Brianna Bennett - Greater Belize Media

MIDH Holds Workshop on Procurement Procedures

Today, representatives from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development held a workshop with officials from the Inter-American Development Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank, and other international financial institutions to discuss the procurement processes they must follow. The ministry invited the media to share this information. As we learned, there’s a specific procurement methodology in place, whether it’s for bidding on a contract to repair a bridge or road, or for procuring equipment for infrastructural projects. News Five’s Marion Ali stopped by and filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Major infrastructure projects like the Haulover Bridge are built to last for decades, but to make sure we get our money’s worth, there are crucial steps that need to be followed to guarantee top-notch quality. Today’s MIDH workshop aimed to look at these types of issues.

Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development, Housing

“The design has to be properly done, so that’s one phase. If you have a good design, more than likely you’ll have a good end product. So, the design phase is very important. The contractor has to be a contractor of experience that has done the work well over time. And then you have your warranty period, where if there’s – some people call it the fixed liability period – there is a time, normally it’s six months, one year, that you can make sure that the contractor takes care of any problem that happens within the contract.”

Douglas Fraser, Head of Procurement, C.D.B.

“Contracts that are high risk, high value, they actually come to the bank for our review and no objection. So, we are intricately part of that process.”

Quality of work is just one piece of the puzzle that lending institutions consider when their partners enter contracts. How contracts are awarded is another crucial aspect. Douglas Fraser, Head of Procurement for the Caribbean Development Bank, says that concerns can be formally lodged if there’s any suspicion of foul play in the awarding of contracts.

Douglas Fraser

“We have a complaints process that’s hardwired into our framework. The complaints escalate first of all to the government here and then they can be escalated to the bank. And we have an independent office of integrity, compliance and accountability that deals with any of the – as you put it – hanky-panky or integrity issues.”

Marion Ali

And are there penalties?

Douglas Fraser

“There are indeed. If an entity has failed to fall foul of the integrity framework, the procurement procedures of the bank, our independent office of integrity, accountability and compliance can actually debar them from taking part in future processes. So, there are real teeth there. and consequences. Um, for integrity violations.”

The Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing, Julius Espat, explained that today’s workshop was designed to help the public better understand the processes involved. He mentioned that international lending agencies often have such high standards that they had to find creative ways to involve Belizean companies.

Julius Espat

“If the project is in the millions – if it’s a large project, then they will request financial backing to say, all right, you have enough money to be able to do this project. Then they will ask you your experience, how many of these types of projects have you done in the last five to 10 years? And then they’ll ask you for your technical backup. Do you have the qualified personnel to be able to execute a project of this time? If they elevate those requirements too high, then Belize companies will not be able to participate. So, we said all right, after we tried everything, what can we do now so that Belizean companies can participate if you are saying the level is so high? Then we found out that you can partner. So Belizean companies can partner with – maybe a technical Belizean company can partner with a financing group; or an international group that has the financial backing. So that partnership allows a Belizean company to participate, or two Belizean companies; one that’s strong in the financing aspect of it; one that’s strong in the experience and in the technical aspect of it can join together.”

Espat emphasized that the ministry stays transparent with its procurements because that’s what they are held accountable for.

Julius Espat

“If you analyze the process and you follow it and you understand it, then you will realize in which direction that the ministry is going. The ministry basically, when it follows international procurement methodology, we follow a guideline that the international financial institutions provide.”

Espat explains that after the ministry meets the high standards set by international partners, it still needs to get major contracts approved by the House of Representatives before moving forward.

Julius Espat

“Under our constitution that it has to be done, and so apart from this, when we’ve already fulfilled the requirements of the international financial institutions, then we have to then take it to the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry of Finance does their own evaluation and then they send back to us a no objection. Then from there, we have to take it to the Contractor General. And so the Contractor General’s office has to go through that whole process from that lens. Once the Contractor General sends back a no objection, then we send it back to Parliament and we table it if it’s above five million dollars, and so that is stable into the House.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

Sunday Wood Road Gets New Culvert Following Breach

Earlier, we reported on the repair works the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing had to undertake at the approach to the Bermudian Landing Bridge. The relentless rains have wreaked havoc on off-road routes, and the Sunday Wood Road is no exception. Concerned villagers reached out to the media to highlight the issue, prompting reporters to inform the M.I.D.H. Today, Minister Espat confirmed that the matter has been addressed.

Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development

“We were informed and one of your colleagues from the media informed us and we dealt with it yesterday by six o’clock. The culvert was in already and that’s already dealt with, so we thank the media for informing us. It has one or two areas that the floods damage and that again, you’re dealing with a road that runs through a low-lying area.”

Contracts Are Scrutinized Before They Are Awarded

Today’s procurement workshop, hosted by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing and international lending agencies, illuminated the stringent processes that contracting parties must follow. The workshop also emphasized the transparency of contracts, which the ministry makes publicly available. However, when asked about allegations of inflated contracts, the minister explained that contracts undergo rigorous scrutiny at multiple levels before being awarded to a contractor.

Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development, Housing

“I don’t think you can ever one hundred percent debunk it. It is what people perceive it to be. We can only open it up as best as we can so that you can see the process and ask the questions and participate, look at the procedure, and that’s why we have the valuation. When we do an evaluation of a contract. It is the engineers from the Ministry of Infrastructure, it is the financial consultants from the Ministry of Finance; it is the consultants from IDB or CDB, their people participate. So it goes through different levels of scrutiny before it is awarded.”

Taiwan Market Opening to Belizean Shrimp

As mentioned earlier, on Tuesday, Doctor Lin Chai-Lung and Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francis Fonseca, held a press conference in Belmopan. During his address, Doctor Lin revealed that the Government of Taiwan is gearing up to open its market to Belizean seafood, with the shrimp industry set to reap the initial benefits.

Dr. Lin Chai-Lung, Foreign Minister, Taiwan

“This afternoon we have discussed some very important cooperation projects and we also reviewed the progress and outcomes of ongoing projects and explored directions for further cooperation. We are very satisfied with the result and are fully committed to further strengthening our robust relationship. For instance, I am grateful to announce that after two years, significant progress has been made on the issue of importing shrimps from Belize to Taiwan. We are not entering the onsite inspection phase. Once this is successfully completed and any outstanding issues, interministerial talks will go ahead. Our government looks forward to opening Taiwan market to Belizean sea food, in particular with your famous Marie Sharps. It is very popular in Taiwan. I can guarantee. During this meeting, I can also announce that the government for Taiwan in response to Prime Minister Briceño request during his visit to Taiwan in May, has agreed to provide financial support for the reconstruction of BelCan Bridge in Belize City. We understand this is a pressing issue concerning the city’s safety and its residents.”

Taiwan Establishes Ally Prosperity Project

Taiwan’s Foreign Minister also unveiled the Taiwan Ally Prosperity Project, which promises to bolster Belize’s development. Doctor Chai-Lung highlighted that this initiative will enhance cooperation in various sectors, including agriculture, health, and women’s empowerment, among others.

Dr. Lin Chai-Lung, Foreign Minister, Taiwan

“Some plans is carbon credit trading and smart agriculture and tourism, among many others. By sharing the Taiwan experience we will expand collaboration in many areas, including agriculture innovation, cultivation, public health, ICT, women’s empowerment, clean energy and the basic infrastructure. In particular we will extend either in large the ongoing women’s empowerment program. We will also increase the fellowship program to have more young talent to go study in Taiwan. We would like to encourage more fellowship recipients to return back to Belize to help develop your great nation. That is kind of a two-way for all in terms of talent exchange. So, it is with great joy we celebrate our thirty-five years of friendship and cooperation together.”

P.C.C. Cutting it Close to November 14th Deadline

As October draws to a close, the deadline for the People’s Constitution Commission’s (P.C.C.) final report looms just two weeks away. However, with the clock ticking, it seems increasingly unlikely that the commission will meet the deadline. Nearly two years ago, the P.C.C. embarked on a comprehensive review of Belize’s constitution, conducting a series of public consultations and preparing recommendations for the Prime Minister. In June, the commission received a six-month extension to complete its work and was expected to present an interim report to stakeholders on October sixteenth. Unfortunately, that date has come and gone without any interim report. News Five reached out to P.C.C. Chairman Anthony Chanona for a comment on the delay, but he declined. He did, however, inform us that the P.C.C. plans to meet on November fourth to conduct the presentation. We also spoke with P.C.C. Commissioner Caleb Orosco, who attributed the delay to poor time management.

Caleb Orosco, P.C.C. Commissioner

“The commission process was to meet in October eighth, if I remember right, October fifteenthth deadline. And we were all supposed to sign off on letter heads back to the thirtieth, at least that was the original discussion. Now, there’s a request for a second extension of the time to address the deficiency of developing the recommendation report. And that’s problematic because if there’s an exercise in poor judgment and poor management in taxpayers resources what makes the chair think that a second extension will correct a problem of poor judgment and poor management in the first place. So that’s one. Two, the issue with the recommendation really, I predicted, would be one of delays. And unnecessary delays because a lot of these things could have been fixed months ago, but they weren’t. At the heart of this is getting a consultant who is struggling with keeping to deadline and making sure we have a, I guess a basic functional document for us to engage. Why should the process struggle with completing a report for recommendations, when there is foresight, when you have a committee of thematic chairs telling you what to do and how to do. You’re giving instruction and still instruction isn’t followed. The heart of this is, what’s going to happen? Will the request for second extension even go through? Because I personally don’t know that Parliament moves very fast to address issues of extension, especially with mandates like these. And I don’t know what will happen if the so-called meeting to review the so-called recommendation between, I believe, the fourth and the seventh is going to progress any further than making your comments and then we wait.”

Dead Body Found at Red Bank Dumpsite

Tonight, police are delving into the tragic death of a man in southern Belize. On Tuesday, at approximately 3:47 p.m., officers responded to a distressing report at the Red Bank Dump in Stann Creek District. Upon arrival, they discovered the lifeless body of thirty-five-year-old Wilmer Che, bearing multiple cut wounds and discarded among the trash. Che was swiftly transported to the Southern Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. As the investigation unfolds, we await further details from the authorities.

B.S.I. Counteracting Fall in International Sugar Prices

On Tuesday, Belize Sugar Industries (B.S.I.) proudly announced a record-breaking price for sugar cane, heralding a promising boost for the livelihoods of cane farmers across Belize. This increase in cane prices paints a hopeful picture for the local agricultural community. However, it’s a bittersweet victory, as the global market price for sugar itself has taken a downturn, posing significant challenges for the industry. In an interview, B.S.I.’s Financial Director, Shawn Chavarria, shared insights on how the company is proactively addressing these hurdles to ensure sustained growth and stability.

Shawn Chavarria, Financial Director, B.S.I.

“We’ve started to see prices come under pressure. And so we’re not expecting a third consecutive year of record prices, unfortunately. But what we continue to have in a sense as an advantage is that the expansion in value-added production will help to cushion this fall in the world market price for sugar. And so by having that diversified portfolio of being able to sell more value-added sugar, that helps to soften some of the blow when prices see these dramatic fall. Prices for direct consumption sugar will also reduce, but the volatility will not be as much as raw sugar. And so we’re not expecting that prices will fall to the levels we saw in the when the EU deregulation took place in 2017 but it will start feeling some pressure due to the fall in global sugar prices.”

Reporter

“Who is buying these dc sugars?”

Shawn Chavarria

“It’s actually a wide group of customers. We’re currently selling these direct consumption sugars to over twenty-five close to thirty countries. In the world. And so we’re selling to a majority of the Caribbean countries presently, even the small eastern Caribbean islands. We’re selling to a number of countries in Europe. We’re selling to the UK. They are one of our biggest takers of product. So over the past five, six years, we’ve really been able to develop and diversify the customer base so that we are able to take advantages and divert sugar to where we’re seeing more attractive prices.”

Bureau of Standards Implementing New Standards Policy

Today, the Belize Bureau of Standards hosted an engaging familiarization workshop for key industry players involved in measuring, weighing, and quantifying goods. This initiative is part of the Bureau’s mission to advance Belize’s national quality infrastructure, focusing on standardization, metrology, and conformity assessment. The workshop aimed to refresh participants’ knowledge as the Bureau transitions from policy development to active implementation. Director Samantha Banner emphasized the crucial role of diverse sector participation in this process. Adding an international perspective, Riccardo Benvenuti from the British Standards Institution lent his expertise to support the initiative.

Samantha Banner, Director, Belize Bureau of Standards

“It’s an opportunity to bring everybody together to work to develop this quality infrastructure system that will help improve the quality of life for our Belizeans, one where we look beyond price because that’s always the major point, looking beyond price and looking at quality and start demanding quality in everything that is done within our country. As it relates to verification of wing and measuring instruments, we do have a system schedule where we do verification exercises. We do ensure to the best of our ability that these weighing and measuring instruments are verified. And as a consumer, you can identify that we verified a weighing or measuring instrument by a sticker that we affix to that instrument. We also encourage you to look up for that sticker. If it’s not there, you can always give us a call and you can let us know that your local grocery down the street from you doesn’t have a sticker on their scale. And you want us to come and we come so we and we have a hotline number. It’s zero, eight hundred, two, eight, three, five, five, eight, seven or you can email us at the help desk at.”

Riccardo Benvenuti, Rep., British Standards Institution

“The idea is to support government standards body abroad, but also private sector to use international standards to open their opportunity to international and sustainable trade. We’re really happy to see that in these years the policy has been approved by the government. But we all know that one thing is approving a policy, and the other thing is actually implementing it. So, there are a lot of policies sitting on shelves that are actually not implemented. So, under standard partnership, we are supporting and empowering BBS, the government of Belize, or also all the other stakeholders in implementing this policy, which is really key for the economy of Belize.”

Bert Vasquez Appeals Rape Charge Again, Five Years Later

This morning, convicted sex offender Bert Vasquez made a return to the Court of Appeal after a five-year hiatus. Back in 2019, Vasquez, unrepresented, attempted to challenge the four-year sentence he received in November 2018 for attempted rape. However, his appeal was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Currently serving a ten-year sentence for the forcible abduction and sexual assault of a sixteen-year-old girl, Vasquez is once again seeking the court’s reconsideration. The specifics of his latest appeal remain undisclosed, as media access was restricted by the President of the Court of Appeals. Presenting his case without legal representation, Vasquez addressed Justices Minett Hafiz-Bertram, Woodstock Riley, and Peter Foster, who, along with the Director of Public Prosecutions, participated virtually. The court has reserved its decision on today’s proceedings, with no date set for the next session.