On the Phone: Ilsida Navas

On the Phone: Ilsida Navas, Domestic Abuse Survivor

“I tell he I want to go to the bathroom and he told me know I won’t go to the bathroom. He told me no, if you want to piss please do it here in the room. And I told him are you ok, why are you acting so. In normal words, not angry, just like how I am talking now. And then he said, no here is this, you can drink this. He gave me a bottle of faboloso, disincline, we use to mop. I told him no, that is not water. I told him please put the machete down and stop acting like that. I mih get sleepy and I went down to sleep and like three in the morning he attacked me with the machete. Because when he was trying to push the machete inside my heart, first he did it at my left. He mih push the machete the point. That one I didn’t feel it because I was in trauma. The right one I feel it because he was pushing down to tear my bone I think. Sometimes I am feeling sad because I have my four kids. The father of my four kids went to states like six years ago and he is not responsible for my kids.”

Navas says she’s now living in constant fear, after learning that the man who brutally attacked her has been released from the Belize Central Prison and is back on the streets.

The post After Losing Arm in Attack, Navas Fights to Rebuild first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

                      Julius Espat

Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development

“No, I just liked the shirt I had on and it fit really well.”

Reporter

“So it was not an act of rebellion?”

Julius Espat

“No rebellion. I am just comfortable in who I am and I was comfortable in what I wore and I applaud the others for wearing a deeper orange than I did. But no problem.”

Paul Lopez

“Was no shirt customized for you?”

Julius Espat

“I don’t know, because I did not have one.”

Paul Lopez

“What do you make of the criticism, because while it was for a good purpose, there was a bit of criticism?”

Julius Espat

“I will be honest with you, we learn from our mistakes. I personally believe that if we would have worn a white guayabera with an orange ribbon it would have been professional and send the signal. But a decision was made and the outcry of the public was not positive. We need to learn. We are human beings and we make mistakes. I think the initiative was a good one. The people saw it maybe in a different light, but it was for a good cause. And hopefully we learn and go to ribbons instead of shirts.”

The post Why Julius Espat Skipped the Orange Look first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

            Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I am sure you are wondering why all of us are in orange. Well we will have our honorable Minister of Human Development that will make a statement. But I want to make a big difference between the opposition and our side. The opposition come with t-shirts defending a criminal, defending a child predator, wanted by Interpol. I will not give a point of order.”

                     Tracy Panton

Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“The point of order is that he is attributing some kind of clandestine motive of the opposition when he well and knows that is not the intention. The intention of the opposition is to ensure that all Belizeans.”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I am not insinuating anything. It is just a fact. Here we come standing up for gender based violence for the sixteen days of activism and you could see a big difference. I am not making any insinuation. So, with that I think I have made a point. What is the section.”

Tracy Panton

“Would you allow me? Are you the speaker of the house? When did you become judge, jury and executioner? Again the prime minister insist that on suggesting that we were here in whatever we just to wear as a matter of improper motive and that is not acceptable Madam Speaker.”

The post Orange Guayaberas Set Off Tense Parliamentary Exchange first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

Shane Williams, Reporting

This year’s global theme for Sixteen Days of Activism is ‘UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls’. It is more than a slogan. It’s a wake-up call to tackle one of the fastest-growing threats: technology-fueled abuse that follows women from their screens and into their lives. Digital violence is real and rising. From cyberbullying to AI-generated deepfakes and online stalking, women and girls are increasingly targeted in virtual spaces. These attacks don’t stay online. They spill into real life, leading to physical harm and even death. Fewer than forty percent of countries have laws against cyber harassment or stalking, leaving 1.8 billion women and girls without legal protection. While Belize has cyberbullying laws, Minister of Human Development Thea Garcia-Ramirez says the legislator must continue to strengthen laws to protect our women.

             Thea Garcia-Ramirez

Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Minister of Human Development

“I think I have a duty to ensure, uh, that I do everything within my possibility to help prevent this. Whether it’s by stricter, um, uh, laws that close like loopholes, ensuring that we are able to protect more, that we’re able to advocate for stricter penalties against gender-based violence.”

Shared responsibility, that’s the message from local advocates this year. Belize’s theme for Sixteen Days of Activism is ‘Prevent to Protect: Ending Gender-Based Violence Begins with Us.’ The annual parade to launch the campaign faced wet and windy weather, maybe a fitting metaphor for an activism movement overshadowed by alarming levels of violence against women. The numbers are staggering, in just the first eight months of this year, there were one thousand, four hundred and fifty-four reported cases of gender-based violence. Over a thousand of those were committed by an intimate partner, and ninety percent of the victims were women. Minister Thea Garcia-Ramirez says these statistics are sobering, but ignoring them won’t bring change. Her call to action? We all have a role to play in preventing and ending gender-based violence.

Thea Garcia-Ramirez

“We need to keep it in the, on the front burner, so to speak. And then we are. Asking that as well as showing the cases, because there are many, and they are horrific that we also try to educate the public where they can get services, where they can call, who they can reach out to. And most importantly that we report, we must report to the relevant authorities. Okay, leaving a comment on Facebook is not reporting. So you need to reach out to the police. You need to reach out to the National Women’s Commission and especially reach out to the ministry to make reports wherever abuse, wherever There is violence report.”

Young girls remain the most frequent targets of gender-based violence. According to the Belize Crime Observatory, females under the age of twenty account for the largest percentage of victims. They live in constant fear of being attacked and face uninvited and unwelcomed sexual advances on an almost daily basis. It takes a psychological and emotional toll and young participants in today’s march say they need more protection.

                      Keara Perrera

Keara Perrera, Student, Edward P. Yorke

“I would say blunt, we have pedophiles and different things, but the shit like a while ago, which is crazy, it is. Somebody ask me, oh, you have a boyfriend? You know? And yes, it is scary. But as a young individual, I am not scared of things like that. I will stand my ground.”

                     Jasmin Navarro

Jasmin Navarro, Student, Sadie Vernon

“I am a bit scared most of the times ’cause I travel like directly I’m in the bus and then someone comes and you know, but we need more protection, we need more people that can, well see what. Going on and help others.”

While the theme focuses on how technology has added to the gender-based violence pandemic, high school student Keara Perrera believes the disease itself could hold the key to treatment.

Keara Perrera

“So to prevent something like this, you know, social media is very active and stuff. We can post things and flyers that basically list things that we should follow and things that we should look out for. Even if our peers are there and they seem fine, things can always be happening and we never know. So it’s okay to, um, to ask them, or you pay attention to the little signs”

Today’s march was just the beginning of activities. From now until December tenth, Belize joins the world in saying #NoExcuse for violence, online or offline. Ending gender-based violence begins with all of us. Shane Williams for News Five.

The post Dark Clouds Loom Over Sixteens Days of Activism! first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

                     Thea Garcia-Ramirez

Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Minister of Human Development

“Across our communities, we continue to see situations where victims urgently need protective orders but are unable to access a magistrate and this especially through during nights, weekends, holidays, emergencies or when courts are closed or very distant. Madam Speaker, these are the moments when lives are most at risk. The bill before this honourable House responds directly to these gaps. Furthermore Madam Speaker, the proposed amendments reflect ongoing collaboration among the Ministry of Human Development, Family Support and Gender Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Attorney General’s Ministry, the Family Court and the Justices of the Peace Association. It is through these multisectoral efforts that these two bills are presented today. The Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill 2025 amends the Justices of the Peace Act, Chapter one nineteen-zero one to empower designated select senior justices of the peace to issue ex-parte interim protection orders under the Domestic Violence Act in urgent and exceptional circumstances. The Domestic Violence Amendment Bill allows for above stated interim protection orders to be issued by justices of the peace. These orders will be valid for no more than seventy-two hours, just long enough to protect a victim until a magistrate can hear the matter. This is not a replacement for the court. It is a lifesaving bridge when the judicial system is temporarily inaccessible.”

The post Belize Moves to Strengthen Domestic Violence Protections first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

Two key pieces of legislation, the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Justices of the Peace (Amendment) Bill, 2025, were tabled in the House of Representatives on Thursday by Minister of Human Development, Family Support and Gender Affairs, Thea Garcia-Ramirez. Together, the bills form part of the Government’s commitments under the National Gender-Based Violence Action Plan (2024–2030) and are designed to close longstanding gaps in access to emergency protective orders.

Select Senior JPs to Issue Emergency Protection Orders

A central feature of both amendments is the introduction of new powers for Select Senior Justices of the Peace, who will be authorised to issue ex parte interim protection orders in exceptional and urgent circumstances, particularly when magistrates are unavailable.

Under the Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill, a new Section 11A grants these designated Senior JPs authority similar to that of magistrates, allowing them to issue temporary orders based on evidence that domestic violence has occurred or is likely to occur and that an order is essential to protect a victim or child. These interim orders will be valid for up to 72 hours, after which they must be reviewed by a magistrate.

Accompanying procedural changes include the introduction of Form 3B in Schedule II, outlining the structure and conditions of these temporary protections. Violating an interim order could lead to fines or imprisonment under Section 23 of the Domestic Violence Act.

“This reform is not a replacement for the court, but a life-saving bridge that can mean the difference between danger and safety,” Minister Garcia-Ramirez said.

Strict Oversight and Vetting of Senior Justices of the Peace

The Justices of the Peace (Amendment) Bill further details the vetting, training, and designation process for these Select Senior JPs. To qualify, candidates must have at least five years of service, a clean disciplinary record, and no involvement in domestic violence-related proceedings. They will undergo specialised training and must be sworn in before exercising any new powers.

The designation process will be overseen by the Attorney General’s Ministry, in consultation with the Family Court, ensuring accountability and judicial oversight.

Improving Access to Safe Reporting Spaces

The legislation also mandates police stations nationwide to establish private, confidential spaces where victims can file applications for protection orders. These locations will be formally listed in a new Schedule IX, allowing survivors to seek help discreetly and safely, regardless of district.

Government officials say this measure, alongside the new emergency-order authority, is critical for rural and remote communities where access to magistrates can be limited.

Part of a Broader National Effort

The new bills complement several ongoing initiatives by the Ministry of Human Development, including the rollout of coordinated national GBV response protocols, the establishment of a one-stop support centre for survivors in Belize City, expanded frontline training for police and service providers, strengthened public awareness campaigns, and the activation of the national domestic violence hotline.

The post Major Legislative Reforms to Strengthen Domestic Violence Protections first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

                           Stacy Smith

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“ On Wednesday twelfth November, 2025, an investigator attached to the gender-based violence response and investigation unit of the Belize Police Department, formerly arrested and charged Frederick Wagner, a thirty-five-year-old Belizean of Lakeview Street Belize City for the crimes of attempted murder and use of deadly means of harm. These arrests follow an investigation which commence on tenth November, sometime after eight p.m., when officers who were patrolling on Lakeview Street observe a female who was later identified to be sixty-one-year-old Dawn Bernard, the common law wife of Wagner exiting a property on Lakeview Street with significant burns to her body. Bernard was ferried to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for treatment, and Wagner was detained and subsequently charged in light of utterance made by Ms. Bernard.”

             Voice of: Suzette Marsden

Voice of: Suzette Marsden, Cousin of Deceased

“ I live next door so I gone tell my family da front. Well my neighbor halla fi me, but my cousin, she da mi wa nice person. You know when you go out with she, you wa have fun. That da one thing with she. When time you go out with she and wa man want dance with she, she mek you know you have to spend pan everybody. She da mi wa nice person. But when it come to respect, you have to got real manners when you come round she. She really touching, she easy fi get upset, but she da mi wa nice person. I used to always tell my cousin, just leff the bwai lone. Move with your life. Life goes on.”

                           Frederick Wagner

Britney Gordon

“How do you think that the wider community remembers her?”

Voice of: Suzette Marsden

“As always big mouth Dawn, da how everybody knows she as. Becauseh she like mek noise. But from since that happened, like the neighbor just who just quiet because you could always know when she di come because she mek lotta noise.”

The post Family Mourns Death of Burn Victim Dawn Bernard first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Minister of Human Development

“We are starting the sixteen days  of activism against gender based violence on November twmety-fifth. And as usual, I look to the media houses to partner with us to engage, to ensure that the message is heard loud and clear in every Ian family across this country. So that we understand the problem, we can find ways to address it collectively and individually as CSOs, civil service organizations. Certainly government ministries and even in the private sector, there are many ways each and every one of us in our families, in our communities can address it, learn about it, learn the red flags, learn what it is there. Physical violence and sexual violence are only a couple of the manifestations, but you have financial abuse, you have emotional abuse, you have verbal abuse. And all of these things are violence against women, violence against children primarily. The act  against gender-based violence is undergoing a revision. There is currently an act and we will be having consultations and socialization of the proposed draft. Of course we expect that everyone will come on board, especially civil society organizations and all our partners and stakeholders. We’re inviting them to come forward. Review the bill. You can certainly reach out through all of our social media handles, and we’ll make it available and. Right after the sixteen days, we’ll make that widely available for consultation.”

The post Belize Gears Up for Sixteen Days of Activism first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer

“On the twenty-eight of October  2025, police formerly arrested and charge Jesse Garbutt, a nineteen-year-old Belizean of Orange Walk, for the crime of rape being three counts. and the crime of kidnapping. The arrest of Mr. Garbutt follows a report made by a female who stated that she would have visited Mr. Garbutt’s residence and upon seeking to leave, certain demands were made of her.”

Reporter

“How did police know because, she tried to call for help, but he’s prevented her. How did police end up finding out that she was being held there?”

ASP Stacy Smith

“What preceded police’s arrival at that location was a report of a missing person being made by the common law husband of the particular female, and upon checking possible locations, miss the victim in this instance was located and she would have indicated certain thing to the police at that time, and having recorded a statement from her and provided it to the office of the DPP for directive. The officers were directed to live the charges that were levied.”

Reporter

“What is her condition like?”

ASP Stacy Smith

“Relatively well, physical condition, at least superficially.”

The post 19-Year-old Rapes and Holds Ex-Girlfriend Captive for Days first appeared on Greater Belize Media.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“On a serious note. I think you know Rosanna a little bit, some of you. She’s a very independent-minded person, and she’s very passionate about the work that she does. And she always reminds me you don’t pay me so you can’t fire me, so if I see something wrong, I’m going to call it out. And, her concern has always been that in many instances, the police do not respond the way they should, they turn back these, especially these women, and there’s enough blame to go around for everyone,  and she was not blaming only the police and she even said without calling out Minister Garcia, which I don’t think would be fair to call her out, because she just took over the helm of that ministry. But saying that the ministry also of human development, also have a lot more to do. For instance, we have to ensure, and she has said she has provided a lot of training to police officers to sensitize them about the challenges that these women face during these times. And so, you know, when she said that’s what she’s going to do, I mean, maybe I shoulda mi call ah, mek you tell ah noh fi do it. But at the same time, I think it’s important also for us to be able to,  for the public to understand that we can accept blame and that we have said that we have to find ways how we can do more to, to, to protect these women, especially during these times when, they’re being, abused, by their by their partners.”

The post Belize Signs Regional Pact to Tackle Domestic Violence first appeared on Greater Belize Media.