There’s a big development out of the Belize High Court and tonight, sugar cane farmers are calling it a step in the right direction. The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association is celebrating a legal win, not a final verdict, but a green light to move forward with their case. The association claims that Belize Sugar Industries and T&L Sugars Limited withheld Fairtrade premium payments between 2021 and 2022, funds that are meant to support farmers with fertilizer, community programs, and more. Now, a judge has ruled that the case will be heard right here in Belizean courts. News Five spoke with B.S.C.F.A. Chairman Alfredo Ortega, who says while this ruling is worth celebrating, the fight for justice is far from over.
Alfredo Ortega
Alfredo Ortega, Chairman, Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association
“We feel that justice is prevailing way. It’s something positive for us as an organization. And it came in a right time, when the farmers are getting desperate with everything that is ongoing and plus that we are not getting any premium as yet. I think that this came right in time so that farmers can see that something is being done. Nevertheless, we are not getting the fund as yet. This is just a first step towards what we have in court. But it is very important for us the direction that the judge has taken with this. We have been respecting fair trade standards. We have been working. Nevertheless, we don’t have any funds. We have been working in maintaining the certification because we know that having the certification give us the opportunity to remain our association fair trade certified. So once we are certified, we know that there should be a guarantee that our organization should be getting its rightful premium as the other association. But as you see where things are at this point because of not signing the letter of enhancement we are where we are, but we hope that the courts can resolve these issues that we. Haven’t been able to resolve amongst ourselves between the BSC and BSI.”
The sugar cane industry is facing a full-blown crisis. A fast-spreading fungal disease called fusarium is tearing through sugarcane fields across the country, infecting over sixty thousand acres and severely damaging another eighty thousand. Earlier this month, Agriculture Minister Jose Mai warned that the fight against the disease could stretch into next year. But for farmers on the ground, time is running out. They’re doing everything they can to save their crops, but without immediate help, they could lose everything. Chairman of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, Alfredo Ortega, says the situation is dire. And while the government and its partners are working to contain the outbreak, farmers are calling for urgent support before it’s too late.
Alfredo Ortega
Alfredo Ortega, Chairman, Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association
“As we speak right now, we are seeing that this fungus is really spreading very fast. And we are seeing more after this big rain that we had about a week ago where the big flooding happen. Now we are seeing the results in the cane fields right now as you cane, if you would come up north right now, you will see the damage that is ongoing. There are many meetings that is are being called right now to see how best assistance can be directed to reduce the spreading of this fusarium. Today we had a meeting with personnel SIRDI, which they are talking to see how they can work out with the what they half a million that was granted by the Ministry of Agriculture to the farmers.”
As if battling a devastating fungal outbreak wasn’t enough, sugar cane farmers are now facing another major blow, flooding. Weeks of heavy rainfall have left cane fields waterlogged across the country, wiping out crops and compounding an already dire situation. This season has seen one of the lowest yields on record, with production down by nearly thirty percent and losses estimated at a staggering fifty-three million dollars. Chairman of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, Alfredo Ortega, says the future of the industry is uncertain, but despite the setbacks, farmers are still out there, doing everything they can to keep it alive.
Alfredo Ortega
Alfredo Ortega, Chairman, Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association
“But nevertheless, the see the issue and the situation farmers are facing right now on which the reduction of yields for this past crop was in the vicinity of forty to thirty percent. The price that we are seeing right now for the Sugar cane being delivered is very low. So even right now, if the farmers fight very hard to see how they can get the product to reduce the spread of the disease is very hard at this point in time. But we are trying our best to see how we can continue so that we can have some product for the upcoming crop. It’s a very difficult situation right now, and it’s not very easy for a farmer to change from one planting to another. Because as everything is driven by market and everything is driven right now by the economical standpoint where we are at this point in time. I believe that ninety-nine percent of our farmers are indebted to either one bank or an institution, financial institution. So it’s very hard for us right now as farmers to say, okay, we’ll leave the sugar cane and. Another direction. So we’re trying our best to keep what we have and to see how best we can work with the organization or the government or whosoever can help us, assist us so that we can have product for the next upcoming crop.”
For the past three weeks, News Five has been trying to get answers, specifically, a full list of all the properties the Government of Belize is renting for office space and public use. It’s public information, and we believe the public has a right to know. We reached out to the Minister of Public Service, Henry Charles Usher, not once, but twice. Each time, he promised to provide the details. But as of news time, we’re still waiting. So today, we took it a step further. Paul Lopez hand-delivered a formal Freedom of Information request because transparency isn’t optional, it’s a responsibility. Here’s his report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
On June twenty-third, the Minister of Public Service sat down exclusively with News Five and made a big promise. In response to our request, he committed to handing over a full list of properties the Government of Belize is currently renting from private landlords. Now, why does this matter? Well, it turns out the government is shelling out over two point five million dollars every year on rent. That’s right, your tax dollars. So, we’re asking the questions that matter: How much exactly is being spent? Who’s getting paid? And where are these properties located?
File: June 23, 2025
Henry Charles-Usher
Henry Charles-Usher, Minister of Public Service
“Of course there are contractual obligations on certain things, but once the attorney general’s ministry says it is ok then I don’t have a problem. It is the people’s money and not something already known.”
He made the commitment again when we asked him about the list three days later.
File: June 26, 2025
Paul Lopez
“Sir we need that list to see the amount of building the government is renting and from who?”
Henry Charles-Usher
“Sure, I will get that for you.”
Two weeks ago, Minister Usher made a commitment to transparency, promising to share the full list of government rental properties and the landlords being paid with public funds. But since that exclusive sit-down, it’s been radio silence. We even followed up with an email on July first, copying the Prime Minister, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, and the Financial Secretary. Still, no response. So today, we took it a step further. In the interest of public accountability, News Five has officially filed a Freedom of Information request. Because when it comes to how your tax dollars are being spent, we believe the public deserves answers, not delays.
Paul Lopez
Paul Lopez
“I am in front of the Ministry of Public Service here in Belmopan and I am about to deliver a Freedom of Information Act to the Minister of Public Service Henry Charles Usher. This is in relation to the government office space rental. We have been having conversations about these rentals for the past month or so and we have been requesting several documents from Minister Usher, which he has committed to do, but he has not fulfilled that commitment to provide those documents. Some people would say that it is unfortunate that we have had to reach this point to get this information. But thankfully the act affords us the right to gain access, especially as media, to these public record. So we go in now and we ask for the minister. If he is not there we leave this request with his secretary.”
But when we arrived, we were told the minister wasn’t in. A security guard directed us to leave the request with his secretary, and we did, along with a clear commitment that it would be delivered to him directly. Now, under the Freedom of Information Act, Minister Usher has two weeks to respond to our request for the full list of government rental properties and the landlords being paid. The clock is officially ticking and we’ll be watching closely. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
A tragic family dispute that turned deadly is now making its way through the courts. Late yesterday, Matyas Carlos Bo appeared before the Dangriga High Court, where he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but not guilty to murder, in connection with the fatal stabbing of his own brother, John Bo, back in September 2024. The incident happened in Bella Vista Village, Toledo, during a night of drinking that escalated into a violent fight between the two brothers. According to the police, Matyas used a pocketknife to stab John in the chest after a heated argument. Despite efforts to intervene, John collapsed and later died from his injuries. Matyas Bo was later detained at his mother’s home and charged with murder. In court, he admitted to the stabbing but claimed he was heavily intoxicated and couldn’t recall the full details of the fight. Justice Antoinette Moore has deferred sentencing until August 5th, when a mitigation plea will be heard before a final decision is made.
Faculty and staff at the University of Belize are reaching a breaking point. Tonight, their union is calling on members to mobilize, after a promised nine percent salary increase appears to be slipping further out of reach. The University of Belize Faculty and Staff Union says the raise was supposed to take effect on April first of this year. Then, it was pushed to August. Now, they’re being told it depends on whether the government increases the university’s subvention. U.B.F.S.U. President Juliane Pasos says enough is enough. Faculty and staff haven’t seen a raise in over a decade. In fact, they took pay cuts during the pandemic, worked from home using their own resources, and watched their salary increments get frozen and stay frozen. To make matters worse, Pasos points out that while the university claimed financial hardship, records show it made over two million dollars in profit in just the last quarter of 2020. The union says it’s time for action and they’re ready to take a stand.
Juliane Pasos
Juliane Pasos, President, UBFSU
“In November 2024 the union put a proposal to the administration. We requested four things, a nine percent salary increase. The university employees had not gotten a salary increase since 2025. It has been ten years in the making. Given the cost of living going up and inflation, we decided nine percent was realistic. We didn’t want to put a ridiculous percentage that would require negotiations and back and forth. We put the nine percent as one of those things. We also asked that they restore the lost increments. A part of that was land in kind contributions. That was part of the 2020 agreement so the union and the administration would go an request land from UB inkind contribution. Because we had gotten an increase work load during the pandemic, faculty and staff worked from home using their own resources, getting a fifty dollar compensation per month for internet, not even covering that really. And so with that respect we said, we would want to get paid for that, but if we got the nine percent, the increment, and work on the land, then we would forgo payment for that, because the workload still continued today. We still have that high workload. So, the staff of UB really lost a lot during that 2020 agreement and COVID and it was not necessary because there was no financial exigency. So there was no need for us to sign that agreement. So all of this proposal is now asking the university to live up to its terms and live up to what the employee was affected by.”
The University of Belize Faculty and Staff Union is making it clear that they’re doing their part, but they’re not here to balance the university’s books. UBFSU President Juliane Pasos says while the union has been actively advocating for an increase in the university’s government subvention, it’s not their job to find the money to pay salaries. Now, the union is calling on the Minister of Education and the Minister of Finance to come to the table. They’ve requested a meeting this Thursday to figure out how everyone can get on the same page, for the good of the university, and the people who keep it running.
Juliane Pasos
Juliane Pasos, President, UBFSU
“In April now, the bulletin that I shared, stated that they wont be able to institute it April first. They said that it could not, but they would work to doing it at the end of UB fiscal year, which is August twenty-first, retroactive to April first. This we were not told were contingent to anything. We were just told that they found it in their finances and would institute the nine percent. Now they are saying that this was contingent on a promise made by the government to assist with this nine percent. That information was not shared with us at the time. It was later tagged to that. At the board of trustees now last week, I should say that after the information came out, the budget reading came out from the government, we called on the union to discuss the matter, he said he recognized that we are not in agreement that it was contingent but that they do need financing. He indicated that the university has found funding to pay us for one year, but it is not sustainable. That is something we understand. The board did not say we are not going to get the nine percent but that we will not get the nine percent unless we have the commitment of the government to give this additional funding. However it is not the union responsibility to go looking for funding to institute our salaries. This is another issue. So that is where we stand. The nine percent is part of an agreement, a larger issue because we have that proposal we are working on with the administration. But it is one of the things that is there.”
UBFSU says that after a decade with an adjustment, the nine percent is not generosity it is justice.
Pomona Village is once again in the spotlight, this time, over a piece of land that’s stirring up more than just dust. At the center of it all is thirty-five-year-old Samuel Trejo. By day, he’s a hardworking laborer at Silk Grass Farms and a skilled motorcycle mechanic. But now, his land has become the latest flashpoint in an ongoing dispute involving Stoney Fergusson, one we first told you about last week. Since Samuel spoke out, the situation has only heated up. So, we sent News Five’s Tanya Arceo to the area to hear directly from the people caught in the middle of this growing land battle. Here’s that story.
Tanya Arceo, Reporting
Imagine living on a piece of land for over twenty years… and only recently discovering there’s a cave hidden beneath your feet. That’s exactly what happened to Samuel Trejo, a hardworking mechanic and farm laborer in Pomona. He says he had no clue the cave was there, until he started clearing the land. Since then, it’s become a magnet for curious visitors, both local and foreign. But with the spotlight has come serious tension. Samuel now fears for his safety, and here’s why: he says he found something valuable inside that cave, something he calls a treasure. But another man, Stoney Fergusson, is now claiming the cave, and the discovery, as his. He’s calling it a relic: a stone tapir with striking blue eyes.
Samuel Trejo
Samuel Trejo, Property Owner
“Like three months to four months I could say he come and ask me for permission to come to the cave because then he no have no where else to come in right and I tell him yeah he could come cause I know him long time so he come and he say only the cave but afterwords like how I go da work I no know what the happen that day so when I come I find my things it was damaged and I tell him da weh di happen that was not the deal you she you mi a work the cave not my property and he she well make I tell you something he she I no di ask you I di tell you this places are for me all the coconuts everything in yeah da fu me you cant pick none so the other day my sister came and wan pick one mango he chase her and she gone crying and tell my dad the man no want I pick up a mango and my dad come and tell ah what the happen and even call Mr. Rodwell fu come and talk and Mr. Rodwell she fu we papers no value.”
He’s already gone to the police but says this is his last hope. Samuel Trejo walked us through every inch of the disputed land, even down to the cave that’s now at the center of all the drama. He’s showing the public exactly what’s at stake, before things get out of hand.
Tanya Arceo
“And what is exactly in this property that Stoney wants from this cave?
Samuel Trejo
Well I no know how fu say it but fu him friends weh me di work den find treasure he say I no know nothing about it the man show me one I no know bout treasure cause I just snap a picture of one that he make a I could snap a picture
Tanya Arceo
Give me the details of what type of treasure what exactly was found here?
Samuel Trejo
The first one they give Stoney them say da one tapir mek out a stone blue eyes blue gem in a his eyes he said that he give Stoney fu mek he see it and Stoney hurry pack it and ker it to his dad I have fourteen years di live yeah without light but new have this land from before that long long time musi like twenty years fan lee buay I know this cave yeah so I di travel this cave long time.”
Samuel Trejo says he had no idea a cave on his land held anything valuable—until about a month ago, when he snapped a photo of what he believes is a stone relic. Since then, the site has attracted curious visitors, but Samuel says they’re not the issue. The real conflict, he claims, is with Stoney Fergusson, who’s now laying claim to the cave and the artifact. What started as a disagreement has turned hostile, and Samuel says he’s scared. Despite reaching out to the authorities, he feels nothing has been done. I’m Tanya Arceo, reporting for News Five.
We’re back in Pomona tonight, where a new land dispute is stirring up serious tension. This time, it’s not just about land, it’s about livelihoods, and it’s personal. Several farmers say they’re now at an impasse with Stann Creek West’s Area Rep Rodwell Ferguson. These farmers claim they’ve spent years working the land in the mountains, clearing it, planting crops, building roads, even putting up homes. But now? They say they’re being pushed out. Some are facing threats, others say their property has been destroyed. News Five’s Tanya Arceo spoke with five of these farmers. They say they’ve got the paperwork to back up their claims, but instead of getting answers, they’re getting silence, police visits, and overlapping land titles. Here’s Tanya with their story.
Tanya Arceo, Reporting
Several farmers in the area say they’re now locked in a tense standoff, not with a developer or a private company, but with their own area representative, Minister Rodwell Ferguson. These farmers claim they’ve poured years of hard work into the land, clearing it, planting crops, building roads, even putting up homes. But now, they say they’re facing eviction, threats, and even destruction of their property.
Aldon Tasher
Aldon Tasher, Farmer and Landowner
“Myself and four other farmers we put our little resources together and construct this road this road have about one point two or one point three miles long as we go a little bit farther if you can look from here you can see that you have to literally climb a hill so we actually had to bulldoze three hills to get on the property. Myself and the other farmers we have a huge problem with Rodwell Fergurson Senior and Junior from twenty-twenty one actually, we been through a whole lotta stuff actually what have happened in twenty-twenty one we got a permission to construct this road from MIDH and that’s what we have done you know so while constructing the road we once you constructing a road you have to pile up the logs and whatever it is found on the road so we piled of all the logs and stuff while constructing the road and at the same time we decided to go into the forestry department to get a license to basically sell the land so that could help us with the cost of the road however Rodwell Ferguson Senior and his sontook all the logs away from us all the logs its about three hundred thousand worth of log.”
In addition to the three landowners, we heard from earlier, News Five also spoke with two more farmers who say they’re facing the exact same issue. They, too, have land up in the mountain, land they’ve worked and developed, now reportedly taken away without warning.
Harrison Roches
Harrison Roches, Farmer
“I get the land from Cordell Hyde he gave me the land with permission to survey and we were there but when I was about to work on a couple things on the land they took police inspector came and look fu crucify me because I was going on the land I was traveling to the land from twenty-twenty before anyone these guys know that I had a house on the land they went and they burned down the house I had plants on the land they burn down my plants and one time they dodge me to kill me just like what they do him but thank God I know a lot of stuff because I am an ex police officer also.”
Linden Kelly
Linden Kelly, Farmer
“Many times we try to go to the property and he bring police and we try to go report it and certain officers don’t want to take our report yet they can go to the station make a report against us cause I’ve been locked up for trespassing on our own property so when I call my family to bring the papers they are like release him release him. One time they tell me that the land is unsurvey able because of the mountain terrain so we went back again now we are overlapping other people application and we want to know where they come from we check their names and these names pop up everywhere on Mr. Tasher side on our side Mr. Tasher is on this side and we are on the other side of the mountain.”
In December 2024, Linden hit another roadblock, someone else applied for the same land he’s been trying to secure. Since then, he says he’s been getting the runaround from both the minister and the lands commissioner. At one point, he was offered a different plot, but he turned it down. Harrison’s story is nearly identical. He was also offered another piece of land but refused, saying he was born and raised in Pomona and that’s where he belongs. Both men say they have official documents from Minister Cordel Hyde, including NES numbers and letters granting them permission to survey the land. But when they followed up, they discovered their land titles were overlapping with other NES numbers, ones they claim didn’t even exist when they first applied. Reporting for News Five, I’m Tanya Arceo.
Belize is more than just beautiful landscapes, it’s a vibrant blend of cultures, stories, and traditions. And at the heart of that cultural identity is art. From music and dance to photography and painting, the arts help us celebrate who we are and where we come from. One artist who’s making sure that Belize’s cultural heartbeat continues to echo for generations to come is Emilio Thomas, a talented musician and photographer with a passion for preserving heritage. In tonight’s edition of Kolcha Tuesday, News Five’s Britney Gordon takes us into Emilio’s world and explores how Belize is supporting artists like him who are keeping our culture alive.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Since 2007, the Garifuna Collective has been doing something truly special, blending the deep roots of ancestral Garifuna rhythms with modern sounds to create a musical experience that’s both timeless and fresh. The group was originally formed to support the legendary Andy Palacio, and even after his passing, they’ve carried the torch, keeping Garifuna language and culture alive through music. Today, the Collective is more than just a band, it’s a movement. And among its passionate members is Emilio Thomas, a musician who’s been making music since he was just twelve years old.
Emilio Thomas
Emilio Thomas, Cultural Practitioner
“I used to rap and sing in high school. I used to do drumming, like the marching band and then Garifuna drumming with my cousin Shawn Mariano in primary school. He is the one who introduced me to drumming. I play many other instruments because I don’t see the difference between them, except that they work differently and I love creating rhythms and experimenting. So I play like twenty something instruments, and every time I see the opportunity to learn another one, I do. So just to vibe along with it and play along with other people.”
When he’s not performing with the Garifuna Collective, Emilio Thomas is still making waves through music, photography, and a deep passion for culture. He’s the frontman of his own band, Project Inebesei, and behind the lens, he captures powerful moments that reflect Belize’s rich identity. For Emilio, it’s all about connection—using art to inspire others to engage more meaningfully with their roots, their stories, and each other.
Emilio Thomas
“People are always in need of something different in life. And so when you go into a space or people come into your space, they want to be inspired or give meaning to. The continuity of their lives and music can in inspire someone in the present in order for them to do something special for themselves and others. Because it starts from home.”
Being an artist isn’t easy. Most start out funding their own work, often for years, before seeing any real success. But Emilio Thomas stayed true to his passion, and it’s taken him around the world doing what he loves. Now, there’s new support for artists like him. The Institute of Creative Arts (ICA) has teamed up with UNESCO to help grow Belize’s creative sector. The goal? To make it easier for artists to follow their dreams and earn a living from their craft. ICA Director Kim Vasquez says she hopes this initiative will inspire more creatives to take that leap, just like Emilio did.
Kim Vasquez
Kim Vasquez, Director, Institute of Creative Arts
“It’s looking at issues of preservation. Yes. But because there’s so much focus and so much emphasis. On linking preservation and the work that we have and the cultural heritage to economic activity. There is a need for us as partners, as government partners to come together to form a unified plan so that we can support the activities and support the goals and ambitions of the creative sector.”
It’s all part of a global initiative called the National Strategy and Roadmap for the Cultural Creative Sector, aimed at growing what’s known as the “orange economy”, that’s the creative economy built on art, culture, and innovation. Dr. Deborah Hickling Gordon explains that for this mission to succeed, it takes more than just talent. It requires balance and strong technical support from industry leaders to help artists not only thrive, but sustain their careers.
Dr. Deborah Hickling Gordon
Dr. Deborah Hickling Gordon, UNESCO
“As the sector becomes more established and begins to grow, people will be able to see the advantages of becoming a part of the cultural and creative industries. And it’s not only as a creative, there is our technical elements. There are business elements. There are a number of ways in which people can become involved in cultural and creative industries. It is a three trillion US dollar industry and we need to determine what is Belize’s piece of that pie, even as we retain the rich and robust culture of the Belizean people.”
As an artist, every day for Thomas is a new day to create. His latest exhibit, titled Portraits, views Belizeans as living pieces of art capturing the essence of their culture and heritage in a single photo. It is his hope that inspired Belizeans can one day bridge the gap between a creative passion and a career.
Emilio Thomas
“The work that I do, because I’m not just a representation of the music industry, but the culture and creative. Whatever we do is an art form. Even cooking. It’s creative work. Even how you do business is creative work. So my role would be to present the relationship among all the things that we practice in Belize and all the things or the possibilities of practicing things in a different way and practicing new things as we go along.”
Belize is growing and now is the time to uplift artists and creatives along with the rest of society, by safeguarding living heritage through art, traditions, expressions and the heartbeat of Belizean culture will continue to live on in generations to come. Britney Gordon for News Five.
