May 2, 2024 - Channel 5 Belize

Tourists Embracing Culture as Part of Tourism

Belize’s tasty Garifuna dish, the Hudut, has become part of this country’s cultural tourism. The Martinez family of Hopkins Village has craftily woven the making of Hudut into a cultural experience that they offer to tourists in that village. Today, News Five’s Marion Ali and George Tillett took a tour of Palmento Grove Eco-cultural and Healing Lodge. And as their report reveals, Hudut is but one of many components of a tour the family has mapped out for the tourist at heart. We present that story on cultural tourism as this week’s edition of Belize on Reel.

Marion Ali, Reporting

The experience at Palmento Grove Eco-cultural and Healing Lodge begins with a one-minute kayak journey across the Fresh Water Creek Lagoon to Kalipuna Island, where Palmento Grove is located. The island is carefully mapped out for the tour the Martinez family has designed. Wasani Martinez, a certified dive master, guides you safely across to Palmento Grove. A quick walk to the main area affords you the choice of changing into a comfortable cultural dress to begin the tour. Leading off, like any spiritual family, the experience takes one through an interesting lecture on history and spirituality by the patriarch, Eugene Martinez. Martinez then leads the visitors on an educational tour about some of the trees, including the cashew and cocoplum fruit trees and the anato tree, used to make recado. The only visitor on the day-long tour today was this woman who gave her name as only Iesha from the state of Maine, USA.

Iesha, Tourist, Palmento Grove Eco-cultural and Healing Lodge

“I love how immersive it is. It’s not just someone sitting and lecturing. You’re actually in the spaces and seeing the plants and making the foods and the dances and all of that, so I really enjoyed it. Yeah.”

Marion Ali

“You got to climb the tree, take down the coconut.”

Iesha

“I did! I picked my first coconut today, so it was awesome, yeah.”

Marion Ali

“And then you huxed, and then you actually made the Hudut.

Iesha

“All of it, yes, and I do not know my way around the kitchen (laughing) the way I should, but they were very patient and taught me everything, so it was very nice.”

Marion Ali

“And now you’re learning how to dance and to drum.”

Iesha

“Yes, that too.”

It is this kind of educational experience that owner, Uwahnie Martinez says her family wants to share with everyone who signs up for the experience.

Uwahnie Martinez, Owner, Palmetto Grove Eco-cultural and Healing Lodge

“The trip across the lagoon – we managed to give you that kayak experience over because our boat was stolen. So instead of giving up again, we relented once more and we said, you know what, maybe it’s for a cause. Why not just count the blessings, despite the situation And turned it into something good. So, that’s how we started with the kayak ride across and it has been embraced by our guests coming as an extraordinary part of the experience. So, the idea here is to actually immerse yourself, be hands on, learn, and make sure you can appreciate the culture, the people, by the time you leave from here, and have fun at the same time. Doing that, we give you a feel of what our clothing is like. It’s nice and cool, you get the opportunity to participate without feeling extra hot despite the heat. We get a lecture from my dad. My family is that of politicians and activists. It’s well known here in Belize, so a perspective from their eyes, their views, telling their own story. Then we move on into the herbal garden, where we teach you and show you some of the herbs that we use for medicinal purposes and food purposes and holistic health on a whole – all part of Garifuna culture. You get to learn about the cassava baking process, you see the implements, you see the murals on the wall, and moves your senses, and that’s the idea of the experience we offer. We want you to be able to hear, see, taste, touch, smell, and feel. That’s for sure. So it moves your senses, it feeds your soul. And it revives your spirit, and by the time you leave from here, you’re well immersed.”

But the tourism package is a relatively young one that complements cultural tourism. The family purchased the land on the island and started the business in 2018, after a major setback.

Uwahnie Martinez

“When we first started here, it was out of necessity. We had an operation in the village, and that was burnt down. We went into financial foreclosure, so we lost that property, with 30 days to find where to go. My dad had this property, so refusing to give up and making sure that we can live to tell our ancestral story, our story from our perspective, we relented to move over here, cleared the place and fashioned it into a traditional Garifuna community where we can actually live culture with dignity and then share it with guests who want to learn.”

Part of that learning is making Hudut, which includes grating the coconut and extracting the milk, seasoning the fish, which today happened to be a barracuda, and frying it. While that is being done, someone is stirring the coconut milk as it cooks, while another beats the combination of boiled green and ripe plantains to complement the dish. The visitor’s experience ends with a session on drumming and dancing to Garifuna music, led by Rayton Martinez and Tiana Nunez.

Marion Ali

“How do you find the reception from the tourists? Do they like it?

Tiana Nunez, Dancer, Palmento Grove Eco-cultural and Healing Lodge

“Most guests, when they come, they’re pretty receptive. They want to learn, they want to interact, so it’s pretty easy. Sometimes they do it on their own, or they’d ask if I can do it and then they just follow along.”

Marion Ali

“So tell me this: Rayton teaches by showing us: you start with one hand, and then you tap with the next hand twice, and then you go back to one. Is it the same way with the steps?”

Tiana Nunez

“It is, yes, because if you notice, whatever movement I make, the drum reacts. Yeah. And he also has to be pretty attentive to what I do so that he, knows. Yes, exactly.”

Uwahnie Martinez says the tour can be personalized to suit anyone with any time limit from only one session to all day, and even for overnight visitors. And where tourists want additional tours, like horseback riding, Palmento Grove outsources those portions to other tourism tours in communities that offer them. Marion Ali for News Five.

If you would like to book a tour with the Martinez family at Palmento Grove Eco-cultural and Healing Lodge, you can contact Uwahnie Martinez at six, six, one, six, zero, three, nine, or you may log on to their website at www.palmentogrove.com

Mahler Hoping to Form Stronger Relations with Latin America

Recently, the Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations, Anthony Mahler and a team of Belizean business representatives travelled to São Paulo, Brazil to participate in the World Travel Market Latin America 2024. With twenty-seven thousand professionals and six hundred and twenty exhibitors from across the globe in attendance, this event allows for Belize to meet with other businesses and form potential partnerships. In the Belize pavilion were representatives of Barefoot Caye Caulker Hotel, Muy’Ono Resorts, Table Rock Jungle Lodge, and the Belize Tourism Board. The Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations spoke with us about the significance of this trip.

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism & Diaspora Relations

“I just recently visited Sao Paulo, Brazil. I truly believe that Latin America is an untapped market for us. We just haven’t done the heavy lifting that needs to be done in that in those key markets. And we’re talking about that. And certain cities in Brazil, Colombia and Argentina to start and then other parts of Central America. We strongly believe that if we put in the effort, we can get more people to come. For example, getting back to Belize was only a day. You didn’t have to overnight in Miami or anywhere else coming back from Sao Paulo. So those opportunities are there. We just have to go after them. I met, one day we had a press conference and I met with over a hundred writers and people in the trade who package and prepare their guests to come to destinations like Belize. And that was a big moment for us as well. We spoke about the beauty of Belize, the wealth untold that God has blessed us with. And we will continue to do so all across the world.”

Where is Belize on Anti-corruption Commission?

The Joint Unions Negotiating Team met with government officials on Wednesday, following a hiatus from discussions with the Briceno Administration related to a number of issues including anti-corruption. PSU President Dean Flowers discussed the issue with reporters following the meeting at the House of Culture.

Paul Lopez

“In terms of the request for the establishment of an anti-corruption commission by the UN, I think the document says that you all believe this is the only approach that is feasible at this point or that can be taken to really address the issue of corruption in Belize.”

Dean Flowers , President, P.S.U.

“When we touched on that, the question to the minister responsible for political and public sector reform, was whether or not there was a difficulty in exploring that option which, as you rightly said, we believe is the only option left available to us. It would be very naïve of us as a people to think that we have the necessary infrastructure and the necessary expertise and the political will in country to adequately tackle corruption and to address and effect the many pieces of legislation that has been passed, including the most recently adopted Civil Asset Recovery and Unexplained Wealth Order Bill. As I stated, that is a beautiful piece of legislation to assist in curbing corruption. The question now that must be taken to the FIU Director is what steps have been taken to: one, recruit competent individuals and two, whether or not they have the requisite resources in including office space.”

JUNT Advocates for Tax Reform

The Joint Union Negotiation Team is also advocating for significant tax reforms. According to Nadia Caliz, the Belize National Teachers Union President, some businessmen are evading taxes by declaring items as zero-rated. She contended that middle- and low-income families are bearing the brunt of taxes in Belize.

Nadia Caliz, National President, B.N.T.U.

“During our discussion with government today They were happy that they brought certain things to their attention and they asked for us to spend some time to go back and discuss these things, but at the same time they have already been working on tax reform and so when we meet again with them, they will present to us what it is that they have been doing and what they will do to address the things we have brought to their attention. One of the key things brought to their attention in the area of tax evasion let me talk about that one is we have importers bringing in furniture and different things from across the border and then using receipts that say ramen noodle and ramen is a zero rated, tax free you don’t have to pay taxes on that and that is not fair to the Belizean people any at all.”

JUNT Demands Full Disclosure of Country’s Debt Profile

The Joint Union Negotiating Team has also requested a detailed report of the country’s debt profile from the Government of Belize. Dean Flowers, the President of the Public Service Union, says that this should be on the minds of every Belizean. He added that G.O.B. did not provide the report on Wednesday but has committed to do so in a timely manner.

Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U.

“As it relates to the profile of the country, I think that is a concern and a matter of high importance that should be on every single Belizean mind. As we all know, we would have restructured our debt, most of our debts in 2021, we would have received three years moratorium on most, if not all of our debts. So several of our debts now become due and payable as we speak. Included in that are the interest payments for the super bond, which matures in 2020. And so we felt that given that there will be no added demand on government finances to meet our national and international debts, that it’s important that we get an understanding of where we are with that and the obligations that will be tied to that. Because if it is that we’re unable to meet those debt payments, then we will be back at square one when the government will be looking at where can it cut expenses. And as we all know, it has always been cutting the public purse in terms of public officers salaries. And so we now have that at the forefront of our agenda in terms of paying attention to that, because any slip up in that can end up costing us money again in the long run. We did not receive that today, but we did receive a very detailed presentation on where we are as a country in terms of our debt and commitment was made by the representative from the Ministry of Finance to provide comprehensive debt profile to us. And so once that is provided, I would have no problem sharing that or speaking on that with the Belizean people.”

SC Godfrey Smith Gives Mike Espat His Flowers

Mike Espat’s state funeral is scheduled for the tenth of May. On Wednesday, we spoke with one of Espat’s long-time colleagues, going all the way back to his days as a teacher at the Toledo Community College. Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith taught alongside Espat at TCC. When we caught up with Smith he reminisced on those good old times and the man that he knew Espat to be.

Godfrey Smith, Former Colleague of Mike Espat

“When I met Mike Espat in September of 1987, freshly graduated from St Johns six form, when I met him he was the principal of Toledo Community College where I taught for a year in the English Department, teaching English language and English Literature. I actually lived in Mike’s house for a couple of months until I was able to find a place of my own and I was involved with him in various things. I have a vivid memory of entering a pig stye with him. He was hands on person, very practical, involved in rice production, the pig program at the campus. I remember stepping into the stye and wading in the mud and mock, assisting him, just generally dealing with the livestock. Always outspoken, always a party man and never feared to speak truth to the leadership and always ready to lead a back bench revolt but only going so far.”

Belize Athletic Association Needs More Support

In Early April, the Belize Athletic Association held its elections, where Cojac Smith was elected as the president with a vote of thirty-five to thirty-four over Jaheed Smith. With a newly elected council, the association hopes to open a new chapter of better accountability and support for athletes. President of the association, Cojac Smith spoke with us about the goal to secure more sponsorships and raise public awareness for sporting events.

Cojac Smith, President, Belize Athletic Association

“We recently had an election that concluded, the current vice president, mister Jaheed Smith against myself, a member of the association, and we were vying for the vacant position from mister Deon Sullivan, who had resigned about a year ago. So the conclusion, it was a close race and I ended up winning and winning by a small margin at one vote. So we have a new executive. Now we have some new members, new executive members, as well as some incumbents from the previous executive and we’re trying to move athletics as far Athletics as best as we can in a more Constructive way and being more just be more accountable producing a better product for Belize so that we can vie for more sponsorships and donors and stuff like that. So that’s the direction we’re trying to put it and just move athletics further developing the country developing sports Developing the athletes and the coaching’s as well. So that’s what we’re looking for. Nothing comes without money.”

Reporter

“So my next question is, how do you propose to bring in all those needed funds that will be needed to do all of these things?

Cojac Smith

“We’re looking at partnerships with different businesses, any businesses that are willing to partner with the association. We’re looking into collaboration. So, if anyone that’s listening to this newscast that wants to collaborate with the Belize Athletic Association and partner with us, to see how best it could be beneficial to both parties. We’re open to that. They could reach us at the Belize Athletic Association page on Facebook, or they could reach me at 632-2622, or they could always just contact me then, and I could have them talk to the General Secretary to work that out. But we’re just trying to be as collaborative as possible, and one of the things that Track and Field has not been doing It’s visibility. We’ve not been visible. So that’s probably one of the reasons we’ve had, have the support from the business community as much as we would want to. So it’s just to getting that started and also to push a better product that we’re producing as an executive. Just being more accountable could producing our financials and stuff like that, whereby we could vie for different sponsorship internationally and locally.”

Police Charge Men with Contempt of Judicial Orders for Bail Violations

On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, police arrested and charged Alrick Lamb, 28, with two counts of Contempt of Judicial Order. One count was for failing to sign in every Friday at the Raccoon Street Police Station, and the other count was for committing an offense while under bail from a Magistrate Court, which prohibited further charges during bail. The following day, on Thursday, May 2, 2024, police arrested and charged Alyon Pernell Domingo, 22, a Belizean construction worker from San Pedro Town, with two counts of Contempt of Judicial Order. One count was for failing to sign in every Tuesday and Friday at the Corozal Police Station, and the other count was for not residing at his registered address in the Corozal District while on bail for the charge of gang membership.

Police Arrest Three Men for Alleged Gang Membership

On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, police arrested and charged Allen Albert Anderson, also known as “Grace,” a 24-year-old Belizean construction worker from Ladyville Village, Belize District, for the offense of belonging to a gang.

On the same day, Julian Emilio Woodye, a 24-year-old unemployed Belizean from Belize City, was arrested and charged for the same offense.

Also on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, Kenyon Carlton Flores, a 23-year-old Belizean construction worker from Belize City, was formally arrested and charged with being a member of a gang.

BEL Announces Power Outages Due to Generation Shortages and CFE Supply Reduction

Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) has announced scheduled power interruptions across various service areas in response to temporary in-country generation shortages and a reduction in supply from Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) in Mexico.

Over the past few weeks, daily electricity demand has fluctuated between 85 MW and 125 MW, while in-country generation capacity is currently capped at a maximum of 95 MW. This has led to increased reliance on CFE, which typically provides up to 55 MW of capacity to the grid. However, BEL has received communication from CFE indicating challenges in sustaining energy supply to Belize, with potential curtailments expected over the next 48 hours.

To manage these supply shortages, BEL will implement load shedding measures starting at 10:00 a.m. this morning. Initially, areas such as portions of Orange Walk will experience interruptions. In the early afternoon, load shedding will extend to portions of Corozal, San Ignacio, Dangriga, and Independence. This action is necessary to balance the available energy supply effectively.

Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) has provided an update on its efforts to enhance power generation capabilities amid ongoing challenges with supply from Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) in Mexico.

The gas turbine at Westlake on the George Price Highway, a key backup power source for BEL, is currently undergoing upgrades and is temporarily offline. This unit is expected to resume operation early next week. Additionally, BEL is in the process of installing a gas turbine in San Pedro, with completion anticipated by the end of May. These additional generation sources will significantly bolster BEL’s capacity to meet demand over the next year, even in the event of supply curtailments from CFE.

BEL expresses gratitude to its customers for their patience and understanding during this period. The company remains committed to maintaining a safe, reliable, and sustainable energy supply across all service areas nationwide.