This afternoon in San Pedro, a fatal shooting claimed the life of Matthew Moses. According to initial reports, Moses allegedly attacked an unnamed man with an object. In response, the man, who reportedly has a licensed firearm, shot and killed Moses during the confrontation. The Belize Police Department has yet to release an official statement on the incident. Stay tuned for more details in our Monday evening newscast.
Today’s arraignment was anything but ordinary for two ramp agents from the Philip Goldson International Airport in Ladyville. It unfolded in the lower courts following a near-fatal confrontation where a knife was involved, leaving one employee injured. Initially, reports claimed one worker had stabbed his colleague. However, another version suggested the injury was self-inflicted when the aggressor accidentally fell on his own knife during the scuffle. Earlier today, the injured man admitted that he hurt himself. At ten a.m., twenty-seven-year-old Darvin Jamaal Sutherland and nineteen-year-old Jiovanni Ishmael McKenzie faced charges in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court. McKenzie, who was injured, received police bail, while Sutherland was detained and brought to court in handcuffs. McKenzie, clearly in pain from his injury, needed assistance from his cousin and stepfather to enter the courtroom. During the proceedings, McKenzie’s odd behavior raised concerns about his ability to comprehend the court process. Before the charges were read, McKenzie announced he was there to drop the charges against his cousin, Darvin Sutherland. However, the prosecutor explained that McKenzie couldn’t withdraw the charges on the spot. He was informed that to drop the indictable charge, he must return to the precinct where he initially reported the incident and request no further court action. Only then would the D.P.P. issue directives to the court.
This morning, nineteen students from across Belize were the recipients of academic grants under the Protected Areas Conservation Trust’s Youth Academic Support Grant Program. These grants provide students with the necessary funds to complete their higher education with the goal of preparing them to contribute back to Belize in the future. Today, News Five’s Britney Gordon attended the award ceremony in Belmopan to meet the fortunate awardees.
The Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) aims to sustainably enhance Belize’s socio-ecological systems through strategic financing and partnerships. For nearly three decades, PACT has been funding organizations dedicated to preserving the country’s natural resources. Today, however, the thousands of dollars PACT is investing are going directly to individuals. At the award ceremony for PACT’s academic grants, Chairman Dr. Kenrick Williams explained how these grants align with the organization’s mission.
Dr. Kenrick Williams, Chairman, PACT
“We have refocused our mission to say that it’s not just about the environment and conservation. It’s about the people. And how these two things work together. How we use and sustainably manage our natural resource. That is the mission of PACT. And so we felt it fundamentally important. That we invest in our young people, that we invest in our people, who use and depend on these resources.”
Williams explains that PACT sought to expand the types of students selected for that grant, so that the environmental field may be supported from all fronts.
“Our investment and our thought is not just on the biologists and the natural resource management students. We’re investing in a cross section of students that does business, that does economics, that does environmental conservation. Because you are going to be the people who are going to drive AI and machine learning in conservation. You’re going to be the people who does environmental economics and natural resource valuation. You’re going to be the people who does the carbon credits. You’re going to be the people who drive all the new ideas of environmental conservation and management. And how we as a country who have sustainably used our resource go out there and say, hey, this is what Belize have done. We’ve made an investment. How much are you going then to support that?”
Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree received a generous $10,000, while those going for an associate degree got five thousand dollars. These students are heading to various schools, including the University of Belize, Corozal Community College, and Independence Junior College. Among them is Chantel De Leon, who is excited to study hospitality and tourism management at Galen University.
Chantel De Leon, Grant Recipient
“I am actually very interested in the sustainability area and as well in the culture area. I am part of NICH also and I am part of a dancing group. And I always like to preserve, to try to help in a way to the environment. And this scholarship will help me because it is a great opportunity for me that I am really having difficulties to pursue this degree. But with the help of PACT I am sure that I will be doing my bachelor’s degree.”
At the ceremony, students were advised to pursue careers in-country upon the completion of their degrees. PACT hopes that by assisting students with their education, they will be motivated to invest their skills back into their country. Minister of Sustainable Development, Orlando Habet, elaborated on this goal.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“Last year, we constituted the program and said that it is a way for where can also have some investment. It’s not only on the protected areas management conservation of biodiversity, whether it’s plants, animals, water, but also to have an investment on the people And in this case the students who will be some of our future leaders, and also some of the people who will be leading these conservation organizations, working to, towards the reduction of those factors that cause climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution. But, if you heard, it wasn’t only those that are pursuing academic careers in environment and natural resource management, it’s We looked at areas of biology the social studies, because all it has to do with conservation.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
Earlier this week, the United States held its 2024 presidential election, with Republican candidate Donald J. Trump emerging victorious over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. During his previous term, Trump limited interactions with Belize and other smaller developing nations. Throughout his campaign, he pushed for reduced government spending. His policy blueprint, Project 2025, even proposed cutting funds for climate-resilient projects abroad. Although Trump has since distanced himself from this plan, questions linger about whether the U.S. will continue supporting Belize’s environmental initiatives and stay committed to the Paris Agreement. We spoke with Minister of Sustainable Development, Orlando Habet, to get his take on the matter. Here’s what he had to say.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“Difficult to tell what will happen, but I believe that and they have in a State Department, I think, that some of their commitments that are on the table might continue. We don’t know what the President will do in the next few days, and whether or not he’ll make decisions now before he takes over in January. But if we know about Project 25, and Project 25 will practically state that they will withdraw from the Paris Agreement that is a problem because they have some contributions to make. And also because they are one of the biggest emitters, they are responsible for coming up with some of the funding for the developing countries. I think I read somewhere also that they might withdraw some funding from projects like USAID, which is bad for us also because we are also recipients of some of that funding. But it seems to me though that he has different been put together that might advise him to do otherwise different from what he did in the first term. But who am I to say what he will do, right? But we are hopeful still. I think the relationship that we have with the United States of America has been practically on level ground, whether our administration changes in Belize or whether their administration changes in the U.S..”
Last month, leaders from around the globe converged in Cali, Colombia for COP16. The summit aimed to ramp up biodiversity protection and secure twenty billion dollars in funding for preservation efforts. Unfortunately, many participants fell short, raising only about four hundred million dollars—far from the ambitious target. Today, we caught up with the Minister of Sustainable Development, Orlando Habet, who shared his thoughts on the conference. He acknowledged that while not all goals were met, it wasn’t a complete failure.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“If you look at what you go for, And it all depends on how much time you spend. you can get back something. At the global level some people are disappointed because COP16 didn’t produce what they wanted, especially the twenty billion that everybody’s looking for. But I think there are certain solutions that came about for those who were seeking country level support. I think many of them got some. I think for Belize, we got a few commitments as a region with CARICOM also, and as a region with Central America SICA, we also got some. Looking at the Climate Change COP which is much bigger being held in Baku, in Azerbaijan the Climate Change COP to me, is a little bit more commercial. It’s larger, it’s very impersonal, and so you really have to go there with focus on what you want to achieve. For me though, at all the COPs, I try to make certain that we have some bilateral meetings. With Norway, with the U. S., with Canada, and so that you can have additional sources for projects, apart from what the Climate Change Fund will do. Success stories for Belize, for example, our CEO is on the adaptation fund board, on the global adaptation fund board. We were able in the last year or so to be able to bring about eighteen million for adaptation projects in Belize. We have projects with the GCF, the Green Climate Fund, which we are pursuing. PACT is the accredited agency, so we are trying to see how we can locate some funds for certain projects. There are several projects in the pipeline which we are trying to get along with the support from the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Finance. And so, we can’t just leave it alone. We have to continue pursuing it so that then at the end we can get the funding that we are looking for.”
In just a few days, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29, will kick off. This event brings together global leaders to discuss strategies for boosting climate resilience and holding themselves accountable for past environmental promises. This year, Belize is sending a small delegation, including Minister of Agriculture Jose Abelardo Mai. We spoke with Minister of Sustainable Development Orlando Habet, who shared that the focus of the conference will be on increasing access to funding. Here’s more on that.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Climate Change
“One of the main focus areas for COP 29 will be financing and the one hundred billion that was promised some years ago finally accordingly reached in 2022. But we are looking for a much more than that the top is in the trillions of dollars. I will be leading AOSIS and CARICOM. In the new collective quantified goal, which is trying to see how these developed countries fulfill their commitments based on the Paris Agreement that says that developed countries are to provide the funding for developing countries. As AOSIS, as Caribbean, because we are small, considered small island developing states, we are highest in vulnerability to climate change. And so we are also looking for them to consider our vulnerabilities as part of the consideration for the funding. But we also had some success in the previous cup where the loss and damage fund was approved. It’s somewhere a little bit over four hundred million. We want to see how at this couple can increase. The president of COP 29 that they will try to see how in the first week you can try to scale up that funding. And so if we are around the table, we can start negotiating.”
Britney Gordon, Reporting
“Think Green, Act Smarter” That’s the theme of today’s Youth Climate Action Symposium at the University of Belize in Belmopan. The forum brought together one hundred and fifty students from primary, secondary, and tertiary schools to raise awareness about climate change. Samih Young, the president of the university’s environmental club, shared insights on the topics discussed during the event.
Samih Young, President, Environmental Club, UB
“For an example we have, How climate change affects biodiversity loss and forestry. And another one would be, How climate change affects agriculture and food security. All very really good thematic focuses, and then we’ll have experts from different organizations, both NGOs and government organizations, come here, in these classrooms, to provide the students with statistics, and they’re the experts and they’re going to provide us with their information to educate us about how climate change is actually affecting these different things.”
The symposium is part of a broader initiative funded by the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund, which offers technical support and funding to over a hundred mayors, helping them engage thousands of young people in creating and managing urgent climate solutions in their cities. Mayor Pablo Cawich mentioned that the groundwork for the hundred-thousand-dollar grant was laid by the previous administration and continued when he took office. Now, the city council is aiming for another grant, this time for two hundred thousand dollars, to support even more projects.
Pablo Cawich, Mayor of Belmopan
“There are many different results that we expect. Yesterday I attended another function for Raquel art, who was also another recipient of the fund. And they have repurposed materials as part of art. There are different projects depend for the different groups. We have in the case of, I think, UB, they had a reforesting initiative for the Ten Cents Creek. We have other agencies that, or other recipients that also had had awareness campaigns. So the results of the fund and the investment. is in different aspects of climate change.”
The money is to be distributed among ten different youth-led projects. Each group put together a proposal detailing their project’s scope and the positive impact it would have on the environment. Doctor Pio Saki, advisor of the environmental club at UB explained that process to us.
Dr. Pio Saki, Advisor, Environmental Club, UB
“It was very specific and it points directly to what we do as an environmental club. Our motto is serve to conserve and let nature educate. That’s the motto of the environmental club. And this project had an aspect where we’re supposed to engage community on climate impacts and climate action that we need to take, particularly for the city of Belmopan. The project was very, specific, that was, but is very specific. And so our proposal is aimed at creating this awareness among schools and the university of students on climate impact in Belize.”
For many attendees, today’s event was their first experience at a climate-focused forum. Aya Elkishawi, a standard six student from Garden City Primary School, was thrilled to contribute to strengthening Belize’s climate resilience.
Aya Elkishawi, Std 6 Student, Garden City Primary School
“When you take care of your environment, it’s better for the whole climate and the Earth. And it’s just better because when you start young and try to help, it will be better when you’re older.”
Britney Gordon
“What are some small changes that you think you can make in your life to preserve the environment?”
Aya Elkishawi
“Well, I think that we should stop littering and try to throw them in garbage and not in oceans or lakes or rivers or any of that, take care of the water.”
Britney Gordon for News Five
The Salvation Army Belize is kicking off the holiday season early with the launch of its Red Christmas Kettle initiative. This annual fundraiser has been a beloved tradition in Belize for decades. The official opening ceremony took place today in Battlefield Park. Now, you can spot those iconic red kettles at various locations throughout the city and across the country. The Salvation Army Belize is on a mission to raise one hundred thousand dollars to help those in need this Christmas season.
Major Marc Eddy Momplaisir, District Officer, Salvation Army Belize
“AS you all may be aware Salvation Army red Christmas kettle is one of the events we have every year across the world. It is one for the largest fund raising that we have in the salvation and our aim is to help those who are less fortunate, especially for the kids who are looking for Salvation Army to give them a gift and to provide a happy meal for them. So we are here for them and we believe with the help of the public and the donors, we will be able to achieve our goal. nToday is our opening ceremony. As you can see we have our special guest, doctor Villanueva with us and now Christmas is open. Now we are going to start our campaign Monday eleventh to December. However, we have some letter mails appeal that we have sent out there to different businesses, donor sponsor and we are asking for help. So I am asking them, please do open the letters because we see the need, and we have the beneficiaries but we just need the donors to come along and make it possible.”
While on our journey to find unique stories from handicraft artisans, we stumbled upon a hidden gem: silverware art. This incredible craft turns everyday eating utensils into stunning pieces of jewelry and decor, with some creations beautifully capturing the essence of Belizean culture. In the charming Hopkins Village, we met an artist who is bringing this imaginative vision to life. Here’s his story.
Matthew Montague and his wife like to call themselves immigrants, not expats, because they aim to give back to Belize rather than just take from it. When they arrived four years ago, they settled into a modest yet charming home in the heart of Hopkins Village. Surrounded by lush greenery, their imaginations are constantly fueled by their pets and the local wildlife. Beneath this cozy dwelling, Montague has carved out a small workshop where his art comes to life. Amidst running thoughts, bursts of creativity, and the occasional insect, he transforms everyday utensils into unique pieces.
Matthew Montague, Owner, Shady Acres Belize
“It’s always funny to watch people’s faces because people don’t recognize that that’s a fork. Or that that’s a spoon. Huh. And so I show them. I’ve got a little speech and I show them and you see the realization and then they’re like, Oh my goodness, that’s a fork!!”
Montague’s business, Shady Acres Belize, showcases a delightful array of his creations, along with his wife’s beautiful pieces. But his best-selling items—jewelry crafted from utensils— are the eyecatchers and conversation starters, originating from a distinctive piece his wife owned.
“Everything here is made from a fork, a spoon, or a handle of some kind. I start basically with that, right there. A fork. It begins with a fork. Yeah, or if I have a really fancy spoon that has a fancy handle on it, then I can make a nice ring out of that. My wife Angela had this beautiful octopus pendant that she’d gotten 25 years ago at a festival somewhere in California. And every time we’d go to market or do something, people would ask, Oh, did you make that? Where’d you get it? And finally I said, we’ve been asked so many times, why am I not making these? So she said, okay, and gave me her grandmother’s wedding silverware and that’s where it started. And so I ruined a lot of forks figuring this out, but, but here we are and so, yeah, it literally started with that. So far she’s not haunting us, but you know, we’re okay.”
Matthew Montague
“As you can see here, most of the stuff I use I try to recycle. You know, the forks and silverware we purchase, they’re repurposed versus recycled, but all of the wood and the backing and a lot of the other materials that I use in my art are all recycled.”
Sabreena Daly
“Where do you get these items from?”
“I pick them up on the beach. A lot of trash I pick up on the beach. Plastics and bottle caps, I scrap it. I even used a lot of the wire from my house when we built this house. Used all the leftover wire that was extra and scraps to make different arts and fish pieces. And, an example, this is just recycled, little piece of recycled wire. So, but I used to make giant ones when I first started. I made huge fish like that. That was where the barracuda came from. And so I’ve been trying to incorporate Belize into my art. I did a fish recently that was an amazing months long project of spoons. And I used all the spoons for the scales. I’ll have to show you a picture because it’s gone. But the head portion was made out of Belikin bottle caps. So you’d know that fish is from Belize. The fish is somewhere in the U. S. right now, but it’s from Belize.”
Matthew Montague
“We’re part of Markets on the Go, and we travel all over Belize with them and to some amazing market events. We’re getting ready for pop-up market season to start again here shortly in December. We’ll have one at Itsana, we’re at Barefoot once a month regularly through the season, Beach Bar and Placencia. And then we support a lot of shops in the area with a lot of our art too. Our biggest supporter is Garamaya here in Hopkins.”
As Montague strives to create a space where he can give back to the country he now calls home, he hopes his artistic journey brings joy to everyone who experiences it.
“What do you hope, uh, for people to feel or, or remember about you as an artist or your work as art?”
Matthew Montague
“I try to create happy feelings for people. Things that you look at and you make smile. You know, jewelry is always amazing. I love jewelry. Um, it makes me happy musicians, you know, I’ve got my band here. Musicians take that and they’re, they’re, they’re pretty, hmm, that it takes it home. It’s something that they identify with. And so if you can find a piece of my art that you identify with, that’s really what I’m trying to do.”
Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.
Reports emerging from San Pedro Town are that 46-year-old Matthew Moses was shot and killed. The incident took place earlier this afternoon near the popular Secret Beach. Witnesses say that the shooting was a result of an altercation between Moses and a property owner.
In April 2021, Moses was stabbed, shot, and left for dead. He was sleeping in a hammock when he was attacked and shot by two men.
