February, 2024 - Channel 5 Belize

Exploring Garifuna Cuisine in Hopkins Village

In tonight’s installment of Kolcha Tuesday, we take you down to Hopkins Village. It is one of Belize’s prime tourist destinations. The village is predominantly occupied by the Garifuna people and it is one of the few places in Belize where cultural cuisine and tourism marry as a match made in culinary heaven. News’s Five’s Paul Lopez explored a few of the key ingredients that can be found in a Garifuna kitchen, the importance of local Garifuna restaurants to tourism in Hopkins Village, and why tourists keep coming back for the food and cultural experiences. Here is that report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Hopkins Village is a prime tourist destination in southern Belize.

Brian Smith, Tourist

“Thursday’s my fiftieth so we just decided; we kinda threw a dart out there. That’d what the girls did and now here we are.”

At the heart of this locale are Garifuna restaurants that are situated along two main streets in the village. These restaurants provide guests with a wide selection of Garifuna cuisine and cultural music. Some restaurants only have their traditional options on certain days of the week, while other establishments like Ella’s Cool Spot serves guests hudut daily. Brian Smith and his family travelled to Hopkins from the U.S.to celebrate his fiftieth birthday. Today, they tried hudut for the first time, at Ella’s Cool Spot.

Brian Smith

“Culturally, it is fantastic. Some guys were chopping down a coconut tree and they offered me a coconut. I was like I am about to have some drinks and food over here and do some taste testing and try all the different foods along the day and it’s just been great.”

Paul Lopez

“Do you remember the name of the food you tried moments ago?”

Brian Smith

“The name of the food we tried moments ago was the fried fish, and the hudit, hudat, hudat, is that right? Hudat? We like fried catfish back home. This is just a soft, flaky bite fish, incredible, just tasty. And then, plantains. I have a friend of mine from Colombia that grew plantains. So we ate it all the time and then there is the dish of coconut milk, it is amazing so.”

From Ella’s Cool Spot we moved over to J and J’s Cool Spot, a family owned restaurant located on the north side of the island. Natasha Guy, the manager, is involved in the day to day operation of the business. She serves her guests and ensures that the food is to their liking. They provide a menu of daily food options, including cultural meals that are prepared upon request.

Natasha Guy, Manager, J and J’s Cool Spot

“We do cultural meals on request and we also do other dishes like hudut, the bundiga, the tapou. If it is not on the menu you can always advice us that you want to indulge in that and we will have it right away.”

One of the benefits of life along the Caribbean Sea coast is the ability to serve freshly caught fish every day. Seafood has been part of the Garifuna diet for generations. Today, fifty pounds of fresh snappers are being prepared for the kitchen to serve. Guy explains that this is one of three main ingredients in a traditional hudut dish.

Natasha Guy

“To be honest with you I would say that goes deeply with the falamou which is the coconut milk and then that goes with the organically grown plantain and banana, the freshly catch fish from the Caribbean Sea, these folks back in the days, that was their staple or main dishes, so that is a good way to incorporate it. That is a part of what makes the Garifuna dishes ital. It is very healthy as well. There is no rice and starch, other than the cassava and so forth, but keep in mind that it may look a little on your plate, but when it hits your stomach, that is it, you fall asleep.”

Just across from J and J’s Cool Spot is another family-owned, Garifuna restaurant, Queen Bean Restaurant. Today, they are closed for service to customers. Owner Felisha Augustine and her siblings have been in the kitchen toiling since early morning preparing food to celebrate the life of a relative who recently passed away. On days they are opened, Queen Bean serves a variety of traditional dishes and provides local entertainment. Augustine took some time out to tell us about the importance of the Garifuna cuisine to the local tourism industry.

Felisha Augustine, Owner, Queen Bean

“It is very important and at the same time I am happy for everybody who have their businesses, because this is what we need for the tourist to get to the culture, let them learn to get to know the people and get everything and one thing they will never forget is Hopkins and villagers.”

Paul Lopez

“I find that you guys take pride in being kind, in offer a smile with your service and being kind. Is that an important part of the service you offer?”

Felisha Augustine

“It is, and then one things, we dah Garifuna people. Our culture, we are nice people and we welcome anybody no matter what. Fuh we ancestors they are good to us and that is why we always embrace everything about for we food and we language and we culture.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Mayor Wagner, “Street Works and New Vehicles are not Electioneering”

Everyone who lives in Belize City and ventures out would know that there’s a whole lot of infrastructural work taking place over the past weeks. Some have said that it’s indicative of the election season, based on past trends when major street projects are carried out just prior to Election Day. Today, Belize City Mayor, Bernard Wagner showed off a new fleet of heavy-duty equipment and electric cars that the Belize City Council was able to acquire. When the question was posed, whether these efforts are indeed political, Wagner said the projects are (quote), “everything is aligning for a big victory,” (unquote).

Marion Ali

“Mayor, how do you respond to comments or the criticism that all of this that’s happening now is just merely electioneering – very nice e-taxis and then all the street works.- your critics have been saying that.”

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“If you look at the concept papers, these were written – [for] the buses were written in 2017, 2018, 2018, when we came in. This program started under COVID. We have been talking so long. Da how long ah di talk bout bus and how long ah di talk bout e-taxis? Dan uh just this year when election.”

Marion Ali

“They’re happening now though.

Bernard Wagner

“But the project takes a long while. You know how these projects are. The buses for instance is an EU-funded grant fund – close to $3.8 million Euros. That’s a big project, and so it took a while. Even me got frustrated sometimes, but, it is here. It’s not electioneering. It’s just that everything is aligning. It’s aligning for a big victory. (Laughs)”

Mayor Wagner, “Parking Meters Are Here to Stay”

Last week when Hofius Store announced that it was going to close down later this year, the word was that the parking meter system in the downtown area was a factor in the company’s declining business. And a number of other businesses in the downtown area have also said off-record that they, too, feel as if the parking meters are a deterrent to business. But today when we met with him, Belize City Mayor, Bernard Wagner explained why the concept behind the meters was never to hinder business activity. In fact, he said that the metering is to allow all city residents a chance to access the parking area.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“Parking meters are here to stay. It’s a part of the ecosystem of a smart city. You travel anywhere in the world, municipalities control on-street parking. We can’t control off street parking, but the city has a responsibility to ensure that the spaces that are on street are regulated and that me and you and my brother here have equal opportunity to use that space. The shop – the people who were parking there were not going into those stores to shop. They were people who were working in the downtown area and parked there all day. Even if we don’t have parking meters, people will still not be able to access based on what you are implying. Parking meters were placed there not to earn any substantive funds or anything. It was to regulate the space and that is working. If you go to Brodies, I challenge you to go to Brodies, any one of those areas that have businesses in that area, they would say that people drive right up there. I met a lady during Christmas and she said, I’ve never been in the downtown area, but now I’m able to go there and drive right up, pay my dollar, go in the shop, come out back.”

CitCo to Introduce Electric Vehicles to Taxi Association

Today the Belize City Council put on display a fleet of heavy-duty equipment and two brand new electric vehicles that it will assign to the taxi stand in front of the Battlefield Park. According to Belize City Mayor, Bernard Wagner, the council has been able to increase its vehicle fleet from one pickup truck in 2018 when it first took office to twelve in 2024. Today, the mayor invited the media to show us three pieces of equipment and the electric vehicles that were purchased at a total cost of over nine hundred thousand dollars. Part of the display was a brand new compactor truck – first of two donated by Japan. News Five’s Marion Ali brings you this report on the new acquisition.

Marion Ali, Reporting

To improve the quality of work it does, the Belize City Council has purchased a fleet of heavy-duty equipment and electric cars. Mayor Bernard Wagner invited the media to have a look at the vehicles.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“We wanted to continue to add to the fleet. And as you can see here, we have backhoes, we have graders, and we want to continue to build along that line.

These equipment are have been purchased by the city. It’s Gili brand. It’s a Chinese made brand. I think each one of them cost about $50,000.”

The compactor truck was the first of two, valued at over half a million Belize dollars, that the government of Japan has gifted to the council, after contracts were signed in 2022. According Kaya Cattouse, the councillor responsible for sanitation, the vehicles will help the municipal government, in improving its efficiency in collecting garbage.

Kaya Cattouse, Councillor for Sanitation, Belize City Council

“The impact of this new equipment at the sanitation department cannot be overstated. With enhanced capabilities and efficiency, we will be able to accomplish more of our mission to keep the City clean. These compactors will enable us to streamline our waste collection processes, improve our response times, and enhance the overall cleanliness of our streets and neighborhoods.”

These two white EUVs, as they are called, will be assigned, in this first instance, to the Battlefield Park Taxi Association. The mayor explained that the taxi drivers and the council will have lease agreements with their members to run the vehicles as taxis that they can someday own. Wagner said that eventually, all taxi associations in Belize City will be introduced to this eco-friendly means of transportation.

Bernard Wagner

“The taxi owners associations all across the city will really benefit from this initiative because our agreement is a lease-to-own eventually. Certainly we look at how we depreciate the vehicle. We want to ensure that we have the financial model, to ensure that we are able to meet the investment that we got for the e-taxis, we want to ensure that we have a maintenance component in it. We also want to ensure that we are able to pay the drivers out of that. And also the city has to get back its little return on investment, obviously. And at the end of the term, we are able to say to the taxi driver, here is this taxi, it’s now yours. The taxis will be run on the type of system that you have in the United States, similar to Uber.”

Wagner explained that the reason for the investment in electric taxis is to promote a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

Bernard Wagner

“We wanted to do this as an investment, right, to ensuring that we drive The e-mobility we build the ecosystem here in Belize City. We are not driving any of the taxi owners. And it’s starting the ecosystem of e mobility of really transforming the, local public transportation in the city.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

Missing OW Teen Found Dead in Rhaburn Ridge

Joshua Ku enjoyed socializing with his friends in Orange Walk Town. The nineteen-year-old lived with his sibling and grandfather and worked at a bakery along with his mother. The mother and son would often talk and spend time with each other at work and Saturday was no different. But when it was later discovered that Ku did not make it home after a night of partying at a popular nightclub, his family grew concerned about his safety. That concern quickly became a fear that something bad had happened to Josh. This afternoon, that fear became a reality. News Five’s Isani Cayetano was in Orange Walk Town earlier today and followed the story to its tragic end. Here’s that report.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A mother’s worst fear was realized earlier today with the discovery of a male body, later identified as that of nineteen-year-old Joshua Ku, in a remote area of Rhaburn Ridge. The shocking encounter by loved ones who set out in search of the Orange Walk resident this morning, brought to an end a desperate attempt at finding Ku alive. The last time Nadia Ku saw her son was on Saturday evening while she was leaving work at La Popular Bakery.

Nadia Ku, Mother of Deceased

“I came out from work like. I was going up the hill, going home, when I saw him fly past with his friends and he took out his head from the window and he shouted. “Ma!” I smiled at him and waved. From then I haven’t seen him, [or] heard from him. All I know is that he went to Hi 5 with close friends and he come out of Hi 5 with other people that he’s not acquainted with.”

It is believed that Josh exited the establishment in the company of his ex-girlfriend’s brother. According to his mother, that individual was never fond of her son.

Nadia Ku

The guy that took Josh, honestly, he doesn’t even like my son, so I don’t know why he pressured Josh to go with him or maybe just for the ride to bring him home. Everyone told me Josh left Hi 5 about three or four [o’clock] that morning, but Josh never made it home. So Sunday, which was yesterday, like nine or before nine [o’clock] in the night, my other son called me and he said, “Mom, Josh hasn’t reached home as yet.”

Immediately, a missing person’s report was filed at the Orange Walk Police Station and the family set out in search of Joshua. This morning, Jose Witzil, a close friend of the family, joined the search party along with his son.

Jose Witzil, Family Friend

“This morning, my son called me and he told me the news, so he came down. Now, presently, as I am speaking, he is out there looking for him. It was a surprise to me. It’s still a shock to me to know that we can’t find his body, we can’t find him. Each time the minute, the hour goes by, we get more desperate because time is being consumed. Even the sun right now is hitting and we don’t know where he is.”

By one o’clock this afternoon, when the police department convened its weekly presser, Assistant Commissioner Hilberto Romero was able to provide additional details, albeit grim.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“Information received was that Josh Ku was along with some male persons at a nightclub in Orange Walk and he got into a car around 3:20 a.m. on the said Sunday, February eleventh. An investigation was carried out and searches were conducted and this afternoon, his body was found at an area near Rhaburn Ridge with stab wound injuries. The scene is being processed at this time.”

According to Ku’s family, he was lured into the company of several persons who later killed him and disposed of his body. While investigators say that they are yet to ascertain a motive, Josh’s mom explained to us that his former brother-in-law did not like him after Josh separated with his sister.

Nadia Ku

”His friends went to do a missing report last night, I went as well and we stayed there like an hour. I went out to find him, came home like 3:30 in the morning and Josh was nowhere to be found. The police called me like four o‘clock and he said that the guy Josh was with went to the station, gave up himself and he told them everything that he did to Josh.”

Isani Cayetano

“Nadia, you mentioned earlier that the individual who reportedly left with Josh from Hi 5 did not like him. Can you explain that, is it someone that they both knew each other but they weren‘t friends or they didn‘t have a liking for each other.”

Nadia Ku

“Well Josh dated his little sister, like two years ago and I guess ever since then he did not like Josh and I don‘t know because Josh said, “Mom, he doesn‘t like me.” He said, “You see him, he doesn‘t like me.” I don‘t know him physically, I haven‘t seen him, have never seen him, but Josh and everyone knows that he doesn’t like my son.”

Isani Cayetano for News Five.

Elderly Woman Dragged to Court and “Roughed Up” Over Land Dispute

Sixty-one-year-old Gertrude Hunter was taken to court this morning where she was arraigned on four criminal offenses, including damage to property, two counts of aggravated assault upon two police officers and one count of trespassing. The charges arose from an incident in January during which Hunter was involved in a land dispute. It is alleged that Hunter entered the property of Pauline McFadzean on Cemetery Road. In court, earlier today the elderly woman appeared unrepresented where she pleaded not guilty to all four charges. Hunter was offered bail in the sum of one thousand dollars, plus one surety of the same amount. After meeting bail, Hunter tearfully recounted her experience at the hands of the Belize Police Department and described an ordeal that began in 2015 and only got worse following the passing of her common-law husband in 2020. Hunter maintains that she is the rightful owner of the property in question and that it was given to her in a will left behind by her deceased husband.

Minister of Land Speaks on Gertude Hunter Eviction

Reporters caught up with Minister of Natural Resources, Cordel Hyde earlier today in Belize City where he was asked to weigh in on the matter involving Gertrude Hunter. Minister Hyde frowned on reports that police officers were involved in the eviction process, a practice he says should not be countenanced. He further noted that the P.U.P. administration has been trying its best to meet the growing the demand for lands across the country.

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

“I don’t know all the details and so it is hard for me to comment. I would only say that the police ought not to be in the business of evicting anybody from their homes. You can’t evict anybody unless you get a court order. So the police, I suspect is acting on some favor or friendship kind of thing. That is not how it works. There is a process you have to undergo to get someone evicted from a house. As I said, I don’t know all the details but I will find out and see how best to remedy that because in this day and age there has to be a process of working things out. And we have tried as best we can to provide land for first time land owners. WE have really gone hard at that. Lots of sleepless nights, late night, working overtime to try and provide land for our people. We can’t really keep up with the demand, because now more than ever before people are realizing you have to get a piece of the Jewel. Once you have land you won’t be poor. So we have to keep up with that demand. But, off the top of my head the police has a lot more matters to deal with and I don’t know that is one of them.”

Minister Hyde Weighs In On Maya Land Rights Situation

The Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs was in Big Falls Village over the weekend to consult with residents on the Draft Maya Land Tenure Policy. A release from the ministry states that the consultation exercise was a success. The release noted that villagers gave valuable insights and perspectives. The community is viewed as one where most residents are against customary land rights. So, there was not much resistance to be expected. But, what does the minister responsible for lands think about the ongoing tensions in the Toledo District? He was asked if potential first time land owners that reside outside of Maya communities stand to lose as a result of these new policies and if he thinks these Maya villages have lost trust in the government.

Cordel Hyde, Minister of Natural Resources

“You are right we are in the business of politics and people will say things and you cant be thin skin in this. You have to be motivated and challenged by criticism and try to do better all the time. I don’t know that is the position of the minister. I think she has done a lot of heavy lifting since she got in. She is met with these communities over a long period of time, almost every weekend they are down there trying to engage with the communities and reach some kind of consensus as to the way forward. Just know that this issue has been with us for ears and years. it is a vexing and difficult issue and everybody won’t be happy. She has a string and needle and it will be hard. The only way to get that done is by talking and discussing with each other, and give and take and try to compromise and see eye to eye. Ultimately it is about Belize. We are one nation, one people and we are trying to make sure we have agreement and that we move forward as one nation and people. We are going to have bumps along the way, challenges and we are going to disagree. But it is about sitting down and working through our disagreements. The Africans say we talk until we agree and I believe that. We have been talking. I have been down there with here. I have seen her talk. I have seen her engage. So, I know that she is putting her best foot forward. I know her team is working hard and other arms of government try to provide support so that ultimately in the shortest time possible we can reach to some agreement that everybody can live it. This is a draft policy we are looking at. This is in the infancy stages. We have some ways to go. This is not going to be tabled in the House next week, next month. There is a lot of work that the government has to put in until we are comfortable to say you know what, we have something that can work, that the Mayans can agree to and ultimately we emerge from this as a better nation as a more unified nation as difficult as that might seem right now. I believe we can get that done. There is no problem in this country where there is not a solution.”

Government’s Financial Contribution to Delineation Process in Toledo

Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde was also asked about government’s investments into the delineation process in the Toledo District. Several organizations have reportedly invested significant sums into the process. But, does the Government of Belize have a budget to contribute to the efforts? Here is what the Deputy Prime Minister had to say.

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

“It is not easy. It is ultimately there will be a cost to this thing but it is about agreeing to certain principles and agreeing to the nuts and bolts of it and the granular details. I believe once it is decided how the villages will look and the size of the villages and one village versus another village, once we reach that agreement then government has to find the resources. It is government’s great responsibility to implement this court order, this court order that is coming from the highest court in all of our land. So government can’t have any excuse in implementation. It is just about how that implementation looks and what is the ultimate final make up of that agreement and solution. Government will have to spend and there is going to be a cost and we understand that. But it is just about trying to get things done.”

A New Loan Opportunity at DFC for Fisher Folk

Today, licensed artisanal fisher folk were drawn into a pilot project with the Development Finance Corporation and key conservation NGOs. Before today, fisher folk could only access loans if they possessed land title collateral. But through this project, financing is being made much easier for these micro businesses that rely on marine resources to earn a living. News Five’s Marion Ali was at a meeting involving the relevant parties and filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

The room full of NGO representatives, licensed fisher folk and the C.E.O. of the Development Finance Corporation discussed a new initiative designed especially for fisher folks. It falls under an upcoming Resilient Bold Belize project. This new loan program will support licensed small-scale fishers who wish to switch to more sustainable equipment, new boats, and other capital needs assistance with diversifying into non-traditional fisheries.

Henry Anderson, C.E.O., Development Finance Corporation

“What we did was to look at different levels, different collateral requirements, and at some levels it doesn’t require collateral, it requires a promissory note. At other levels, you take a bill of sale, it’s over the engine, and then you could get a guarantor. And then for the much bigger loans, then you get into, you must provide collateral. So that’s to make it more inclusive. The interest rates are between eight and a half to 12 percent. The lower end is for women.

We’re trying to get more women into the fishing industry.”

One of the organizers of the initiative is the World Wildlife Fund, represented today by Juliet Neal. She said that part of the loan program would be based on character, hence fishers who break the law will be monitored.

Juliet Neal, Conservation, Finance and Policy Officer, W.W.F.

“Demonstrating good character is a person who does not break the law, who does not have a history of doing so. And as you will hear from a lot of the fishers in the area, they want fishers to be fishing in grounds that are following the law. So I believe that even fishers would be pointing to, encouraging the fisheries department to ensure that those who are getting licenses are compliant with the law.”

Norman Castillo is the President of the Hopkins Fishermen’s Association and the President of the Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve. His association also includes women. Castillo expressed frustration over the fact that prior to now, fisher folk have been left on their own to fend for their livelihood.

Norman Castillo, President, Hopkins Fishermen’s Association

“There are nothing given to the fisher folks in this country with the exception of meeting, meeting, meeting, consultation, consultation, but nothing back to the fisher folks. There are several people in this country that get grants, but fishermen do not get anything. The protection is that is our livelihood. We have to protect that for us to survive. We have to protect our area. The loan itself now is a great initiative and I hope you go to, in terms of saying, as I have just said, for minimal percentage of rate, but fishermen are eager and honestly wanted to get that loan going forward and we need that loan because this will be the first time again in history of fishing that we get something, if we do get it. Cooperatives are no help to fisher folks in this country. Cooperatives only buy and sell.”

D.F.C’s Chief Executive Officer, Henry Anderson explained that this project is a part of a much bigger initiative which involves the development of a Project Finance for Permanence, or PFP, a financing mechanism aimed at attracting resources to take care of protected areas.

Henry Anderson

“The PFPs that you find you have, I think Costa Rica has, you have for Brazil, like in the Amazon, there is none in the blue space. So what Belize is doing right now, this is a first in the world, that PFP will come alive perhaps at the end of this year – early next year. But the testing of this pilot is to give the loan, give training, work with the conservation of the area to ensure that the fishers are adhering and providing data in terms of the sustainable fisheries management of that area. And you’re getting training in how to manage your loan, how to make your business more profitable, how to understand their numbers and everything like that. So, it’s a holistic approach aimed at improving firstly the livelihood of the fisher folk, because it’s about people, and then obviously to get them to protect the area where they live from.”

The loans will extend for periods of twelve months to seven years with interest rates up to twelve percent, with lower rates for women fishers. Marion Ali for News Five.