Earlier this year, Minister of the Blue Economy, Andre Perez, mentioned that the fees for archaeological reserves would go up, but that deadline has already come and gone. Today, Minister of Education and Culture, Francis Fonseca, explained to reporters that the delay was just due to some technicalities, like paperwork. He now says the new fees will kick in with the New Year.
Francis Fonseca, Cabinet Minister
“As you all know, November 1st, we’ve now said it will take effect on January 1st. There were also some discussions with some of the cruise operators, uh, so cruise ships, and, and I think there was a sense that perhaps we needed a few more weeks. So everybody agreed that January 1st would be the best time.”
Belize: The Caribbean Beat in the heart of Central America – many of us grew up hearing this catchy phrase on Radio Belize. But how much does Belize benefit from this identity? You’d think that being part of both the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Central American Integration Organization (SICA) would help Belize forge strong trade relationships and get more of our products into the export market. That’s exactly what we discussed with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade today, as the Belize City Council proudly raised the flags of twenty-two countries and territories that are part of these two organizations. News Five’s Marion Ali has the story.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Raising the flags of CARICOM and SICA member countries at the flagmonument at the Northern entrance to Belize City was a powerful symbol of the unity and partnership Belize shares with these organizations. This act celebrates our fifty years with CARICOM and twenty-six years with SICA. Today, Mayor Bernard Wagner highlighted this symbolism, proudly showcasing our connection with these regions at the city’s northern gateway.
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
“Today we certainly rededicate a monument that carries not just the colors and symbols of the Caribbean and Central America regions, but also the spirit of unity, the spirit of pride, the spirit of friendship shared across our region. Today we stand at the Belize City Flag Monument, a twenty-four-year-old gift from Barclays Bank that once served Belize, now finding new life as we restore its original tradition and significance.”
But how much has this symbolism and these partnerships benefited Belize, in terms of trading our products with them? Month after month, reports from the Statistical Institute of Belize highlight a clear imbalance between our imports and exports – we bring in way more than we send out. So, after the flag-raising ceremony, we asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade how the symbolism of our memberships in CARICOM and SICA can translate into real economic benefits. He said that as far as CARICOM is concerned, the support has been more political in the past, but that Belize is now seeking economic growth through that link.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Min. of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade
“Because of their strong commitment to Belize’s self-government, to Belize’s independence, to Belize’s territorial integrity, to our right to self-determination, CARICOM has been a seamless block of support in terms of that effort for Belize, so political development has been really the priority, I think, for many, many years. Now I think, over the past decade or so, I think there has been a renewed effort on Belize’s part to look at economic development. How can we benefit economically from these regional organizations? And that’s where I think we have a real opportunity, and we have been working very aggressively on that issue over the past few years here in Belize.”
Fonseca mentioned that similar efforts are underway to boost our economic benefits from SICA. He highlighted a trade and investment delegation to Guatemala, led by Prime Minister John Briceno in August of this year. He suggested that distance might be our biggest hurdle with CARICOM, while with SICA, the challenge could be the language barrier.
Francis Fonseca
“Maybe it was a language barrier, but definitely I don’t believe that we have made a concerted effort to engage with SICA. I’ve done a lot of work with CARICOM, and of course distance is an issue, really it is very far, and so it, the cost of trade is increased. We’re working to make sure that Belize joins these regional organizations like SIECA, which is like the economic arm of SICA, and other organizations, that will allow us to be at the table to engage in meaningful dialogue, discussions about economic development and investment.”
And if the discussions go in our favour, Belize could expect to export more agricultural products to these regions and also attract tourists from them as well, Fonseca said.
Francis Fonseca
“These markets are big. For example, in Guatemala, we have seventeen million people. In terms of chicken and beef, poultry and beef, markets for our grains, markets as well for in terms of tourism, we’re always looking at these countries.”
Mayor Wagner said that the flags will be flown year-round, except for the month of September. Marion Ali for News Five.
On Tuesday, the residents of San Narciso in the Orange Walk District gathered for the handover of plumbing materials for a new water system. Ministers of State Ramon Cervantes and Ramiro Ramirez, along with UNICEF Country Representative Alison Parker, presented the materials to the local water board. While in San Narciso, the junior ministers also inaugurated a new solar energy system for the village. Here’s more from the brief ceremony.
Ramon Cervantes
Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs
“Within the framework of the project rational use and development of renewable energies in the SICA countries, the community of San Narciso was a beneficiary of this initiative under the national project through the use of renewable energy sources, ensuring potable drinking water access and safer communities in Belize. Designed under this framework and financed by the Republic of China (Taiwan) through the Central American Commission on the Environment and Development. This project, albeit small, contributes to meeting the electricity demands that have skyrocketed over the past year. The 22KV SMA grid tie solar system will assist the San Narciso water board with a saving of approximately one thousand, one hundred dollars monthly. This saving can be used to expand and/or modify the current network to be more efficient. It is also hoped that with such investment, water-saving measures will be put in place to reduce the water loss. This investment here, of a hundred and thirty thousand, as my colleague said, benefited one thousand, one hundred households and a population of approximately six thousand, seven hundred and fifty persons. We cannot deny the fact that climate change is a reality.”
Speaking to the crowd, Corozal Southwest Area Representative Ramiro Ramirez expressed his gratitude to the Government of Taiwan for their help in providing the solar panels. He also emphasized the importance of water conservation, especially with the new water system on the way.
Ramiro Ramirez
Ramiro Ramirez, Minister of State, Rural Transformation
“I want to give thanks to Taiwan for giving us not only this opportunity but my ministry, our Ministry of Rural Development had benefiting from these projects all over Belize. We had inaugurated something like this in Machakil Ha and elsewhere down south. Thank you, Taiwan, for helping us with such a program that you are bringing here in Belize. The water is very essential, we spoke this morning about the water, especially with the environment that we are having these days. We are having too much water but that noh means that the water one of these days won’t be scarce. We have to be real, we have to be human, we have to take care of the water. Before, when we use to brush our teeth, we had a glass of water. Now that we have all the facilities with the water board and the system, we just open the faucet and we forget that we are brushing our teeth. We’re throwing away water and we need to mind and take care of the water because it’s very important.”
What about the idea of a film school in Belize? A local film company is reportedly planning to use Galen University’s film industry classes to make this happen. Minister Fonseca thinks it’s a great idea, but he mentioned that they need more details about the plan to figure out how the government can support it.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education & Culture
“It would be a good opportunity but I’d really have to see a proposal from them. We’d have to look at it and determine how that would work and how it would complement what we are already doing here in belize. Um, but certainly, um, you know we welcome opportunities for our people to to get you know, um exposed to Areas of media and film and that sort of thing. That’s something that’s lacking um, so You know, we we would certainly in principle welcome it but we have to look at a more detailed proposal to determine if it’s something We would support.”
It’s an exciting prospect, and with the right backing, it could really put Belize on the map in the film industry.
She was the U.D.P.’s mayoral candidate for the March sixth municipal elections, with Moses ‘Shyne’ Barrow as the undisputed leader at the time. But what a difference eight months can make! Now, there’s confusion over who the real U.D.P. leader is—Barrow or Albert Area Representative Tracy Taegar-Panton. The big question is, who will be the standard bearers in the next general elections? Each leader wants their own executive and their own set of candidates to go up against the P.U.P.’s thirty-one. It’s been a week since Panton took over the party’s headquarters, along with the radio station and newspaper at the Youth for the Future Drive location. Today, News Five’s Marion Ali sat down with Doctor Nelma Mortis, the U.D.P.’s former mayoral candidate, who candidly shared that she has suspended her campaign as the Caribbean Shores Standard Bearer under the ‘Shyne’ Barrow banner until a court decides who the true U.D.P. leader is.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Many of you will recall Dr. Nelma Mortis, the UDP mayoral candidate from the March elections. She was appointed as the party’s standard bearer for Caribbean Shores in August, under the leadership of Moses ‘Shyne’ Barrow. However, a lot has changed since then. Now, Mortis has announced that she is suspending her campaign until there is a clear decision on who is the true UDP leader.
Nelma Mortis
Dr. Nelma Mortis, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Caribbean Shores
“People are asking what is happening. People that you don’t even know that they know you. What is happening with the party? Where are we going? I mean, it has affected all of us. I got endorsed the same day, boots Martinez got endorsed.”
Marion Ali
“So you’re still campaigning?”
Dr. Nelma Mortis
“I suspended until the clouds are clear.”
Mortis has two relatives, including a nephew, Ian Jones, who were at one point close to Collet Area Representative, Patrick Faber. They supported Barrow when he became leader and continue to support him. While the chaos has been embarrassing to the U.D.P., Mortis believes that it is something good for the party and all the disputing factions need to do is to take transformative actions to realign with the party’s ideologies.
Dr. Nelma Mortis
“That internal force that is causing all this chaos and confusion is not something bad at all. If the force would have occurred from outside, then we know it would have been an end of the United Democratic Party. But when change occur, and we are in a modern democracy, so change comes upon us. And when we do not accept it, things like this happen. So that internal force that is occurring within the UDP, should make us evolve. And that would be the beginning of reform or growth. Whoever takes the lead.”
Mortis says she will be guided by the court’s decision on who is leader. Until then, she agrees with Jamaican attorney, Dr. Christopher Malcolm on who is the present leader.
Dr. Nelma Mortis
“Professor Malcolm just solidified my position that I have been observing for very long in terms of saying by the constitution, by the law, that “Shyne” Barrow is the leader of the United Democratic Party.”
Marion Ali
“So what’s your take on the convention that was held?”
Dr. Nelma Mortis
“I did not know that section of the constitution that says that a convention should be held every odd year. And so the odd year was last 2023, this is 24. So the next convention should have been 2025. According to the U.D.P Constitution.”
Marion Ali
“But it also states that a special convention can be called if delegates.”
Dr. Nelma Mortis
“It says the special convention can be called in the case of an emergency. What is an emergency? Now, I will openly confess just like Professor Malcolm, that the constitution has room for interpretation and that is what is happening. They interpret it accordingly. And that is the first reform that should occur once the U.D.P. gets back its stability.”
The big day is here! Americans are heading to the polls to choose their next leader. This election isn’t just about the U.S.—its outcome will ripple across smaller developing countries and those with diplomatic ties. To see how Belizeans think the results will affect Belize, News Five’s Britney Gordon hit the streets of Belize City. Here’s what she found out.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
For many Belizeans, today might feel like just another Tuesday in November. But for Americans everywhere, it’s a pivotal day that will shape their country’s future for the next four years and beyond. It’s the final chance for Americans to vote and decide who will be the next president of the United States. This year’s contenders are Kamala Harris from the Democratic Party and Donald Trump from the Republican Party. Earlier today, we chatted with some Belizeans to see if they’re following the election. Some were very keen on the outcome, while others weren’t as concerned.
Tony Anthony
Tony Anthony, Belizean
“Yes, I’m keeping up with it and what really happened, I ride from Lemonal village, where I live, with my son-in-law. And all that we was talking about is the US election. But he say, man, if you tell me that Trump is in the lead, you go piss me off. I go crash this vehicle. I don’t want Trump in the lead. He want Kamala Harris win.”
Britney Gordon
“So what do you think is the best way to stay informed right now?”
Tony Anthony
“The best way to stay informed, if you have a phone, you click onto YouTube and hit the news about election.”
MIK
MIK, Belizean
“We right here, we keeping up to the elections.”
Britney Gordon
“How are you staying informed?”
MIK
“Well, I’m on the news logging in every day. I’m watching all the election go pass and everything that’s moving. So you know that right now we just want somebody strong coming to power. And get back we Belizeans ney home. Ney one weh need fi come home.”
Leah Myers
Leah Myers, Belizean
“To be completely honest, I’m not. That’s not really much of my business, but I do have family across there. I’m not sure if they’re keeping up to date with it either because we haven’t discussed or spoke about it. But I’ve seen, a couple of videos and people voting and I’ve seen that people are voting for the female to come in. But I’m not sure, I’m not really looking into it like that.”
While the political climate in the U.S. might not be a top concern for some Belizeans, it’s a different story for the estimated one hundred thousand Belizeans living there. Many are anxious about the wellbeing of their family and friends who now call America home.
Tony Anthony
“I’m concerned about it because some people say that Trump is a nonsense man and Kamala Harris has got a little black blood, Haitian blood, going up against a white man. The last time Trump been in, he mi di deal with a lot of immigrants. And you can’t stop immigrants. People got to live. You know a lot of Belizeans weh deh ova soh and a lot of other countries we deh dah America. They take America as their savior country, U.S. dollars, yeah.”
Britney Gordon
“So do you have family in the states that you’re worried about?”
Tony Anthony
“I got a lot of family. A lot of family I got. Sisters, nephews, aunts.”
Mark Peyrefitte
Mark Peyrefitte, Belizean
“The candidates, when they speak, certain things come out of their mouths. The first thing they will do when they come to office, Trump say what, what he will be the biggest. deportation of migrants and Belizean people, so Belizean people or whoever over America, they need to take this serious. Because if they choose that guy again, they’re going backwards. And to make it better, worse for them, they’re going home.”
The election also sets the stage for diplomatic relations between Belize and the United States. During Trump’s presidency, he didn’t appoint a U.S. ambassador to Belize. It wasn’t until the Biden administration that Michelle Kwan took on the role as the current ambassador to Belize. Belize and the U.S. collaborations have also increased through the Central America Regional Security Initiative Economic Support Fund (CARSI-ESF). CARSI annually supports civil society and good governance initiatives in Belize with funding from the United States government.
Gary Matus
Gary Matus, Belizean
“The election is be the same thing. I all want the world. Everybody have to suffer. If Trump come inna power, everybody have to cry. You know, they are legalize everybody, deport everybody back da ney country. Everybody have to work for for surviving. Can’t survive. We can’t even eat. I have to pray for God and everything to give the strength of Jesus Christ and everybody have to start to believe in Jesus.”
Police were at the home of independent legislator Asot Michael, who wastragically found dead this morning in a pool of blood at his Saint John’s, Antigua residence. Authorities have yet to release a statement about the discovery of the Member of Parliament for Saint Peter, but his death has sent shockwaves throughout the nation. Crowds gathered outside his Dry Hill home on the outskirts of the capital. Born on December twenty-first, 1969, in Guadeloupe, Michael had previously served as a minister under Prime Minister Gaston Browne. He ran as an independent candidate in the January 2023 general election after parting ways with the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party. Here’s a report from our colleagues at ABS News.
News Five is following a disturbing incident that happened late this afternoon at the Phillip Goldson International Airport. Two young men, both working for Aero Dispatch Service, got into a heated argument that quickly turned physical. Things took a violent turn when a knife was pulled, and one of the men was stabbed in the eye. He was bleeding heavily and was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for urgent treatment. The police have yet to release an official report on the incident. We’ll keep you updated as more details emerge.
Tonight, Vincent Scott, the Chairman of Santa Cruz Village, is in hot water with the law. His ex-common-law wife, Dalia Cabral, claims that he pulled a gun on her Monday night inside her home. She says they had an argument earlier in the day about a man who was at her house when Scott visited. Later that evening, Scott allegedly came back, pointed a gun at her, and tried to shoot, but the firearm jammed. News Five briefly spoke with Scott over the phone this morning after talking to Cabral. He told us he was heading to the police station. We tried to reach him again this afternoon but couldn’t get a hold of him. Here’s what Cabral shared with us over the phone.
On the Phone: Dalia Cabral, Santa Cruz Resident
“To be honest, I had a friend of mine fixing a radio and I thought it was not a problem, because I am not going to bring anyone in this house. I respect this house, because it is my kid’s house. He came and saw the guy inside. Mr. Scott looked for a machete and said, “I hear somebody the inside. I said, nobody the yah. The person jumps out the window and Mr. Scott goes downstairs like he then gets a gun and started chase ah round the village. I told him that is unnecessary, you moved on. Maybe dah mih the wrong fih take somebody at the house, but we weren’t doing anything. And I still could do anything because you gave the house to me and the kids. I didn’t see any problem with it. I didn’t see any problem with it. I went to do a report in Santa Cruz the same day and police say they have the guy to was breaking the house, because Mr. Scott said it is burglarized. How can it be burglarized when I let him inside. Mr. Scott comes after eight with the gun. The door was locked. He had a broken window. He entered with the gun, and it jammed. I had a break to run and jump off the verandah. Right now, my ankle is sprained. I don’t have anything to eat and nothing. I told him go hide, because if Scott would have found him there it would have been a big trouble. I was avoiding it. Everybody thinks it is my fault. I almost caused this guy’s death, but I was not doing anything with the guy.”
Paul Lopez
“Have you filed a police report against him?”
On the Phone: Dalia Cabral,
“Yes I did, but it was transferred to Mango Creek. I was suppose to reach there for eight, but I am unable to reach.”
