The Government of Belize has allocated five million dollars to construct low-income homes for Belizean families. During its campaign leading up to the 2020 general elections, the Briceño administration committed to building ten thousand homes. Three years into their term and just over two hundred homes have been constructed and handed over. That is a far cry from ten thousand homes. And, with five million dollars earmarked this year, Julius Espat, the Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing, says five million dollars for housing from a one point five-billion-dollar budget is unacceptable.
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure & Housing
“I believe and I am so happy that the member from Queen Square believes that we have not. Ih wah hurt mih heart fih say it, but I agree with the member from Mesop that we wanted more budget for housing. Ah the tell yo, because I have to not because I want. We should lobby the Ministry of Finance that we receive more funds to be able to help the people get shelters over their heads. If we don’t do that the haves will be happy that they believe the have-nots should get. They lobby, mek deh guh dah the bank. Just don’t say it when I am around, because when I am around I will tell them, but how will they go to the bank to get money? They don’t have no jobs, they are single mothers, deh the struggle, they don’t have an opportunity in life, some of them are disabled. You are setting them up to fail. You know they come with their briefcase and say you can go to the bank. You can go to the bank, but the people we help cannot go to the bank. So it is our job and many members here believe in it. I am the only one that voices it often; we need more budget for the housing.”
A group of approximately one hundred retired public officers and beneficiaries of the Public Workers Trust Fund protested today in front of the Assembly Building. Parliamentarians were inside the chambers of the National Assembly for the 2024/202 budget debate while protestors stood outside with placards and horns that echoed through the chambers. Over the past four years, the association has been calling for the dissolution of the nine-million-dollar trust fund and the disbursement of the funds to its beneficiaries. Notably, they held a similar protest in 2023 around the same time, at the exact location where Prime Minister John Briceño committed that he would assist them in realizing their demand. But a year has passed without any resolution and so these retired public officers were back out once more. And again, they left with assurance from the prime minister that he supports their cause and that he will assist them. News Five’s Paul Lopez was there. He filed the following report.
Retired Public Officer
“Sixteen dollars and sixty six cents they are giving us. It is not good enough.”
Reporter
“As the grocery bag project.”
Retired Public Officer
“As the grocery bag. We nuh get paid in grocery bag, we nuh suppose to get paid in grocery bag. We want we money, we nuh want no grocery bag. We want we money now.”
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Protestors who stood in front of the National Assembly Building this morning echoed the same cry. These are retired public officers who are beneficiaries of a nine-million-dollar trust fund established as compensation following a wage freeze between 1995 and 1997. The trust controls shares in Belize Telecommunications Limited and other secure investments. In 2023, Prime Minister Briceno committed to assisting these beneficiaries in dissolving the trust and disbursing the funds, at their demand. But a year has passed with no results, a cause to protest for these retired public workers.
Hubert Enriquez
Hubert Enriquez, Former Public Officer
“We want to impress upon the prime minister that the government as settler, they have the authority to reconstitute the board of trustees, have an interim board, so that it would lead towards the dissolution of the trust. What we want to see is the trust dissolved, the liquidation of the funds and they can pay the beneficiaries who are owed these funds for twenty seven years, we are asking for nothing unreasonable.”
According to Enriquez that is the promise Prime Minister John Briceno made last year and did not fulfill. Lisbeth Castillo, also a former public officer, held up a placard saying that they have been waiting for three decades to receive their benefits, to no avail.
Lisbeth Castillo
Lisbeth Castillo, Former Public Officer
“Look at what the sign says, almost three years and still waiting, really tough, cause those monies are ours. We should not have to be out here fighting for this money. We don’t mind being out here representing the other beneficiaries but at least the government can come and if they promised something they ought to keep their side of the promise. We gave many years of good service to this country and the people of Belize and we except nothing better and nothing less in return.”
Prime Minister John Briceño left the National Assembly chamber where the budget debate was being held to meet and dialogue with protestors. Flocked by as many as six security guards, like he did exactly one year ago, he informed the retired public officers that he supports their position.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“We support the winding down or shutting down of this trust. The problem we have right now is that it is in the court. So the people that are suing right now if they could withdraw the case then, if whoseever it is, if these people could withdraw the case then we could wind it down and at the same time I believe we could do whatvere investigation to see if any money was spent. I agree with unu, especially some of unu, I know some of you need the money now, unu the get of age, unu the get sickly. We want to wind it up so that unu could get the money. But it is in court.”
Hubert Enriquez
“There have been two court cases previously, two court cases. And, that part is being appealed. The appellants want the same thing we want. They want the trust to be terminated and the want the funds to be beneficiaries. In that sense we have a common cause. So what we are saying is with the assistance of government that case can be withdrawn. What they want is also what we want. But they also want us to pay the cost of the legal services and we are prepared to do that.”
Enriquez and other beneficiaries are concerned that as the winding up of the trust fund is slow in coming, monies are still being used from the funds to invest in projects that they object to. He contends that close two million dollars have already been invested, much to their dismay.
Retired Public Officer
“Since this is in court, can there be an injunction to stop the spending?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“And injunction for what?”
Retired Public Officer
“To stop to spend the money.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“But still even if you do that, we still can’t wind up the turst and give unu the money. We need to take it out of the court system and then unu do what unu want. That is why what I need if unu could point a three or four to meet with the attorney general and he could take his time and explain the steps to do that. You have our support.”
Retired Public Officer
“PM, respectfully, you asked us to do that last year. We did, you know how many meeting we had, one with the minister usher, one with the Deputy AG. We keep asking and these people don’t want to meet with us. We can’t be reinventing the wheel and getting everyone together, cause right now we are wasting time.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I will commit to you, after the Easter break, I am saying I will be in that meeting, I will call the attorney general, I will call minister usher, unu bring a three ah unu and mek we work it out together to get what unu want.”
Earlier this month, we reported that the B.D.F. discovered an illegal road beingbuilt within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. The road was located south of Rio Blanco, about a kilometer into Belize. Today, B.D.F. Commander, Brigadier-General Azariel Loria told News Five that the military has taken a few steps since the road was discovered.
Cmdr. Azariel Loria, Brigadier-General, B.D.F
“They were trying to access the creek and what we understand too is that they were pushing that road so that they could continue with their cattle-rearing. And other information that we got is that some Guatemalans, they wanted to subdivide that area into lots and sell it among them. We have patrols there now to prevent that. We have sent also that information to the Ministry of National Defense and Border Security and [we’re] asking for verification from the Organization of the American States. That’s where we are right now on that road.”
With World Meteorological Day just three days away, the National Met Service has already begun to celebrate. Today, hundreds of children from primary schools across the country visited their compound in Ladyville to take part in the various presentations held at the World Meteorological Day Fair. This year, Belize celebrates under the theme, “At the Frontline of Climate Action”. We stopped by to learn more about the event and its activities. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with that story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Every year, on March twenty-third, countries around the world join in the observation of World Meteorological Day. It is meant to commemorate the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization in 1950. This year’s theme highlights the very important role that weather and climate information play in advancing sustainable development goals and reducing the impacts of extreme weather and climate-related events on societies across the globe. Michael Holtz, a weather observer at the National Meteorological Service, gave us some information about the importance of the event.
Michael Holtz
Michael Holtz, Weather Observer, NMSB
“World Met Day is on March twenty-third, we’re celebrating a little bit earlier, but it’s about exposing the kids into the weather, how we get information from the weather, how that might be useful to them, and give them a little bit more insight about the rain, the weather, and So for the types of instruments we use and just to have them build up an interest in case they want to come work here work For a mutual job service and so they have a deeper understanding of science and how it works.”
Holtz said that the fair displayed a host of activities and informational booths for the kids to visit where they learned about the MET’s automatic weather stations, radar, and weather balloons. Around five hundred children attended the event, with some hailing from as far as Caye Caulker. Marina Chimilio explained why she thought it was important to make the visit to the fair along with her students.
Marina Chimilio
Marina Chimilio, Teacher, Caye Caulker Roman Catholic School
“I believe that it’s important for kids to be a part of these kind of fairs. Because they could use it in their science lesson and get to learn more and put it into practice. I want them to learn more about the satellite. When they came, they asked, Miss, what is that big ball there? And we went and asked a gentleman and he said that after the tour that they will know more about it.”
Britney Gordon
And you’re hoping to implement some of the things that they learn here today into their science lessons?”
Marina Chimilio
“Yes ma’am.”
Speaking with a few of Chimilio’s students, we learned what they gleaned from the presentations.
Amaya Tun
Amaya Tun, Student, Caye Caulker Roman Catholic School
“I learned that the sun recorder records how many, I don’t know how to say it, but the heat. It records all the heat that the sun projects.”
Britney Gordon
“So, can you tell me what you learned at today’s event so far?”
Penny Young
Penny Young, Student, Caye Caulker Roman Catholic School
“Okay, that the thermometers test the temperature of things.”
Britney Gordon
“So are you excited to be participating in today’s event?”
David Maradiaga
David Maradiaga, Student, Caye Caulker Roman Catholic School
“Yes.”
Britney Gordon
“Have you learned anything so far?”
David Maradiaga
“That there’s, that there’s four types of thermometers. And that there’s one of the thermometers, the max thermometer, is the closest to be those thermometers that the nurse give you.”
The highlight of the day’s activities was the releasing of a weather balloon used to measure temperature, wind, and pressure as it ascends. Michelle Augustine, Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the National Met Service, said that performing a simulation with the balloon for the children to observe was an important part of today’s event, as the balloon is a vital tool in weather observations.
“This provides meteorologists or forecasters with an idea of what is happening above the surface in terms of these weather parameters. And it helps us to basically better forecast the weather conditions over our area. Additionally, this information is very important from the weather balloon. During hurricane season. Because when we have the approach of a storm, the National Hurricane Center relies on this information from this ray of the sun that is released with the weather balloon to help them to assess or analyze the data over a particular area. So, the weather balloon will provide, for example, if a system is approaching, if the pressure is low, so it helps them to validate where the center of the storm is. Likewise, also the wind conditions. If the weather balloon goes up and measures, instrument, measures that the wind is very strong near our area, then the hurricane forecasters would be better able to pinpoint the location of the system.”
Ground was officially broken for the commencement of the Stake Bank Tourism Development Project back in 2018, and work got underway for the mega cruise facility shortly thereafter. But tonight, after investing north of one hundred million dollars, Port Coral, a Michael Feinstein initiative, has gone into receivership. Earlier today, News Five confirmed that a receiver had been appointed for the project during a meeting on Thursday. That individual is Marlowe Neal. The receivership is expected to last for a period of between six to nine months with a view to complete the construction of piers that would allow for cruise ships to berth at Stake Bank. But there is also multi-million dollar claim that had been brought against the Briceno administration prior to Stake Bank going into receivership. Earlier today, we caught up with Prime Minister John Briceño, who spoke briefly on the matter, as well as the status of a piece of legislation that was to have been introduced in place of the definitive agreement.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“When it comes to the issue of the receivership, that‘s a matter for the bank and I‘m sure that they may have their reasons why it is that they believe that they have to put the Stake Bank project in receivership. But, as we know, the main players behind the Stake Bank Project decided to sue the government and from what I am told there is really no case. So I can‘t understand why it is that they would want to sue the government.”
Reporter
“What do you believe this means for the cruise sector? Will Belize ever see a berthing port?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I do believe that we will. As we said, there are three areas: there is Stake Bank, there is Portico and also now there is the Port of Belize. And so, all of that is still remaining in play and we will see which is the one to be developed into a cruise port that can meet not only the needs for today, but also for ten, twenty years from today.”
Reporter
“This is the largest receivership, I believe, in Belize’s banking history. Do you think it will affect the banking sector, though?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“No, it will not. The Central Bank has been very clear and also, so has Atlantic Bank. They have been very clear from day one that they are going to ensure that they protect every single cent of the depositors. So, no, I do not expect it to be a problem.”
Isani Cayetano
“PM, where are we with the legislation that’s forthcoming with respect of cruise tourism development in this country?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Well, nowhere. Until we know where we’re going, it does not make sense to pass this piece of legislation. We’re pretty much ready, but depending on which direction we will go then we may need to make some adjustments to that piece of legislation. So that is why we are holding on to it and we will deal with it when the time is appropriate.”
Reporter
“Notwithstanding that you say the claimants don’t have a case, has the government engaged with them? Have you met with them?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“No, I have not met with them, but Mr. Feinstein did call me on Wednesday wanting to have a meeting, so I hope to meet with them next week.”
Prime Minister John Briceño is scheduled to meet with the Christian Workers Union on Monday to discuss the tumultuous state of affairs between the Port of Belize and the stevedores. As we reported earlier this week, employees of P.B.L. effected a work-to-rule after repeatedly demanding that government compensate them for sugar redundancies after the shipment of bulk sugar was relocated to Big Creek a few years ago. But G.O.B. remains resolute in its position and today PM Briceño echoed the sentiment that no one lost their job as a result of the transfer. Here’s what he had to say ahead of Monday’s meeting.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I’ve had several with the stevedores and every time we meet, we come with an agreement but it seems that when they leave the meeting they come up with other issues. I said to them from the beginning, let‘s not talk about sugar or the sugar money. I said, you have your position and we have our position that there is no claim for no kind of redundancy. Nobody got fired, so there is no sugar money. But as a government, we are prepared to be able to address many of the pending issues between the stevedores and the Port of Belize so that we can modernize the port. The way the port has been running for the past ten, fifteen, twenty years, it‘s not in the interest of the port or in the interest of the country and I have been explaining to the stevedores, now we have competition, there is more than one port. So when you decide that you don‘t want to discharge a ship, the ship would either go back to their home country, quite likely the United States, or they go down south to discharge their container. That‘s what happened with sugar. So when they behave the way they do, they decide not to offload, they are shooting themselves in the foot. We need to be able to find common ground where we both, stevedores, Port of Belize and the Government of Belize, that we want to find how we could move this forward, how we could modernize and that is the intent, to protect their interest. I understand and we want to do that, that is why the government made an offer of one point five million dollars to say, listen, let‘s stop fighting about everything. Let‘s come up with the new working practices. You can‘t work more than fifteen hours and when you‘re finished working fifteen hours a new gang finishes if the ship is not finished offloading. Let‘s look at the number of gangs, the port wanted to bring it down to twelve, there‘s fourteen and the stevedores said they would not accept it. I said, okay, in the CBA that you have already signed you‘re talking about thirteen, okay, let‘s stay with thirteen. So we‘ve agreed to that. So, most of the things we‘ve agreed, they‘re just small little things.”
The Belize Postal Service has modernized its system and is catching up with delivery services like Amazon. Customers now have more control over their packages. They can see when their items are on their way from the post office and when it has been picked up by the receiver. There is also an option for all queries to be answered through an AI chatbot called “Edith”. It’s an update that has been long in the making. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
The Belize Postal Services has gone digital. Customers can now track their items and receive real-time updates and notifications on the status of their packages.
Employee
Employee, Belize Postal Service
“What will happen is when the item comes into the post office the item is given a barcode. The individual then comes to the app, where it is, then entered into, whereby the sender’s name, address and phone number which is very important. The phone number is very important. it is an imported into the system. Once that is completed, both the sender and the receiver are going to get a text with a link telling them exactly everything about their package cost the destination the expected time of arrival all that information is there.”
Your items will then be handed over to the drivers that are tasked with transporting these packages across the country. At every step of the process, the package is scanned to provide updates to customers on the status of their deliveries.
Employee
“So they know when the package leaves for example San Ignacio to Belize city. They brought the package at nine a.m. and at one p.m. that package is moving so they know the package left at one p.m.. by four o’clock in the afternoon the packages in Belize city they know that it is ready to be picked up so they have enough information so they can schedule when stopping at the post office because they now know when it is there.”
The Belize Postal Services is also able to deliver packages directly to the homes of their customers with the address provided at the office. Marsha Price, the Postmaster General, says the digitization of their services has been long in the making. She explained that the delay in rolling out the upgrades was due to a lack of the necessary financial resources.
Marsha Price
Marsha Price, Postmaster General, Belize Postal Service
“It allows us to provide what the customers were asking for. People have been asking to see where their packages are, so that allows us to at least bridge some gap in this digital divide, like I mentioned earlier. Financing was the aspect and now we have the support of our ministry that is allowing us or financing us to have these sort of applications that the customers have been requesting for years so that is something that is though it is now available now all our process have been manual so this is one of them we can track internationally but nothing domestically so this helps out customers and it will pull more customers so it is something that we so desire.”
Price says the Belize Postal Services anticipates an increase in its revenue with the new level of visibility it is providing to customers.
Marsha Price
“We have the most affordable prices and er provide same day delivery, so we are doing more for our customers, we provide that culture of excellence, giving our customers the best end-to-end experience. So, affordable pricing, being able to track your packages.”
Xeina Schnarr, the Postal Supervisor at the post office’s express department, explained that customers will no longer be required to spend time in long lines at the post office during drop-offs.
Xeina Schnarr
Xeina Schnarr, Postal Supervisor, Belize Postal Service
“Let’s say you have twenty packages and stand in a line and wait for a receipt you can just drop off those packages because now with this system you will automatically get a text as the sender and the receiver will also receive a message and with real time tracking telling you that you posted it in Belize City and let’s say you are sending it to San Pedro. You will get a message saying that you posted it the time we process it and the time it leaves office when San Pedro receives it and when it is ready for delivery or pickup.”
Paul Lopez
“What information do they have to provide when they drop off the package?”
Xeina Schnarr
“Just like as you address a regular letter the sender’s information which includes the name and address whatever district and the phone number it is the same thing for the receiver’s information it is the same thing just like how you address aregular letter.”
The Port of Belize Limited has taken on significant losses in revenue since last Friday. That’s when stevedores walked out after demanding higher payment for lost wages when bulk sugar was rerouted to the Big Creek Port. During Wednesday’s stand-off between the stevedores and the Port, C.E.O. Arturo Vasquez told reporters that while the figures cannot yet be tallied, the losses have been significant. The stevedores, led by the Christian Workers’ Union, returned to work by day’s end, but on the premise that the Prime Minister, John Briceno will meet with their union representatives next Monday to discuss their concerns. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The tally on the losses that the port and the government have suffered as a result of the five-day walk-out from work has not yet been calculated, but it is quite a lot. Port of Belize C.E.O., Arturo Vasquez told the media on Wednesday that when there is an interruption of work at the facility, it has a trickling effect on everyone.
Arturo Vasquez
Arturo Vasquez, C.E.O., Port of Belize Limited
“Significantly. If no cargo is going out or coming in, you can imagine the effect it has on the business community and the public and the prices and all of that.”
Marion Ali
“How many ships have sailed so far?”
Arturo Vasquez
“The one that’s here today came on Friday and came back yesterday. Physically only two have sailed, but, in addition to that, two have cancelled – one on Monday and one on Tuesday.”
By the end of Wednesday, however, the stevedores had returned to work following a cell phone conversation between them and Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde who promised to do his best to lobby on their behalf and have them get what is due to them. The stevedores want the government to pay them four point nine million dollars in compensation for their lost wages since bulk sugar was rerouted to the Big Creek Port for export. C.W.U President, Leonora Flowers is representing the stevedores in the process.
Leonora Flowers
Leonora Flowers, President, Christian Workers’ Union
“He indicated that he’s willing – he’s going to try his very best to get the stevedores what is rightfully theirs, and what we have been trying to get for a while. That’s as much as I can say.”
Marion Ali
“So on Monday, you’re going to meetings with the Prime Minister and with the Deputy Prime Minister?”
Leonora Flowers
“Yes, we should on Monday.”
Marion Ali
“And what will be discussed then?”
Leonora Flowers
“Hopefully the sugar money only and then we progress on to the C.B.A.”
The Collective Bargaining Agreement is the new terms of reference that will govern the way the port and the stevedores work together going forward. But before the port and the CWU can sit to discuss that, the stevedores want a favourable meeting with the PM on Monday.
Marion Ali
“If you don’t get what you want on Monday, what happens next?”
Leonora Flowers
“The stevedores will be back at it again. Unfortunately, it will be up to the stevedores at that time.”
As we reported on Tuesday, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, B.C.C.I., has written to the Prime Minister, sharing its view that there need not be a Commission of Inquiry to delve into the private and sensitive business information of the Belize Sugar Industries Limited. The chamber was in agreement with B.S.I.’s attorney, Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith, that such an inquiry would be invasive. The chamber’s Chief Policy Analyst, Joshua Pott shared with News Five that there are other ways to sort out a dispute of that nature between two entities.
Joshua Pott, Chief Policy Analyst, B.C.C.I.
“The parts of the Commission of Inquiry that deal with looking into the commercial dispute between the B.S.I and the B.S.C.F.A is not necessarily for the realm of the Commission of Inquiry. I think the other thing that needs to be understood is that what’s going on between the B.S.C.F.A. and the B.S.I is really a commercial dispute between two private entities. They’re both private sector entities. As a matter of fact, they’re both members of the Chamber of Commerce. Their welfare is equally as important to us. Where a commercial dispute exists, there are mechanisms to deal with it. The parties can resort to a variety of alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms. Those things exist and we feel at the Chamber of Commerce that’s the better route for resolving the commercial dispute between these parties than having a commission of inquiry look into it.”
We also asked Pott, who works at an organization that represents the business sector, to shed light on what is driving the cost of living so high in recent months. While he said there could be several factors, he alluded to the cost of goods internationally.
Joshua Pott, Chief Policy Analyst, B.C.C.I.
“We’re encouraged to see that the Statistical Institute of Belize is reporting that inflation rates, at least per month, is lower than what it was a couple months ago, or a couple years ago. But prices are still going up on the shelves, and when you look at inflation as a broader topic you’ll find that it’s being influenced by a variety of factors. So it’s very difficult to pinpoint what are the largest contributors of inflation, but we can point to the usual suspects being the cost of acquisition for the goods that we import. We import a large quantity of the goods that we consume, especially groceries. So really the prices that we see on the shelf tend to be dictated by how much those goods are being acquired for, from the manufacturers or from the primary wholesalers.”
