2025 - Greater Belize Media

Food and Rent Push Up Prices in April

Belize’s national inflation rate rose by 1.3% in April 2025, driven mainly by rising food and home rental costs, according to the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB).

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 119.6 in April, up from 118.1 a year earlier. Food accounted for over half of the monthly price increase, with costs for bread, meats, fruits, and non-alcoholic beverages climbing. Juices saw the sharpest rise at 15.4%.

Home rental prices also contributed, up 2.3% compared to April 2024. LPG prices followed suit, with the cost of a 100-pound cylinder rising by $6.87. Personal care items and household cleaning products also recorded notable increases.

In contrast, fuel prices continued to fall. Premium and regular gasoline dropped by $0.49 and $0.89 per gallon respectively, while diesel prices fell by $1.21. Prices for mobile phones and communication equipment also declined.

SIB also reported that Belmopan and San Pedro recorded the highest inflation rates at 3.5%, while Independence Village saw a 2% decrease in consumer prices due to drops in food, fuel, and personal items.

Year-to-date inflation now stands at 1.6%, with prices for food, rent, and personal care items continuing to lead the upward trend.

American Man Found Dead on Placencia Road

Authorities are investigating the death of an American man. The body was found late Thursday night on the Placencia Main Road.

Police responded to the scene around 9:51 p.m., where they found the lifeless body of a man, later identified as Fred Mason Hoffman, lying on the floor wrapped in a sheet. According to initial reports, Hoffman was last seen alive earlier that same morning.

Authorities have not yet confirmed whether foul play is suspected. A post-mortem examination is expected to help determine the cause of death.

22 Measles Cases Confirmed

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has confirmed 22 measles cases across the country to date.

According to the ministry, 69 individuals presenting with fever and rash have been tested as part of heightened surveillance efforts. Of those, 66 samples have been processed, revealing nine lab-confirmed measles cases and 13 additional cases that are epidemiologically linked.

Health officials are urging the public to remain vigilant and stressed that the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is a safe and effective means of protection. The ministry particularly warns that children under five and young people face a higher risk of serious complications from the virus.

Nationwide surveillance and response measures continue.

Driver’s License Printing Back Online

The Belize Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing System (BMVRALS) has been restored. This follows a recent technical disruption that temporarily halted the printing of driver’s licenses across the country.

The BMVrals system, developed in collaboration with Taiwan and launched in 2018, is essential for processing and issuing driver’s licenses and managing vehicle registration data across the country. Since the system went offline, transport offices nationwide have only been able to issue receipts for licence renewals, as no new licences can be printed. Drivers must present these receipts at checkpoints in place of physical licences.

Contrary to earlier assumptions of a technical failure, the disruption stemmed from the non-payment of contractual fees to the Taiwanese system developers. While the necessary funds were available in a designated government account, administrative oversight delayed the payment, leading to suspension of the service.

In-house experts from the Central Information Technology Office (CITO) were authorised to troubleshoot the connectivity issues. Their efforts led to the full restoration of the BMVRALS system.

Belize Braces for Active 2025 Hurricane Season

Authorities are urging citizens to prepare for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially begins on Sunday, June 1st, and runs through November 30th. Forecasts indicate the region could experience a normal to above-normal level of tropical cyclone activity this year.

Meteorological predictions suggest that between 13 and 19 named storms could form in the Atlantic Basin, which includes the North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. Of these, 6 to 10 could become hurricanes, with 3 to 5 reaching major hurricane status (Category 3 or higher). For comparison, a typical Atlantic season sees about 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes.

Two primary climate factors are expected to shape the 2025 season:

A medium likelihood of neutral El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions, which generally support a typical hurricane season.

Warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures across the Atlantic Basin, which can fuel storm development and intensification.

Officials stress that they do not predict where or when a storm may strike. Belize could experience one or more impacts or none at all, but the country’s location in a high-risk zone necessitates annual vigilance.

BNTU Members Rally Nationwide with #WeMatter Movement

A wave of green swept through the country today, as members of local B.N.T.U branches took to the streets in a powerful show of unity and purpose. It’s all part of a coordinated picketing action plan aimed at raising awareness and rallying community support for their cause. The day began early, with members wearing green shirts and holding up bold posters as they lined major highways and roads near schools. The message was clear and visible to all commuters this morning: “We matter.” By lunchtime, the action moved to the heart of communities, drawing the attention of parents, business owners, and passersby. The atmosphere was peaceful but passionate, as members engaged with the public and shared their messages. But the action didn’t stop there. Throughout the day, members visited local businesses and institutions, distributing flyers and speaking directly with shopkeepers and community leaders. The goal? To build solidarity and spread awareness far and wide. Photos were snapped, stories were shared, and social media lit up with the hashtag #WeMatter, as members flooded platforms with images and updates from the field. This grassroots campaign is more than just a protest—it’s a movement. And today, it made its presence known.

Coral Lord, B.N.T.U. President, Belize District

“We are out here today educating and getting support from the general public for our cause. As we all know, we have been agitating for a salary adjustment. We are requesting an 8.5% salary adjustment and the return of our two frozen increments. So today we are just out here to highlight and to make it known that we are going the full length and we are in phase two of our industrial action where we are asking the public for support on this cause because we all know that when the spending power of teachers increase, the spending power of all the other persons in our society increases as well. We support local businesses, we support mom and pops stores and all the business community. The PM was not being honest in his statement. We all know the politricking that they do. When we are out here and they are not in government, they come out and support us fully. But when they are the ones in the government seat, they forget all the promises they made and the support they lent to the teachers. The PM is saying that they are giving us over fourteen percent, but that’s not true. We can all go back and fact-check him. The document that he sent to us saying exactly what the offer was specifically states that he’s willing to give us a three percent salary adjustment come first of October and the return of one frozen increment at the start of the financial year 2026/2027.”

KHMH Workers Union Must Issue 21 Says Notice Before Industrial Action

The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority Workers Union, or KHMHAWU, has announced it will begin industrial action tomorrow afternoon, citing a prolonged deadlock in pension negotiations with the Government of Belize. The union says it’s had enough. After months of stalled talks, KHMHAWU is launching what it calls a “phased and lawful” campaign to demand fairness and long-term security for its members. The action begins with peaceful workplace demonstrations, including staff wearing “Gimme Mi Pension” T-shirts as a show of unity. But this is just the beginning. The union has outlined a tiered plan that could escalate to a full strike if no progress is made. That includes a “go-slow” approach at work, increased media engagement, and a potential 21-day strike notice. In response, the Labor Department has reminded the union that under the Settlement of Disputes and Essential Services Act, any industrial action must first be reported to the Minister of Labor. Today, we spoke with Labor Commissioner Rissela Dominguez-Patt, who emphasized the importance of following the legal dispute resolution process.

Rissela Dominquez-Patt, Labour Commissioner

“One of the things they have to do before any trade dispute or strike is that they need to report the matter to the minister. Once they report this matter to the minister then in twenty-one days the minister would decide if it will take a mediation or based on the circumstances of the dispute whether the matter would be taken to the tribunal and thereafter whatever decision the tribunal makes, if the decision is taken to the tribunal then that decision is final. Any institution that falls under this act cannot just get up and say we are going to strike. The primary objective or goal of this legislation is to ensure that they are uninterrupted, they do not interrupt their services, because they provide critical service to the public. Any interruption can cause serious damage to the public. That is why these organizations are under this legislation.”

Paul Lopez

“Have you all received any letter or notice as is required by law?”

Rissela Dominquez-Patt

“That is what we are telling the union, we work very closely with employers and workers. We communicate with KHMHWA the union and KHMH. Earlier this month we brought them together for a different situation. We are constantly in communication with them. In terms of this grievance we have not received anything in writing or anything at all form any of the parties.”

Strike Action Without Notice May Result in Imprisonment

Labor Commissioner Rissela Dominguez-Patt is reminding unions that any action that disrupts work, whether it’s walking off the job or slowing down services, counts as a strike under Belizean law. And that means there are rules to follow. In the past, some KHMH Workers Union members claimed they were simply on break or using a day off during protests. But the law is clear: if the action causes work to stop or services to be interrupted, it’s considered a strike. And there are consequences. Violating the rules under the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Services Act could lead to fines or even jail time. The law also outlines a formal process for resolving disputes, which includes notifying the Minister of Labor before any industrial action begins.

Rissela Dominquez-Patt, Labour Commissioner

“Under section fifteen which is one of the section we empathized the employer or the worker, in this case the union, they shall, and we have to respect that, they shall not take part in any strike in connection with any dispute. If there is a dispute they shall not take part in any strike. The legislation provides a definition of a strike. It says the cessation of work by a body employed. What do we understand by cessation of work. It does not say full cessation or part cessation. In terms of cessation, we mean any stop of work. So any think that has to do will stop of work whether part or complete that is cessation. So if you are going to take any action you need to understand how this will affect the work you do. Will that be considered a cessation of work, whether part fully.”

Paul Lopez

“What could be the possible ramifications as outlined in the law in the event they decide to take any one of these actions outside of presenting a notice?”

Rissela Dominquez-Patt

“If they fail to present a notice it means they cannot strike and if they proceed to strike it means that anything in the legislation is an offense and that offense is punishable under summary conviction. So there is a fine and there is imprisonment. So if we decide to enforcement the legislation, they are breaking the law in small terms, there will be a fine and possible imprisonment. Labour Commissioner Rissela Dominquez emphasized that every citizen is afforded the right to freedom of speech under the constitution. So, they can engage certain actions as long as it does not stop the essential service they provide.”

Grievance Mechanism for BNTU’s Industrial Action

If you’re wondering whether teachers need to give twenty-one days’ notice before going on strike—the answer is no. Labor Commissioner Rissela Dominguez-Patt has clarified that the Settlement of Disputes in Essential Services Act does not apply to the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU). That means teachers aren’t legally required to give advance notice under that specific law. However, that doesn’t mean they can strike without any rules. According to the Labor Commissioner, the BNTU must still follow the grievance procedure outlined in their collective bargaining agreement, a contract between the union and the government that sets out how disputes should be handled. So, while teachers have more flexibility than some essential service workers, they’re still expected to follow the proper steps before walking off the job.

Rissela Dominquez-Patt, Labour Commissioner

“The teachers as I mentioned are only fourteen, so they do not fall under this specific legislation. They fall under a different regulation, that is why they were able to do and are able to do what they are doing. So, they don’t fall under this legislation.”

Paul Lopez

“And they have free reign to engage in their demonstration, sickouts, during lunch time picketing, whatever actions they intend to do.”

Rissela Dominquez-Patt

“Like I said they would not fall under this legislation, so they don’t have to provide that twenty-one days’ notice so that there is intervention.”

Paul Lopez

“But they did, which is not necessary.”

Rissela Dominquez-Patt

“The unions normally like to act within the legislation. So, they like to respect what is there. I think that the unions, especially the teachers union, are trying to ensure they communicate what they intend to do, but definitely they don’t fall under this legislation.”

P.M. Briceno: “I love teachers so much I married a teacher”

During Wednesday’s budget debate, Prime Minister John Briceño addressed the ongoing standoff between his administration and the Belize National Teachers Union. Speaking with reporters earlier in the day, he acknowledged the tension but later struck a more personal tone during the debate’s adjournment. In a lighthearted moment, the Prime Minister said, “I love teachers so much—I married one.” The comment drew a few smiles, but the underlying issue remains serious, as negotiations between the government and the union continue.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“This government, our PUP government, we just don’t speak to our teachers, we work with them, because it is only through collaboration and shared purpose that we can fulfill our mission, ensuring that every child is equipped with the knowledge and skill to be able to contribute to nation building. I want to make something absolutely clear to the teachers and especially to the union leaders, I have history with the BNTU. My mother was a teacher, a proud member of the BNTU. I marched as a child in Belize City with the BNTU. So when I stand with them and tell them this is what I can do, it is not that I don’t want to. I would love to give them more. I love teachers so much I married a teacher, Rosana Briceño”