Belize Is the Caribbean’s Happiest Country

Ambergris Caye, Belize

Belize has come out on top of the Caribbean as the region’s happiest country, according to the World Happiness Report, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The Caribbean country on the coast of Central America was ranked 25th overall in the world, highest of any country in the Caribbean Community. 

It’s the first time for the country, which has a population of about 400,000. If you’ve been to Belize, you get it – the destination has a wonderful mix of friendly people, impressive, diverse food, and some of the most stunning natural scenery in the region, both in its lush jungles and its coastal shorelines and cays like Ambergris Caye, its most famous hotspot. 

The beach at Ramon’s Village in Ambergris Caye

The second Caribbean country on the list? Trinidad and Tobago, which was ranked 70th in the world, followed by Jamaica at 73, the Dominican Republic at 76.

You should note that the list only covers 100 countries, and typically excludes some of the region’s smaller countries — along with countries that are either overseas territories or part of larger kingdoms or states. 

Either way, it’s a very strong showing for Belize, which came just ahead of Poland and right behind the United States. 

Finding quiet in Belize’s Pine Mountain Ridge forest

Interestingly, Belize came in first globally in the freedom index, which asks respondents whether they are “satisfied or dissatisfied with your freedom to choose what you do with your life.”

So, how did Belize come out on other factors? It was 57th on the “social support” question and 96th on generosity, among other fields. 

The report gets its data from large-scale surveys that ask respondents to grade their quality of life on a scale of 0 to 10. In all, the survey reaches about 1,000 people in each country. 

This year’s ranking comes from an amalgamation of data from the previous three years, according to the World Happiness Report. You can find the full World Happiness Index 2025 report here.

By: Alexander Britell - April 24, 2025 - 11:39 AM | Caribbean Journal

US Citizen Killed After Attempting To Hijack Plane

A 49-year-old US national named Akinyela Sawa Taylor was fatally shot in the chest after attempting to hijack a Tropic Air plane in Belize on Thursday, officials reported.

A state of emergency was declared at the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport after Taylor began attacking passengers on the San Pedro-bound flight at 8:30 a.m.

'He's our hero': Stabbed passenger stops US hijacker mid-flight in Belize

A passenger fatally shot the hijacker with a licensed firearm, allowing the small plane to land safely outside Belize City. (Wikipedia Commons: Pgbk87)

“A US citizen hijacked a small plane in Belize on Thursday, stabbing two passengers and a pilot, demanding the domestic flight take him out of the country.

The plane circled the airspace for nearly two hours as the hijacking was underway, and began to run dangerously low on fuel, the Belize police commissioner said.

A stabbed passenger fatally shot him with a licensed firearm, allowing the Tropic Air plane to land safely outside Belize City. ”

— Source: Reuters/AP

A US citizen hijacked a small plane in Belize on Thursday, stabbing two passengers and a pilot, officials in Belize and the United States said.

The assailant pulled a knife while the plane was in air, demanding the domestic flight take him out of the country, Belize Police Commissioner Chester Williams told journalists.

Mr Williams identified the hijacker as Akinyela Taylor.

One of the 14 passengers fatally shot him with a licensed firearm, allowing the Tropic Air plane to land safely outside Belize City, Mr Williams said.

The passenger was stabbed in his back and suffered a puncture to his lungs, Mr Williams said, adding that he remains in critical condition.

"We are praying for him," Mr Williams told reporters.

"He's our hero."

The plane circled the airspace between northern Belize and the capital, Belize City, for nearly two hours as the hijacking was underway, and began to run dangerously low on fuel, Mr Williams said.

Once the plane landed safely, the wounded passenger was rushed to the hospital, as was Mr Taylor, who died from the gunshot wound.

Mr Williams said that it was unclear how the hijacker boarded the plane with a knife, though he acknowledged that the country's smaller airstrips lacked security to fully search passengers.

The attacker had been denied entry to the country over the weekend, according to police.

The plane had been due to fly from Corozal, a small town near Belize's border with Mexico, heading to the popular tourist destination of San Pedro when it was hijacked.

Police said it was unclear how Mr Taylor reached Corozal.

Belizean authorities have reached out to the US embassy in the country for assistance in investigating the incident.

Luke Martin, public affairs officer for the embassy, told journalists that it had no details on Mr Taylor's background or motivation so far.

While local authorities said the hijacker was a veteran, Mr Martin said they couldn't confirm it.

According to information released by the airport, Mr Taylor was a teacher in the United States.

He was listed online as previously being a football coach at the McCluer North High School in Florissant, Missouri.

An employee at the school told Reuters that Mr Taylor did not currently work there.

Reuters/AP