2024 - Channel 5 Belize

SIB Reports a Growing Willingness to Spend

Are Belizeans willing to spend more money? According to the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB), the country saw an increase of 14% in consumer confidence for the month of October. The SIB reported that the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) jumped from 38.9% in September to 44.3&.This shows that Belizeans grew confident about making major purchases and their financial outlook for the year ahead. The main driver behind the increase in the CCI was the “durable goods such as homes, cars, furniture, and appliances.”

In terms of regional differences, urban areas saw a 6.6% increase in consumer confidence. Meanwhile, rural areas experienced a more significant boost of 19.8%.

When broken down by gender, male consumer confidence increased by 11.8%, while female confidence grew by 15.9%. The SIB says that both genders became more optimistic about their financial situations and the economy over the next year.

Younger consumers, particularly those aged 18-24, reported the most significant improvement in confidence. Consumers aged 25-34 also showed a strong increase of 21.1%. These age groups transitioned from pessimism to optimism, driven by an improvement in sentiments regarding durable goods purchases. Older age groups, including those aged 45-54 and 55 and older, also reported notable increases in confidence.

Ethnic groups across the country reported improved consumer confidence, with the Maya seeing the largest rise of 30.6%. This was largely driven by a 93.8% increase in the durable goods component. Mestizo/Hispanic groups also saw significant improvements, with their CCI rising by 18.8%.

Belize Breaks Ground on Marine Rescue Centre

The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, officially broke ground this morning for the Belize Marine Rescue and Education Centre.

As the region continues to face a steady decline in marine life, the need for stronger conservation efforts has become more urgent. Jamal Galvez, Coordinator of the Belize Manatee Conservation Program, says the centre will play a critical role in protecting vulnerable marine species.

“This centre represents a proactive step toward safeguarding our marine ecosystems,” Galvez said. “With growing threats to marine life, having a dedicated space for rescue, rehabilitation, and education is essential for long-term conservation.”

Galvez says projects like this are needed as there has been an increase in the number of manatees, sea turtles, and other marine species in need of rescue.

Anthony Mahler, the Minister of Tourism, explained that the discussion about the project began some time ago with Galvez and other community members. He said it was part of the government’s manifesto promise and a planned release. Mahler noted the need to go through the necessary processes, including drafting the plans and designs, to create an environment where marine animals, including manatees, can be brought for care and research. In terms of a timeline, Mahler said the project could be completed within the next year to a year and a half.

Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, told News 5 that the initiative goes beyond rescuing and managing manatees when they are injured. He said research and education are key components. “This facility will provide opportunities for students from schools and universities not only in Belize but also regionally and internationally to engage in research and educational activities,” he stated.

Meta’s Platforms Face Widespread Outage, Disrupting Billions Worldwide

On Wednesday, Meta’s suite of applications—Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Threads—experienced significant outages, leaving billions of users worldwide grappling with limited or no access to the platforms. The tech giant acknowledged the disruption, attributing it to a “technical issue” but has yet to reveal the specific cause.

In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) at 1:48 p.m. ET, Meta said, “We’re”We’re aware that a technical issue is impacting some users’ ability to access our apps. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience.”

Instagram echoed the sentiment in a similar post on X, using the hashtag #instagramdown to highlight the issue. Meanwhile, WhatsApp confirmed its disruptions but reported that services were “starting to see a return to normal for most people.”

Reports of issues surged dramatically, with Facebook receiving over 97,000 incident reports and Instagram exceeding 67,000 in the same timeframe.

Concurrently, Meta’s status page for business services indicated “major disruptions” affecting Facebook Ads Manager, Messenger APIs, and other tools like Workplace from Meta, some of which were noted as “recovering.”

Adding to the chaos, user reports of downtime flooded platforms like X and Bluesky, fuelling frustration among individuals and businesses reliant on Meta’s services for communication, advertising, and daily operations.

Higher Unemployment Rate Among Women

The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) held its fourth final press conference for 2024, presenting key data on the Labour Force Survey, poverty, GDP, consumer prices, and external trade.

Anya Mejia, Statistician I at the SIB, shared details from the Labour Force Survey for September 2024. The survey, which covers 3,000 randomly selected households, showed that Belize’s working-age population in September 2024 was 412,319, with 72.4% of this group in the labour force.

According to the SIB, the unemployment rate stood at 2.1%, a decrease from September 2023. Notably, female unemployment was higher at 3.1%, while the majority of employed persons (60%) were male.

Mejia reported that 35.6% of employed individuals were informally employed, earning an average of $1,329 per month. Informal workers typically completed primary education and worked an average of 34.5 hours weekly.

Underemployment affected 2.2% of the workforce, with women accounting for 62.5% of this group. Most underemployed workers were seen in the services and sales sector. Youths aged 14-24 continued to show the lowest participation rates, especially young females.

Meanwhile, 25% of youth aged 15 to 24 were neither in education, employment, nor training (NEET). Young women accounted for 70% of this group.

Social Media Frenzy: Suspect in C.E.O. Murder Cast as Folk Hero

A grainy image of the man’s face has sparked comparisons to Hollywood heartthrobs. His jacket, resembling the one seen in police-issued wanted posters, has become a hot commodity in retail stores. Even more unsettling, the cryptic words etched on the bullets he used to kill a man on a busy Manhattan sidewalk have been embraced by some as a rallying cry.

Three days after the shocking assassination of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan, the unidentified suspect has become, for some online communities, a modern-day folk hero.

Suspected CEO killer Luigi Mangione is seeing a dramatic increase in followers on his social media accounts. On X, a 26-year-old suspect has amassed at least 160,000 followers, gaining roughly 1,000 new followers per minute. Over on Instagram, an account believed to be his—which contained just 10 posts—had grown to at least 65,000 followers before the platform took it down.

Meanwhile, “Free him” began trending on X, with tens of thousands of users calling for Mangione’s release and sharing images from his social media accounts. “He’s too pretty for prison. Free him,” one user posted alongside a photo of a shirtless Mangione hiking in Hawaii. “He’s hot, smart, and anti-capitalist—free him right now,” wrote another.

Rather than aiding the investigation, some users are rooting for the gunman and actively working to thwart police efforts. One notable target of this misplaced allegiance is the Upper West Side hostel where officials believe the suspect stayed. Online review platforms have been flooded with negative comments, with users labelling staff as “narcs” for cooperating with police. The deluge of bad reviews is just one example of the backlash aimed not at the killer but at those aiding the investigation.

The driving force behind this online fervour appears to be the three words found on the bullet casings at the crime scene: “depose,” “deny,” and “delay.” These terms, widely recognised as references to strategies often associated with insurance companies to delay or deny claims, have fuelled public anger toward the health insurance industry. While the words’ exact meaning remains speculative, they’ve been enough to galvanise support for the shooter from certain factions online.

Perhaps the most bizarre manifestation of this phenomenon occurred on Saturday afternoon in Washington Square Park, where a “look-alike” contest was held in the suspect’s honor. About half a dozen men gathered in the December chill, some wearing jackets emblazoned with the words “deny, defend, depose.”

Court Denies OJ’s Appeal; Rape Case Proceeds to Trial

Attorney Orson Elrington’s challenge to his rape charges has been dismissed by the court, and his case will now proceed to trial.

In July 2024, Elrington’s attorney, Hubert Elrington, announced plans to appeal the magistrate’s decision to commit his client to trial.” The DPP has brought a case, right? And her first duty is to show that there is a difference between a crime and a non-crime,” Hubert said. He suggested that the matter should be referred to the High Court.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Cheryl Lynn Vidal responded, “We didn’t think that there was any likelihood that he would not have been committed to stand trial.” She added that she looked forward to the defendant’s challenge in the high court.

Elrington’s appeal against the magistrate’s decision was based on claims that the magistrate mishandled his application and that the DPP had improperly communicated with the complainant during the investigation. But the court found no evidence to support these claims and ruled it had no jurisdiction to hear the appeal.

This means that the case will move forward to trial.

Elrington was charged with rape in March 2024 and granted bail of $8,000. The charges stem from allegations by two women who accuse Elrington of sexual assault after they were invited to his home for drinks. According to Police Commissioner Chester Williams, one woman reported becoming unconscious and waking up next to Elrington in a semi-nude state, with no memory of what transpired.

Convicted Murderer William ‘Danny’ Mason Claims ‘Cruel’ Prison Conditions

Did you know that convicted murderer William ‘Danny’ Mason has a DVD player in his jail cell? In fact, according to the Attorney General’s ministry, Mason’s cell includes amenities such as “its own toilet and its own shower, with running water… a standing fan, a writing table, a bed, and a DVD player with audio to watch movies.” This was a response to Mason’s attorney, Peter Taylor.

Taylor wrote to Virgilio Murillo, the CEO of the Belize Central Prison, claiming his client has been confined to a cell for 23 hours a day for the past eight years, with only one hour for recreation. Taylor described the conditions as “cruel, degrading, and inhuman treatment,” adding that Mason’s cell lacks proper lighting, making reading and writing difficult, and he is denied interaction with other inmates and visitors. Taylor also requested Mason’s recreation time be increased from one hour to three.

The ministry rejected the request, stating that Mason’s cell “is more than adequate for a single person.” It added that Mason is housed in Tango 10, a high-security area for dangerous prisoners, and is allowed one hour of recreation in line with prison rules.

Mason, along with Ernest Castillo, Ashton Vanegas, and brothers Keiron and Terrence Fernandez, were convicted in 2019 for the murder of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas in 2016. Pastor Lucas’ burnt remains were found on Mason’s ranch, with his head discovered in a bucket inside a vehicle occupied by Mason and his co-defendants. The five men were sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years.

Trump Humiliates Trudeau

President-elect Donald Trump mocked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a social media post on Monday. Trump called Trudeau “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” Trump’s comments are part of his ongoing criticism of Canada, as he has pledged to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian exports unless Canada and Mexico address issues like undocumented migration. This could have serious economic consequences for Canada, which depends heavily on exports to the U.S.

The post came after a Thanksgiving weekend dinner between the two leaders at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, which Trump described as “a pleasure.” Despite the extensive discussion between the two on the effects of tariffs, there is no indication that Trudeau changed Trump’s stance. At one point, Trump even joked that Canada could become the 51st U.S. state.

Members of Trudeau’s Liberal Party downplayed the comments. “The president was teasing us,” said Canadian public safety minister Dominic LeBlanc.

During his first administration, after a G7 summit, Trump berated Trudeau, calling him “dishonest and weak” on Twitter.

In response to Trump’s tariff threat, Trudeau has shifted toward a more assertive stance. Trudeau suggested Canada could retaliate with tariffs on U.S. goods. “We will, of course, as we did eight years ago, respond to unfair tariffs in a number of ways, and we’re still looking at the right ways to respond,” Trudeau told a business audience in Halifax, Nova Scotia. “One of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic,” he added.

Fisherman Dies After Altercation on Tobacco Caye

A young fisherman from Dangriga Town lost his life in a deadly altercation on Tobacco Caye in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The deceased has been identified as 22-year-old Leonard Baltazar, also known as “Uzi.”

The incident occurred around 3:00 a.m. when Dangriga police received a call that workers of a resort discovered a man lying face down and unresponsive near a cabana.

The workers moved him to a safer location and attempted to revive him but found no pulse.

According to reports, two tourists were reportedly awakened by the sound of someone moving inside the room. Upon waking, they saw a man allegedly rummaging through their personal belongings. A confrontation ensued, resulting in a physical struggle. During the altercation, the intruder was reportedly thrown over the cabana’s balcony, which overlooks the sea.

The police investigation into the incident is ongoing, and no arrests have been announced at this time.

Cayo Residents Call for Safer Driving and Safer Road Infrastructure

We start tonight’s newscast with a heartfelt plea to drivers to be extra cautious on the roads and a call for authorities to take decisive action. The families and friends of the ten people who tragically died in Saturday night’s traffic accident are urging for measures to slow down traffic on that dangerous stretch of road. This section, known for its sharp curves, has seen multiple accidents with mass casualties. On Monday, a second candlelight vigil was held in their memory. San Ignacio and Santa Elena Mayor, Earl Trapp, emphasized that this area is notorious for fatal accidents.

Via Phone: Earl Trapp, Mayor, San Ignacio/Santa Elena

“We had an accident here in 2019 and we had six lives, six lives passed – four Belizeans and two foreigners. It’s an area that probably needs some attention and I think that maybe in the near future, the relevant authorities can look at maybe putting scrubbing board like what I had suggested on Sunday. We’re talking about the reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol and the government has to take more stringent measures to address this situation. The way they can address this situation is by maybe amending the laws in upgrading the penalties.”