Year: 2024

Last Wednesday, we delved into the potential impact of Starlink, the U.S.-based satellite internet company owned by tech mogul Elon Musk. As we reported, Starlink has applied for a license to provide internet services here in Belize. The final decision rests with the Public Utilities Commission, which has already received ten letters of objection. The National Trade Union Congress of Belize has also voiced its concerns to the commission and raised the issue with the prime minister on Friday. Today, N.T.U.C.B. President Luke Martinez emphasized that we can’t let this company enter Belize and cut into B.T.L.’s market share.

Luke Martinez, President, N.T.U.C.B

“We have submitted via a letter to the P.U.C and we had asked several questions and recommendations. So, while we agree with you and the public that there are these questions that have been going around in terms of how do we reach out to everybody, if we reach out to the technical people from B.E.L, they will tell you that those in the telecommunication sector will tell you that at least ninety-five percent of our population has access to internet service. With the saying of leaving no one behind there is questions about the remaining five percent. So, we made a recommendation saying look if it is something we can’t prevent in the interest of the other five percent and leaving no one behind, we recommended for a reseller option to be proposed. We also discussed with the prime minister that when it comes to our police ands nation defense we have to ensure we protect our integrity, our sovereignty and ensure that we keep our defense as intact as we possibly can. We did mention to the P.M. that would be a concern. We have to understand that B.T.L is our national telecommunication body and Social Security invest over thirty percent in B.T.L, so we cant allow B.T.L to fail.”

COP16, a global summit aimed at halting the destruction of nature, ended in chaos on Saturday. While there were some advances, several key issues remained unresolved. This gathering in Cali, Colombia, marked the first meeting of governments since the 2022 agreement to curb human-caused environmental destruction. Over the two-week summit, countries aimed to make significant progress on critical targets, including protecting thirty percent of the Earth for nature and reforming damaging aspects of the global financial system. Despite the ambitious goals, the summit concluded with much work still to be done. Attending the conference on behalf of the Government of Belize was Beverly Wade, Director of the Blue Bond and Finance Permanence Unit.  Despite all the pledges and commitments made during the global summit, less than half a billion dollars was raised. Wade emphasized that a minimum of twenty billion dollars is needed annually to effectively tackle the issue of biodiversity loss. This stark contrast highlights the significant gap between intentions and the financial resources required to make a real impact.

Beverly Wade, Director, Blue Bond & Finance Permanence Unit

“One of the biggest topics at COP is all about the money and the financing.  I think this COP showed that the traditional financing that would have come to finance nature and nature goals, biodiversity goals and even climate is not really there anymore.  We’re simply not getting the follow-through from all the commitments that are being made in terms of financing biodiversity laws and climate.  As a matter of fact, I think everybody is very much shocked at the measly four hundred million dollars that was raised to move the global biodiversity strategy and framework forward.  It’s been estimated that it would cost twenty billion dollars a year to curb biodiversity loss globally and when you can only raise four hundred million dollars, that is telling.  And so, we’re actually having a crisis.  We’re faced with a climate and biodiversity loss crisis, but we also now have a crisis in how are we going to effectively or how are we now going to address these crises that we have without the resources that are required.”

Isani Cayetano

“From Belize’s perspective, what would you say would be, perhaps, one takeaway from all of what was discussed and perhaps things that can be tangibly done for to remain in line with our goals?”

Beverly Wade

“I think one of the things from my experience at COP, I was fortunate to be along with the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Hon. Christopher Coye, where he participated in several panels and we participated in numerous discussions that were around, how do we bridge the finance gap.  And a lot of attention is being paid to Belize because Belize is one of the few countries that is actually now finding ways other than just grants depending on grants.”

Negotiations were scheduled to conclude on Friday evening but instead descended into confusion by Saturday morning after nearly twelve hours of intense discussions. Governments were unable to reach a consensus on critical issues, including nature funding and the monitoring of this decade’s targets. The drawn-out talks and the sequence of discussions left many countries frustrated, as crucial matters remained unresolved in the final hour.

Beverly Wade, Director, Blue Bond & Finance Permanence Unit

“Safeguarding nature is critical for us.  When you look at a country that is estimated at fifty percent of your GDP is nature-based, it’s important for us here in Belize to ensure that we maintain the functional integrity of nature.  That’s providing important ecosystems services for us in productive sectors: tourism, fisheries, shoreline protection.  And so, it is a priority for us and Belize is one of those countries that has shown that we now know how to start that new thinking of how to now bring in money to finance our ambitions.”

Isani Cayetano

“What do you make of this all, because some people would argue that this is all talk shop and [that] it doesn’t have any material substance, so to speak, in terms of being able to put into effect some of the agreements, put into place the funding as necessary for these agreements to be carried out or what-have-you?”

Beverly Wade

“Well, I’ll be frank with you, it doesn’t give you much to be optimistic about in terms of seeing the commitments made in terms of resources to address climate, really come into fruition.  And this isn’t new, it’s sad, really.  It’s not that we don’t know that climate change is here.  It’s not that we don’t know who the primary countries that are responsible for the impacts that we are seeing from climate change.  It is sad that we don’t have that level of commitment to really addressing it in a meaningful way.”

Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai is set to attend COP29 in Baka, Azerbaijan in the coming days. However, he expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of global summits, suggesting they often serve as more of a talk shop than a platform for meaningful action on climate change and other pressing environmental issues. His remarks were made during an appearance on Open Your Eyes this morning, where he also discussed the looming threat to Belize’s livestock industry if the new screwworm is detected in the country.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“Our livestock industry, sustainable livestock practices that we are applying… the sad thing about this, though, is that sustainable agriculture, climate smart agriculture, all these fancy terms mean nothing without financial backing.  So when you go to this COP24 and COP23… and all the fancy talking, there is no money put behind that.  I have now, actually, been forced to go to Azerbaijan in the next week and I did not want to go because I do not like talk shops.  I would not [go] but because of the Central American ministers putting up a position, I’ve been asked to be a panelist.  I’ve haven’t been there since I was elected, other people go, I said, “Listen, let them go.  I have other things I need to.”  But this year I need to go and I have been asked that.  But this year, it will be one of the main topics.  They have messed up their environment, we still have out trees, we are practicing some sustainability, but it’s not cheap.”