Economy - Greater Belize Media

Seaweed Sisterhood: Belizean Women Lead a Blue Revolution

Off the coast of southern Belize, something remarkable is happening beneath the waves and it’s being led by women. In Placencia Village, seaweed farming is more than just a livelihood, it’s a movement. These women are not only cultivating the ocean’s bounty, but they’re also building businesses, protecting the environment, and inspiring the next generation to dive into the maritime world with confidence and purpose. News Five has partnered with the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future to highlight its work with various community-based, environmental organizations under the Blue Bond initiative. Here’s Isani Cayetano with the following story.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

In the warm, clear waters off Belize’s coast, a quiet revolution is taking root, led by women. In Placencia Village, these ladies aren’t just helping out, they’re leading the way in seaweed farming. It’s more than just a job. For many, including Jalima Gold, it’s a lifeline that supports their families, strengthens their communities, and even helps protect the environment.

Jalima Gold, President, Belize Women Seaweed Farmers Association

“I’m very passionate about our waters here in Belize and so when I kind of found out that you could do farming in the ocean, that’s for me, personally, kind of where it sparked like an interest, you know. Something that you could farm in the ocean, in the environment where I always felt comfortable and happy.”

Belize is the first country in the Americas to seal a groundbreaking deal that turns national debt into a powerful tool for ocean conservation. Through the Blue Bond initiative, the country has pledged to protect thirty percent of its marine territory, that’s ten thousand, one hundred and thirteen square kilometers of sea space, and it’s doing it by bringing everyone to the table, including the Belize Women Seaweed Farmers Association.

Alisha Westby, Member, Belize Women Seaweed Farmers Association

“I’ve been hearing about this association for years, through Ms. Jalima Gold. She’s always been a big advocate, and so, through her, I got to know about… that they were even accepting members. I had no idea about all the particulars until like she kinda sat me down and was like, “Hey this is a great association that you should join.”

Back in July 2019, a group of determined seaweed farmers came together to form the Belize Women’s Seaweed Farmers Association. Their mission? To grow more than just seaweed. They’re building an industry from the ground up, turning locally farmed Eucheuma into high-value products like seaweed gel and powder.

Jalima Gold

“There are many uses to these same types of seaweed that we have here. We have two different types. We have the Kappaphycus alvarezii and we have the Euchumatopsis isiformis. They are both in the red algae [species], they are part of the red algae. We have brown algae, and we have red. But those two are part of the red algae.”

It might look like just another plant from the sea, but Eucheuma seaweed is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s packed with protein, fiber, omega-3s, vitamin C, and a whole range of essential minerals. In Belize, this seaweed isn’t new, it’s been a staple in traditional drinks and puddings for generations, blending health benefits with rich cultural flavor. And here’s something cool, it’s also the source of a gel-like carbohydrate, a natural thickener used in everything from food to cosmetics.

Alisha Westby

“I have a little business called Natural Goddess Scrub and I use all natural ingredients. So it kinda makes sense that eventually I will add the seaweed into my scrubs, I just have to get the science down. The science is kind of lagging for me. I plan to start making seaweed-based soaps to go alongside with my scrubs that I will eventually, hopefully get the science for to narrow down how to make it to my all-natural, oil-based sugar scrubs.”

When added to soap, they bring a whole lot to the table: natural moisture, gentle exfoliation, and a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals. Plus, they give the soap a beautiful green tint and a fresh, ocean-inspired scent. The magic happens when powdered seaweed is mixed into the soap as it thickens, turning a simple bar into a spa-like treat.

Dawn Dean, Founder, Barranco Botanics

“Their plan is to use seaweed in all of the soaps that they make. I think, sometimes in Belize, as small business owners, as entrepreneurs, we are reluctant to share our knowledge about how we create what we create. But I personally believe that that there is space in the industry for a lot more soap because, ideally, everyone bathes everyday.”

In seaweed farming communities, it’s often the women who are leading the charge, not just in the water, but in shaping a more sustainable future. They’re the ones championing eco-friendly practices, managing vital resources, and driving local projects that help their communities grow stronger and more resilient.

Our cultivation line three-eights inch.

Jalima Gold

“That’s one of the main things for me. I have a daughter who wants to be a captain. She does scuba diving, she’s in the maritime space and when you talk about women and seaweed, it’s not just women in like the seaweed farming aspect, right. It’s women in maritime space, in general. And so it’s very important for us to start pushing boundaries and kind of breaking those barriers for other young females, young women and little girls to feel like they have a safe space and it’s something that if they’re interested in or if they’re passionate about that they can go forward and do that.”

So, when we talk about women in seaweed farming, we’re really talking about something much bigger; it’s about opening doors across the entire maritime world. Whether it’s farming, diving, or captaining a vessel, women are stepping up and showing the next generation that the ocean is theirs too. And with fishers, scientists, and community leaders all working together through marine spatial planning, Belize is not just protecting its waters, it’s shaping a future where everyone has a place in it. Isani Cayetano for News Five.

UB Union Plans to get Subvention by any Means Necessary

Tensions are heating up between the University of Belize and the Government, and it all comes down to a ten-million-dollar promise that’s been left hanging for nearly a decade. The UB Faculty and Staff Union says they’ve waited long enough, and now, they’re drawing the line. At a recent NTUCB solidarity rally, UBFSU President Julianne Pasos didn’t mince words, she says the university is underfunded, staff morale is slipping, and the union is ready to do whatever it takes to get that long-overdue subvention delivered.

Julianne Pasos, President, UB Faculty & Staff Union

“Our faculty and staff are demoralized at this point, and they do want to. The nine percent is ten years coming. In 2015 when we got our five percent, I just got an email that reminded me that at that point we were negotiating for fourteen percent and we only got five and we did not get the additional nine percent. So this is long in the making, so our faculty and staff are really going to do whatever it takes to get it. And so they, I just have to say, be prepared for whatever.”

Reporter

“Even if that means pushing school back>”

Julianne Pasos

“I don’t know. I can’t say, you know, and honestly, at the cabinet meeting on Teusday, we plan to be out there for that meeting on, and I invite the students to come and join us because doesn’t only impacted faculty and staff, but it also impacted students. So I invite the students to come join us and the public come on. It affects all of us there. What affects our national university affects the entire country of Belize. At this this point, I believe you’re aware of the last stand, the issuing that came out. We are calling on a meeting for requesting a meeting with the Minister of Education and the Minister of Finance to discuss the subvention for the university. That meeting has been postponed to hopefully next week after the meeting with Cabinet. We have been informed the issue of the university subvention will be tabled on the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. So hopefully we make some headway after that.”

BNTU Demands Allowances and Tax Write Offs for Teachers

After six weeks of back-and-forth negotiations, the Belize National Teachers’ Union has finally struck a deal with the government, a two-year, four-point-five percent salary adjustment and increment plan is now on the table. It wasn’t easy. The B.N.T.U. leaned on the strength of solidarity from other unions, and with over three thousand, five hundred members casting their votes, the majority said yes to the government’s offer. But not everyone’s celebrating. Some members of the public are calling it a sellout. B.N.T.U. President Nadia Caliz isn’t having it. She told us the fight is far from over as the union now shifts focus to the long-awaited Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Nadia Caliz, President, Belize National Teachers’ Union

“The public senator accused the unions of selling off. But if you look at what is happening here today, union members are here, where are they? Where are the keyboard warriors? Where are all of those who are accusing us of collecting IES from the government? Where are they for this change to take place, it’ll take every single Belizean, even the keyboard warriors to play their part. But when you start that kind of narrative, you the same movement. You want to see take life through your language, whatever you write, whatever you say, you kill it. But as a leader, I stay true to the cause and I ensure that my members understand what is the cause. Because the cause starts with them. We are gonna submit our proposals. One of the things I’m looking at for my teachers happens to be the resource allowance. They spend a lot of money out of their pockets for the classrooms, and we want two things with that. We want that they’re given an allowance either in July of every year or monthly for those resources. The other thing that we want for them. Is that they can use those receipts for the things that they acquire to file against their taxes. So all of that we have in it. Then you have the longevity award. If you are on a particular point, if you’re at the end of the pay scale, let me say for three years, then at the end of the third year you can apply for a longevity award, which is equal to an entire year’s increment. And for the public service, they get to do that three times. For educators, we are only once, so through this medium, we need to change that. So, so that it can match it. And a lot of things that we see public servants being given the BNTU is now looking at mirroring that.”

New JPAC Members Named in Senate Push for Accountability

There’s a renewed push for transparency and accountability in government spending. In the upper house, Government Senator Eamon Courtenay moved a motion to finalize the makeup of the Joint Public Accounts Committee, or JPAC. The committee, which plays a key role in overseeing how public funds are used, will now include nine members: six from the House of Representatives and three from the Senate’s social partner senators. On the House side, names like Julius Espat, Kareem Musa, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia and Godwin Haylock are on the list. And now, the Senate has nominated Senators Kevin Herrera, Glenfield Dennison, and Janelle Chanona to round out the team.

Eamon Courtenay, Senator for Government Business

“Madame President, I move that whereas Standing Order 73A of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives provides that the Joint Public Accounts Committee shall consist of nine members, as follows: six members nominated by a committee of selection to consist of four members who support the government and two members who will not support the government, unless they are now members or insufficient members of the House of Representatives who do not support the government, and three members nominated by the President of the Senate from among the social partner members of the senate. And, whereas on the twelfth of May, 2025 when the House of Representatives appointed the following six members to serve on the Joint Public Accounts Committee: Lee Mark Chang, Julius Espat, Kareem Musa, Kevin Bernard, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, and Godwin Haylock. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the senate nominates Senator Kevin Herrera, Senator Glenfield Dennison, and Senator Janelle Chanona to be the social partner members in the Joint Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives.”

It’s a significant move toward keeping government spending in check and making sure every tax dollar counts.

Cane Farmers Say It’s Time to Rethink Sugar Harvesting

When it comes to sugar cane, timing is everything. Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai is shedding light on a key issue affecting the quality of Belize’s sugar crop, what’s known in the industry as ‘kill to mill.’ That’s the time between burning the cane and delivering it to the mill, and the longer it takes, the more the quality drops. But that’s not the only factor; how the cane is cut, whether it’s mature, and even how much mud ends up in the load all play a role. Now, farmers are calling for change, not just in how cane is harvested, but how they’re paid. They want individual payments based on quality, not group averages. So, could new legislation and better practices be the key to sweeter results for everyone involved?

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“Well I’ve heard that. I mean there are so many things that lead to low quality sugar cane, right. Kill to mill, that’s what they call it. From the time you burn the cane to the time you deliver it, the longer that period extends, the lower the quality. The quality is affected. Kill to mill. So that affects it. The way you cut cane affects it, you take mud into the cane field. If you harvest cane that’s not mature, it again affects the quality. So there are many things that affect quality.”

Reporter

“But you’d want to legislate that. Like when they harvest and so?”

Jose Abelardo Mai

“I think it can be. I’m not saying it should not be but it could be controlled. It could be controlled.”

Reporters

“The farmers are asking for a change in payment. Right now, it’s being done by group. They want it to be done individually. Do you favor that?”

Jose Abelardo Mai

“I think they are referring to core sampling. Right now, the farmers get paid per quality, by group. So if it’s my group, say San Lazaro branch, which is C15, I think the price paid was above some of the others because the quality was better or something like that. So it is payment by quality, but per group.”

Caye Caulker JPs Demand Action Over Police Brutality

The Caye Caulker branch of the Justice of the Peace Association is calling for urgent national intervention following what they describe as a disturbing pattern of police violence on the island. In a strongly worded release, the group condemned years of alleged abuse by local officers, highlighted by the recent death of a young resident. Justice of the Peace Javier Novelo stated that officers who act as aggressors “forfeit their right to serve,” and called for immediate removal of those with violent histories. The association is demanding an independent investigation, officer reassignment, mandatory retraining, and full judicial accountability. Andrew Novelo, the individual seen in the video being roughed up by Caye Caulker police, is the grandson of Javier Novelo. The Justice of the Peace recounted part of the incident, which involved also a traffic warden, with News Five.

On the phone: Javier Novelo, Justice of the Peace

“So he’s asking and continues to ask the warden, “What have I done wrong? Why did you take my golf cart?” And no one could give him any answers and the male warden walked up to him and chest bumped him and told him, “What yoh gwein do about it?” And he is basically saying, “All I want is answers, tell me why you took the golf cart and if I have committed an offense, give me my ticket and let me go on my way.” He’s all hyped up and they’re exchanging words right there and they could not give him an answer so he decided to take the cart and he was driving out of the compound. He was bringing the golf cart back home when the police were coming and the male warden running out, shouting, “That’s him, that’s him. Stop him!” So he immediately stopped, came out of the cart and put his hands up. The officer just came to him, grabbed him in the sweatshirt that he had on, actually ripped it, and punched him, threw him on the golf cart. He then started questioning them, “Why are you beating me? What did I do? Explain to me why you are beating me and coming to me in this aggressive way. And he’s right there, back and forth with the officers, and basically telling him to shut up and to shut up and the other officer that was there from behind, put him in a headlock. He said it was a very aggressive headlock, that he felt his air going, so he began tapping the officer on the arm and letting him know that he felt his throat burning and tapping him so that they could release him. He was held in that headlock until they put handcuffs on him. They put him back on the golf cart and he was asking, what was happening. Tell me. He’s all hyped up, as anyone would be. You’re trying to get answers and no answers. They can’t tell you why they took your golf cart, what is the reason and no answer is given. They put him and had him on the cart there and the officer just slapped him really hard. You can hear it in the video and he was taken to the police station. This is all the way they’re taking him there, they’re hitting him on the head, on the face.”

The Caye Caulker Justice of the Peace Association says it stands with the Caye Caulker Village Council and pledges to support victims through legal and advocacy channels.

Placencia Shoreline Clash Over Illegal Jetties

Over on the Placencia Peninsula, a quiet battle is brewing and it’s all happening along the shoreline. Earlier this year, concerned residents took matters into their own hands, removing unauthorized jetties from the protected reserve in the name of sustainability. But just as quickly as they were taken down, some of those same structures popped right back up, reinstalled by defiant homeowners. One resident says the back-and-forth has become exhausting. After partially removing a re-erected jetty next door, they watched the owner put it right back, again. Even after the Department of the Environment stepped in with removal notices, the same homeowner has reportedly returned, placing rocks in the reserve and dredging sand from the seabed to fill behind them. Now, frustrated neighbors are speaking out, saying some property owners are ignoring environmental rules, dismissing community concerns, and showing little regard for the DOE’s authority.

On the Phone: Concerned Placencia Resident

“So I’m relatively new to my neighborhood and so are my neighbors who have been affected by erosion because of these jetties. And other neighbors that have been there long term have tried getting through with the government and it just doesn’t go anywhere. Recently, this year, we were able to get a hold of the Placencia Peninsula Citizens for Sustainable Development, and they started removing the rock jetties because they’re all on reserved land and that’s in our neighborhood. We did verify that these are non-permitted rock structures and this was also verified by the officials from the DOE that came out on May fifteenth, to look at the jetty that’s by our homes. And so, as far as the jetty that affected us, it was put in March nineteenth and it was removed by the coalition on April fifth. Then it was put back in by the same owner after the coalition removed it on May sixth and then we ended up, after they put it back in, we partially removed it as homeowners on the tenth. And then on May thirteenth, the DOE came out and issued warnings that the rock structures had to be removed. And so the homeowner that had the jetty immediately removed it starting on the fourteenth and fifteenth of May and now they put it back in but then also this time they are dredging sand out of the seabed and filling behind the rock structures.”

Pomona Land Dispute Turns Violent, Leaves One Injured

A land dispute is boiling over in Pomona Village after taking a violent turn. What started as a disagreement over property boundaries for seventy-year-old landowner Miguel Angel Trejo and his son, thirty-five-year-old Samuel Trejo, has now escalated into a serious safety concern. The situation reached a boiling point when Samuel, who works as a caretaker at Lemon Grass Farm, was allegedly attacked with a steel pipe by a man identified as Stoney Ferguson, leaving him with serious injuries.

On the phone: Samuel Trejo, Pomona Resident

“The issue is because they have a cave to my place and then he wants to take the cave he asked for permission to go to my property to access the cave I told him no problem right because I know him from long time but now he wants my place he cause me the problem because he wants to go to my place you know. Well from long time he come in like a friend and he said he wanted coconut so I let him take coconuts every time he comes and from there like how I said he came and he said he want access the caves and he want pass right and everything me di go good then afterwords he start to pass the limit he burn down my bathroom he broke down my things them and then my dad gone make the report because I mi di work I neva have time and nothing get through so and the month weh gone he wait for me under my house with a piece of steel and wait until I come out I have my bathroom outside I walk out side and gone use the bathroom I feel the hit pan my head and he di lash me and I manage to get way and when I turn round and look I track da he and I tell him “watch weh you do to me” I tell ah “this no wa stay so I wah ker this da di police”

DFC Hits Major Milestone with GFC Accreditation

The Development Finance Corporation, or DFC, has just made history, becoming the first financial institution in Belize to earn accreditation from the Green Climate Fund. What does that mean? Access to up to one hundred million dollars for climate-friendly projects. According to DFC’s CEO Henry Anderson, this milestone could mean lower interest rates and new incentives for businesses and individuals investing in clean energy, sustainable infrastructure, and water security. It’s a major step toward building a more climate-resilient Belize.

Henry Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, DFC

“This is really big and it is not only big for DFC, it is big for Belize. There is a thing called the Paris Agreement. And countries make determinations of what they will do every year to reach targets by 2030. The Green Climate Fund was created out of that, to assist countries in accessing finances to meet those National Determined Contributions and to adjust transitions away from fossil fuels. So DFC getting this accreditation allows Belize to access these finances. I must say, PACT is already accredited, so we are the second entity. PACT is accredited to do grants and we are accredited to do other financial instruments. So, we can do loans. We can do guarantees, equity, blending. So it allows us, Belize’s development bank, to have access to the funds to do projects up to a hundred million Belize dollars. So that is a different level and it creates the flexibility we need as a country. For DFC, if I may add, DFC has done a lot of work at the legal level. We changed the act to broaden the scope to strengthen the governance of DFC. As part of this process we got funding through the Green Climate Fund to fill what we call a readiness gap, to tighten the areas we needed to strengthen. That process started all the way back in 2019 and finished in 2023. We must say thanks to the Caribbean Development Bank for assisting us and serving as our mentor through that proves. What this accreditation is saying to the world is that DFC is one of two hundred entities that meets this level of governance and ability to do business with the GCF, so it is big.”

Anderson says DFC hopes to see the first project get off the ground within the next year and a half. He also thanked the Ministry of Economic Development for this support in acquiring this accreditation.

Sugar Industry Declares Crisis, Demands Action

Tonight, the backbone of northern Belize’s agriculture is officially in crisis. In a rare and urgent move, the four major sugarcane producers’ associations have come together to declare a state of emergency in the sugar industry. The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association, Northern Sugar Cane Growers Association, and Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association say the industry is under siege from pests, disease, and the growing threat of climate change. Yields are down, quality is suffering, and livelihoods are on the line. In a joint resolution, the associations are calling on the government to act now. Their proposals include a levy on molasses-based alcohol to fund a Cane Sustainability Fund, a price hike on domestic sugar with most of the gains going toward sustainability, and a boost in electricity tariffs from bagasse to support green infrastructure. Without swift and decisive intervention, Belize’s largest agricultural foreign exchange earner could collapse. The resolution has been formally submitted to Prime Minister John Briceño and key ministers. The clock is ticking.