Following the arrest and charging of a Cayo teacher for assault and rape of a student, the Office of the Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, headed by the wife of the Prime Minister, Her Excellency Rossana Briceno, is once again advocating for the establishment of a national Sex Offenders Registry. The move is being supported by the Ministry of Human Development, as well as current and former Ministers of Home Affairs responsible for the police department.
The latest incident, reported on May 13th, involves 41-year-old Cayo teacher Elias Tzib, who was charged with four counts of assault and two counts of rape following allegations made by a student. His arrest raised renewed concerns about child safety and oversight within institutions entrusted with minors.
In response, the Office of the Special Envoy issued a press release on May 16th calling for the urgent implementation of a national Sex Offenders Registry. The release referenced the growing number of allegations involving educators, police officers, and other authority figures accused of sexual crimes. These incidents have heightened public concern and intensified calls for greater enforcement, accountability, and transparency.
Adele Catzim-Sanchez, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Human Development, said authorities are aware of an increase in reported sexual crimes against children. “Our in-house database does record that there are more cases reported to us each year. We are ready to work and collaborate with our partner agencies, including the Office of the Special Envoy and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to make sure that the sex offenders registry becomes operational,” she said.
Minister of Home Affairs, Honorable Oscar Mira, condemned the reported incidents and voiced support for making the names of convicted sex offenders public. “We have to make sure that we treat these people in a different kind of way,” he told the media. “We cannot tolerate the abuse of children from anybody. I think that if you are convicted of something like that, then the public should know who you are.”
Former Minister of Home Affairs, Honorable Kareem Musa, has also expressed support for a public registry addressing sexual offenses.
In San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, unlawful sexual assault cases have also been reported over the years. One of the most recent cases involving an educator included former San Pedro High School teacher Alex Noralez, 47, who was remanded to the Kolbe Foundation-Belize Central Prison. Noralez was found guilty in January on two of three counts of sexual assault and sentenced to 18 months in prison. He has maintained his innocence and continues to challenge the verdict.
Advocates across the island and throughout the country believe Belize urgently needs a functioning Sex Offenders Registry. They argue that repeat offenders continue to pose serious risks to communities and that a centralized database would provide authorities with critical information to help prevent abuse and better protect vulnerable groups, especially children.
The idea of establishing a national Sex Offenders Registry is not new. Various administrations have discussed the proposal since November 2018. However, to date, no official registry has been implemented.