Author: Benita Keme-Palacio

Belmopan City Council Clears Social Security Arrears

After years of outstanding payments, the Belmopan City Council has successfully settled hundreds of thousands of dollars in arrears. This brings the Council into full compliance with Belize’s social security requirements.

The Belmopan City Council stated earlier today, “In just nine months, Mayor Cawich, along with the Councillors and their team, has managed to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars in arrears to Belize Social Security—an achievement the Council is immensely proud of.”

In a formal statement from the Social Security Board (SSB), it was confirmed that the Belmopan City Council is now fully compliant with Social Security legislation.

“I write to confirm that the employer, Belmopan City Council, bearing employer number D333, is currently fully compliant with the Social Security Legislation and its ensuing regulations as it relates to the payment of Social Security contributions for his full cadre of employees,” said SSB in the letter.

In June 2019, a Belmopan City Council employee was denied sickness benefits by the Belize Social Security Board (SSB) due to a lack of contributions. The mayor at that time, Khalid Belisle, confirmed that the council had fallen over $100,000 behind in payments but had made an agreement with the Social Security Board to pay off the arrears by July. He clarified that once the arrears were paid, the council would stay current with future payments. To address this, the SSB introduced a policy to publicly shame employers who fail to make contributions, alerting employees to the issue.

Similarly, the Belize City Council had also owed around $77,000 in unpaid contributions, which was later addressed by PUP Mayor Bernard Wagner.

 

Belmopan Student Injured After Confrontation with Mental Health Patient

A video capturing an altercation between high school students and a male mental health patient has reportedly left one student seriously injured in Belmopan.

The video footage shows a group of students approaching the man, who already appeared to be agitated. One male student walked up to the man with what appeared to be a stick in his hand. The video shows the students inflicting a whip.

The man responds by striking back, injuring the student. The student is immediately heard saying, “bwai, man chop me mein!”

The man is seen walking away after the incident. The student was left with a wound on his back. 

 

Belize Women Celebrate Completion of Animation Bootcamp

Belizean women are stepping into new career opportunities after completing the Animation Bootcamp for Women Empowerment, a program designed to equip them with essential digital skills in animation and graphic design. This initiative is providing the tools needed for success in the expanding global market.

The bootcamp, which reached Corozal, Belize City, and Orange Walk, taught women and girls how to create original animated content that they can copyright and share online. A total of 76 women were awarded certificates during the closing ceremony, with the event concluding by recognising the top three participants for their outstanding work in animation.

After five months of training, the graduates are now ready to contribute to industries like film, gaming, and marketing, playing a key role in the growing “orange economy.” This sector, part of the global creative industry, contributes 3-6% to the world’s GDP.

The Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Lily Li-Wen Hsu, congratulated the participants and welcomed them to the digital world. “Use this new tool to tell stories… and transform your creative ideas and content in the ever-changing digital world.”

First place winner, Sogelyn Cabrera, called the bootcamp “a wonderful experience.” Third place winner, Pricilla Acosta, added that despite challenges along the way, she unlocked the creative side in her.

At the launch of the workshop in Orange Walk in August 2024, Prime Minister John Briceño stated that the animation industry could offer flexible job opportunities, especially for women unable to leave home due to caregiving responsibilities.

The program was led by the Ministry of Investment’s Investment Policy & Compliance Unit, the Taiwan Technical Mission, the National Women’s Commission, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

New NHI Clinic Opens in Belama II

The Belize Medical Associates (BMA) team, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, officially opened the new BMA National Health Insurance (NHI) clinic in Belama Phase Two on Wednesday evening. The clinic will offer primary care services for common illnesses like cold and flu, along with specialised services including gynaecology, ultrasound, and blood tests.

At the opening ceremony, Minister of Health and Wellness Kevin Bernard told News 5 about the importance of this new clinic in expanding healthcare access. “It’s a very important relationship because NHI is a service that provides primary care to our population,” Bernard explained. “While we have our public facilities, we also need to ensure that citizens have access to other services within the private sector.”

This clinic is part of the government’s initiative to enhance healthcare accessibility across Belize through the NHI program. Bernard pointed out the affordability of the services, saying, “It costs a penny… for you to access quality healthcare. A pregnant woman, for instance, can access an ultrasound for a fraction of the cost.”

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of BMA, Doctor Victor Rosado, added, “We firmly believe that healthcare should be accessible, should be affordable, and should be of high quality.” He said that the NHI management committee has been placing facilities in “strategic areas so that everybody has geographic access to these clinics.”

 

SP Taxi Federation Puts Protest on Pause

Vice President of the San Pedro Taxi Federation, Ademir Vega, told News 5 this morning that the taxi associations have put their protest on hold until next Wednesday. He said that a meeting between government officials and the federation is set to take place that day. Vega stated that based on the outcome of that meeting, the federation will then determine if its members will go ahead with the protest or not. 

As we have been reporting, San Pedro taxi drivers gathered outside Mayor Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez’s office on January 9 and demanded a solution to what they see as unsafe and unlawful behaviour affecting their business and the safety of tourists. 

The taxi drivers say that they have acquired a permit to organise a formal protest to continue pushing their cause.

Last week, Vega told us that golf cart rental companies are operating illegally at the San Pedro ports area and offering ‘unauthorised’ transportation to tourists. According to Vega, these companies are violating regulations, as their trade licenses specify they must operate from their office locations, not ports of entry. He said that despite raising concerns for nearly three years, there has been no action taken by local authorities.

Mayor Nuñez told News 5 that his administration has been looking into the issue with the guidance of an attorney. However, he clarified that the terminal is private property, limiting the council’s authority over the area.

Vega stated that the taxi associations would be taking legal action to resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, on January 10, the San Pedro Belize Express (SPBE) issued a statement addressing concerns over taxi operations at their new terminal. The water taxi service clarified that no taxis are being banned from picking up or dropping off passengers. In fact, the terminal’s parking lot is still under construction, and the company is working on improving traffic flow for both taxis and passengers.

SPBE added the importance of maintaining order and reducing congestion, with security and police personnel on-site to assist with traffic management. The company has set a maximum wait time of 10-15 minutes for taxi pick-ups and drop-offs to prevent delays.

“Once the terminal’s construction is complete, proper signage will be placed throughout the compound to clearly guide the flow of traffic,” SPBE said in its statement.

Driver Flees After Fatal Crash on George Price Highway

A fatal crash on the George Price Highway near Mile 47 on Thursday night has left one woman dead and the driver of a pickup truck injured.

Authorities report that the woman was killed in the collision. The driver of the grey pickup truck was injured and transported to Western Regional Hospital for treatment.

The driver of the Camaro reportedly abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into nearby bushes. Police are actively investigating the incident and searching for the suspect.

The investigation is ongoing.

 

Belizean Cops Are Off to Dubai and Honduras for Training

Two Belizean police officers are set to enhance their skills abroad through specialised training. The Belize Police Department announced today that the Deputy Commander of the Orange Walk Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police Armando Dubon, is heading to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the police constable Kennara Trapp is off to Honduras for a four-year training.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Dubon will begin a four-month diploma course in Policing Innovation & Leadership on January 25, 2025. He departed Belize on January 11 and was selected after a competitive process, which included a panel interview. The course will allow him to engage with experts and explore new methods to improve law enforcement practices.

Meanwhile, PC Trapp, with the San Ignacio Special Operations Team, will head to Honduras for a four-year Officer Cadet Training at the National Police Academy (ANAPO), starting on January 25. Trapp successfully met the rigorous physical, medical, and educational requirements for the program. Once completed, she will return to Belize with enhanced expertise in police science, which will aid in her future role in the department.

 

OAS Has Awarded 800+ Scholarships to Belizeans Since 2018

Since 2018, the Organization of American States (OAS) has awarded over 800 scholarships and enabled Belizean students to pursue higher education and professional training that would have otherwise been out of reach. This initiative is part of the OAS’s ongoing collaboration with Belize’s Ministry of Education to create a more inclusive and sustainable nation through education.

In a statement issued on Monday, OAS stated that it has “established itself as a leading provider of scholarships for Belizean students.”

The organisation says it has also helped Belizean children and teachers embrace the digital age, with over 3,900 students benefiting from digital lessons and 920 teachers gaining new skills. In the past year alone, 197 scholarships were awarded, while Belizean educators were benefiting from specialised training in subjects like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Blockchain at the OAS Youth Academy.

“The OAS understands that scholarships have the power to transform the lives of individuals, and education can break the cycle of poverty,” the organisation added.

Additionally, up to 300 teachers are set to receive training in computer science and robotics, benefiting thousands of students in the coming years. 

 

Wildtracks Has New Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility 

Wildtracks has unveiled its newly completed wildlife rehabilitation facility, backed by a $150,000 investment from the Belize Fund for Sustainable Future. The cutting-edge facility is set to significantly enhance the rehabilitation efforts for endangered species like manatees and primates, bolstering the protection of Belize’s natural heritage.

Originally built over 30 years ago for environmental education, the centre now supports manatee rehabilitation (since 2000) and primate care (since 2010), with the new facility bringing significant improvements in capacity and efficiency.

Key upgrades to the facility include dedicated food prep areas for both manatees and primates, along with a “fruit room” designed to store tropical foods like bananas and papayas. A larger, fully equipped first-aid clinic will now handle health assessments and veterinary care on-site, while expanded storage areas improve organisation and access to equipment.

Additionally, the project has trained 24 participants in project planning and grant writing, developed manatee conservation plans for Corozal Bay and Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuaries, and provided training to nine wildlife authority officers in manatee rescue and rehabilitation. 

 

Belize Joins Caribbean in Turning Sargassum into Economic Opportunity

Four Caribbean nations are stepping up to turn the growing sargassum seaweed crisis into a powerful economic opportunity through the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funding.

Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Belize are among the selected countries to receive support for innovative projects that will transform sargassum into valuable resources for industries like agriculture, waste management, and renewable energy.

The initiative is a response to the increasing influx of sargassum seaweed that has negatively impacted tourism, fishing, and coastal ecosystems in the region since 2011. It aims to tackle the environmental damage caused by sargassum while providing new pathways for sustainable growth and coastal resilience.

According to the IDB, “This initiative was launched to identify and support solutions that leverage advanced technologies and innovative practices to harness the potential of sargassum biomass and enhance the resilience of coastal communities in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Among the selected projects, Caribbean Chemicals will create safe products for crops by reducing arsenic and heavy metals in sargassum, while Belize will implement a Waste Recycling Environment Network to manage sargassum and produce high-quality compost and fertilisers.

By implementing the Static Pile Inoculated Compost Extension (SPICE) composting process, the Waste Recycling Environment Network in Belize seeks to sustainably manage sargassum and other waste materials. Through the production of high-quality compost and liquid fertilisers, it aims to enhance local agriculture while minimising the environmental impact of waste.

 

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