What started as a series of talks between the unions, and the government has now turned into a war of words, with both sides pointing fingers. Earlier this month, former Education Minister Francis Fonseca took a swipe at the unions, saying their ongoing protests could cost them credibility, even among their own supporters. But the unions aren’t backing down. They say the government’s latest letter wasn’t exactly written in the spirit of compromise. So, where do things stand now? We spoke with government negotiator Senator Christopher Coye to get his perspective.
Christopher Coye
Christopher Coye, Government Negotiator
“I’m not sure about the tone. What I would say is we’ve had one meeting between the cabinet subcommittee for union consultation and the joint unions negotiating team. And that meeting was very cordial. We had high expectations coming out of that meeting. It is unfortunate that that meeting did not yield an agreement, but there was every effort made in that meeting to reach something that was reasonable, satisfactory, and affordable.”
Reporter
“What about the argument that they’ve made though that pension discussion started way before the request of a salary increase. So the fact that it’s being tied now to the salary increased the made contingent to that. They were opposed to that.”
Christopher Coye
“I’m not sure about the logic on that one because if that’s the case, then maybe the pension should have been introduced first.”
Reporter
“You guys were talking pension reform from years ago, that salary increase request happened after the CEOs got their increase.”
Christopher Coye
“Right. That’s why there is an interest in getting the pension reform done.”
Reporter
“Yeah, but you are making a contingent talk in your letter.”
Christopher Coye
“No, I think what the letter speaks to is a process similar, like what is proposed on the salary increase. What is, I think needs to be clarified is that the government agreed to the entirety of the salary increase the full eight and a half percent. The government fully agree to eight and a half percent salary increase, just that it’d be introduced in a phased manner, in a way that the government or the fiscal finances afford.”
Just when it seemed like progress might finally be on the horizon, another delay. The Joint Union Negotiating Team and the Government of Belize were set to meet today to iron out key details of the long-awaited Collective Bargaining Agreement, on top of the ongoing salary dispute. But that meeting? Postponed. So, what happened? Government negotiator Christopher Coye says there’s a reason for the delay, and we’ve got the details coming up.
Christopher Coye, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance
“I think that meeting actually had to do with the collective bargaining agreement framework. So, the view is that the matter between the unions and the government in relation to salary increase should be resolved, and then we move forward into the collective bargaining agreement discussions.”
Reporter
“Will you call them to a meeting? The government?”
Christopher Coye
“The subcommittee meets with the instructions of cabinet. Cabinet is later to meet on Tuesday, upcoming next week. And once that meeting is held, I’m sure that cabinet will give marching orders to the subcommittee and a meeting will probably follow from that.”
It’s been over twenty-four hours since thirteen-year-old Lizy Suntecun vanished from her school compound in San Jose Succotz—and the search is growing more urgent by the hour. With no leads and no sign of the young girl, her family is clinging to hope, while residents of the village have rallied together, forming search parties to help bring her home. Lizy, who lives in Melchor, Guatemala with her mother, crosses the border daily with her younger siblings to attend school in her father’s village. But what started as a routine school day took a troubling turn when she reportedly left the compound during lunch, telling friends she was going with an aunt. Since then, nothing. News Five’s Paul Lopez traveled west today to find out more. Here’s his report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
It’s now been a two-full day since thirteen-year-old Lizy Suntecun vanished from the San Jose Roman Catholic Primary School, and concern is growing. According to the school’s principal, Jenri Castanaza, Lizy was part of the school’s lunchtime feeding program and had no reason to leave the compound during lunch hour. But somehow, she did and hasn’t been seen since. As the hours tick by, the search intensifies and questions mount: how did she slip away, and where could she be?
Jenri Castanaza
Jenri Castanaza, Principal, San Jose R.C. School
“Lizzie who is a part of our feeding program sat in school and had lunch. We usually keep our back gates closed at tis time since we only have one school warden. She waited until twelve forty-five when we opened the gate since other students are returning from home and that was the time when she walked out of the school compound and left. When we noticed she was missing, the class teacher informed me that she was not in class and we immediately reportedly it to the parents, because it is not normal for her to go missing since she is a part of the program and does not leave to have lunch anywhere else.”
School officials say Lizy left through a back gate that’s usually unsupervised during lunch, telling a friend she was going with an aunt. But she never returned. Now, her family and authorities are zeroing in on a white pickup truck that witnesses say she was seen entering just outside the school compound. As the hours pass, her loved ones grow more desperate, hoping for any sign that Lizy is safe.
Oralia Rosado
Oralia Rosado, Grandmother of Missing Child
“The principal went to classroom to ask if you have seen Lizzy and one girl say, Lizy told me that at twelve forty-five her aunt will come and get her. But she does not have an aunt. I don’t know why she say that. I don’t know why there is a person who take her. From now it has been two days and we have nothing if somebody take her, we don’t know that.”
Reporter
“What have you all done over the last two days in your search for her?”
Oralia Rosado
“In that day we went straight to Corozalito because there is a person who has a pickup, a white pickup and we speak to the lady she say she does not have any children going to standard five. She told us about her friend that lives at the back. When we reach there the house was closed and plenty dogs so we don’t go. We informed the police. I know a CIB was speaking to the mother like two hours and a half. They called the father speaking to him again and from then the police, nobody has done nothing.”
Lizy lives in Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala with her mom. She and her two siblings travelled across the border daily, with the assistance of their dad in village, to attend school. A small group of village residents, led by Armando Cocom, formed a search party today in support of the family.
Armando Cocom
Armando Cocom, Resident, San Jose Succotz
“Like how you say it has struck the community. The community is mourning right now. They are suffering with the family and any assistance given to them would be really appreciated. It is very sad that this is happening in our beautiful village. It is not the first time I am doing this, I have helped other families sin regard of this matter. I have kids and I would not like something like this happening to anyone of my kids. We need to take this and try and assist the families, because it is a serious matter and we should be working together and assist the family in this matter.”
The San Jose R.C. School compound is not equipped with surveillance camera. According to principal Castanaza, monitoring sixty children participating in the feeding program is a challenge for the kitchen staff, a hand full of teachers who stay behind and a single school warden. Principal Castanaza says the entire school is shocked and saddened by Lizy’s disappearance, while acknowledging the need for increased security on the compound.
Paul Lopez
“There are reports of a white vehicle. Did anyone from the school, perhaps one of your teachers, saw her enter a white vehicle?”
Jenri Castanaza
“Unfortunately, no one saw her leaving. The only reports I have received is from the classmate who told me the people waiting on her was in a white vehicle. According to the student, it was a female, a male and a child that was in that vehicle.”
Oralia Rosado
“We ask the people all over Belize, make they help us. If somebody see something please call me. My number is six, six, one, fifty-eight, fifty-five.”
Tonight, the search continues, and the questions only grow. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
Belize is opening a new chapter in regional trade, and it starts with a handshake. This morning, business leaders from Belize and Trinidad and Tobago came together to break down trade barriers and build new opportunities. The two nations kicked off a three-day trade mission right here in Belize City, aiming to strengthen ties and boost economic growth. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story from the Fort George Hotel.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
With global trade winds shifting, Belize is looking closer to home for stronger economic ties. As U.S. tariffs continue to ripple through small economies, regional collaboration is more important than ever. That’s why the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry has teamed up with its Trinidad and Tobago counterpart to launch a three-day trade mission, right here in Belize City. The goal is to break down barriers and unlock new opportunities across the Caribbean. Vashti Guyadeen, CEO of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber, shared insights at today’s kickoff session.
Vashti Guyadeen
Vashti Guyadeen, C.E.O., Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Industry & Commerce
“So this event we started planning for the event more than three months ago, and it was guided by market intelligence and the request of our members. The idea behind this is to help our members expand into new markets that they feel that they could make a difference. So we are focusing, we have a small delegation of just roughly ten companies from the agriculture services as well as creative industries that are looking to expand into the Belizean market. So we are here for roughly three days and it’s more so where we are also looking for joint ventures. So it’s sustainable trade within the region, focusing on the CARICOM countries.”
Belize and Trinidad and Tobago are taking their trade ties to the next level. At today’s event, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed a major agreement with its Trinidadian counterpart, one that promises to break down trade barriers and open the flow of market information between the two nations. Minister of State Christopher Coye says the partnership builds on a strong foundation, but there’s still plenty of room to grow.
Christopher Coye
Christopher Coye, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance
“I think we exported, I think the number was around ninety-seven million last year to. To Trinidad and we import quite a bit less. But the opportunity is there for increased trade among both countries.”
Also attending the event was the Belize Coalition of Service Providers, which provided technical expertise about the local market to the visiting delegation. The president of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce shares her goals for the three-day mission.
Sonji Chase-Pierre
Sonji Chase-Pierre, President, Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry & Commerce
“Following this opening ceremony, we are actually going to go into our business to business meetings where through our counterpart, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, they were able to partner linkages with business persons who would be paired with our delegates and further discussions on where we see trade and investment opportunities. What we are looking for as an outcome of this mission is to solidify the curriculum and single marketing economy where we could forge alliances and promote regional and economic trade between our islands and within CARICOM, because we really believe, as your minister said that there is greater resilience in shared and collaborations between the countries within CARICOM.”
In today’s unpredictable global economy, small nations like Belize are learning that strength lies in unity. That’s why forging strong regional alliances isn’t just smart, it’s essential. These partnerships help build resilience, ensuring that when global shocks hit, countries like ours can weather the storm and keep moving forward. It’s all about creating a Caribbean community that thrives together.
Vashti Guyadeen
“ We have engaged in ventures before, but this time it’s different because it’s structured. Also today, you will see a signing what we call a Trade and Business Alliance agreement with the Belizean Coalition of Services Providers and the Belize Chamber of Commerce. Why are we signing these agreements? These agreements are meant to deepen trade between both countries and to provide a structure. So it’s not just an agreement that would sit on a shelf, but the idea behind it is to have an action plan where we have deliverables over the course of the next three to five years.”
According to Chase-Pierre, there is no timeframe in the agreement. She believes that through mutual participation, it will remain an enduring partnership.
Sonji Chase-Pierre
“It is perpetual. It is not just as we said in our speeches, a ceremonial sign in. It is an intention to forge relationships, and we believe that the two business organizations in Belize, which are represented by the Belize Chamber of Commercial Industry and the Belize Services, will be able to afford their members and our members the opportunities for those partnerships. The whole idea behind the agreements will be to provide market access. We will be providing market access information, market intelligence information in Trinidad and Tobago. We will be looking for business partners with our counterparts in Belize and linking them with those counterparts.”
Over the course of the trade mission, the nations will also discuss the path forward to creating more bold partnerships that can inspire other regional partners. Britney Gordon for News Five.
The meeting was attended by members of Belize’s agriculture, service, and trade sectors.
Long-time employee Gerald Henry held a press conference this morning, claiming he’s the target of what he calls a sustained attack on his credibility and seniority, allegedly at the hands of his own department head. This comes just a week after Henry and former public officer Doreth Obermayer staged a protest outside the Ministry of Public Service, accusing supervisors of using the Public Service Regulations as a weapon against staff. Now, in response to a press release from the Auditor General’s office labeling them as ‘audit risks,’ Henry is firing back, saying the real issue is a controversial code of ethics he believes is not only illegal, but weaker than existing regulations. So, what’s really going on behind the scenes? We’ve got the details.
Doreth Obermayer, Retired Public Officer
“While I was working in the office of the Auditor General there was this so-called code of ethics that was forced on audit officers to sign. Once this document was not signed, you were not assigned an audit task. Reason stated was that you place the audit at risk. This document that they forced the officers to sign is an international document that had nothing to do with GOB and the office of the Auditor General. The Government of Belize never signed on to this document. It was adopted by a former auditor general upon attending a Caribbean Organization of Supreme Audit Institution event where he signed and agreed to adopt the International Standard for Supreme Audit Institution. The Government of Belize was never aware of an auditor general adopted and ratified international standard which was never tbled in the house of representatives. With all that, the Office of the Auditor General still continue to force officers to sign the document or else you will be pushed aside or no work is assigned to you.”
Imagine showing up to work every day—but with no tasks, no responsibilities, and no explanation. That’s exactly what Gerald Henry and Doreth Obermayer say happened to them after being barred from conducting audits. Despite still receiving their salaries, they claim they were left in professional limbo for months. Henry says things only got worse, his performance appraisals took a nosedive, and every attempt to raise the alarm, from the Ministry of Public Service to the Prime Minister himself, has gone unanswered. So, what’s really going on behind closed doors? We’re digging into the details.
Gerald Henry, Public Officer
“Because we refused to sign a totally illegal and unconstitutional document, we were not given any task to do for over two and a half years. During the two and a half years we were instructed not do any work we were still required to submit weekly reports. This is the weekly report we were asked to complete. It ask for completed activities for the entire week. Of course the activity was not to do anything, so it was not applicable for us because we were asked not to do any work. So there were no activities. The only activities were on Fridays because the report was due on a Friday. So the only activity was to prepare and submit the weekly report. Then they asked us to give an ongoing activity. Again, you told me not to do any activity so that is not applicable. And then they asked us to do challenges and setbacks to do nothing. I didn’t have any challenge and setback to do nothing at all. So that was not applicable. Then there is a part where they asked us what we intend to do the following week. That again was not applicable because you instructed me not to do any work.”
There’s a shift happening inside the Auditor General’s Department and it’s all about ethics. According to Henry, many longtime auditors who were around more than a decade ago refused to sign on to the department’s code of ethics. Most of them have since moved on. But here’s the twist, newer employees have signed the code without fully understanding what they agreed to.
Gerald Henry, Public Officer
“The reason why we did not sign is because in addition to what we showed, there was an additional part where it speaks to discipline. That part was the dangerous part for us. That part said the office can discipline us at any time for any reason and we could be disciplined by the institute of chartered accountants which is a private body. So that is the reason why. That was added to the code of ethics from the international organization. If that was not there we would have signed, let me say it that way. We would have signed no problem at all.”
Reporter
“So the workers have signed on?”
Gerald Henry
“Yes because they don’t know better. They don’t know that it contains that part and how dangerous it is. They went to all lengths to have us sign this thing. We went to retreats, had parties and at the end of those events, oh we have the code of ethics we want you to sign. We remained steadfast that no matter how they brought it we said no. we maintained that it was a dangerous document to sign so we refused to sign.”
A review of an online copy of the code of ethics shows that disciplinary matters are coordinated by the Public Service Commission. We will continue to follow.
The road to reform in public transportation just hit a speed bump. The Belizean Bus Association is pushing back hard against a bold new plan from Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh, who’s proposing a single, unified National Bus Company. But not everyone’s ready to hop on board. Bus operators say the idea sounds more like a fantasy than a feasible fix, and BBA President Thomas Shaw made that crystal clear in his comments earlier today. Here’s what he had to say.
Thomas Shaw, President, Belizean Bus Association
“First of all, they are saying no, due to the fact that it’s a concept and there is no final preparation. There is no legislation. Whatever he’s saying, what he wants the operators [to do] needs to be done. What needs to be done by the operators, but in reality if you’re serious about change, what the operators are looking at is that they have been in this industry for many, many years. Some have been in operation for over fifteen, twenty years and you didn’t ask the operators if they want to exit the business. You didn’t ask them if they want to sell their franchise. You’re telling them now that you’re going to open this company, we’re going to value your assets and if you want to join the company, you can put that back into shares. What the operators are looking at right now is that some operators only have one run, now if you buy into shares, you know, that goes by dividends. One of the big question is, “How will the dividends be shared? Will it be monthly, will it be annually, will it be quarterly? And these are some of the concerns with the operators. These are some of the concerns because one operator said, “You know, Minister, I had a dream and my dream was to pass on my legacy to my kids. Now, if this thing takes place, your dreams are shattered.”
Fighting cancer takes more than medicine, it takes a plan, a purpose, and a passionate community. Today, the Belize Cancer Society held its annual general meeting, celebrating milestones and confronting the challenges of the past year. But the big news? The launch of a bold five-year plan aimed at boosting early diagnosis and building stronger international partnerships. President Kim Simplis-Barrow says it’s all about saving lives and strengthening support for those in the fight against cancer. Here’s more from today’s event.
Kim Simplis-Barrow
Kim Simplis-Barrow, President, Belize Cancer Society
“We really focused on what we have accomplished and where we want to go, which really ties into our strategic plan for the next five years. And one of the main focus that we want to do, is we really want to focus on prevention and healthy living. It’s so very important that we start targeting or looking at our younger generations and educating them on living healthier lives. We know that when you’re diagnosed with cancer at the early stage, we it’s easily treatable than when you’re diagnosed at that late stage. And so that. It is our focus. We, of course, want to continue our partnerships with the Government of Belize, and the Ministry of Health and Wellness. We want to continue our partnerships with all our organizations that we work with, and of course with the community. It’s important that we continue to access not just local partnerships, but international partnerships. Why? Because with international partnerships, we get access to training. We get access to the equipment, we get access to helping our healthcare providers be more effective and efficient in diagnosing cancer and in, in the quickness of getting our cancer patients to care. We continue with our navigation objective, which the Cancer Society, of course, is in education institutions. We provide education. We provide a navigation process for cancer patients so that they, we all know that when we’re diagnosed with cancer, it’s overwhelming. And so whatever we can do to help a cancer patient navigate this process, it is part of our mission.”
Public Service Union members staged a bold protest outside the Philip Goldson International Airport this afternoon as it ramps up pressure on the Briceño administration amid a simmering trade dispute.
Wearing yellow and holding signs, union members gathered near Terminal One, just metres from where tourists entered the country. The protest quickly escalated after PSU President Dean Flowers was barred from entering the terminal and had his vehicle booted.
Flowers told the media: “I am here to pick up people who are coming in on that flight that just landed… How come, as a citizen, I cannot come pick up my people who are coming in?”
Police presence around the area was visibly increased.
“I was requested to do some office visits at the PGIA. I am carrying out my legal responsibility as president of this union,” Flowers said. “It is not my fault that the Briceño administration is afraid that the visitors of this country [are] informed of the oppressive administration that he’s administering.”
Union Senator Glenfield Dennison and First Vice President Annisa Gonzalez also condemned the heightened security response. “We don’t have freedom of speech anymore or freedom of congregating,” Gonzalez said.
Flowers confirmed that his vehicle was locked and faced a charge of $50 to unlock his vehicle.
This afternoon’s demonstration is part of the PSU’s protest against the government’s refusal to meet its full 8.5% salary adjustment demand.
