On Saturday, News Five Belize proudly brought you live, uninterrupted coverage of the Belize City Carnival Road March 2024! From the vibrant costumes to the energetic performances, we were thrilled to have you with us every step of the way. Our dedicated teams of hosts, cameramen, technicians, producers, and drivers worked tirelessly to provide you with the ultimate Carnival experience.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all our viewers who tuned in via television, YouTube, and Facebook. Your support means everything to us, and we truly appreciate your continued viewership. A special shout-out to the thousands of you who joined us on the ground, cheering, dancing, and embracing the spirit of Carnival!
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the generosity of our sponsors. We are immensely grateful to the following organisations for their support in making this year’s Carnival Road March coverage a success:
– St. John’s Credit Union
– RF&G Insurance Co. Ltd.
– Caribbean Chicken Ltd.
– Dolphin Productions
– Enrique Martinez & Sons Ltd.
– Holy Redeemer Credit Union
– Digi Wallet
– Fort George Hotel & Spa
– Cellular World
Your contributions help keep the Carnival spirit alive, and we couldn’t have done it without you!
Thank you all for making the Belize City Carnival Road March 2024 an unforgettable celebration! We look forward to bringing you even more exciting coverage next year!
After a week-long of weather uncertainty, Saturday’s dawn broke into clear blue skies befitting the Belize Carnival 2024.
A sea of revellers in vibrant costumes flooded Belize City as they gathered in anticipation for the road march, excited and ready to start the road march. The road march ended at Marion Jones Stadium, where the competing Mas Bands delivered their final performances after a week of being evaluated by a panel of judges.
On Sunday, the top bands were announced by the Belize Carnival Association. The top bands were:
A tragic traffic incident in Santa Elena Town over the weekend claimed the life of 19-year-old Tamisha Jeal. On Sunday morning, Jeal and her brother, Keenan, were on a motorcycle when they collided into a pickup truck. It happened at around 10 o’clock near the Puma Gas Station on the George Price Highway. The siblings were rushed to the Western Regional Hospital, where Tamisha later succumbed.
Tamisha, a recent graduate of Galen University and an Ariel Rosado Scholarship recipient, had earned an Associate degree in Veterinary Technology—Animal Health. She had just celebrated her 19th birthday the day before.
On Facebook, the Belize Wildlife & Referral Clinic posted, “There are no words that can truly convey the devastation we feel. Our cherished volunteer, former intern, and neighbour, Tamisha Jeal, has been taken from us far too soon. She wasn’t just a part of our team; she was the heart of it. Tamisha’s dream was to become a veterinarian, her love for animals boundless and pure. She gave her all, every single day, caring for creatures with a tenderness and dedication that touched us all. She never once asked for anything in return, never once complained, even when the days were long and the work overwhelming. Tamisha did more than care for animals she cared for us. Her daily motivational quotes on our whiteboard lifted us when we could barely stand, pushing us through the hardest days. Her future was as bright as her spirit, but life’s cruel hand has stolen her from us. It’s a heartbreaking truth everything good, everything pure, seems to leave this world too soon. Next week, as we go about our duties, her absence will echo in every corner. She will be missed in ways words can’t describe. Tamisha, may you now care for the creatures beyond the rainbow bridge, with the same love you gave here. We will never forget you. You were our light, and that light will forever be missed.”
Keenan remains hospitalised, receiving treatment for multiple injuries, including several broken bones.
Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) posted on Facebook, “Our heart is with TIDE Community Researcher Keenan Wragg after hearing the tragic news of his and his sister’s traffic accident. TIDE sends our deepest condolences to Keenan and his family for the loss of his sister Tamisha Jeal. We pray for Keenan’s swift recovery.”
Shots were fired on Saturday night in Scotland Halfmoon Village, Belize District. Residents say that shots were fired at around 6:15 p.m. The victim has been identified as 26-year-old Darnell Talbert.
According to police reports, he was in a vehicle with another man when a second vehicle overtook them. Someone inside the second vehicle pulled out a firearm and opened fire. Talbert was injured and rushed to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
News Five understands that several men from Lemonal Village have been detained for questioning.
Police in the Cayo District are investigating the murder of 58-year-old Belhem Guzman Sr. The victim was found in a bushy area off the man road in Camalote Village on Sunday, September 8th. His hands and feet were tied with an extension cord. Investigators observed what appeared to be chop wounds on his neck.
Two days prior to his murder, Guzman went missing. His family asked the public’s assistance in locating him. A relative posted, “Has anyone seen my uncle? We haven’t seen him since yesterday. He sometimes gets lost; he would have no idea where he is and cannot find his way back home. His name is Belhem Guzman, and he lives in Camalote. Please, if anyone might have seen him, please let us know. We are worried. He usually goes home before night because his vision is not good, but from last night he did not go home.”
At 1:40 p.m. on Sunday, the family posted, “We just found my uncle dead.”
Belize City was under water for the most part of the morning. After a heavy, early morning downpour brought on by a tropical wave, numerous streets were inundated by floodwaters. Classes had not been called off, and so students made their way to school. That is until institutions across the country began sending kids home due to the weather. Floodwater was a major inconvenience to pedestrians and low vehicles alike, but most people pressed on. The Belize City Pumping Station was activated and according to the experts, it helped to decrease floodwaters along key streets in downtown Belize City. News Five’s Paul Lopez went out early this morning. Here is what he found.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
A few hours of downpour on Friday morning led to flooding across Belize City. Vehicles and pedestrians alike had to traverse through several inches of water along main thoroughfares. One woman was seen cautiously stepping off the sidewalk and unto the street with water above her ankles on Mahogany Street. The downpour and flood led many schools to call off classes for the day and send students home.
Darwin Retreage
Darwin Retreage, Belize City Resident
“You guh round and tek a circle around there, you will see a lot of people downstairs, a lot of people yard flood out. We yard flood out, it flood.”
Paul Lopez
“What you think happens if the rain continues like this?”
Darwin Retreage
“Well if it continues people downstairs house flood out. Deh wah have to deal with people appliance and carpet and so.”
Kerry Sandoval
Kerry Sandoval, Belize City Resident
“Cho everywhere flood boss, everywhere. Watch how high the water, right now my yard flood. You cant even walk. Flooded bad, watch yah when I walk this morning I the look to slip down because the yard flood.”
In response to the floods, Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner left his office and hit the streets to assess the situation firsthand. We met him at the Yabra Pumping Station. The station came on line in October 2023 to mitigate flooding in the Old Capital.
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
“Obviously as you can see here, the four screws are working efficiently. Really putting out like one cubic meter per screw. So, we are looking at four cubic meter per second of water being pulled. As we sit, based on the engineers, this is just taking off the top of the water currently. We have not locked off the gates as yet, because water is being pushed out in its natural form in different areas of the city.”
Ramon Menjivar, the Assistant City Engineer, further explained that the pumping station should reduce the floodwater’s runoff time by fifty percent.
Ramon Menjivar
Ramon Menjivar, Assistant City Engineer, Belize City Council
“The system allows us to activate the pumps and get the water much faster, not necessarily much faster than what is dropping, because you have to compare the rainfall dropping on a land mass, as compared to the facility of the pumping action.”
Paul Lopez
“What should be people’s expectations in terms of how fast the water should run off, compared to not having the turbines in place?”
Ramon Menjivar
“I would say about fifty percent right now, so if we expect the water to run off in six hours, we could have the water with the pumps activated, two to three hours.”
In the immediate area of the pumping station, residents were complaining that floodwater inundated their properties like never before. They questioned the effectiveness of the pumping station, while pointing out an accumulation of garbage in the canal.
Darwin Retreage
“We never does have this problem from when this mih build. Before this build water does run off quick. Less than half an hour. Since this build, this dah wah problem for this community around here. You go around and take a circle; you see a lot of flood people the flood out. You take a picture over there you will see how the garbage pile up, when this the stir up people the tek lick with the mud scent.”
Bernard Wagner
“Flooding is everywhere globally. If you look at Miami, our people need to appreciate that climate change is here and they have to play their role in keeping their yards clean of shrubs, ensuring the drain in front of their yards are clean. It is not just a city council task to take on drainage in front of residents. You should have that civic pride to take pride in your property to ensure that you aid in alleviating flooding in your neck of the woods. We will do our best, but you always require participation by the residents. This is not a one person activity. It requires participation, collaboration, everyone on board. It is not only Belize City, flooding occurs globally, all across the world.”
And while, that was the situation in Belize City, News Five received reports of flooding across the country, especially in the west where several streets were seen underwater in Bullet Tree, Cayo. But all roads lead to the Old Capital tomorrow for the 2024 Carnival Road March. Today, the Chairman of the National Celebrations Committee, Minister Francis Fonseca told News Five that based on the expert advice of the Chief Met Officer, the Belize Carnival Association, in consultation with the committee, will proceed with the road march as scheduled. When we asked Mayor Wagner for his thoughts, he had a different view.
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
“You have to play it by ear. I believe you have to be able to see that the rains will to some extent continue and you don’t want indecision, you don’t want indecisiveness. Carnival is about an activity where you want the sun, an experience. So if you are in and out and not sure, you will turn people off. So you have to be decisive in your decision making, will you have it or not have it. So you have to start making plans, if you are not having it then what other dates are we looking at. People will not go and stand up in rain, it is a reality. And so, the organizers have to quickly decide, even if the rains stops, will the streets still have moisture? Will it still draw the same sort of excitement? I am all for the carnival being celebrated on another day?”
The rain certainly did not stop this week’s mas camp events. Several bands danced under the rainy night skies. They told us that their costumes are durable, and that rain can’t stop the Soca jam. Today, we also sought the opinion of Belize City residents on whether the carnival road march should be postponed. Here is a perspective from one carnival band leader and a resident we spoke with.
David Matus
David Matus, Band Leader, Titans Mas Camp
“As you can see we started off in the rain, because no rain cant stop this jam. So if you are worried about the weather, the weather is not going to stop us. Our customs are durable. You could use it every time, nothing will go wrong with it. So it is durability at its best.”
Kerry Sandoval
Kerry Sandoval, Belize City Resident
“Cho, I feel like deh have to cancel that. I am not into the carnival. I go to church and thing. I am not into the carnival. I not even care. But you cant have carnival on the tenth of September that is what I want to make them know, cause yeah we have to celebrate the tenth and twenty-first. After that year, they could have their carnival and dash out.”
According to the National Met Service, the central and northern areas of Belize received the most rain between nine p.m. on Thursday night and midday today. Belize City received over five inches of rain. The good news is that the showers have decreased. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected over the next twelve to eight hours. But the good news is that a general decrease in showers is expected on Saturday.
Shanea Young
Shanea Young, Senior Climatologist, National Meteorological Service
“For the next eight to twelve a few showers, isolated thunderstorms and periods of rain, but mostly over coastal and northern areas tonight and tomorrow morning. And then during the course of the day tomorrow, a general decrease in showers is expected. We can still get up to about two to four inches of rainfall between now and tomorrow morning, and then conditions become a little less moist with showers decreasing over the area.”
Britney Gordon
“ As you mentioned, Belize City is experiencing the most rainfall, we can expect this to persist tomorrow as well? And if so, what areas specifically in Belize City?”
Shanea Young
“The rains and also the showers, Belize City is very small in the Belize District. So it’s the entire Belize District that got the most rainfall. But In terms of the showers, basically, especially the ones that have passed us, they cover the entire city. So both the north and the south side of the city has received around almost the same amount. Slightly less on the southern portions of the city with the areas near Port of Belize and the Coastal getting around one hundred sixty millimeters while on the north side. That was the area that got the 138 millimeters. And so tonight into tomorrow, there is no differentiation between which parts of the city should get at least light rain tonight into tomorrow. But like I mentioned after tomorrow morning, shower activity across the country, not just in the city, should start to decrease. As we go into the weekend.”
Britney Gordon
“So when you say tomorrow morning, around what time do you mean? Because as we know, we have activities very early on in the morning as well. So can we expect heavy rainfall during those as well?”
Shanea Young
“It’s still possible, but not as much. So by the afternoon, it should clear up. By, I would say maybe like by nine o’clock or so tomorrow morning, the significant shower activity should decrease.”
If you were travelling along the Coastal Plain Highway this afternoon, you may have had to navigate large craters and stretches of broken road. This was due to the extensive damage caused by a bulldozer earlier today. During periods of torrential rain, motorists are already advised to exhibit extreme caution when travelling along the Coastal Plain Highway; however, this incident forced drivers to become even more vigilant to the dangers on the road. Reports are that the mishap was caused by the pin securing the tow hitch breaking off, resulting in the bulldozer sliding off a flatbed and breaking the road below it. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing responded to the incident and began repairing the damage. No injuries have been reported at this time.
