Agriculture C.E.O. Servulo Baeza explained to News Five that Goliath had not met the requirements to proceed with the importation of the beers, and now their permit has been put on pause. He said that the permit was granted because resorts were asking for the availability of Corona beer in Belize.
Via phone: Servulo Baeza, C.E.O., Ministry of Agriculture
“The conditions were that one, each bottle has to have the “Belize Market” and the address of the importer and that they have to pay all the duties. And as far as I know, they have not brought anything in to show that they are meeting the requirements because they would have to show that each bottle is labeled the Belize Market and so forth. I understand that there are bigger setbacks because for that amount of product, no big company wa goh do that, nuh and will take on the expense for going there, because that will be an additional expense for the labeling. So that is why even from the onset, I really thought that this thing wouldn’t fly. But they wanted to try it. The tourism sector is demanding and is always asking us for different things. This is one of the things that some of the resorts are asking us for, so that is how it came about.”
Belize Sugar Industries has clarified that there is no sugar shortage in Belize. As we reported on Thursday, some supermarkets in Belize City have limited the amount of sugar to two pounds at a time per family. This raised the question of whether the country is experiencing a sugar shortage. However, Prime Minister John Briceño explained to News Five that this was not the case. He said that distributors are simply attempting to limit the amount of sugar sold illicitly outside of the country. Today we spoke with B.S.I. Communications Officer, William Neal who reiterated that Belize has more than enough sugar.
William Neal
William Neal, Communications Officer, B.S.I.
“The sugar grinding season ended and we’re now repairing the mill, but we do have stocks that should suffice until we start our next crop in December. Currently, in our warehouse, we have more than eight point one million pounds of white sugar and more than two point five million pounds of brown sugar. Based on what we saw last year, we have made some changes in terms of selling directly to the stores. And so the issue is, there’s no middleman that is diverting the sugar. It’s being sold directly to the stores. The shortages that people are reporting on the shelves is actually controlled directly by the stores themselves. We know that there’s a larger issue of contraband sugar going across the borders, but that’s an enforcement issue and that is beyond our control. We’ve not had massive shifts in terms of demand. We continue to use historical data to supply both plantation white sugar and brown sugar to the stores. So there should be no shortages. As I said, there are no middlemen either, so the stores themselves are accessing sugar directly that we have destined for the local market, the domestic market. So that’s something that we will maintain that there should be no shortages. And we have more than ample supply to make sure that we have sugar available for local consumption going into the next crop in December.”
As we previously clarified, Belize is not currently experiencing a sugar shortage. However, the illicit sale of Belize’s sugar outside of the local market continues to be a detriment to the industry. Distributors have attempted to limit the frequency of sugar contrabanding by limiting the amount that one family is able to purchase at a time. According to the Communications Officer of Belize Sugar Industries, William Neal, producers have also taken steps to prevent the occurrence by eliminating third-party distributors. Neal spoke with News Five to explain that even with the precautions taken by the company, it is in the hands of law enforcement to further control the issue. Here’s more on that.
William Neal
William Neal, Communications Officer, B.S.I.
“Based on what we were seeing the wholesalers were being accused of being the ones who were actually leading the charge when it comes to contraband across the borders. So we made some changes in terms of the way that it’s done. And we thought that would alleviate that situation in terms of making sure that the stores themselves are supplied. And so we did that directly. As the Minister of Agriculture said in his statement, interview. It’s a matter of enforcement now. And they are making some changes that we hope will ensure that the sugar destined for the domestic market is indeed utilized and available by members of the Belizean public. Because that’s what it is designed for, that the domestic sugar be consumed locally. Of course, we’d like to eliminate this smuggling. Belize has a controlled market for sugar. So the prices are lower and that’s the incentive that gives any person, any business person who wants to do an illegal act because it is illegal to contraband it to one of the neighboring countries. We have made some adjustments internally to better manage that, but still and also to reduce some of the areas of grey where there might not be visibility as to what is happening with the sugar. Going directly to the stores themselves, we are hoping that you’ll no longer have that confusion and that the relevant authorities will then do the necessary enforcement to make sure that the sugar that is being purchased for domestic use is made available to customers here in Belize for their consumption and therefore we don’t have any more shortages apparent or otherwise.”
It’s been a tough week for bakers across the country, as they grapple with a flour shortage. In the past few days, several businesses have had to reduce production because they were not able to purchase enough flour to meet their demand. According to the Minister of Agriculture, Jose Abelardo Mai, the shortage was due to issues at the mill, which he says were resolved last week. While the millers work towards producing the next supply of flour, bakers are eagerly awaiting a return to normalcy. We spoke with the Manager of Sunny Side Bakery in Belize City to hear how business has been fairing amidst the shortage. Here’s more on that.
Britney Gordon
“There’s been a flour shortage over the past couple days now. It’s been affecting a few businesses across Belize. How has your company been impacted by this shortage?”
Elony Pitterson
Elony Pitterson, Manager, Sunny Side Bakery
“Currently we can’t supply to most of our customers. Right now it’s a little problem. But we are trying the best we can with what we have. The government told us that we could use substitute flour, so that’s what we are using.”
Britney Gordon
“So you said that you have limited supply would you say that you’ve just been making less items or have you had to stop making non-priority items like not your best sellers. What has that decision been?”
Elony Pitterson
“For sure our main priority is making the buns. But still we are cutting down on bread because our Belizean people prefer the bun over the bread So that is what we are trying.”
Britney Gordon
“So did you guys try that different brand of flour in the meantime, or did you decide to just continue the way how you always knew it with a limited supply?”
Elony Pitterson
“Yes, we tried the flour actually today. Some of the pastries, the powder bun the cinnamon rolls, and even the bread, we tried it and it’s okay. It’s okay so far.”
Britney Gordon
“Yesterday they said that we can, around today is when we can expect production to really pick up back for the flour. Are you guys able to get flour today or is there still a bit of a wait period?”
Elony Pitterson
“Yes, we are trying to get flour. No, we haven’t been getting flour, but it’s the substitute flour. But the government had told us that Monday we should be getting back our usual flour and hopefully we do get it.”
Britney Gordon
“And what’s the reaction been from customers that you guys sell out so fast or they haven’t been able to get their favorite items during this time?”
Elony Pitterson
“Mostly it’s our wholesalers. They are a bit angry. And because we are short on flour we have to close early, and our customers are upset that they can’t get their buns and stuff like that.”
Britney Gordon
“But you’re confident that by Monday, things should be back to normal?”
Elony Pitterson
“Yes, hopefully. Hopefully, we are relying on the government. Hopefully, yes.”
While the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry agrees that there does seem to be a high percentage of employment in Belize, the matter of how much people are being paid for their labour is quite another topic. The B.P.O. industry seemingly advertises the most job vacancies in Belize. We’re told that people with degrees are now being employed at B.P.O.s across the country. At the start of the new school year, News Five was made aware of a teacher shortage at a few schools. It is a situation where teachers are reportedly leaving the classroom to seek either more convenient jobs closer to home or better-paying ones in other fields of work, including the call center industry. We asked the President of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Katherine Meighan if the wages that people are earning are fair.
Katherine Meighan, President, B.C.C.I.
“There’s always that challenge where you may have an employee that feels as if they’re not being fairly paid. The question is: what is that employer doing and what is that employee doing? And you have to approach it from a solution-based perspective because what you don’t want is an employee that is not achieving their best within that company and an employer doesn’t want that because it doesn’t work. It’s not going to be sustainable into the future. So it’s really – that is very specific of a question, but what I would say is these are discussions that any business that’s looking to grow and develop, they’re going to have these discussions and they’re going to encourage their employees to have these discussions with their relevant managers so that they can find solutions.”
In his State of the Nation address earlier this week, Prime Minister John Briceño spoke about the government’s efforts to create better economic opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). He said that the government has enacted legislative amendments to its fiscal incentive programs. These programs have been updated to expand the range of eligible sectors and accommodate uptake among MSMEs. The PM used the digital services sector, or the B.P.O. sector, as now being able to apply specific features, such as work from home arrangements and on-site daycare for single mothers. Additionally, Prime Minister Briceño said that recently, the government introduced the Belize Economic Empowerment Program, where grant funding from the Caribbean Development Fund will provide eight hundred thousand dollars to ninety-three MSMEs. Along with this will come training and mentorship to ensure their sustainability. And to further support small businesses, small farmers and new homeowners, the PM said that the government is making affordable financing more accessible. These efforts, Meighan says are important for the development of a sector that represents a significant percentage of Belizean businesses.
Katherine Meighan
Katherine Meighan, President, B.C.C.I.
“MSMEs are a very, very important part of our economy. I think it’s an important part of any economy, in my opinion. Because they really make up, they’re fuel. They’re a fuel for growth. They’re a fuel for innovation. They are a part of the entrepreneurial cycle. They also play a critical role, like some of these other industries, B.P.O.’s for instance, in the growing of the middle class. And the middle class in any economy, any community is significant because they’re the blood, if you want to say it that way. And so, I’m happy to see, wherever there are opportunities and incentives to encourage their continued growth. MSMEs need technical training and support. They need access to financing. They need support in many, many areas in terms of packaging, for instance, marketing. You can name quite a few. And what I also encourage and what I see, and this is something we share with all of our MSMEs that are members of the Chamber – we encourage them to come together, network, and identify what these opportunities are and not be fearful to jump on them and learn. The quicker they can formalize and develop themselves, the better off they will be.”
A mother and her eleven-year-old daughter are seeking assistance from the public after a traumatic experience. On Tuesday night, they were at home sleeping when the elevated wooden structure collapsed with them inside. After being rescued from under the debris, their neighbor took them in. But they are trying to rebuild their lives after losing everything. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
A mother and her eleven-year-old daughter have been left homeless after their Fabers Road home collapsed on Tuesday night.
Juanita Martin
Juanita Martin, Faber’s Road Resident
“We were watching TV on my bed in my room on the back and we heard some noise, like hurricane, a big noise. After that I feel the bed starting to fall. It fell quick and when we landed we were totally buried. I did not know which way we could come out but some neighbors came because they heard the noise. It waws a big noise. And they broke the window to the side and so we crawl out. I send out my daughter first and then I come out and my friend come out. I still feel traumatized from it. I feel tremble inside that I can’t stop.”
Three days later, Juanita Martin and her daughter are nowhere close to clearing the debris that is the fallen house and recovering their belongings from the rubble. All the appliances and furniture remain buried under heaps of zinc and lumber. Her daughter has been home from school because her uniform and school items also remain buried. Thankfully, their neighbor has given them a place to sleep for the past three nights.
Juanita Martin
“I mih feel like we mih wah get more injuries than that. But thank God. I get some bruise pan mih head and back and different area. My friend get scrape. My daughter got bruises and scrape. When hurricane Lisa came it, it leaned a lot, because it shook it and it started to lean over the side. The posts started to lean so.”
To make ends meet, Martin would sell cold cups from her home. Her deep freezer is also trapped beneath the rubble. Martin also ran a babysitting business that she had to put on pause due to the condition of the house.
Juanita Martin
“I feel sad and traumatized and lee bit hopeless and I know we Belizean people have love and kindness. So, I know I will get help somewhere or the other.”
Reporter
“What type of help would you like at this moment?”
Juanita Martin
“At this moment I really need help to demolish the house and clear away the stuff so that maybe I can get help with another house.”
Martin is hoping to have her daughter return to school on Monday. On Saturday, Belizeans across the country will be celebrating the nation’s independence. Martin says her circumstances have taken away the celebratory mood she anticipated.
Juanita Martin
“Any help or assistance that anybody could give, clothes, shelter, because over at my neighbor has no electricity and it is really hot and punishing.”
Paul Lopez
“What number can be use?”
Juanita Martin
“My number is six, two, four, zero, four, nine, eight.”
A construction worker fell to his death on Thursday morning on Ambergris Caye. Police reports are that the incident happened at Clearwater Belize, a property located two and a half miles north of San Pedro. The victim, forty-five-year-old Abisur Loza, a resident of Patchakan Village, Corozal, was working on the fourth floor of a six-storey building when he fell to the ground sometime around seven-forty a.m. Loza was one of several others who were working at the site. Loza was reportedly on the edge of the fourth floor of the building, trying to push a corrugated drainage pipe that was hanging. He lost his footing and plummeted to his death. His co-workers reportedly heard a thud and saw him lying face up on the ground, bleeding from the face and head. By the time the ambulance arrived a few minutes later, Loza had already died. The father had reportedly gone to Ambergris Caye a few weeks ago to seek employment to sustain his family back home.
Thirty-one-year-old Austin Underwood remains in lockdown at the Belize Central Prison after being charged as a member of a gang several months ago, on June twentieth. The Reggae Street resident appeared unrepresented earlier today before the lower court where he was provided with a sheaf of documents. The hundred and nine pages turned over to Underwood is evidence the prosecution intends to rely on to prove its case that Underwood is in fact a member of the South Side Gang. Underwood, who is the common-law husband of Doris Grant, will return to court on December twelfth, 2024.
In just one week, the People’s United Party will celebrate its seventy-fourth anniversary. The annual celebration highlights the history of the party and its service to Belize. The P.U.P. was founded by George Cadle Price, in September 1950. With seventy-four years under the party’s belt, Prime Minister John Briceño reflects on its contributions to Belize and invites the public to celebrate the upcoming occasion. Here’s more on that.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“It’s an exciting time for us on Sunday, on the twenty-eighth. The birthday, the party’s birthday is the twenty-ninth. What we do it on Saturday, we’re to celebrate, we’re going to bring out thirty-one constituencies of a national party. Also, unlike the U.D.P., the P.U.P. is the People’s United Parties and Institution. And, and we are run by an executive and the National Party also, and the national Convention and so on this day, we come out to celebrate as a party. The history. The work that the P.U.P. has done and the role that the People’s Selective Party has played in the development of this country. In every corner of this country that you go, you can see the tremendous work that the P.U.P. has done and continues to do. We’re going to have our delegates from the thirty-one constituencies approximately, let me see, it’s over three hundred delegates that are going to be here, but we’re also going to be inviting other people to join us. So we invite everyone to come out and join us on this joyous occasion.”
