Environment | Greater Belize Media

Recycling Plastics – Less Hazardous on the Environment

You’ve probably walked past a pile of garbage and cringed at the sight and smell. It’s not just an eyesore; it attracts pests and rodents that can spread diseases. A lot of the trash in Belize is made up of recyclable materials, like plastics. Plastic bags, for example, take ten to twenty years to break down, lingering in the environment. Studies show that plastics and microplastics have infiltrated all levels of the ocean’s food chain and are also clogging our drainage and waterways in Belize. Plastics can bind with harmful chemicals, known as persistent organic pollutants, which pose a threat to the reproductive systems, growth, and health of animals that consume contaminated food. Plastic bottles can take hundreds of years to decompose. In this edition of our Five Point Breakdown, News Five explores the issue of plastic waste and how recycling efforts can help mitigate its environmental impact. Here’s Marion Ali with the report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Plastics – they’re absolutely everywhere! Whether you’re at home, in the office, or shopping at the supermarket, you can’t escape them. They’re probably the most common items you’ll find in any building, unless there’s a ban in place and alternatives are being used. While many countries see plastics as a necessary evil, there are ways we can cut down on the plastic waste we generate. Dr. Arlenie Rogers, an Assistant Professor in Marine Biology at the University of Belize, suggests two key strategies: one proactive and the other reactive.

Minimizing Plastic Waste by Education & Recycling

Dr. Arlenie Rogers, Assistant Professor, Marine Biology, U.B.

“If we educate people, people will know, people will become more aware on how to recycle, but if we don’t have the right legislation in place, for example, a requirement where we have to separate our garbage into recyclables and garbage that cannot be recycled, then it’s going to be easier for people that collect recycling products at the landfill, or sorry, not at the landfill, at the transfer stations. And they will have less exposure to chemicals and other dangerous materials when garbage is all in one bag.”

Marion Ali

“One company in Belize wants to make a difference with the plastic garbage that we produce. Businessman Freddy Oriana is hoping to seek funding to be able to expand his Belize Recycling Company Limited at mile eight on the George Price Highway to be able to convert the plastic garbage into building materials such as plastic wood.”

Freddy Orellana, Owner, Belize Recycling Company Ltd.

“Mostly it’s the wood because you can make it different sizes and for different purposes too. You can build garbage bins, you can build chairs, you know, like picnic tables and things like that.”

Orellana shared that his company used to buy plastic waste to export to Guatemala, where it would be transformed into useful items. However, with the drop in purchasing prices, he’s had to hit pause on that part of the business. Despite this, he’s still happy to accept plastic donations, storing them with the hope that his recycling dream will soon come to life. His goal? To produce plastic wood as a sustainable building material.

Freddy Orellana

“If people want to bring it and donate it here, we process it and we file it and bail it and keep it. We visited various businesses in other countries, and they have strewing machines that have different molds, and we can use all the plastics to make this that we call plastic wood. You can add different colors, you can make different shapes. You can even build houses with it. This has a lot of benefits because it’s fire resistant, like bullets will be really hard to work through it.”

Orellana mentioned that plastic wood is actually tougher for bullets to penetrate compared to regular lumber.

(The Benefits of Building with Plastic Wood)

Freddy Orellana

“We had here a robbery at night and then somebody came with a gun and shot at the security guard, and then it went through the wood, but it wouldn’t go through this. So, this basically saved the person’s life.”

Luis Garcia, President, Belize Recyclers and Waste Management Association

“We’re gearing towards being that loophole between the private sector and government – that crossroads of building recycling opportunities in Belize. When we mean recycling, we mean doing recycling in Belize and selling recyclables out of Belize.”

Luis Garcia, the president of the newly formed Belize Recyclers and Waste Management Association, leads a group of over twenty passionate individuals and businesses united by a single mission: cutting down on plastic waste. They are currently exploring ways for Belize to make some cash by exporting plastic waste.

(Exploring Plastic Garbage as Part of Circular Economy)

Luis Garcia

“We have an interest from Taiwan of buying all the plastic bags from the banana industries, and we’re looking at tons of plastics there. So there is an interest there. There’s also an interest on the pet plastic, which is what is used for soft drinks. So we do have a lot of, interests that are already on the table, but we still need to put everything together and to make sure that we meet the volumes that make it sustainable. By just picking up a few crocus bags here and there, we just have to sell it to the nearest buyer, which would be Guatemala or Mexico. But if we can actually put everything together, all the efforts together and put policy in order, then we can actually build a recycling opportunity for Belize and develop recycling as a business and not just as an environmental willingness of people.”

Dr. Rogers believes that if Belize had laws requiring us to separate our garbage, it would make everyone responsible for not just reducing, but also organizing the waste we create, much of which is plastic.

(Separating Garbage Protects Recyclers)

Dr. Arlenie Rogers

“When we put our garbage in the drum, like in the cities and the towns, everything is in one. In other countries, their laws require people to separate their garbage. They separate organic waste, they separate plastic waste, they separate cans, they separate bottles. Everything is separated. So when the collection truck comes, it’s separated. If we were to have that in Belize, the people that are at the transfer station, the people that the recyclers, they would be less exposed to, you know, many chemicals that come with the garbage.”

Dr. Rogers thinks Belize needs to tighten up its laws for businesses that handle plastic containers. It’s time to get serious about regulating plastic use.

Enforcing the Laws on Businesses

Dr. Arlenie Rogers

“What needs to be done is to ensure that those companies that market themselves as producer of biodegradable products, that they are really complying, that they are indeed making biodegradable products. Secondly, Belize also needs to extend the enforcement of the Returnable Containers Act, because the Returnable Containers Act looks at glass and other beverage containers, and beverage containers are not only made of glass, they are made of plastic, they are made of metal. So if you want to minimize plastic, then the enforcement needs to be done on other companies and other distributors that are importing beverage containers that are producing plastic.”

Under current law, anyone caught importing restricted plastic products faces a hefty fine. They could be fined at least a thousand dollars or three times the value of the imported goods, but the penalty won’t exceed twenty thousand dollars. Marion Ali for News Five.

Excessive Flooding in Canal

Tonight, Ray Cattouse, who lives at Mile Fourteen on the Philip Goldson Highway, is once again speaking out to the media. He’s worried about the environment and frustrated with his neighbor’s actions. Despite years of complaints to the Department of the Environment, his neighbor has been allowed to continue waste management operations. Cattouse claims these activities have polluted the creek on his property and now caused severe flooding. We visited Cattouse’s home today to see the damage firsthand. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the report.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Across the country, hundreds of families are grappling with the severe flooding brought on by Tropical Storm Sara. However, Ray Cattouse, who lives at Mile Fourteen on the Philip Goldson Highway, believes there’s more to the story behind the water invading his property. He points the finger at his neighbor who owns a carbonated beverage and hazardous waste disposal facility. A canal links the properties of Cattouse, Canul, and their neighbor Teichroeb. Last year, Cattouse reported a fishkill, which he claims was caused by pollutants in the water.

Ray Cattouse, Resident

“Because of that, I can’t give mister Teichroeb wrong for doing what mister Teichrob did. Mister Teichroeb block off the canal. So that the water pass through his place no more. I can’t give ah wrong. I woulda do the same thing. No, if the department of environment will tell you we can’t do nothing about that then you do what you could for yourself and due to that canal block off now, because this canal that flows through my property and mister Teichroeb property is the what you say the canal that the water used to pass through all the time on the natural canal, but now that is block, now the water have to find the way around.”

Cattouse explains that his neighbor blocked off access to the water on his property, which he understands since his neighbor also enjoys fishing in the nearby natural ponds. However, this has caused the water to change its course, leading to flooding on Cattouse’s land. While he acknowledges that the recent heavy rains might have made things worse, he insists he’s never seen flooding like this before.

Ray Cattouse

“We have a lot of water, but I’ve lived here since 2000. My parents have lived here since 79, and all the hurricanes and so we passed through. We never have this kind of flooding. This flooding just happened this year because the natural flow of the canal is black. And like I say again, I can’t beg mister Teichroeb to block out the water, make it go round, because the DOE say that they can’t do nothing about it. So he did something about his pond. And so with that now, like you see the whole area here is flooded because the two canals on either side of mister Teichroeb is too small to carry the water.”

The neighboring facility operates with the green light from the Department of the Environment, so it’s unlikely they’ll stop anytime soon. Cattouse mentioned that his property stretches at least half a mile, making it tough and costly to block access. He thinks the best fix would be to widen the culverts along the road to handle the increased water flow.

Ray Cattouse

“The resolution this time around is very simple, the culvert on either side of mister Teichroeb property. It’s too small to carry the water because the main flow of the water is block. No? But what the M.I.D. will have to do is to put two bigger culverts on each side of mister Teichroeb property. I’ll take you around there right now and show you the height of the water on both sides of mister Teichroeb property. Because the water can’t get through fast enough because the main stream going through mister Teichroeb land is blocked off”

In 2019, Cattouse took to the media to air his grievances about alleged air pollution emanating from Canul’s property. In 2023, Cattouse reported the alleged pollution of the creek. We reached out to the Chief Environmental Officer, Anthony Mai for a comment. He told us that the Department of the Environment is not aware of the current complaint but will investigate the matter. Britney Gordon for News Five.

Aerial Damage Assessment Doesn’t Include Cost of Damages

In other parts of the Cayo District, the Prime Minister reports that hundreds of acres of farmland are underwater. This spells trouble for farmers in Valley of Peace, who are facing significant losses in vegetables and other crops. The Prime Minister’s aerial damage assessment hasn’t yet included the costs.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Here in the plains in Cayo, Santander, hundreds of acres of cane land are under water. Lots of small farmers have lost their crops, the vegetables in Cayo Central, by La Gracia, also by mile seven, that area. We have a lot of farmers that grow vegetables and their vegetables and crops are under water. Over all, what we are seeing is a lot of infrastructure damage like, for example, what we are seeing here. This small bridge that connects to St. Martin Primary School, and agricultural crops. Our small farmers are losing and we have to see, how we can fix the infrastructure, infrastructure that can now hold the kind of water that is running down and also to work with our small farmers and see how we can help them.”

Paul Lopez

“What’s the initial cost or is it too early to determine?”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I think it’s way too early to determine. Captain Mendez was with me on the flyover, from NEMO, and they have their assessment team outside. So it’s going to be quite substantial, unfortunately, but we have to find a way. But we Belizeans are resilient and we will find a way how to rebound and to rebound even better.”

MIDH is Expected to Submit Estimates for Damages to Infrastructure

The Briceño administration recently approved an additional one point five million dollars for the National Emergency Management Organization to aid in recovery efforts. However, in the coming days, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing is also expected to submit an estimated cost for repairing the damaged roads across the affected areas.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We just approved in the budget for NEMO, in the last supplementary budget, I think we had one point five million dollars. So we have to make that available and I am sure that when we speak with Minister Espat from MIDH and their team, and they come to tell us the level of damage that our highways and in the north, the sugar roads, roads for farmers, village roads, village streets, the amount of damage that they’ve had… It’s going to be substantial. Let’s see how we could assess the damage and get it done. I think that what we want to see is that the central government gets the work done. We work closely with the mayor, I believe we respect him and he is quite active in the work that does here, certainly in the twin towns and we are here to serve the people.”

Paul Lopez
“What can you tell us about residents living beyond the Bullet Tree Bridge and what they can expect by way of some sort of aid from government or any agency?”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“The very same thing that we said we were going to do in all the villages. In these areas, the area representatives are making assessments. For instance, I think it was Calla Creek that also had some record flooding but the water ran off but there was damage to property.”

The Most Rain During TS Sara Fell Over Middle Caye!

The National Met Service reports that Middle Caye bore the brunt of the rain from Tropical Storm Sara. This small coral island, one of four along Glover’s Reef in the Stann Creek District, was drenched with a staggering seventeen inches of rainfall. A forecaster told News Five today that Middle Caye received the lion’s share of the storm’s downpour.

Via phone: Francisca Wellington, Weather Forecaster

“San Ignacio for the Friday to Sunday, they recorded over three inches of rainfall. That goes for Santa Elena and Bullet Tree and then for Benque it’s over four inches. We have another station up in the Cayo District. It’s called Black Rock. It’s near the river and that recorded over four point five inches. In Belmopan there were six inches of rainfall from Friday to Sunday. We had over ten inches from Friday to Sunday and then out in the cayes. Middle Caye recorded over seventeen inches between Friday and Sunday. Remember now, the rain is not only occurring in the country of Belize. It was also occurring over in Guatemala and some of our rivers, especially the Macal River, Mopan River, this area. These rivers come from those areas as well over Guatemala. So all of that rainfall is coming down through our rivers.”

Cayo Suffers Worst Flooding from T.S. Sara

While most of the rain fell over Middle Caye, Hydrologist Tenielle Hendy explained today that the mountains to the south and west of Belize received the bulk of the rainfall. This is causing significant flooding out west. So, even though Middle Caye got a whopping seventeen inches of rain, it’s the Cayo District, which only received about four inches, that’s dealing with severe flooding.

Tenielle Hendy, Hydrologist

“For the central areas of the country mainly, we’re seeing flood warning in effect for those rivers. The Mopan, Belize River, Sibun River, going into the south, we’re now seeing the City River, the Bladen and Swayze branches of the Monkey River, and all those emanating off the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains. We’re still seeing flooding and flood warning for those areas. What we do have still is the landslide threat. The landslide threat is positive for the next twenty-four hours, and it’s showing mainly in that Hummingbird Highway, Southern Highway into the south back west, towards the border with Guatemala is showing a positive indication for landslide threats. We have focused on the San Ignacio region, and like I said, it’s nine point six meters, so between twenty-seven, thirty, thirty-one feet of water we’re seeing there. The same we’re seeing now in the Mopan, where more between twelve to fifteen feet of water at the highest recorded extreme. For Crooked Tree, it’s increasing, but it’s not that it’s going to cover the causeway. We at this point, we do have reports of certain parts of the village being flooded at this time, but so far, based on the data that we’ve collected, San Ignacio has received the highest flood levels that we have seen with the passage of Tropical Storm Sara.”

Roaring Creek River Floods Old Bridge

In Roaring Creek, the floodwaters from Tropical Storm Sara over the weekend are making their way from western Belize through the rivers and tributaries towards the Caribbean Sea. This means the Macal, Sibun, and Belize Rivers are among the main ones flooding right now. The water has already submerged the old bridge in Roaring Creek and is creeping under the newly elevated bridge, leaving several homes under several feet of water. Today, News Five caught up with two residents who were out surveying the scene. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Even though Roaring Creek is more centrally located, it has low-lying areas that are prone to flooding. Shenell Trapp was out in the flood with a canoe.

Shenell Trapp, Roaring Creek Resident

“We’re having an experience of our life, you know, helping people and having fun fishing, touring.”

Delmarie Gordon says that so far, Sara has not affected her, unlike previous storms.

Delmarie Gordon, Resident, Roaring Creek

“Ih nuh too bad.”

Britney Gordon

So nothing went into your house this time?

Delmarie Gordon

“No.”

Britney Gordon

Can you tell me about the times when it was bad and water went into your house, what kind of damages did you see?

Delmarie Gordon

“Ih damage all the mattresses and the stove.”

Britney Gordon

But this time you said that you left the house on Thursday. Why is that?

Delmarie Gordon

“Because I mi gone stay da mi sista house cause mi niece mi gone out.”

Britney Gordon

“So just in case that it had gotten really bad, you decided not to stay there.”

Delmarie Gordon

“Yes.”

Britney Gordon

“And your brother is still there at this time, he’s taking care of the house?

Delmarie Gordon

“Mhmm.”

Shenell Trapp said whenever the village floods, they put aside their everyday activities to help those in need in the community.

Britney Gordon

“You tell me that every time there’s a flood, this canoe gets brought out; you guys help your neighbors. Can you talk to me about that?”

Shenell Trapp

“Yes, sometimes our neighbors stay in the house and then they call for rescue or to take food for them. So last night our neighbor over there wanted to come out around eight-thirty last night and we rescued him.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

The Macal River Floods Market, Bullet Tree Bridge Remains Closed

In San Ignacio, the Macal River surged above the town’s market for the first time in nearly five years. Today, it started to recede, albeit slowly. By the afternoon, market vendors were busy cleaning up. However, just outside San Ignacio in Bullet Tree, the situation looks grim. The bridge has been closed for several days, and residents beyond the Bullet Tree Bridge are either in shelters or bracing for the worst. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Crossing a flooded bridge is no small feat, which is why the Bullet Tree Bridge has been closed to vehicles. However, for some residents living beyond the bridge, crossing on foot is a necessity. They’re either braving the risks to get basic supplies or, like these two gentlemen, to get to work. We spoke with one Bullet Tree resident who was watching the scene unfold.

Alfonso Tesecum, Bullett Tree Resident

“Right now it is not so bad right now. But the last time we did not see the river running so fast. But, right now the river is getting higher. This morning when I pass here, this road, the bridge was getting up, but suddenly it start to come again more higher. I see some people try to walk across it but it is dangerous right now. No vehicle could pass it because it almost reach by the police station and that will be dangerous.”

We then made our way across the pedestrian path on the bridge to hear from the residents on the other side. A large portion of the bridge was underwater, but the pedestrian path was still above water. Once we crossed the bridge, we found ourselves wading through over two feet of rushing water. On the other side we spoke with Robert Perez, a resident of the area.

Robert Perez, Resident, Camalote

“Last night it went down almost at the entrance of the bridge. But by this morning around seven o’clock it already by that sign that says road closed. But by this afternoon we see it is where it is, an it is rising even more higher. It is affecting me big time because we are tacos vendors. We are across the bridge and not able to do our sales as normal. Then also I have my child that I haven’t returned home, because I cant cross the bridge. It is affecting me and as you can see here a lot of houses are already under water. Well at least one foot underwater.”

We also met a resident who, along with her family, has taken refuge in a church. She shared that her home is now submerged, and the rising river is threatening their temporary shelter, which they’ve been in since the early hours of Saturday morning. They went without potable water all weekend, but thankfully, it was restored this morning.

Voice of: Raquel Lobos, Flood Victim

“My uncle is back there with my aunt, because my aunt is taking care of a little old lady. They cant come out, but the river is rising and surely it will enter our house.”

Paul Lopez

“What will they do?”

Voice of Raquel Lobos

“They are on that side, seeing what it can do, but we did not expect this. We thought it was going down. But, I don’t know. It is just rising up. It is coming up and it is tough. I am in a worries right now.”

Downtown San Ignacio saw the Macal River reach Hurricane Mitch levels. Some residents saw the flood waters as an opportunity to drive their jet skis through the town. By this morning, it began to recede, and market vendors who enacted their evacuation plans on Saturday were back today to assess the damage.

Aoifa Wade, Entrepreneur

“The water reached all the way here and you could tell all the floor is muddy and the walls they to power wash everything because the walls kept draining down. And it was not like as bad as 2020 because 2020 reached all the way to the top, but it was pretty bad. For us the wakeup sign is when it reaches the stairs behind the San Ignacio sign. It actually reached behind the bathroom area so we were like this is going to get really bad. The water just started to raise pretty quickly and we were in shock and it stayed like that for two days.”

Paul Lopez

“Have you all ever considered moving from here or why stay here?”

Aoifa Wade

“We have, because not only the weather. It is a danger to us as well, because the furniture can fall. We can get hurt. I mean, someone asked the mayor today why not move the market from the riverside. As vendors, we can’t do anything about it. We can just stay here and hope for the best.”

And so today we asked the mayor for his thoughts on relocating the market to higher ground.

Earl Trapp, Mayor, SE/SI

“It makes a lot of sense. The only good thing with being here we have the nice Macal view, but in terms of keeping the market open and service already available, I think it is a good idea to be looking at an area we can get relocate in the near future. With global warming and climate change, I don’t see it getting any better. So, you are right, we can have a lot of freak storm and river rising. I think it is an excellent idea and it is something that I will take up as a local leader and put it in consultation with the general public.”

In the meantime, as of midday, the Macal River was just below the roofs of the wooden structures on the newly built boardwalk.

Earl Trapp

“With the pressure that is coming from the Mopan River and that river is still rising. It mean that this river will take a lot longer before it recedes and before this low lying bridge becomes readily available for the people.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Flash Flood Sweeps Through Santiago Juan Community

Tropical Storm Sara is set to hit Belize earlier than expected. Initially, it was predicted to make landfall around midday Sunday, but now it’s forecasted to arrive early Sunday morning. We’ll share more about the preparations and what residents, especially in southern Belize, can expect. But first, let’s head out west. On Thursday evening, the outer bands of Tropical Storm Sara brought the heaviest rainfall yet to the Santiago Juan Area in San Ignacio Town. This caused flash flooding, with the creek rising to levels residents say they’ve never seen before. Thankfully, no lives were lost, but many in the community reported damage to household items and pipelines. News Five’s Paul Lopez traveled west and filed this report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

A western community is grappling with the aftermath of a flash flood that swept through properties and homes. On Thursday evening, floodwaters surged through the Santiago Juan community, off Bullet Tree Road in San Ignacio Town, reaching unprecedented levels. Video footage shows streets turning into rivers as the floodwaters rushed downhill. Today, a creek in the area stands as a stark reminder of the massive volume of water that came with the flash flood.

Voice of: Gian Rodriquez, Santiago Juan Resident

“Ih mih the rain fih probably about three to four hours and I see it was nearly across the road deh.”

Paul Lopez

“For you is this something you have seen happen before?”

Voice of Gian Rodriquez

“Well, no, not really, I have never seen it reach so high yet.”

According to Chief Meteorologist Ronald Gordon, the area received the largest volume of rainfall in the country associated with Tropical Storm Sara.

Ronald Gordon, Chief Meteorologist

“The western part of the country where the flooding was reported last night received the highest accumulation with rainfalls totaling up to about four inches. Bullett Tree recorded about ninety-four millimeter. Ninety-six point six in Santa Elena. Most of this occurred during the heavy rainfall resulting in flash flooding in those areas.”

Neiby Morales was unable to save any of her household items, as the flood waters came rushing down the creek next to her home. She sought refuge inside an abandoned, elevated, wooden structure in front of her house. She recounted the frightening ordeal when the flash flood took her washing machine downstream.

Voice of: Neiby Morales, Santiago Juan Resident

“I didn’t expect the water was going to rise up to where it rise up yesterday. It took me to rush, to run.”

Paul Lopez

“Is it the first time it has risen so high?”

Voice of: Neiby Morales

“It is the first time. I didn’t expect to rise up to the step. It was so scary. I was by myself here yesterday. I was so scared I can tell you. I am in this one from the front, because it all wet and the things from inside, everything. Bed and the sofa and everything. How I can’t back it and it is to heavy for me to back it. It had to stay right there.”

Chief Hydrologist Tenielle Hendy explains what led to the flash flood.

Tenielle Hendy, Chief Hydrologist

“What we determined happened is that recall earlier this week there was about fourteen inches of rain that were received in the Maya Mountains in two different spirts. That was received overnight. Then we received additional rain yesterday and this morning. So, what you are seeing is an accumulation of these flood waters making their way down these streams. They will not all come down at once. They will come down in waves according to bankfull stage. Bank full means that the river cannot take anymore and when it cannot take anymore, it will flow overland or travel rapidly down the system.”

Thankfully, no lives were lost in Thursday evening’s flash flood. Today, residents were busy preparing for the upcoming rains as Tropical Storm Sara is expected to make landfall south of Belize on Sunday. Despite the forecasted landfall, the rain is expected to continue over the next several days.

Ronald Gordon

“In terms of rainfall forecast… forecasted from six this moring until six on Sunday, indicating that we can expect at least ten inches more of rainfall, mostly over the south according to this model from the system. Again, it is just a model. We saw what occurred in San Ignacio, Santa Elena where we had significant rainfall.”

The National Emergency Management Organization says it has deployed a team into the affected areas in the Cayo district to assess damages.

Paul Lopez

“What are the concerns for you all any at all given that the rains will continue?

Voice of: Gian Rodriquez

“From what I mih hear a hurricane mih the come. But that is until Sunday they say. So, if this done the do that, I don’t know what that could bring.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

NEMO Says It Stand Ready to Respond to Emergencies

Tropic Air has announced that all flights after four PM today are canceled due to bad weather. However, the Philip Goldson International Airport will continue to operate as usual. Event planners are being asked to postpone their events. Businesses are advised to ensure their employees’ safety. National Emergency Coordinator at NEMO, Daniel Mendez, assures that organizations are ready to respond to any requests for assistance.

Daniel Mendez, National Emergency Coordinator, NEMO

“What we have been doing is to ensure that all of our emergency operation centers across the country remain on standby. All our district coordinators are on duty and ready to respond to requests for assistance that may arrive at our offices. All of our national committees have met, and they are prepared to implement operational plans as necessary. For us here at the NEMO secretariat we continue to monitor in collaboration with the hydrology and meteorology department and we are prepared to support response as required. We are anticipating high rainfall and strong winds and we are preparing for potential flooding in parts of the country. Points to note, as we have indicated, all interest, especially those in southern Belize must pay close attentional to this system and need to prepare their emergency plans now. Persons living in areas under flood warning must remain vigilant and be prepared to implement emergency plans as necessary. We are asking the organizers of public events are advised to postpone their events until the all clear is given in the interest of public safety. We are also asking business owners to update their business continuity plans and be prepared to implement that. Business owners in affected areas are also asked to ensure the safety of their employees. Also, considering the road conditions are very slippery, we are asking motorist to drive with extreme care to avoid accidents. We have received information that the PGIA will continue to function today as normal. Operations on Saturday may be impacted so passengers are asked to expect delays. This will be reviewed tomorrow and updated as necessary. So please look out for a statement from the Department of Civil Aviation. Also, water taxis will continue to operate today. Operations will close at midday tomorrow.”