Month: May 2024

Amidst Belize’s ongoing energy crisis and negotiations with Mexico, Bowen and Bowen, Belize’s largest beverage production company, was asked by Belize Electricity limited to temporarily come off the power grid and switch over to generator, while B.E.L. works towards a solution. However, on Monday, Prime Minister John Briceño, revealed that C.F.E. has agreed to supply Belize with seventy-five megawatts of power, committing twenty megawatts more than the previous arrangement. We asked Bowen and Bowen Corporate Relations Manager, Rosanna Villanueva if the company has been in discussion regarding the possibility of returning to the grid soon. Here’s what she had to say.

 

Rosanna Villanueva, Corporate Relations Manager, B&B Ltd.

 “It has curtailed our production a bit, simply because the generators that we have are not able to power all the lines All at the same time. So on a regular basis on a normal times, we would have all our production lines running at the same time. The generators are not able to sustain that level of production. So it essentially means that we then have to pick and choose which lines are going to be running which lines are going to be producing. We do have a third generator that is in the process of being brought up. And that is going to assist us a great deal in trying to get back to our normal production. When we’re off the grid. As I mentioned, this would happen when we’re off the grid. We do understand BEL needs to meet the power needs of other critical services of, households. It’s not just Bowen and Bowen going through this. It’s the entire country. So we try as much as possible to work along with them and assist where we can.”

 

Britney Gordon

“The government has been in talks with Mexico, CFE to increase the amount of energy we received from them. Has there been any word to your company and the other parties that were asked to come off the grid about possibly getting back on the grid and going back to your normal production?”

 

Rosanna Villanueva

“Okay, so that is a great development for the country. We would be, along with all other Belizeans we would be updated as progress is made on that. And for us, it would be of course beneficial for us because the less we come off the grid, the greater the more we’re able to produce, I should say. It’s a good thing for the entire country. As I said, it’s not just Bowen and Bowen experiencing this. So yeah, I think that would be a good development and we’re waiting along with everyone else to see what happens and what progress is made in that regard.”

If you have noticed that recently, the shelves at your neighborhood corner store have had significantly less Bowen and Bowen products in stock, then you are not alone.  Due to the ongoing energy crisis, the company was asked by Belize Electricity Limited to temporarily power their operation via generators, resulting in the slowing down of production. We spoke with Bowen and Bowen’s Corporate Relations Manager, Rosanna Villanueva, who said that the shortage is also due, in part, to maintenance.

 

Rosanna Villanueva, Corporate Relations Manager, B&B Ltd.

“Production has been down from what it should be. We’ve also had the case where we have scheduled production, scheduled maintenance on some of our production lines. So we schedule maintenance way in advance. These are machines and they need to be maintained so that they can continue working. And so when we have a line down for maintenance, and then on top of that, we’re asked to come off the grid, it does tend to compound the issue. We also had that happening. We expect within the next couple of weeks to have all our maintenance completed. We are hoping to have the third generator back online or online again within the next week or two. So all of that will assist us in getting back to normal. And of course, as I said, the less we have to come off the grid, the better. But I think that goes for all Belizeans, not just Bowen and Bowen. So we’re looking forward to things settling down and getting back to normal.”

Philanthropist Joel ‘Dara’ Robinson is popular in Belize for his generosity in feeding some of the Old Capital’s poorest schoolchildren every weekday, free of cost to them. For over a decade, Robinson provided free hot meals for close to fifty primary school children who would have otherwise gone hungry at lunch time. Now, Robinson says he is raffling a small, fully-sealed and wired building that you can use for a single bedroom or a food booth. He stopped by Channel Five today and told us that he still feeds the children three times a week, but that he is spending more time on his farm which needs a proper irrigation system.  He says that raffling the structure will provide that opportunity for him.  

 

Joel “Dara” Robinson, Philanthropist

“I di give somebody an opportunity fi win a 12 by 12, you could call it a small house or building, fully burglar-barred, sealed and wired. I di raffle it da the Lucky Dube show on the 4th of August. And the purpose behind it – there are other things I got to do, especially on the farm and thing, so I decide the only way I could try raise some funds da if I raffle the house. I had it sitting there and thing, basically never made use of it. I just make sure I keep it clean, fix it up and thing, and I decide somebody could win a whole house for just $20 a chance. When you win it, also along with that, you want to get it delivered to your place, but it has to be within rural Belize and Belize City. That also comes along with the raffle, you understand? The reason I start early fi try juggle because definitely this value over $8,000.I nuh di get any younger. I need fi find something weh I love and weh I can go into with less stress, and somehow when I go up to my place, it doesn’t matter if it’s a few hours or overnight, I feel relaxed the most. The phone ring less. You’re the one with nature so that my focus.”