On January thirty-first, the Development Finance Corporation applied to the Green Climate Fund for green climate accreditation. The move positions the D.F.C. to access up to fifty-million U.S dollars in Green Climate Funds, which will empower it to spearhead transformative initiatives along the path of sustainable development and environmental protection. Today, following the launch of the fisherfolk loans project, D.F.C.’s Chief Executive Officer, Henry Anderson told News Five that this move is all part of D.F.C.’s transition to fill the role that it was designed to carry out.
Henry Anderson, C.E.O., Development Finance Corporation
“We have on board an environmental and social management system. We do have a stakeholder engagement and communication policy, and we have a grievance mechanism. When this partner – the discussion around this partnership started because of our new policies. When we introduce a new product, we have to do stakeholder engagement. So with this product, there were a lot of meetings held with the fishers out at Glover’s Reef, in Hopkins, in Dangriga, and that led to several iterations of it, listening to what they need and then making a product that meets their needs. And that’s why it’s four different products we’re offering to meet their needs. So it allowed us to innovate and improve the product we had. And so now we’re testing it. And again, the testing is not only on the product, but it’s also the holistic, improving their lives while at the same time, improving the management of the area.”
St. Martin’s de Porres area just got a little bit brighter with the official launch of the Mahogany Street Marketplace. Over the last few months, over twenty booths on Mahogany Street have undergone a transformation meant to boost attractiveness and security. The project was launched by the Belize Tourism Board in 2022 and plans to extend its efforts into 2024. News Five’s Britney Gordon attended the ceremony today to learn all about it.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Mahogany Street is regarded as a place that’s buzzing with activity, akin to that of downtown Belize. In an effort to boost tourism activity and economic flow in the area a rejuvenation project was carried out by the Belize Tourism Board, in which over twenty-five small business owners were provided a new booth in order to carry out their business. Today, that project was completed.
Allan Pollard
Allan Pollard, Deputy Mayor
“Mahogany Street today is just one added feature to the many upgrades that we have seen throughout this community. Not too far back, there wasn’t this much interest in commerce on this side of town. Everybody wanted to be in the mainstream areas of the city. BTL Park, Coney Drive, Downtown. No. We are here witnessing the transformation of Southside Belize City, one project at a time. I know both ministers can attest to how many people have called wanting to know how they can get a boot out here, because I personally have received many. At the heart of the Mahogany Street Marketplace Project lies a fundamental commitment to supporting our local vendors and driving economic empowerment within our city. It is no secret and we don’t like to talk about it enough, that many areas and sectors of business have been taken over by foreign groups. But I want to proudly announce, without apology, that every single business out here today is one hundred percent Belizean owned.”
Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations, Anthony Mahler stated that the plan is to keep moving forward with the project and renovate up top thirty-five booths and that this is just one part of the ministry’s plan to reignite areas of Belize with potential to thrive.
Anthony Mahler
Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations
“Every booth on the Mahogany Street stretch will be upgraded and we have supported the people who operate in those booths with some cash whereby, if they need to upgrade their stoves, their refrigerator or whatever equipment they need to do, we don’t give them the cash, but we buy what they need and so this is a total upliftment. All we did here was to change the look and feel of it. we want it to be a safe area. We want more people to come and visit. This is the heartbeat of Southside, I believe especially for the Deputy Prime Minister and myself. Mahogany Street is the main corridor where all the action happens. But this is just another level of commitment on the south side. You’ve seen it with Berger Field, Constitution Park. We’re doing the Ring Road Park in Lake I that we’re partnering with the DPM. We’ve greened the entire area here so that it can have a good feeling. We believe if we have the infrastructure to support where people live and work, then they will have a different mindset. We advocate for them to take care of the investments it’s theirs. They can invest more in their businesses. If they need help in training, we are willing to do those things.”
The projected started back in 2022 and has grown to new heights. Vendor Ainsley Castro of Naked Chicken was one of the first to be included in this endeavor.
Ainsley Castro
Ainsley Castro, Proprietor, Naked Chicken (File: October 4th, 2022)
“Da wahn nice project, cause first of all dehn mi done mention this to we soh now we look forward to it and the promise is looking like it’s going to be fulfilled cause, yoh know, da mi wahn thing weh everybody mi expect and also weh we like about it da wahn free of cost to, right. Soh, you know, we benefit a lot from it. Soh I noh think nobody should complain and everybody di look forward fi it. I’m excited about it, I cyant wait.”
The news last week that Hofius Store in downtown Belize City is going to close down later this year took many Belize City residents by surprise. While Hofius did not grant an interview to explain the reasons for their decision to call it quits, some of the businesses in the area have expressed a genuine concern that the parking meters that were installed about two years ago have hindered business growth. Like Hofius, the businesses have opted to remain anonymous but have shared their concerns nonetheless. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The historic Albert Street, with all its businesses lined off on both sides from its junction at Orange Street all the way down several blocks, has been an iconic part of Belize City dating back to the eighteen hundreds. But a system that was introduced in the area over the past few years to control traffic has now become a concern among some of the businesses in the downtown area.
Since the installation of the parking meters along that stretch, store owners have complained that they have seen their businesses shrink and their customers kept away. One of the managers at a department store in the downtown area told News Five today off-camera that they have raised the concern to City Hall before. The store manager said that shoppers nowadays will not pay for parking just to purchase one or two items. Also, they will not drive around the circular looking for a free parking space to make their purchase.
The manager also pointed out that the majority of the big shoppers are people who drive and use the convenience of the free parking that existed before to fill their vehicles with grocery or other items. One supervisor who did give us an on-camera interview works at Dibary’s. Mario Lopez said that the parking meters bring for them some good and some bad. The majority of their customers, however, have not stopped going there to shop.
Mario Lopez
Mario Lopez, Store Supervisor, Dibary
“In a way, it has a positive side and a negative side, but as I’m saying, I think it’s a very good idea because it also keeps rotation in the main artery, I would say, in Belize City, whereby first, used to park here for a whole hour, two hours, or a whole day, but now You come here, you pay a half an hour ticket, you pay a one hour ticket, and so you could enjoy the amenities.”
Marion Ali
“So it hasn’t reflected much on business or affected negatively?
Mario Lopez
“Not on our side at least. You’re here and there, you’re here and there people will still find a way to park, especially they’re using the Frontier a lot.”
Today we tried to get a comment from Mayor Bernard Wagner on the concerns that the business owners have raised over the impact that parking meters have had on their business, but he declined comment. Marion Ali for News Five.
The Fort George Constituency in Belize City has a new digital connect center. Established through a partnership with the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Government of Belize, the center will provide a space for students and residents to access digital devices, and high-speed internet. The official opening of the center was held over the weekend. We heard from Bernard Wagner, the Belize City Mayor, Lily Li-Wen Hsu, the Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Henry Charles Usher, the Area Representative for Fort George.
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
“The establishment of the digital connect center really represents a significant step on our mission to bridge the digital divide to ensure that all members of our community have equal access for the opportunities afforded by the digital age, free access to computers, the internet and various digital technologies. This center will serve as a catalyst for empowerment and education. In today’s rapidly evolving world, digital literacy is no longer a luxury it is a necessity and by providing resources and training to our residents, especially those in underserved areas, will empower them to thrive in the digital economy and contribute to the growth and prosperity of our beloved Belize City and country.”
Lily Li-Wen Hsu
Lily Li-Wen Hsu, Ambassador, ROC (Taiwan)
“It is truly a pleasure to join everyone here to celebrate the launch of a digital connect center in Fort George. Fellow residents of Fort George we at the embassy feel especially x cited that our community and neighbors now can have free access to this community that offers computers, internet connection and have the opportunity to be empowered with digital knowledge and skill this center is part of the digital inclusion program jointly implemented by the government of Taiwan and Belize that aims to promote digital inclusion and bridge the digital divide. With this joint endeavor we were able to inaugurate five digital connect centers in different communities across the country last year and this year we are planning to add four more.”
Henry Charles Usher
Henry Charles Usher, Area Representative, Fort George
“It is the hub of information in our community. Because Fort George is not only a community it is a constituency. We are not only residents in this area we are family so I am always happy that we could be here to celebrate something new at this center. This center is the vision of the former Prime Minister, the Right Honorable Said Musa. It is his legacy that we continue today.”
Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. A category five hurricane blew through the Belize City Civic Center on Friday night. The highly anticipated basketball match between the Bennys’s Belize Hurricanes and the Orange Walk Running Rebels brought out fans from both teams for this thriller.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
BEBL’s Rookie, the African Giant, Sidibe Bourama dropped fifteen points for the Hurricanes, with a seventy-five percent shooting average for the night, and six rebounds. Hurricane’s Jamal Harris followed closely behind with fourteen points at the end of the game. He is a clutch three-point shooter and big under the rim, finishing with ten rebounds Captain Victor “Vito” Evans led his team in scoring, ending the game with sixteen points. He is a play maker and an executer with a high IQ on and off the ball. Running Rebel’s Mathew Young put on a valiant effort for his team, completely dominating under the rim, racking up twelve rebounds, with an efficient fifty-five percent shooting average from the field for the night, ending the game with twenty-one points.
2023 Season MVP contender James Stanback is off to a slow start in the season, banking only four of his nineteen attempts from the field. Notwithstanding his sluggishness from the field, Stanback was a hundred percent from the free-throw line. But, ultimately the Benny’s Belize Hurricanes secured its second straight win with eighty-nine points to the Rebel’s seventy-one points. The name of the game here was defense, and overall the Hurricanes was more structured on the defensive end and took advantage of the Rebel’s poor defensive display. We spoke with a few players from the winning team after the game.
Sidibe Bourama
Sidibe Bourama, Benny’s Belize Hurricanes
“One of my focus is to play harder, to bring the toughness for my team, protect the rims and make sure I run the floor. Whatever jump shot I got around, to make sure I make that and bring the time together that is my focus most of the time.”
Victor “Vito” Evans
Victor “Vito” Evans, Benny’s Belize Hurricanes
“I have been blessed in the last like eight years to be mentored by some really good guys in Meta World Peace and Cory Maggette . They though me a lot about the game as far as just, I should never go down the court and predetermine what I will do. I should always see the floor and know where everybody is at and then go on my instinct from there.”
Paul Lopez
“For the season, do you guys feel like you are getting comfortable and hitting that sweet spot?”
Clency Lopez
Clency Lopez, Benny’s Belize Hurricanes
“Yes, we don’t want to feel like that, because if we feel like that, because if we feel like that teams wah come and beat we and we just want to continue pushing it. 1:39
Let’s move over to some football action. The Central Secondary School Sports Association hosted its regional championship games on Saturday inside the Marion Jones Sporting Complex. Here is more from those games. The match for third place between Sadie Vernon High School and Saint John’s College male teams ended in a penalty shoot-out after thirty minutes of overtime. Up by one, after scoring their first kick and blocking SJC’s first shot, Sadie Vernon’s goal keeper executed another massive block.
Number fourteen for Sadie Vernon came behind with a kick that completely missed the goal. Ultimately, two massive stops from SJC’s goalkeeper would secure the bronze medal for his team. In the female finals, Wesley College took on Gwen Lizarraga High School. Gwen Liz came into the last of this best-of-two matchup with two goals, leaving their opponents with no other options than to score more than three goals and stop Gwen Liz from scoring. Five minutes into the match, Wesley’s Zairah Gentle launched this superb free kick from beyond the penalty box that flew right pass Gwen Lizarraga’s goal keeper.
Gentle lit a fire in her teammates that would ultimately burnout under the sweltering heat of the day and ninety-minutes of play time. Gwen Lizarraga High School finished the game on top and secured their spot in the upcoming National Championship. In the male finals, the very same schools went up against each other. And, as fate would have it, Wesley College’s male team was also down two goals coming into the second and final game. Twenty-seven minutes into the game, Wesley’s Jacob Joseph was awarded a penalty kick after a nasty foul from number seventeen for Gwen Lizarraga. Joseph scored the penalty shot. Early in the second half, the referee blew a whistle against Wesley for a hard tackle, giving Calvin Thurton an opportunity to extend the lead. And, Thurton did just that. With only eight minutes left in the game, a hand ball was called against Wesley inside the penalty box. Christon Linares secured the gold medal for Gwen Lizarraga with that penalty kick. Gwen Lizarraga High School male team is also moving on to the Nationals.
Well Folks, that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday.
A study done by UNICEF and the Statistical Institute of Belize five years ago revealed that only twenty-four percent of Belize’s children have the support of their fathers as they grow up. The study shows that a mother’s presence is not guaranteed as well, with only sixty-eight percent caring for their children in their first year of life. Established in 1998, the Families and Children Act provides a legal framework for advancing the rights of children, with their best interest as its main priority. From its inception, a man has been required to maintain the children of any of his children, under certain circumstances. That portion of the act is not as commonly known as the part that mandates a man to maintain his own children. But, it became the center of a heated debate inside the Senate on Thursday. The questions everyone now asking are, should grandparents be required, by law, to maintain their grandchildren in the absence of the biological parents, or should this section of the act be repealed and replaced? News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
On Thursday, members of the Senate debated a controversial amendment to the Families and Children Act.
Michael Peyrefitte
Michael Peyrefitte, Lead U.D.P. Senator
“The biological father or the biological parents of a child under no circumstance should be relieved of the responsibility of maintaining their children and putting it on the shoulders of someone else.”
The legislative amendment was encouraged by a High Court ruling back in September, 2023. The court ruled that Section 48, Subsection 1 of the Families and Children Act was discriminatory.
Magali Marin-Young
Magali Marin-Young, SC, Attorney-at-law (File: September 7th, 2023)
“That section is discriminatory because it imposes a liability on a man to maintain not only his children, but also to maintain the children of his wife who are living with him at the time, whether are those children are his biologically or not.”
With the High Court ruling in favor of the unconstitutionality of that sub section, an amendment was necessary to reflect the judgment. But, a section that may not be common knowledge also exists under section forty-eight of the act. Section (b) states that every man is required to maintain his own child and the children of any child of his.
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development
“The point of the matter is that the law is there, the Families and Children Act in order to ensure that the child is maintained. That is the first and foremost, responsibility that the act is putting on people, adults, when you are in a family situation. You could adopt a child, fostering a child and that child becomes what you call a child of the family.”
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, the Minister of Human Development, explained that the obligations to a child falls on the either the paternal or maternal grandfather under special circumstances.
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia
“But here is the thing that was mentioned, why would you place responsibility on a grandparent? We are not saying that elderly people should be minding picni, but if you read the thing carefully, and that is why I say, some of them just like to argue, if you read the thing carefully it is saying that you look at the responsibility only where the biological parent, mother or father, they cannot be located, they are ill or they are able to maintain themselves.”
Notwithstanding the fact that this has been enshrined in the laws of Belize for many years, Michael Peyrefitte, the Lead U.D.P. Senator, argued on Thursday that parliament has an opportunity to make certain changes.
Michael Peyrefitte
“The court is the court and if the court has made a decision, if they interpret the law in such a way as it has written and it comes with a result that we do not accept or like. With all due respect to the court, we are parliament and they can make a decision in the High Court, but we in Parliament, we make the law. This is an opportunity, Madam President to make a law that is sustainable to people and makes sense.”
Paul Lopez
“Would Cabinet consider changing this approach if there is a great deal of public concern that warrants such?”
Dolores Balderamos- Garcia
“I would not say so, we have rich discussion in Cabinet about the social issues of our country and we have many people, all I would say, who are very concerned about our social issues. But I wouldn’t say we should prolong the conversation. I say and I repeat the best interest of children has to come first.”
And, concerns did not only come from Senator Peyrefitte. Other senators raised issues of unfairness.
Kevin Herrera
Kevin Herrera, Business Senator
“I know there seems to be an effort to secure the wellbeing of children and I think that is a noble effort. But I think in the instance in the grandparent where it becomes mandatory where their children are unable to, whether through lose lifestyle practices; I think it is extremely unfair.”
Elena Smith
Elena Smith, NTUCB Senator
“I look at for example my own father who passed away a year or so ago. He was ninety-two. So just imagine my brother had children he didn’t take care of, my grandfather who was ninety-two, based on this law, this was the law back then, could have been held accountable for any child my brother didn’t take care of. So, how then could my poor father, the grandfather of these children, not working anymore, being ninety, ninety-one, ninety-two take care of these children.”
On Thursday, the Senate also debated legislation that seeks to establish the National Women’s Commission as a legal body. Lead U.D.P. Senator, Michael Peyrefitte, argued that while the legislation seems like a noble effort on the surface, it gives the minister undue discretion for appointments. He further contended that the commission is a way for the government to employ political cronies.
Michael Peyrefitte, Lead UDP Senator
“This government likes to bring legislation that on the face of it seems noble. But when you really analyze it is anything but noble. It is like when you bring a budget or a supplemental and you have ten things that are ridiculous but one thing is in there that you can’t object to, because they will say oh you object to the supplemental. Unu think unu smart and we stupid. The National Women’s Commission, thirteen members appointed by the minister. If that nuh bad enough, the minister has to appoint the executive director too, for money to be determined quite possibly by that same minister. They put it as prescribed. We have an office or a person in an office that is Special Envoy for Women and Children. We have offices to deal with these issues. WE have a Ministry of Human Development which deals with man and woman, are we saying these people are not doing their jobs, that we need this for what? This is a way to find jobs for the government’s cronies and lackeys while you already cannot find money for the current public officers who are suppose to get their increments and pay.”
Today, we received a response to Senator Peyrefitte’s comments from Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, the Minister of Human Development. She outrightly rejected the notion that the commission is being used as a means to employ political cronies. Here is how she puts it.
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development
“I was disappointed to year the lead opposition Senator say why do you have a National Women’s Commission and all the members are appointed by the minister. Well, this is the administration that is in the office. And why wouldn’t the minister appoint to the National Women’s Commission which is so important on gender issues. And let me point out for the record, it is not jobs for cronies. It is not jobs for cronies. Every single member of the national Women’s Commission, which is now a statutory body, serves without pay. It is a completely voluntary thing. So it is not jobs for cronies. The chairperson gets a small stipend for the responsibility, what you call the responsibility allowance. And of course, if a member of the commission has to come from Toledo or Corozal, you will cover the food and transportation, but it is on a voluntary basis. I am sure that Senator Peyrefitte wasn’t worried when in the time of the UDP, everybody was appointed by the UDP government. I can think of some very good persons, Ann Marie Williams, Esther Ayuso, many people serve with distinction and I will never put down those women because they had the gender issues of our country at heart.”
A 2022 Inter-American Development Bank study on children in the care of the state in Belize found that sufficient data on the total number of children under care or custody order does not exist. The study did, however, find that close to five hundred children were placed under the care of the state between 2019 and 2021. Approximately the same amount of children exited the care by that age. Interestingly, sixty-eight percent of the children who entered state care in that time period were between the age of fifteen and eighteen. Minister Dolores Balderamos-Garcia explained that while the state has an obligation to care for children in the absence of family members, or by a court order, it comes at a cost to tax payers.
Dolores Balderamos Garcia
Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Human Development
“Children get into the hands of the state and becomes wards of the state, number one through a court order, but where a social worker will affirm that there is either abuse or neglect, right. Like for instance, the very sad occurrence in Willows Bank where the mother was murdered. The little child was in and of water and therefore had to be taken in by the state immediately. Those are the cases where Human Services and social workers step in. Let me take this opportunity to commend all of them because we have many children in care, either in the care of government institutions, like the Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center or in private facilities that are sanctioned by the state, for example LOL down in Toledo. They have children and then our inspector of social services institutions make sure they have proper amenities, makes sure the children won’t be abused when they go into care. There is a lot of oversight that we have to do.”
Residents of the Bay Shore Drive area in Corozal Town have voiced concerns over the extent of the environmental impact that a project can have in their community. The project is the construction of a jetty that extends several hundred feet into the Corozal Bay. Whether or not the property owner has gotten the requisite environmental permits to carry out the construction, the residents say they have already begun to see changes in the sea immediately next to where the construction is taking place. They shared with News Five their concerns about the project and its impact on the ecology in their community.
Voice of: June Hartley
Voice of: June Hartley, Bay Shore Drive Resident, Corozal Town
“We just had a small breakwater a very small beach here, and with the advent of this wall, you can see that the whole tide has changed. Number one, the water is deeper on the other side of the wall than it is in this harbor, and the sand is building up. Sand is building up inside that area and sand is coming over when the tide is high, it’s coming over and filling out this rocky area here.”
Marion Ali
“Which is right in front of your property?”
Voice of: June Hartley
“That’s correct, yes. I know this wasn’t the finished product. This is intended to be a wall as tall as the one on the other side and I can’t really imagine what that will do then to the water; what we will get environmentally when that whole area is blocked off.”
Voice of: Edward Hartley
Voice of: Edward Hartley, Bay Shore Drive Resident, Corozal Town “I live right next door, so it directly impacts me in every way you can think of and of course, we’ve had a lot of problems with noise, with the construction, with large trucks, unloading boulders, with backhoes, with an excavator, you name it, we have had it. I used to have a view of the lights of Corozal. Now I have a view of a brick wall going out into the ocean and it probably impacts the value of my property.”
Voice of: William Hedlund
Voice of: William Hedlund, Bay Shore Drive Resident, Corozal Town “Why do you need that big of a breakwater? I could understand if somebody wants to put a breakwater out 50 feet. A lot of these shoreline properties have breakwaters put out to stop erosions, but they all had environmental impact statements done. And this one, by chance or happenstance, doesn’t have anything done to it. It’s about 400 feet out into the bay. And so when you do that – why are you going to do that? Are you going to turn it into a water ski arena? Are you going to turn it into a jet ski arena? What are you going to do? There’s no reason for doing the development like they’ve done it.”
Voice of: Ty Stephens
Voice of: Ty Stephens, Bay Shore Drive Resident, Corozal Town “Just with the ecology of the sea out there, everything from algae to big fish, everything from algae all the way to the big fish that come through here is going to be affected by it. So detrimentally, I don’t know, but I wouldn’t think it would be positive. I love Belize. Obviously, I think Belize is beautiful along with his people. I love everything about it. And I’m just really cautious when it comes to any sort of big man-made situations that we’ve got over here.”
