During his visit with the President of Mexico, Prime Minister John Briceño also discussed the possibility of the Tren Maya project including a closer stop to Belize. PM Briceño says this would increase the number of tourists coming into Belize, while establishing a more efficient mode to transport goods. Here is what he told us.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“That is what we are working on. That was a part of the meeting yesterday. On Saturday we are going to meet one of the, Tren Maya is not only by the government. The army is a part of it and sections are being built by the private sector. There is a group that is working in this area and the freezone in the Chetumal. The CEO of that company will also be at this meeting. That is one of the meeting we are going to have with them to see how we can get the Tren Maya a little over three miles to be able to connect to our border. Ideally what we want to do is connect it to our border, build the facilities and get the tourist to come to Belize and also products. We no longer have to depend on transporting by ships. WE can transport by train and the Tren Maya goes all the way to Canada. It is a whole new area for transportation of goods and products for Belize, so and then after that the next step is to see if we can get it into Belize City or somewhere in the country.”
The Ministry of Finance is yet to locate the funds needed to replace the Belcan Bridge, though it remains in a state of disrepair. A study done on the bridge by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing found that the bridge needs urgent replacement. So, what is the hold up? Well, the Minister of Infrastructure Development, Julius Espat says it is now out of his hands. On Wednesday, he told us that that he has no clue what the plan is.
Julius Espat
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development
“Again you are dealing with another ministry. I have no clue as to what is in their plans as it pertains to giving us the budget. We have done our job. Our job is to analyze the structures, to alert them as to the urgent need of replacing it. We have done the feasibility study. WE have done the design. We have secured the loan. It is up to the ministry of finance to make the final decision and I have no real input in that.”
Paul Lopez
“This cant be news to you. I am sure you will get updates as times passes.”
Julius Espat
“That is gossip. I don’t deal with gossip. I deal with what decisions are made in Cabinet.”
Paul Lopez
“So you are waiting for a response.”
Julius Espat
“From day one I have been waiting for a response. But it is not our decision. Remember we are service providers and if the allocation is given to us the work will start immediately if they believe that they are other priorities then I have to respect?”
Paul Lopez
“Who pushes and presses this as a priority given the current state of the bridge?”
Julius Espat
“I do, because I depend on the technical expertise given to me by our professional staff, by international lending institutions that also have seen the need. So we are doing our job. So if you fault me for that and want to call me emotional, or that I lobby to much or too passionate about it then that is fine. But I do what is given for me and the Prime Minister has given me an opportunity to serve as the minister of infrastructure development and I do that to the best of my ability.”
On Wednesday, the Government of Belize celebrated the full completion of the Philip Goldson Highway and Remate Bypass Upgrading Project. According to the Briceño administration, the project has positively impacted the lives of approximately forty-five thousand Belizeans in the Corozal, Orange Walk, and Belize districts. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing is being hailed for saving fifteen million dollars on the project, while completing it before its deadline. The inauguration marks the end of a three-year, ninety-three million dollar project. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
The Remate Bypass Upgrading Project has been completed. The ninety-three-million-dollar road was officially inaugurated at a ceremony on Wednesday afternoon. Prime Minister John Briceno was present at the event.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Why is this road important? Well first of all it connects us internationally to Mexico. Secondly it is about agriculture. All the products produced in the north, now that they can use this road. But also because it connects to Mexico and we are now importing more and more into Mexico, cattle, coconut, shrimps. WE are looking at exporting other products. It plays a significant role for us to be able to compete internationally. Most importantly for the people that live in this area, San Pedro and Patchakan and the rest of the villages, these people for decades and decades have been suffering the dust and the mud and it has made their lives extremely difficult, so I am very happy for them, and I know they are very excited about it.”
PM Briceño was accompanied by six other ministers who were there to cut the ribbon, declaring the bypass officially opened. Among them was the Area Representative for Orange Walk South and the Minister of Agriculture, Jose Abelardo Mai. He spoke on the benefit of the road to the sugar industry.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“It takes us now from here to the outlet, eleven minutes. It takes me eleven minutes. If I was to go through Corozal Town, from here to there is twenty minutes. And from there to the border is another twelve fifteen minutes, so time savings. Our cane trucks leave from Patchakan with fifteen, twenty tons of sugarcane with all lights working, everything the blink, the horn the blow, when you run through that road and get on the highway and the guys in blue stop you and ask to put on your signal and it doesn’t work, and you get a ticket for that. Not to mention you know how much it cost to deliver sugarcane to Orange Walk right now, it cost thirty-one dollars from San Ramon, here it is thirty-five dollars, if they pay you sixty or seventy, half of it goes into transportation. This will significantly contribute to lowering the cost of sugarcane.”
Funding for the project came in part as a thirty-seven million dollars grant from the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund and a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank.
Therese Turner-Jones
Therese Turner-Jones, Vice President of Operations, CDB
“What I love most about this project is it epitomizes how CDB likes to work which is in partnership with some of our best partners and one of those here is the United Kingdom Commonwealth Development Office. So we are really proud to be here to be cutting the ribbon and opening this road.”
Kate Reynolds
Kate Reynolds, Acting British High Commissioner
“On behalf of the UK government I express my heartiest congratulations to the Prime Minister and his government, especially those in the MIDH and the project execution unit for their hard work to ensure this project was completed within budget and the time frame.”
Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing, Julius Espat says rural communities are close to his heart, because he is a representative of a rural area. As a result, he understood the need for this upgrade and the impact it would have on these rural communities.
Julius Espat
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing
“Why rural, well rural communities for the last twenty years have not received any attention and they are as equal as us and any Belizeans and they deserve it and we have embarked on spending a large portion of our budget in rural communities. We share a bit last year with urban areas and we are shifting back to rural communities.”
But with the upgrade of the Remate Bypass, there is a need for increased police and traffic enforcement officers.
Julius Espat
“I am not in charge of the police, that is a different department on their own. I wish them well and I hope they do their job as efficiently as I think they well.”
Paul Lopez
“It does require more policing and the presence of traffic enforcement officers. How is that planned when these road developments are done?”
Julius Espat
“We discuss these things in Cabinet on a weekly basis. Our emphasis is to build the infrastructure and we give the other ministries advice. I really can’t go further than that.”
Manuela Rash and her children are homeless tonight. The family lost their house and belongings in a fire that erupted on Tuesday afternoon in Trio Village, Toledo District.
Rash told News Five “I lost my house and all my kids need and want I am really in need of help. everything was lost in my house with my beds, clothes, kitchenette stuff andetc.“
For now, Rash and her children are residing in the church’s kitchen.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
If you would like to assist, you can contact Rash at 665-8557. Deposits can be made to Belize Bank account number 103741010220001.
Amid escalating gang violence in Haiti, a transitional council tasked with steering the country towards stability is undergoing significant changes. Instead of a single council president, four seasoned politicians will rotate leadership every five months, marking a departure from traditional Haitian politics where power is centralized.
This surprising shift aims to foster shared governance and unity within the council, a rarity in Haiti’s political landscape according to experts.
The four members set to share leadership duties include Edgard Leblanc Fils, Louis Gérald Gilles, Leslie Voltaire, and Smith Augustin. These adjustments come after internal conflicts threatened to derail the council shortly after its inception on April 25. Initial disagreements emerged when four council members unilaterally announced a council president and prime minister, sparking widespread surprise and debate.
The next step for the council involves selecting a new Cabinet, a process expected to involve intricate negotiations with influential political figures.
Against a backdrop of unprecedented gang violence that has ravaged the capital, Port-au-Prince, Haiti grapples with dire humanitarian challenges, including food shortages and escalating crime. The recent release of thousands of inmates following prison attacks has further exacerbated security concerns.
The situation remains urgent, requiring decisive action to address the root causes of violence and ensure justice and security for all Haitians.
Majid Khan, a former courier for Al Qaeda, is unable to open a bank account in Belize, because of his past.
Khan began resettling in Belize in February 2023 after being released from Guantanamo Bay where he was detained for 15 years.
He pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges in 2012.
After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Mr. Khan joined Al Qaeda, agreed to become a suicide bomber and delivered $50,000 that would be used in a deadly hotel bombing in Indonesia.
According to the NYT, Majid has been unable to open a bank account, because of his past. No bank would do business with him. “Life is a test,” he said, describing himself as a glass-half-full guy.
At Belize’s insistence, the United States paid for his home, car and phone and provided a stipend.
“He has yet to sync with Belizean laissez-faire,” said the leader of his mosque, Kaleem El-Amin.
“I need to get patched up,” he said. “Mentally, physically.”
Prime Minister John Briceño met with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday when several issues were discussed. One of the priority topics during their meeting was the supply of power by CFE Mexico to Belize. As Belizeans are aware, the Belize Electricity Limited has had to undertake numerous load shedding exercises because CFE has indicated that it is unable to supply Belize during its peak hours. This has left many Belizeans across the country in darkness for scheduled periods. According to Prime Minister Briceño he was in Mexico on a medical trip with his wife when he reached out to the President’s office to get a phone call with him. The president’s office arranged for them to meet, and a discussion was had about what can be done to address Belize’s energy crisis. We asked PM Briceño about that meeting when we caught up with him this afternoon in Corozal.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Well first of all I went on a private visit to Mexico but I figured that when I was on my way I would try to get a hold of him and we get along very well so I was hoping to see if he can help us to stop the load shedding in Belize. But I think Mr Mencias rightly pointed out, the seed was planted ten years ago and the previous government did nothing. We have been doing something. We have managed to convince the Saudi to lend us seventy- two million dollars to do a sixty megawatt solar plant. But this us not something you say here is seventy two million dollars, nobody gives that US. There is a whole process and we have been working with them and one of the Saudi company that will be able to come in to build the first twenty. What Mr. Mencias explained to us is that the grid can’t hold sixty megawatts in one spot so we have to break it up in three twenty megawatts plant. The first one is going to be built by Bomba. We expect that will be commissioned by July August of next year. We have been working with the World Bank, borrowing about a hundred million dollars to be able to set up a battery bank. With this battery Bank there is certain times when CFE energy goes to two three cents a kilowatt, around two three o’clock in the morning when there is hardly any use for it so we could buy fortwo or three cents and store it in these battery banks and send it to the grid with the hopes of maintaining the price and hopefully with time to be able to reduce the price.”
According to Prime Minister John Briceño, a meeting is scheduled for Saturday in Cancun. There, he, along with representatives from Belize Electricity Limited, will meet with the Mexican President and CFE representatives. PM Briceño further explained that an opportunity now exists for potential investors to supply the country with energy. Here is what he told us.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“We just set up the RFP process. The RFP process 2irh that in place, it has been accepted by the PUC and BEL and also by the MCC. The millinery challenge Cooperation, they are giving us a grant of a hundred and twenty-five million dollars and of that hundred and twenty five million dollars will be invested in energy in impr9ving the technology, the grid and a part of that is going to finance the battery bank that we are talking about. Now that RFP process has been approved by Cabinet. Now anybody that has a good business plan that can show they have access to the technology and funding they can put in their bid to show they can supply energy. But what has happened over the years, we have a lot of people that come and say I want to provide x amount of energy so give me a contract. You can go anywhere with a contract. The bank is going to lend you money because it is sure money. We don’t want people that are going to speculate. With the president what I can say at this moment we had a successful meeting and what he is doing now for Belize is he is going to be in Cancun on Saturday and the President of CFE is going to be there. Every two weeks he takes a firsthand look at the work Tren Maya. He will be arranging a meeting with me and BEL to see what we can do to cut out the black outs.”
The Belize Defense Force has ramped up its presence along the Rio Hondo River to ward off cartel elements operating along Mexico’s southern border. The Belize Police Department is heading this operation. Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa and Minister of National Defense and Border Security Florencio Marin Junior recently conducted a tour of the security sites along the river. Earlier today, we spoke with Minister Marin who told us more about that visit.
Florencio Marin Jr.
Florencio Marin Jr. , Minister of National Defense
“Well you it has been in the news some time with the increase of cartel activities in the southern Mexican border, that we are concerned of it spilling on the Belize side. Hence the prime minister directed us to be able to work together. Of course this is law enforcement so it is a police led operation under Minister Musa, as his ministry. But it helps us to get a good perspective of what is happening on the ground, the challenges the policemen and soldiers face to be able to do their work effectively.”
Paul Lopez
“What role does the Belize Defense Force play in these joint ventures?”
Florencio Marin Jr.
“The Belize Defense Force are experts in patrolling, and they also have a river training, riverine training, so they bring that to the table. They bring firing support if needed and thankfully it is not needed today.”
And, if there are any questions of whether cartel elements have infiltrated the rank and file of the Belize Defense Force, Minister Marin says he has received no credible reports of such. He says that if any information arises, the matter will be dealt with swiftly. Furthermore, he noted that the B.D.F. undertakes certain measures to prevent such occurrences.
Florencio Marin Jr., Minister of National Defense
“So far I have not heard any such credible report. One of the things we do is, that is why the military is always changing their personnel, brining them from different places to bring some integrity to their work. But if anything would happen, we would like to know so that we can address it.”
Paul Lopez
“How open is Cabinet and your government in ensuring that they have all the resources they need?”
Florencio Marin
“Cabinet is extremely supportive. It is the prime minister who told us to make sure we safe guard the citizens up north with where we are right now, because if they put a foot hold then you know we will be in some problems. We have full support from the Cabinet and the prime minister.”
Paul Lopez
“How confident are you that we are able to hold at bay any potential or real threat?”
Florencio Marin
“It is an international effort and we are in contact with our Mexican counterparts and they as well, because it is affecting them. So they are putting in their proper safe guards and on the civilian side you see it affects business in Chetumal. They want to be able to assure us that Belizeans can continue to go to Chetumal and move around freely. And when they do their part and we do our part we are able to keep it down.”
