On Wednesday, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize issued a letter of complaint addressed to the board of directors of the Social Security Board. The letter details several concerns with recent decisions made by the S.S.B., such as the appointment of a Deputy C.E.O. Although the position has not been filled yet, the N.T.U.C.B. claims that the creation of the post was conducted without adherence to proper protocols, timely budget allocation. The letter further raises concerns about a lack of consultation with N.T.U.C.B. representatives on crucial matters and calls for better treatment and communication. We asked Deborah Ruiz, C.E.O. of the S.S.B. for a comment on the situation, however, she declined to comment, stating that the letter was never copied to her office. News Five called the S.S.B. office in Belize City and asked to speak to the chairperson, Nigeli Sosa, and we were told that she was in a meeting. We were also told that our calls would be returned. We are still waiting.
Day: July 25, 2024
Discovering Passions Through Learning and Friendship
School may be out for the summer, but the learning continues for most children. Today, the STEAM Summer Academy wrapped up its four-week programme, culminating in a vibrant showcase where nearly fifty young minds displayed the skills and knowledge they’ve gained in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. From fascinating science experiments to creative art projects, these children are ready to shine! In tonight’s episode of Belize on Reel, News Five’s Britney Gordon takes us to the Edward P. York compound to celebrate their incredible talents and achievements. Here’s the story.
Britney Gordon
“Did you like dancing before you joined this class?”
Avon Richards, Camper
“Well no, usually I didn’t like to dance because sometimes when I dance, I would just do some things that were not necessary but for this, that I did this, I do like to dance now.”
Britney Gordon
“So you feel like you’re going to keep dancing now that you’ve discovered that you like it?”
Avon Richards
“Yes.”
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Do you remember your childhood dreams of what you wanted to be when you grew up? Or the moment you decided on that career path? Discovering your passion is one of life’s most memorable milestones. This summer at the STEAM Summer Academy in Belize City, children experienced just that. Over the course of four weeks, participants explored the fascinating realms of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Co-director Joseph Stamp-Romero emphasized that, while academics were crucial, fostering a sense of community among the children was a key focus of the curriculum.
Joseph Stamp-Romero, Co-director
“I think one of the biggest one of the biggest thing about the camp was just how kids can learn how to work together. I think how kids can learn how to plan, how they can learn how to design, and how they can critically look at the things that they do from a standpoint of trying to improve it. So I think one of the biggest topics that we always talked about a lot is just working together. Collaboration was huge. I think from teachers right down to right down to students. And I think that was, I think one of the most important details for the camp.”
No matter how big or small, finding a way to express themselves is a valuable lesson for every child to learn. Twelve-year-old Mia Meneses has found her way, Art.
Mia Meneses, Camper
“I learned in this summer camp that we have to be confident. That we have to be confident for the most things. That we can’t really be afraid about the art. It’s a free will that you are able to choose and it’s never too late to learn or practice art.”
Mia Meneses
“I also really like everyone’s art piece because everyone has a unique way of doing their art.”
It is this sense of creativity that art instructor, Shaira Young has tried to instill in the hearts of her students.
Shahira Young, Art Instructor
“I believe that expressing ourselves. Don’t be afraid of who you are as an artist. You don’t have to paint exactly as you see the photo. Try to be unique. Try to be different. Use shape, use style, use techniques to express yourself.”
Dr. Abraham Flowers, Robotics Instructor
“We know every day we see that there is improvement when it comes to development in technology itself, right? So having the kids to basically have the ground level or the foundation would help them or prompt them to become much more better because today even our economy depends on the improvement of technology. And we’re talking from all the way from industrial all the way to personal or domestic. So doing this, I think is a huge step forward.”
After four weeks of science, math, and arts, all students went home having learned the important lesson of being themselves and cheering for others.
“I feel pretty good because it’s how Is it not that how I am doing myself? Cause if I would do it myself, I would probably feel embarrassed. But with people here that I’m doing it, like I could finally express how I could be like alive and how I am doing the way of the dance that we have been practicing.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
Belize Bank Awards Scholarships to Sixteen Deserving Students
Tonight, sixteen students are advancing their academic pursuits with full financial support from Belize Bank Limited. Over the years, the bank has awarded hundreds of scholarships to students across Belize, and this year is no exception. From over two hundred applications, the bank selected a group of students who have shown exceptional dedication to their studies and could greatly benefit from the financial assistance. News Five’s Paul Lopez brings us the details.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Sixteen students entering high school and sixth form will be able to focus solely on their studies, thanks to Belize Bank Limited. Today, these students received full scholarships to cover all their educational expenses at their chosen institutions.
Fillipo Alario, Chief Executive Officer, Belize Bank Limited
“Over the past decade we have had the privilege of supporting more than a hundred kids in their educational journey. We have about eighty-nine students that are in the program right now as we speak.”
Fillipo Alario, the Chief Executive Officer at Belize Bank Limited says seeing students progress as the bank continues to support them is a source of inspiration for the financial institution.
“At the Belize Bank we believe that education is the cornerstone of personal and societal development. We are proud to have supported many of you. We even have kids that have moved on and gone to great universities. We have a graduate of Harvard University. He is so big; we cannot find him.”
Two former recipients of the scholarship were present at today’s award ceremony to encourage the 2024 cohort. Elmer Orellano received the scholarship at the secondary and tertiary levels. He is now an employee at Belize Bank. Dwight Gillett Junior received a high school scholarship from Belize Bank in 2020. Today, he got a second scholarship to attend Saint John’s Junior College.
Dwight Gillet Jr., Scholarship Recipient
“Belize Bank has trusted me again for my academic years at the sixth form level. I was so anxious when they called me personally to say I got accepted for the scholarship. It was quite hilarious to see my family mouthing what they were saying. I am excited about what my future holds. With that I implore you students not to be fearful about what high school brings. Accept them wholeheartedly as most consider that period as the best of your life. I ask that while you should have fun, focus on your studies and goals and if you find yourself in a slump pick up yourself and don’t give up because the hard-working staff here at Belize Bank and those closest to you only expect great things from you.”
Martin Leslie, Scholarship Recipient
“It will help my family because my mom is a single mother, and we need the money to help us with school uniforms and bags.”
Paul Lopez
“How hard did you work in primary school to get here?”
Martin Leslie
“Hard, hard, hard. My mom told me to push and strive for excellence in all I do.”
“What did she say when she learnt you got it?”
Martin Leslie
“She was with me and she cried with me.”
Reporter
“For you what is your plans. I know you are just going to high school, but what do you hope to become and why?”
Martin Leslie
“I want to become a pediatrician when I get older, because I want to help sick children because I suffer from sickle cell, and I want to help them.”
Kiah Griffith, Scholarship Recipient
“I decide to apply for this scholarship because I want to make my mom proud and make myself proud.”
Paul Lopez
“What was your response when you found you got it?”
Kiah Griffith
“I cried tears of joy, and my mom was proud.”
“For you what is the dream job and why?”
Kiah Griffith
“Accounting, to work in a bank.”
Reporter
“Because that is where all the money is?”
Kiah Griffith
“Yeah, I think so.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
Ballin’ Like Her Basketball Camp Draws Girls from All Over Belize
The Ballin’ Like Her Girls basketball camp is underway, and girls from all over the country are participating. This three-day camp engages girls from pre-school age, ranging all the way to college age. It was started to encourage young women to engage in the sport in the hopes of expanding its popularity among the demographic. We spoke with Rosco Reese, President of the Belize District Basketball Association, and two participants to learn how successful the camp has been so far.
Rosco Reese, President, Belize District Basketball Association
“Basically FIBA wants to include females more in the sport of basketball. In our country, we know that there are a lot of young girls that play basketball, but there’s no real organized leagues or camps for young girls. So through the Belize District Basketball Association, we came up with the idea to plan a female basketball camp and this is the results right here.”
Britney Gordon
“Have you ever been able to play basketball with so many girls before?”
Kenisha Avila, Participant, Seventeen-years-old
“No, not really. It’s the first time, but at our high school, San Pedro High School, we play basketball. We have our own team. And yeah, those are the only team I have played with before. And this is very new to me and I really love it.”
Mila Guerrero, Participant, Ten-years-old
“So, this is one of my first times playing, but my brother plays a lot, and my sister actually played here and won here.”
Britney Gordon
“How does it feel to be surrounded by so many girls playing a sport like you?”
Mila Guerrero
“It makes me just feel happy because a lot of people share the same interests as me.”
Life-saving swimming program successfully comes to a close
This morning marked the conclusion of the free life-saving swimming lessons provided by the Belize Police Department and the Belize Coast Guard. The camp successfully equipped children with essential swimming skills for survival in emergencies. News Five’s Azain Heredia visited the classes at the Princess Ramada to learn more. Here’s that story.
Azain Heredia, Reporting
At the start of the summer, none of the children you’re seeing here knew how to swim, but by the end of it, all of the participants in the Community Policing Unit Swimming Camp were confident in their ability to do so. The annual programme concluded today after bringing together coast guards and the community policing unit to assist children with free swimming lessons.
A.C.P. Howell Gillett, Nat’l Commander, Community Policing Unit
“It builds a better relationship with young people because oftentimes young people see law enforcement as, people who are making arrests or they see the bad side of what happens in law enforcement, But we are not all about that, we are here to work with our young people, so that we can deliver them to successful adulthood. The idea is to have no need for policing or policing reason for arresting our young people.”
For years, the Belize Coast Guard has coordinated with the Belize Police Department to carry out the program. Lieutenant Junior Moody told us how the programme has evolved over the years to strengthen its approach.
Lieutenant, Junior Andrew Moody, Swim Coordinator
“What I’ve seen is that the children are more eager to learn. Alright, they’re not afraid as the previous classes. We have seen that the children were a little bit afraid. In this class here we seen that they’ve become a little more excited t learn how to swim.”
Azain Heredia
“How was your experience with this camp?”
Nathan Lambey, Participant
“I just feel like I didn’t know how to swim, but when I believed myself.”
Azain Heredia for News Five.
Could Belize’s Strategic Partnership with Tren Maya Help Overcome Its Early Struggles?
Tren Maya Faces Early Struggles
Mexico’s Tren Maya project is facing significant criticism for its performance and impact. The railway’s current operation includes 34 stops across Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Campeche, and Chiapas, yet many popular routes are still under construction. However, according to Travel Noire, the high-profile tourism project is struggling to meet expectations just months after its December 25, 2023, launch.
With a projected cost that could exceed $30 billion, the train is only halfway complete, and its current offerings are not enticing travelers. Authorities initially forecasted daily ridership between 22,000 and 37,000, but according to Travel Noire, the train now sees just around 1,200 passengers per day. The incomplete sections, particularly the link between Cancun and resort areas, are contributing to the train’s low usage rates.
Environmental Impact of the Tren Maya
Adding to the controversy are environmental concerns. Critics argue that the environmental costs and disruption to indigenous Mayan habitats outweigh the benefits of the tourism project.
The railway “is splitting the jungle in half,” said Ismael Lara, a guide who takes tourists to a cave that shelters millions of bats near the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. Lara fears the train, due to pass close by, will disrupt wildlife routes and attract too much development to fragile ecosystems, according to Reuters.
“Not only has the train been built over cenotes, which could collapse at any time, it’s also displaced many Maya communities,” Paulina Rios, a Mexico City marine biologist, told the BBC.
An environmental impact study was conducted by the Mexican government. The study evaluated the risk of cave collapse when the tracks get engineered. A prevention programme would be implemented if necessary. “In terms of safety, part of the delays in the project is precisely because of these points … The project has been changed several times,” said another expert who participated in the government’s environmental impact study.
Tren Maya Coming to Belize
Tren Maya is expected to facilitate the easier movement of goods and tourists between Belize and Mexico. Mexico’s outgoing president Andrés Manuel López Obrador held a significant meeting with Prime Minister John Briceño on March 25, 2024, around the topic of expanding the Tren Maya to Belize. The discussions included a strategic push for a train station near Belize’s border to facilitate smoother transit of tourists and goods between the two nations.
In an official statement released on March 27, 2024, it said, “Discussions centered around the possibility of establishing one of the stations at Belize’s Northern Border with Mexico, thereby providing passenger and freight service for Belize to all of southern Mexico. This will also provide access to the Interoceanic Railway in Mexico, a key route that links important port cities on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts.”
According to PM Briceño, the proposed expansion of Mexico’s Tren Maya railway into Belize is set to significantly reshape regional connectivity and economic dynamics. “The next step for them to do a study as to how we could get it to probably to Belize City or somewhere in the country.” Currently, the Tren Maya project, which spans 966.27 miles across Mexico’s southeastern states, has faced scrutiny due to lower-than-expected ridership and environmental concerns. However, the extension into Belize could offer a range of transformative benefits for both countries.
From an economic perspective, the extension could stimulate significant growth. Belizean products would gain better access to Mexican markets, potentially increasing trade volumes and boosting local industries.
The expanded network might also help address some of Tren Maya’s existing challenges. Additionally, the expansion might help mitigate some environmental concerns by promoting more sustainable cross-border travel options.
19-year-old Man Wanted for Raping 15-year-old Girl
Police in southern Belize are looking for a 19-year-old man in relation to a report of “unlawful sexual intercourse.”
The ongoing investigations followed the report of a 35-year-old woman who accompanied her 15-year-old daughter to the police station on Wednesday, July 24. The teenager reported that she had sexual relations twice in July with a known male person at his home. A medical examination was conducted, where it was certified that the minor was carnally known.
10-year-old Boy Drowns in Punta Gorda Town
Police are investigating an apparent drowning incident that occurred in the Indian Ville Extension area of Punta Gorda Town. The incident was reported on Wednesday, July 24, at 1:00 p.m.
Upon arrival, authorities were informed by 49-year-old Bernardo Cho that one of his sons had fallen into a nearby pond and drowned. Ten-year-old Jazer Cho was retrieved from the pond, and CPR was performed but was unsuccessful. Jazer Cho was later pronounced dead. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident is ongoing.
Collision at Belize City Intersection Claims One Life
Belize City police are investigating a fatal traffic accident that occurred on Wednesday, July 24, at around 8:20 a.m. at the intersection of King Street and East Canal Street.
Officers found a public bus with front-end damage, driven by 44-year-old Yadir Ernesto Perez, a bus driver from Corozal District. They also discovered a black Meilun motorcycle with extensive damage, driven by 36-year-old Orion Michael McKenzie from Belize City, who had a passenger, 44-year-old Felipe Cowo from San Antonio Village, Toledo District.
Initial investigations suggest that Perez was driving the bus on King Street, while McKenzie was riding the motorcycle on East Canal Street. Allegedly, McKenzie failed to stop at a stop sign and attempted to cross the intersection, leading to a collision with the bus. The impact caused McKenzie to lose control, crashing into a taco stand and injuring himself, Cowo, and 36-year-old Marina Garcia, a businesswoman.
McKenzie and Cowo were transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) for medical attention. Unfortunately, McKenzie was pronounced dead on arrival, while Cowo sustained other injuries. The investigation is ongoing.
Pennsylvania Western University Students Provide Speech Therapy in Belize
Two students from Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) in Clarion spent their summer providing speech therapy in Belize. Allison Clark from Shippenville and Michaela Armanini from DuBois, both recent graduates with degrees in speech pathology and audiology, participated in this hands-on clinical experience as part of a 13-person team from PennWest. The group worked under the auspices of Therapy Abroad, an Idaho-based organisation that offers immersive short-term experiences for students in need-based communities.
Clark and Armanini joined other students from the Clarion campus, as well as representatives from Edinboro and California, to deliver clinical services. Their work, supervised by Dr. Melissa Brydon and Dr. Kristen West, focused on assessing and intervening with children identified as having speech or language concerns. The students visited different schools daily, providing necessary assessments and therapies, often seeing multiple students in a single day.
Despite coping with extreme heat and wildfires, the students found the experience rewarding. They highlighted the warm reception and appreciation from the local community, which reinforced the value of their efforts. Clark and Armanini emphasised the importance of learning about a different culture while applying their clinical skills in a real-world setting.
This initiative marked the first time PennWest Clarion students in the communication sciences and disorders programme performed speech-language therapy in Belize. The success of this trip has set the stage for future clinical outreaches, with plans already underway for annual trips to both Belize and Spain.