July 19, 2024 - Channel 5 Belize

Opposition Leader Breaks Silence Following Historic Loss in Toledo East

Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow is speaking out, two days after the United Democratic Party experienced a historic defeat at the polls in Toledo East. As we have reported, Doctor Osmond Martinez secured seventy percent of the ballots cast on Wednesday. The United Democratic Party has never lost that badly in the constituency. We tried speaking with the opposition leader on Wednesday night at the counting station, but he avoided the media and left the area hours before the counting was concluded. Today, he called a press conference to answer some questions. The first was, what happened? Barrow predicted a victory for the United Democratic Party in the by-election. But, as we now know, that was not the case. He made a similar prediction for the municipals in March that also did not come to past. So, is Barrow deluding himself into thinking the U.D.P. is battle ready? Here is how he responded to that question.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“It is not the outcome that we had hoped for, but I thank the candidate and his team for putting forward a valiant effort. I congratulate Osmond Martinez and his team. They did what they had to do and the people decided that they want Mr. Martinez to represent them in the House of Representatives. As the leader of this great United Democratic Party, I have a responsibility to project confidence. I have a responsibility to fight for every seat. There is not one seat that I can just say we will lie down. Certainly, there were many factors that led to a pathway to victory. But in politics, what you see and what you get don’t always correlate. But the fact that there was a division, we all know there was a division within the People’s United Party, split in three ways. You had the Galvez faction that, you know, he wants to be a rep. You had the Melhem Espat faction. Where they were totally devastated by the convention lose similar to Eliva where she’s railing up On the Facebook right now saying that you know she was shafted. And so those divisions were very real and it was our hope, where we’ve seen a collaboration those forces be fruitful before as with the municipal elections. Because the results in municipal elections were not like this, we actually won the first recount and then lost by twenty. You know, it was a different candidate. We cannot discount the fact that you have a government with millions of dollars in resources. We helped thousands of people in Toledo East. I could tell you that for a fact. You know, school papers, medical bills, all types of help that the people desperately need. But the government has the power to triple that to quadruple that. Um, but you know, nobody owes anybody a vote.”

Does Toledo East Loss Reveal Barrow’s Weakness as U.D.P. Leader?

Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow was also asked if the party’s recent defeat at the polls affects his credibility to lead the U.D.P. to victory in the upcoming general elections. He pointed back to the losing days of the People’s United Party, while contending that the pendulum has swung in the Briceño administration’s favor. However, Barrow is confident that U.D.P. will soon have its turn back in office. He was also asked if he thought about resigning after witnessing the results of the Toledo East by-election.

Paul Lopez

“How do you think this loss affects your credibility as a leader to lead the United Democratic Party to victory in the general elections?”

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“It is really absurd to me that the leader whose name is not on the ballot, you’re asking me about me before you ask me about the candidate.”

Reporter

“So what are you saying? Who is to blame?”

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“It is we all share the burden. But what I’m telling you is politics is about time. So, we are in opposition. John Briceño lost. Francis Fonseca lost three terms, three consecutive terms, 2008, 2012, and 2015. It is normal. Dean Barrow, the right honorable, I think the greatest prime minister we’ve ever had lost two consecutive terms, ‘98 and 2005, sorry, 2003. It is par for course, right?”

Reporter

“So then U.D.P. will continue to lose.”

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

Sir, it is a matter of time. U.D.P. will continue to fight. I don’t look at it the way you look at it. I am resilient. I am focused. The issues are there, but we have to keep fighting this idea. The historical pattern, the historical data is two terms for the P.U.P. For me, it was three terms that they had to wait for the pendulum to swing. The pendulum swung in their way, and we have to fight every day to swing it back. This idea, this idea, no matter who you put in this seat, it will still be a matter of time. No one else that wanted to be in the seat had the resources to fight. None of them.”

Reporter

“Did you consider or contemplate resignation?”

Moses “Shyne” Barrow

“Absolutely not. That is absurd. That is ridiculous. I am not John Briceno. I am not going to quit on my party. I am a fighter. I am going to keep fighting. That is one constituency. That is not a reflection of the wider party.”

Dennis “Desho” Williams Did Not Convince Voters in Toledo East

Opposition Leader Barrow went on to explain that he funded the U.D.P. candidate’s entire campaign from his personal coffers. On the other hand, there are suggestions that Williams did not present himself as a candidate prepared to win the by-election. Unlike his opponent, Williams was not easily accessible to the media. Some may argue that he was not even accessible to voters. He was either too busy running errands or avoiding the spotlight. Today, Barrow revealed that while he and Williams now share a close friendship, he initially supported former P.G Mayor Ashton Mckenzie to run in Toledo East. He contended that it was Patrick Faber and John Saldivar who thrusted Williams into the position.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“I did everything. I spent every dollar, every dollar. You know, when I reached out to donors they said, you know, Shyne general elections we coming big, but by-election, how are you going to ask us for by election money and that’s a P.U.P. seat? That seat was won during Dean Barrow’s time. So, I said, okay, no problem. And I took a significant amount of the reserves that I have. And I made it available to the candidate and to the team. That is my personal fortune. And that is my responsibility to make sure that every dollar is provided and then there’s accountability for the dollars. And I did that, and the rest was up to the candidate and the campaign manager Cranka Polonio who’s very popular there as he was a candidate that we fielded for the municipals. So, I gave everybody what they needed because then I don’t want to be accused of taking over and doing things my way. Whatever finance was asked for, the finance was provided. But let me say it again so that you understand, you know, brother Desho is a friend and a brother, and you know all he has to do is learn from this. Pick himself up, look in the mirror and see everything that went wrong. And if he feels that he has an opportunity there, he’ll keep working and keep going because the pendulum swings. The candidate has to be able to convince the people that he is the person that they want. The candidate was elected in an endorsement convention. The application process was open. And then let me tell you this. You want to talk about the candidate? It was John Saldivar and Patrick Farber that came together to put that candidate there as caretaker. That is my friend and brother. No, so I am not distancing myself from him, but I’m just telling you everybody wants to criticize the candidate and throw the candidate under the bus now. When I was supporting Ashton Mckenzie we went to a constituency meeting and John Saldivar and Patrick Farber came together and they elected brother Desho.”

Barrow Says Calls for His Removal Is Propaganda by U.D.P. Opponents

Finally, from the Leader of the Opposition, reporters once again challenged him on his fitness to be the leader of the U.D.P. Reports are that there have been calls from among the party’s leadership and supporters for his removal. Barrow says that is all propaganda created by those who want to replace him as party leader.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“That is propaganda. I reject that completely. I completely hear it, sir. No, you hear that from people that want to be leader. You hear that from people in the United Democratic Party that want to know you don’t you hear that from their supporters and them. The pendulum has swung. Do not do that. That is a propaganda, sir. That is a propaganda narrative. You hear this from people that have been ousted from the party, people that my father people that, and when we don’t do it you call them corpses and you say how do you keep these people around? But then when I do it and it’s reform, it’s not reform. It’s either he the beef with everybody. There are some people that have to go and when those people go ten, they sit around and they pray for the downfall of the party and the bad mouth and they give you all of this misinformation. We are rebuilding. We are rebuilding so I would never tell you that I am Dean Barrow. I would never tell you that I am Manuel Esquivel. I could never tell you that. We are rebuilding. We are in our second leader in three and a half years, and we are rebuilding. We have to convince the people. We, as a collective, there is no one more suited to lead this party than me at this time. Because if they were, if they were, no, but then you could talk to, you could, I showed you, I shared information with you, with some people, some of the people that have been my most outstanding critics, singing my praises because they were on the ground, they were working.”

E-buses and Charging Depot are Finally Launched in Belize City

Get ready Belize City, the new E-buses will finally take to the streets on Monday! Earlier today, the Belize City Council, the United Nations Development Programme, and other government ministries officially launched the E-bus service in the downtown area. The ushering in of this environmentally-friendly mode of transportation aligns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and comes as a green alternative to public transportation. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The introduction of electric buses to the local public transportation landscape has been long in the making. It was part of a campaign promise leading up to the second term of the Wagner administration at City Hall. A pair of e-buses eventually came into the country earlier this year, just ahead of the March municipals. Today, they were officially welcomed on the streets of the Old Capital.

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor

“Today, I am so excited being able to see this new transformative effort in the transportation system coming to fruition. That is enough for me. It will be transformative for the residents of the city, that is the key area here, the impact, the positive impact that it will have on our residents.”

Electric buses offer several advantages for both transit agencies and commuters. These vehicles produce zero tailpipe emissions, contributing to better air quality and reducing harmful gas emissions which is critical for a municipality like Belize City that can be overburdened by pollution.

Michel Chebat, Minister of Energy

“As you know, we have an obligation to reduce our carbon footprints. We just experienced a major concern with Hurricane Beryl, thank God it didn’t hit Belize. But as you all know, the effects of climate change is really drastic and so these buses are low carbon emission buses, contrary to the ones we have running, and so the expectation is that it will contribute positively towards our environment and quality of air, and low carbon emissions.”

Electric buses are highly efficient and have lower operating costs than diesel buses. Fuel savings are significant when comparing electricity with diesel, making these e-buses an economically viable option.

Taheerah Usher, Project Manager, U.N.D.P.

“Another key milestone includes the development of a cohesive low carbon transport electro-mobility strategy in 2023 which assesses the short to medium term market potential and readiness to rollout EVs in Belize. This draft strategy aims to update the national regulatory framework to support EV uptake, increase the supply of electric vehicles at the national level, develop charging infrastructure and improve knowledge and skills in this new technology.”

E-buses have fewer moving parts compared to diesel buses, which significantly reduces the maintenance costs. This translates to cost savings over the lifespan of the vehicles. Overall, electric buses enhance the commuter experience by providing a greener, quieter, and more cost-effective mode of transportation.

Bernard Wagner

“The ride, the amenities that it has there, a/c, the wi-fi, just having a different feeling. It’s a clean feeling. Compared to where we were, this is significant for Belize City.”

In an urban setting, electric motors operate more quietly than combustion engines, contributing to a quieter environment. EV charging infrastructure attracts regional travelers, benefiting local businesses and generating revenue. The charging depot at the corner of Dean and Regent streets is equipped with two 220-volt chargers that are able to charge both e-buses.

Michel Chebat

“It takes about an hour to an hour and a half. Well that is the idea so that the buses can turn around quickly and go to the respective stops and provide the service, you know, that is what we want. We want an efficient service so that the people of, the residents of Belize City can be confident in this new service.”

The bus service begins on July twenty-second. Isani Cayetano for News Five.

CitCo Allays Public Transportation Concerns

The past few weeks have seen concerns being raised by at least one bus company that has been operating in Belize City for several decades. The operator of that business believes that he is being boxed out of the industry with the advent of the new e-buses and, despite assurances from CitCo, maintains that the company’s bottom line will be negatively affected. Mayor Bernard Wagner told reporters this morning that City Hall cannot be consumed with the issues of one stakeholder.

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor

“We are not looking to push anybody out. It’s about inclusivity, it’s about engaging, but it has to be a situation where you look out for the best interest of your residents. I can’t be concerned about the private sector driven entity. I have to be concerned about sixty to seventy thousand people that live in my city and my city has been calling for years that they want this sort of transformation in the transport system and I’m so glad that we are finally here. It’s a pilot project and I continue to dwell on that it’s a pilot project, let us see what the data shows. You will get the financial model, you will get the operational model, you will get how the entire system works and thereafter, many of the bus operators that are here, that are making this ruckus, could now have in hand the sort of data to now go to the financial institutions. The financial institutions want data, they will not invest or provide financing to any entity if there is not enough data to back the risk.”

E-buses Promise Energy Efficiency and Serious Cost Savings

The cost efficiency in operating these new electric buses cannot be overstated. According to the Minister of Energy, the vehicles take a little over an hour to fully charge and the cost to CitCo, says Mayor Wagner, is only eighty dollars per bus each day.

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor

“Our buses, it takes about eighty Belize dollars to fully charge and it gives us a span for the entire day. Now compare that to the gas buses, I believe the gas buses, to full up in the morning, would run them about three hundred to four hundred dollars, and by midday they probably need to refill again. The cost savings of e-mobility to any aspiring entrepreneur is significant and so, instead of fighting this sort of new model, bus owners should be embracing it and looking at how it would be in terms of their margin. It will substantially change their margins. And so, when we say three dollars and two dollars for the students and one dollar for the golden citizen, it’s just to ensure that we are able to provide this service in the outset for our residents.”

Reporter

“Are you concerned with their concerns, they feel like their being pushed out.”

Michel Chebat, Minister of Energy

“Of course, that is always a concern for everyone but that is not the case. You know, there is room for everybody in this project and what we want is the best possible buses for the residents of Belize City.”

Policemen Granted Bail for Dyandre Chee’s Murder

Two policemen, charged for the murder of Orange Walk resident Dyandre Chee in March 2023, have been granted bail of twenty thousand dollars each when they appeared before Justice Derick Sylvester earlier today. Viewers would recall that the shooting death of Chee sparked public outrage in the officer-involved incident. Chee was shot and killed while riding a motorcycle and being pursued by the policemen. Attorney Richard ‘Dickie’ Bradley has been instrumental in the case and gave a synopsis of what took place in court.

Richard ‘Dickie’ Bradley, Attorney-at-law

“A little over a year ago killing in Orange Walk Town in which a person, a passenger on a motorcycle, had been shot by police officers and fatally shot, and there were major protests in regards to the matter because they had previous killings by police of persons in Orange Walk under suspect circumstances. But be that as it may, the two police officers, Solomon Cowo and Esmin Flores, were charged for murder four days after that shooting and they, in fact, were given disclosure only about maybe two months ago. And they agreed to proceed to a preliminary inquiry without legal representation. So a preliminary inquiry was held and their matter would normally end up on the list for the September cases, not necessarily for trial because there are many, many more cases before them. But it had concluded on the preliminary inquiry and is now basically heading for the High Court in the Orange Walk jurisdiction. Being police officers, they are a bit familiar with the law, they were able to reach out to the legal aid services where former prosecutor Sherigne Rodriguez, and I think she was a former magistrate, I remember going to San Pedro in front of her, and today her boss, the director of legal services was in court. The matter is this, that today for us attorneys on the defense side, marks a significant step forward, this is a huge development. In the sense that the honorable Justice Derick Sylvester was the judge that the matter of an application for bail for the persons who are accused of murder, he has been hearing this matter. Today is not the first day, this had been before the court for a couple of weeks and he has in fact directed that they make certain submissions, written submissions, this is the course of records in the magistrates court, and today His Lordship brought a very lengthy written decision.”

Doris Grant No-shows in Court Because Police Forgets Request

Today, Doris Grant was due in court once again, but did not make an appearance to stand for her charges. However, being that the police forgot to make a request for her removal from the Belize Central Prison, the case was adjourned. Grant was arraigned on May twentieth, 2024, on fourteen counts of theft, fourteen counts of obtaining property by deception and twelve counts of obtaining money transfer by deception. Allegations are that between the period of January first, 2022, to July 2022, by either, deception by money transfer or obtaining property by deception or through theft, Grant stole over one hundred and twenty-one thousand dollars. No plea was taken from her, and Grant was due back in court on those theft related offenses today. Grant’s attorney, Ronell Gonzalez, was surprised that his client was not brought down and only learned of her absence when he was heading to court this morning on the matter. Grant and her common-law husband, Austin Underwood, were both previously remanded to the Belize Central Prison after being charged with being a member of a gang and were held further under the state of emergency for an additional sixty days.

Retired Police Handed 22 Years for Rape of Stepdaughter

Today, a man was handed a twenty-year sentence and additional twenty-two year sentence after being convicted for the rape of his stepdaughter and sexual assault on separate occasions. As the sentences are to run concurrently, the sixty-six-year-old retired sergeant of police will spend twenty-two years behind bars. During mitigation, no one spoke on the offender’s behalf. Additional aggravating factors included the young age of the victim and his relation to the child. On that day when he was found guilty, the offender arrived at court an hour late for his verdict and arrived moments before the judge was about to execute a bench warrant for his arrest. The stepfather had been allowed to continue on his bail until the day he was convicted of the crime.