Brianna Bennett - Greater Belize Media

Cellular Word Strengthening Connections Through Technology

Today, Cellular World Belize held an exciting live forum all about the latest in technology and the hurdles that come with it. Key speakers from Dell and Epson were on hand to share their industry know-how and explore new business opportunities in Belize. Earlier, News Five’s Britney Gordon was at the conference to get the scoop on these hot topics. Here’s her report.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Technology is moving at lightning speed! In just the past few years, tools like artificial intelligence have revolutionized industry, pushing both consumers and technicians to keep up with the rapid changes. Cellular World Belize hosted a lively forum today to dive into the ever-evolving tech landscape. The General Manager of Cellular World shared more insights with us.

Joel Cervantez, General Manager, Cellular World

“Besides also being the leading company in electronics we decided to bring to Belize both Dell and Epson. Why? One, Epson who sells these printers and the eco tanks, which we are seeing and noting for our different, in the education department especially, for families, you can purchase it at a much lower price and the inks are much cheaper. And with Dell. We are a gold partner with Dell, and as such, what is happening for the future in the next era in artificial intelligence and cyber security? How can they partner with us? What is it that we can offer along with our products? Laptops, computers, and all that. This is for us to make give awareness to the Belizeans. And once again, we want to take that lead and we are doing so.”

The forum was a collaboration between Cellular World, Epson, and Dell. At the forum, representatives delved into the big issues facing the tech industry and shared tips on how technicians can tackle these challenges head-on. Dell representative, Byron Urbina explained what the key areas of concern were.

Byron Urbina, Regional Pre-sales Representative, DELL

“The main topics are, for example, cyber security. Belize, as the rest of the countries in the region, are facing a new era of cyber-attacks and the idea is to present how Dell is presenting the products and how Dell is helping to prevent that kind of attacks. And the second topic is artificial intelligence, how our products are bringing international intelligence in every aspect of the design of the product, from the hardware design, or even in the monitoring and intelligent monitoring, and help to the end user to be aware of the all AI power from Dell to the hardware.”

The teams also brainstormed ways to grow their business and let Belizeans know about the variety of products they offer. Rashmi Ranmarine, Regional Account Manager at Epson, highlighted that Belize’s consumer market is a perfect match for their products.

Rashmi Ranmarine, Regional Account Manager, EPSON

“Epson is a Japanese company, and one of the key pillars of this Japanese company is to be more environmentally conscious, to reduce our carbon footprint by the year 2050. I’ve realized that in my research, that Belize is very also environmentally conscious, and I think it’s a great fit in terms of how we can support each other as two different entities in making I thought it was just an exciting opportunity to be here and to show that side of Epson.”

Cellular World employees will also be receiving training to strengthen the technical support they are able to offer to Belizeans.

Joel Cervantez

“We will have training programs for our employees and we need to be ahead of the game. AI is real, cyber security is real, and unless we go and be at the forefront, then we cannot offer that to our customers if we are not trained ourselves. And as leaders in electronics, in cyber security and all that, that we want to be. We have to do that first.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Belize’s Miss Earth Returns Home After Month in the Philippines

The International Miss Earth Pageant has wrapped up, and Belize’s own Morgan Miles is back home. This pageant gives young women a stage to voice their concerns about environmental and social issues. Today, News Five’s Britney Gordon caught up with Miles as she returned from the Philippines.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

When people think of pageantry, they often picture stunning dresses and high heels. But for those in the know, pageantry is all about having a platform. Every contestant vying for the Miss Earth 2024 crown is championing an important environmental cause. Today, Belize’s own Morgan Miles returned from the Philippines after a month of competing.

Morgan Miles, Miss Earth Belize

“I think one of the things that I definitely took over there was my heritage and my pride that I have for Belize. Belize is so culturally diverse and there is just so much hidden jewels and hidden adventures and things that Belize has to offer. And so I took especially my advocacy conservation and sustainability over there and I got to share that with everyone over there on the international stage and that was just mind-blowing.”

While the Miss Earth Pageant might not have the same global fame as some other pageants, it champions equally important causes. Contestants are all about promoting green living, sustainable development, and a cleaner future. Morgan Miles, Belize’s representative, has always loved the outdoors, with hobbies like fishing and canoeing. She never saw herself as a pageant queen, but she stepped out of her comfort zone because she truly believes in the platform she represents.

Morgan Miles

“My passion for the environment and sustainability and conservation has all really come together and kind of created one with the pageant because me, by profession, I am a sustainable farmer. I own Fat Farmer, where I supply different health foods, restaurants, and hotels with packaged whole chickens. And then I also stand for conservation in the fly-fishing industry in Belize. So I really want to bring more awareness of these things and why there’s a need for it, not only in Belize but worldwide.”

Joining her on this incredible journey was Mia-Paige Miles, the Director of the Miss Earth Belize Pageant and Morgan’s sister. She shared that one of the most rewarding parts of the experience was seeing her sister shine as her true self on an international stage.

Mia-Paige Miles, Director, Miss Earth Belize

“So, seeing Belize on an international stage, our small country, Belize, represents itself very largely when we go abroad. So seeing Morgan, especially both personally and professionally, seeing her on the stage showing her advocacy was something that hit close to home. And I’m glad that we could have shared that with everybody.”

Morgan’s reign will last for a year, and during this time, the team hopes the Miss Earth Pageant will keep growing and draw in more supporters. Even though she didn’t win the coveted title, Morgan is determined to use her platform to inspire other young girls to get involved in conservation and believe they can be the change they want to see.

Morgan Miles

“I think just being a role model now that I am is something that blows my mind, continues to blow my mind daily. I myself never thought that I would have been a pageant queen, but I really put myself out there and I just want to encourage a younger generation, the youth, to be who you are. Stand up for you, who you are. If you believe in conservation, sustainability, these are the things that we need to start portraying more. Bring out your inner personality, inner you, and just show off the least of the best of your ability.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Mayor Says CEMO Monitoring Approaching Tropical Storm

Tropical Storm Sara is brewing and could start moving westward next week. If it forms, it’ll be the eighteenth named storm of this Atlantic Hurricane Season. Right now, it’s expected to head towards the Gulf of Mexico, but we’re still not sure how strong it’ll get or its exact path. The National Emergency Management Organization is ready, and today, Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner mentioned that CEMO is also keeping a close eye on Sara’s progress and power.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“Our city emergency NEMO. and the Met Office and we are closely monitoring, the track of this system here. But we stand ready as a city. We hope it never comes to fruition. We never want to be impacted by any hurricane or disaster. Because the fact is that, it really sets you back as a country, and especially as a municipality that has its own struggles.”

Introducing Belizeans Justice Movement

This morning at the Belize Institute of Management’s conference room, a new grassroots movement made up of fourteen standard bearers from across the country was introduced to Belizean voters. The group, called the Belizeans Justice Movement, is led by Orange Walk resident Friday Pfizer. During a press conference, Pfizer shared the story behind the movement, emphasizing that they don’t see themselves as a third party, even though they’re stepping into the political arena ahead of the next general elections.

Friday Pfizer, Belizeans Justice Movement

“It came about roughly since 2016. 2016, I decided to tour the entire country because knowledge is power. You need to know so that you can express and you can let people know what it is that is needed, and what I gathered from everybody, every district, every village has their own little problem, but everybody cries for one thing, social justice. That is what is needed and I did it because simply, I just want to know my country. I want to know my people, and when you know someone you get to find out what their needs are, and if you can help in any kind of way, personally I can’t, but with a group of men and women who are not politicians, who are servicemen and women, we can make the change.

Condace Lowe, Belizeans Justice Movement

“I was raised in the country of Belize, so I consider myself as a Belizean. So I have a lot of friends and friends and family throughout the country, so they do know who I am. I stick to my principle and I stick to what I believe in for our country. What I believe in this country is that we are lacking in a lot of things. And therefore, I was introduced to this group, hearing their mission, hearing their vision and all of that, and it’s in line with what I want to see the country to progress. I am from Corozal District, I’ve been helping with my community there, especially with the homeless. They understand me and I help them out; not only for the homeless, but also for the less fortunate people.”

Is BJM a Legitimate Third Party?

Rudy Wade is throwing his hat in the ring for the Cayo Central constituency. As a former law enforcement officer, he’s pinpointed several pressing social issues that need immediate attention, especially healthcare. Joining him in raising these concerns is Abner Bacab from San Pedro. Bacab, who was one of the three mayoral candidates in the March sixth municipal elections, is now running under the ‘melon banner’ this time around.

Rudy Wade, Belizeans Justice Movement

“ It’s just that it’s so sad that the media they only see the two-party system, so when it comes to a movement and a third party, per se, there’s not much visibility and highlights. But we see the need and we see the direction that the country is going and it’s not good. Starting from poverty, starting with the healthcare system, starting with unemployment, starting with our security forces, it’s not good. And, a thing that hits me is that the healthcare system in this country is really, really bad and it needs fixing, and we have good plans. We, the Belizeans Justice Movement, have good plans in carrying out that mission. The Belizeans Justice Movement is comprised of regular people, my brother, no attorneys, no man carrying a briefcase, no doctors. We are grassroots, farmers, retirees, retired teacher.”

Abner Bacab, Belizeans Justice Movement

“Belizeans Justice Movement is here to promote justice. Justice comes in many ways: equality, improvement in healthcare, improvement in work, improvement in salaries, improving the lives of our Belizean people. One of the many reasons I decided to join the movement was because I’m involved in healthcare service in San Pedro. It’s privately owned, yes, but remember, San Pedro is the number one tourist destination in the whole country. San Pedro gives back to the Government of Belize so much money and we don’t get it back. We don’t even have a hospital.”

Another Fresh Face in Electoral Politics

Meet Leroy Lisbey, another fresh face in politics hailing from the Cayo District. This former public officer is passionate about fair land distribution and boosting the agriculture sector. Here’s what he had to say.

Leroy Lisbey, Belizeans Justice Movement

“I decided to enter politics because I have seen a lot of the injustices happening in the country of Belize. For instance, in the unequal distribution of land that affects most of our citizens. We need to make sure that the land be distributed to the people that are in need, make land available for the landless. The market roads are in deplorable conditions and we need to upgrade these so that the farmers have access to reach their farms and bring out their produce so that the prices of the vegetables or whatever it is their producing be reduced. Another great issue that I see happening is that we need to revitalize the industry like banana, citrus, and the cane industry. Those are the things that generate income to this country and they are just left aside. How can we become productive in that way, in generating revenue, improving these sectors? All of these are things that affect Belize as a nation. Of course, I am a retired public servant, as I said earlier, and I have seen where they have put public servants below other people.”

Belizeans, Get Ready for Ligemeri Watu!

The Ugundani Dance Group is putting on a variety show this Saturday at the Bliss. This vibrant collective has been dazzling audiences since the Eighties and is still going strong nearly forty years later. The goal of the show is to raise funds to help preserve Garifuna culture. Organizer Mathew Martinez has more details to share.

P.M. Says He Does Not Understand Senate’s Logic

Today seemed like the perfect moment for Prime Minister John Briceño to call for a general election, and many thought he would. So, when the house meeting kicked off with a speech from PM Briceño that felt more like a state of the nation address or a campaign pitch, everyone expected him to announce an election date. But that didn’t happen. We’ll explain why later in the newscast. First, let’s talk about Belize still being without an auditor general, even though the government keeps running. On Monday, the Senate blocked a motion to appoint Deputy Auditor General Maria Rodriquez as the acting auditor general. She would have filled the role for four months while a permanent auditor general was found. However, neither the opposition nor the social partners backed the motion. They argued it didn’t make sense to appoint a temporary auditor general for such a short period. So, they voted it down. At today’s House of Representatives meeting, Prime Minister Briceño was asked about the Senate’s decision. He suggested we should ask the ‘geniuses that voted against it’.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I think that is a question you need to ask those Senators that voted against it. I cannot understand their logic. It is a flawed logic. The point is that we don’t have an auditor general. We wanted to appoint a temporary one while we advertise and have people to come in and apply for that post. Looking at either in house or outside the service. We do recognize that it is a very specialized skill and looking at it we may need to pay them more than what the serious pays. I think you need to ask the geniuses that voted against that, because we were without an auditor general and the work of government continues. Senator Peyrefitte pointed out that was the same reason Ms. Bradley’s contract was extended and during that time you guys were unable to find a replacement. And What is the guarantee that after the four months one would have been found? There is only one way to find out. So what happens now, you try to put a rush on it? Absolutely not. We are going to go through the four month period and when we find an auditor general that is adequate then we proceed.”

$300,000 Supplementary Not for Early Election Preparations

A couple of weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed a one-point-six-million-dollar supplementary allocation, and the Senate couldn’t do much to change it. Among the line items was three hundred thousand dollars earmarked for the Elections and Boundaries Department, sparking rumors that it was for early election preparations. However, the Prime Minister didn’t call for an election today and dismissed the speculation, saying people are getting worked up over nothing.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“People the get excited over nothing. Remember the three hundred thousand, we had a by election in July and we did not present a supplementary budget to pay for it. So, we had to use other resources. So, we are paying back the monies from what we did, we advanced monies to Election and Boundaries, now we are replacing the monies we used for by elections. And I know the U.D.P wants us to get them out of their misery by calling an election so they can decide who will be the next leader. So we are going to call the election when we believe it is the right time. There is still a lot of work, as I pointed out in my presentation, thanking the Belizean people for that awesome mandate they gave us. We have done a lot but there is a lot more to do. When we say we have reduced poverty by half that does not mean everybody rich, we still have a long way to go. That is the case that we are trying to do.”

PM Says He Will Call General Election “Anytime in 2025”

Any rational person might think the Briceño administration would seize the chance to call a general election while the U.D.P. is dealing with its internal conflicts. However, P.M. Briceño confidently states that it doesn’t matter when the election is held—the U.D.P. won’t win.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Both sides recognize that they are not going to win. But they believe that once we have the elections things will settle and they can settle their affairs. So they are looking at the elections for that. And, yes if I was another kind of politician I would have called the election six months ago. But it us not about that. It is about doing the work you are elected to do. I take that very seriously and I know sometimes we joke around and whatever, but this is an awesome responsibility that has been entrusted on us. And, me as the leader and the Prime Minister, I cannot be gloating and boast. I am looking and saying, when will be best to hold the election. Yes, I also have to think when will be best so we have an advantage of wining. If I don’t say that nobody would believe me. That is apart of the calculus. Right now we have a lot of work that is why we have said we will not call elections in 2024. Anytime in 2025 we will be able to call the election. That is why I tell everybody get ready, but you should have been ready from day one.”