2025-07-03 - Greater Belize Media

Anthony Mahler Defends $50 Million BTB Bond Accounting

Tonight, the spotlight is on a fifty-four-million-dollar question, where exactly did all that money go? The Belize Tourism Board’s 2023 bond is under scrutiny, and P.S.U. President Dean Flowers along with Opposition Senator Sheena Pitts are demanding answers. They’re calling on Tourism Minister Anthony Mahler to show the receipts; how has the Ministry invested those millions, and what’s the real impact on the tourism industry? Well, Minister Mahler isn’t dodging the heat. Appearing on Open Your Eyes, he responded, saying the B.T.B. is regularly audited and that a full report is on the way to show how the funds are being used to strengthen Belize’s tourism sector.

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism

“At times when a camera and a mic are put in someone’s face they have to grand stand. They have to come with some level of energy. That is the business. Like I said before I grew up in a house hold is a union household. So I understand that. But there has to be mutual respect. You cant say there is mutual respect but when you go out there you say all kinds of things about the prime minister, about government ministers. There has to be some level of respect. Like I said, both major private sector organizations are on the board of directors for the BTB. There is an audited financial done every year and we put those reports forward to the government and so that will not stop. I have asked for the report to be put together for the bond and I will present those to the nation. What I can tell you is that I have an arsenal to let go on the previous administration, with them getting over ninety million dollars in their term, with nothing to show for it. And I can tell you that each of the project we are working on right now, none of them comes close to the cost of what the previous administration did out of ninety million dollars. And I heard the leader of the opposition talk about mortgaging tourism’ future. Ninety million back then compared to fifty-four million, pales in comparison.”

Inundación repentina deja a familias sin hogar en San Pablo

Más de veinte pulgadas de lluvia cayeron en el Distrito de Orange Walk la semana pasada, provocando inundaciones repentinas que obligaron a varias familias a abandonar sus hogares y buscar refugio. En el poblado de San Pablo, la situación se tornó crítica la noche del viernes, cuando el agua subió con rapidez alarmante.

Algunos residentes se refugiaron en el Centro Comunitario San Pablo, donde hoy intentan recuperarse tras perder casi todo.

Juan Pech, uno de los afectados, relató con angustia el momento en que las aguas inundaron su vivienda. “El agua llegó tan rápido – en un minuto aproximadamente – y de repente, todo estaba inundado. Ni siquiera puedo describir cómo sucedió; fue un shock total,” expresó. “No hubo tiempo de agarrar nada; solo tuvimos que correr hacia un área segura lo más rápido posible. Lo perdí todo.”

Actualmente, Pech y su familia de cinco personas permanecen en el refugio, donde las condiciones son modestas, pero al menos cuentan con un espacio seco para descansar.

El Coordinador Nacional de Emergencias de NEMO, Daniel Méndez, informó que ya se están realizando evaluaciones de daños. “Los equipos están trabajando en las áreas afectadas para determinar las pérdidas,” dijo. “También estamos haciendo visitas de seguimiento para asegurar que las familias reciban alimentos, agua, artículos de higiene y para dormir.”

A medida que continúa la evaluación de daños, se prevé que algunas familias permanecerán en el refugio por un tiempo prolongado. Las autoridades han asegurado que el apoyo se mantendrá mientras sea necesario.

Tourism Industry Sees Growth in First Quarter of 2025

Tourism numbers are looking up, at least on paper. According to the Ministry of Tourism, cruise arrivals jumped by five percent in the first quarter of 2025, and overnight stays saw a modest two percent rise. Minister Anthony Mahler says those figures reflect a healthy start to the year. But not everyone’s feeling the momentum. Some industry stakeholders are raising red flags, saying business has slowed down in recent months and it’s starting to hurt.

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism

“Actually the year started very strong and then I believe that all the issues that are going on around the world right now, in terms of the geopolitics, trade wars, wars with real bombs have played an impact in people travelling. Sometimes Canadians have to travel through the U.S. and they are hesitant to do that. You have Europeans, but all and all we are still performing at the same rate as last year. If my memory serves me we are three hundred and fifteen thousand nine hundred, between January and June this year and it was about three hundred and fifteen thousand and five hundred last year, so just a marginal increase, which I also think that last year, if you look at 24 compared to 23, it was an anomaly, a huge growth and I would prefer a more sustainable growth path.”

Paul Lopez

“You will accept that there are stakeholders and investors saying the money is not running in the tourism industry right now as some projected it would.”

Anthony Mahler

“I have heard some people say so, but the numbers are not showing that. Even if you look at the hotel revenue for the first six months, we are up by a million and a half dollars for the entire country. We would want it to be a bit more but barring the circumstance, I think we are doing ok.”

Placencia Shoreline Clash Over Illegal Jetties

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

On the Phone: Concerned Placencia Resident

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

Pomona Land Dispute Turns Violent, Leaves One Injured

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

On the phone: Samuel Trejo, Pomona Resident

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

Trejo: I Own the Land, and I Can Prove It

We spoke by phone with Miguel Angel Trejo, who says he’s the rightful owner of the property now under intense scrutiny. Trejo didn’t just come with claims, he came with receipts: photographs, videos, and legal documents that he says prove his ownership. But that’s not all. Trejo told us he’s worried about his safety, especially after he says that the area representative offered him ten acres of land, on one condition: that he walks away from his own. And in a bold claim, he recounted a violent encounter involving Stoney Ferguson, who allegedly attacked his motorcycle with a machete. Trejo showed us a police report and documents indicating that Stoney’s mother later paid for the damage.

On the Phone: Miguel Angel Trejo, Pomona Resident

“On the eighth of April I was told that Stoney had come back again. I went to check, and they told me that he had arrived with a man that looked like a tourist, and he was showing him the place around, but Stoney claimed that the place was his and that no one could say anything to him. I told him I was going to speak with Mr. Rodwell to explain what was going on, I said to Mr. Rodwell “I’ve been living there for twenty years and now your son has come in aggressively insulting us and telling us to leave” he already brought six men to clean here. Mr. Rodwell told me that he was going to check it out himself and ask them to leave because he hadn’t sent anyone there. Two days later the police came to my home in the cave and asked me what was going on I told them Mr. Rodwell son came aggressively with a machete demanding that we leave “I don’t want any trouble I’m just here to work we have our chickens, sheep and pigs I’m just trying to make a living.” The police then asked if they could come in to take a look and when they did Stoney was also there. Mr. Rodwell is offering me ten acres of land in exchange to evacuate the property where I am currently living now but when I went to see him to see if he would give me the ten acres, he told me it was no longer ten acres that he was willing to give to me. What he did is that he damaged my motorcycle with a machete and I filed a police report, and I also requested court action because it was an act of abuse toward me, he wanted to kill me. I charged him seven hundred and fifty dollars for damage caused to my motorcycle and he did pay me the seven hundred and fifty dollars at the police station, and I requested a receipt.”

As the property dispute draws increasing attention, we reached out to Stann Creek Area Representative Rodwell Ferguson to get his side of the story. But when we contacted him by phone, he declined to comment, telling us simply that he does not wish to be involved.

DFC Hits Major Milestone with GFC Accreditation

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

Henry Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, DFC

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

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

Garifuna Leaders, Government Unite for Historic Talks in Belmopan

A powerful conversation took center stage in Belmopan this week, as the Ministry of Constitution and Religious Affairs, Indigenous Affairs, and Transportation welcomed some of the most respected voices from the Garifuna community. It all happened on Monday, right at the Ministry’s headquarters—where leaders, advocates, and government officials came together to talk about real issues, real solutions, and a shared vision for the future. From land rights to cultural preservation, the dialogue was open, honest, and full of purpose. And with names like Roy Cayetano, Mayor Robert Mariano, and Cynthia Ellis Topsey at the table, alongside Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh and his team, it was clear this wasn’t just another meeting. It was a meaningful step toward deeper collaboration and lasting change.

The Show You’ve Been Waiting For Is Back: Get Your Tickets for KTV The Remix Season 7!

Get ready, Belize! KTV The Remix is back for its seventh electrifying season, and tickets are officially on sale. After this week’s live auditions, you’ve already met the voices of this year’s aspiring contestants. So, have you picked your favourite yet?

Don’t miss a moment of the magic. Tickets are available now at the Greater Belize Media studio on Coney Drive and the 88 Shopping Center on Central American Boulevard in Belize City. Prices are just $5, while supplies last, so grab yours early!

KTV The Remix is more than a show; it’s a Belizean tradition around this time of the year. Every Tuesday night, families fill the Bliss Centre and cheer on fearless performers as they compete for the title and the grand prize.

And did you know this year’s season comes with an exciting twist? That’s right! A “safe card” that a rotating guest judge will wield to keep a talented singer in the game. It’s one way the producers are making sure that true talent shines, not just popularity.

Bring your crew, get your tickets, and be part of the unforgettable energy that only KTV The Remix can bring!

Man Chopped in Xaibe; News 5 Reporter Also Attacked

A 70-year-old man is recovering in hospital following a chopping incident in Xaibe Village, Corozal.

Police say the attack happened around 10:00 a.m. this morning. Officers responded to a report shortly after and found Porfilio Estevan Copo suffering from multiple chop wounds.

According to initial investigations, Copo had just exited a store when he got into a confrontation with another man. During the altercation, Copo allegedly pulled a machete before sustaining injuries himself.

News 5 confirmed that Copo attempted to ride away on his bicycle but collapsed in a nearby yard roughly 100 feet from where the incident took place.

Copo was transported to the Corozal Community Hospital, where he remains in stable condition.

While confirming details at the scene, News 5’s reporter Paul Lopez was also physically attacked by an intoxicated man wielding a machete. Fortunately, Lopez was not injured and is safe.