Belize is getting ready for COP29, the United Nations Climate Change Conference happening in Azerbaijan this November. Building on COP28, this conference is another key opportunity for countries to be held accountable for their environmental actions.
Minister of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Orlando Habet, noted the importance of Belize’s involvement in the decision-making process to protect the country’s interests.
Minister Habet said that while there was agreement on transitioning from fossil fuels, the lack of binding commitments raises concerns. He pointed out that the “Loss and Damage” fund has only received about $800 million in financial support, which is far too low.
For COP29, Minister Habet will be leading in finance discussion and strengthening the region’s negotiating power as he represents the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). He said his focus on finance and transparency, stating, “The adaptation fund, they even informed us that that $100 billion that we had been asking for was released in 2022. There’s no transparency on that part. So for COP 29, what we’re asking is more transparency on one, the acquisition of the funding, the facilitation of that funding, and how it is being distributed.
Just over a week ago, a BDF officer was run over by a military pickup truck after he fell asleep on a road in Price Barracks in Ladyville. The officer was returning to his quarters in the early morning following a regimental dinner.
Brigadier General Azariel Loria, Commander of the Belize Defence Force (BDF), said that the incident occurred last Thursday when the officer “fell asleep on the road.” Brig. Gen. Loria added, “The officer was trying to walk back to his room, but for some reason he fell asleep on the road. It’s an area that is poorly illuminated, and there were a slew of vehicles that were trafficking to go back again to their bedrooms to sleep, and it so happens that one of those vehicles run him over.”
According to Loria, the officer suffered minor injuries only and “by the grace of God, he is doing well.”
“I don’t know what he is made of, but he did survive. He was run over properly by a pickup truck, and he is at home recuperating.”
When asked about the driver’s potential intoxication, Loria said, “I don’t know if it was drinking or not. An investigation is being conducted into that.” He added, “Whenever anyone gets into an accident, his driver’s license is suspended depending on the outcome of the investigation.”
Voters in the United States are three days away until the presidential election takes place on November 5. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are neck and neck in key Midwestern swing states like Michigan and Wisconsin.
At rallies on Friday, Harris criticised Trump for his comments about former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, whom he suggested should have “guns trained on her.” Trump defended his statement, claiming it was a valid critique of Cheney’s foreign policy.
Polls indicate a tight race, with Harris leading nationally by 1.3 points, but her advantage in critical swing states is shrinking. In Michigan, she has a narrow lead of about 1 point, while Trump leads in Nevada by 0.4 points. In Wisconsin, Harris’s lead has increased slightly to 0.8 points.
Looking ahead, Harris will campaign in Charlotte, North Carolina, promising a star-studded rally to rally support in a state Democrats haven’t won since 2008. Trump is also headed to Charlotte, where he maintains a slight lead in the polls.
Both candidates are focusing on persuading undecided voters as they enter the final stretch of the campaign.
A construction worker named Marlon Ocampos, 26, was injured in a machete attack during a dispute with a coworker on Sea Shore Drive in Belize City.
Reports indicate that police found him bleeding from a deep cut on his left arm. Ocampos explained that the injury allegedly happened after an argument at a nearby construction site.
He chose not to take legal action against the attacker and did not want to provide more details to the police. Ocampos was taken to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City for treatment.
In July, we reported that Dr. Cecilio Eck was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. To help with his medical expenses, family and friends are holding a raffle. Alina Saldivar and her husband from Island Magic Villas have donated a prize: a fully paid two-day trip for four to Caye Caulker, including meals and a catamaran sunset tour.
Tickets cost $100 each and can be bought online through OneLink until the raffle on January 6, 2025. Payments are secure and accepted via local and US debit and credit cards.
In Friday’s episode of Open Your Eyes, Dr. Eck shared positive updates on his health. He said, “I’m feeling pretty good. When I left Belize, I was really sick.” After three sessions of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, he noted, “My latest scans, which were done on Tuesday this week, actually showed that there are no new lesions in my body, and of the ones that were there, they are getting smaller.” Dr. Eck explained that his cancer treatment plan includes six to eight cycles of chemotherapy followed by immunotherapy over two years. He will also need surgeries to address damage to his right humerus and possibly his pelvis after completing chemotherapy.
Despite the vigorous treatment plan, Dr. Eck sees his latest treatment results as good indicators. “My spirits are up, my appetite is back, my weight is going up, and I don’t feel as ill as I first started.” He mentioned that his oncologist views this as “very positive news.”
Prime Minister John Briceño met with representatives of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) on Friday. PM Briceño said they “discussed a range of issues,” including the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Bill, representation on the KHMH Workers Union Board, appointments in the judiciary, SPV-SSB Committee, Amendment to Finance and Audit Act, Tertiary Hospital Act Amendment, Starlink to Belize, and Auditor General Post and Office.
Briceno said it was a “very constructive meeting and agreed on most of the issues on a way forward.”
The meeting took place at the Eleanor Hall Building in Belize City. The NTUCB said the meeting was amicable and proved fruitful.
Eight months ago, the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour, and Local Government announced that Cabinet approved amendments to the OSH Bill, which replaces the Factories Act. The new legislation establishes the National Occupational Safety and Health Authority and Inspectorate to oversee workplace safety.
Initially presented in January 2011, the OSH Bill has undergone major revisions after receiving feedback from the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the NTUCB. Extensive consultations took place in late 2023, culminating in proposed amendments submitted to Cabinet on January 30, 2023, which have now been approved.
The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) in Belize fell to 38.9 in September 2024, a significant 10.9% decline from 43.64 in August. This marks the second consecutive month of decreased confidence among consumers after a period of growth. The CCI measures sentiment regarding economic conditions and household financial situations, with a scale ranging from 0 (completely pessimistic) to 100 (completely optimistic). Scores above 50 typically indicate a positive outlook among consumers.
The decline was largely driven by a 34.5% drop in the “durable goods” component, which fell from 37.4 to 24.5. This indicates growing pessimism about making major purchases like homes and cars. Additionally, the “Expectation component decreased by 3.1%, from 53.1 to 51.4, reflecting reduced optimism about future economic conditions. Conversely, the Present sub-index saw a slight increase, rising 0.7% to 40.7, suggesting a marginally better view of current economic circumstances compared to the past year.
Regionally, both urban and rural consumers reported declines, with rural areas experiencing a more significant drop of 16.5%. The durable goods sentiment among rural consumers plummeted by 43.9%. Urban consumers saw a smaller overall decline of 3.1%, primarily due to a 21.6% decrease in their durable goods sentiment. In terms of gender, male confidence decreased by 16%, while female confidence fell by 5.4%.
Consumer confidence also varied by age and ethnicity. The most substantial declines were among those aged 55 and older and 45 to 54, who reported decreases of 20.7% and 20.4%, respectively. In contrast, individuals aged 35 to 44 saw a minor increase in confidence. Among ethnic groups, Maya consumers experienced the largest decline at 15.2%.
These trends reflect growing concerns among Belizeans about their economic situation as 2024 progresses.
The battle for recognition as the true leader of the United Democratic Party (U.D.P.) between Leader of the Opposition and Mesopotamia Area Representative, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, and Albert Area Representative, Tracy Taegar-Panton, continues to intensify. Earlier this week, Panton made a bold move by taking over the party headquarters on Youth for the Future Drive in Belize City, asserting her control over the compound and party organs. In response, Barrow has enlisted the legal expertise of Jamaican attorney Doctor Christopher Malcolm to strengthen his position. Meanwhile, the U.D.P.’s First Deputy Leader, Hugo Patt, remains a key figure amidst the factional dispute. News Five’s Marion Ali traveled to the Corozal North constituency, where Patt serves, to ask him if he feels caught in the middle of this U.D.P. tug-of-war. We also spoke with several residents of the constituency to gather their perspectives on the ongoing conflict. Here’s that report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Moses “Shyne” Barrow and Tracy Taegar-Panton may have their differences, but they share one commonality: both have named Corozal North Area Representative, Hugo Patt, as their First Deputy Party Leader on their executive slates. Today, we visited Patt to ask if he feels caught in the middle of this political tug-of-war.
Hugo Patt
Hugo Patt, First Deputy Leader, U.D.P
“I’ve spoken to both sides and I told him that my position is presently is that I will respect the process that transpired last year in August, if I’m not mistaken, where you had, the National Party Convention basically taking a decision and where an executive was endorsed and so my position is to respect the process. If in the case of Tracy and Shyne, we were to look at the situation, if Tracy had been in the position that on around that Shyne is right now, I would have supported her. If Patrick would have been there, I would have supported her and him. If anybody else was there, I would have supported that person. To maintain in order for the United Democratic Party to have certainty going forward. That is my biggest concern.”
Patt expressed his desire for both factions to reconcile their differences. Despite Panton securing the majority of UDP delegates at the convention two Sundays ago, Patt emphasized that he would have preferred to see both sides come together and mend fences.
Hugo Patt
“I’m aware that there was a substantial number of delegates in the activity that Honorable Panton did. I cannot personally underestimate that. I had advised Ms. Panton, look, wait it out. It’s just a few months, in my opinion, that’s left before we have a general election. Let us work together. Let us focus each on our individual constituencies so that we can put a decent fighting whenever we have the general elections. And I spoke to Honorable Vara as well. I told him, look, we have to sit down together and talk to everybody. We will have differences but let us agree to leave our differences aside. And for the sake of our people, let us make sure that we do the right thing, but that’s as far as I can go.”
But who do the constituents in Corozal North believe is their true party leader? We got mixed responses.
Sinai Arana
Sinai Arana, U.D.P. Supporter, Corozal North
“I go with whosoever is the leader. I’m not taking no sides.”
Marion Ali
“But both of them are claiming they are the leader.”
Sinai Arana
“Yeah, well, honestly, on my side, as a UDP, I do not agree in the fight they’re having at the moment and that was one of the reasons I was not present. In fact, I was never called for the convention, “so-called” convention they had. I was not called as a delegate. They never consult me or called me or anything. So I was not present at the moment.”
Marion Ali
“You said “so-called” convention. My thinking is that you’re supporting Mr. Barrow.”
Sinai Arana
“No, I’m not supporting anyone.”
Vilma Vellos
Vilma Vellos, U.D.P. Supporter, Corozal North
“I’m not going to take part for any of them, not either Tracy, nor Mr. Barrow because I think both of them can be great leaders, but I think it’s not the time for this at this moment.”
Inecita Hall
Inecita Hall, U.D.P. Supporter, Corozal North
“I am a supporter of Hugo Patt. I, as a leader of the village – the best we want is to make this problem stop. It’s for the betterment of our party. Well, that’s, I can take part with Mr. Shyne or Ms. Tracy. Everybody has their own opinion, but we only want this problem to end.”
Marion Ali
“So if I were to ask you, who do you think is the real leader of the UDP? Who would you say?”
Inecita Hall
“Well, on the last, um, convention, I vote for Shyne Barrow.”
Hugo Patt felt the need to say sorry to U.D.P supporters for the ongoing feud that’s been tearing the party apart and weakening its stance as the opposition.
Hugo Patt
“I want to tell this to the Belizean people and particularly to the thousands of the United Democratic Party supporters that we have across this country that I must apologize on behalf of everybody for what’s happening. Certainly myself, I feel very disheartened at what has been transpiring for quite some time now, to the point that we have been segregated. And I don’t think that it is fair for, or I think it is a disservice to all of our thousands of supporters that, you know, we are going through this. Many, many Belizeans, many of our supporters, the country is depending on a, on a strong opposition.”
We headed to Corozal Town to get the community’s take on the U.D.P. leadership rift. The three people we spoke with had mixed feelings. Overall, folks think the party needs to get its act together and gear up for the general elections, which might be called early in 2025. Two of them backed Panton as the new leader, but one person felt she was just after the title for the power it brings. Here’s what they had to say about the U.D.P.’s internal squabble over leadership.
Zandon Meyers, Corozal Resident
“Ms. Tracy Panton should take over the U.D.P because when it comes to Mr. Shyne Barrow he has a history, and then he wants to come and manipulate the people. You can’t come and do that, Sir. You got to give someone else a chance. You got to give miss Tracy Panton a chance to be the Leader of the Opposition because I’m not involved in politics. That’s the Opposition right now. I’m working with the Government of Belize, the P.U.P all the way. But what I’m saying, we need a voice from the other side. Right now, the U.D.P is silent, so what I’m saying now, give Ms. Panton a chance.”
Marion Ali
“Who do you think is the rightful leader?”
William Cob
William Cob, Corozal Resident
“Maybe Shyne.”
Marion Ali
Why?
William Cob
“Maybe they want power. 01:00
Marion Ali
“Who do you say is the real leader?”
Asuceli Chan
Asuceli Chan, Corozal Resident
“Tracy.”
Marion
“Why?”
Asuceli Chan
“Because women, we are more empowered, that we can be more than men.”
Marion Ali
“Do you think Tracy Panton should lead the UDP in the next election?”
On our Facebook page, we asked our followers who they think is the true leader of the United Democratic Party (U.D.P). Up to news time the poll has gotten a total of one thousand, five hundred and forty votes, with a whopping seventy-nine percent, or one thousand, two hundred and six votes, backing Tracy Panton, who says she’s the interim leader after a recall vote against Moses ‘Shyne’ Barrow at a recent convention. Meanwhile, twenty-one percent, the equivalent of three hundred and thirty-four votes, stood by Barrow, who insists he’s still the leader. The poll also sparked thirty-two comments, eleven shares, and one hundred and twenty-four reactions. Just a heads-up, this Facebook poll isn’t scientific and only reflects the views of those who took part.
