February, 2024 - Channel 5 Belize

CBA Quietly Celebrates Chinese New Year

The explosion of firecrackers and the clashing of cymbals down the streets of Belize usually indicate the celebration of Chinese New Year for the Asian community in Belize. A time when members come together, to dance, eat and make some noise. This year, however, the Chinese Belize Association has opted for a more subtle celebration. We caught up with honorary CBA Chairman, Edmund Kwan to hear how the festivities are going this year.

Edmund Kwan, Honorary Chairman, CBA

“Year is the lunar New Year, lunar new moon of every year. It usually falls in January or February.”

Britney Gordon

“What’s the theme for this year’s Lunar New Year, what’s the animal that represents it?”

Edmund Kwan

“This coming year is the year of the Dragon. Basically it’s a zodiac sign, something like horoscope. The entire year is drag is dragon. So if you’re born this in 2024 you’re born in the year of the dragon.”

Britney Gordon

“What kind of activities and festivities does the association usually have during this time of year?”

Edmund Kwan

“We usually have the banquet and the lion dance parade. However I think the association have some private personal matters. We’re not doing it this year.”

Britney Gordon

“So instead, you mentioned that everyone will be celebrating privately within their homes. What kinds of activities does that entail, having a celebration within your house?”

Edmund Kwan

“Tonight is New Year’s Eve. Traditionally, we on New Year’s Eve, we sit down at home and everybody have dinner. They call it basically like a full table. We’re all you know, brothers, sister, usually sit down and have a dinner together. Something like Christmas Eve, and then the New Year’s, then there’s an opening year dinner. That is usually the New Year’s banquet that we have, but, people will make more than likely celebrate it at home with their family and stuff like that, but everybody choose a different date.”

Britney Gordon

“So I know it can be a bit disappointing that we’re not going to have the parade this year. Are you looking forward to next year? Maybe we’ll try and bring that back?”

Edmund Quan

“Definitely. Definitely. Definitely. It’s just some personal issues and some things like, the chairman, have some problems and so we don’t, we’re not, we’re skipping this year. We’re skipping it. We’re not, it’s not forgotten.”

Happy Lunar New Year From The Embassy Of Taiwan!

February tenth marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year celebrations for 2024. Every year, around this time, families come together to cultivate luck and good fortune for the New Year. This is an especially significant time of year for members of the Taiwanese community in Belize, who use this opportunity to commune and take part in their traditions together. We visited the embassy of Taiwan to hear how they are celebrating this year.

Jimmy Tseng, Secretary, Embassy of Taiwan

“Chinese New Year is also known as the Lunar New Year because it’s not just celebrated by the Chinese, it’s also celebrated by a lot of Asian countries. For example, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines; in these countries, because they all use used to use the lunar calendar, which is why that lunar New Year is also their national Holidays. So in these Asian countries, obviously including Taiwan , we all celebrated the Lunar New Year. So Lunar New Year is the inner ancient agricultural society is the only long vacation that people have that they can gather around with their families and hang out with their friends. Normally it lasts like one to two weeks, so people can have a proper rest and start fresh for New Year.”

Britney Gordon

“What are some of the traditions celebrated on this holiday?”

Jimmy Tseng

“So in this Lunar New Year holiday, in our tradition, that red is the auspicious color. So we use red to decorate our house, and we use the spring couplets to put it on the front door of our houses, and then to show people this is an auspicious place and also, that because today is the New Year’s Eve, and so the members of the family, they will go back to their parents house and then they unite for a out reunion dinner.”

Britney Gordon

“Being that so many of you are far away from your family members, what’s the significance of celebrating it here in Belize together?”

Jimmy Tseng

“It is really important that you can see that Belize is a multi ethnicity, multicultural society. We have the Creole, we have the Mayans, Latin people, Garifuna, and obviously the Asian community. So it is all these people that we live together in harmony, and then we have a diverse cultural and but it is also really important that we go back to our cultural roots and to keep our traditional cultural and this is, I believe, what makes Belize really special and very vibrant society.”

Shalliney Oliva: Set to Audition for AGT

Fourteen-year-old Shalliney Oliva has a dream to share her gift of singing with the judges of America’s Got Talent. If she makes it past her virtual auditions on February twenty-fifth, she may be the first Belizean to showcase her talent on one of the world’s biggest stages. We visited her in San Ignacio to learn why this is important to Shalliney and her family and how she is preparing for the opportunity. Here’s Sabreena Daly with this week’s Look on the Bright Side.

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

In a few weeks, Shalliney Oliva will take a chance by proving to producers of America’s Got Talent that she has what it takes to share her gift of singing with a panel of judges on one of the biggest stages in the world.

Luis Oliva, Father

“I always said, you know what, even if she doesn’t make it this time, we’ll reapply again. And not only to America’s Talent, but to different other auditions in the U. S. And so, you know, until she gets there, because she’s just getting better and better.”

Her parents are more than certain that their daughter has the potential to put Belize on the map in a new way.

Luis Oliva

“We have always heard her singing in the bathroom, in the house, and so forth, but never took a mic to actually sing. And after that, we were just like surprised, even our friends, you know, they were so surprised at how Shaliney can sing so well.”

Elida Oliva, Mother
“All I can do is provide support and that is even when it comes to emotional support to let her feel confident about herself and let her know that she can do this.”

Shalliney Oliva, Auditioning for AGT
“When I realized that I could sing, I started to watch shows on YouTube, like different shows, The Voice, and that’s how I came across America’s Got Talent. And just watching others display their talent, I said to myself that someday I want to be up there.”

Sabreena Daly

“Why do you love singing?”

Shalliney Oliva

“Well, I think the reason why I love singing is, well, you know, everyone goes through something and I think singing is just a way to help me cope with my emotions and just to help me control them better and just to let me express myself as well.”

Over at St. Ignatius High School, all support is being given to the young talent. Vice Principal Diana Gentle says the school is proud to have her representing their institution.

Diana Gentle, Vice Principal, St. Ignatius High School
“I am extremely proud to be a part of the institution where Shalliney is attending. We are definitely looking forward to the 25th of February and we will be rooting for her. In fact, we have asked our student population to ensure that they subscribe to Shalliney’’s YouTube channel because we want the word to get out. If it doesn’t happen for her this year, it will definitely happen for her. In the near future.”

Leading up to February twenty-fifth, preparation is key. Her father, Luis Oliva, sought a trainer for Shalliney to ensure that she is in shape for her big day.

Luis Oliva

“In September, she started music school with the idea to get her better because when we saw the videos and so forth, there are little technicalities that she has to work on, which she has mastered a lot of and she’s still getting better. So it was not actually only for AGT, but to professionally get her better.”

Shalliney Oliva
“I go to Allegro, and my teacher is Mr. Yo Elvis. Right now, we do like, every class session, when I come, he would also, um, he would always let me do warm ups to get my voice ready. And then, sometimes, we focus on songs and stuff, but right now, we’re focusing only on technical.”

And, as Shalliney prepares herself physically and mentally, her mother, Elida, recognizes that this opportunity is deeper than just their daughter getting a shot. They are representing their country.

Shalliney Oliva

“I just need to encourage her and let her believe that, you know, this is a step forward, not only for her, but she’s representing our family, all Belizeans, um, home and abroad. And there will be challenges, but to embrace them and look at them in a positive way.”

Should Shalliney make it past the auditions, she will begin fundraising for her journey to the live shows in May. Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.

Deadly House Fire on Gibnut Street Claims Life of Phillip Cattouse

A well-known employee of Pou’s Meat Pie here in Belize City lost his life overnight when the building he was renting on Gibnut Street went up in flames. The incident happened shortly before the blackout on Wednesday night. Phillip Cattouse had just returned home and was talking to his landlady about lighting a candle inside his apartment before turning in for the night. Before long the wooden structure was engulfed in flames and when the fire was extinguished, firemen discovered his charred remains among the debris. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with our first story.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

A house fire in Belize City on Wednesday night claimed the life of fifty-one-year-old Philip Cattouse, otherwise known as Cutty, who was renting an apartment on Gibnut Street. The deadly blaze also destroyed several wooden structures on the property, leaving other tenants displaced in the wake of the incident. The landlady was inside her home, a concrete bungalow adjacent to the rooms, when she was alerted to the fire next door. Distraught from what she experienced, the elderly woman spoke with News Five off camera.

Voice of: Landlady

“He came home, look like he was vex and he was railing up, cussing up and thing and I came out and I asked him what he’s railing up for, right. So he said he’s trying to light a candle. So I tell, “Noh light no candle.” I seh, “from I live ya eena dis house”, ih seh, “a neva light no candle.” Ih she a just di try light wahn candle and I tell ahn noh light di candle. Ih seh yes, he still wahn try light di candle and I mi di give ahn wahn light, wahn charging light and he seh he noh want that.”

According to the property-owner, Cattouse then retired to his room. It wasn’t until she heard a shuffling from the neighboring apartment that she came out to inquire.

Voice of: Landlady

“I came in thinking he was going to out the candle. I came in and I lay down a little bit and like I hear, you know, like movements out yah. So when I came out, I saw the door open and it was like, ih look like ih mi di try open di door. Ih couldn’t get out so ih try open di door. When I sih dat, I seh well ih mussi come out because I sih di door open. But after that, I neva sih ahn again, yoh know. So I couldn’t believe that ih mi deh een deh, you know, trapped eena di fire, you know.”

Cattouse recently relocated to that apartment in December of last year and befriended his landlady and her children. The overnight fire completely damaged the wooden structure. The National Fire Service responded to the call and proceeded to extinguish the fire.

On the Phone: Kenneth Mortis, Station Supervisor, National Fire Service

“Tragedy struck last night when Mr. Phillip Cattouse, fifty-one years old, died as a result of a fire. A very unfortunate scenario went down last night whereby it left neighbors, it left the fire department baffled as to try and figure out exactly what Mr. Cattouse could have done to cause his little cabin, his little palace to go up in flames, claiming his life. [From] what we gathered, we know that the fourteen-by-twenty-four structure that was divided into three eight-foot compartments. Mr. Cattouse occupied the first of the three structures, that was where the fire started.”

This afternoon, Station Supervisor Kenneth Mortis told News Five that the fire began shortly before the blackout that blanketed the city last night.

On the Phone: Kenneth Mortis

“We know that the fire actually occurred before the shortage of electricity happened. That was roughly two minutes to eleven [o’clock]. He had retired from work and after probably socializing, having some beverages, he probably had one too many whereby it was reported that he was using a candle as a means of light and somehow he apparently fell asleep with this candle burning. The curtain got a whiff of the flame and consumed the structure, thus causing fire damage to the three apartment complex, the neighboring structure in the yard and, of course, took his life.”

Cattouse’s landlady, who is disabled, recounts having to evacuate her grandchildren from the family home as the fire consumed the apartment building.

Voice of: Landlady

“It was last night, I had was to tend to my two granddaughters, tek them out of the house and try get them to somewhere safe, you know. One of them is eight years old and one of them is six years old and only me and them were in the house, in my house. I was trying to get them to safety.”

Isani Cayetano

“That must have been a frightening experience, right?”

Landlady

“Yes, very… because I’ve never been through this experience before, you know.”

Isani Cayetano

“How are you dealing with it knowing that your tenant lost his life?”

Landlady

“I can’t take it, I cannot take it. My head is hurting. I couldn’t even sleep. My hearts pains me and I’m nervous right now.”

Phillip “Cutty” Cattouse was well-known from his job with Pou’s Meatpie here in Belize City. Isani Cayetano for News Five.

President of Senate States Position on Standing Orders

Last week, Senator Michael Peyrefitte publicly criticized the Briceño Administration for what he interpreted as a breach of the Senate’s Standing Orders. Today, Carolyn Trench-Sandiford, the President of the Senate, announced her position on the matter. As we reported, Senator Peyrefitte contended that the standing orders stipulate that the lead senator for government business must be a minister. Senator Eamon Courtenay remains the lead senator for government business, in spite of his recent resignation as a government minister. President Sandiford sought the legal opinion of Attorney General Anthony Sylvester. That opinion was made public on Wednesday and this morning, the President of the Senate leaned on the AG’s legal opinion to state her position.

Carolyn Trench-Sandiford, President of the Senate

“In ruling on the matter I requested a legal opinion from the Honorable Anthony Sylvester, the Attorney General and principle legal advisor to the Government of Belize by virtue of section forty-two of the constitution. Based on his advice and my own considerations, I am satisfied that there is no need for the leader of government business in the Senate to be a minister or member of cabinet. The standing order makes a clear distinction between the minster and senator in charge of government business and bills, motions, resolutions or papers may be presented by the senator in charge of government business and debated by the Senate even when such senator is not a minister.”

Senator Peyrefitte Disagrees With AG’s Legal Opinion on Lead Government Senator

Following today’s Senate meeting, we asked U.D.P. Senator Michael Peyrefitte if he agrees with the Attorney General and the President of the Senate’s position on his legal query about having a lead senator for government business who is not a minister. As would be expected, Senator Peyrefitte says he disagrees with the AG’s legal opinion. Notwithstanding the opposing legal position, Senator Peyrefitte and a full complement of U.D.P. Senators were present at today’s sitting.

Michael Peyrefitte, U.D.P. Senator

“Well, I don’t agree with the legal opinion nor the president’s position. But, that is her ruling and I respect the institution so I will respect the ruling, but the party reserves the right to see what other steps it will take from here on out after consideration concerning the issue. I want to leave it at that. I wrote to her and she wrote me back and I respect her for that, unlike the prime minister who doesn’t answer me. She wrote me back and gave me her answer. Now we will look at it as a party and determine where we go from here, but I don’t agree with it.”

Paul Lopez

“Your thought on the prime minister’s response to your concern?”

Michael Peyrefitte

“I think I addressed that already, I said bad precedents don’t make good law. Not because you did something a while ago that was not correct and it was not checked or corrected means that if you do it now it can’t be wrong. I still stand by my opinon that the leader of government business has to be a minister, but the president has ruled that way. And, the opinion of the AG is kinda incorrect in terms of some factual things they claim to be facts, as it relates to Fred Martinez and Dickie Bradley. But, like I said the matter will be presented to the party and the party will determine where it wants to go from here.”

Senator Eamon Courtenay Explains His “Cabinet Privileges”

And, we also heard from Eamon Courtenay, the Lead Senator for Government Business. He explained how he is able to function in his role as a senator after resigning as a government minister. Senator Courtenay did not wish to discuss his resignation. He noted, however, that the prime minister has already spoken on the matter. Nonetheless, he confirmed that he maintains Cabinet privileges as a result of his position in the Senate.

Eamon Courtenay, Lead Government Senator

“As usual whenever Michael Peyrefitte raises anything it is mischief. He either misinforms himself or fails to understand. Even when it was pointed out to him that the standing order he was referring to is not applicable, he still persisted in writing to the president. It served an opportunity, one for the Senate to get advice from the attorney general for the legal position. The legal position is very clear, the standing orders makes a distinction between ministers on the one hand and leaders of government business on the other hand. There is no requirement that the leader for government business be a minister, be a member of Cabinet. That is very clear from the standing orders and the president explained all of that this morning. Secondly, as I have said, Fred Martinez, Doug Singh, same position, they were not in Cabinet but they were leaders of government business. So there is nothing new about this happening. It is just the usual mischief from mike.”

Paul Lopez

“Outside of your ministerial position now, how do you become informed or aware of the government’s or Cabinet’s intentions behind a bill or a motion?”

Eamon Courtenay

“Right, so that is why in the press release, when the prime minister announced my resignation, they used the phrase Cabinet privilege. The tradition and convention well establish that as has happened with other, the leader for government business is invited to Cabinet when there is major legislation being debated, discussed in Cabinet so that you can know, when it comes to the Senate, what the government’s thinking is. Since the end of December when I left Cabinet, I have not been to single Cabinet meeting because there has not been any major legislation that my presence needs to be there so that I can participate in the debate and understand it. But, the idea is whenever there is a major piece of legislation I will be invited the Cabinet, assuming I can make it, I will attend to make sure I understand what government policy is behind the legislation.”

Government Updates Media on Draft Maya Land Policy

This morning, representatives of various media houses met for breakfast with the Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs and her senior staff, including C.E.O.’s Adele Catzim and Marconi Leal Junior. Also present was Senior Counsel Andrew Marshalleck and Assistant Solicitor General Samantha Matute-Tucker on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General. The purpose of the breakfast meeting was for the Government of Belize to provide an update on where it is in respect of the draft Maya Customary Land Tenure Policy. Following a demand by the collective Maya communities that government consults with them in their respective villages, Minister Dolores Balderamos-Garcia announced today that they will be visiting all forty-one indigenous communities to meet with villagers regarding the draft policy. She also explained that the Office of Indigenous People’s Affairs had already scheduled a public consultation in Punta Gorda Town prior to the mass gathering in Santa Elena on January twenty-seventh.

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs

“Yes, we do intend, it will set back the process, as senior counsel has said, but we do intend to reach out in going back to the villages because I think that in responding to the political reality, because there is pressure, senior counsel and Samantha [Matute] can speak to the legal aspect, I have to try to address the political reality. We do intend to go back to as many villages as we possibly can, even if we have to bring some of them together. But I want to clarify a misconception that the government was not responsive to the call of the people to visit their villages when we held the latest consultations in January. Those consultations were planned well in advance, the latest iteration of the policy was shared from early December. What basically happened is that the plans for the consultation that Saturday and Sunday were already in place long before, when all of a sudden a few letters started to come in to the Office of Indigenous People’s Affairs in Punta Gorda, saying, “We noh di cohn da PG. We want unu come to Santa Elena.” And clearly, it was not a situation that the government could have responded to in any kind of responsible approach because had, well, I don’t want to use the word capitulated, but had we said okay, we’ll go to Santa Elena, we would have met twenty busloads of people with placards that had been prepared for them, saying, “Remember, you have to come back to us for your vote.” turning the entire situation completely political.”

Is the Mayan Community Properly Informed on Draft Land Policy?

The controversial, provisional document put forward by the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs has been met with cold water by the wider Maya community with one alcalde openly trashing the draft land tenure policy. With the Government of Belize on one side of the divisive issue and the Toledo Alcaldes Association/Maya Leaders Alliance on the other side, are the masses of residents in Toledo District properly informed of what’s taking place? That’s what we asked Senior Counsel Andrew Marshalleck earlier today.

Andrew Marshalleck SC, Attorney-at-law

“I see certain Mayan villages claiming interest to land that third parties and other Mayan villages and other Belizean villages also claim interest to that space and I see everybody looking to the government to find a solution to that problem. I don’t see it as a race for popularity as between MLA and TAA and the government. The government must act responsibly and has a responsibility to each and every one of those persons who will be affected, including the Maya people, and they have been. There are, as I have repeatedly said, we acknowledge that there is a historical moral imperative to correct certain wrongs, to try to correct certain wrongs done to the Maya people. That is so, we accept that, but in correcting those wrongs, we can’t create another one. There are other interests in that space and everybody has to be considered fairly. The history is one thing, yes, but what exists today on the ground is what we must look to and try to resolve. Now it’s fundamentally untrue to say you’re being confined to one kilometer. First off, and you will recognize this right away, a one kilometer radius means the actual diameter is two kilometers, it’s not one. So from outer boundary to outer boundary is two kilometers. From the center to the outer boundary is one. What has been described is a radius, so when you hear language like that, that I am being confined to one kilometer, corralling the Maya people like hogs and all of that, that’s designed to inflame. It’s not designed to paint the correct picture of what it is… well this is why I am trying to address it, but I am trying to address it in fairly neutral terms because I don’t want to engage in any inflammatory back and forth on it. So, first off, recognize that what has been stated is a radius, it’s not the diameter. The diameter is actually two times the radius.”

Senator Peyrefitte Does Not Expect Response to FOIA Letter from PM

At the adjournment of today’s Senate meeting, we asked Senator Michael Peyrefitte if he has received a response from the prime minister. As we have reported, Peyrefitte wrote to Prime Minister John Briceño requesting further details on the government’s reacquisition of the Port of Belize Limited. Senator Peyrefitte requested the names of any private individuals that the government may have contracted to aid in the process. He also requested information on how much they were paid from the public coffers. Here is what Peyrefitte told us.

Michael Peyrefitte, U.D.P. Senator

“In short, no he has not responded. He has not gotten it to me. I checked my email. I checked my PO box, I have checked everywhere, the National Assembly. There is no letter here for me. But it would not be surprising if he does not respond. He has a tendency to not respond to legitimate questions from the people answers that he should give and it should be fairly easy to give. I don’t see what the difficulty there. I don’t expect him to respond because he doesn’t respect the law. He hasn’t responded to my last three or four questions, which indicates that he doesn’t care. He doesn’t feel like he needs to respect the law or uphold the law. So we will see what happens.”