers the meeting, which is now proposed for May 17 or May 24.
The goal is to elect an interim chairman and set a date for the next national convention. That would pave the way, presumably for Panton's Chairlady, Sheena Pitts to take up the post and allow Panton to be declared unquestioned leader under the party constitution. We'll see how it goes, but in the UDP of 2025, easy outcomes are rare to nonexistent.
A major twist has emerged in the high-profile redistricting case, as the claimant-Jeremy Enriquez-has filed a formal judicial bias application seeking the removal of Justice Tawanda Hondora from the matter.
The application, filed on Monday, cites serious allegations of judicial misconduct. According to Enriquez, during a private conversation inadvertently picked up in a Zoom teleconference session, Justice Hondora made remarks that demonstrated what he and his attorney say is clear bias.
Enriquez laments that despite a formal complaint filed with the Chief Justice and the Judicial and Legal Services Commission two weeks ago, Justice Hondora has refused to recuse himself.
If the court fails to act, Enriquez says he is prepared to take the matter to the Caribbean Court of Justice.
Today the nurses working at the KHMH got their flowers with the presentation of annual awards. These nurses work around the clock to ensure patients are comfortable and cared for. It's not an easy job and as the country observes Nurses Week, the hospital started off with an award ceremony. Courtney Menzies was there and has this story.
The nurses of the KHMH were honored today, ahead of Nurses Week. For the hospital administration, it's critical to acknowledge the hardworking nurses. The CEO - herself a nurse - described them as the backbone, not just of the KHMH, but of the national health system. She explained that there are certain criteria for the awards, and it helps to incentivize the nurses.
Chandra Cansino, CEO, KHMH "There are some qualifying criteria for the awards, for the recognition for nurse of the year and the different units. They include - I'm just reading it from the document here - that they have to be in the clinical setting for at least a year, that they have attendance to education meetings and department meetings, that they demonstrate professionalism, that they're licensed with the midwives and nursing council of Belize, that they have punctuality and things like that so once they meet the criteria, they qualify to receive their awards today."
Courtney Menzies: "How important is it for KHMH to cultivate a sort of engaging, encouraging, motivating atmosphere for nurses in the wake of a nurse shortage overall through the country?"
Chandra Cansino, CEO, KHMH "It's extremely important for us because it's not a competition among not only the world but within Belize itself. We have a lot of healthcare institutions opening that are now hiring nurses."
"So we want to ensure that we get the best of the best nurses that the institutions are producing now."
And with KHMH specifically, Cansino explained that they're slowly building up their team of nurses.
Chandra Cansino, CEO, KHMH "There's a global crisis, however, we now have programs within the country, nursing programs that are really helping to build back up our staff. The Ministry of Health and Wellness offers scholarships and so that offers a lot of opportunities for nurses to study and so I think slowly but surely we're creeping back up to where we want to be, not there yet but getting there."
Courtney Menzies: "Do you find that when they come here they're inclined to stay?"
Chandra Cansino, CEO, KHMH "For the most part, yes. Karl Heusner is the place to come for experience. Here, you will get a little of everything and then you have nurses that will further specialize or retire, etc, but the best experience you can get as a nurse is to come to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital."
And for one nurse, he says the job can be challenging and that's why it's beneficial for them to receive this type of acknowledgement.
Uriel Cowo, Registered Nurse, KHMH "I think the awards are important because it gives you a sense of recognition that out there they're seeing us, that our administration appreciates us and just a little appreciation goes a long way because we come here to do a job that I believe is very difficult. Not everyone can do the type of work we do. It seems simple on the outside but when you actually are on the ward, the emergency, the ICU, wherever you're place, you find yourself not having to just give 100% but going beyond that because this work calls for more than just the bare minimum and if you're not doing the extra mile I don't think that you're performing to the way that we need to be. And so giving just a little recognition maybe an award is great and it helps our morale to help us to come tomorrow and every other day to put our best foot forward."
The KHMH is observing nurses week from May 6th to May 12th.....
Today the National Aids Commission, along with the Ministry of Health and Wellness launched the findings of their Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Study. This study is to help combat the prevalence of HIV and to update data that was recorded over a decade ago. This particular survey focused on men who have sex with men in Belize. The executive director of the NAC told us more.
Enrique Romero, Executive Director, National Aids Commission "This is just one of the tools that as a country, we need to use in order for us to collect data and strategically plan our interventions to combat HIV in Belize. The last study that was done was in 2010/2012 so basically the data that we have been using is pretty outdated and we had to get new data. The good thing about the IBBS study is that it looks at two components, the biological part which is testing that is done and then we look at the behavioral component which is looking at the risky behaviors in individuals. And the IBBS focuses particularly on men who have sex with men in Belize. Previous studies have been telling us that the HIV epidemic is generalized in Belize however it's concentrated among a small group of persons and those key populations are referred to as men who have sex with men."
Dr Marvin Manzanero, Director, International Cooperation In Health "HIV programs, as many other programs, need to be driven by data so when we review the data we traditionally get from the health sector, we realized that we have lower prevalence rates in the pregnant women population. So one of the ideas of having this study is to find out what is driving the epidemic in Belize. We had done a similar attempt at a study 12, 13 years ago so we launched another behavioral biological survey in men having sex with other men and we're trying to capture a transgender population but we weren't successful with that population so what we're looking for is doing a prevalence rate for HIV, syphilis and Hepatitis B in men having sex with other men and in transgender populations."
"One of the inclusion criteria because we are not classifying anybody based on their sexual preference, we were classifying and admitting people into the study based on risk which is if you've had sex with a man in the previous 12 months you would be eligible to be included in the study, regardless of what you consider yourself, regardless of if you classify yourself as a heterosexual or bisexual whatever, that's not what we're looking for. So that was an inclusion criteria. We found on average a prevalence rate of 11% of HIV in the men having sex with other men population. The Hepatitis B rate is not significant and we found in Orange Walk for example twice prevelance rate of syphilis than we did for Belize City, about 14% which is also a risk factor because it's also another sexually transmitted infection because it seems that we alot concentrate often times as a community on HIV, but you have many other sexually transmitted infections."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade held its first CARICOM Expo today in Belize City to celebrate when Belize first joined CARICOM, half a century ago. They had 15 booths on display at the SJC gym and here's what they had to showcase at the expo.
Janina Choj, Foreign Trade Economist, Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade "So Today Belize is proudly celebrating it's 51 years of journey through CARICOM which stands for the Caribbean community, Belize joined CARICOM on May 1st 1974 and today its' not just a celebration that happens yearly but what we are doing is we are putting light to the work that takes place everyday. Presently we have the ministry's as well as the regional institutions present showcasing the work that takes place everyday, how they align with member states in the Caribbean community to ensure regional unity, cooperation and progress."
"So this morning we have 15 booths present and the whole gist of it's is for them to be able to share with students, we have invited, high school, primary as well and tertiary institutions students and to share with them the work that is being done and the regional initiatives carried on a daily basis, for example we have immigration department, they take care of the CARICOM skills certificates the application process, what is needed and we have the ministry of foreign affairs and foreign trade which deals with diplomatic issues as well as the goods that move around the region, we have sustainable development, we have the regional institutions like CARDI, the 5C's showing their work and their presence in Belize."
Yorshabell Cattouse, Manager Membership Department, Belize Chamber Of Commerce "So the Belize Chamber Of Commerce an industry is an association body an association body of businesses, business owners, employers and so what we have at our booth today is information as to how business owners can become members so we are hoping to have visitors that own businesses and maybe they havent joined the chamber yet, what we do is we offer support to businesses, in terms of capacitating them and connecting them to business opportunities, this is a CARICOM expo so we do that kind of connection, we are members of Caribbean chamber that is an association of other chambers in the Caribbean so they also have members and so our members can connect with them for business."
Earlier in the news, you heard from the new ComPol about the increase in gang violence at the very start of his tenure. But will he be making some changes to the command structure to better suit him - as his predecessors have done? We asked him about some of the reports of a big shakeup in the postings of senior officers which we've been hearing about but he simply said that with any new commissioner, there are movements.
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police "With change in any command vacancy will be created and with vacancies we must put people that are best fit and qualify in those posts and it is true that we have a number of - when one vacancy open it creates a number of other vacancies so there will be a number of shuffling that will be happening."
Regular folks from the south went out in a virtual flotilla of boats on Saturday to Silk Caye near Placencia in celebration of a 3 year anniversary rescuing the island from being lost to the tides. The measures they took to save the caye from terminal erosion are why it's still standing today, and the man who led that initiative, Eworth Garbutt had a few things he needed to say as he reflected on how far they have come.
It started out in mid 2022 when a group of locals set out to save Silk Caye from slipping into the sea, and three years later, on Saturday, 300 Belizeans came out to celebrate the success of that initiative - and underscore the importance. of taking the intuitive:
Eworth Garbutt "I cannot call out any NGO if I haven't backed my weight so I believe that step up being a part of your community and I'm talking at the lowest level, why it's low? because they say below I am with thee."
"Charity starts at home and we can't continue to only call out politicians without looking in the mirror."
And on Saturday, the turquoise seas mirrored the community's best hopes, freely socializing at the only Caye in the area where Belizeans can visit without seeing a private property sign. Saving Silk Caye is about more than sand and seawater.
Eworth Garbutt "Belize, the heritage, the environment and mother nature is our best kept opportunity not just secret because they say it's a secret this is no secret this is something that keeps us alive, food security, tourism and just come out here social and have it. Well today this island is closed off for Belizeans to come and enjoy that's what this is about."
And in more news about the community getting back to nature - this weekend, hope took flight for a group of youths from Belize City's most vulnerable neighborhoods. Thanks to a collaboration between the Jah Love Foundation, the Belize Audubon Society, and the Belize Tourism Board, these youths were given a rare opportunity to connect with nature at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary-one of Belize's two internationally recognized Ramsar sites. Freelancer Jose Sanchez has the story:
Every year Belize attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world who want to experience our slice of paradise. But it's easy to forget just how lucky we are to live in a place that people travel thousands of miles to experience. And with May marking the start of the tourism slow season, many hotels and resorts are rolling out the welcome mat for Belizeans to experience the beauty of their own country. Tonight, 7News takes you to one such resort, where Belize's natural beauty meets luxury, sustainability, and a deep respect for nature. Lance Howard visited:
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The gang violence that gripped the community yesterday with two murders in 6 hours - continued this morning when another man was killed.
"I am trying to comply with the police right I was trying to comply with the police but this is my right for me to see my son that's my son bredda."
"They were calling for a state of emergency and I think that state of emergency should amp up to a year in prison without parole, I know it won't slow down the crime rate but it will do something to the culprits them, If they lock up the famous gang figures them and the younger minions are out here they will still do the same this will not happen."
"We have some information to suggest that it is and that is the reason why we have around 60 persons in custody at this time, we are conducting several operations within the Belize district and we continue to work on the grounds."
"Since the shooting of Rojas, it has escalated to a critical level. We have increased police presence in all the areas that are affected. We have embedded our intelligence officers in all the affected area to gather the necessary intelligence."
Tracy Panton is the unquestioned leader of the opposition - but establishing herself as the unquestioned leader of the UDP has proved a little more difficult. That matter is still before the courts, and Panton is now taking a more cautious approach to cover all bases while trying to solidify her hold on leadership. And that means going the route of asking Acting Chairman Alberto August to call a meeting of the National Party Council.
A major twist has emerged in the high-profile redistricting case, as the claimant-Jeremy Enriquez-has filed a formal judicial bias application seeking the removal of Justice Tawanda Hondora from the matter.
Today the nurses working at the KHMH got their flowers with the presentation of annual awards. These nurses work around the clock to ensure patients are comfortable and cared for. It's not an easy job and as the country observes Nurses Week, the hospital started off with an award ceremony. Courtney Menzies was there and has this story.
"There are some qualifying criteria for the awards, for the recognition for nurse of the year and the different units. They include - I'm just reading it from the document here - that they have to be in the clinical setting for at least a year, that they have attendance to education meetings and department meetings, that they demonstrate professionalism, that they're licensed with the midwives and nursing council of Belize, that they have punctuality and things like that so once they meet the criteria, they qualify to receive their awards today."
Uriel Cowo, Registered Nurse, KHMH 
Today the National Aids Commission, along with the Ministry of Health and Wellness launched the findings of their Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Study. This study is to help combat the prevalence of HIV and to update data that was recorded over a decade ago. This particular survey focused on men who have sex with men in Belize. The executive director of the NAC told us more.
"This is just one of the tools that as a country, we need to use in order for us to collect data and strategically plan our interventions to combat HIV in Belize. The last study that was done was in 2010/2012 so basically the data that we have been using is pretty outdated and we had to get new data. The good thing about the IBBS study is that it looks at two components, the biological part which is testing that is done and then we look at the behavioral component which is looking at the risky behaviors in individuals. And the IBBS focuses particularly on men who have sex with men in Belize. Previous studies have been telling us that the HIV epidemic is generalized in Belize however it's concentrated among a small group of persons and those key populations are referred to as men who have sex with men."
"One of the inclusion criteria because we are not classifying anybody based on their sexual preference, we were classifying and admitting people into the study based on risk which is if you've had sex with a man in the previous 12 months you would be eligible to be included in the study, regardless of what you consider yourself, regardless of if you classify yourself as a heterosexual or bisexual whatever, that's not what we're looking for. So that was an inclusion criteria. We found on average a prevalence rate of 11% of HIV in the men having sex with other men population. The Hepatitis B rate is not significant and we found in Orange Walk for example twice prevelance rate of syphilis than we did for Belize City, about 14% which is also a risk factor because it's also another sexually transmitted infection because it seems that we alot concentrate often times as a community on HIV, but you have many other sexually transmitted infections."
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade held its first CARICOM Expo today in Belize City to celebrate when Belize first joined CARICOM, half a century ago. They had 15 booths on display at the SJC gym and here's what they had to showcase at the expo.
"So Today Belize is proudly celebrating it's 51 years of journey through CARICOM which stands for the Caribbean community, Belize joined CARICOM on May 1st 1974 and today its' not just a celebration that happens yearly but what we are doing is we are putting light to the work that takes place everyday. Presently we have the ministry's as well as the regional institutions present showcasing the work that takes place everyday, how they align with member states in the Caribbean community to ensure regional unity, cooperation and progress."
Yorshabell Cattouse, Manager Membership Department, Belize Chamber Of Commerce 
Regular folks from the south went out in a virtual flotilla of boats on Saturday to Silk Caye near Placencia in celebration of a 3 year anniversary rescuing the island from being lost to the tides. The measures they took to save the caye from terminal erosion are why it's still standing today, and the man who led that initiative, Eworth Garbutt had a few things he needed to say as he reflected on how far they have come.
"I cannot call out any NGO if I haven't backed my weight so I believe that step up being a part of your community and I'm talking at the lowest level, why it's low? because they say below I am with thee."