2024 - Channel 5 Belize

G.O.B. Donates 477 Water Meters to Rural Villages

Over four hundred water and plumbing fixtures have been donated to the water boards of rural villages across Belize. Today, representatives from the water boards in the Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo districts gathered to receive donations from the Ministry of Rural Transformation. The equipment will allow each water board to connect households in their community to the village water system. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Water is one of the basic needs every person needs to survive. But for residents of rural communities, access to that may be difficult to come by. For decades, villagers have relied on wells and naturally occurring water systems for drinking and washing. Now, the Ministry of Rural Transformation is bridging the gap between these communities and access to this human right with the donation of four hundred and seventy-seven water meters and plumbing equipment.

Valentino Shal, CEO, Ministry of Rural Transformation

“Most systems now provide water to their villages twenty-four hours a day. Before, people used to have water five hours a day, six hours a day, and sometimes the systems would go down for weeks. We don’t have those problems anymore. For instance, in villages like Santa Rosa, San Roman, every dry season. No water. San Antonio, Toledo. They get water three hours a day. It’s a very big village. You can’t live like that. You should not live like that.”

CEO IN the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Valentino Shal, explained that for years, local water boards have worked diligently to ensure that members of the community have access to water, but now, the government is ensuring that is accessible twenty-four seven.

Valentino Shal

“But who will fix it? Who will change it? Who can we depend on? Nobody. Just ourselves. We have to do it ourselves. We have to do it together with the government and we have to do it together with our villagers and we have to do it together with our leaders and our board. And I think that we have been doing a very good job together, not just the government, but everybody here. I’m sure that you are proud of the work you have done in your own village, with your own water system. And so we will continue to push for the sustainability of these systems. We want water, people to have water twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year. We want water systems to have money in the bank. And we want people to make sure they’re very comfortable where whichever village they live in this country, it shouldn’t matter.”

The equipment is valued at one hundred and twenty-three thousand dollars. This year, the ministry has purchased and distributed one thousand, three hundred meters.

Oscar Requena, Minister of Rural Transformation

“One of the first things that we have done is to improve the efficiency of how we support water systems. We support them by drilling new wells, by cleaning existing wells, superchlorinating wells when they are contaminated, support our communities by putting in place water boards. Providing training and capacity building so that they can manage the systems. We have seen where we have donated thousands of meters to water boards to make them sustainable. And that is why we are doing this here today. Because the goal of this is to make our communities and water boards self-sustainable. What does that mean? It means that by using meters, people are going to pay a more equitable price more equitable price for the water that they use.”

The meters will allow for expansion through new connections, water regulation, and conservation, which will help each water board improve its efforts at self-sustainability. Minister of Rural Transformation, Oscar Requena explained that with the installation of the systems, residents will be more conscious of the amount of water they consume.

Oscar Requena

“Because without a meter, people go wash their foot, wash the car, wash whatever on the tap, just di run and nobody cares. But by having a meter, people are going to be more conscious. You know once I turn on that, the meter di run, and that means the cents di go and I have pay. It also means that it allows the water boards to collect more revenue. And that we have seen how that has changed where communities have implemented meters. Their income has increased, has expanded. And if your income increases, what does that mean? It means that you can take care of your expenditure. You can expand water. And when your systems go bad and you need to fix something, you have money to be able to do that. And you don’t have to be depending on the government or the Ministry of Rural Transformation. That’s the big goal.”

Minister of State, Ramiro Ramirez, highlighted the hard work of the members of the village waterboards and the Rural Community Development Organizations. He emphasized the need to provide stipends for the members on the ground ensuring that the needs of the public are met.

Ramiro Ramirez, Minister of State, Ministry of Rural Transformation

“As he mentioned, now we have money and I’m glad that he mentioned that you guys deserve a better stipend. Because you work hard, all the insults goes to you. Once they don’t have water, they start to complain. But this ministry is doing our best and let us see who will put on Facebook that you guys are doing something good for them. So thanks to the RCDOs countrywide. Remember, meters are very, very good, very helpful. If you have a leakage in your system, that will show it because the price will go. It’s not only because a meter is just to affect you. The meter will never affect you. The meter will give you a service. Something that you don’t have to be twenty-four hours watching where is the leak. That will identify what is happening in your area.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Police Department Investigates Fake Birth Certificates

The Belize Police Department is currently investigating a series of documents that appear to be fraudulent birth certificates, at the request of the Vital Statistics Unit (V.S.U.), the Ministry of Immigration, and the Social Security Board. The V.S.U. says that none of these documents were issued or printed by their system. The department scrubbed the documents to verify that they were not generated from the V.S.U.’s database.

A release from the government says that interviews are being conducted, statements have been collected, and charges are expected to be filed soon. Enhanced security measures have been implemented.

The release urges Belizeans “not to engage in the dealing or procuring of fraudulent documents, as it is only a matter of time before these acts are uncovered and prosecuted.”

Belize’s Exports Drop by 39%

The latest statistics from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) show that both imports and exports declined in August of this year. At SIB’s third press conference for this year, Statistician II Ronald Orellana announced that total imports fell to $219.2 million, a drop of 20.2 percent or $55.6 million compared to August 2023.

Key contributors to this decline included a $21.5 million reduction in’mineral fuels and lubricants’ and a $9.3 million decrease in goods for ‘commercial free zones.’

Domestic exports were similarly impacted, totalling $43.5 million in August, down 39.2 percent or $28 million from the previous year. This steep decline was primarily driven by a $32.5 million drop in sugar exports, although some categories, such as citrus products and marine goods, showed modest growth.

For the first eight months of 2024, total merchandise exports reached $307.1 million, a decrease of 1.5 percent from the same period in 2023, largely due to the downturn in sugar exports, despite improvements in banana and citrus sales.

While imports increased by 8 percent overall in the first eight months of 2024, reaching $1.935 billion, the August figures signal significant challenges ahead.

The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) also spoke on other key economic indicators, including the Consumer Confidence Index, Gross Domestic Product, Consumer Price Index, and External Trade Statistics.

Consumer Prices Increase by 3.1%

Consumer prices in Belize increased by 3.1% in August 2024, according to the latest report from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB). This showed a continuation of inflation trends that began in late 2020 after a period of stability from 2019 to 2020. The most significant driver was the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ category, which saw a 5.1% inflation rate, largely due to rising costs for fresh vegetables (up 12.6%) and fruits (up 11.5%).

Among the highlights was the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for August, delivered by Melvin Perez, Statistician II in the Economic Statistics Department.

Other contributing factors included a 2.2% rise in transport costs, driven by a $0.67 increase in diesel prices, and a 7.1% increase in passenger transport services, marking its first rise since April 2023. The ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ category also experienced a 4.9% increase, primarily from higher dining costs, while housing-related expenses rose by 1.7% due to increased rental prices.

The ‘Clothing and Footwear’ category recorded a 5.1% increase, and personal care products rose by 4.4%. The only decline was seen in the ‘Information and Communication’ category, which fell by 2% due to lower electronics prices.

Municipality-wise, Belmopan reported the highest inflation rate at 6.1%, while Punta Gorda Town had the lowest at 1.36%. The year-to-date inflation rate for 2024 is currently at 3.8%, driven largely by increases in food and accommodation services. Month-over-month inflation for August was recorded at 0.6%, indicating ongoing pressure on consumer prices across various sectors.

Coyote Caught Eating Mangoes in Toledo

Pictures captured by Birding Guide Christian Bech shows a coyote picking a mango from a tree in the Toledo District. Bech posted the pictures on his Facebook page saying “The Coyote is here again today. Eating mangoes. Again I heard the dog and went close to the Mango trees but of course it had gone. I sat down quietly and waited 5-10 minutes and there it was. First it sits and scan the area for a couple of minutes before going to look for mangoes. It looked me in the eyes several times, but since I wasn’t moving, it obviously didn’t realize that I was a human. On the last video, where the distance is down to 40 ft, it suddenly realize that I am there and disappears. Site 2, MR road.”

On a second post, Bech said, “Today there was 2 and sometimes there are 4.”

How Did Belize Achieve a $136 Million Economic Growth?

Belize’s economy experienced a significant boost in the second quarter of 2024, with a preliminary Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimate of $1.432 billion. This is according to the Statistical Institute of Belize’s (SIB) latest figures shared today. This marks a 10.5% increase, or $136 million, compared to $1.296 billion during the same period in 2023.

Christopher Hulse, Statistician II in the Economic Statistics Department, said that growth was evident across all three economic sectors. The economic sectors mentioned in the report include three main categories. The primary sector encompasses industries involved in the extraction and production of raw materials, such as agriculture, fishing, and mining. The report highlights agricultural industries like citrus, bananas, sugarcane, and livestock, as well as fishing. The secondary sector involves manufacturing and construction activities, including food production, beverages, electricity, water, and construction. The tertiary sector focusses on service-based industries, which include wholesale and retail trade, accommodation and food services, transportation, financial services and insurance, and government services.

According to Hulse, the primary sector rebounded with activities valued at $107.8 million, up 5.6% from the previous year. Key agricultural gains included a surge in citrus production, which rose from 1.9 thousand metric tonnes to 4.8 thousand metric tonnes, along with increases in banana (22.9%) and sugarcane (14.1%) production.

The secondary sector expanded by 8.4%, or $210.8 million, driven primarily by a 35.5% increase in electricity generation and a 7.3% rise in construction. However, manufacturing faced challenges, with flour production declining by 7.5%.

The tertiary sector, the largest contributor at $911.8 million, saw a 10.5% increase. Notable growth was recorded in accommodation and food services (33%), and wholesale and retail trade (23.1%).

SIB’s Director General, Diana Castillo-Trejo, says that climate change continues to affect all sectors, particularly agriculture, where adverse weather has damaged crops. “It is fair enough to say that climate change is having an impact probably across all the sectors of the economy. The most obvious one is agriculture,” she said, adding, “It is important to note that electricity production refers to what we produce locally, excluding imported electricity.”

Belize’s economy is rebounding strongly, with a 10.5% growth in Q2 2024 driven by improvements across all sectors. However, the recognition of climate change impacts highlights ongoing vulnerabilities.

Spending Slowdown Ahead? Belize’s Consumer Confidence Decreases

In its third press conference of 2024, the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) reported a drop in the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for August, which fell to 43.6—down 3.8% from July’s 45.4. The decrease in the overall CCI for August follows several months of consistent upward growth that began in May 2024. According to Acting Manager, Economic Statistics Department, Statistician 1, Jaqueline Sabal, this decline is mainly attributed to significant reductions in the ‘Durable Goods’ and ‘Expectations’ components, which decreased by 6.2% and 5.4%, respectively.

The CCI serves as a vital indicator of consumer sentiment regarding the economy, personal financial situations, and willingness to make major purchases. Given that household spending is a key driver of economic activity, shifts in the CCI can provide early indicators of future economic growth.

According to Sabal, urban consumers saw a 1.6% decline in CCI, heavily influenced by a 6.5% drop in durable goods sentiment. Rural areas, on the other hand, experienced a sharper decline of 5.4%, particularly in the ‘Expectations’ sub-index, which fell from 59.6 to 55.1.

By gender, males reported a 4.2% drop in confidence, while females saw a 3.1% decrease. The most notable decline occurred among consumers aged 35-44, with a 13% drop, while those aged 25-34 reported an 11.5% increase.

Ethnic disparities also emerged, as the Garifuna and Maya groups faced the largest declines, with the Garifuna CCI dropping from 51.5 to 45.9.

Overall, the August figures indicate growing pessimism among residents about their finances and the economy. It reflects increasing consumer caution regarding financial outlook and major purchases, signalling a potential slowdown in spending that could impact economic growth.

Man Found Dead in Bella Vista

News Five has learned that a man was found dead earlier today in Bella Vista Village, Toledo District. Pictures show investigators and scene of crime technicians on the scene. Videos show a man lying motionless on the ground. We are told that he was stabbed by his brother who is in police custody.

This is a developing story.

NHC Monitors Two Systems Brewing in the Atlantic

As Hurricane Helene makes its way through the Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center is closely monitoring two other developing systems in the Atlantic.

The first, a broad low-pressure system identified as AL98, is situated near the Cabo Verde Islands and is producing disorganised shower and thunderstorm activity. Conditions are favourable for gradual development, with an estimated 60% formation chance.

The second system, AL99, is a low-pressure area located off Bermuda. This system is currently producing storm-force winds. The formation chance for AL99 is low at 10% in the next 48 hours, with a slight increase to 20% over the following week.

Wellness Week 2024 Brings Belize Together

This year’s Wellness Week is bringing together individuals across the nation under the theme, “Greater social cohesion, better health.”

The initiative highlights the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Caribbean and SICA region.

Karen Lewis Bell, representative of PAHO/WHO, discussed the theme on Open Your Eyes on Tuesday morning. She stated, “This is really about the importance of attachment, engagement, solidarity, individuals coming together to promote health and well-being; because we realise that when there is attachment, certainly our youths would be less engaged in gang violence and use of illicit drugs.” Bell added, “When communities get together, we support each other; there is a sense of belonging, and it does a lot for our health, not just our physical health, but our mental health as well.”

Robyn Faber, nutritionist for the Ministry of Health and Wellness, said, “Our focus at the Ministry is really to bring people together, look at programs, activities, and interventions that we can support together as a team, having healthy communities, healthy schools.”

This year, the ministry involved Miss Universe Belize, Halima Hoy, in its initiatives.

The ministry organised a series of activities across every district for Wellness Week, dedicating each day to a specific focus. Monday kicked off with a theme of solidarity, while Tuesday highlighted Disability-Inclusion Day, promoting rehabilitation for differently-abled individuals.

Today, Wellness Wednesday is centred on raising awareness of chronic diseases and STDs in workplaces. Looking ahead, Thursday will focus on early detection of cancer and family planning, culminating on Friday with “Better Together Friday,” which includes a Socathon in Belmopan to promote physical activity and community engagement.