Two shooting incidents yesterday in Belize City have claimed the lives of two men.   These two latest incidents mark the third and fourth murders of the year.   Around three forty five yesterday afternoon, Police received a call of a shooting incident on Malcolm Street.   When police got to the scene of the shooting they saw twenty one year old Alfred Tillett suffering from gun shot wounds to his chest and legs.   He also had a cut wound on his left hand.   Officer in charge of C-I-B, Superintendent Aaron Guzman said they are waiting for the results of the post mortem.  

Superintendent Aaron Guzman,Officer in charge of C-I-B:

“No we cannot say that he was attacked. As far as we know, that is what we saw and we speak of what we see on the corpse, when the doctor is through with the post mortem or if we get any witness statement to say that he probably was attacked with a blade or a machete and then we go but we just opened what we saw on him.”

Tillett was transported to the K-H-M-H but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.   Police say they do not have a motive for this shooting. The second fatal shooting occurred 10-45 last night, this time in the North Creek area near Central American Boulevard.   The victim was twenty four year old Jermaine Gibson.  

Superintendent Aaron Guzman,Officer in charge of C-I-B:

“This one is quite strange to us because initially we have been told that no one heard any shots in the area. We did not recover any expenditure but we hope to follow through and get corporation again from the public but it could be from a variety of reasons why the neighborhood people did not hear a loud gunshot. It could be that the person may be shot him up close and it was muffled or the culprits probably used some sort of mechanism. It could be a silencer or it could be a homemade silencer.”

Superintendent Guzman said the Police is investigating the incident and have not ruled out the possibility that the murder was as a result of revenge as Gibson had just gotten off a murder case last month.   Police however do not believe the two murders are linked.

Superintendent Aaron Guzman,Officer in charge of C-I-B:

“Both murders yesterday, a mass killing that the public can come forward and assist us because that is 90% of what we rely on from the police department, from the citizens to come in and assist by saying what they saw. You might not have seen everything, but what you might have been might be the piece that I need to assist in solving this care for any of these two cases.”

To add to the crime control in the streets of Belize City, police today told the media about cameras that are being installed in several parts of the city.   According to Superintendent Guzman, these cameras will further assist the Police in solving criminal activities.

Superintendent Aaron Guzman,Officer in charge of C-I-B:

“Well this one of the reasons why we are pressing towards these cameras that should help us because there have been directed to our control room. So without police officers and patrol being physically out there, we can monitor certain areas where the cameras will be posted or placed.”

The police continue investigating both murders and is asking anyone who knows anything about the two shootings to call crime stoppers hotline.  

A teenager is being commended for possibly saving the lives of his younger siblings during a fire yesterday. Around eight thirty yesterday morning, police and fire personal responded to a fire on Hibiscus Lane in Belize City.   Upon arrival they saw a house completely engulfed by fire.   Dawn Marie Billary is the owner of the house.

Dawn Marie Billary,house owner:

“I was in the kitchen and I asked my son where the match was and he said he didn’t know where it was and I thought his uncle had the match. So I sent him to go and buy a match for me and went he got up to go in the room he said the house was on fire and I rushed in a saw the fire and started to throw water and the fire blazed and I didn’t know what to do. I came outside and a young man said I can’t go back inside because I will get burn and someone brought me out on the street and then he brought out the three little boys.”

It was her sixteen year old son, Ernest Billary who after seeing the house engulfed in flames, decided to rescue his younger brothers who were still in side the house.

Arturo Cantun,Love FM:

“Which f the children were in the house?

Dawn Marie Billary,house owner:

“Three little boys, my four month old baby, a four year old and a seven year old where in the hall and like I said, people told me that he brought them out because I didn’t see anything but that’s what everybody is saying. All my clothes are ruined; I have no money and no food. I’m staying at my neighbor and I’ll see what the minister can help me the best way he could.”

Arturo Cantun,Love FM:

“How do you feel about your eldest song going into the house?”

Dawn Marie Billary,house owner:

“I know he did a great job because thanks to him the kids would have got burnt. He got burnt a little while rescuing them and they gave him medication yesterday.”

Ernest Billary was treated at the K-H-M-H and later released.   He received some minor burns to his forehead.   Today he is back at work. Dawn Billary said the fire truck respond in time, but if it wasn’t for some concerned neighbors, the fire would have extended to nearby houses.

Dawn Marie Billary,house owner:

“My neighbor said that he jumped from the back and opened up the window and tried to throw water into my room. Everybody tried their very best to help me with my home. They took six chains from out of my purse and the fire fighters don’t want anyone to go inside the house so I don’t know who took the money or the gold chains and so everything else was gone.”

The police continue investigating the matter and may be looking at the fire as a case of arson.   Dawn said she had just told her brother he cannot continue staying at her house. She believes this might have made him angry, resulting in him setting the house on fire.

Dawn Marie Billary,house owner:

“He has a mental problem. One boy said he saw him jump the fence and throw something through the window. He always used to say he would always burn my house down but I don’t know why. He has a mental problem and I don’t know why he did it but it was something intentionally done. He always said he would do it but I never thought he would actually do something like that.”

Arturo Cantun,Love FM:

“Was there anything that happened previous to this incident with you and your brother?”

Dawn Marie Billary,house owner:

“Well I explained to him that he can’t stay at my house because I don’t have any space for him to stay. He said that we was going back to the cayes and they went through the streets and shortly after that when I asked my son about the matches he said that the house was on fire.”

Superintendent of police Aaron Guzman told us the police continue investigating the matter.

Aaron Guzman,Superintendent of police:

“It was our understanding that the person we have in custody may be mentally challenged and if it is so then we have to look firstly into his welfare and see where we go from there. I will take what we have and advisement from the DPP and if it is established that this person is mentally challenged, then we will take what we have and ask for the DPP’s advice if it is that we make charges against the person that we have in custody.”

Dawn Billary says she was visited by the area representative but is asking anyone who wants to assists her to call at 6-0-2-3-1-8-7.  

The Methodist Church in the Belize Honduras District concluded its 147th annual District conference yesterday. Love News spoke with District President Reverend C. David Goff who told us of the challenges faced during the past year.

Reverend C. David Goff,District President:

“We have had quite a bit of challenge in terms of the management and use of our resources. We are not a wealthy church like many people may know, but we use the resources we have to the best of our abilities. I think basically we’ve had a good year nonetheless. One of our challenges we’ve faced this year is human resources in terms of clergy and as a church, I don’t believe that there is any denomination in Belize that is not faced with that challenge, but we were happy that last year when we met in Punta Gorda, we had one person going forward to be sent to Jamaica to train for the ministry. This year we have processed another person Brother Randy registered from Honduras and he will receive a sort of in service type of training in Honduras and do summer programs in Jamaica to supplement it.”

Reverend Goff told us what lies ahead for the Methodist Church in Belize.

Reverend C. David Goff,District President:

“One of the things we’re looking forward to is the advent of our new hymnal which is not for the Belize district only but for the entire Methodist church in the Caribbean and the Americas. It will not necessarily come in the year ahead. But we hope by next year that that new hymn book will be coming off the press and it will be a hymnbook that reflects the languages of the region and reflects a rich variety different to the 1933 hymnal that they are using to this day. Along with that we’re bringing on a new church school curriculum for our Sunday schools and that is hoe we will make a difference in our church as well, and along with that things have been going on in our schools trying to enhance the level of education, new buildings are going up. We just opened a new one at St. Luke on Mahogany Street last week Wednesday and then a lot of new things are happening and I think it’s a great time to be in the work of the church and I would really want to use this medium to encourage more of our Methodist people to come on board, come back to church. That is our theme for this year with our mission ‘Seeking the Lost’. Come back to church and get involved in the life of your church and you will discover that rich blessing are in store.”

Love New also spoke with Connexional president Reverend George MacDonald Mulrain who told us of the challenges for the church within the region.

Reverend George MacDonald Mulrain,Connexional president:

“We have a number of challenges facing us. One of the concerns we have is to truly address some of the needs of the region. Like I suppose many other churches, we know that there is an escalation of crime, we are concerned abut the incidents of HIV/AIDS. There are a number of other social and economic concerns that affect us and the people of God and these are some of the things that we have to address. It’s not just about trying to fill our churches, but it’s trying to communicate a message which involves peace, involves justice, it involves love and proper development for the people of God in the region and so I think that we, as we look ahead, we have a variety of challenges facing us and it’s not easy and we cannot do it alone because we live in conjunction with other Christians and clever persons who share our goals, our aspirations for the development of the region and we will live alongside them as well.”

The 147th annual Methodist District conference was held January 21 to 27 with the theme: “Our Mission: Seeking the Lost.”

The Public Service Union of Belize is denouncing the way public officers are being chosen and prepared for the upcoming general elections.   The P-S-U says communication and dissemination of information is poor.   The union says this is cause for serious concern as public officers may be caught in the middle of the confusion.   The union furthers alleges that public officers were not given enough time to prepare for proxy votes.   The union says they called the department today to inquire when is the last day for public officers to complete their proxies and they were told today is the deadline.   The P-S-U says Returning Officers have just received the list of officers who will work on Election Day; therefore not giving the public officers enough time to prepare their proxies.   This, according to the union, can strip the public officers of their right to vote.   Love News tried contacting acting chief elections officer, Ruth Meighan to get her comments on the allegations but we were told she was on another phone call.   We, however, were assured she was going to return our call, but she never did.  

If you were the victim of robbery in the past month, you are being asked to go to the Queen Street police station.   On Saturday, police arrested and charged twenty year old Dennis McKoy who was apprehended last week and found in possession of several gold chains and esclavas.   This morning Superintendent of Police Aaron Guzman told us McKoy has been charged for robbery.

Aaron Guzman,Superintendent of Police:

“So far, CIB has charged Dennic McKoy with three counts of robbery for three different occasions. One being the robbery that occurred in Ladyville on Thursday evening some time between 6-7 pm and they have charged him for two previous robberies in Belize City. We’re asking that if anyone believes that they might have been the victim of a robbery committed by Mr. McKoy, that he should come in to CIB and speak to us so that we can appraise them of what we have. Also, Mr. McKoy is wanted for questioning in Dangriga and in San Pedro.”

Superintendent of Police Aaron Guzman.  

With news from Orange Walk here is Manuela Ayuso.

Manuela Ayuso,Love FM:
“BELPAC, Belizeans Promoting Active Citizenships has announced the cancellation of what would have been Orange Walk’s first political debate. BELPAC’s coordinator says the group is disappointed with the request from the two major political parties to have the debate cancelled. He says representatives from both the PUP and UDP says they would have needed more time to prepare for a debate of that nature. The National Reform Party, however. remained committed to that idea. It was suggested that more time be put into the planning of a political debate, and both the PUP and the UDP committed to working together with BELPAC in the planning of making a debate made into the municipal elections next year. He says the group was disappointed that the two major political parties would not engage in a serious mature and on the issues and are happy with the political propaganda taking over. He says BELPAC hopes to change the culture and will continue to work towards having a debate leading up to the next election. Reporting for Love FM News from Orange Walk Town, I am Manuela Ayuso.”

Saturday February 2^nd will mark thirty years since the inception of the Belize Defense Force. In commemoration of this milestone, a week of activities has been organized by members of the Belize Defense Force. The week of activities started yesterday with a church service held at Price Barracks in Ladyville. Love News spoke to Captain Lionel Cuthkelvin of the Belize Defense Force and he told us more about other activities planned for the week.

Captain Lionel Cuthkelvin of the Belize Defense Force:

“In addition to that, we’re going to have other activities which include an open day on Wednesday and this will be available to all primary and secondary school students. With that we’re going to be showing or highlighting BDF daily routines, sport events, other movements, organizations and our rules in times of conflict and other disasters and opportunities on a whole available to the youths in the country of Belize. On Thursday we will have a cultural night which is the first of its kind. We’re going to have different cultures and dance and signing from different ethnic groups in Belize which includes the Garifuna, the Creole, the Mestizo, we’ll also have some Chinese participating in that event. On Friday we will have the official BDF parade ceremony at 10 am in the morning and on Saturday it’s the open day that will be open to the general public and that will be held here in Price Barracks, Ladyville as well.”

Captain Cuthkelvin told Love News that the day will be packed with displays and fun activities for everyone to enjoy.

Captain Lionel Cuthkelvin of the Belize Defense Force:

“Activities for that day will include the usual displays; we’re going to have some physical training displays, on arm combat displays and a lot other, funs, rides and activities for the entire family. We have a lengthy program this coming week but the official day is Saturday February 2^nd, 2008. Transportation will leave Belize City as early as 9 o clock and will leave every half hour from the usual pick up point with is pound yard bridge and Palotti. All the BDF locations countrywide will be open so people from Orange Walk could go to the camp in Orange Walk. It’s open to all districts for all schools countrywide.”

The Belize Defense Force to date has approximately one thousand men and women serving across the country. The public is invited to join the B-D-F soldiers in celebration of the 30^th Anniversary at BDF Day 2008.