Black Immigrant Daily News

Jeffery Coats, manager of Replay Night Club, was shot multiple times by two unknown gunmen after he had a run-in at his establishment with gang affiliates in San Ignacio, which had caused him to heighten the security at the club.

by Marco Lopez

SAN IGNACIO, Cayo District, Mon. Sept. 26, 2022

On Sunday morning, sometime after 3:00 a.m, Jeffery Coats, 42, an American author of San Ignacio was murdered in cold blood in front of Replay Night Club, an establishment he co-manages with his business partner. According to initial police reports, two men, who were dressed in full black and whose heads were covered by helmets, ambushed him as he was about to leave the establishment on his Blue Suzuki Ninja motorcycle. About an hour before, at about 2:00 a.m., he and the co-owner of the club had closed the establishment, located on Waight Street in San Ignacio, to mark the end of the September celebrations, after which Coats and his partner, along with their employees, remained in the club until about 3:00 a.m., when Coats decided to leave.

He made his way downstairs of the establishment and was waiting for his partner when he was shot multiple times by the two men, who, according to reports, were driving in a direction opposite to the flow of traffic. When police arrived on the scene, they saw him suffering from wounds to his upper body and rushed him to the San Ignacio Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 3:23 on Sunday morning.

“Good morning, everyone, we are in complete disbelief of what happened to Jeff this morning & would like to ask our loyal patrons to give us some time to grieve privately …,” a message posted on the nightclub’s Facebook page stated.

Many believe that this incident may have stemmed from a prior run-in between Coats and some gang affiliates that took place earlier this month at the nightclub. Coats had extensively lamented the actions of those persons at the club, which, according to Coats, had resulted in injuries to one person on September 17.

“Right now I sit here still finding another man’s [blood] … I’ve never met before, blood all over me … For just running an amazing club and guys making stupid life-changing choices …,” Coats had said in frustration. Shortly after, the club put in place enhanced security measures: allowing fewer people inside the establishment, opening an exit door, and discontinuing the serving of bottled drinks.

Coats, in his post on the nightclub’s Facebook page, had further said, “It is my hope that those who made poor choices inside our place don’t affect your choice to share time with us.”

There is no indication at this time who were the persons who had caused the turmoil in the nightclub on that night or if they are in custody, but all indications at this time point to those persons as prime suspects.

Coats, who had made Belize his second home, was a real estate broker and author of a life skills book titled Res3t. He offered an online course on changing one’s mindset, setting goals, and taking action. Thousands of people have reportedly viewed or used his content, or participated in his 7-day course.

“It’s frustrating to be so kind to people, try to be 100% dedicated to having good security for people to have a safe place to hang out and enjoy good music with their family and friends, and to invest my time and money to try and make so many happy… I truly appreciate the many, many people who come see us loyally and for the first time … For those of you who saw me walk him out, I’m sorry you had to see something like that …,” Coats had commented in his post

At the age of 14, Coats was tried for the robbery and attempted murder of David Grenier in Tacoma, Washington, after he kidnapped Grenier and stole his BMW. Twenty years after the crime, Coats’ story of reformation was used as a sociological case study for a reconsideration of criminal rehabilitation in America.

Before coming to Belize and settling down as a nightclub owner, he was an advocate for reform, and an avid speaker on rehabilitation, who told his own story, in addition to being a real estate broker. The 42-year-old American is the latest foreign businessman to be killed in Belize.

“Thanks for all the condolences & well wishes,” the post from Replay Night Club stated yesterday. “We really appreciate it. We will be closed until further notice. Thanks, Management,” the post further said.

The Mayor of San Ignacio, Earl Trapp, in his comments on the tragedy, said, “It has been knocking very hard on our door. San Ignacio, Santa Elena has been known as a safe haven, one of the safest municipality in the country of Belize, but for some reason, for some unforeseen circumstances, things have been happening over the past few weeks.”

Trapp further stated that he knew Coats for about three years. He said that Coats gave back to the community in a number of ways—including the hiring of youths and the spearheading of mural-painting projects in the town—and had recently visited the Mayor’s office to get an extension for his business.

“He was a very caring and sharing person, and someone with a big heart and a goal to build up his business, and like I said, someone that help the community through job creation,” Mayor Trapp said.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

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El meteorólogo Emmanuel Rodríguez, del Servicio Nacional de Meteorología en San Juan (SNM), informó en RADIO ISLA que Ian se convirtió en un huracán categoría 4 con vientos sostenidos de 155 millas por hora. Este ciclón amenaza al Estado de Florida.  

Emmanuel Rodríguez indicó que, según el pronóstico más reciente del Centro Nacional de Huracanes (NHC, por sus siglas en inglés), el centro del ciclón tropical entrará al Estado de Florida al Sur de la ciudad de Tampa, cerca de las ciudades Fort Myers y Charlotte. No obstante, se espera que Tampa reciba vientos de tormenta tropical o de un huracán de categoría menor.

Rodríguez comunicó que Ian presenta un riesgo por sus vientos, la cantidad de lluvias, así como los tornados que podría producir y la marejada ciclónica. El mismo podría provocar la caída de hasta un pie de precipitación, por lo que “van a ser unos días difíciles para Florida con este sistema”, expresó Rodríguez. 

El NHC comunicó que Ian se encuentra en la 25.8 grados Norte, 82.8 grados Oeste, desplazándose hacia el Norte-Noreste a 9 millas por hora y con una presión barométrica de 936 milibares.

Noticia relacionada: Huracán Ian azota al Oeste de Cuba y continúa su rumbo hacia el Estado de Florida

Suministrada por el centro nacional de huracanes

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Nicole Spellen ta haye un proyecto bunita

ORANJESTAD (AAN): E proyecto bunita pa yuda studiantenan di Caribe logra exito den nan estudio, ta conta cu sosten tambe di Nicole Spellen, kende ta traha pa Hogeschool Amsterdam.

   Spellen ta lider di proyecto di ‘Studiesucces Caribische Studenten”. E ta un proyecto cu a bin como proposicion di varios Hogeschool na Hulanda, pa crea un ‘regiegroep’ pa asina bira un extra empuhe pa e studiantenan di Caribe obtene mas logro ora di bay studia na Tera Fieu.

   Na Hulanda, Nicole Spellen mes ta labora como decano di studiante, y e ta papia cu hopi alumno cu ta bin di Caribe Hulandes, y nan ta confronta hopi problema pa nan adapta nan mes na e situacion na Hulanda, y topa cu e sistema diferente di educacion, bida ta otro, y clima tambe ta otro.

   Cu e proyecto aki, a crea un network di e studiantenan di Caribe, cu ta hayando extra guia den nan prome añanan.

   E grupo a logra identifica varios problema cu e studiantenan aki ta confronta nan mes, ya for di comienzo caba ora nan orienta nan mes.  Pues ta check ki tipo di estudio nan kier bay haci, ki tipo di estudio ta pas cu nan, y den ki idioma nan kier haci e estudio, y tambe pa mira ki trabao tin despues ora nan finaliza estudio pa haya empleo.

   E proyecto di ‘Studiesucces Caribische Studenten’ ta e prome paso cu a wordo tuma pa pone tur studiant riba e patronchi corecto.  E ta un momento crucial tambe pa Caribe Hulandes, como cu pa prome biaha ta tur seis isla ta hunto den e canoa pa papia riba e temanan aki.

   Tin tur funcionario di Gobierno, y tambe expertonan educacional di Universidad, di MBO, y Hogeschool pa papia y elabora riba kico nan por bay haci.  Tin algun tema cu a wordo identifica cu nan ta bay traha riba dje, e.o. ‘studiekeuze’, ‘taal’, ‘studiecultuur’, y tambe ‘informatie voorziening’ (pues con por haya informacion mas up-to-date na e studiantenan), y tambe con por bay haya e studiantenan pa den Reino Hulandes mes nan por ‘move mas’, pues por ehemplo un studiante ta cuminza su lesnan na Aruba, despues ta sigui na Curaçao, of kizas bay Hulanda pa core un stage, of haci un minor, of finaliza master na Hulanda.

   E meta no ta pa haya tur studiante bay Hulanda!  E meta real ta pa tur studiante por haya e estudio cu ta pas mihor pa nan, y na e ciudad cu ta pas mihor pa nan.

   Durante aña 2020 a haci varios investigacion referiendo ne “studiesucces” di Caribische studenten pa cu Hoger Onderwijs na Hulanda. Tin cuatro diferente investigacionnan  riba mesa cual a conduci cu e punto aki a desemboca su mes riba un punto di agenda oficial pa cu e ‘Vierlandenoverleg’.  E total di cuatero investigacionnan riba mesa ta entre otro di Natiolale Ombudsman, Kopzorgen van Caribische studenten (2020), Het studiesucces van studenten uit de ABC- eilanden, Geerman & Leona (2020), towards a Kingdom Mobility Program in Higher Education, Universiteit Utrecht (2020) y por ultimo Studiesucces en ervaringen van studenten uit de Caribische delen van het Koninkrijk, ResearchNed (2021).

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Edward Maduro, presidente di SADA:

No por ta asina cu a tarda 5 aña pa firma 168 Landsbesluit! 

ORANJESTAD (AAN) – Sindicato di Aduana “SADA” a tuma nota di locual Minister di Finanzas, bao cual ministerio Cuerpo di Aduana ta cay, a publica riba su facebook page, cu nan a manda 168 Landsbesluit pa e structura nobo di salario di Aduana.

Edward Maduro, Lider Sindical di SADA, a señala cu e minister a bisa cu e tabata un trabao hopi largo, y cu desde 2017 cu el a wordo apunta como Minister di Finanzas, nan a traha duro, na un manera serio y diligente.

Maduro a expresa cu cada ken cu scucha e parti aki, unda e minister ta bisa cu desde 2017 e ta bezig cu 168 Landsbesluit y te aworaki, cinco aña despues, e ta finaliza esaki ta wak sigur e falta di seriedad den e cumplimento di locual SADA y su miembronan a firma cu gobierno na 2017.

E lider sindical a coregi algun punto y ta cuestiona cu e mandatario ta mal informa, segun el a bisa.

E ta señala cu ora e minister di finanzas a drenta na 2017, practicamente tur cos tabata cla caba y unico cos cu tabata falta ta pa e LIM wordo ehecuta. Pa dos aña largo nan a walk out, welga y bay Corte na 2019 pasobra pa dos aña largo e mandatario aki y minister presidente a sinta hunga cu e asunto aki, cu tabata cla caba.

El a bisa cu e LIM mester a wordo ehecuta for di Januari 2019 caba, pero pa un motibo of otro, kizas nan no ta gusta Sindicato SADA, nan a bin perhudica henter Cuerpo di Aduana. El a bisa cu no solamente e funcionarionan uniforma pero esnan di e Dienst Administrativo, cu tambe tabata tin palabracion cu Minister di Finanzas na Juli 2017.

El a subraya cu DRH, minister di finanzas y minister presidente a perhudica un Cuerpo completo, pasobra no por ta asina cu nan a tarda cinco aña pa firma 168 Landsbesluit.

E presidente di SADA a remarca cu el a purba di splica minister di finanzas esaki, pero ora tin un minister cu no ta duna atencion na un Cuerpo di Aduana, cu ta asina importante, manera nan mes ta bisa, pero ki bal bisa esaki si no ta practike.

Nan a cumpli cu nan palabra manera nan a primiti, pero na September 2019, ora a conoce un paro cien porciento di Aduana, nan a bin cu e berdad dilanti, ora cu nan a pasa un cuchio na lomba di Cuerpo di Aduana. “No den Sindicato SADA, no den mi persona, pero den full e Cuerpo incluyendo esnan den e ramonan administrativo, y awe un bez mas tin prueba cu nan a wordo perhudiaca pa e gobierno aki”, Edward Maduro a acentua, agregando cu hopi hende den Cuerpo di Aduana sa cu esaki tabata regla caba, y nan tin varios aña caba den Corte. Sindicato SADA ta haci su maximo pa keda cla cu esaki, pero nan ta den Corte ainda. Maduro ta convenci cu tur e 168 Landsbesluitnan ta fout, sin wak nan e tin un presentimento y ta casi sigur di esaki y cu 168 caso ta bay tin den Corte, pasobra no a respeta ni cumpli cu loke a wordo firma na 2017.

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