#MistakenCremation

[newsbites]

News from Belize, 13 July

Two parents in Belize City are devastated after their deceased infant was mistakenly cremated at the hospital.

The baby boy died under questionable circumstances at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital on Saturday, and today his body was accidentally cremated. The parents are still unsure how this tragedy occurred.

2. Tate and Lyle Sugars have accused the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) of spreading misinformation and misleading statements.

In a letter, Tate and Lyle instructed the BSCFA to stop making false claims about owed Fairtrade premiums. They argue that the BSCFA does not qualify for the premiums and is owed nothing. The BSCFA had also claimed discrimination and unfair treatment.

Additionally, Tate and Lyle highlighted other instances of misinformation in the BSCFA's documents. The government gave the BSCFA one million dollars to compensate for the unpaid Fairtrade premiums, and there is also a dispute over legislation guaranteeing the premiums.

BSI/ASR has filed an injunction against the government's amended sugar regulations.

3. BNP Paribas bank sent a letter to former Prime Minister Dean Barrow, former Ministers Tracy Panton and Erwin Contreras, dated 1 September 2020, expressing their interest in investing in a project being developed by Portico Enterprises Limited and Boskalis Westminster Contracting Limited.

The letter confirmed the bank's commitment to provide sufficient equity for the project's success. Another letter verified the financial standing of Boskalis Westminister Dredging Company, stating their credit facilities. Two months later, Contreras signed the Definitive Agreement.

The leaked letters and documents may help the Senate Inquiry determine the truth about the Definitive Agreement and the timeline regarding the Portico saga.

4. The Leader of the Opposition's request for an investigation into the government's attempt to approve the Definitive Agreement has been rejected by the Ombudsman due to a lack of evidence of corruption or wrongdoing.

5. Former area representative Anthony 'Boots' Martinez is leading a petition to recall current representative Gilroy Usher Sr. in Port Loyola due to a perceived failure to deliver basic goods and services to the community.

6. A Belize City man was shot during a police chase after allegedly attempting to pull an object from his waist.

The police claim that the man and his passenger were involved in suspicious activity, leading to the pursuit.

The family of the injured man doubts the honesty of the police's version of events.

7. Parents are advocating for the reopening of the Mountain Pine Ridge Youth Challenge Facility due to the positive impact it had on at-risk youth.

The facility's closure was reportedly due to conditions at the camp, but parents believe the benefits outweighed any issues.

The parents have launched a petition and are scheduled to meet with representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports to discuss reopening the facility.

In other news, a coalition of NGOs has requested a report and disclosure in the Portico Development Project. They are seeking information from the designated Cabinet sub-Committee regarding the cruise sector. Several individuals have also been charged with various crimes, including possession of a stolen gun and murder. Additionally, four Honduran women have been remanded for an immigration offense, and a Belize City man has been fined for drug trafficking.