Year: 2024

MOWH Says Public Handling Air Pollution Well  

Aside from the damage to wildlife, agriculture and the livelihoods of Belizeans living in areas nearest to the fires, the compromised air quality poses a real threat to those in the affected areas. Several villages in Toledo and Cayo districts have displayed copious amounts of smoke in the air, rendering it difficult to breathe for some villagers.  John Bodden, Principal Public Health Inspector at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, says that the ministry has taken a proactive approach to assisting people in coping with the smoke and that, for the most part, the communities have been handling the situation well. Here is Bodden with more information.

 

                             John Bodden

John Bodden, Principal Public Health Inspector, Ministry of Health and Wellness

“As per usually in any emergency, the Ministry of Health would normally activate its E.O.C. to address any situation on the ground. Of course, this one is rather different than any other than week that we had responded to. In terms of the number of cases and we look at the epidemiological week from the start of this year, which is week one through week twenty-two, we noted that at the first, probably first three months, we had a lot of cases in terms of respiratory condition. Comparing to this time period, which is at week twenty-two. We know that the number of cases that we at least would have thought that would have been contributed as a result of the fire is not that significant. It’s not to say that people are not facing challenges, but I think people have been doing things on the personal level to actually combat the situation. For example, the using of face masks and we know that many people still have face masks out there and we have been issuing out face masks as well. But I think with the collaboration of both Red Cross and Ministry, I felt, and we’re in the same cluster, we do the same type of activities. We have managed to reach out to the people that have or that were in need of any assistance. They, at the hospital level, we do have the facility on standby if there’s a need for the treatment of anybody who might be affected seriously, and we continue to monitor the situation and continue to provide advisory to the community as well as hold the best to address the situation.”

 

Reporter

“So you wouldn’t say you’ve had critical cases?”

 

John Bodden

“No, we haven’t seen any at this moment.”

 

Reporter

“How, in your view, has that been avoided given that the smoke is right in everyone’s faces and noses, I’d say.“

 

John Bodden

“Yeah, I think before the escalation of the fire we had been putting on advisories and even with the Department of Environment in the early part of the year, we had some advisories on. And so I think a lot of people know how to address fire and smoke inhalation issue, and they have been taking heed.”

Is the Heatwave Interrupting Classes?  

Although the rainy season has begun, Belize has yet to experience a downpour that would offer a reprieve from the prolonged heatwave the country has been suffering from. This heatwave has not only exacerbated the wildfires running rampant in densely forested areas but raised health concerns regarding heat exhaustion and air pollution from the smoke. Recently, Minister of Education Francis Fonseca was asked whether any assistance is being provided for students and teachers in these areas and whether classes would be shortened as a result.

 

                           Francis Fonseca

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education

“Yeah lots of things to help them, but not shortened classes. We need our students in school. But what we’ve done is, we’ve worked with the Ministry of Health to make sure that we put out advisories for the schools, that we make sure that we’re sharing proper advice with the principals and teachers and managers so that they have guidance on how they can help to help their students to deal with the excessive heat. You’re absolutely right. We’re dealing with excessive heat across the country, obviously, it’s created many problems for us in terms of the areas where we’ve had fires in Toledo. In Toledo, we’ve had to close schools on a number of days because of the smoke and fires. So in that case, we do close schools. Yeah, it’s an important issue, but we continue to work with our managers and with the Ministry of Health to make sure that we’re giving proper advice to our schools.”

Nahomy Usher Shows Resilience in Business

This week, we’re shining a spotlight on resilience in small business—a quality every entrepreneur understands. It’s the grit and determination to persevere when the odds seem insurmountable. Nahomy Usher embodies this spirit. As a single mother and seasoned entrepreneur with over a decade of experience, she’s faced her share of challenges. When one business failed, she didn’t give up, she created another. We caught up with her at her booth at the Mahogany Street Reserve Project and found this week’s look On the Bright Side.

 

Sabreena

“Maanin Ms. Nahomy, Can I order some breakfast please?”

Nahomy

“Yes babe, what can I get you?”

Sabreena

“I’ll have your grilled sandwich with cheese and ham.”

 

Sabreena Daly, Reporting
I’m here at one of my favorite places to enjoy a delicious Belizean breakfast or lunch.  For many in Lake Independence, it is also their go-to location on Mahogany Street for a quick bite in the morning. It’s called Belize City Tacos, but if you look on the menu, tacos are nowhere in sight.

 

                         Nahomy Usher

Nahomy Usher, Owner, Belize City Tacos
“My shop is named City Tacos and I think it’s a funny thing when people pass around here because when they come in the morning and ask can I have three dollars tacos or two dollars tacos? And I’m like, no, we don’t have any tacos. This is what we have on the board.”

 

 

 

The confusion comes from the owner, Nahomy Usher, being the face of one of her first business ventures– The “real” Belize City Tacos that was situated on Yarborough Road. Usher is a resilient entrepreneur who began her journey at twenty-two years old when she started selling tacos and other corn-based meals. She also had a small business renting a bouncy house, a feeding program, and even sold cooked beans.

 

Sabreena Daly

“Where did all these ideas come from, from the Bouncy House to cooked beans?”

 

Nahomy Usher

“When my son was three years old I wanted something different for a party and I saw this post on Facebook.  That inspired me to do my own little Bouncy House business. I saved up the money from where I was working and that’s how that became. Then the beans business became because  we Belizean people, well, we Belize city people, we like everything easy. So I said people will want beans already cooked if they get up late. Just purchase a pound of beans that’s already cooked and put it on the stove. It was successful. I still sell beans up to now when people order.”

 

Usher’s enduring spirit has brought her through successful ventures but has also taught her perseverance. When one business failed, she went on to another.

 

Nahomy Usher

“I remember COVID came and then it affected my Bouncy House business. I actually had some new bouncy houses, but because of the lockdown, I couldn’t do it anymore because they started rotting away. So then I decided to open back up a food shop  and the same thing happened with the kids program. Two years of them being at home locked me up and I was there thinking, what can I do? What can I do again? And I started again with the breakfast in a box.”

 

Sabreena

“You get to choose what you would like to place inside the box. This morning, I went with a grilled sandwich. With the morning crowd, and the quality meal, Usher makes it look easy.”


Sabreena Daly

“As an entrepreneur, what would you say has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in the span of 11 years?”

 

Nahomy Usher

“My biggest challenge has been financial. Financial and then advertising. I had to find my own ways of advertising and my own ways of getting my financial income to come in so that I can be able to have this that I have now.”

 

 

 

Usher started her business at a humble location just a distance from where she is now. She didn’t have much space, only a wish to stay in her community. So, when the opportunity presented itself for her to secure a booth with the Mahogany Street Reserve Project, Usher crossed her fingers.

 

 

 

Nahomy Usher

“I saw the opportunity here at Mahogany. It’s a busy street and I bring something different here from everybody else that has a shop here and people are pleased with it. So when I heard the news that they were going to build small booths for us, the people that were renting shops, it was good news. Until I got that key in my hand, I was like, thank God. You know, it was a relief not paying rent anymore. I was paying 300 to 400 a month. Now I am saving that  . It’s a great help that I got. So, when you believe in yourself, when you remain focused, you go a long way.”

 

Gesmy Bernardez has been working with Nahomy for the past eight months and is also inspired to be in her shoes one day.

 

Gesmy Bernardez

Gesmy Bernardez , Helper, Belize City Tacos

“We sell breakfast, we sell lunch, and so on. The things that we sell the most is the stuffed Jacks in the morning, the waffle, the pancake wrap, we have wraps also, and grilled sandwich, and bagels and croissants. It’s good to be independent.  And then to work for yourself, especially since we have a lot of single mothers out here., We try out here for our kids. We try different things. Sometimes when you work for other people, it doesn’t really work out, so it’s good to try things for yourself.”

 

Nahomy Usher

“You know, once you put God in everything that you do in a business, in your life,  he will be the one to guide you. He is the one that told me not to give up. He has something for me. We can only see from a certain point of view, but he’s seen everything that he has for me in life, and he was the one that helped me where I am today apart from my customers.”

 

Looking on The Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.

IDB Will Improve Urban Development in Vulnerable Neighborhoods in Northern Belize

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a $10 million loan to support sustainable urban development in Belize’s northern municipalities. The initiative includes improved access to urban services, better drainage infrastructure and bicycle lanes.

The IDB’s Board of Executive Directors also approved a USD 2.5 million non-reimbursable facility for the same purpose.

This program aims to improve access to selected urban services,  foster local economic growth, and facilitate social and economic integration of vulnerable populations, such as women and migrants.

Vulnerable neighbourhoods and prioritized urban areas will see improved access to essential urban services such as drainage, sewage,  sidewalks, pavement, and bike lanes using the new or enhanced sidewalks with universal design. Integral investments include upgrading public markets, accommodations for local vendors, tourist centres,  kindergartens, primary health care and cultural centres.

These projects will improve the tourism product and potential in Orange Walk (OW) and  Corozal while fostering the social and economic integration of vulnerable populations.

This initiative will benefit an estimated 40,000 Orange Walk,  Corozal, and San Pedro residents. The direct beneficiaries will be residents of vulnerable neighbourhoods, users of public spaces, local vendors, consumers, small business owners, and workers in the tourism and commerce sectors.

The program also finances institutional strengthening actions, both local and national, which will also strengthen local capacities to guide the sustainable urban development of cities in a planned and controlled manner. This initiative underscores the IDB’s commitment to fostering inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban development in Belize.

The IDB loan is for a 25-year term and has a grace period of five and a half years.

(Press release)

Russian Naval Ships, Including Nuclear Submarine, to Visit Cuba

Next week, a group of Russian naval ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will visit Cuba as part of the “historically friendly relations” between the two nations, according to the Cuban government.

The fleet will dock in Havana between June 12 and 17. The Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces emphasized that none of the ships carry nuclear weapons and that their visit does not pose a threat to the region.

Cuba noted that visits from naval units of friendly nations are a longstanding practice.

This visit marks the largest Russian naval presence in Cuba in years. It follows last July’s visit by the Russian Navy’s training ship Perekop and comes amid Cuba’s increasing reliance on Russian oil and aid during its worst economic crisis in decades.

The announcement also follows U.S. President Joe Biden’s recent decision to allow Ukraine to conduct limited strikes inside Russian territory with American munitions, prompting a strong response from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The U.S. State Department and Pentagon anticipate increased Russian naval and air activity near the U.S. this summer, as part of routine maneuvers leading up to a global naval exercise in the fall.

Man Found Dead near Deadman Caye 

A man from Mullins River Village was found dead at sea earlier this weekend. He has been identified as sixty-one-year-old Gilbert Flowers.

His body was retrieved near Deadman Caye near Turneffe Atoll.

His nephew, Alberto Magdeleno of Ladyville Highlights said, ” He was one of the original guys who worked on sand boat sailing to Robinson point and back to Belize city on those classic sailing boats such as RADIO AND UNITED.”

He said they remain uncertain about how he died.

The investigation has revealed that Flowers and others left for Deadman Caye on May 31st in preparation for the lobster season, which begins on July 1st. Flowers stayed on the island, while the others reportedly returned to Belize City. When they went back to the island, Flowers was nowhere to be found.

His body was found on Tuesday morning by Coast Guard officers.

Unidentified Man Found Dead in Old Capital 

Police in Belize City are investigating an apparent murder. The body of a man was found with multiple gunshot wounds near the Port of Belize in Belize City yesterday. The unidentified man is believed to have been fishing in the area when he was murdered.

Investigators found a backpack, bucket, and bicycle near the body.

Asian Businessman Gunned Down in Santa Elena

The nation’s latest murder victim is an Asian businessman from Santa Elena Town. Sheng Wen Wu, the proprietor of Allan’s Restaurant, was gunned down a stone’s throw away from his place of business. Wu arrived home at three a.m. on Thursday, inside his grey Toyota Forerunner. Unbeknownst to him, a pair of gunmen lurked in the area. When he got out of his vehicle, they pounced on him and demanded that he hand over the money. He was then shot twice. As he fled the scene on foot, the men pursued him on a motorbike. He was shot three more times and left for dead on the shoulder of the George Price Highway. According to business owners in the area, this is not the first robbery that has occurred in the area recently. Unfortunately, this one proved to be fatal. So, what has led to the uptick in crime, business owners believe that criminals are taking advantage of the fact that the Hawksworth Bridge is closed for renovations. The police station sits at the foot of the bridge on the other side of the Macal River. News Five’s Paul Lopez report.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

A Santa Elena businessman was gunned down near his establishment in the early hours of Thursday morning. Reports are that just after three o’clock, Sheng Wen Wu arrived in front of his restaurant, just across from the Social Security Board, when he was approached by two gunmen on a motorbike. The men reportedly attempted to rob Wu and he tried to escape. He was shot twice in front of his restaurant. He then fled on foot towards the Hawksworth Bridge. About one hundred yards away, the gunmen caught up with him and shot him dead. We spoke off camera with someone who told us that crime has increased in the area since the Hawksworth Bridge was closed for renovations a month ago.

 

 Voice of: Santa Elena Food Vendor

Voice of: Santa Elena Food Vendor

“The main thing is that things the happen mostly now because the bridge close and now we don’t have the patrol unit like that the pass like how they use to pass. They are on foot but it takes a little while for them to come around. That is the main one right there. After nine most of the businesses they close and whosoever are left open to continue working through the night, we are the ones that have to look out for each other.”

 

 

 

Reports are that gunmen have targeted at least three businesses in the area recently, a supermarket, a meat shop and a vegetable vendor. With the uptick in crime, this food vendor is considering leaving her business behind for the sake of her safety.

 

Voice of: Santa Elena Food Vendor

“Yes, I even the think about give up, because you have to the watch your back and people may think you the make money, but at this time of the year you are not making money. And with the bridge being closed, you nuh the make no kind of money and you just the struggle and the little bit you make you are just investing it back again and people will come and hurt you for the little bit of money you have.”

 

 

 

Beyond the safety concerns is another challenge, one that has left a significant dent on their pockets. According to the woman, businesses in the area, including the restaurant owned by the murder victim, have taken a huge hit in revenue since renovations began on the Hawksworth Bridge.

 

 

 

Voice of: Santa Elena Food Vendor

“I just know he as a nice person, but I never really get to know him like that. I just purchased some stuff from him and that’s all.”

 

Reporter

“Ok, but he was a struggling businessperson as well.”

 

Voice of: Santa Elena Food Vendor

“Yes, just like myself, he was struggling as well. All of us, from the time the bridge closed down all of us have been struggling, big time. You could ask anybody and all of us the struggle. We even tried to plea with the town council to see if they could do anything about it so that the bridge could open faster than the time they say, because they said six to seven months. But I don’t know if it will happen.”

 

We reached out to Mayor Earl Trapp who informed us that contrary to what the business owners may be observing, police patrols have increased in the area. Mayor Trapp says that he believes the time the incident occurred may have contributed to the brazenness of the killers.

 

On the Phone: Earl Trapp

On the Phone: Earl Trapp, Mayor, Santa Elena/ San Ignacio

“To be honest, according to the O.C., police patrols have increased in Santa Elena because of that said reason, because the bridge is closed and one of the reasons why I sought to ensure that the low lying bridge would be a two way is for the said reason, to ensure that vehicles would be able to traverse along that path, crossing the low lying bridge into the George Price Avenue and the George Price Highway. So, for that said reason I went the extra mile and convinced the other parties we must allow the low-lying bridge to be two way, especially for smaller vehicles. When you look at the time that happened, that is three o’clock in the morning, so there is very little that maybe police could have done or people could have seen.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Two Men Walk Away from Murder Charges

Two men are free tonight after the prosecution’s murder case against them collapsed in court. Camryn Lozano and Albert Gill, both of Ladyville, were given the benefit of the doubt after the court could find no other piece of evidence to support the victim’s dying declaration. Twenty-two-year-old Egbert Baldwin had told police after he was shot that Gill and Lozano were his killers, but Justice Candace Nanton upheld a no-case submission by their defence attorneys, Senior Counsel, Hubert Elrington and Norman Rodriguez.

Justice Nanton noted in her ruling that the court was unable to conclude that the evidence was reliable, and that the blood found on the slippers was there long before the murder. She further added that while one of the Crown’s witnesses placed one of the accused men in the vicinity of the shooting, it did not necessarily mean he is the shooter. The judge concluded that she could not safely convict the men after careful consideration of another case used as reference. The judge could find no evidence of identification, no evidence of what the lighting conditions were on the night of the shooting; no evidence of a joint enterprise for an exception of the D.N.A., which suggested that two firearms were used. Earlier Justice Nanton went over key elements of the prosecution case in determining whether there was a case before the court. The evidence came from the first responder to the murder, a police officer, Patrick Gennity. He testified that when he arrived at the house where the shooting happened, he recognized the person who had been shot and that the victim named the two accused men as the shooters. The judge also noted that the autopsy report certified that Baldwin was shot from behind. Another witness for the Crown testified that at around seven on the night of the incident, Baldwin went to her house to borrow money and shortly thereafter, she heard about the shooting. The accused men were on remand for almost four years. Attorney Hubert Elrington explained the details of their submission.

 

                     Hubert Elrington

Hubert Elrington, Senior Crown Counsel

“This is a case the  commission brought  relying upon  what we like to call the rule in Turnbull’s case. It is a very difficult case. And,  very  important legal principle.  The last time the court was  faced  with  evidence as thin as this against defendants,  was in 2012. in the case involving Tybalt  and  this, is a ruling  which lawyers in this jurisdiction  are going to rely on  for the next hundred or so years. It has developed our law  to the point  where it needed to be developed so that the D.P.P.  within her wisdom be guided. in future when she has  these very, difficult decisions to make.  Okay, so give us an idea of what those  particular elements that made the case reach to this point today that are unfolding. The deceased  called the name  of the two accused. When asked who shot your hege, he replied that It was the two of Jews calling their names, and he did that about three or four times, but self  corroboration is no corroboration in law.  Okay.  The court had to look  for other evidence.  Okay.  The court said it conducted a meticulous search for even an iota of additional evidence,  and it was unable to find anything to come up with it, that if it had found an author of helping evidence,  it would have ruled in another way.  But  this was one of those cases where the court in the following turn had to look for additional evidence, had to find additional evidence.  It could not just  rely on the statement of the Cicelo’s.”

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