On Thursday morning, four armed thieves made their way onto the Stake Bank compound near mile five on the George Price Highway. While on the property, the men assaulted a pair of security guards before making off with a white and black Columbian vessel that was docked in a nearby canal. Earlier today, the Belize Police Department reported that the thirty-two foot boat has been recovered, however, both two hundred horsepower Yamaha outboard engines are missing. Anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of the engines are asked to contact Crime Stoppers Belize with that information.
Month: June 2024
Old Haulover Bridge is being Taken Down
A team of workmen contracted by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing has begun the painstaking process of dismantling the old Haulover Bridge. The structure was built in the 1940’s and straddles the mouth of the Belize River. Since it has been replaced by a modern bridge that was inaugurated a few weeks ago, the plan is to take down the existing structure and relocate certain sections to other parts of the country, including Cayo District. Chief Engineer Evondale Moody explains.
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer, M.I.D.H.
“We decided, let’s see if we could salvage this structure and use it somewhere that could be beneficial to the public and so we thought that using it in Santa Familia would be an ideal location because the river span is not that long. And so, we’re only using two sections of the Haulover Bridge at that location. We expect to use the third section in Camalote where they have a road going to the A.T.M. Caves. There’s a small wooden bridge structure there. So once we could garner funds later this year, we expect that we would use that last section for the A.T.M. Caves.”
Blue Economy Ministry Holds Second Climate Resilience Fair
Today the Ministry of Blue Economy held its second Climate Resilience Fair. It followed the Climate Resilience Forum on Thursday, and is a testament of the efforts of everyone, including the N.G.O. community, who have contributed to ensuring that Belize is more climate-resilient than it was in previous years. The fair also precedes World Oceans Day on Saturday, a day set aside globally to bring awareness to the important role the world’s oceans plays in life on the planet. News Five stopped in at the fair and spoke with a few of the people that made the event possible. Here’s that report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The impact of climate change on the Earth has prompted countries to introduce measures that people can follow to slow down the process and, at best, reverse those impacts. Felicia Cruz, the Director of Blue Economy, says that the planet’s waterways have suffered immensely, not only from climate-related activity, but from human behaviour as well.
Felicia Cruz, Director, Blue Economy
“Our seas, of course, have been faced with unprecedented challenges, as you mentioned: climate change, over-fishing, pollution – it’s a combination of many factors that have affected our fishing sector. But at the end of the day, our government remains adamant in ensuring that we sensitize the people and that we also enforce the laws of Belize.”
Deseree Arzu, Communications Coordinator, Wildlife Conservation Society Belize Program
“We’re working in three communities in Belize of the M.F.C, of course, you’ve done the storytelling competition that we’ve had in the Maya Forest Corridor. So we’re working there to restore forests. We’re also working at Glover’s Reef, which is at Middle Key where we have our research station. And we’re working with Saltwater Key Marine Reserve as well, which Saltwater and Glovers are two of the areas where W.C.S. does a lot of research work. So we’re promoting nature based solutions in order to address climate change.”
“What message are you taking to these same communities to let them know that listen – climate change – a big part of it has to do with human behavior, human activity. A lot of the health of the environment has to do with what we do with the environment?”
“Small things we can do like we keep saying this, but the more we repeat it I believe hopefully it sticks with people. Things like turning off the faucet when you’re brushing your teeth not throwing garbage on the in the environment and putting it in a bag until it reaches somewhere to place it in a secure location.”
Vicky Coc, Executive Secretary, Hol Chan Marine Reserve
“The people in San Pedro, we do care about our reef. As long as we keep working with them, we keep educating them and sharing with them about the do’s and don’ts, then we have a very positive community feedback. They actually respect, you know, our rules and regulations at the reserve. We also have our operations and enforcement team that is out at the reserve 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We can say that our guides and guests are very cooperative when it comes to that.”
Today’s climate-resilience fair was held a day before World Oceans Day on Saturday. Marion Ali for News Five.
How to Deal with Problem Cats
Earlier this week, the Forest Department had to remove a jaguar from the Sittee River area where the animal had started to feed on someone’s poultry. The department went in, tranquilized the jaguar and relocated it to a reserve further away from the residential area. Today, Deputy Chief Forest Officer, John Pinelo told News Five that the department doesn’t like to refer to these jaguars as predators because oftentimes it is humans who encroach on their habitats and then complain when the big cats feed on their farm animals.
John Pinelo, Deputy Chief Forest Officer, Forest Department
“The animal is doing what it’s doing naturally in its habitat. Oftentimes, we’re the ones who go into its habitat and take over the area. And then when the animal starts giving problems, then we start complaining. So we don’t like to classify it as a predator. I prefer to call it a flagship species because the jaguar is an indication of how healthy all forests are. If you have jaguars, that means everything else below the food chain is working well. So, that’s the first situation. From time to time we have human-jaguar interaction or human and puma or mountain lion or red tiger – as they call it – interactions and that is where then the public should get in touch with the Forest Department, to voice their complaint so that we can then send in our unit to do an assessment. There are a series of activities that we can potentially conduct. Initially, we tend to put up cameras to make sure that it is a jaguar. A lot of times we get complaints from people that jaguars are killing their livestock. And when you find out it’s actually coyotes, because we do now have coyotes in Belize. Obviously we don’t work on the weekends, but we have a Facebook, Forest Department page of which our staff manages and monitors that page, so you can message us and give us the information and then we will tell you when we can react. Our team reacts pretty fast. We don’t always do what people expect we will do, which is either shoot them or capture them because sometimes the animal is just passing through. If you live in the animal’s environment and he steals a chicken from you or something like, that is part of the natural process of things. Like I said, remember, we’re the ones moving into their environment. But if there is serious livestock loss, or a threat to human lives, then we will take matters into our hands to try and decide whether we move the animal.”
Former Student Surprises School with Free Feeding Program
It is next to impossible for children to learn while they are sitting in class on an empty stomach. For some students at Saint John’s Anglican Primary School in Belize City, it’s an everyday reality. While the school attempted to assist these students through a feeding program, many were still unable to afford it. Today, that problem is no more, after a former student and entrepreneur offered to sponsor the program and renovate the school’s kitchen. News Five’s Britney Gordon attended a ceremony where the big reveal was made. Here’s that story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
At St. John’s Anglican Primary School in Belize City, there are currently one hundred and seventeen students enrolled. It’s an insignificant number at first glance, until you realize that forty-two percent of the student body finds it difficult to acquire three meals a day. Darlene Belgrave, principal of St. John’s Anglican, told us that it is important that the needs of students in small schools such as these, aren’t overlooked.
Darlene Belgrave, Principal
“You said it right. the smaller the school, the more it struggles, especially from the area where they come from, many of our parents don’t have a job and it’s hard for them to find school fees for their children, find food. And so, um, I do glad when I reach out to the community and they would come and collaborate and give us back.”
Stephanie Crawford, Belizean Entrepreneur
“This school is a school that has my heart. I used to attend this school when I was a little girl. I completed my bachelor’s at the University of Belize, and I came back to teach here for a period of three months. And that’s where I saw the need of the children. A few children didn’t have food. food to eat. And it started as young as age five. And you know, that’s something that real estate on my heart. I said, as soon as I’m in a position to be able to donate, I will donate.”
“So today we refurbished the kitchen and we’re reopening it. And we’re also starting a new feeding program. They had a feeding program here before, but the children had to pay 3 in order to enroll in a feeding program. And some children could not meet that amount, even though the school tried their best. So we’re going to make the feed in program free for one year. It’s like a pilot program, and we’ll see how well this goes. And if it goes well, we’re going to see how long we can continue this program.”
Darlene Belgrave
“Wow. I did not know, that was a surprise. And so thank you, miss Steph. Our children would really appreciate that. Because many of the times they don’t come to school because of a meal that they cannot get. I’m very grateful for her.”
The team will be doing its best to provide hearty and healthy meals for the children. Crawford says that if this first round goes well, it will be extended to providing breakfast as well.
“So we’re going to be preparing a menu. However, the menu so far has things like rice and beans, a mixture of hot dogs spaghetti. We’re adding a lot of fruits and vegetables as well for the program that we’re starting is only going to be lunch. But depending on how well it goes, we will be looking into providing breakfast and lunch, you know, breakfast will be a whole meal, such as such as maybe avocados, toast, bread, a little bit of fruit and, you know, some fruit juice for them to drink early in the morning.”
“I was sharing with my student, one of my motto was in friendship we meet, in friendship we part. When Steph was a student, she was an a plus student. And as a teacher when she came back, I treated her as an adult. I did not be her boss, I was like a friend to her, and so I shared with them that when you be good to people, in return they will come back and do the same thing. I always ask them that one of our goals as a teacher is not the million dollars that we make or a thousand dollars, but doing good, seeing your student contribute positively to society, and especially when they come back and give to the place that they got their educational foundation. So it is a joy for me.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
Belize National U-18 Basketball Team Falls Short of Placing in Americup
Belize’s National Under-Eighteen Basketball team fell short of its goal to become one of the top four teams in FIBA’s Americup 2024. A place in the top four would have secured Belize’s ticket to FIBA’s Under-Nineteen World Cup 2025 in Switzerland. After losing three of four group games earlier this week, Belize faced off against the Dominican Republic, the number one ranked team in their group. And it almost went down to the wire. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
It was team Belize’s last chance to qualify for FIBA’s Under-Nineteen World Cup in Switzerland next year. After Wednesday night’s upset against host country Argentina, team Belize played against the Dominican Republic this afternoon. The winning team secured a spot in the 2025 FIBA World Cup. Early in the first quarter, the Dominican Republic led by eight points, following this jump shot from Wilmer De La Rosa. Belize finally got on the scoreboard with two free throws from Josiah Moseley. Just under two minutes left in the first quarter. Moseley had two defenders on him, he spun around, jumped and made the two. The first quarter ended with Belize trailing by one point.
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
Family of 13 Desperately Needs a Home
In early May, a family of thirteen was displaced after a fire destroyed their home in Trio village. Yuri Choc, her mother, sister, and ten children lost everything in a fire, save for the clothes on their backs. Now, a month later, the family is reaching out once again to ask for assistance, as they have not received much help and are still in need of a home. We spoke with Choc earlier today, where she detailed the family’s current situation.
On the phone: Yuri Choc, Fire Victim
“Like how a lot of us stay in one rent, and it’s kinda small, so we would like a kind of bigger house to stay for us. In one house rate, like a lot of us is in there, it’s all eleven and some of the children sleep on the floor. Well, during the fire, we lose a lot. We lose a lot. All our kitchenware, our clothes, and one of my son going to high school as soon as possible. And we lost all of his textbooks we already bought.”
Britney Gordon
“Okay, so can you tell me where people can reach you? What number can they call you to help?”
On the phone: Yuri Choc
“Here in Trio Village, number six-zero-eight-six-eight-forty-five.”
Britney Gordon
“Okay, what would you prefer that they give to you right now?”
On the phone: Yuri Choc
“Well food, clothes, like how we said, we want our house where we can be like we done before.”
MOHW Keeping an Eye on Possible Water Contamination
The start of the rainy season is welcomed as Belize has been grappling with an extended heatwave for several weeks. However, the rain is not anticipated to come without risk. Earlier this week, Chief Environmental Officer Anthony Mai told us that, while the approaching rain would certainly assist in fire relief efforts, it poses a very real threat to water supplies in the affected areas because of the amount of ash that would run off into the waterways. We asked John Bodden, Principal Public Health Inspector at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, if they’re working proactively to combat this issue. Here is his response.
John Bodden, Principal Public Health Inspector, Ministry of Health and Wellness
“As it starts, we are the ones responsible for drinking water quality within the country. And we have had the discussion with our water labs to get prepared and we have the officers that will go out and do testing of these wells to give us a indication as to whether the wells are contaminated or not. The bigger picture I think is when we would be having flooding in the future. The ash that is still remaining on the surface will become contaminated. We have reached out to BWS to see how prepared they are and they are taking all these measures into consideration to ensure that they have the necessary filters and to do the necessary procedures that might be required.”
MOWH Says Public Handling Air Pollution Well
Aside from the damage to wildlife, agriculture and the livelihoods of Belizeans living in areas nearest to the fires, the compromised air quality poses a real threat to those in the affected areas. Several villages in Toledo and Cayo districts have displayed copious amounts of smoke in the air, rendering it difficult to breathe for some villagers. John Bodden, Principal Public Health Inspector at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, says that the ministry has taken a proactive approach to assisting people in coping with the smoke and that, for the most part, the communities have been handling the situation well. Here is Bodden with more information.
John Bodden, Principal Public Health Inspector, Ministry of Health and Wellness
“As per usually in any emergency, the Ministry of Health would normally activate its E.O.C. to address any situation on the ground. Of course, this one is rather different than any other than week that we had responded to. In terms of the number of cases and we look at the epidemiological week from the start of this year, which is week one through week twenty-two, we noted that at the first, probably first three months, we had a lot of cases in terms of respiratory condition. Comparing to this time period, which is at week twenty-two. We know that the number of cases that we at least would have thought that would have been contributed as a result of the fire is not that significant. It’s not to say that people are not facing challenges, but I think people have been doing things on the personal level to actually combat the situation. For example, the using of face masks and we know that many people still have face masks out there and we have been issuing out face masks as well. But I think with the collaboration of both Red Cross and Ministry, I felt, and we’re in the same cluster, we do the same type of activities. We have managed to reach out to the people that have or that were in need of any assistance. They, at the hospital level, we do have the facility on standby if there’s a need for the treatment of anybody who might be affected seriously, and we continue to monitor the situation and continue to provide advisory to the community as well as hold the best to address the situation.”
Reporter
“So you wouldn’t say you’ve had critical cases?”
John Bodden
“No, we haven’t seen any at this moment.”
Reporter
“How, in your view, has that been avoided given that the smoke is right in everyone’s faces and noses, I’d say.“
John Bodden
“Yeah, I think before the escalation of the fire we had been putting on advisories and even with the Department of Environment in the early part of the year, we had some advisories on. And so I think a lot of people know how to address fire and smoke inhalation issue, and they have been taking heed.”
Is the Heatwave Interrupting Classes?
Although the rainy season has begun, Belize has yet to experience a downpour that would offer a reprieve from the prolonged heatwave the country has been suffering from. This heatwave has not only exacerbated the wildfires running rampant in densely forested areas but raised health concerns regarding heat exhaustion and air pollution from the smoke. Recently, Minister of Education Francis Fonseca was asked whether any assistance is being provided for students and teachers in these areas and whether classes would be shortened as a result.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“Yeah lots of things to help them, but not shortened classes. We need our students in school. But what we’ve done is, we’ve worked with the Ministry of Health to make sure that we put out advisories for the schools, that we make sure that we’re sharing proper advice with the principals and teachers and managers so that they have guidance on how they can help to help their students to deal with the excessive heat. You’re absolutely right. We’re dealing with excessive heat across the country, obviously, it’s created many problems for us in terms of the areas where we’ve had fires in Toledo. In Toledo, we’ve had to close schools on a number of days because of the smoke and fires. So in that case, we do close schools. Yeah, it’s an important issue, but we continue to work with our managers and with the Ministry of Health to make sure that we’re giving proper advice to our schools.”