Portions of the Coastal Plain Road crumbled under heavy flooding two weeks ago, and while a lot of it was blamed on deforestation, a lot was also blamed on the government. Some have accused the government of compromising quality for savings, but when we got a chance to speak with the Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing, Julius Espat on Friday, he said that the contract for that project was signed long before they got in. Espat also said that what we do with the environment contributes to the consequences we are enduring now. He also said that the ministry’s engineers are now looking at how they can prevent a recurrence of the breakage.
Julius Espat
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing
“That project was designed and awarded during their time. We are only continuing with an existing contract. There’s no way we could have compromised safety with saving. Saving was not gotten by changing the scope of work. Saving was achieved when the project was completed and there was a contingency in place and that contingency was not used. So instead, we used the contingency for useful purposes and in no way have we changed the scope of work. What we have been experiencing is, I think, a part of our own making. Deforestation has become a major issue. We have to be careful about it. The drought is a factor of deforestation, and when the rain comes, it’s also one of the problems that happen to it. And we have to deal with it, and we have to find a way to make sure that we minimize whatever repercussions that come with it. The contractor and the ministry engineers have been sent out to analyze it. We cleared the road so that it’s passable. But we’re looking at how to better it for possible minimizing reoccurrence. Where the engineers, both internationally and locally, thought that the flooding would have happened, but they didn’t. Conceived that it would have happened at this specific spot. If you notice when you drive the coastal highway, you have sections that are concreted, and it’s concreted with a purpose. They know that when there’s a severe flood, it has to go over the road, and so there are designs in place to be able to accommodate that. But new ones occurred. When we went up to check, we went downstream, and the stream is all blocked up with bamboo, with old trees, with all the deforestation that happened, went into the creek, and water will find a way out. You have to understand that trees and all of these things help with, minimizing erosion. It directs the flow of water to a specific area. Once you take that out and then it’s, a free flow water. We’ll find a way, one way or the other. And the coastal, for example, everybody is aware. That it was designed and it was placed in an area that’s very low. And so everybody knew that with time, it will flood once in a while. But the difference is it floods for maybe an hour, maybe two, maximum half a day.”
Members of the Opposition have criticized the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing for not making public records accessible. When we got the chance to speak with the minister on Friday, we asked him to respond. He said that anyone who wants to review the contracts can do so upon request and that shortly, contracts will be available online.
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing
“Any contract that we have signed I’m welcoming anybody to have a look at it. There’s for example, the coast. A lot was, as I said, that was designed. It was done. The contract was awarded before our time. So let’s open it up if he has any concern. Are these contracts made available online? Can people just sure I don’t believe it’s online, but it’s available upon request.”
Seven persons are displaced in Carmelita Village, after a fire destroyed their thirty-by-twenty wooden home on Sunday night. Twenty-two-year-old Brianna Conorquie told News Five that no one was at home when the fire started and that she believes it was arson.
Brianna Conorquie
Brianna Conorquie, Fire Victim
“Last night around 9:30, I got a call. I was not at home. I mi deh da Orange Walk. And then my friend called me first and said, Bri, your house is on fire. So I said, no, man, never, that can’t happen. So we just stay a little at my friend’s house. And then I said, my auntie messaged me that live right down the road. And she said, Bri, you know, your house di burn to the ground, right? So when I reach home, my house blazing fire, I couldn’t save nothing. I couldn’t even come in the yard. And that da mi around 10 30 when I reach home cause the fire start like 9:30.”
Marion Ali
“Have they said what caused it?”
Brianna Conorquie
“No ma’am, but they said that the fire started in my sister’s room in the back. So somebody had to light it because my sister’s room ih nuh wired. So no wire in the room at all.”
Marion Ali
“Nothing left on, like a candle?”
Brianna Conorquie
“Nothing, nothing. My sister’s room is like a storeroom. So she nuh use it and nothing in there.”
Marion Ali
“Nothing flammable?”
Brianna Conorquie
“Nothing, nothing, and the door can’t lock. So somebody must have went in and light the fire while we were not here. It has to be somebody. I don’t know for what reason or I don’t know, but it is someone and I hope that they see what is happening here and I hope that they are happy with themselves because we have nothing. I’m staying with my grandmother right now in a back room. Yeah, me and my daughter and my little brother and my sister and my mother is staying at her mother’s home. We have been asking for help. We are getting a little help, you know, one step at a time. And I am grateful for everything. I appreciate everything. I just want everybody to know that I am thankful, and whoever could help in any way, we would really appreciate that.”
Marion Ali
“They could reach you at –“
Brianna Conorquie
“They can reach me at 635 3378 – Brianna Conorquie on Facebook.”
Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. The B.E.B.L. finals are in a state of uncertainty, following game three on Friday night.
The Hurricanes lodged a protest following the Defenders’ game three win. Let us look at this play. The Hurricanes are up by three points with fifty-four seconds left to end the game, when Marquise Cunningham secures the defensive rebound. The clock shows that it took the team about nine seconds to advance the ball past the halfcourt line. In basketball, that is an eight-second violation. On that play Sidibe Bourama made a two-point bucket under the rim to give his team a five-point lead with only thirty-six seconds left.
Well the officials reviewed the Instant Replay System, determined that the Hurricanes did in fact commit an eight second violation, took away Bourama’s two points, added time to the clock and gave the Defenders possession of the ball. Devin Daly under the rim, cuts the lead down to one point. A travelling violation was called on Cunningham on the other end. Richard Smith found Devon Campbell who sped pass Glency Lopez and banked the jump shot to give the Defenders a one-point lead. Nigel Jones with the finishing dunk, a little icing on the cake. That basket did not count. Fans were in an uproar, in celebration of what appeared to be a done deal.
The closeout game was set for Sunday. But as we said, the Hurricanes lodged a protest to the BEBL Disciplinary/Protest Committee. On Sunday morning, the Hurricanes organization issued a release noting that “the committee confirmed that the referees erred in their decision to use the Instant Replay System to assess an eight-second violation, which is not permissible under the specific circumstances outlined in the FIBA rules”. The Hurricanes expected that on Sunday the last thirty-six seconds of game three would be played prior to the start of game four. But that did not happen, as the Defenders sought to appeal the committee’s decision. We heard from the Defenders organization.
Reynaldo Malic
Reynaldo Malic, Co-Owner, Belize City Defenders
“We then decided to exercise our right to appeal the protest because we felt that the protest committee erred in its findings. I know it is natural to disagree with a decision that is not in your favor but we would not have wasted money and the valuable time of our Defenders and basketball fans in general launching an unnecessary appeal. When we look at the appeal letter submitted it was based on misleading information. It was obvious that the Hurricanes organization was misinformed. In their letter they stated that our head coach asks for a review for a possible eight second violation. We did not ask for a review, we could not ask for a review. As is rightly stated in the Hurricanes letter you can’t review and eight seconds violation. But that aside, we didn’t ask for a review so the Hurricanes letter said well they were granted a review and it was granted for something that cannot be reviewed. That is correct. What is wrong is we were not granted a review because we never asked for a review. The referee decided to do a review on his own with the IRS system. The reason he decided to do that is because repeatedly throughout the game the shot clock was being started late, not one, not twice, not three times, repeatedly the shot clock was being started late and it seemed to always favor when the Hurricanes had possession of the ball. You cant check for eight second unless it is the very final play of a quarter or in the overtime session. Since this was not the final play of the game he could only check for the twenty-four second violation in his incident report he quoted one of the FIBA rule guidelines to check for the eight second violation. However the one that was quoted, as I said before is specific to the end of a quarter or the end of a four quarter period. He was suppose to use the rule interpretation that applies to a play under two minutes less. While that is unfortunate. I would not want that to happen to me either. What that amounts to and this is our assertion, it amounts to a referee error and since it amounts to a referee error, as egregious as it is, the fact of the matter is you cannot protest a game on a referee error.”
And from basketball we move into some volleyball action. Belize secured third place and claimed three individual awards at the Under-Twenty-Three Women’s Central American Volleyball Championship hosted in Honduras. Fatima Ramirez earned individual awards for best scorer and best attacker while, Nisaan Martinez received an individual award for best blocker. The team returned on Sunday. We spoke with the President of the Belize Volleyball Association, Allan Sharp about the medal and awards.
Allan Sharp
Allan Sharp, President, Belize Volleyball Association
“We are again very pleased to say that our team did excellent in the U-Twenty-Three competition. We came in with a bronze, but we battled very hard. WE bear Costa Rica; we beat almost everybody. We went to five sets with Guatemala. Unfortunately, we lost in the fifth set, sixteen, fourteen. But after losing the first two matches to the eventual champion, Nicaragua, we came back. The girl showed great mental strength and resilience and came back and played very well, won all the rest of matches and beat Costa Rica and we pulled off the bronze.”
There is not much time for rest as several of these ladies are preparing for the Under-Twenty-One Female Central American Volleyball Championship. It will take place from the sixteenth to the twentieth of June inside the Belize City Civic Center.
Allan Sharp
“As you remember we placed silver last time but this time we are going for gold. Quite a number of the girls from this U-Twenty-Three team that went away will be playing on this team. We always go for gold. We always play well at home, once the fans come out and show that big support. Our first match is against Nicaragua which is now the team to beat. It is between us and them. first night is on Tuesday sixteenth, play the Tuesday, Thursday, rest Friday against Salvador and Saturday the final night is against Guatemala.”
The Athony Mahler Under-Thirteen Mundialito held its semi-finals matchups on Saturday. It was a rainy day in the city, but the show went on. Berger United took on Belize United for a spot in the finals, while Sampson/Brown went up against Ladyville Rising Stars for that second spot in the finals. Belize United won their match one goal to zero. Ladyville Rising Stars defeated Sampson/Brown five goals to zero. Ladyville Rising Stars will face off against defending champions Belize United in the Anthony Mahler Under Thirteen Mundialito finals.
Well Folks, that is all we have for you in this week’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one.
Effective July 2, 2024, as of 5:00 p.m. the University of Belize hereby advises of its closure at all campuses, due to the impending Hurricane Beryl. In this light, all summer classes will be canceled. Faculty members teaching summer classes are asked to upload all teaching materials to MOODLE. This preparation is in the event the University is unable to deliver face-to-face classes following the storm.
The University will keep you abreast of its reopening and asks everyone to keep safe and stay tuned to updates provided from official reports.
Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa, confirmed with reporters today that a woman was “picked up” and detained by police over the weekend.
The video was recorded in 2021 in Gales Point Village, Stann Creek, by an adult female from Dangriga Town.
The child’s mother, who recently became aware of the video, reported the matter to the police.
Minister Musa said, “I asked the Commissioner about that when I was informed of the video and he had indicated I think it was Saturday or Sunday, right after the video was published, the individual in that video, the alleged individual, because no faces were shown in the video but the individual suspected to be in that video was picked up and detained by the police.”
The Office of the Prime Minister informs that the Prime Minister, Hon. John Briceño departed the country over the weekend en route to Panama City, Panama, to attend the Presidential Transfer of Command Ceremony of the Newly Elected, His Excellency Jose Raul Molino Quintero, on 1st July 2024.
The Prime Minister returns to Belize on Wednesday, 3rd July 2024, and during his absence, Hon. Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources, Mining and Petroleum will hold over as Prime Minister.
Police Minister Kareem Musa told reporters this morning that it is an offence, “a criminal offence by virtue of the Cyber Crime Act of 2020,” to share and publish videos and photographs of a lewd and indecent nature. This warning comes after a surge of videos and photographs depicting lewd content began circulating widely on social media over the weekend.
Police Commissioner Chester Williams has also condemned the people sharing the videos. He shared, “It is an offence under the Cyber Act for one to use a computer devise to produce or distribute any video or photographs with the intent to humiliate, harm, or subject a person to public ridicule or embarrassment. Those who are therefore engaging in the posting, reposting, or further distribution of these videos or photographs are committing the crime of cyberbullying and can be prosecuted.”
Authorities urge individuals who have posted or shared such content to remove it immediately and cease further distribution. The law is clear on the matter, and violators could face significant penalties, including imprisonment.
In a statement addressing the situation, attorney Audrey Matura expressed dismay over the derogatory comments and memes following the release of explicit videos involving several women and a particular male. Matura emphasised the emotional distress caused to the individuals involved, particularly the female public figure featured in the videos. Matura encouraged the public to assist law enforcement by screen recording evidence of such posts, ensuring that perpetrators can be held accountable.
Thirty-seven-year-old Paul Arthurs of Ontario Village, Cayo District, was fatally stabbed on Saturday night in the New Site area of Blackman Eddy Village. Arthurs was involved in an altercation prior to his murder. Authurs sustained multiple injuries, including a severe stab wound to the abdomen. Arthurs was quickly transported to the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan, where he was pronounced dead minutes later. Several individuals are in police custody.
Meanwhile, in Orange Walk, police are investigating the murder of sixty-year-old Norman Winston Gillett. Gillett was shot several times early on Sunday morning while he was on Monkey River Street in Orange Walk Town. Two other persons, including the deceased’s son and an acquaintance, were shot. Investigators believe that Gillett’s murder may be the result of an altercation that occurred earlier that night. We are told that a suspect has been identified.
The third murder reportedly occurred on Sunday night in Santa Elena Town, Cayo District. Anthony Smith was shot dead while he was in front of China Town Store. He was rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed.
Hurricane Beryl has made landfall on Carriacou Island in Grenada. The hurricane, which has regained strength in recent hours, has prompted warnings of life-threatening winds and dangerous storm surges.
Hurricane warnings are also in effect for Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Tobago. Airports and businesses across the Caribbean have shut down, and residents have been urged to seek shelter as the potentially devastating storm hits the region. Dozens of flights were cancelled as Beryl approached on Sunday night, with leaders urging the public to heed warnings.
Beryl’s strength has been fluctuating. The hurricane was upgraded to a Category 4 on Monday after slightly weakening earlier.
Meteorologists say it is unusual for a hurricane of this strength to form this early in the year.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has warned that the North Atlantic could experience up to seven major hurricanes this year, up from the average of three in a season. It attributed record high sea surface temperatures as a contributing factor.
