As part of its wave of changes, the Central Bank of Belize is gearing up to launch a credit reporting system. Central Bank Governor Kareem Michaels says this new system will open up access to finance, boost financial inclusion, and help maintain a stable financial system. With this credit reporting system, every Belizean will get a credit score, which will act as your reputational collateral when applying for loans and mortgages. The Central Bank has chosen the well-known global credit bureau operator C.R.I.F to spearhead this initiative. Governor Michaels shared more details with us.
Kareem Michael
Kareem Michael, Governor, Central Bank
“How will this work? Consumers will be able to build what is now known as reputational collateral through credit history. So shift your minds out of the traditional forms of collateral, we are talking about reputational collateral. The CRS will expand the credit to credit and lower cost for healthy bowers. Consumers will be able to proof of credit readiness with nontraditional data. It will also help to prevent over indebtedness with lenders better able to calculate a borrower’s capacity to service his or her own debt. For lenders it will reduce the symmetry of information so lenders will have a better understanding of a borrowers credit history. It also promotes transparency and fairness in the lending process. This is the ecosystem we are looking at for credit information history. What we want to point out is part of your credit score is actually how you have been paying your utility bill. When I mention and talk about nontraditional forms of assessing your credit history and repayment capacity. This is one of those things.”
We’ve been keeping you in the loop for months about the Central Bank’s new currency designs. Well, the wait is almost over! The designs will be unveiled in January 2025. And don’t worry, the change in design won’t affect the value of your money. The new currency is set to roll out in the third quarter of the year, but your old bills will still be good to use. Governor Michael reassured everyone about this today.
Kareem Michael
Kareem Michael, Governor, Central Bank
“I must stress that while our new bank notes will look different, the value will remain the same. Design does not equal value, a dollar is still a dollar. Our rate of exchange remains the same, which is two Belize dollars to one U.S dollar. And just again from our information, the removal of the monarch portrait is not novel. Belize will be joining a growing list of commonwealth countries that once featured Queen Elizabeth the Second on their money but no longer do today. The new currency designs will honor receipts of the order of National Hero, the Right Honorable George Cadle Price and the Honorable Phillip Goldson. With the passing of Queen Elizabeth the Second, the Central Bank, it was made very clear to our central Bank when in the ordering of our current family of notes there will be cut off point where we could keep ordering notes with Queen Elizabeth. There is a work around where we could backdate it. The other option was make sure you put the new head of the monarch on your notes. And, we were faced with that decision. That presented an opportunity for us to consider should we go that way. This is where that pivot began.”
Last night, we brought you part three of our deep dive into the operations at Caribi Bleu Casino in San Pedro. Tonight, we have breaking news: the Central Bank has confirmed they’re investigating the casino. As we’ve reported, the casino was caught running an unauthorized ATM that dispenses U.S. dollars. Our investigation has shown that while the Gaming Control Board oversees the casino industry and the Financial Intelligence Unit acts as the supervisory authority, the Central Bank regulates ATM operations and foreign currency exchange. Interestingly, the Central Bank has never approved ATMs inside casinos. This is the first time a casino in Belize has been found operating one, according to the Central Bank. There are still many questions about money laundering laws, but today we got to ask the Central Bank about their investigation into the casino’s activities. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the details.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Planning a trip outside of Belize for business, medical reasons, or a vacation? The right way to get foreign currency is through a dealer authorized by the Central Bank. Central Bank Governor Kareem Michael explains how it works.
Kareem Michael
Kareem Michael, Governor, Central Bank
“This is fancy terminology for a domestic bank who has been given the authority to sell foreign currency within our system.”
And there is a limit to how much foreign currency any single individual can receive from an authorized dealer.
Kareem Michael
“As it stands now, you can get U.S two hundred and fifty dollars per day, while those travelling for medical and vacation purposes can get U.S three thousand each. This is for the entire trip.”
Customers have been saying the limit is too tight, so the Central Bank is bumping it up to ten thousand U.S. dollars across the board. Now, picture this: you find an unauthorized ATM inside a casino in Belize that spits out U.S. currency. You could skip the application process, dodge a trip to the bank, and fly under the Central Bank’s radar. After weeks of investigation, it turns out that Caribi Bleu Casino in San Pedro has been running an unauthorized ATM that dispenses U.S. currency. An undercover operation inside the casino caught the machine in action, spitting out U.S. bills with just a credit card swipe. Today, we had the chance to ask the Central Bank’s Governor, the head of the regulatory body, some pressing questions about this situation.
Paul Lopez
“What sort of investigation has the Central Bank launched into this as a part of your mandate to secure Belize’s financial sector?”
Kareem Michael
“I am sure you will appreciate that I can’t say much on that because it is a live investigation and one that began well before your media house started to run the story.”
Governor Michael confirmed that the Central Bank is looking into Caribi Bleu Casino’s use of the unauthorized ATM. News Five learned that although the ATM was reported to the Central Bank months ago, their busy schedule delayed the sting operation until a couple of weeks ago. Michael explained that these unauthorized transactions can upset the local foreign exchange market, as U.S. dollars can be sold at any price set by the dealer, creating a parallel market and a dual exchange rate.
Paul Lopez
“Is it a common practice to have atm machines in casinos under the National Payment System Act.”
Kareem Michael
“Absolutely not.”
In fact, it is unheard of in Belize. News Five has confirmed that this is the first such instance where a casino in the country has been operating an ATM, more so one that dispenses U.S. currency. So, how did Caribi Bleu Casino manage to pull this off? The short answer: with some seriously sophisticated tech skills.
Paul Lopez
“How is it that a casino can operate an atm undetected for a period of time?”
Kareem Michael
“I got a better question, how is it configured? So yeah.”
News Five has confirmed that the ATM machine inside Caribi Bleu Casino was connected to a tower in Miami. Through this technology, the machine was able to process a user’s banking information and dispense the amount requested from the U.S currency loaded into the machine. One of the pressing questions at this point is, where does U.S. currency loaded into the atm comes from and if these funds are linked to money laundering? Michael says F.I.U is the supervisory authority over casinos. So, they will have to establish these answers. Notably, the Central Bank is a member of the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee, as is the FIU.
Kareem Michael
“The Central Bank is a member of part of NAMLAC. The Central Bank has supervisory authority for the financial institutions I listed. Casinos and these non-financial entities fall under another member of NAMLAC, namely the FIU.”
But our calls and messages to the Director of FIU have gone unanswered for a couple of weeks. The Chairman of the Gaming Control Board, Bob Bounahra, also told us on Tuesday that the board does not have authority over financial regulations, but that if the Central Bank or the FIU raises and issue and brings it to the attention of the board, it will take the necessary measures. All this probing has brought to our attention a gap in cooperation between these entities, which Michaels confirmed.
Paul Lopez
“So how would you all receive information or become aware of this suspicious transaction, if not through the Gaming Control Board, the FIU?”
Kareem Michael
“Absolutely, because they again are the supervisory authority. Now there is an opportunity, I think this is what you are suggesting, if whether or not there can be greater cooperation between all entities like this because it is one anti-money laundering framework. Again there is a NAMLC committee where such things can be presented and tabled and everybody can be involved.”
News Five has confirmed that Caribi Bleu Casino will receive a cease-and-desist order by Friday as the Central Bank and the FIU continue their investigation. When the Central Bank establishes that Caribi Bleu Casino acted in contravention of the law, the director, general manager and secretary can be held liable, at least under the Exchange Control Act. We’ll keep following this story and push for answers from the FIU about its investigation into the source of the funds. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
David Almendarez is well-known for his outspoken criticism of the government and his zero-tolerance stance on corruption. As the face of FECTAB (the Federation of Cruise Tourism Association of Belize), he’s often been vocal about issues with current and past administrations. While some call him a firebrand, Almendarez says he plans to bring that same fiery energy to the next general elections and, if elected, to parliament. The U.D.P’s newest standard bearer is set to run in the Belize Rural Central Division on the Shyne Barrow ticket. Today, he sat down with News Five’s Marion Ali, who brings us this report.
David Almendarez
David Almendarez, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Belize Rural Central
“Sometimes Belize need wa lee big mouth. We need to have somebody different. We need somebody to care for the people. You see me, I nuh born wid no golden spoon eena my mouth. And I nuh got no privileged law degree and I neva get educated by no privileged family. And I nuh related to no privileged family. I da wa regular person who run wa successful company with no criminal record. Me nuh got no baggage pahn me.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
David Almendarez, the fiery voice of FECTAB and a major government critic, is now the United Democratic Party’s standard bearer for Belize Rural Central under Shyne Barrow’s leadership. Almendarez shared with News Five that he was the one who reached out to Barrow some time ago, offering to run in the constituency. He even had to get Barrow’s cell number from someone in the media to make his move. Once he got the green light, he kicked off his campaign just a week ago.
David Almendarez
“I ask ah, you have Shyne phone number? Yes. And I get pon WhatsApp, and I WhatsApp Shyne, and I say, Shyne, I nuh know you, but da nuh often the devil tek all of your enemies and put them pon my stage. You understand how bless you? That stage where I say that everything I hate about politics, I hate everything that the 15 years of my government already, we vote the last election. If you’re serious about change, if you just want another little hula award, if you don’t need a little crump on your thing for going back to the States like King Jaffe, come holler at me, cause I’m going to join the fight.”
But that fight won’t follow a sophisticated path; Almendarez wants to help the common people.
David Almendarez
“I wa run wa grassroots campaign. I am here to listen, keep in touch with my people. I want to listen to you. Belize Rural Central should expect me personally fi come knock da yoh house and I nuh di come knock fi no fakeness. I di come knock fi listen. I deh ya fi come represent because I know we have poor representation in our area.”
What’s surprising about Almendarez’s run for political office is that he claims he doesn’t support any political party—not even the U.D.P., under which he’s running. Instead, he’s focused on pushing for a government that will actively work to implement and stick to the UN Convention against Corruption.
David Almendarez
“I that nuh a UDP. That not a PUP. You and me know I didn’t have this for change. And I told him this morning, if my thirty-one members not willing to sign UNCAC, the word that all politicians fraid fa, if we nuh fraid fi sign UNCAC on the very first day of being elected.”
Marion Ali
What was his response?
David Almendarez
“He said, yes.”
Marion Ali
“So, if you’re not PUP or UDP, why didn’t you run independent?”
David Almendarez
“Because Belize wa never vote for wa independent person. I believe this opportunity we have for the next general election because a lot of people think we can win next general election. A lot of people think we are a joke. It’s amazing because when I first launched my campaign on the media, mein if I da mi wa thin-skinned person I goh dig wa hole. A lot of people take we lightly, but Belize has not even begun to hear five percent of our message. The message hasn’t started yet, but the message will start with change.”
Almendarez mentioned that his campaign funding will come from both the U.D.P. and his own pocket. He gave us a tour of his business at Mile Nineteen on the George Price Highway, explaining that much of his investment in the tilapia fishery and farm began when COVID brought the tourism industry to a grinding halt. With his tour service shut down during the border closures, he turned his focus to farming. If elected, he says he wants to create a variety of job opportunities.
David Almendarez
“We could produce coconut oil. We could do it. With two or three man. We’re just one big machine, and we can produce drums a day, drums a day. And we have people that believe they can do it, but they don’t share the knowledge. So, that is just one. I could go on, you want to keep on going? We can also invest in a very good housing system for our people. Higher people don’t have jobs. Teach them how to build a house in one month, two months. Create a housing path. And make single mothers pay over 600 a month for house rent or something we never own.”
News Five reached out to Beverly Williams, the Belize Rural Central candidate for the U.D.P. under Tracy Taegar-Panton’s leadership. Williams sent a message to her constituents, saying, “Beverly Williams will remain your servant no matter what. High road always.” We also contacted the incumbent, the P.U.P.’s Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, for her reaction. She was heading into a NEMO meeting and replied via message, saying, quote, I will never take any opponent lightly. I still need to work very hard, end quote. Marion Ali for News Five.
A scuffle between two young athletes at the Hostel football field on Tuesday evening led to a woman being charged with common assault today. The incident started when a boy and a girl, both students at St. Ignatius Primary School, were playing football. A tackle turned into an altercation, and the girl’s aunt got involved. The woman reportedly came to the field looking for the nine-year-old boy. When she found out he was heading home, she followed him to his Gibnut Street address. There, she allegedly roughed him up, threatened him, and verbally assaulted his grandmother. Earlier today, we spoke with football coach Stanley Thomas, who witnessed the whole incident.
Stanley “Dubu” Thomas
Stanley “Dubu” Thomas, Football Coach
“They were playing so good. Dehn come from way deh and di whole evening dehn di play good and one chaos I saw there, the girl and di same bwai got di conflict were playing together. All weh ih sih, I sih di girl shub him first because dehn di try tek weh di ball. She shub he first, hard, he come back and shub di gial harder and di gial drop. And da soh dis chaos start with negative words, ah gwein go ker mi auntie and mi auntie wah do dis and mi auntie wah do that. And she went and call ih auntie and ih auntie come fi true, but ih auntie come with wahn temper, dig, and she just explode with ih negative mouth on the football field. And di lee bwai run and when ih run di whole escalation start and dehn start follow ahn like crazy. Yoh know how pickney like follow trouble and do soh ih start.”
Voice of: Mother of Student
Voice of: Mother of Student
“My nine-year-old son told me that when he was coming from the football field, because he usually goes to practice every day, it’s something that he is really passionate about and so he goes every day. And when he was coming home, he noticed a lady coming behind him, quickly coming behind him and he didn’t pay it any mind until when the lady came up to him and basically boarded him off, started cursing him out, pointing in his face. The lady grabbed his shirt, the back of his shirt, punched him a couple times in his back and told him not to mess with her niece. My son said he left it like that and continued walking home. When my mother-in-law came outside, the lady started saying a lot of insulting words and was really cursing up. All the neighbors heard and she even told my son that she will chop off his hand and that when she meets him on the street again that she will deal with him.”
The child’s mother has confirmed that charges will be brought against the woman, including common assault and using threatening words.
Voice of: Mother of Student
“The charge was common assault. The aunt has been charged with common assault since she was the one that followed my son and she was the one that hit him. I was made to understand that she’s claiming that she did not hit my son, but we do have witnesses that can prove that, yes, she did hit my son. We also are going to bring the charge of threatening words, all the explicit words that she used, all the insulting words. My mother-in-law, she’s a senior JP, I know the law was recently amended but that does include her, you know, they can charge her for what she told my mother-in-law. So we are proceeding with a charge of threatening words as well.”
Miss Universe Belize, Halima Hoy, faced backlash from the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) over her national costume and presentation of the Deer Dance on stage. SATIIM called her presentation sacrilegious, explaining that the Deer Dance is a sacred religious ceremony for Maya communities. They emphasized that no Maya person who follows their traditions would wear a Deer Dance mask or clothing outside of the rituals. Hoy has since apologized, stating she meant no harm or offense. Today, Kim Vasquez, Director of the Institute of Creative Arts, shared her perspective, highlighting that as a melting pot of cultures, Belize’s diversity and inclusion mean we can embrace all aspects of our heritage without disrespect.
Kim Vasquez
Kim Vasquez, Director, Institute of Creative Arts
“I think when we look at Belize, we have to really reflect on the fact that we are very diverse. We’re blessed. We have a wealth of different ethnicities, and as we move forward, you are going to see that culture continues to be dynamic. Culture is alive at NICH we talk about living heritage. We don’t have any control over that. Culture, like I said, is alive. And it’s hard to really say you are appropriating what is yours? You know, like I said, if you look at some of our backgrounds, we are a mixture. Many of us, most of us – few of us can say, I am a hundred percent Garifuna, or I am a hundred percent, Maya. We share and we appreciate, and we elevate, but I don’t know if we are actively trying to or even intending to appropriate because it is Belizean.”
At the beginning of the year, Wesley Junior College jumped into the Plastic Tide Turners Challenge, a worldwide youth initiative aimed at tackling plastic pollution by spreading awareness and taking action in their communities. Teaming up with the Sea of Life Organization, students got tech-savvy, using technology to clean up their campus and conduct waste audits. Fast forward nearly a year, and the school is making impressive strides toward eliminating single-use plastics on campus. We visited the school today to catch up on their progress. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with story.
Britney Gordon
Wesley Junior College is making great progress in cutting down on single-use plastics on campus. Back in January, students rolled up their sleeves for a campus cleanup and used the Trash Blitz app to track the most common litter. Since then, they’ve installed a refillable water station and stopped selling plastic water bags on campus. Paulita Bennett-Martin, the Director of Programs at Sea of Life, shared that they’ve conducted four Trash Blitz exercises since then, and the results are looking very promising.
Paulita Bennett-Martin
Paulita Bennett-Martin, Director of Programs, Sea of Life
“We’ve done four waste audits on the campus and back last time you were here, we were finding hundreds of the shilling water or ideals pouches, right? And now I will say that number has decreased dramatically. I can’t give that number because we’re gonna have a report in February that tracks waste across the nation. But we’re seeing huge improvements to the amount of single use plastic water pollution on campus. And we’re also starting to see more awareness of plastic pollution as a whole because we’re also incorporating murals on the campus. We’re also doing classroom education. So there’s a few different things happening in addition to the refillable campus.”
To further increase awareness about the projects, the school partnered with local artist Keon Griffith, who was commissioned to paint three murals on the outside of the school. He has been working on the murals for about a month.
Keon Griffith
Keon Griffith, Artist
“It’s more like a give back type of stuff. So I asked her that, yes, I know you want a concept with this, but I think instead of formulating a concept, let’s just go on the school grounds and engage with these students and Let me bring in a photographer to capture these pictures so I can fully showcase my talent and fully be comfortable with the style that I do so we can have the best results partnering for this campaign. So that’s what we’re doing out here. So there is real students, actual students that goes to the school here. It’s on, it’s plastered on the wall, big, lifelike. And they love so far. They love the interaction is nice with the students engaging with the mural passing, identifying their classmates, so it’s nice.”
A key part of the project is getting young people excited about conservation. Fourth-form student Kayla Choc shares that she’s made a big effort to cut down on single-use plastics in her daily life.
Kayla Choc
Kayla Choc, Student, Wesley Junior College
“I’ve grown to know that single-use plastic is making our environment unhealthy, where it’s an unhealthy space to learn in, and if we have a healthier space to learn in, we can be more open-minded about what’s going on. And not only that, but we’re against this, we’re, our school is right across by the sea. It’s our neighbor. So we want to not only think about us, But think about the sea life. So those are some stuff that I’ve learned.”
Tyrone Harris, the Head of the Science Department, assured us that the campus water is top-notch, thanks to a reverse-osmosis process that filters out all sediments and purifies it. Plus, the school has exciting plans to install a second water fountain in the coming months.
Tyrone Harris
Tyrone Harris, Department of Science, Wesley Junior College
“We definitely want them to be more aware and so it’s the goal of having them being aware of having a clean environment, having participating in conservation and also being an institution that is near the sea, have a care for the marine ecosystems and the flora and the fauna that play a vital role in us surviving, providing food and also jobs as well.”
With more funding, Sea of Life hopes to expand this project to other schools across the country. Britney Gordon for News Five.
Today, over a thousand students from all over the country came together for the ninth annual GeoEducation Expo. This interactive event is all about inspiring the next generation of educators and students to dive into the world of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and see how it plays a crucial role in education and advancing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). Earlier today, News Five’s Britney Gordon stopped by the Ramada Hotel in Belize City to get the scoop. Here’s her report.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
To most people, the term Geographic Information Systems (GIS) might not sound familiar. But these powerful databases are used in many areas of our lives, like population surveys, weather tracking, and land assessment. Since 2011, Total Business Solutions Limited has been shining a light on the importance of GIS through the GeoEducation Expo. Managing Director Loretta Palacio explains how these systems can be lifesavers in times of crisis.
Loretta Palacio
Loretta Palacio, Managing Director, T.B.S.L.
“We’re all familiar with an Excel file, a database file. GIS makes it geographic. So you can look at the waters. You can look at low-lying areas. We’re experiencing floods right now. We’re talking about a digital terrain model that’s updated for additional evasion data that is accurate. So we can help the government, the organizations villagers, and residents, to understand why the flooding is happening and what we can do to mitigate the risk.”
Presenting at the event were representatives from the Belize Defense Force, the Department of the Environment, and other organizations that utilize G.I.S. in their daily operations.
Loretta Palacio
“We have on display several maps, digital maps, physical maps showing the constituencies, what are the latest numbers. Which constituency have the smallest number of voters for the upcoming general election? You know, which constituency have the highest number? And so we’ve updated that and that’s on display. We also got data from the National Meteorological Service for the rains that came from November 14th to the seventeenth. And NMS, with Shirley Young, for helping us with that data. We have a beautiful map dashboard that shows the areas that received most of the rains.”
The event took place at the Ramada Hotel in Belize City, but participants came from all corners of the country. Students from Toledo Community College were up bright and early, boarding the bus at 5:30 a.m. to get there. Fourth Form student Fabian Solarzano shared that the trip was definitely worth it.
Fabian Solorzano
Fabian Solorzano, Student, Toledo Community College
“I’m excited to be here today, even though the sacrifice is big, to get up early and stuff. Yeah but it’s worth the trip, it’s good to learn a lot of things, especially when it comes to G.I.S. The different platforms you can use it in, how it is applied like maybe in fields like geography, or maybe analyzing data, gathering a lot of information and placing it in one thing so you can display it to people and it makes life easier.”
Britney Gordon
“What’s been the most exciting part of today’s experience?”
Fabian Solorzano
“Something that caught my attention today was how they use G.I.S. to interpret 3D models. For example, like the one just previewed, we just passed now, the one with the forecast, so they can predict what can happen over a long period of time. Maybe if there’s severe rainfall, how it gets 3D scale and imagery uses is very interesting.”
Another TCC student, Jeffrey Sho has a passion for technology. He hopes that in the future, more Belizeans are afforded the opportunity to foster a love for the field as he did.
Jeffrey Sho
Jeffrey Sho, Student, Toledo Community College
“Well, I absolutely love technology, I love the fact that ArcGIS as the organization has taken their time to teach Belize or educate Belize about these topics, because I do feel that most Belizeans aren’t tech-savvy, and I appreciate them. I do wish that more schools would be available to partake in these events.”
The aspiring technician explains that events such as the GeoEducation fair expose him to different fields where he can apply his skills.
Jeffrey Sho
“I love technology, and my future career is to be a computer technician or IT major. So, I love G.I.S. I find it interesting, and I find it very useful. Find it interesting how they use it in crime, Belize Defense Force, and other organizations.”
With technology advancing at lightning speed, it’s essential for kids to learn how these systems work and how they’re used in the real world.
Loretta Palacio
“We’re in a digital world. When we hear about digital transformation. So, digital transformation in education is here, has been here. But are we really serious about it? Are we using the available technologies to help our students learn better? To help our. educators teach better? And also to expose our students to careers? Because with G.I.S, it’s not only for you to be a tech person, but if you’re a marketing analyst, if you’re an agronomist, you’re a doctor, you need GIS, right? You’re a disaster management expert, whichever profession that you choose, GIS is relevant.”
This Friday and Saturday nights, the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts is launching an exciting new dance initiative led by the Institute of Creative Arts. Called “Brok Maka Chista,” it’s inspired by a Creole folk dance that kids used to play during break time at elementary school. The Creoles of Gales Point Manatee Village, along with the late Myrna Manzanares, created their own choreography, which was later adopted by the Belize National Dance Company. According to Kim Vasquez, the Director of the Institute of Creative Arts, this initiative aims to celebrate all the diverse cultures of Belize. News Five’s Marion Ali has the story.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Belizean cultures will be featured in a dance project being spearheaded by the Institute of Creative Arts this weekend at the Bliss. ICA Director Kim Vasquez shares the idea of the Brok Maka Chista Dance initiative.
Kim Vasquez
Kim Vasquez, Director, Institute of Creative Arts
“For this year, we are starting it off with a showcase. I can tell you with certainty that it is our plan that it will grow and that come next year we will have an expanded program that will not only have a showcase, but will be open up to regional and international participation and we want to have as well components like a forum, some discussions as well as training and workshop for the dance community.”
Vasquez says that every culture will be reflected in the project.
Kim Vasquez
“When we are looking at developing a new dance festival or a new dance showcase for Belize, we definitely wanted to go in two directions. We wanted to make sure that it was inclusive of all dance styles. In other words, modern, contemporary, as well as the wealth of traditional and folkloric dance that we have in Belize. But we also wanted to make an emphasis on youth engagement and involvement and really make it a dance movement about dance education.”
The initiative gets its name, Brok Maka Chista, from a childhood game that girls used to play decades ago. Althea Sealy, Director of the Belize National Dance Company, believes it’s the perfect name for the project. Jillian Fuller, Director of the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts, gave a short demonstration of the Brok Maka Chista dance.
Althea Sealy
Althea Sealy, Director, Belize National Dance Company
“Back in the days when I was a little bit younger, Mr. Bob was very artistic and he used as I say, everyday life movements, games, whatever, he does choreography to that. So, he would make us do, okay, brok yoh body, brok it up, brok it up So then we utilize the whole body and that’s what we end up with Brok Makachista.”
Kim Vasquez
“Interestingly enough, Belize National Dance Company actually has Brock Makachista as a dance move within their repertoire as well. So, it is a recognized dance move.”
Sealy appeal to all artists to attend the weekend events for your own benefit.
Kim Vasquez
“If you’re a musician, if you’re a drama, drama person dance, I’m sure you want to continue to show your talent. So, you all need to come out and support so that we could have a stage for the younger generation to enjoy just the same way we did. So please come out, support us. It’s going to be good.”
Vasquez says all the proceeds from the dance will go towards the work and continued renovations and upkeep of the Bliss Theater. Marion Ali for News Five.
