While the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry agrees that there does seem to be a high percentage of employment in Belize, the matter of how much people are being paid for their labour is quite another topic. The B.P.O. industry seemingly advertises the most job vacancies in Belize. We’re told that people with degrees are now being employed at B.P.O.s across the country. At the start of the new school year, News Five was made aware of a teacher shortage at a few schools. It is a situation where teachers are reportedly leaving the classroom to seek either more convenient jobs closer to home or better-paying ones in other fields of work, including the call center industry. We asked the President of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Katherine Meighan if the wages that people are earning are fair.
Katherine Meighan, President, B.C.C.I.
“There’s always that challenge where you may have an employee that feels as if they’re not being fairly paid. The question is: what is that employer doing and what is that employee doing? And you have to approach it from a solution-based perspective because what you don’t want is an employee that is not achieving their best within that company and an employer doesn’t want that because it doesn’t work. It’s not going to be sustainable into the future. So it’s really – that is very specific of a question, but what I would say is these are discussions that any business that’s looking to grow and develop, they’re going to have these discussions and they’re going to encourage their employees to have these discussions with their relevant managers so that they can find solutions.”
In his State of the Nation address earlier this week, Prime Minister John Briceño spoke about the government’s efforts to create better economic opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). He said that the government has enacted legislative amendments to its fiscal incentive programs. These programs have been updated to expand the range of eligible sectors and accommodate uptake among MSMEs. The PM used the digital services sector, or the B.P.O. sector, as now being able to apply specific features, such as work from home arrangements and on-site daycare for single mothers. Additionally, Prime Minister Briceño said that recently, the government introduced the Belize Economic Empowerment Program, where grant funding from the Caribbean Development Fund will provide eight hundred thousand dollars to ninety-three MSMEs. Along with this will come training and mentorship to ensure their sustainability. And to further support small businesses, small farmers and new homeowners, the PM said that the government is making affordable financing more accessible. These efforts, Meighan says are important for the development of a sector that represents a significant percentage of Belizean businesses.
Katherine Meighan
Katherine Meighan, President, B.C.C.I.
“MSMEs are a very, very important part of our economy. I think it’s an important part of any economy, in my opinion. Because they really make up, they’re fuel. They’re a fuel for growth. They’re a fuel for innovation. They are a part of the entrepreneurial cycle. They also play a critical role, like some of these other industries, B.P.O.’s for instance, in the growing of the middle class. And the middle class in any economy, any community is significant because they’re the blood, if you want to say it that way. And so, I’m happy to see, wherever there are opportunities and incentives to encourage their continued growth. MSMEs need technical training and support. They need access to financing. They need support in many, many areas in terms of packaging, for instance, marketing. You can name quite a few. And what I also encourage and what I see, and this is something we share with all of our MSMEs that are members of the Chamber – we encourage them to come together, network, and identify what these opportunities are and not be fearful to jump on them and learn. The quicker they can formalize and develop themselves, the better off they will be.”
A mother and her eleven-year-old daughter are seeking assistance from the public after a traumatic experience. On Tuesday night, they were at home sleeping when the elevated wooden structure collapsed with them inside. After being rescued from under the debris, their neighbor took them in. But they are trying to rebuild their lives after losing everything. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
A mother and her eleven-year-old daughter have been left homeless after their Fabers Road home collapsed on Tuesday night.
Juanita Martin
Juanita Martin, Faber’s Road Resident
“We were watching TV on my bed in my room on the back and we heard some noise, like hurricane, a big noise. After that I feel the bed starting to fall. It fell quick and when we landed we were totally buried. I did not know which way we could come out but some neighbors came because they heard the noise. It waws a big noise. And they broke the window to the side and so we crawl out. I send out my daughter first and then I come out and my friend come out. I still feel traumatized from it. I feel tremble inside that I can’t stop.”
Three days later, Juanita Martin and her daughter are nowhere close to clearing the debris that is the fallen house and recovering their belongings from the rubble. All the appliances and furniture remain buried under heaps of zinc and lumber. Her daughter has been home from school because her uniform and school items also remain buried. Thankfully, their neighbor has given them a place to sleep for the past three nights.
Juanita Martin
“I mih feel like we mih wah get more injuries than that. But thank God. I get some bruise pan mih head and back and different area. My friend get scrape. My daughter got bruises and scrape. When hurricane Lisa came it, it leaned a lot, because it shook it and it started to lean over the side. The posts started to lean so.”
To make ends meet, Martin would sell cold cups from her home. Her deep freezer is also trapped beneath the rubble. Martin also ran a babysitting business that she had to put on pause due to the condition of the house.
Juanita Martin
“I feel sad and traumatized and lee bit hopeless and I know we Belizean people have love and kindness. So, I know I will get help somewhere or the other.”
Reporter
“What type of help would you like at this moment?”
Juanita Martin
“At this moment I really need help to demolish the house and clear away the stuff so that maybe I can get help with another house.”
Martin is hoping to have her daughter return to school on Monday. On Saturday, Belizeans across the country will be celebrating the nation’s independence. Martin says her circumstances have taken away the celebratory mood she anticipated.
Juanita Martin
“Any help or assistance that anybody could give, clothes, shelter, because over at my neighbor has no electricity and it is really hot and punishing.”
Paul Lopez
“What number can be use?”
Juanita Martin
“My number is six, two, four, zero, four, nine, eight.”
A construction worker fell to his death on Thursday morning on Ambergris Caye. Police reports are that the incident happened at Clearwater Belize, a property located two and a half miles north of San Pedro. The victim, forty-five-year-old Abisur Loza, a resident of Patchakan Village, Corozal, was working on the fourth floor of a six-storey building when he fell to the ground sometime around seven-forty a.m. Loza was one of several others who were working at the site. Loza was reportedly on the edge of the fourth floor of the building, trying to push a corrugated drainage pipe that was hanging. He lost his footing and plummeted to his death. His co-workers reportedly heard a thud and saw him lying face up on the ground, bleeding from the face and head. By the time the ambulance arrived a few minutes later, Loza had already died. The father had reportedly gone to Ambergris Caye a few weeks ago to seek employment to sustain his family back home.
Thirty-one-year-old Austin Underwood remains in lockdown at the Belize Central Prison after being charged as a member of a gang several months ago, on June twentieth. The Reggae Street resident appeared unrepresented earlier today before the lower court where he was provided with a sheaf of documents. The hundred and nine pages turned over to Underwood is evidence the prosecution intends to rely on to prove its case that Underwood is in fact a member of the South Side Gang. Underwood, who is the common-law husband of Doris Grant, will return to court on December twelfth, 2024.
In just one week, the People’s United Party will celebrate its seventy-fourth anniversary. The annual celebration highlights the history of the party and its service to Belize. The P.U.P. was founded by George Cadle Price, in September 1950. With seventy-four years under the party’s belt, Prime Minister John Briceño reflects on its contributions to Belize and invites the public to celebrate the upcoming occasion. Here’s more on that.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“It’s an exciting time for us on Sunday, on the twenty-eighth. The birthday, the party’s birthday is the twenty-ninth. What we do it on Saturday, we’re to celebrate, we’re going to bring out thirty-one constituencies of a national party. Also, unlike the U.D.P., the P.U.P. is the People’s United Parties and Institution. And, and we are run by an executive and the National Party also, and the national Convention and so on this day, we come out to celebrate as a party. The history. The work that the P.U.P. has done and the role that the People’s Selective Party has played in the development of this country. In every corner of this country that you go, you can see the tremendous work that the P.U.P. has done and continues to do. We’re going to have our delegates from the thirty-one constituencies approximately, let me see, it’s over three hundred delegates that are going to be here, but we’re also going to be inviting other people to join us. So we invite everyone to come out and join us on this joyous occasion.”
Since offering herself as a candidate for the People’s United Party in Albert, Councilor Kaya Cattouse has been working in the constituency. On National Service Day, she was in the Conch Shell Bay neighbourhood where she met with residents in Lindo’s Alley. Cattouse was there to see the final touches being done on an elevated walkway that would ease the headache of walking through floodwater during the rainy season.
Kaya Cattouse
Kaya Cattouse, P.U.P. Standard Bearer, Albert
“What you’re seeing here today is the culmination of a couple weeks of work. When we started campaigning back in July, we came into the area and we saw that what was previously a court served as a water catchment in the area and it affected about seven households in the area of Lindo’s Alley. When it rains or floods they would have to walk in water to get out of the area. So we decided that as a project for service day we would get this started and build an elevated walkway to alleviate that problem. So even when it rains and if it floods, they don’t have to walk in water to get out of their homes to the street.”
Isani Cayetano
“Aside from this particular initiative, talk to us about perhaps other works that you are undertaking in this constituency.”
Kaya Cattouse
“So right now, we are in different or various parts of the Albert Constituency and we’re going house to house, literally, and it is very sad to see the deplorable conditions that people have been living in, in the Albert constituency for the past fifteen years. I mean, we are trying our best to assist them with different housing projects, you know, assisting people with building steps to get upstairs of their homes, to deal with their yards. They have a lot of different issues in the constituency that we’re trying to address, slowly but surely.”
Isani Cayetano
“Talk to us a bit about, perhaps, some of your canvassing, outside of, you know, being able to meet some of the needs of these residents, what has the experience been like, in terms of walking Albert?”
Kaya Cattouse
“The feedback has been very good, I mean, people want a change. They want a young, dynamic leader who is coming in to work for them. Coming in from the local government level, they have seen the work that I have been doing, not only in Albert constituency, but across the city and now to be zoning in only on that one constituency, it means a lot to them and it means a lot to me.”
Across the country, several teams made up of employees from Belize Electricity Limited were out in the streets painting pedestrian crossings in several municipalities, including Belize City. The utility company has been observing safety week and, as part of its itinerary, has been doing its part to ensure the safety of pedestrians. Kadie Usher is B.E.L.’s Health and Environment Coordinator.
Kadie Usher
Kadie Usher, Health & Environment Coordinator, BEL
“So we’re out here doing pedestrian painting. We’ve been doing it in Dangriga, yesterday. We’ve been in San Ignacio and in Orange Walk. Today we were in Belize City on Coney Drive. It’s part of our safety week activities. Annually, B.E.L. puts aside a week for safety and health and this year, our focus is on road safety. It’s B.E.L. giving back to the community in making the area safe for the road users. As a responsible corporate citizen, we believe that we should play our role in making the country a little safer for everybody. We also practice safe driving and so it is just natural for us to do this as well, to make the area safe for pedestrians.”
Twenty-five-year-old Jahmea Bent is visiting Belize as Miss Caribbean Los Angeles 2024. Born and raised in LA, Jahmea’s parents are both Belizeans. In January 2023, Jahmea made her debut in the Queen of Kingdom Day pageant where she won the crown and participated in the Queen of Kingdom Day Parade in South Central. Earlier this year, she decided to enter the Miss Caribbean LA competition and made history as the first Belizean woman to win the coveted title. Jahmea stopped by our office and shared more about her visit to Belize, as well as her new title.
Jahmea Bent
Jahmea Bent, Ms. Caribbean LA
“It was a friend of mine who lives in New York who had spoken and heard about the pageant coming about and he sent me the application for it and then it was my godmother who is also a part of pageantry that had sent me the application and she told me to sign up and be a representation of Belize. So, I did and it came out to be more than I had expected. The pageant happens every year on June first, and it sets off the Caribbean Heritage Month. The pageant is a contribution of all Caribbean countries and for me, I was a representative of Belize. Being the first Ms. Caribbean Los Angeles is such an honor. I’ve been able to promote and just express my gratitude and also just have everyone share into the Caribbean culture and Belizean culture as well. And so, coming here to Belize is such a pleasure because I get to promote the culture, the tradition, the people and be a part of the community and express how great and mighty this small country is.
Isani Cayetano
“So you have Belizean heritage.”
Jahmea Bent
“I do.”
Isani Cayetano
“Talk to us about where your parents are from, in terms of being here in the country.”
Jahmea Bent
“Both my parents, my mom and my dad are from the city and so I come multiple times and I come to visit my grandmother, my aunts, my uncles, my sister and my brother that live here in the city. I’ve been here many times and being here, I’m just able to be with them and also immerse myself in the culture.”
Frontline workers make countless sacrifices, often working long, unpredictable hours and spending time away from their families—sometimes even missing out on national celebrations. Yet, despite these challenges, many find a profound sense of purpose in their roles. In this week’s look on the Bright Side, we take a closer look at patriotism through the eyes of these staff members. Here’s that story.
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
Inside the adult intensive care unit at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, the low hum is punctuated by the steady beeping of machines working to save lives. Nurses and aids at KHMH are ready for any urgent call. While the ward serves as a refuge for the critically ill, this month it’s adorned with vibrant shades of red, white, and blue, reflecting the spirit of the season. Darwin Slusher has dedicated his entire professional life to medicine and serving others. From his early days as an emergency medical technician, to his advancement as a nurse practitioner, Slusher’s commitment to his profession is deeply entwined with his love for his country.
Darwin Slusher
Darwin Slusher, Registered Nurse, K.H.M.H. “I’m currently still an active EMT and I am a registered nurse. And so service for me is pretty much all I know. I believe I’m a service-oriented person. I was also a volunteer firefighter at one point in my career. And It’s just love of country that motivates and drives me to want to give back to my community.”
Maurice Westby, a familiar face at the K.H.M.H., may not be a frontline worker, but he’s often the first person you’ll meet when arriving for services. September is known for national celebrations, Westby notes that it’s also one of the hospital’s busiest months.
Maurice Westby
Maurice Westby, Security, K.H.M.H. “Once you’re on duty here for the September celebration at the K.HM.H., you don’t really get a chance to celebrate it, ma’am. You have to be committed fully to what you do, because you have the people coming in here looking for medical attention. So you will have family members who are concerned about their relatives and with all the alcohol and things involved, you have people coming here with their emotions very high.”
Slusher emphasizes that what unites many of these staff members in times like these, is their shared sense of civic duty and patriotism, expressed through their dedicated service to the nation.
Darwin Slusher “What it looks like for us displaying our civic pride and patriotism is we get to be there when you are, for example, sick. Fortunately for me, for Carnival, I was out. But when it comes to the other festivities, I mean, I can’t speak for everybody, but I speak for myself. It gives me great pride to know that I am on call here for our country’s men when unfortunate events happen.”
Sabreena Daly
“How does the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital celebrate the 21st of September? There’re a lot of festivities taking place outside of your building, but how do you guys celebrate that significant day for Belize?”
Darwin Slusher
“Well, it starts off, but as you can see in the background, we decorate our units. And that motivates us and gives us that, that positive energy. Hey, we’re in the party mood. And what KTMH does is, well, we play our national anthem on, um, Um, the hospital have special dinner for us, for the nurses and doctors, for all staff who are working and they give us little tokens, little goodie bags and we appreciate that and then we get to be out of our, our uniform, we get to wear, um, our red, white and blue colors and so that in itself We feel that we’re a part of the celebration of the up there.”
The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital opened its doors on September 15th, 1995. Since then, there has never been a day this hospital has not been open for service. With a growing staff of over seven hundred workers, Public Relations Manager Thylon Tillett says that it is their duty to remain accessible to the nation regardless of the season.
Thylon Tillett
Thylon Tillett, PR Manager, K.H.M.H.
“September is special for us. The 15th of September was our 29th anniversary of serving the public. We’ve been open since 1995. To give you context, the KHMH was opened to a country of 210,000 persons. Today, the census data shows that we are almost at 500,000 persons. This facility has grown in leaps and bounds and is trying to keep up with the required health care requirements of the public. So what does that mean? That means that you have 700 persons on a shift basis providing services to the nation. Ambulances are coming here, people with difficult pregnancies are coming here. To be a village in Belize you need to have 300 persons. So these are two villages bringing you that level of care. We are dedicated. We are on a shift system, our workers know that they must be here present for the nation in any context. Because although Belizeans are celebrating and being happy, life does not stop.”
In moments like these, the innovation of hospital staff truly shines. Take this doctor, for example, who ensures that her patients experience the spirit of the festivities the moment they step into her clinic. For Maurice Westby, patriotism lives in the heart.
Maurice Westby “What matters, ma’am, is what you have in your heart. Sometimes duty calls, sometimes you have to even neglect your family. But what matters is what’s in your heart. I know I am patriotic in my heart, I know what I did for my country. So, yes, whatever you have in your heart, you just have to go by what you have there.”
And if you ask either of these frontline workers what drives them through the long, unconventional hours, time away from loved ones, and even missing their country’s national celebrations, they might tell you it’s the deep sense of fulfillment they gain. For Nurse Slusher that certainly is the case.
Darwin Slusher
“When you see that patient come into the emergency department, for example in a road traffic accident, they come either here to the ICU or to one of the different patient areas and then that patient has recovered and discharged and that person says, nurse, thank you, that is one of the greatest feelings you have as a healthcare provider. No money can ever repay you for that gratification you feel when you see that person restored back to normalization.”
