2024 - Channel 5 Belize

501 Transit App Launched for E-bus Riders

It’s been three months since electric buses, the green alternative to public transportation, hit the streets of Belize City. Now, the 501 Transit app, a complimentary service to the e-buses, is here. The app allows users to track buses in real time, allowing easier city transit. News Five’s Britney Gordon was at the launch to learn how the app functions.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

In mid-July, Belize City welcomed the E-bus pilot program. This introduction of these environmentally friendly, wheelchair-accessible buses signalled a step towards the transformation of the transportation industry as Belizeans know it. Now, the 501 transit app is here to strengthen the accessibility features of the buses.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City

“Da wa additional milestone we reach. We started with the buses some while back. They are now up and running functional and I know the app. Really compliments that that process and is a key milestone because it really speaks to connectivity with the residents with the commuters and having them know in real time where the buses are at any given time.”

The project is funded through the European Union and is spearheaded by the Belize City Council with assistance from the United Nations Development Program. Mayor of Belize City, Bernard Wagner says that the pilot program has received tremendous feedback since its launch earlier tis year.

Bernard Wagner

“I even explain the sort of embrace that the residents of the city, especially with elderly people with students. I had a meeting with some of the schools who want additional buses to run opposite to how it is running to bring in students into the school zone. The elderly people with diverse abilities have really embrace it. And it is so good to see that our youths, our children are being brought into this new era of transformation in the transportation industry. The kids of today will no longer be subjected to substandard transportation.”

The app uses the customer’s geographical location to determine how far away a bus is from them and the distance from the nearest bus stops. Chief Transport Officer, Leon Gentle, explains.

Leon Gentle, Chief Transport Officer

“The idea of the app like we were talking earlier about, is to try to make the lives of commuters a little bit easier. The objective of the app is to be able to see live time when the buses are approaching your area or your stop. The whole idea is that you should be able to plan your trip if you want to leave at ten o’clock, you should be able to see where those buses are. From the Department of Transport standpoint, we want to make sure that the app is accessible to all. And that’s why it’s available both on Android and iOS, as well as to provide some level of information and data collecting to the Department of Transport. To help us to plan routes, to help us to plan areas passengers are available to catch these buses.”

While the app only tracks the location of the e-buses, the plan is to incorporate data of all the buses in Belize eventually.

Leon Gentle

“We have to be able to transition both from a scheduling standpoint, where you’re able to, on the national scene, be able to plan your trip countrywide. And so we would have a national schedule that would eventually go on this app. For persons to say, if I want to move from Belize City to Cayo, I know these are the buses and these are the operators that would be leaving from the bus terminal in Belize City and from areas that they should be based on their road service permits. Each road service permit has a time that you should be at a particular location and that is where we intend to make that transition. Eventually, we’re hoping that operators add the telematics, which would give us the real time data to their existing buses.”

Mayor Wagner explains that demand for more buses is high, but the team is attempting to secure more in the near future. In the meantime, he anticipates that the electric taxis will be rolling out within the next month.

Bernard Wagner

“Our e taxes are set to launch I think this month coming, November. The hardest setback has been getting the drivers in place because we want to get the right drivers and so we are set for this month.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

34 Officers Graduate From P.E.A.C.E Program Training

The Positive Engagement and Civic Education Program or P.E.A.C.E Program was launched in late 2023 to encourage youths to stand up against bullying and gang violence. The program was developed through a collaboration between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Education, with support from the U.S. Embassy. The program is expanding beyond the Old Capital. And today, the Belize Police Department graduated an additional thirty-four officers equipped with the necessary told to go out and engage youths on the program’s curriculum. We spoke with Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, at today’s graduation ceremony.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We are now expanding on that program. The expansion required that we had to train more police officers and instructors to go into the classroom and instruct on the content of the peace program. So, we are graduating thirty-four offices today and they are from across the country. Their task will be to ensure they go into the classrooms as we now expand the program across the country. We expect they are going to instruct the students on the content of this program. Again, it is a part of our community policing programs. You would know we are currently embarking more aggressively on the importance of community policing. If it is that we want to break the cycle of gangs, we have to start with children who are in that primary school age, making sure we raise the tree the right way is important, because if you neglect the tree and the tree bends it is going to be difficult to straighten that tree.”

MSME Roadshow Concluded in Belize City

Today, the annual national M.S.M.E. roadshow wrapped its second day of activities in Belize City. The event was launched in 2023 by the Office of the Prime Minister in partnership with the Economic Development Council and BELTRAIDE to provide support for micro, small, and medium enterprises. Monique Usher, Deputy Executive Director, of BELTRAIDE provided us with more details on the event.

Monique Usher, Deputy Executive Director, BELTRAIDE

“Today is the day two, which we consider the formalization clinic. So we did have a lot of the agencies that businesses would need to participate in the formalization step in attendance today.”

Britney Gordon

“And what will we see tomorrow?”

Monique Usher

“Tomorrow we have the Buy Belizean Expo, which we’re doing in partnership with the Belize City Council. So we’re joining their super sale. And so for the day three of the MSME Roadshow, we typically have an expo. And so tomorrow we have the participating businesses that had attended the bootcamp showcasing their different products and services to the public.”

Britney Gordon

“And what is the benefit for companies to come and participate in something like this? What do they have to gain?”

Monique Usher

“We offer capacity building in day one. They also have the opportunity to work with a business advisor from BELTRAIDE to assist them in their business, whether it’s looking at starting, improving, or expanding their operation. There’s also an opportunity to network amongst other MSMEs, and important also is for them to connect with some of the agencies, such as the Belize Companies Registry, to assist them with registering their business name and other, you know, formalization steps.

Britney Gordon

“And you said that this has been going on since June. When will it conclude the entire event?”

Monique Usher

“The Belize City is the final stop for the MSME Roadshow. However, we do have a signature event in November, which is the National Entrepreneurship Convention, which we dub as ENTRECON. And it’s a signature event for BELTRAIDE. It closes off all the activities that we have for the year. This year we do have a unique addition to it, which is the Glaze Award. Gala. So we’re very excited, you know, to be able to spearhead these activities.”

Mayor Wagner on City’s Swift Recovery After TS Nadine

Tropical Storm Nadine swept through southern Belize City on Saturday, bringing powerful winds and heavy rain that tested the city’s resilience. Despite the storm’s intensity, the old capital has shown a remarkable recovery. Mayor Bernard Wagner shared insights on how the storm impacted the city and praised the community’s swift response and resilience.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City

“No, it was to the best of my knowledge and the reports that I receive is that we just had the flooding in the streets. Some of the flood prone areas that are usually flooded, got extensively flooded, but with the king tides coming in and climate change and all of these converging it’s important that we put in place actions such as this climate action doing our part in reducing greenhouse gases. If we don’t do our part you’ll continue to see stronger storms more adverse climate conditions in our country.”

Mayor Wagner Supports Franchises, Sees Economic Boost for Belize

With the recent debut of the iconic New York pizza chain Sbarro in Belize City, Mayor Bernard Wagner has expressed his support for introducing more international franchises, such as Starbucks, to the Belizean market. While some fear these additions could harm local businesses, Wagner believes they offer more choices for consumers and create opportunities for economic growth. According to the mayor, Belize has space for both local and international brands to thrive.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City

“Having a franchise doesn’t mean that it’ll be a International owner. A franchise doesn’t mean that the business establishment will be owned by international. I t means that a local person goes and apply for a franchise and that franchise in the United States or wherever comes in and give them the sort of assistance in terms of how they go about getting their brand on their business. But there’s no way that you will say that listen a franchise is coming in its own by foreigners. A franchise most of the franchises I know are run by locals, but I am a I enjoy all the local coffees. I’m a coffee drinker. And I just believe that there are other options available. We need to get out of this state of where we just want to hold on. We need to give our people options.”

Rotary Distributes Wheelchairs Across Belize

This weekend, over two hundred persons who are immobile will receive wheelchairs from members of the Rotary Club of Belize. The distribution around Belize comes through a donation from the Rotary Club of Naples, Florida, and the Belizean Americans who live there. Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, Rossana Briceño says the folks in Naples contacted her and made the offer for Belizeans who need the wheelchairs. But the whole opportunity came about when one man in Florida had an accident and was left immobile. His son decided to start a foundation in his honour to buy wheelchairs for people who need. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

One man’s misfortune many years ago in Naples, Florida, led to a positive opportunity for Belizeans who have mobility issues. John Danner is in Belize along with other Rotary club members from Naples. They raised funds for the Howard S. Danner, Jr., Wheels for Wheels Cycling Challenge. Danner Jr says the fundraisers are held in honour of his father, who lost his legs because of a traffic accident at the age of sixty. And when he, John, turned sixty, he began the charity work to keep his father’s memory alive.

John Danner, Founder, the Howard S. Danner Jr., Foundation

“People gather up pledges and then they ride a certain amount of miles. Whatever they choose, they collect the money and it all goes into the fund. And this year we raised enough money for a shipping container of wheelchairs. Dad was in an accident, he was hit by a hit and run driver and left in the road and was paralyzed for seventeen years in a wheelchair. And I determined when I turned sixty, which is about the age when he was hit, that a good way to do something in his memory would be to raise money for wheelchairs.”

The opportunity materialized for Belizeans in need when Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, Rossana Briceño, was contacted by the Ixchel Foundation, and collaboration was made among them, the Rotary Club of Naples, Florida, as well as from Belizean Americans living there.

Rossana Briceño, Special Envoy, Development of Families & Children

“The CEO from the Ixchel Foundation in Naples had reached out and we have a large community of Belizeans in Naples, Florida, and they’re always trying to connect and see how we can partner. So when she reached out and she said, “We have a lot of wheelchairs that we want to distribute through the Wheels for Wheels Foundation,” I said, “Well, let’s connect with the Rotary Clubs.”

Gustavo Garcia is the President of the Rotary Club of Belize. He says the twenty-year-old effort by Rotary has seen more than three thousand Belizeans receive wheelchairs. Who gets the wheelchairs, he says, depends on who needs them most.

Gustavo Garcia, President, Rotary Club of Belize

“We have a system to verify if they’re going to have a good use of the wheelchairs or if they need it, and we try to cover as much as we can. We always need more help, that’s why we do the raffles for iPhones, trucks and everything, to be able to do the distribution. But actually this is a teamwork We work with on this case. It’s going to be Wheels for Wheels and several clubs all around the world.”

Briceño says she will store a few of the wheelchairs so that whenever someone needs one, she can be reached through her office, or through Rotary Club members. Marion Ali for News Five.

30 Persons Complete Training on Criminal Mediation

This afternoon, a group of thirty participants, comprising High Court judges, magistrates, and civilians, successfully completed a week-long training course on criminal mediation. This accomplishment not only introduces an alternative method for resolving criminal cases but also presents a significant opportunity to alleviate the backlog of pending trials. The training was conducted by the U.W.I. Belize campus. Chief Justice Louise Blenman addressed this issue, while Cynthia Ellis-Topsey provided her insights on the matter.

Justice Louise Blenman, Chief Justice of Belize

“In Belize, we have challenges with backlogs and also with matters taking longer than they should, due to the fact of the heavy number of cases in the system. In any justice system, it is not expected that ninety percent of the cases that are filed in the courts should be going to trial. In fact, in North America, only 10 percent of the cases that are filed go to full trial. I keep saying that in the Caribbean, we have been getting it wrong. We have had situations across the Caribbean where 90 percent of our cases go to trial. It is impossible for any jurisdiction not to have a backlog if that situation continues. Therefore, alternative dispute resolution is critical and necessary if we are to have efficient and effective justice systems across the Caribbean. One of the key things is that we are learning how to be alternative to trials and imprisonment and so on. And this is a way in which it’s alternative dispute resolution to bring parties together to see if we can resolve issues rather than have punishment. So, it’s a facilitative process that included judges, magistrates and we were some of the few non judges and magistrates. It was a very intense course, and it was hard work.”

ComPol and Port Area Representative Connect with Local Residents

The Community Policing Unit has maintained a steady presence in various neighborhoods of Belize City, and on some occasions, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams participates in meet-and-greet sessions. This Wednesday, Williams was accompanied by Port Loyola Area Representative Gilroy Usher for a tour of the area, where they engaged with residents on Caesar Ridge Road. Both officials expressed their desire to listen to the concerns of the community.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Normally I come on this meet and greet because people will say things to us, some concerns that we cannot address that the political representative in the area could address, so Mr. Usher is here to ensure that those issues that relate to his office, that he can hear from the people and see what he can do to address those issues.”

Marion Ali

“What are some of those issues?”

Gilroy Usher, Area Representative, Port Loyola

“Well, one of the issues is crime, but it’s very minimal right now compared to previous years. And so the whole purpose of this meet and greet is to assure the citizens that the police is here to cooperate with them to combat crime in every possible way and also to persuade the young people to take advantage of the many benefits of the L.I.U program to earn a honest living and also learn life skills so that they are they are more it is more easily for them to find employment in the wider community.”

Family of Belmopan Kidnapping Victim Speaks Out, The Latest from Police

A family of four from Belmopan has been charged with the kidnapping and assault of a twenty-three-year-old pregnant woman, leaving her hospitalized in severe pain. Police discovered the woman during an operation at the home of a pastor, where she was allegedly held captive by her husband’s family after attempting to leave the marriage. Today, forty-five-year-old Luis Tiul Sr., his son twenty-four-year-old Luis Tiul Jr., Tiul Sr.’s wife, forty-three-year-old Elizabeth Tiul, and fifty-nine-year-old Matilda Games were arraigned in Belmopan Magistrates Court and denied bail. They have been remanded to Belize Central Prison until January 22, 2025.

Wilmer Cruz, the victim’s brother, recounted the shock he felt upon learning of the ordeal his sister endured. Their family had believed that her marriage to the pastor’s son would provide stability, but they were horrified when police found her bound, injured, and left in inhumane conditions. Cruz described the relationship as initially positive, a union that had even brought the couple a child. However, Cruz shared that his mother contacted him with disturbing news, leading him to rush to the hospital, where he found his sister in terrible condition. “I find her in a condition like when you torture somebody, kidnap somebody and find them in a room, like a movie scene. ,” Cruz said. “Her hands all burned, swollen, her feet scarred like they were tied.”

Cruz expressed his distrust of the entire family, stating, “All of them look like they have the same vibe and the same mentality…because they don’t think, they just act.”

Electric Taxis to Arrive in November?

Belize City has launched the 501 Transit app, a new tool designed to improve the experience of using its recently introduced electric bus service. The app allows residents to track buses in real time, making city transit more convenient.

Mayor Bernard Wagner described the app as a key “milestone.” He said, “We started with the buses some while back… and the app… is a key milestone because it really speaks to connectivity with the residents with the commuters.” The initiative, funded by the European Union and the United Nations Development Program, has received positive feedback, said the mayor, particularly from the elderly and students. Wagner stated, “The kids of today will no longer be subjected to substandard transportation.”

Currently, the app tracks only electric buses, but plans are in place to expand it to include all public transport in Belize. Additionally, Wagner announced that electric taxis are set to launch in November, pending the hiring of qualified drivers.