The Corozal district experienced high volumes of rainfall from Tropical Storm Nadine, which led to localised flooding. As a result, several roadways were declared impassable. Also, the Rio Hondo River reached flood stage, compounding the situation. We spoke with Tennielle Hendy, the Chief Hydrologist, about what residents in the north experienced.
Tennielle Hendy
Tennielle Hendy, Chief Hydrologist, NHS
“The flooding associated with the Rio Hondo, the Rio Hondo is not a fast-flowing system, so the time it would take for flood waters to recede might be a bit longer than the ones that have a higher slope. The Rio Hondo doesn’t have that high of a slope that it runs off very quickly. A couple roads are inaccessible in the north. The San Roman Road is impassable. The Yo Creek San Lazaro Road was impassable. There are other areas that would have experienced urban flooding which is just caused by the rainfall where they would be seeing flooding in that area, but it should runoff at a normal pace for them.”
So, what’s the flood forecast for the next few days? The National Hydrological Service is reporting Hurricane Keith-level flooding along the Mopan River and Hurricane Mitch-level flooding along the Rio Hondo River. Flood alerts have also been issued for river systems in southern Belize. Chief Hydrologist shared more.
Tennielle Hendy, Chief Hydrologist, NHS
“The areas of concern that are flooding at the moment. We have a flood alert, which means that flooding is possible. So, you should be prepared. It is for the watersheds off the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains. I know you would say that sound like where is that. We are looking at all these rivers, south Stann Creek, north Stann Cree, Sittee River, Bladden, Swasey, Deep River, all these rivers coming off the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains. We have a flood warning in effect for Rio Hondo, New River and the tributaries to Rio Hondo, the Boots River, Rio Bravo. In the central area in Belmopan we have for the Mopan, Macal and Belize River. To the bottom of the central we have for the Sibun River. The San Ignacio and Iguana Creek low lying bridges are still impassable and we have specifically for the Rio Hondo, severe flood warning. This is because we have been monitoring the levels at our station at Blue Creek. That has exceeded Hurricane Mitch levels. Those are mainly the area we are lucking at. More so the Mopan and the Rio Hondo, we need to be vigilant. You were asking about other rainfall activities. Recall before Nadine developed we were receiving some rainfall. It is in this same western central region that we were getting these rainfall volumes then came tropical storm Nadine and even that Nadine is no longer over us, it is in Guatemala and still raining, we are receiving the rainfall and runoff values through the riverine systems. That is the contributing factor as to why we are seeing levels approaching levels of these historical systems like Hurricane Keith for the Mopan and Rio Hondo for Hurricane Mitch.”
The government announced the public and bank holidays for 2025. There will be fourteen holidays next year. You’ll enjoy seven long holiday weekends, with the first being on March tenth, or National Heroes and Benefactor Day. And of course, you’ll have the long Easter weekend, which begins on Good Friday, April eighteenth. August first, or Emancipation Day, falls on a Friday, while the Independence Day holiday will be given on Monday, September twenty-second. Indigenous People’s Resistance Day will be given on Monday, October thirteenth, instead of the twelfth. And lastly, the Christmas holidays this year will begin on Thursday, December twenty-fifth, with Christmas Day followed by Boxing Day.
About a month ago, News Five conducted random interviews regarding inflation, revealing a disconnect between public perception and official statistics, which indicated a low inflation rate. However, today, Diana Trejo from the Statistical Institute of Belize acknowledged that inflation is indeed rising, with prices of goods higher than they were two years ago. She noted that while prices are increasing, the pace of that increase has slowed.
Diana Trejo
Diana Trejo, Director General, S.I.B.
“What we are seeing in our data is that the rate of inflation, meaning how fast prices are going up has been slowing. This doesn’t mean that prices are coming down, and that’s a very important distinction. It just means it’s not going up as fast. But if you compare the price level or the CPI 2024 to 2020 before the pandemic and pandemic-induced inflation, prices overall are almost thirty percent higher than they were four years ago. So, it is very true that while the speed at which prices are rising is slowing down, prices are still much, much higher than they were four years ago, in particular, food prices, the inflation for food has been persistently high. The underlying causes of why prices are rising for these items, we are not at this point able to say that, although we do know that we import the vast majority of the goods that we consume. So, if our trade partners are seeing higher rates of inflation, we will see that trickle down to us. And when our trading partners see inflation slowing down, likewise it trickles down to us.”
Marion Ali
“What about products that are locally produced? We have vegetables, we have meat products that are done right in Belize and the prices are also going up on those.”
Diana Trejo
“Yeah, one of the things to remember is that all of these products that are produced in Belize have inputs that go into them and a lot of the inputs are also imported Indeed. Um, a lot of them, for example, fuel is an important input. Um, for the agricultural sector, fertilizer is an important input.”
Under the Belize Blue Bond for Ocean Conservation, the Government of Belize is required to designate up to thirty percent of its ocean as biodiversity protection zones. So far, twenty percent has been protected. The agreement mandates that twenty-five percent must be secured within three years of signing. Today, the Briceño Administration proposed expanding protected ocean space by five percent, designating it as medium-protection biodiversity zones. However, the opposition raised concerns, stating that fisherfolks fear this move could threaten their livelihoods.
Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“One of the concerns I would like to bring to you is form the fishermen. They feel that all of this conservation is hurting them. So, the more and more you conserve, the less they are able to earn a living, and it is a legitimate concern that is addressed by my colleagues, the standard bearer from the different constituencies that have an abundance of fishermen.”
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“Belize has an international commitments but we also have commitments domestically to support our people and this expansion of five percent is the medium biodiversity protection which is to say rather than protection it is conservation, because it affords true the medium biodiversity designation for fisherfolks to be able to fish in those areas and do other types of extraction, compared to the high biodiversity protection which is no take and has no extraction.”
Tracy Panton
Tracy Panton, Area Representative, Albert Division
“In the Albert constituency we have fisherfolks in the conch shell bay community and they have been completely locked out in the consultations process. So, I would like to urge the minister responsible to kindly take a look at that when it relates to looking at expanding areas for conservation because indeed the fisherfolk in Albert are concerned about how this continues to impact their livelihood.”
Has the Senate inquiry into the Definitive Agreement between the Government of Belize and Portico Enterprises Limited, for developing the Port of Magical Belize, come to a close? This question is buzzing around after a dramatic walkout by Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie and Minister of State Chris Coye on Wednesday. Both officials were summoned to the Senate Special Select Committee’s seventh session, accompanied by Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay. Leslie, the Cabinet Secretary, told the panel he couldn’t share details from Cabinet discussions due to strict confidentiality rules. Despite Senator Kevin Herrera gearing up to ask a question, Leslie made a swift exit from the building. Not long after, Junior Minister Coye took the hot seat, also with Senator Courtenay by his side. He read a prepared statement, refused to answer any questions, and promptly left the hearing as well. This might be the first time a walkout has occurred since the constitution was amended to allow for senate inquiries. The dramatic exit forced the session to adjourn and eventually led to its cancellation. This morning, we caught up with Senior Counsel Courtenay, who expressed that it’s high time to wrap up the inquiry.
Eamon Courtenay
Eamon Courtenay, Attorney-at-law
“I do not understand that there was any adversarial appearance yesterday. These two gentlemen were invited to appear before the senate, they accepted the invitation, they attended, they gave their statements and indicated that they would not have any further evidence to give and on the basis of my advice, we left.”
Reporter
“Sir, you have participated in a senate hearing in 2017. You saw the parade of minister’s that went through, substantive questions were asked, led by you. Don’t you think that these persons should also be fundamentally answerable for their public actions?”
Eamon Courtenay
“Fundamentally answerable for their public actions; the issue that we have to pay attention to is what is being inquired into and whether there is any evidence, relevant evidence that the Cabinet Secretary has to give and whether there is any relevant evidence that Mr. Coye has to give. If the Senate [Special] Select Committee believes that the position that they have taken is not the correct one, they know what to do. The position is, in my view, speaking for myself, I think that the inquiry needs to be brought to an end. It is costing tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayers money and it is on a frolic.”
The United Democratic Party has issued a statement strongly condemning the actions of Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Senator Christopher Coye, Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie, and Senator Eamon Courtenay for their dismissive appearance before the Senate Special Select Committee on Wednesday morning. The opposition says that their public display of disrespect towards the committee reflects the P.U.P. administration’s disregard for democratic values of accountability and transparency. Following the advice of Lead Senator for Government Business, Eamon Courtenay, the two key witnesses in the committee’s investigation refused to answer questions and walked out of their testimony without being dismissed by the Chair. The release goes on to say, “Contrast the approach taken in this Portico Inquiry by the P.U.P. administration with that of the immigration inquiry into the U.D.P. administration and the difference is night and day. Several U.D.P. Ministers of Government appeared before the committee and took questions for many hours. Even while asserting privilege, never has a U.D.P. official disrespected the authority of the Senate like witnessed in today’s hearing. Such disdain for the Senate cannot be countenance”.
So, the Government of Belize will hold off on any further actions to compulsorily acquire Stake Bank until Michael Feinstein’s constitutional challenge is heard. While the Mediterranean Shipping Company, eager to buy the island from OPSA and develop a cruise port, might see this as a setback, for Feinstein, who insists the island is rightfully his, it’s a small victory. His attorney, Godfrey Smith, shared more details with us.
Godfrey Smith, Attorney- At-Law
“What happened today, all parties came prepared to argue the injunction. The judge suggested to the parties that rather than engage in a battle royal over the interim injunction that the government extends the undertaking again, meaning freezing, no action, they would not proceed to compulsory acquire until the hearing and the determination of Mr. Feinstein’s challenge to the constitutionality of the compulsory acquisition. The attorneys representing the attorney general consulted and said they would be willing to give the date which was set for the nineteenth and twentieth of December to hear the substantive matter with the undertaking in place. That means there is no need for an interim injunction because the state has said we will take no further steps until the matter is cleared up.”
Reporter
“So, with the compulsory acquisition stayed or frozen, is that at least an interim victory, an interim relief?”
Godfrey Smith,
“Well, it is interim relief, because you would recall that the prime minister, in one of his interviews had indicated that the first step is the first declaration, there is a six-month period to negotiate and if after that there is nothing, you proceed with the second declaration. The second declaration is what effectively vests the land in the government. So yes, in the interim we got the relief we wanted, no action, no further step to compulsory acquire.”
Reporter
“What is your client seeking, what is the end goal here for him?”
Godfrey Smith
“The end goal is vindication that the twenty-three point four acres standing in his name which was issued to him by the Ministry of Natural Resources, the validity holds title to it and it is lawfully his.”
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) wrote to Prime Minister John Briceño today, expressing disappointment with his response to their September 23rd letter. According to the NTUCB, the PM’s reply was essentially a non-response. In their latest letter, the NTUCB urged the Government to, “do better – to make sound decisions in the name of the people of Belize”. The umbrella organization also mentioned its plan to submit a bill for the government’s consideration, aiming to amend or replace the Land Acquisition (Public Purposes) Act and the Land Acquisition (Promoters) Act. The NTUCB argues that the current approach to acquisitions leaves the public in the dark, with little to no information. It contends that the government fails to evaluate and report on the outcomes of these acquisitions, the actual benefits, who ultimately benefits, and the costs to taxpayers. Last week, NTUCB President Luke Martinez told reporters that news of MSC’s interest in Stake Bank supports the union’s claim that the compulsory acquisition is not in the public’s interest. Today, we asked Smith for his client’s take on MSC’s interest.
Godfrey Smith
Godfrey Smith, Attorney-At-Law
“That is why we are in court because the instruction from our client is that he does not believe it is for a legitimate public purpose and for a number of other grounds. So, his position is he intends to challenge that. Without the land being vested to the government it cannot be transferred to MSC, OPSA, Stake Bank or anybody else. So, the outcome of this hearing will determine whether the government can compulsorily acquire Mr. Feinstein’s twenty-three point four acres.”
Reporter
“Is your client concerned that there is a plan afoot to sell the project.”
Godfrey Smith
“He clearly is, otherwise, there would not be instructions to take the actions we are currently taking, to challenge that action every step of the way.”
Reporter
“Is your client open to a buyout?”
Godfrey Smith
“There are discussions, or let me put it this way, letters have been exchanged.”
Reporter
“Is it the view of yourself or your client that this acquisition is an abuse of the compulsory acquisition law?”
Godfrey Smith
“Yes, among several arguments that we have, some of which, interestingly were hinted at or indicated in a letter I saw from the NTUCB. They wrote a letter and noted several points in there which we have also raised before the court.”
Nestled between Belize City and Dangriga, Gales Point Village is a unique gem with the sea on one side and a lagoon on the other. However, for villagers who need to travel and don’t own a car, getting around has become a real challenge. The public bus that used to connect them to Dangriga and Belize City no longer passes through the village. Before the highway upgrade, a dedicated bus operator served the community, but he stopped, and no one else stepped in to fill the gap. Marion Ali spoke with the village chairman and a resident to hear their concerns about this issue. Here’s the story.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Gales Point Village is facing a serious public transportation issue, and the residents are fed up with waiting for the Ministry of Transport to step in and fix it.
Kevin Andrewin
Kevin Andrewin, Concerned Resident, Gales Point Village
“People still have to hike out Moning, jva, and Gas Point, which is. And you know that because I know no ministers and nobody would want to have their daughter on a Sunday hike.”
Kevin Andrewin is a prominent member of the village. He mentions that the issue has impacted everyone, from shoppers to students, even though there’s a school bus available.
Kevin Andrewin
“Children population is growing and the more the children population is growing, the bus run will become a problem because the sixth time student will not have space on the bus run. They will have to continue hitching, right. You don’t want to hear a six farm student dead because dehn di hitchhike. Because after they graduate from fourth farm, the bus run, I mean one bus to run on that where they gave me some flowers, which is good. And that our benefit will look upon. Yes. The school bus, but then still the school bus will have to get bigger.”
Village Chairman Jason Altschaft told News Five that the problem goes back a few years, when there was only a dirt road as the Coastal Highway. Even though the new paved highway makes it easier to reach the village, there’s still no public transportation available to get there.
Jason Altschaft
Jason Altschaft, Chairman, Gales Point Village
“We had somebody that was doing the bus run when it was a dirt road and he was preparing to do it when it became a paved road, but unfortunately politics changed and therefore he didn’t get the – didn’t get the contract. The man that did it – tried a few days here and there, but he found that it wasn’t going to be profitable for him to drive his bus down there.”
Altschaft shared that when the bus service stopped, he reached out to the Minister of Transport, Rodwell Ferguson. The only reassurance they received was a promise that a bus would soon be passing through the village. But that was several months ago.
Jason Altschaft
“I’ve definitely reached out to minister Ferguson and talked to him personally at least three or four times. It’s always encouraging But nothing has still happened. Now. We have the same guy that wanted to do the bus run before but they haven’t they haven’t selected him. He’s willing he’s got a bus.”
The owner of Ritchie’s Bus Service, Dalmon Ritchie, told News Five that he had discussed the matter with the villagers, but he is still contemplating applying for a permit to run through the village.
Voice of: Dalmon Ritchie
Voice of: Dalmon Ritchie, Owner, Ritchie’s Bus Service
“When I met a certain person, you know, in the transport department, and they said that they don’t want one. They want newer buses, you know, like maybe some 2003, 2004, you know. So I never pushed that issue there harder than where I am today, you know. But I don’t want to apply for the Coast Task Force.
I wouldda want do it.”
Minister Ferguson mentioned that no bus operators have applied to run the route yet, echoing Andrewin’s concerns about the profitability of making daily trips through the village.
Rodwell Ferguson
Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport
“I understand the concern that the people of New England and Spain, that they want to reach at a certain point. We are asking people to apply to see how profitable the world will be. But because of the class of fuel, people are reluctant to wanna have most, some, we got to listening to the, but again, it’s a matter forr us to explore. So we are going to explore it again and see if there’s any possibilities. I give you at least two weeks to a month to figure out if we can find somebody who have interest to run through the coastal highway. We have no objection, Mr. Ritchie applies. But again, from December twenty twenty four, we are asking that the buses not two thousand and twenty two bus, but because the current bus is one and a half, so we should meet the criteria and we apply the above action.”
