On Monday, over three and a half tons of drugs were seized in the southern area of Quintana Roo, Mexico. The reports of the discovery came shortly after Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa informed the media that, according to Mexican government officials, cartel activity was dying down. The past several weeks has seen unrest from the Mexican and Belizean public as a surge of violent crimes were reported in connection with the cartels. Belizean authorities have assured the public that the police force is at work to ensure that these operatives do not cross over into Belizean territory and, according to Musa, the Mexican officials are allaying concerns regarding the prominence of cartel operatives. However, the large quantity of drugs was seized by the Mexican navy after they spotted two boats offshore that were attempting to enter Mexican territory. They carried out an investigation which led to the discovery. Mexican authorities are investigating further.
Month: May 2024
BSI Addresses Domestic Market Sugar Supply
Is there another shortage of sugar on the local market? According to B.S.I., there have been complaints of a scarcity of sugar, despite the miller having increased the amount of sugar being sold on the domestic market when compared to the same period in 2023. B.S.I. says that notwithstanding the availability of sugar locally, the contrabanding of plantation white sugar continues unabated. The company says it has written to the Government of Belize once more to urge Cabinet to review and increase the price of domestic sugar. A release from B.S.I. says, (quote) the wide disparity between domestic prices and regional prices, combined with production shortages, particularly in Mexico is creating a lucrative incentive for sugar to be smuggled outside of Belize (end quote).
BSCFA Pleased with Expert’s Report on Port Charges
Earlier this month, the Belize Sugar Industries issued a press release on the report by the independent expert commissioned to determine port charges and how they should be applied. In the release, the B.S.I stated that Hugh O’Brien concluded that the industry was saving significant costs from the transition to the Port of Big Creek through more efficient loading. And today, the B.S.C.F.A has issued a release of its own release in which it stated that O’Brien’s report looked at much more than just that one element. Chief Executive Officer of the B.S.C.F.A, Oscar Alonzo says there were several other port-related charges that O’Brien’s report analyzed and made recommendations for, and that a few of these were concerns that they had raised concerns over. And while the B.S.C.F.A is satisfied with the work that O’Brien did, they express in their release that there are other critical cost items that require evaluation, such as local handling charges and manufacturing allowance. Alonzo shared with us the other charges that O’Brien analyzed that they were happy with.
Oscar Alonzo, Chief Executive Officer, B.S.C.F.A
“The report also included recommendations from the expert on how information can be recorded and be provided in a manner that would make it transparent and accountable. And it is similar to what we have been raising with BSI, right, that one of the recommendations that we had made was the fact that these costs need to be separated. In the negotiations there were proposals to change in the deduction terminology of ocean freight to ocean freight and terminal handling charge as one cost classification. And we had been asking that they be separated and that separate figures be provided for each of them. Also, there was the proposal in the negotiations that cost of stevedoring be mingled with throughput fee. And again, we had requested that this cost be separated and in order to provide greater and a better understanding and a better appreciation of the values of these, costs, right. In the metric value statement that is provided by B.S.I in the calculation of the price of sugarcane, it appears that these costs will be enumerated in that fashion and we agree with the independent expert that these costs should be separated, should be itemized and the figures provided for each of them. There’s the other issue regarding the use of the terminology “tons” right. Different documents use different definitions of ton. Some use metric ton, some use short ton, some use long tons. And this also creates a bit of misunderstanding, noh. So those were the two main recommendations, right that the expert made in order to provide real transparency and accountability.”
B.S.C.F.A Anticipates Start of Inquiry
Now that O’Brien’s report is complete and he has made recommendations for both the B.S.C.F.A, and A.S.R./B.S.I. to consider regarding port charges, the association is now looking forward to other testy matters at hand. It was over a year ago that the government announced it would convene a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the modernization of the sugar cane industry and improve its viability. Since then, the terms of reference have been determined and the exercise was gazetted in March. A.S.R./B.S.I.’s attorney, Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith had said in a previous press briefing that his clients view the inquiry in the same light as they did the government’s sugar industry regulations. The High Court had struck down the regulations on grounds that they were an invasive attempt to delve into the private business of the company. A.S.R./B.S.I. has also denounced the inquiry, but today Alonzo said the B.S.C.F.A was looking into forward to its start.
Oscar Alonzo, Chief Executive Office, B.S.C.F.A
“The Commission of Inquiry is still an ongoing process, and this is why we feel right that what was done by the expert only relates to two costs. There are other costs that we hope the Commission to Inquiry to look into as far as the review of the sugar industry as a whole, noh? The commissioners have been appointed, the terms of reference have been agreed to and what is being delayed is the commencement – the establishment, the actual sitting down and the commencement of the work at the commission. As far as we’re concerned, BSI is in agreement with the terms and conditions of the agreement. They have even proposed two experts to be commissioners, which have been accepted by the Prime Minister, and I think they were simply waiting the names. And as far as we understand, our names have been received and the commission should begin its work. But we are concerned and we hope that the Prime Minister would have the work commence as quickly as possible because originally, it was intended that the work would have been completed by the end of July this year. Now, several months have passed and then we are concerned that this will extend into next year. We would like this thing completed because remember the agreement that we signed in January was for a period of two years.”
Municipal Boundaries to be Redrawn Across the Country
It’s been over three decades since the municipal boundaries for several towns, including Corozal, Orange Walk, San Pedro, Dangriga, San Ignacio and Benque Viejo, have been expanded. In fact, the last exercise that was conducted by the Ministry of Local Government was to delineate the boundaries of Hopeville and Punta Gorda Town. Both communities are adjacent to each other. In the weeks ahead, a series of meetings will be held to sensitize the public on what is being put forward as a municipal boundaries re-delineation exercise. The initiative has been long in the making, and Cabinet has given the go ahead for consultations to begin. Clifford King is the Director of Local Government.
Clifford King, Director of Local Government
“Cabinet has approved that the proposal goes to public sensitization and so that’s what we are embarking to do beginning next week. We are going to bring this to the attention of general public that this is the new consideration for the municipal boundary and what are the implications of this. How is this going to impact municipal development and the obligations of the municipality to provide services? But also, from a resident and a business perspective, what are the implications for you as residents. And so we are going to be having these discussions in the public and town hall meetings starting next week in Dangriga, Monday, and we are hoping that residents will turn out to be apprised of what is being proposed. Municipal boundaries, as they currently exist, really date back to a very long time, as a matter of fact to the 1980s and 1990s. The most recently updated municipal boundary was for Punta Gorda Town and you may remember when the Hopeville Community was established and that was then taken into account. But for the other six municipalities, namely Corozal, Orange Walk, San Pedro, Benque Viejo, San Ignacio and Dangriga, those boundaries go back to the 1980s and the 1990s. What has happened over the years, naturally the space around these municipalities have grown naturally. Expansion has naturally come for residential and commercial purposes and for industrial purposes.”
Redrawing Municipal Boundaries Should be Done Regularly
According to King, services are being provided to these smaller communities by the municipalities that are nearby. In the case of San Pedro, it is the only town on the island of Ambergris Caye. As such, services are also being provided by the San Pedro Town Council to smaller islands that aren’t far off.
Clifford King, Director of Local Government
”We recognize that in many instances, in fact all instances, the municipal body, just by the nature of what they have to do or what they’ve been doing, they provide services to these areas and residents in these areas demand these services. For example, these areas have streets, they have drainage. In many instances, the municipal government collects garbage and disposes of garbage, there are public spaces that are maintained, street buffers, they have parks and playgrounds that are being maintained in these spaces that are right around what we have known as the established boundaries for these towns. But these areas are not a legal part of the jurisdiction, if you can put it that way.So in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and in consultation with the town councils and the village councils that buffer these communities, we sat down and we’ve had numerous meetings to finally end up with what we have as the proposed expansion and re-delineation of boundaries in some areas. So you’ll find out that in some places like San Pedro, there’s an expansion, there’s a proposed expansion of the boundaries of the town to, essentially include most of the island. And there’s a rationale behind that, of course, there one town on Ambergris Caye and so everybody on that island basically comes to the town council for services and this even extends to some of the islets around the island. People come to the town council for services and generally in those instances it’s for the basic infrastructure services and for the basic garbage collection services and disposal, if you could put it that way. What is important to note is that just because of the natural development of municipalities, these kinds of things need to happen almost every ten years. Unfortunately for us in Belize, we don’t always take that step to do these things as a matter of process and procedure and so when they come to light, they create red flags or they get people anxious. But really, these are things that should be happening on a more regular basis.”
Dangriga Town Boundaries Expanding to Near Sarawee
The first consultation in this phase will take place next Monday night in Dangriga. Mayor of Dangriga, Robert Mariano told News Five that the boundary for that municipality will be very close to Sarawee Village. The town, he mentioned, is also expanding in other areas. He explains.
Robert Mariano, Mayor, Dangriga
“The only nearby village is Sarawee Village and in the first and second consultation meeting, Sarawee was present and they don’t have an issue with Dangriga will reach near the village. And so we are not having any issues at all with any of the nearby villages as to where Dangriga will reach.”
Marion Ali
“Before the municipal election, you had told me that there was an entire community that’s being developed.”
Robert Mariano
“Yes, that is near mile three. We have a new community that is building up in that area. That is near the exact border. The border will pass that area, but that will be now inside Dangriga. Dangriga will be expanding. From the Stann Creek Valley Road, remember it is at mile two and now we’ll be going at mile three and a half. So Dangriga will be expanding in that area. And also on the San Jose Road, Dangriga should be expanded by nearly two miles, and also on the Commerce Bight Road. It should be expanded by two miles as well.”
The Game of Marbles is not Lost in Belize
From the schoolyard to the playground and even your own backyard; the game of marbles can be played at any time and place. In this week’s episode of Kolcha Tuesday, we’ll be taking you back to your childhood as we explore a game that is a Belizean classic. Today, we visited some school children to learn if the game was still being played amongst Belizean kids. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with that story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
A few decades ago, growing up in Belize meant hanging from trees, rolling tires down the street and flying kites. In the age of technology, many people believe these days of simple pleasures are over, but that’s not entirely true. While the game may not be as popular as it once was, there are still a few kids spinning marbles in the schoolyard. We spoke with community activist, Shane Williams, who has made it his mission to not let the game die out in Belize.
Shane Williams, Community Activist
“Growing up marble was a different world. You see this little park here, triangle park? Whenever the triangle angles for marble draw, this transforms into a whole different world. No matter wed happen outside ah this park, everything focus pan di competition.”
Deon Williams, std 3 student, GPS
“So you got the line. You got the triangle. Everybody wa shoot from back ah guts. The angle you deh, You play from the angle. All the marble ina the angle.”
Shane Williams showed us some of the different kinds of marbles children can win during games.
“You have ney one ya, neya da di lee common one. Ney one da di lee cheapy one. Yo use nenya as bait, you set ney ina di angles and stuff. And then yo have the miami, well we call ney miami because nenya da di states thing when we di grow up. So yo have ney lee fancy one. You have the big dubs and then you have some kwiyan. Kwiyan da like bearing from veh9cle. If you lucky enough you can get a nice kwiyan and dende mek the best thaw. That da wat you use fi knock out the marbkle and kill the other opponents. And you have smallI. I noh have no smalli but poerple like smalli cuz ney hard fi hit. Dende da di small lee marble. So when you use that as your thaw ih hard fi somebody ketch you and out yo.”
He said that among communities, there is typically one player known for being the best in the group. While we visited Grace Primary School, a few boys battled to prove who deserved that title among them. We asked a few of them what it is they loved about the game.
“Ihn oh have to be a team. You could go against your friends, your cousin, your family but this da di point. Marble da just wa game weh you feel like you badda dan anybofdy. Yu could fight with anybody. Marble da just wa friendly game.”
One student told us that while he used to live abroad, he would purchase marbles, but since coming to Belize, he enjoys trading them with his friends.
Lauriel Monroy, std 3 student, GPS
“Other countries like Spain they have other kinds of marbles. I born there. I but lotta marble from there. Then I come da Belize, then I like play with my friends from Lake I. Then I win special marble like that.”
Two students explained that it is the joy of playing with friends that draws them to the game.
Std 3 student, GPS
“Only reason I start play marble da cause of my older breda Alwin he used to play and he used to collect marble he have bumblebee and all ah den deh. He da dih only reason I start to play this game.
Britney Gordon
“Wha’s the most fun part of this game?”
Student
“Da wa friendly game. You have your friends ney, you could go against anybody you want. Along as ney know how fi play.”
Std 3 student, GPS
“The reason I like marble because da my village I have lotta friend ney and we use to have lotta marble. Soi I tell my ma please give me money fi go buy marble… We buy big dubs and ney thing. So we mek a lee triangle and we start to play.”
To keep the game alive, Williams hosts an annual marble contest in Belize. He saw a need for a community event that would bring children together after the COVID pandemic, and recalling how much he enjoyed spinning marbles with his friends growing up, he thought it would be the perfect game.
“So I started the marble contest with community kids and then some from far around start coming and It’s been three years now. I want to introduce it into the summer camp that I usually have this year. And just hopefully that people start playing it in the schools and get some, just a little experience we had as children. I just want to get a little of that so that they could socialize. Meet people from different neighborhoods and stuff like that. That da di main t6hing. Socialization.”
Even though the game is no longer at the height of its popularity, it is evidently still alive in Belize and will continue to have a place among children if there is someone to teach them.
“Marble allowed us to meet new. Life long friends and build some stories we will never forget.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
Training Concludes for Interdepartmental Disaster Response
An interdepartmental response team training spearheaded by the Taiwanese government, concluded in Belmopan on Monday. The workshop saw the participation of the National Meteorological Service, the Hydrology Unit, the National Emergency Management Organization, as well as the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change. On hand for the closing ceremony was Minister Orlando Habet.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“It is imperative also imperative that we enhance and improve the existing systems and programs set in place for disaster risk reduction. However, to ensure these services and operations, other key priority areas must be properly handled to ensure the effectiveness of such services, addressing disaster problems holistically and mainstreaming disaster risk management into development strategies and undertakings is vital in the effectiveness of disaster risk reduction. In addition, the necessity of hazard mapping and vulnerability assessment and the adoption of disaster risk management processes at all levels as a critical undertaking to reduce risks and vulnerabilities should be emphasized.”
Ronald Gordon, Chief Meteorologist
“One of the things that we are implementing this hurricane season is to do a daily briefing, virtual of course, but between these three agencies. We do a briefing once per day within our department itself, the forecasters will be briefing other forecasters on the weather conditions, but what we are going to do this season is to have that briefing extended to NEMO and to [the] Hydrology Unit so that we can get their input and we provide the weather forecast and the hydrology tells us how this will be and what are the implications of this forecast for flooding and, of course, NEMO will be dealing with the response part and the preparations. So certainly that’s one way that we’re going to be enhancing that collaboration.”
The World’s First and Only Hicatee Captive Breeding Facility is in Belize
The Central American river turtle, also known as the hicatee, is one of the world’s most heavily exploited species. Hicatees can only be found in southern Mexico, Northern Guatemala and Belize. One nonprofit organization nestled along the northern border of the Bladden Nature Reserve is working to replenish the hicatee population in Belize. Just over a decade ago, The Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Education, BFREE, established the first and only hicatee captive breeding facility in the world. Before they began studying the species, not much was known about them. Through their groundbreaking research a substantial amount of data has been gathered on these turtles to better understand their behavioral patterns. Additionally, they have released hundreds of hicatees into the wild. We will have an extensive report on our visit to the facility in Wednesday night’s newscast. Tonight, we hear from Jacob Marlin, the Executive Director of BFREE who started the organization thirty years ago.
Jacob Marlin, Executive Director, BFREE
“Some of the core research project we have on the property right now, and I think that is why you are here, has to do with the Central American river turtle, local we call it the hicatee, interesting specie. We got involved with it twelve or thirteen years ago, my background is herpetology and I happen to know a lot of people in the international scene. So, a friend of mine reached out to me and asked what is going on with hicatee in Belize. One of the most critically endangered turtles in the world. I said yes, but I have never seen them, and I have a lot of other things going on. So, he asked me to look into it and so I started reading and talking to people and what I learned is that know nothing much about it at all. I started talking to people who go hunting and they know some about it, they know where to get them, but if you ask them what the status of the population is, nobody knows. So that led us to this collaboration with this organization called the Turtle Survival Alliance TSA which is a big international turtle conservation organization that works in dozens of countries across the world, trying to save the most critically endangered turtles. Turtles are interesting, there are only about three hundred and thirty species of turtles on the planet. They are considered one of the most endangered vertebrates in the world, along with primates and amphibians. Of those three hundred and forty species of turtles almost half are threatened with extinction. And of that half about half of those are seriously threatened with extinction. Of those species the hicatee is one of the top twenty-five of all the turtles in the world. In Belize we probably don’t think about that. Nobody knows, it is just not something people don’t know about. People like hicatee and rice. It taste nice, where is my hicatee, it is easter where is my hicatee. I get it. Culturally fine, people have been doing this for a long time.”