Belize becomes the first English-speaking Caribbean nation to sign the Inter-American Convention on the Protection of Human Rights of Older Persons. Belize signed the convention on Monday, December 16, and now joins 12 other countries, including Uruguay, Costa Rica, and Mexico.
According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), around 106 million people over the age of 60 live in the Americas, with that number expected to reach 310 million by 2050, including 190 million in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Convention, adopted by the Organization of American States (OAS) in 2015, seeks to ensure that people aged 60 and older can fully enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Convention Belize signed covers 27 specific rights, including access to healthcare, social security, political participation, and community involvement.
A new group of criminal and civil mediators will be sworn in at the Senior Courts of Belize on Thursday, December 19. The Court says that the new cohort of court-connected civil and criminal mediators has completed a rigorous training and certification process that will be essential in assisting the court to resolve disputes efficiently without the need for full trials.
Their role is part of Belize’s ongoing efforts to improve alternative dispute resolution and enhance the delivery of justice across the country.
Chief Justice Louise Esther Blenman will lead the ceremony on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. at the High Court in Belize City.
The UK Government is backing Belize’s seaweed industry with nearly £100,000 in funding. The funds will support the Belize Women’s Seaweed Farmers Association (BWSFA) by helping local farmers build a more sustainable, profitable seaweed industry while creating jobs and strengthening the country’s resilience to climate change.
The initiative is named Empowering BWSFA: Strengthening Sustainable Seaweed Mariculture through Capacity Building, Marketing, and Innovation. This project addresses critical challenges within Belize’s blue economy, including overfishing, unsustainable practices, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. BWSFA President Jalima Gold spoke on the importance of expanding seaweed mariculture and promoting both environmental stewardship and economic growth.
British High Commissioner Christine Rowlands expressed her strong support, stating, “We are happy to continue our partnership with BWSFA; through the Blue Social Challenge Fund, this project will empower local communities to develop Belize’s blue economy, grow its mariculture sector, and continue to build climate resilience.”
The project also plans to launch a marketing campaign and develop ecotourism opportunities through seaweed farm tours to generate income and raise awareness about sustainable practices.
Sherret Cuevas, Elvis’s eldest sister, told News 5 that Eliana is slowly recovering. She said, “The swelling on her face has gone down. She can now speak much better. She can drink. First, she was unable to drink.” However, Cuevas says that young Eliana’s missing teeth and damaged tongue have prevented her from eating solid food.
Though initially feared to have lost two fingers, doctors confirmed that only her thumb was damaged, and it is healing well. However, fragments from the gunshot remain in her face, and doctors have decided not to remove them and allow the body to manage them naturally.
The children are now under the care of their aunts and uncles, who are working with social workers to ensure they get the emotional support they need. The family has assured that counselling will be provided as soon as possible for the children to help them heal. “The sooner, the better… we want to do what’s best for the kids,” Cuervas stated.
If these days you’re one click away from “find my device,” imagine having the same chance at “find my furbaby.” After the heartbreaking loss of her “furbaby,” Ranger, June Erickson is on a mission to make sure no one else has to go through the same pain. When her service dog, Ranger, went missing the night of August 25, June was devastated to realise how difficult it was to reunite lost pets with their owners.
“In my despair, I decided that I wasn’t going to let this happen to anyone else. So I started a lost and found page. It’s called Lost and Found Animals of San Pedro,” said June. She added that since the launch of the Facebook page, it has gained over 600 members and has already helped reunite nearly two dozen pets with their owners.
June said that while many people saw Ranger running around, no one took action to bring him to safety. “All Ranger needed was one kind soul to bring him to SAGA or San Pedro Animal Hospital, and they would have found he was chipped and had a family who loved him,” she said.
Eventually, after days of not finding Ranger, June and her husband, Curtiss Erickson, believe that Ranger passed away due to heat exhaustion, starvation, and thirst.
The loss of her furbaby led to a bigger movement known as the Ranger Warriors Foundation, a nonprofit organisation with a bold goal: to microchip every dog and cat on the island. With the launch of this microchipping program, June is working to set up scanning stations across the island. Currently there are three scanners on the island, including one at Saga Humane Society.
She explained that this will make it easier for pets to be found. June says the system works by scanning the “rice-sized chip” and the owner getting instantly notified through a free registry. However, June emphasised that the chip must already be registered, because “a chip is nothing if you don’t register it.”
With 16 additional scanners on the way, June said, “I want this to be a community-wide effort where people can easily find a scanner, no matter where they are.”
To date, 29 pets have already been microchipped, and she says she has about 80 more microchips left to use. But she says this is only the beginning, as the bigger vision is to expand the program nationwide. “The goal is to chip every dog and cat, even strays, so that no animal goes ignored again,” she said, “and if someone abandons a pet, we’ll know because they’ll be chipped.”
Tomorrow, June is partnering with the San Pedro Animal Hospital to microchip more pets. Anyone interested can set their appointment ahead of time to ensure a smooth process.
Alison Parker’s, UNICEF Belize Representative, four-year term is coming to an end. In her last official meeting, Parker met with the Governor General of Belize, Dame Froyla Tzalam, to express gratitude for the support towards UNICEF’s efforts during her term.
Since 2020, Parker has worked to improve the lives of children in Belize, including through the National Children’s Parliament and improving the healthcare program in Belize.
Since 1982, UNICEF has supported Belize’s Professional Community Health Worker program (ProCHW), which was highlighted in a recent research journal publication by 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐭. This initiative took a step forward in August with the launch of a new CHW manual in August 2024. During the launch ceremony, UNICEF’s Belize Representative Alison Parker said in her address, “CHWs serve as a crucial link between the formal health system and the community, addressing unmet health needs and enhancing health-system resilience. It is essential that they receive adequate training and support to provide optimal care. UNICEF will continue to invest in a trained, professional, and resilient community health program reaching all children.”
As countries face global challenges like climate change, political instability, and pandemics, experts say investing in proCHWs offers a strategic solution to strengthen health systems.
This Saturday, December 14, the doors of the newly renovated welcome centre in San Jose Succotz were officially opened. The transformation of this once-dilapidated structure promises to offer tourists a more organised, informative, and enjoyable start to their journey while also benefiting the local community.
The centre features a staging area, restrooms, a playground, and a pergola, serving as a central hub for visitors and tour guides to share cultural and historical information. The Belize Tourism Board expressed their excitement, stating, “We are excited to announce the official opening of the San Jose Succotz Welcome Centre, a modern 5,000-square-foot facility.”
This project was a collaborative effort between Cayo West Area Representative Jorge Espat, the Belize Tourism Board, and the Succotz Village Council.
Today, Trinidad and Tobago is reeling from the tragic loss of Lisa Morris-Julian and two of her children, who perished in a fire early this morning. Morris-Julian, a Member of Parliament for D’Abadie/O’Meara and Minister in the Ministry of Education, died alongside her six-year-old son, Jesiah, and twenty-five-year-old daughter, Xianne. The fire broke out around 6:15 a.m. at their Farfan Street home, destroying it.
Morris-Julian’s husband, Daniel Julian, was injured in the blaze, along with two other relatives. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago visited the scene to offer condolences to the grieving family. One of Morris-Julian’s colleagues described the loss as “more than just heartbreaking,” adding, “The whole of Arima mourns her passing.”
Morris-Julian had a distinguished political career, serving as Arima mayor, deputy mayor, and a member of Parliament since 2020. Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar expressed the nation’s sorrow, saying, “The nation awoke to the horrific news of the tragic passing of MP Lisa Morris-Julian and her two relatives earlier this morning.”
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire.
As you deck the halls and prepare for festive meals, fire safety should be at the top of your list. Experts warn that Christmas trees, cooking, and decorations can quickly become hazards. But with a few simple precautions, you can keep your home safe and your celebrations merry.
To prevent accidents, experts recommend using flame-resistant decorations, keeping candles away from flammable materials, and inspecting lights for damage before use. Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) advises monitoring all outlets to ensure they remain “cool to the touch.” BEL added, “Hot outlets should be checked out immediately by a licensed electrician.”
For safe cooking, keep these in mind: never leave food unattended, use timers, and keep children and pets at least three feet away from cooking areas. Always have a fire extinguisher on hand and use caution when frying food.
And did you know that using artificial Christmas trees is better than using the real deal? If opting for a real tree, remember that it will need to get watered daily to prevent it from drying out. Keeping it from drying out keeps your tree from becoming a fire hazard. Consider decorating your tree with LED lights; they are safer than traditional lights.
Another key safety tip is to avoid overloading your electrical outlets. Plugging in too many cords can trip breakers and lead to a fire. Don’t use multi-outlet adapters with cords already in use, as each cord has a limit to how much electricity it can handle. BEL stated that “Overloading it is a bad idea and a common cause of electrical problems. It could even lead to a fire in your home.”
BEL advised the public to “distribute the plugs evenly among outlets” and use “a UL Certified Surge Protector is a great way to help manage the load.”
While many are looking forward to 2025, others are dreading the year already. Nearly 30 years after Tejano music legend Selena Quintanilla-Perez was tragically murdered, the woman convicted of killing her, Yolanda Saldivar, is eligible for parole.
Saldivar was convicted of murdering Selena in 1995, but the Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirmed that her 30-year sentence ends on March 30, 2025.
Carlos Valdez, the former Nueces County District Attorney who led Saldivar’s prosecution, said in a recent interview, “When I was trying this case 30 years ago, I looked around and saw thousands of people all interested in this case, and to myself, I thought, ‘All this is gonna be gone in five years… People are going to forget about Selena, and I was so wrong.”
Under Texas law, inmates sentenced to life in prison for first-degree felonies must serve 30 years before being eligible for parole. And although Valdez successfully secured a life sentence for Saldivar, the parole process is now underway.
However, Valdez believes that releasing Saldivar would be a mistake. “Thirty years later, there is so much interest in the case, and I believe—I really believe—that the safest place for Yolanda would probably be where she is,” he said.
Even after three decades, this case remains one of the most high-profile in history. With loyal fans worldwide, it begs the question: Is it safe for Saldivar to be released?
