It was announced on Open Your Eyes this morning the government’s intent to designate two weekends in December as GST-free.
Henry Usher, Minister of Public Service, Constitutional and Political Reform, and Michelle Longsworth, Director General at the Belize Tax Service, announced that certain items will be tax-free on specific days this December.
“It’s the season of giving, and it’s about giving back,” said Longsworth. She added, “We are now announcing that we will have GST tax-free days in December. This coming weekend, which is the 14th and 15th, Saturday and Sunday, and next weekend, the 21st and the 22nd. Weekends that are high spending in this month, these days will be GST free.”
Longsworth advises citizens to “ask for the receipts” to verify that the tax-free offer is being applied at the register. She added that this will take effect across Belize.
“In short, it’s local retail immediate and final sales, sales that you will pay for and take home with you,” Longsworth said. “The entire month of December, not only these GST tax-free days, from today you go out and buy your imported turkey and imported ham; those are tax free,” Longsworth added.
“This is a targeted initiative… a targeted relief efforts for the consumers, for the Belizean citizens,” Usher said.
Certain products will not be included in the tax exemption, such as cigarettes, alcohol, fuel, firearms, and vehicles.
This initiative is valid from December 9 through to the 31st.
Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow along with Michael Peyrefitte, Alberto August, Shary Medina and Hugo Patt, has filed an application for contempt orders against Tracy Panton.
They have requested the Supreme Court to take decisive action for her alleged failure to comply with a judgment and an order issued by Justice Hondora on November 8, 2024.
The claimants are asking the court to commit Panton to three months in prison for the alleged breaches. Alternatively, they are requesting that she be ordered to pay $500 into the Consolidated Revenue Fund within seven days. If the payment is not made, the claimants are seeking that the three-month prison term be imposed.
The application also includes a request for the costs of the proceedings to be awarded to the claimants and for any other relief the court deems appropriate.
Healthcare professionals, parents, and organisations gathered in Belize City for the first conference on premature births to raise awareness about the growing number of preterm births in the country. This event coincides with the delayed observance of World Prematurity Day.
Neroli Williams, Nurse Unit Manager of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), said that the event was originally scheduled for November 17 in observance of World Prematurity Day but was postponed due to Tropical Storm Sara.
Although there has been a slight 2% decrease in premature births over the past year, Williams stated that it is not a significant change. She said, “But it’s nothing significant. So every year we celebrate the day by bringing back all the babies to the NICU or to KHMH to celebrate and to see how they’re doing.”
Today’s conference addresses early prenatal care, especially for women with rising rates of diabetes and hypertension, which could potentially reduce premature births. Williams stated that many women from rural areas face challenges in accessing healthcare, which may contribute to higher rates of premature births.
Williams said that in Belize, babies born at 28 weeks are considered viable, although countries like the U.S. have a threshold of 24 weeks. “But the risk factors, the developmental milestone might be delayed and we will not know that until the age comes for that milestone,” she added.
These risks can have lasting effects, but efforts are being made to reduce complications and improve outcomes for these vulnerable infants.
A new report from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) reported alarming levels of violence faced by Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and other ethnic women and girls in the Americas. PAHO says that while violence against women is widespread across Latin America and the Caribbean, women from certain ethnic backgrounds are disproportionately affected.
In 2022, PAHO conducted a study to examine available data, identify gaps, and determine next steps. The study found that while some countries have improved data collection on violence against women from specific ethnic groups, more efforts are needed in collaboration with Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.
“Understanding the magnitude of violence against women, as well as its risk factors and consequences, is key to preventing and responding to gender-based violence in our region,” stated Anselm Hennis, Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at PAHO.
The report calls for a comprehensive approach to violence prevention, including addressing different types of violence, their causes, and their consequences, while also considering the discrimination faced by women and girls from various ethnic groups.
The release of this report coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence and leads up to International Human Rights Day on December 10.
Belize’s National Women’s Commission (NWC) has been part of this ongoing global effort, especially as the Belize Police Department reported a five percent increase, or 1,250 cases, in 2023 alone.
“We are telling women, Report it, even if you choose then not to take it to court, not to have press charges; report it, report it, report it,” stated Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Chairperson of the NWC. At the launch of the annualSixteen Days of Activism against gender-based violence held in the House of Culture in Belize City on November 22, Garcia-Ramirez explained that reporting helps create a documented history of abuse and becomes crucial for obtaining restraining orders and securing necessary resources.
As Belize joins nations that are at the forefront of the global transition to clean energy, a pressing challenge is becoming clear: the shortage of skilled professionals to power the country’s renewable energy sector. “With the industry growing so quickly, we’re going to have a lot of boats on the water, but not many captains available to steer them,” said Silvan Kuffer, co-founder of Solar Energy Solutions Belize (SESB), a solar company in Belize.
The rise of solar energy in Belize comes at a time when the country is working to reduce its reliance on imported electricity and shift towards more sustainable energy solutions such as solar energy. According to the Belize National Energy Policy 2023, the cost of solar panels has dropped significantly, from US$1200 per kilowatt (kW) to US$200 per kW. This price reduction makes solar energy more accessible and it creates a convenient opportunity for Belize to take advantage of the abundant sunlight.
While the resources and opportunities for solar energy in Belize are growing, the question remains: Does the country have the skilled workforce to support this growth? Without qualified technicians, the country risks failing to meet its energy goals of becoming a low-carbon nation by 2040.
The Growing Need for Skilled Workers
With a population of just over 400,000 (2024 est.), Belize faces a challenge common to many small countries: a limited pool of professionals in many sectors. According to the Ministry of Education’s Statistics for 2022, only 732 students were enrolled in Vocational and Technical Education. This is important to note.
As companies like SESB point out, the most significant barrier to the country’s renewable energy growth is the shortage of technicians. The CEO of the Ministry of Public Utilities, Energy, and Logistics (MPUELE) Jose Urbina also recognised this shortage, stating, “There is a shortage of skilled technicians for solar energy, which is a huge challenge for us.” Urbina added, “Without technicians to install and maintain the systems, it becomes difficult to expand renewable energy capacity.”
The real question may not be whether Belize can use its solar potential, but whether it can do so without the skilled workers needed to make it possible. To tackle this, the government is working through its technical training institutions to close the skills gap and build the trained workforce needed for a sustainable energy sector.
The Solution to Belize’s Workforce Gap?
Since being established in 2010, the Institutes of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ITVETs) have become a crucial solution for developing a skilled workforce to meet the needs of various technical and vocational sectors in Belize’s economy. These institutions provide practical, hands-on training in fields that are essential for the country’s development.
One such example is the collaboration between ITVETs and the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), which has helped to design a two-year renewable energy program at ITVET-Belize City. This program, launched under the Ministry of Education (MOE) with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), made it possible to equip “students to acquire practical, industry-standard skills to allow them to better contribute to Belize’s sustainable energy goals,” said MOE’s CEO, Dian Maheia. She stated that the program covers a range of topics, including solar energy, wind energy, and other sustainable technologies.
“The partnership with NSCC has been invaluable in ensuring that the curriculum at ITVET-Belize is up to date and aligned with industry standards,” Maheia said. Through this collaboration, instructors have been trained to teach renewable energy practices, which is what ITVET instructors have been “very vocal in demanding to better prepare themselves,” said Urbina.
Challenges in Solar Education and Training
Despite the integration of renewable energy programs, ITVETs still face several challenges. One of the challenges includes ensuring that students enter the programs with the necessary foundation in mathematics and physics, which are crucial for understanding solar energy systems. Reuel Black, the Manager of the ITVET in the Belize District, said that even with a high school diploma, “The biggest problem with students is their levels in mathematics and physics for renewable energy.”
To address this challenge, CEO Maheia stated that MOE has implemented the “integration of foundational scaffolding into the program structure.” She added that “several mandatory support subjects were included in the first semester of the first year of the program.” These courses are designed to help students strengthen their understanding of these essential subjects before diving into the technical aspects of solar energy. However, Maheia said that MOE “recognises that the institute may need to either offer preparatory and/or remedial classes.”
Additionally, Black said other difficulties include attracting enough students to make the courses sustainable. Since the launch of the program in 2023, only eight students have been certified. He said that without enough students for a second cohort, the program is currently on hold. Black explained that the cost of running the program and maintaining the necessary equipment can be a barrier for interested students. “We don’t have the amount of students to subscribe to run a course because we need to at least break even,” he said. “We have to pay the instructor; we have to buy materials and so on and maintain the labs.” Black also pointed out the challenge of keeping students focused: “Some students stay on their telephones, and you have to actually tell them to pay attention.”
In contrast, the Orange Walk ITVET will be certifying its first cohort of 60 students in the Electrical Installation program, which includes solar energy as part of the curriculum. The manager, Armando Gomez, said that these students have gained hands-on experience in solar panel installation and system maintenance along with a second trade offered simultaneously.
The instructor leading the solar energy courses at Orange Walk ITVET, Jose Solis, stated that many students who were initially apprehensive about solar energy have found it more accessible than they expected.
One of the key challenges at Orange Walk ITVET was obtaining the necessary equipment. Solar panels and related materials can be expensive, and “securing funding for these resources was not always easy,” Gomez said. However, Gomez attributed the institute’s success to strategic investments—much of which came from student fees—the institution now has a fully functional solar setup that powers part of their workshop.
Expanding Education in Renewable Energy
As Belize moves closer to its renewable energy goals for 2030 and 2040, ITVETs will play an increasingly important role in training a sustainable workforce in the energy sector. However, CEO Urbina added that it’s not only about training at ITVETs and providing certifications but also working closely with the University of Belize to develop engineering courses. This collaboration ensures that both technical and academic education support Belize’s energy transition.
Urbina explained this ambitious expansion will require additional resources, more instructors, and further investment in training equipment. As the country’s renewable energy goals scale in size, Urbina said that MPUELE aims to “try and identify the equipment needed, and hopefully in the near future, the Ministry will be able to purchase or procure that equipment and be able to donate it.”
Belize’s National Cricket Team is heading to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to compete in the Men’s T20 World Cup Regionals. The team departed from the Phillip Goldson International Airport this afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
In a phone interview, Roy Young, manager of the team, spoke about the tournament’s importance. “This tournament is leading towards the T20 World Cup in 2026,” he said. “We are playing in the competition for the Americas. There are nine teams that are playing in this phase of the tournament… Bermuda, the Bahamas, Mexico, Panama, Argentina, Brazil, Suriname, and the Cayman Islands.”
The top three teams from this phase will advance to a tournament in Canada in 2025. Young added, “From that four, one team will emerge to go on to the World Cup in 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.”
Young said that “The energy is very high. We are hopeful that we will be in the top three.”
Police are investigating a robbery that occurred in Benque Viejo Town.
28-year-old Carlos Alfredo Reynoso Zacarias, a construction worker from Guinea Grass Village, reported that he and his wife were travelling on Mollejon Road when two men emerged from nearby bushes.
The suspects, armed with a firearm, demanded Zacarias’ motorcycle, valued at $3,500 BZD.
Authorities are now seeking the two individuals involved in the incident.
A 32-year-old fisherman from the San Mateo Area in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, has been arrested and charged with sexual assault.
According to police reports, the arrest follows a report made by a 39-year-old woman on Monday, December 2. Police say a 39-year-old woman was walking around 6:30 p.m. when two men approached her. The woman told police that one of the men greeted her with “Good night” and walked past, while the other grabbed her left buttock.
She reported that when she asked, “What is the problem?” The man threw a drink at her.
Police arrested the suspect on December 2, charging him with sexual assault.
Police are investigating a fire that destroyed two houses in the Orange Walk District on Monday, December 2.
According to an initial police investigation, the fire started around 11:30 a.m. in San Jose Village when 64-year-old business owner Concepcion Rosa was inside her shop. Rosa reported that she saw smoke coming from the back of her home and, upon checking, found her house fully engulfed in flames. The fire then spread to a nearby wooden building belonging to 90-year-old labourer Fabiano Rodriguez.
Authorities are continuing to look into the cause of the incident.
A father from Guinea Grass village in Orange Walk is urgently seeking help for his 38-year-old son, Pedro Novelo, who is suffering from peritoneal carcinosis (PC) and suspected hepatic cirrhosis. According to Dr. Jorge Falcon’s medical report, Pedro was “admitted on 16th May, 2024, due to abdominal pain/Dengue. He underwent surgery (exploratory laparotomy) on 21st May, 2024, due to intestinal occlusion.” Dr. Falcon further reported that Pedro’s “findings were peritoneal carcinosis and suspected hepatic cirrhosis.”
Peritoneal carcinosis is a serious condition where cancer cells spread to the peritoneum, the thin membrane lining the abdominal cavity. It can occur as a result of various types of cancer, including ovarian, colon, stomach, pancreatic, and appendix cancers.
Amadeo Novelo says Pedro fell while working in the fields cutting cane, and the injury worsened his existing health condition. Since the accident, Pedro’s health has deteriorated, severely affecting his lungs and intestines.
“He was cutting cane and fell. Then my son was taken to the hospital. Then the doctor said that he takes a lot of pills for and that affected him,” said Amadeo.
Amadeo said that Pedro was hospitalised for five months at the Northern Regional Hospital (NRH) in Orange Walk and underwent surgery to remove part of his intestines. However, the surgery revealed that his illness had eaten away at his intestines, leaving him in a critical state. Amadeo further explained that after his son was discharged from NRH, the doctor informed the family that Pedro will unfortunately no longer be able to work. “We’ve been spending a lot; we’re taking care of him, but he can’t work. I’m 69 years old now,” said Amadeo.
Since being discharged, Pedro has been under the care of his mother, but the family is struggling to cover basic needs. “We are spending a lot on Pampers. A pack of Pampers costs about $19. Right now, his mother is using pieces of cloth to clean and bandage his wounds. Cloths that she has to wash with bleach and reuse because we cannot afford new ones,” he added.
The family is pleading for the assistance of anyone to help with medical supplies, food, and basic necessities. “I ask the public, if you can help me, I’ll appreciate it. Every little bit counts,” Amadeo stated.
Pedro’s next doctor visit is scheduled for December 19. That’s when the family will know when the next surgery will be. However, the family is unsure how they will manage the costs and prepare Pedro for that procedure. They are asking for donations, especially food and medical supplies like gauze and a waist belt for Pedro’s recovery.
Anyone who wishes to help can contact Amadeo Novelo at 650-4078.
