Brianna Bennett - Greater Belize Media

Deputy Prime Minister Says Government Has to Do More

The cost of living in Belize has been steadily rising, even as it declines in other parts of the world. While the COVID pandemic initially drove up prices on supermarket shelves, those prices have been dropping globally—just not as quickly in Belize. Today, Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde clarified that the government isn’t to blame, as they haven’t raised a single tax on grocery items. He pointed the finger at the merchants instead. We asked him about the government’s efforts to discourage merchants from hiking up their prices.

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

“There’s a time of the year when they collect a lot of money, and there’s a time of the year when they don’t. And then usually, they have problems meeting their bills in the times when they don’t, but if you’ve had the contract for as long as you’ve had the contract and there’s no other business in town., there’s no other game in town. Then you have to be able to sit down and reason and work through these things. Like, you shouldn’t get here. And then, I mean, the city’s dirty as it is. Even with the garbage being picked up on a regular basis. So, something’s gonna have to give. So, I think central government is going to have to sit with local government and find out exactly what is the situation and see what we can do from here.”

Reporter

“Will you advocate or suggest a garbage tax?”

Cordel Hyde

“We’re not there. We’ve not been there for the last six years. I don’t see why we would have to go there now. We just have to figure out how to pay our bills and make sure that we’re consistent with that. I mean, they’ve been doing it for the last six years. I see no reason why they shouldn’t, why they can’t continue to do that. So, I am not advocating for the garbage tax at all.”

SOE In Sugar Industry Over Fusarium Disease

Earlier, we mentioned that the Ministry of Agriculture is working hard to keep Belize free of screwworm. However, there’s another issue at hand—a fungal disease called fusarium has led the ministry to declare a state of emergency in the sugar industry. This disease is reportedly affecting forty thousand acres of sugar cane. So, how will this impact the start of the 2024/2025 sugar crop? We asked Minister Mai for his insights.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“We declared a state of emergency. We had an S.I. signed two weeks ago declaring a state of emergency. Under the previous act, there was no provision for that. So, we had to amend the act to include plant and animal diseases to try to draw down resources from our neighbors, partners in development. I was at COP 29 for the first time in my life, and I went there not to profile or take picture. My message was very clear. Our farmers are suffering from the effects of climate change. What are we going to do about it? While I was there I spoke to my team and they presently formally requests from ICA. It has been approved in principle. So what we are working on is the details of the resources that will come to us to help us find a way to mitigate the effects of fusarium. It has to be a program. It is not a silver bullet. It is a whole program that will include biologi9cal control, different cropping systems, integrated crop management, new varieties, bringing in varieties from Brazil that that are resistant to fusarium. ICA will provide money for that.”

Paul Lopez

“What is the implications of the state of emergency for the start of the sugar crop?”

Jose Abelardo Mai

“The crop will begin, as soon as weather improves. If there is enough cane out there to start, we will start. We have to continue. The fields that have fusarium will eventually die out.”

MSMEs Share Ideas at BELTRAIDE’s 7th EntreCon

Today, the Belize City Civic Center buzzed with excitement as owners and managers of micro, small, and medium enterprises gathered for BELTRAIDE’s seventh entrepreneurship convention. This event marked the grand finale of a year-long celebration of entrepreneurship month. Dubbed EntreCon 2024, the convention focused on the theme “Powering Small Businesses with Big Data and Artificial Intelligence.” News Five’s Marion Ali filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Today, BELTRAIDE wrapped up a year full of activities for micro, small, and medium enterprises. It all kicked off with a countrywide roadshow that connected small business owners with the formal sector, banks, and the advantages of using artificial intelligence (AI). BELTRAIDE’s Executive Director, Ishmael Quiroz, explained that the convention aimed to bring together everyone involved in micro, small, and medium businesses, along with public and private agencies that support business development.

Ishmael Quiroz, Executive Director, BELTRAIDE

“The idea is to come together and share information, provide knowledge and a networking opportunity and have a space to reflect on a specific topic relevant to small business development. BELTRAIDE can always be contacted at www.BELTRAIDE.bz and we have continuous training support services on offer and please feel free to contact, become a client of the Small Business Development Centre and access the services that are available.”

Wilana Oldham, the owner of Hot Mama’s Belize, spoke at EntreCon today. She shared how her company has expanded over the years, adding more hot sauces and condiments to their lineup, all with the support and guidance of BELTRAIDE.

Wilana Oldham, Owner, Hot Mama’s Belize

“Over the years they have really helped me in so many different ways – going to trade shows, taking my product to trade shows, getting training, just opening up a lot of avenues for me, so I totally recommend any entrepreneur out there that’s considering, they must get involved with BELTRAIDE because they do bring a lot to the table.”

One of the hottest tools in concept and design development right now is artificial intelligence. Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde stepped in for Prime Minister John Briceno at today’s event. Hyde highlighted that AI can significantly boost small businesses, and the government is all in on promoting its use for this purpose.

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

“There’s so many things the government is doing where AI and big data is concerned for small businesses, and to give these businesses an opportunity to succeed, like, you can’t be left behind, you have to participate, you have to get with the program, so we have to embrace it, we have to navigate it, but we have to try to manage it too, because it can go wrong in a lot of ways, but it can do so many good.”

Individuals who want to start their own small business can contact BELTRAIDE for technical advice and guidance at www.BELTRAIDE.bz. Marion Ali for News Five.

Will G.O.B. Bail CitCo Out of Garbage Woes?

The Belize City Council has faced this issue many times before, struggling to pay its garbage collection fees. It seems the problem has resurfaced, and the central government might need to step in. Today, Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde explained that City Hall experiences peak and slow seasons for collections, and as it enters a slow season, it is having trouble meeting its commitments. However, he does not support introducing a garbage tax on residents to cover the shortfall.

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

Reporter

“Will you advocate or suggest a garbage tax?”

Cordel Hyde

What, Lee Mark versus Shyne in Mesop?

Earlier this week, a flyer promoting businessman Lee Mark Chang as a U.D.P. candidate for Mesopotamia started making the rounds online. The idea of a Tracy Panton supporter potentially challenging incumbent Area Representative Moses “Shyne” Barrow grabbed the public’s attention. However, Mark later denied any prior knowledge of the flyer and didn’t confirm his candidacy. We spoke with Freetown Area Rep Francis Fonseca to get his reaction to his former opponent’s potential run.

Reporter

“What do you think of your former opponent. Lee Mark supposedly seemingly thinking about running in Mesop?”

Francis Fonseca, Area Representative, Free Town

“Interesting development. I really honestly I’ve not had an opportunity to pay much attention to the ongoing circus in the UDP. But obviously that development, if it takes place would be another very serious layer in terms of this drama that’s playing out for us. So we’ll have to wait and see.”

Ralston Frazer is Shyne’s Standard Bearer for Belmopan

Ralston Frazer is a familiar face to Belmopan residents. As the former City Administrator and a past councilor, he’s now stepping up as the standard bearer for Belmopan under Moses “Shyne” Barrow’s leadership. Today, he told News Five that he’s been a loyal U.D.P member for many years and feels it’s time to serve the community in a new way. We asked him about his chances, especially with his party in disarray and an election likely less than a year away.

Ralston Frazer, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Belmopan

“With God, all things possible, humanly speaking, and according to the current situation, under which the UDP exists and so forth, one would more than likely conclude that our chances of winning is not very good, but I firmly believe, like have been seen before in history, in political arenas, including in Belize, the political party, things can turn, a switch can be flipped and things can turn, and the UDP can become a quite formidable entity over the next, I don’t know, whatever month for whenever the PM calls election. So I think the chances of winning is always left to a day to day situational position. If can get ourselves together, I firmly believe within the next month, two months, I believe, if we have that much time, I believe we can, we can make a mark. But the UDP is going through a lot of internal warfare right now. Unfortunately, yes. And so the voters are saying out there, well, it’s not even a strong opposition. How will it make a strong government? Well, I’ll tell you this. When a strong person is sick, the strong person has become not strong because he or she is sick, but with the right medication, with the right doctors, with the right prognosis and so forth, that person can recover and can recover quite speedily and become that strong person that they were just days before they got sick. So for me, being weak is not a permanent state. Being weak is a situation that can change with the correct importation of what you need.”

Minister Says Land Clinics are Tedious Work

Land clinics were a hit when Plan Belize announced that the P.U.P government would make it easier for first-time landowners to get a piece of land. But it’s been a while since we’ve heard any updates. Today, the media asked the Minister of Natural Resources, Cordel Hyde, about the progress. He admitted that the tedious process has been taking a toll on him.

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

“Land clinics have slowly been killing me. It’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of work, it’s a lot of work. We’ve been – we’ve had so many clinics all over the country, but it is how we carry them upon to the people of Belize. It’s how we make the services that are far out of reach of ordinary people accessible to them and lots of time like Monday I was involved with a family for an hour and a half solving a problem -an hour and a half. Normally you don’t get to do that, but that problem has been solved for twenty years, and I think we finally figured out how to solve it.”

Belize and Guatemalan Officials Meet to Talk Energy and Border Security

Earlier this week, Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala, Jose Alpuche, met with Guatemalan officials at the Municipal Office of Melchor de Mencos. They tackled several pressing issues, including border security, transportation, and energy. Today, Minister of Foreign Affairs Francis Fonseca shared more details about these important discussions.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“It was just a part of his normal duties. He engages with these communities. We’re always looking for opportunities to strengthen our cooperation and ties. And we’ve been looking at border issues, in particular trade issues. That’s essentially what he was doing.”

Reporter

“And a part of it that they had mentioned was electricity, but someone mentioned that in Belize we have our own issues with electricity. So how would that work?”

Francis Fonseca

“It’s all a part of our plan for developing more sustainable alternatives, energy alternatives renewable energy. So there are many people in the private sector, both here and outside of Belize in the region who are interested in what is happening here in Belize and providing energy not only to Belize, but to the region. That’s what he was talking about. That’s what they were talking about. A sort of fact finding mission to to determine exactly how we can address these issues and look at possible projects, especially as you mentioned in the area of energy. Renewable energy.”

Bridging the Gaps in Education Caused by Covid-19

All Saints Anglican is now officially a Doodle Learning School. It’s been four years since the COVID-19 pandemic turned our world upside down, forcing communities into isolation and pushing education online. This shift left many young children with gaps in their learning. But today, there’s good news. The Ministry of Education donated several Chromebooks to the school, allowing students to fully participate in the Doodle Learning program. This innovative initiative gives students the chance to boost their Math and English skills. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Early childhood development is crucial, as these years lay the foundation for a child’s entire academic journey, especially when it comes to learning how to read. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to shift to online classrooms, which hindered many children’s academic progress. Today, the Ministry of Education took a big step to address this by handing over Doodle Learning Tablets to All Saints Anglican Primary School in Belize City. This initiative aims to bridge the gaps left in the wake of the pandemic.

Collin Estrada, Principal, All Saints Primary School

“During COVID we lost some time even though we had online classes. And when we had done Even our own internal assessments. We know that how some students are behind. And so this program will aid in terms of being able to fill the gaps that are there. So that our students will be able to be at level.”

The tablets are equipped with Math and English lessons, targeted for standard four students. The program is licensed by the school for one year so that the current standard three students will benefit as well when they advance to standard four.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“Students in that age group of say ten to twelve were most affected. And then it also highlighted, no surprise to us, it also highlighted that in these foundational areas of math and language, reading spelling, timetable those things were specific areas that were identified as areas that were weak. And those are obviously foundational subjects and foundational areas. So we had to come up with a plan to target that, and this is a part of that response. It’s not, obviously it’s a part of a much larger response to this issue that has been ongoing for many years.”

The project, sponsored by the International Development Bank, is set to expand and reach students across the country.

Francis Fonseca

“It’s going to target six students across the country from seventy different schools, seventy government and grant aided schools. It’s going to be for three years certainly in the first instance. So it’s a good initiative and the whole idea is to make, to take a very interactive, fun, experiential kind of approach to learning because we know that’s how young people today learn.”

Recent graduates of the school were not able to benefit from the program as it was launched after their graduation. Estrada assures us that while these children were at the school, they received all the extra help the school could offer at the time.

Collin Estrada

“One of the things that we at this institution tried as much to do during that period was that we had the Google Suite and even up to the point that we had here whereby we were able to lend students computer to be able to take home so there won’t be that much of a deficiency. Okay, so I could tell you while we are going through COVID during that time, we because of a donor, Anwar Barrow and our barrio, we had repurposed some funds and we were able to get in computers. And so we were able to loan them to our students who were in standard 5 and 6 at the time.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

St. Joseph RC Primary School Learning Robotic Through FIFA Donation

Saint Joseph RC Primary School is on a mission to educate the next generation of STEAM experts. Today, the school received forty robotics kits and other supplies from the Ministry of Education. This generous donation is part of FIFA’s Digital Education Program, a three-year initiative introducing computer science and robotics to primary schools worldwide. Belize is the first country in the region to participate, representing one of six continents. At the ceremony earlier today, Minister of Education Francis Fonseca explained how Belizean students will benefit from this exciting project.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“This is, as I said, a collaborative effort between the Government of Belize, the Ministry of Education, Football Federation of Belize, and the FIFA Foundation. The whole objective is that We’re trying to, of course, continue the work of ensuring that we’re equipping our students and teachers with competencies in programming, robotics, computing. So this is a program, we’re doing it here at St. Joseph’s today, but it will affect about ten thousand students across the country, and three hundred teachers are being trained. The entire objective of the program is, as I said, to ensure that our students are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to fully participate in this new world of technology.”

Britney Gordon

“And we heard them say on the podium that Belize was the country chosen for this entire continent. How did that come about?”

Francis Fonseca

“Yeah, that’s very interesting. Yeah, it really, we have to give credit to Prime Minister Briceño. He had a meeting with both the president and chairman of FIFA in New York, I think about two years ago. And so that really was the beginning of this process. He established that personal contact with them. And so it was out of that relationship that Belize was eventually. And so we followed up on that. We have to give credit to the Prime Minister.”