Tonight, police are delving into the tragic death of a man in southern Belize. On Tuesday, at approximately 3:47 p.m., officers responded to a distressing report at the Red Bank Dump in Stann Creek District. Upon arrival, they discovered the lifeless body of thirty-five-year-old Wilmer Che, bearing multiple cut wounds and discarded among the trash. Che was swiftly transported to the Southern Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. As the investigation unfolds, we await further details from the authorities.
Month: October 2024
B.S.I. Counteracting Fall in International Sugar Prices
On Tuesday, Belize Sugar Industries (B.S.I.) proudly announced a record-breaking price for sugar cane, heralding a promising boost for the livelihoods of cane farmers across Belize. This increase in cane prices paints a hopeful picture for the local agricultural community. However, it’s a bittersweet victory, as the global market price for sugar itself has taken a downturn, posing significant challenges for the industry. In an interview, B.S.I.’s Financial Director, Shawn Chavarria, shared insights on how the company is proactively addressing these hurdles to ensure sustained growth and stability.
Shawn Chavarria, Financial Director, B.S.I.
“We’ve started to see prices come under pressure. And so we’re not expecting a third consecutive year of record prices, unfortunately. But what we continue to have in a sense as an advantage is that the expansion in value-added production will help to cushion this fall in the world market price for sugar. And so by having that diversified portfolio of being able to sell more value-added sugar, that helps to soften some of the blow when prices see these dramatic fall. Prices for direct consumption sugar will also reduce, but the volatility will not be as much as raw sugar. And so we’re not expecting that prices will fall to the levels we saw in the when the EU deregulation took place in 2017 but it will start feeling some pressure due to the fall in global sugar prices.”
Reporter
“Who is buying these dc sugars?”
Shawn Chavarria
“It’s actually a wide group of customers. We’re currently selling these direct consumption sugars to over twenty-five close to thirty countries. In the world. And so we’re selling to a majority of the Caribbean countries presently, even the small eastern Caribbean islands. We’re selling to a number of countries in Europe. We’re selling to the UK. They are one of our biggest takers of product. So over the past five, six years, we’ve really been able to develop and diversify the customer base so that we are able to take advantages and divert sugar to where we’re seeing more attractive prices.”
Bureau of Standards Implementing New Standards Policy
Today, the Belize Bureau of Standards hosted an engaging familiarization workshop for key industry players involved in measuring, weighing, and quantifying goods. This initiative is part of the Bureau’s mission to advance Belize’s national quality infrastructure, focusing on standardization, metrology, and conformity assessment. The workshop aimed to refresh participants’ knowledge as the Bureau transitions from policy development to active implementation. Director Samantha Banner emphasized the crucial role of diverse sector participation in this process. Adding an international perspective, Riccardo Benvenuti from the British Standards Institution lent his expertise to support the initiative.
Samantha Banner, Director, Belize Bureau of Standards
“It’s an opportunity to bring everybody together to work to develop this quality infrastructure system that will help improve the quality of life for our Belizeans, one where we look beyond price because that’s always the major point, looking beyond price and looking at quality and start demanding quality in everything that is done within our country. As it relates to verification of wing and measuring instruments, we do have a system schedule where we do verification exercises. We do ensure to the best of our ability that these weighing and measuring instruments are verified. And as a consumer, you can identify that we verified a weighing or measuring instrument by a sticker that we affix to that instrument. We also encourage you to look up for that sticker. If it’s not there, you can always give us a call and you can let us know that your local grocery down the street from you doesn’t have a sticker on their scale. And you want us to come and we come so we and we have a hotline number. It’s zero, eight hundred, two, eight, three, five, five, eight, seven or you can email us at the help desk at.”
Riccardo Benvenuti, Rep., British Standards Institution
“The idea is to support government standards body abroad, but also private sector to use international standards to open their opportunity to international and sustainable trade. We’re really happy to see that in these years the policy has been approved by the government. But we all know that one thing is approving a policy, and the other thing is actually implementing it. So, there are a lot of policies sitting on shelves that are actually not implemented. So, under standard partnership, we are supporting and empowering BBS, the government of Belize, or also all the other stakeholders in implementing this policy, which is really key for the economy of Belize.”
Bert Vasquez Appeals Rape Charge Again, Five Years Later
This morning, convicted sex offender Bert Vasquez made a return to the Court of Appeal after a five-year hiatus. Back in 2019, Vasquez, unrepresented, attempted to challenge the four-year sentence he received in November 2018 for attempted rape. However, his appeal was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Currently serving a ten-year sentence for the forcible abduction and sexual assault of a sixteen-year-old girl, Vasquez is once again seeking the court’s reconsideration. The specifics of his latest appeal remain undisclosed, as media access was restricted by the President of the Court of Appeals. Presenting his case without legal representation, Vasquez addressed Justices Minett Hafiz-Bertram, Woodstock Riley, and Peter Foster, who, along with the Director of Public Prosecutions, participated virtually. The court has reserved its decision on today’s proceedings, with no date set for the next session.
Northern Regional Hospital Responds to Public Officer’s Allegation
On Monday night, we shared a father’s distressing account, accusing the Northern Regional Hospital of negligence. He claimed he had to rush his son to a private clinic for urgent care after the public facility failed to treat him. According to the father, his eleven-year-old son, who had suffered a deep gash between his eyebrows from a fall, waited over an hour without receiving any medical attention. Frustrated by the long wait and lack of care, they left the hospital. The father also mentioned seeing the medical staff chatting idly when he peeked into the ER. In response, the Northern Regional Hospital defended its actions today, stating that the child did not wait for an hour and that his vitals were taken promptly. However, by the time the medical team was ready to attend to his injury, the child was no longer there. Attempts to contact the hospital for further comments were unsuccessful, as the phone lines were reportedly down on Monday. Felix Rhaburn, the Regional Health Manager, provided their side of the story, emphasizing the hospital’s commitment to patient care.
Felix Rhaburn, Regional Health Manager, N.R.H.
“We would like to empathize with the client and the father for their experience. And, secondly, we did a review or an investigation of the complaint, and we were not able to verify a significant portion of the statement that the individual had given to different media hosts. So, we verified and the child arrived with the mother at two-fifty-six p.m. And they left at around 3:30, so they didn’t spend an hour at our facility.. So the client and the partner for, um, their experience. And, um, secondly, we did a review or an investigation of the complaint, and, um, we were not able to verify a significant portion of the statement that the individual have, um, given to different media hosts. So, we, um, verified and a child arrived with the mother at 2. 56 p.m. And they left at around 3. So they didn’t spend an hour at our facility. In response to no interruption, the healthcare provider, again, that was incorrect. Immediately, the child was triaged and classified as a priority case. And, um, from there, they have a turnaround time that we work with and they left within that turnaround time. And as far as we’re concerned yesterday, we had some issues with the phone line.”
Jenica Needs Donations to Take Surgery
A few weeks ago, we shared the story of eleven-year-old Jenica Jenkins, a brave young girl battling Scoliosis, a condition that causes the spine to curve abnormally and progressively worsen over time. Today, there’s a glimmer of hope as Jenica has received a response from Shriner’s Children’s Hospital. Her mother, Kezia Young, is reaching out to the community for support. If you wish to help, you can contact her at 621-8940. Kezia is eager to explain the next steps in Jenica’s journey towards better health.
Kezia Young, Mother of Jenica Jenkins
“I got in contact with Shriners Children’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida, and her case was closed. After communication, they reopened her case, so we are going through the application process to have her get the care she needs. So right now what we are looking for is sponsorship because they can only provide a certain amount of care for the patient. But when it comes to parents and guardians to travel with her, there’s certain things we would have to cover like getting her visa, getting transportation to and from the U. S. So those are things that we are currently working on. We do have a couple people who have reached out, willing to donate and pay for certain things. They don’t want to be considered sponsors because they’re not sponsoring the whole trip, just portions of it, which we are very grateful for. We need to apply for both our visas, however, the application is – until we are definitely granted approval, then apply for the visas, but that’s it. By the grace of God, we will be granted, and her case will be approved. So, we still need to apply for a visa. And in the event that we can’t get care from Shriners, we do plan on still going to the U. S. To get help for her. So, visas are needed. Money for tickets is needed for food and lodging, food and lodging. Of course, we don’t have somewhere to stay yet. I do have family; however, they are families that have their own life, and things that they’re dealing with right now. So, my family unfortunately can’t assist us at this time, but they have been donating. They have been reaching out and helping us, you know, find places that would be reasonable hotel-wise or lodging-wise. They’re sending different information that can help towards us getting over there. We just need to finish the application process for confirmation approval.”
Marion Ali
“Okay. And baby, how have you been lately?”
Jenica Jenkins
“Well, sometimes when I’m trying to relax, my back hurts and I have to get in a position where I can get comfortable. And I’m feeling okay right now, so I hope everything is going to be fine with me.”
Moses Barrow Condemns Tracy Panton’s Takeover of UDP HQ
Moses Barrow fired off a press statement under the United Democratic Party (UDP), condemning what he describes as a “criminal takeover” of the party’s headquarters by Tracy Panton and the Alliance for Democracy Party.
The statement says that the Alliance forcefully seized the party’s property in actions broadcast live, which they say threaten democracy and show a disregard for the rule of law.
According to the statement, this takeover reflects a pursuit of power “by any means,” including alleged criminality. Barrow criticises the Alliance’s lack of a court order to justify the property seizure.
“The UDP finds the failure of the ComPol to protect against these unlawful acts disheartening. We are reliably informed and he conceded as much publicly that his instructions to the police was for them to do nothing despite the police report filed by UDP deputy Party Chairman, despite live video of Panton/Saldivar operatives breaking and entering the UDP offices, despite admitting to the press that the Alliance needed a court order to take possession of our property.”
“The UDP is confident that the Judiciary is the peaceful and democratic way to right the wrongs of Panton/Saldivar Alliance.”
Health Ministry Responds to Concerns at Northern Regional Hospital
The Ministry of Health and Wellness is today addressing allegations made by a father in Orange Walk Town. As we reported on Tuesday, the father is alleging negligence on the part of the Northern Regional Hospital after being forced to rush his son to a private clinic for urgent care. The father told News Five that his eleven-year-old son waited over an hour at the public hospital without being attended to. The boy had suffered a deep cut between his eyebrows after a fall, which was bleeding heavily and required stitches.
According to the ministry, surveillance footage shows the child and an adult arriving at 2:56 p.m., receiving triage evaluation, and classified as a “priority” due to no active bleeding or altered consciousness. The ministry says that by 3:18 p.m., hospital management was informed of the parent’s concern, and a senior officer initiated a review. It said that at 3:36 p.m., the child had left the hospital.
“The Ministry assures the public that the Accident and Emergency Room follows a precise triage system to ensure patients receive appropriate and timely care.”
US Election: 6 Days to Go as Harris, Trump Push for Swing States
With just six days until the U.S. election, both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are intensifying efforts to secure critical support in battleground states. Harris addressed supporters at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C.—the site of Trump’s January 6, 2021, rally—while Trump campaigned in Allentown, Pennsylvania, following recent controversy over racially charged remarks made at a New York rally.
In the polls, Harris holds a slim 1.4-point national lead, according to FiveThirtyEight. However, swing-state races remain exceptionally close. Harris leads in Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin, but Trump has slight edges in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, and Georgia, with all seven states showing margins within two points.
Polling data from Reuters/Ipsos shows Harris’s national lead narrowing, with just a one-point advantage over Trump, 44% to 43%. The race has grown closer in recent weeks, down from a two-point lead in mid-October, and the current margin of error leaves outcomes uncertain as both campaigns push to sway undecided voters ahead of November 5.
RTA on Coney Drive in Belize City
One person was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital following a road traffic accident on Coney Drive in Belize City. The incident happened at around 1 p.m. and it involved a Nissan and a motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle was taken to the hospital.
An investigation into the incident has been launched.