For the past couple of weeks, relentless rains have really taken a toll on many of Belize City’s streets and the main entrances to the city. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development & Housing had crews near Belize Mills at the northern entrance, working on a section of the Philip Goldson Highway that was already in rough shape before the rains made it worse. While the ministry is handling the city entrances, the Belize City Council did its own damage assessment of the city streets. They found that one hundred and forty-seven streets need repairs, which will cost about one point six million dollars. But where will that money come from? The council doesn’t have that kind of cash lying around, so they’ll need help from the central government or other sources. Today, City Administrator Albert Vaughan told News Five that the council will find the funds and start the repairs as soon as the rain lets up.
Albert Vaughan
Albert Vaughan, City Administrator
“That money will come because it’s a part of a disaster program, just as I said, in any other ministries where, where Or, or the weather do damages, they do their own assessment and then that goes on to the ministry. So we have a excellent relationship with the, with the local government. Right. We have a excellent relationship with the, with MIDH as well. And of course, you know, we have our, our different partner that we work with. We have an extens with the Ministry of Finance. The Prime Minister have always looked at our council in a positive light so that I have no fear that money will come. In fact, this morning we started already to be out there with the little resources that we have. We are spreading it. We are trying to get those all full, at least temporary until we can get something that that is more standard nuh. We prioritized those streets because you’re right, we can’t do all of them. And so what we’re looking at, we’re looking at the main thoroughfare that, that is used, um, by the public system, the buses and people getting their kids to schools. St Thomas Street is a different street. I think just before just before the rain came down, we were finalizing St Thomas Street last Friday, we have signed a contract for that street. So, that is not in this notice that that is not in this list. Because we have already got money for that. That is on this, what is holding up in Thomas Street now is rain. As soon as we get full dry, the street will be mixed from one end to the next end. But what what contribute to those um it is a dream plugin.Why did you include the dream club? Because many, many yards don’t even have a trash can. So, that trash is still right there in the dream. That is what blocking it up. The city council do clean the drain but there’s a rotation so you may miss that rotation the rain comes and and that contribute to the street because when that water wants to get away it can’t.’
This month, people all over the region are pushing to improve how we handle juvenile justice. Every year, hundreds of kids in Belize end up dealing with the law, whether they’re victims or have gotten into trouble. Juvenile justice is all about making sure these kids are treated fairly, and their rights are protected, just like the Convention on the Rights of the Child says they should be. In this week’s Five Point Breakdown, News Five’s Britney Gordon dives into how these kids end up in these situations and what UNICEF is doing to help protect them.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Everyone around the world has basic human rights, and knowing these rights is the first step to making sure they’re protected. This is especially important when dealing with the law. For kids who might not understand or know their rights, it’s crucial to provide extra support to ensure they’re upheld. According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, kids accused of breaking the law have the right to legal help and fair treatment, with solutions aimed at helping them become positive members of their communities. Andrew Herrera, the Human Development Coordinator for the Community Rehabilitation Department, shares the efforts being made in Belize to support children in these situations.
What help exists for children interacting with the justice system?
Andrew Herrera
Andrew Herrera, Human Development Coordinator, Community Rehabilitation Department
“We have the hub resource center that does evening classes, and we also have other, Programs that we run, like the Positive Move Apprenticeship Program, where we gather a group of young persons, and we train them for real life work scenarios, so that they can be prepared for work. Especially those who aren’t who don’t come to the traditional school setting. It’s a way for them to still be positively engaged, right? So, we also provide counseling, and we are responsible for the New Beginnings Youth Development Center, where we host children who needs protection. So, we host them in a facility so that we can work with them and reintegrate them back into society.”
The CRC emphasizes that prison should be a last resort for kids. Often, it’s factors like family dynamics that push them into trouble with the law. Take Zane Hendy, for example. He’s a fourteen-year-old at New Beginnings Youth Development Center who ran away from home when he was just ten. He opens up about what drove him to make such a drastic decision at such a young age.
What causes kids to end up dealing with the law?
Zane Hendy
Zane Hendy, New Beginnings Resident
“When I was in school, I used to get teased a lot because like, I was in the poverty stage. And like, I didn’t like it, and then my mom was always trying to like, tell me not to worry. But I was like, how can I not worry, like, when I’m in class with them? And like, I wasn’t, I was like, less fortunate, and I didn’t know what, what to do. And my mom, we, I grew up in Hattieville from a New Mexico family. And we moved into the city. And I was like, I couldn’t handle the move. So I kept on running away from my mom. And then I started, the government and the human development started to get involved and I was taken away.”
Zane says that after he was taken into government care, it was difficult for him to adjust to the new setting, leading to him rebelling and rejecting the assistance.
What Challenges do Children Face When interacting with the law?
Zane Hendy
“I think it’s hard for some kids when they are removed from their parents’ house, although I think that it’s the best and other people think it’s the best for them. I think they should at least do something like leave them there and do checkups once in a while.”
Thanks to his counselors and his own hard work, Zane has really turned things around, improving both his behavior and his relationship with his family. On the other hand, we chatted with fifteen-year-old Beverly Choc, who finds it tough to talk to her mom and follow her rules.
Beverly Choc
Beverly Choc, At-risk Youth,
“Basically I was hanging around the wrong crowd, and they teach me a lot of stuff to do that I didn’t want to do, but ended up, ended up doing it.”
Beverly has been working with a social worker for about a year now, and she’s slowly making progress at home. But she admits that the legal process can be really confusing, which sometimes leaves her feeling quite frustrated. Later this month, Zane will be heading to Panama to represent Belize in a regional consultation. He’ll be discussing ways to improve the system for the benefit of children. Just last week, UNICEF hosted a national consultation in Belize called Comment 27. They gathered a hundred kids to share their thoughts on juvenile justice. These kids have either had run-ins with the law or are part of the National Children’s Parliament 2024 cohort. Malenie Barnes, a Child Protection Officer at UNICEF, explained that Comment 27 aims to push forward the juvenile justice agenda.
Do consultations help the government hear the concerns of children?
Malenie Barnes
Malenie Barnes, Child Protection Officer, UNICEF
“Children from across the region will then be presenting these recommendations to these justice actors. It’s a call to action to address legislation, to address procedures and protocols that improve the lives of children who come in contact and conflict with the justice system. Hopefully, coming out of this, we would have some strong buy in from these actors to make legislative change, but more so to improve the lives of children who come in, into the justice system.”
Comment 27 opens a lot of doors for children to have their voices heard. The CRC states that children have the right to give their opinions freely on issues that affect them, and that these opinions should be taken seriously by adults. Ana Carrillo, Child and Adolescent Participation Officer at the National Commission for Families and Children tells us how supporting these forums reaffirms their mandate to uphold the CRC.
Amplifying the Voices of the Children
Ana Carrillo
Ana Carrillo, Child and Adolescent Participation Officer, NCFC
“We at NCFC, we would like for them to know that our doors are open if they need any kind of guidance. also in seeking referrals, if they need to identify someone to represent them. We have a committee which is our policy and legislation committee that also guides us in how we can better provide, legislatively wise at the National Assembly, doing recommendations that wouldgive children a better opportunity to know that, that there is help out there.”
These consultations are just one piece of the puzzle in amplifying the voices of young people. Cameera Caliz, a member of the National Children’s Parliament 2024 cohort, hopes that through these initiatives, more of her peers will stand up for their rights and make a real difference in the world.
Cameera Caliz
Cameera Caliz, National Children’s Parliament
“This initiative is to educate children on their rights that are important. Each and all of us have as a youth. So basically we can seek remedies and justice where it is due when individuals and people of higher authority or anyone on a whole is violating our rights. So this ties into the national children parliament as we will be more insightful and,see how we can make a difference in the future as we are the adults of tomorrow.”
Starlink is the hot new way to get online, especially if you live in a remote area. Most countries in this region have already jumped on board with Starlink’s satellite internet service, but Belize is still holding out. The Public Utilities Commission is currently reviewing Starlink’s application, making Belize one of the few countries in this part of the world that hasn’t given the green light yet. Today, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Francis Fonseca, mentioned that Cabinet has had some brief discussions about it. However, they need more detailed information before they can make a final decision.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade
“We’re going to get a proper presentation from the PUC and other from the ministry, from the Public Utilities Commission as well. We can have a better understanding of the issue, uh, but then we can, you know, provide some sort of recommendation, um, so, you know, with technology, of course, we want to protect our interests in Belize, we want to protect our company, uh, BTL, um, but as you all know, with technology, um, you know, in a sense, it’s inevitable that these things happen, um, um, so, you know, it’s something we’re looking at, um. But I think we need, once we get that presentation, we’ll be in a better position to, to speak on the issue.”
Stay tuned, because this could be a game-changer for internet access in Belize.
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.”
Today, the People’s Constitution Commission (P.C.C.) gathered for the second day of their plenary session to dive into the first draft of their recommendations. They’re going through the draft line by line, making sure every recommendation is thoroughly reviewed by the commission. To put this draft together, the P.C.C. split into six thematic committees, covering areas like finance and governance, and used the collected data to shape their recommendations. Now, all these recommendations are compiled into one document that needs a thorough analysis and discussion by all stakeholders. As we’ve mentioned before, the P.C.C. has fallen behind their original timeline and is now asking for an extension to finalize the draft. We had a quick chat with Anthony Chanona, the Chair of the P.C.C., about this extension request.
Anthony Chanona
Anthony Chanona, Chair, People’s Constitution Commission
“The timeline, or the application for an extension to the timeline, by statute the commission ceases on the sixteenth of November. And there can be no further extension. unless there is a legislative amendment to the act that takes an act of parliament. So I’m in conversation with the attorney general to look at what happens next given the timeline. But this document because it’s such a tedious exercise, we’re dealing with the soul of our nation. A constitutional exercise should not be horrid and it should have full scrutiny and transparency as to its contents by the PCC plenary. The plenary is the voice of the PCC and so we cannot advance a document into any other space than the plenary for them to validate the contents and then it moves on. So the timeline now is at least we should allow all of them to take back this draft for at least three weeks. to give them sufficient time to share it with their stakeholders. But when we look at the timeline between now and the 16th, we can’t fit three weeks into that. And so we feel that to do a proper process of consultation with the stakeholders, there should be additional time to allow the document to face scrutiny, consultation to continue and to validate ownership. And that is why we’re asking for the extension of time.”
The deadline for the People’s Constitution Commission (P.C.C.) to submit their final draft of recommendations is looming. However, Anthony Chanona, the Chair of the P.C.C., says they need more time to wrap up all the necessary work and are seeking an extension. Earlier today, a draft of the P.C.C.’s recommendations started making the rounds, but Chanona is not happy about it. He claims this draft doesn’t accurately reflect the commission’s final product. Some commission members, like Caleb Orosco, have voiced their disappointment, with Orosco posting on social media that several key recommendations were left out. Chanona assures that today’s discussions will address any oversights, emphasizing that the recommendations are based on data collected from the public. He also mentioned that the commission is pushing for more public consultations after the report is submitted to ensure everyone’s voice is heard. Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops!
Anthony Chanona, Chair, People’s Constitution Commission
“In the Trinidad and Tobago experience, they just went through this process. One of the expectations and we would hold the same expectation is that first of all just for clarification we do not present this document to the public. The law is very clear. We present an only to the prime minister of Belize. He gets a document. But one of the expectations that we are proposing in the draft of the final report is to encourage the government of Belize to set up a secondary tier, a secondary process to take the document into the public space by a separate process and procedure to allow the people of Belize to see the contents of the report it to debate it. Perhaps this can be led by the University of Belize, the Belize Chamber of Commerce, or whatever other civil society group, so that when the people of Belize go to a referendum, they can make an informed decision. And that’s why this process takes time. But that is not for us to do. Our remit is talk to the people, take a record of their views, put it into a report and give it to the prime minister. That’s easier said than done. We’re now two years at it And we think we need another two months to finish.”
The Belize Government Lotteries is marking its one-year anniversary with a bang by raffling off a million dollars! This special event, fittingly named the “One & A Million Anniversary Jackpot,” is a one-time celebration. According to a release from the Belize Government Lotteries on Monday, tickets are now on sale for just five dollars and can be bought from any of their sub-agents across the country. Ticket sales will close on December twentieth at nine p.m., and the big draw will happen the next day, Saturday, December twenty-first at ten a.m. If there are multiple winners, the jackpot will be split among them. Customers should note that tickets are only valid for thirty days after the draw date and must be fully legible with the QR code and ticket number intact to claim the prize.
The Belize City Council’s Street Damage Assessment Report, released late Monday, reveals that the Collet constituency tops the list for the most expensive repairs needed. Mesopotamia comes in second, while Fort George and Pickstock are the least costly. The total bill for fixing streets damaged by recent rains and floods is nearly one point six million dollars. Interestingly, even though Collet is the priciest to repair, it has only ten streets and thirteen sections needing work. On the other hand, Lake Independence has a whopping twenty-seven streets and twelve sections requiring repairs. News Five’s Marion Ali gives us a detailed breakdown of the streets and the repair costs.
Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver
“Dehn mi have umpteen time fi do the street before the rain start, long before the rain start dehn couldda mi do it, but dehn nuh do it. Now dehn wa blame the rain now right? The street the bruk up fi we vehicle and everybody else vehicle. Come on, that da past nonsense.”
Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver
“St Thomas Street, I nuh know who responsible for it but tell the minister or whosoever responsible fi that, tell dehn goh tek a lee drive out deh and see weh di goh on out deh. The roller coaster weh mi deh by the field betta than that.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
Many residents of Belize City are frustrated with the worsening condition of the streets, largely due to recent heavy rains. Mayor Bernard Wagner has assured that repairs will begin once the weather clears up. Late Monday, the Belize City Council shared a draft copy of a street damage assessment report, dated October thirty-first, detailing the number of streets and sections in each of the city’s ten constituencies that need various levels of repair. It shows the Lake Independence constituency to have the most streets that need repair at forty. That’s because while there are twenty-seven streets that need repair, three of them have more than one section that needs attention. Two of the streets, which haven’t been named, each have seven sections that need repairs. The estimated cost for materials to fix the Lake-I area is about forty-three thousand dollars.
In stark contrast, Collet, which borders Lake-I, has a list of ten streets, but thirteen sections overall that need repair. The price tag for the material to fix these streets is around four hundred and twenty-three thousand dollars. The Albert Division faces a bill of forty-nine thousand dollars for materials to fix just six streets. Over in Pickstock, eleven streets each need only one section repaired, costing about eight thousand, five hundred dollars in materials. Meanwhile, Fort George has four damaged streets, with repair materials estimated at around twenty thousand dollars. Queen Square has fifteen streets and two of them have two sections each to repair, which brings the number of sections to fix in that area to seventeen. The price for the material to repair is over two hundred and sixty-six thousand dollars.
The Freetown constituency has eleven streets in need of repair, and the cost for the necessary materials is estimated at seventy-three thousand dollars. The Belize City Council will have to spend a hundred and seventeen thousand dollars to purchase material for the Mesopotamia Division, which has four damaged streets to repair. Caribbean Shores has twenty-four streets to repair at a cost of a hundred and thirty-three thousand dollars for the purchase of material. The Port Loyola constituency needs a whopping one hundred and twelve thousand dollars for materials to repair nineteen streets and twenty-seven sections. Both taxi drivers and pedestrians we spoke to agree on one thing: the streets across the city desperately need fixing.
Pedestrian
Pedestrian
“Most ah dehn got potholes soh dehn need fi fix.”
Marion Ali
“Anyone in particular?”
Pedestrian
Pedestrian
“Vernon Street right deh. Vernon Street need fix. The streets dehn terrible, especially King Street, Euphrates Avenue, Amara Avenue – all dehn streets full ah water when ih rain. And nuh ask bout potholes.”
Driver
Driver
“One ah the streets that needs to be repaired is Rivero Street because it’s in a really bad condition. That’s one of the main streets on the southside.”
Marion Ali
“Has it affected the maintenance of your vehicle?”
Driver
“Nuh really. I know for my aunt, cause my aunt lives on that street, so I think they need to fix that street. The streets dehn wa fix in due time.”
Marion Ali
“Does it affect your vehicle?”
Driver
Driver
“Yeah ih affect the vehicle but wi can’t do nothing right now because the rain nuh want give break and hold up fi mek wi fix the street dehn but as soon as the rain hold up I think the guys wa fix the street. Some ah the streets dehn bruk up and I find dehn got a lotta water, especially when it rains, and stuff like that. I think dehn need fi do something to the streets dehn.”
