October, 2024 - Channel 5 Belize

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Members Meet with MLA

The Commission members are in Belize to catch up with two Maya organizations and see how well Belize is doing in implementing court rulings. They’re also here to iron out any issues that are causing delays. Back in 2004, the Commission put out a report based on a petition from the MLA and TAA. Cristina Coc mentioned that this visit is happening because the MLA and TAA asked for it.

Cristina Coc, Spokesperson, MLA/TAA

“Last year, November, um, we held a working session or a compliance working session with the Inter American Commission in November. And it was at that compliance session that we asked the commission, Commission to come and visit Belize to do a site visit. We’ve been asking for this for the last 20 years, right? But it’s only until last year that the government accepted because they have to come at the as a guest of the government. And so the government approved the request and we plan for them to visit this year. Um, but, um, of course it’s the government’s prerogative on where they go. The only thing we have established. was that they would do a working session, an onsite working session with us to assess, you know, where they are with their, with their recommendations to, to hold two seminars or to hold a seminar, um, to help develop capacities around human rights and how the intersection with Indigenous Peoples rights, how that is a part of human rights. It comes right after the last compliance hearing of the CCJ consent order, which was on the 10th of October. And on the 10th of October, that was when we are, of course, before the CCJ, seeing what has happened in terms of the advancement of the implementation. That was the first time we learned of the changes in the, uh, my customer land tenure policy that we have been negotiating for some time now. And the context in that regard is that for some time now we have been deliberating on what the policy will look like. The policy is supposed to be the guiding instrument that will inform the development of the legislation. So it’s a very important document. It will tell you what the parameters are. of where the law will find its place. And so for us, it’s important that the policy captures the spirit of the judgment of the courts, captures the essence of the bundle of rights that Maya people are afforded or that the recognition affords.”

Minister Says GoB Working Towards Drafting Policy on Maya Land Tenure

News Five spoke via phone with Minister Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, the Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, who said that the government has been flexible, and liberal with the Mayas and that it does not want to come across as depriving the Mayas of land or putting them in a box. The minister said that there has been extensive consultation in the process and that it looks forward to coming to a final draft in due course on Maya land tenure.

On the phone: Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs

“Unfortunately, there was a twisting of the proposal that the government put and quite erroneously it was put out there that government was only going to give a kilometer radius or a 2 kilometer radius and that is all the land that could be claimed by a village communally. But let me clarify. What we basically said is that we would be willing to recognize that area automatically without the village having to prove use on occupation because clearly their homes are there. No, beyond that. What the villagers would have to do make with a auto shop, for example, or make with a mobile, for example, what they would have to show to apply for communal ownership of further lands beyond the radius is they would have to show. Use an occupation of that land for about 30 years. We were using a reasonable amount of time, 30 years prior to the ruling of the court in 2015. so let me make it abundantly clear what was proposed at the time was not. Pending people into a 1 kilometer or a 2 kilometer radius, but to say that the government in its policy and legislation would be willing to recognize that area. Automatically without the village having to prove. I would not wish for it to be said, or to, or for it to be understood by any of the Belizean people that government is trying to put the Maya people in their villages into a little box and only give them, you Like, like, say, a kilometer or whatever, or a little bit of land as such, because we must respect again. I repeat, we must respect that. If there has been a ruling of the court recognizing my customary land tenure, the difficult job of government along with our partners and we view. The T. A. A. D. M. L. A. As partners, although it may seem adversarial at times, we view all of them as partners.”

Suicide Prevention Panel Discussion: “Changing the Narrative”

Suicide is one of those topics that is considered taboo to talk about, especially among the adolescent population. But the Mental Health Association and UNICEF Belize are of the view that youths must have these conversations. As a result, they partnered with the Department of Youth Services to host a panel discussion on suicide prevention led by high school students. The discussion was moderated by a mental health professional, with additional experts on standby to offer intervention. News Five’s Paul Lopez was there. He filed the following report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Ministry of Health and Wellness reports that suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged fifteen to twenty-nine. Considering this alarming statistic, the Belize Mental Health Association and UNICEF Belize teamed up with the Department of Youth Services to host a panel discussion on suicide prevention and mental health, led by high school students.

Christa Courtenay, President, Belize Mental Health Association

“There is a moderator and of course professionals on standby in case we need to intervene. The idea is that they are having conversations anyway. So, we would like to give them a safe space to talk about suicide, suicide prevention, give them tips and ideas. There are also resources that are printed out an available for them while connected them with the UNICEF resources, the Your Report program, etc.”

Panelist #1

“To add to the common misconception that people who talk about suicide are just seeking attention, whether or not its for attention or them seeking out for help, the root of the problem should always be found, because talking about it might be their way of generally seeking help and them feeling a sense of hopelessness.”

Students from thirteen high schools gathered at the Princess Hotel to engage in the panel discussion. UNICEF Belize’s health and nutrition specialist says, globally adolescents do not have a lot of opportunities to address their mental health challenges or access to the necessary services.

Dr. Olusola Oladegi, Health and Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Belize

“The event today is to commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day which focus on changing the narrative. What does it mean to change the narrative? For example, we know that suicide is something nobody wants to talk about. We need to talk about it and be sensitive about it. It is like when people die you say someone committed suicide like it is an offense. Nobody committed suicide. When people die from suicide, we should say this person took his life or this person died by suicide, not that somebody committed suicided. So today, we would like to bring students from so many schools in Belize, let them talk about suicide. There are so many issues associated with suicide. People have anxiety, depression, family problems, the issue of poverty, gender-based violence, bullying.”

Panelist #2

“The research conducted or that we have gathered shows that males have a higher suicide rate compared to females, although females may attempt suicide more frequently. This is from the ministry of health and Wellness in 2022. And according to PAHO, rural areas in Belize tend to have higher suicide rate likely due to limited access to mental health services and economic hardship.”

Reporter

“What advice would you give to parents or grandparents who wants their kids to open more to them?”

Christa Courtenay

“That is a big question. If someone is interested in getting their child to open more to them, drop your opinion, drop your judgment and just listen. Before you try to change their minds, hear where they are coming from and try to understand what they are feeling and where they are before you try to change their minds. Teenagers specifically do not care how much you know how much you care.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Bringing Maya Civilization to the Fore Digitally

The Maya Civilization has been around for several thousand years and the amount of memorabilia that has been discovered is wide and varied. Yet not every Belizean can boast that they’ve had the opportunity to view these gems close-up. But now, through digitization and technology, the Museum of Belize made space for a display of Mayan memorabilia in digital form. It seeks to bring visuals of these artifacts to the fore. News Five’s Marion Ali was at a ceremony at the Museum for the launch of the exhibition. Here’s that report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

An exhibition that opened today at the Museum of Belize seeks to educate visitors on Maya existence in Belize dating back to the past four thousand years. It does so through digital images of these artifacts for students and tourists alike. And Governor-General, Froyla T’zalam, a Maya woman herself, explained why the Maya culture should matter to every Belizean.

Froyla T’zalam, Governor General of Belize

“What does the ancient Maya civilization mean to me? And why should it matter to you? An underlying feeling I had growing up in the 1970s was that the ancient Maya civilization had nothing to do with me. I mean, I don’t know how to read or write Maya hieroglyphs, or even use the system known as the vejicimal, based on 20 number system. And I most certainly do not live on a pyramid. I could not relate the life I had with those who were being described in history books. We don’t have a time machine, but I am told we now have this beautiful exhibition with all the latest gadgets.”

The display takes one on a walk back in time to have a better appreciation of how these early inhabitants lived. And present-day people can use it to compare it to how we live now. This learning process underscores one thing for Francis Fonseca, the Minister of Education and Culture. It is part of a bigger effort to pump life into Belize’s cultural history.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Culture

“In 2002, we took a monumental step by opening the Museum of Belize, right where we are today, 22 long years after gaining our independence. And 22 years ago, we are here. Transforming a former jail, a prison into a sanctuary of learning was not just an idea. It was a dream. Niche has breeded life. into several initiatives that honor our culture and creativity. We opened the Museum of Belizean Art, launched the Belize Music Project, celebrated a diverse group of creatives, and initiated the Access 501 Digital Project. We’ve even signed an MOU to transform George prices family home into a vibrant classroom and botanical garden.”

Akirah August explained that it is a new project they have embarked on at the Institute of Archaeology called digital archeology.

Akirah August, Research Officer, Institute of Archaeology

“We use photogrammetry and lidar to create. 3D models and 3D images of our artifacts and, um, of our monuments and different parts of our structures, different important parts of our structures. So when you use photogrammetry, it’s a photoprocess. So you would take an image, you would take an artifact, put it on a laser susan or what we call a turntable, you know, the baker’s whorl. And you would turn the, Ima turn the object around and take several photos of it from raging from a hundred to maybe up to like 500 photos of it in different, um, angles and on different sides of the artifact.”

The Ministry of Culture is hoping that introducing this type of digitization at the museum, it will give more people the chance to learn more about Maya civilization. Marion Ali for News Five.

Sbarro Belize Officially Opens Its Doors in Belize City

Guess what! Belize just got a slice of New York! Sbarro, the legendary pizza joint from Brooklyn that’s been serving up cheesy goodness for sixty-eight years, has landed at mile three and a half on the Phillip Goldson Highway. They kicked things off with a grand opening event on Tuesday night, where lucky guests got to dig into their hand-made New York pizzas. News Five’s Paul Lopez was there to give us the scoop. Here’s his report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Sbarro Pizza has officially landed in Belize! Adding to its impressive tally of six hundred and eighty locations across twenty-eight countries, Belize is the newest stop on their global pizza tour. They’re all set to win hearts, and stomachs, with their hand-made New York pizzas.

Sbarro Pizza Customer #1

“One word, delicious. The flavor, richness, texture, everything in one.”

Sbarro Pizza Customer #2

“Delicious.”

Sbarro Pizza Customer #3

“Amazing.”

These are just some of the reviews from guests at the grand opening celebration on Tuesday night. There was no shortage of samples. The menu is extensive. Located at mile three and a half, Sbarro is whipping up its delicious pizzas from inside Publics Mini Mart, right next to Transparent BPO. Jenniffer Corzo, the CEO of Sbarro Belize, says they’re here to add even more flavor to Belize’s culinary scene.

Jennifer Corzo, C.E.O, Sbarro Belize

“It has been a journey but we are be happy to have a new franchise here in Belize because we want to enrich the culinary of Belize.”

Paul Lopez

“What makes Sbarro stand out from other pizzas we may be familiar with or tried in our lifetime?”

Jennifer Corzo

“Of course, the quality, the quality of our ingredients, the quality of our final products and our installations too.”

Paul Lopez

“Are there challenges we have had to overcome along the way to get to where we are today?”

Jennifer Corzo

“Yes of course, the importing of the ingredients, because we bring everything from outside.”

Well, almost everything. Corzo explained that the restaurant sources its vegetables and flour locally. But, in order to maintain certain quality standards, franchises like Sbarro are required to import most of their ingredients. The high cost of importation is arguably one of the primary reasons why franchises do not last in Belize. Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner welcomed the franchise and contends that central government intervention is required to address this issue.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“We need more, we need more franchises and I feel excited with respect to the franchise taking footing in Belize City. We dah the commercial city with over seventy thousand residents living in Belize City and additionally we have thousands of people coming in to the city each and every day to work in our city. We have to make the incentives competitive for these franchise in terms of cost of production. It has to be a situation where the importation for the products that will make the end product, you have to give people some run in terms of what you charge with importation and that sort of thing.”

Eight talented Belizeans are now part of the team at the Publics and Sbarro mini-mart. And guess what? The chef is a local star too, trained specifically to whip up Sbarro’s famous pizzas. Sbarro Belize isn’t stopping here—they’re already plotting their next moves to Placencia Village and San Pedro Town.

Jennifer Corzo

“We are happy to be here. We are waiting and we open the doors tomorrow. We want all Belizean families to please try our products because we don’t jus have pizzas, we have strombolis and bread sticks.”

Reporter

“Do you feel your prices are competitive? What are the prices like for your pizza?”

Jennifer Corozo

“The prices, the whole pie is between fifty and sixty dollars. We sell the slices too and the slices between ten and thirteen dollars.”

Christopher Coye, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance

“We have had challenges with franchises in Belize, but I am very confident that this one will work and be very successful.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

Baby Sitter Recounts Moment King Went Missing

Fifty-six-year-old babysitter Jennifer Fitzgibbon spoke to News 5 today, recounting the moment six-year-old King Shakel Wade went missing. The boy’s body was found late Tuesday evening in the canal near Fairweather Street and South Creek. Wade had been under the care of Fitzgibbon.

Fitzgibbon explained to News 5 that she had told King to sit on an old refrigerator outside her home while she cared for other children. “Well, I was getting ready to go out to take another child home. At the same time, he was looking to go through the gate. So I tell him, King, don’t go through that gate because he likes to walk about. So I tell him to come inside and sit down on the refrigerator in the front there.”

Fitzgibbon says she returned to the second floor when King’s sister came looking for him and was informed by a neighbour’s child that King had fallen into the nearby canal. Fitzgibbon says they began searching the area. “So we went looking around. We went searching the areas where he would be. We came back, and I told her to go and check near the canal one more time and see if you see his slippers. And when I hear her bawl out, I see the two slippers in the canal, and that is when they start to search.”

Wade’s lifeless body was later discovered. Fitzgibbon, who had been caring for King for about 5 months, expressed deep sorrow over the incident. “I can’t even explain it. I am telling you. It hurts.”

She mentioned that this had never happened before, and despite her warnings to the children about the canal, she is now faced with guilt and scrutiny from the public.

Full story on News 5 Live at 6 o’clock.

Police investigate Fire in Dangriga Town, 3 Buildings Damaged

Students Host Panel to “Change the Narrative”

High school students took the lead in a panel discussion to destigmatise conversations around suicide and “Change the Narrative.” The event was hosted in Belize City to commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day. Organised by the Belize Mental Health Association and UNICEF Belize, in collaboration with the Department of Youth Services, the discussion aimed to equip students with the resources and support necessary for mental health advocacy.

Christa Courtenay, President of the Belize Mental Health Association, stressed the importance of providing a safe space for youths to discuss these issues: “There is a moderator and of course professionals on standby in case we need to intervene. The idea is that they are having conversations anyway. So, we would like to give them a safe space to talk about suicide, suicide prevention, give them tips and ideas.”

Health and Nutrition Specialist at UNICEF Belize, Dr. Olusola Oladegi, noted the need to change societal perceptions surrounding suicide: “What does it mean to change the narrative? For example, we know that suicide is something nobody wants to talk about. We need to talk about it and be sensitive about it.” He urged participants to reframe language surrounding suicide, stating, “We should say this person took his life or this person died by suicide, not that somebody committed suicide.”

The panel discussion also addressed various factors contributing to suicide, including anxiety, depression, family issues, and bullying. One panellist noted the disparity in suicide rates, revealing that “males have a higher suicide rate compared to females, although females may attempt suicide more frequently.”

Senate Committee Disappointed by Witnesses’ Lack of Engagement in Public Hearing

The Senate Special Select Committee (SSSC) is expressing disappointment during its 24th meeting conducted today regarding the controversial Portico “Definitive Agreement” after key witnesses, Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie and Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Senator Christopher Coye, attended but refused to answer questions.

The SSSC noted that in this morning’s session, “The Committee was surprised at the witnesses’ failure to participate in the Public Hearing.” The SSSC further criticised comments made by Senator Coye, which they interpreted as undermining the Committee’s work saying, “That is unacceptable.”

“The Committee hereby reaches out to Cabinet Secretary Stuart Leslie and Senator the Hon. Christopher Coye to reconsider their decision and meaningfully support the work of the SSSC in this important matter of public interest.”

In his opening statement, Leslie stressed the confidentiality of Cabinet documents, stating he was bound by his oath not to disclose any information. He declined to provide evidence or documents to the committee, reiterating, “I have been advised that I am not at liberty to discuss any Cabinet documents or deliberations.”

NHC Continues to Monitor Potential Tropical Development

The Caribbean continues to be on alert as a broad area of low pressure in the southwestern region could bring heavy rainfall and possible tropical development this week. Forecasters say it has a “20 percent” chance of formation within the next 48 hours. The National Hurricane Centre stated that there is potential for “gradual development” if the system remains over water while moving “slowly northwestward toward Central America. ” Regardless of development, “locally heavy rainfall is possible across portions of Central America and southern Mexico later this week and into the weekend,” the NHC added.

Near the Leeward Islands, the NHC reports that the circulation of another disturbance, AL94, has become “less defined since yesterday.” The system is expected to move generally westward, with environmental conditions deemed “marginally conducive for gradual development” later this week. The formation chance is currently at 30 percent for the next 48 hours.

Men Who Found King’s Body Recount Tragic Incident

Six-year-old King Shakel Wade was found dead in a canal near Fairweather Street and South Creek in Belize City on Tuesday evening. He had been under the care of a babysitter when he disappeared. After an hour-long search, his body was recovered from the canal and taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The men who searched for his body spoke to News 5 today. Myers told News 5, “When I see everybody start jumping in the water, then I say, just make I go. As I jump in the water when I go to the bottom, I feel the foot.”

Another man who jumped in the canal is Arnold Smith. According to Smith, “First thing I got in my head, go home, take off the clothes I got on, no hesitation, and jump in the water. Don’t worry about what is down there; just jump in the water and try to save the young boy.”

Assisting the men was to them was coast guard officer, Noel Avila. Avila told News 5, “At that time, my parental instinct kicked in, and I told the chief, I’m going in the water. Knowing the debris and all the stuff that’s in the water, I still went in. I had on my tennis, shoes, you know, and I did start bobbing. A technique that we use.”

Ashton Thurton also jumped into the canal to assist in the search.

King’s body was then transported to the KHMH where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to police, authorities responded to the scene around 5:45 p.m. after receiving a report of a child falling into the canal. Upon arrival, officers spoke to 56-year-old babysitter Jennifer Fitzgibbon, who stated that Wade had been seated on an old refrigerator outside her home while she attended to other children. Around 3:30 p.m., one of Wade’s siblings began looking for him and was informed by a minor that Wade had fallen into the water.

A search for the young boy ensued, and at approximately 4:30 p.m., Wade’s slipper was found near the canal. His lifeless body was recovered at 6:15 p.m.

Other persons in the area assisted with the search.

Mayor Bernard: “It’s a Supervision Issue”