Year: 2024

Also in Belmopan earlier today, the National Emergency Management Organization received a donation of equipment from the United States Embassy to be used in fighting wildfires across the country.  On hand to receive the items was NEMO Coordinator, Daniel Mendez. 

Daniel Mendez, Coordinator, NEMO

“This donation was received from the U.S. Embassy through USAID.  This equipment is firefighting equipment that we will be issuing, that we will be sending out to work in the communities.  These include water tanks, they include pumps and hoses in order for us to provide faster access to water for the firefighting equipment.  There are also small machineries such as trimmers and chainsaws which will be needed to continue that work of clearing fire paths around affected areas in each of the villages.  So a significant amount will be going to Toledo.  As you may be aware that there has been significant flare ups of fires there and this is where that help is needed.  We will also mobilize other units to other parts of the country in anticipation of more fires. The general outlook for weather doesn‘t look promising for us.  We don‘t anticipate rain for another few days which means that the risk of fire still remains high.  So we remain on alert.  Teams have been deployed from all over, so the Belize Defense Force has mobilized.  We have villagers working alongside the different ministries.  The Ministry of Infrastructure Development is working with bulldozers creating fire paths.  We also have other N.G.O.s who have been contributing, so it‘s really a big effort in really trying to control all of these fires across the country.  The efforts continue, we continue to work and we monitor these day and night and our teams have been out going up to two weeks now.  So it‘s been a big operation and hopefully, we‘re able to soon when the rains come.”

Belize continues to face an energy crisis, despite B.E.L. being able to bring online the gas turbine at its Mile Eight facility.  Earlier today, the senior management of Belize Electricity Limited. met with reporters and provided an update on the challenges that the utility company is presently grappling with.  Those issues have been brought on by extreme temperatures and damage to B.E.L.’s infrastructure.  To make matters worse, the company is unable to receive energy from C.F.E. when power lines and other infrastructure are out of service.  So what does this mean for customers?  B.E.L.’s General Manager for Employee and Corporate Services, Dawn Sampson-Nunez says that more load shedding can be expected in the days ahead.

Dawn Sampson-Nunez, General Manager, B.E.L.

“The challenges that we’re experiencing with respect to generation supply, it is one that we can get through as a community.  We can get through it in terms of support from the community in the form of energy conservation.  Having said that, a number of issues and each of them we have to manage.  As you would have heard earlier from our C.E.O., so there is climate change, it’s an issue that is being experienced worldwide.  We’re experiencing extreme temperatures, dry weather conditions.  That’s having an impact on our infrastructure.  So, a number of the outages that would have been experienced, I believe, in particular up north is a result of the weather.  There’s damage to the infrastructure.  When that occurs, there are issues with respect to being able to take energies from C.F.E. and of course being able to then do some readjustments to ensure that we can meet the demand on the other side of wherever that damage occurs.”

Compounding the energy crunch are technical difficulties being experienced by BELCOGEN which uses biomass to provide electricity.  Also, in the days ahead, BAPCOL, another energy supplier to the national grid, will be doing systematic repairs to its machines.  As we’ve said, this means more load shedding.

Dawn Sampson-Nunez, General Manager, B.E.L.

“The challenge here is weather-related damages to the transmission system and as a result we then need to source more energy from the hydroelectric facilities.  That then is causing a reduction in the water levels at the hydro facilities and so that’s a situation that we need to manage going forward. The other challenge that we’re dealing with here is BELCOGEN. BELCOGEN has notified us that they’re experiencing some technical difficulties with their infrastructure.  They have indicated to us that they should be offline for about two weeks. So that’s one challenge that we’re managing there.  BAPCOL, as well, they have notified us that they need to carry out some very urgent maintenance repairs on their machines.  We currently get about, I think it’s about twenty-two or so megawatts from BAPCOL.  There are about three machines that supply us with power from BAPCOL.  They will be taking out one unit at a time and each time they take out a unit it’s about two days they’ve indicated to us they will need to be offline.  So again, we’re managing the situation at BAPCOL.  The situation with BELCOGEN, they expect to be out for about two week.  It is possible that they can come back before, as well, it might take a little longer.  We’re managing the weather-related outages, the impact that it’s having on our transmission system.  So, in a nutshell, where we are at this point in time is that there may be the need for load shedding from time to time.”

According to Sampson-Nunez, customers also have an important role to play in conserve energy.  The General Manager for Employee and Corporate Services says that energy conservation will reduce the likelihood of load shedding.

Dawn Sampson-Nunez, General Manager, B.E.L.

“The more greater the effort is to conserve energy then the less likely it is for load shedding, or at least to the areas that can be or that would be affected, would be smaller areas.”

Karique Marin, Manager, B.E.L.

“From the current time, from now to June fifteenth, what we’re looking at is trying to manage the varying independent power producers across the country to ensure that we can serve as much customer as possible.  What we are doing is to try to minimize the load shedding.  We are working with our large customers to ask them to provide support, so they would go on generators so that we minimize the load shedding, do not have as much load shedding during that period.  Our aim, of course, is to supply every customer, all times throughout the day; however, as the generators across the country experience issues, we do, from time to time, have to have these load shedding.  Our plan, of course, is to work with all customers, try to get our gas turbine in San Pedro on line which is currently projected for June fifteenth.  Once that comes on line, it gives us an additional twenty megawatts, a little bit of breathing space; however, the hydroelectric dams are reducing their output.”

As the nation continues to grapple with an energy crisis, it may appear as if there is no end in sight and that Belizeans will have to endure many more hot days and nights without electricity. Well, Michel Chebat, the Minister of Energy, says the Briceno administration is putting things in place for the short and long term, as he sought to provide some reassurance to the public. Here is what he said inside the National Assembly.

Michel Chebat, Minister of Energy

“As we reflect on the electricity sector in the past couple of months. We can see how climate change has impacted our lives. On the fourth of April the Phillip Goldson International Airport recorded a new high temperature of a hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Last week there was a new record high for electricity demand of a hundred and twenty-seven megawatts caused by the increased use of ACs and fans to deal with insufferable heat and the electricity demand is expected to grow to a hundred and thirty-five megawatts in June, levels never before seen in our country. This extended heatwave and drought has brought the levels of our hydro facilities to critical low levels. These events reinforce the considerations that went into the new energy policy that was approved last year. The policy has a clear vision of how we will take action to increase our renewable energy penetration from fifty-three percent to seventy-five percent by 2030 and by adding a hundred and sixty megawatts of new generation to the grid. This increase will meet our future demands which is expected to be at a hundred and sixty-three megawatts based on current trends. A couple weeks ago I traveled with the honorable prime minister to Cancun where we met with the Mexican president to discuss the supply of electricity to Belize. Mexico is committed to assisting us and we have the assurance that after the second of June the electricity from C.F.E. will stabilize and in addition we will extend the supply from C.F.E. by twenty-five megawatts more.”

The job of educating young minds of the next generation is no easy feat. Every day, teachers are sought after to provide knowledge and instill moral values in the dozens of students placed under their care. While teachers are often remembered for the significant impact they have on the lives of their students, teaching is a thankless job. In tonight’s episode of Belize on Reel, we acknowledge the hard work of teachers and the role they play in the lives of our youths. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with that story.

Britney Gordon, reporting

If you’ve been teaching in Belize for more than a decade, chances are that you are a recognizable face in education. The face of your favorite teacher is not one that’s easily forgotten and in the small country of Belize, running into past students is very likely. This situation is a daily occurrence for vice principal of Belize High and Elementary School and teacher of over fifty years, Diana Azueta. She detailed her extensive background in the field to us.

Dian Azueta, Teacher

“I started when I was sixteen. My forts place of working was Saint Mary’s, my alma mater.  And shortly after going there, probably two years into it, I went to the teacher’s college,  got trained, and I was called back immediately after finishing internship to go and lecture up there  at about age 19.  So I was lecturing teachers at that age, and then I went to study in England.  No, backtrack. I did my ACP and all that, then went to England, came back, did part time at Teachers College, returned to St. Mary’s, did ACC, but at that time it was the only other private school.  So I did that and then on to  St. Mary’s again. Queen’s Square, Grace Primary,  and now I’m here. But each time it was like seven years, so I think God had a hand.”

Azueta says that she never intended to become a teacher, but it was God that brought her to the profession and the love for children that kept her there.

Diana Azueta

“I’ll be very honest, I did not want to teach. I’d seen my mother do it and I was convinced it was too much work.  But my belief is if God wants you to do something, He will get you to do it no matter what.  So despite my preliminary dislike for it and not wanting to do it. I was convinced shortly after that’s what God wanted me to do.”

Britney Gordon

“I know you’ve been asked a couple times to retire, you’ve done so much already, but you always keep coming back. So why do you keep coming back?”

Diana Azueta

“The Children. I believe you, you have to love Children. And if you love God first, that’s my thing is, it works this way. You love God. That’s the this part of the cross and God calls you to do his work. So the arms stretch out and then you work for others. And in that case, it’s the Children for me. First,  you have to care enough for them. If you don’t have the passion, don’t bother with teaching.  Don’t bother.”

Azueta describes her teaching style as thinking outside the box. She explained that it is important to engage children in their learning experiences in ways that are easy to understand, but also challenge minds and inspire creativity. Now a teacher at Belize Elementary School, Danyia Samuels, a former student of Azueta’s, told us that this philosophy is now present in her own teaching methods.

Danyia Samuels, Teacher

“I remember in standard six when we had big projects to do. And you wouldn’t realize it at that moment in standard six, but once you move up and you go into your high school and you start your jobs, you realize how much that role played in, uh, shaping how you would do in your job, how you perform as well. So it really helped actually. You don’t know it then, but you know it now and especially now, has made my teaching experience here a positive one. In cases where I’m not sure about something or I think that maybe I could do something a bit differently, I would go to her for advising and she really helps me a lot. So I really appreciate having her here.”

Azueta’s influence as a teacher extends beyond her students, as teachers working under her guidance also express appreciation for her mentorship. Kendra Hoare, a fellow teacher at Belize Elementary School, who has been teaching for over eleven years, explained how much Azueta has impacted her.

Kendra Hoare, Teacher

“My teaching style definitely changed because she tells you what you can do. And she, she doesn’t only tell you to change something. She gives you ideas. She sends you a link, um, reinforcement. She’s very good at helping you whenever you need it.”

 Britney Gordon

“And what’s one thing, that you try to implement into your classroom that you hope will leave a mark on your students?”

Kendra Hoare

“Something that I try to implement, and I got this from misses Azueta, is to think outside the box. I encourage my students to make sure that we are not ordinary, we are not basic. We are the best, and so we think like the best, and we act like the best. And as misses Azueta said, we think outside the box.”

Azueta is renowned for her creative teaching methods. However, she explained that teaching extends beyond knowledge. Her goal is to help children become better people.

Diana Azueta

“My belief is you don’t teach students to know.  You should be teaching them to be.  And I’ve always held that as my, my, my goal. Teach them to be a better person. Teach them to be a good citizen. Teach them to be the best they can be. Teach them to use interpersonal skills.  And that sort of thing, yes, you can give them content, but especially in this day, that’s not needed. I can pick up a phone and get whatever I need to know. So why spend hours teaching content that I can get in a few minutes? Teach them to be the best of what, or who they can become.”

For teachers like Samuels, the emotional impact they have on students is something that is treated with care. She said that being able to offer emotional support is something she’s learned to do over the years.

Britney Gordon

“What does it mean to be a teacher?”

Danyia Samuels

“That’s a loaded question. What does in mean to be a teacher? F1:11or me, it means being there for my students, most important. Yes the teaching is important and getting through to them the curriculum, but also being there for them emotionally, as well as physically being there for them. So it’s very important for me to impact them emotionally first. Once you’re there with them and they know that they can talk with you, it’s easier to teach them going forward.”

Much like Samuels, the connection she makes with students is one of the most rewarding parts of being a teacher. Seeing how her pupils have grown is the highlight of her career.

Diana Azueta

“There are so many the ones that stand out for me are like, no, because I taught you. Yes. And I remember those days when we were doing English and see, no, you’re using it. I remember things like Keon Griffith being in my class and always this huge artist, but I don’t only remember the persons who have made it big. It’s like walking down the street a few months ago and a student ran across the street through the traffic. He said miss, and gave me his history and what he’s doing. He said, you remember in instill in us, we have to do our best, and telling me what he’s doing. Those stand out for me.  More than anything else.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Last night, we told you about allegations that law enforcement officers at the northern border are being dissuaded by government ministers from stopping individuals crossing sugar into Mexico. The assertion is that ministers are calling the law enforcement officers telling them to allow these individuals because they have permits from BAHA. Hugo Patt, the Area Representative for Corozal North, raised these concerns on adjournment during today’s House meeting, while addressing the nation’s sugar shortage.

Hugo Patt, Area Representative, Corozal North

“Belize is a country that in the region is more than self-sufficient in sugar. As a matter of fact, combine both mills, Belize produce some one hundred and sixty to one hundred and eighty thousand tons of cane. The local consumption is thirteen thousand to seventeen thousand tons of sugar. This is about eight to twelve percent of the annual production. If you want to round it off, some eighty-five percent of what we produce is destined to the export market. While Belize has a surplus of sugar both for plantation where and brown sugar, there is a crisis out there. It cannot be that we live in a country, and I will speak for the constituent and district I come form in the north, where all around you see sugar cane, but when you want to buy sugar for the consumption of families for small business, for single mothers who produce candies, for small bakers who produce bread with and for all those small business who use sugar you cant get any. What makes matter worst, we have some very reliable reports about our law enforcement officers who are doing an excellent job at our borders that on countless occasions have encountered sugar being unofficially exported just to get a call from ministerial intervention indicating to them look you have to release this sugar because this person has a permit to export and I am not making any accusation member for Orange Walk South but they are saying they have an export permit from BAHA.”

And one of the main reasons why contrabandists are drawn to exporting sugar illegally into Mexico is because they fetch a premium price on the other side of the northern border. So, is the solution to raise the price on the local market? Prime Minister Briceño says that will not happen, because his administration has a social responsibility to Belizeans. So, a price control team is now going from store to store to find out which wholesalers are fulfilling their obligations to sell locally. The ones that are found to not be selling their sugar to the local stores may become prime suspects.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We also have a social responsibility to the Belizean consumers. Secondly, we cannot compete with the prices across in Chetumal. The brown sugar being sold at BSI for thirty-two cents a pound is almost being sold for two dollars a pounding Chetumal. So if you want to say we have to raise the price like over there to stop the contraband, it is not going to happen. But thirdly, it is also not fair on the cane farmers who have been in effect subsidizing sugar for the rest of our consumers and so the fourth point I would like to make is that what he has said, the Minister is that we have to find  formula where we can justify, increase and assist the farmers to help try to see how best it can slow down the attempt to contraband. We also have to work on enforcement. There is a number of things. Price control have been going to these supermarkets and asking them, who do you buy your sugar from, wanting to trace from the store to the wholesaler to BSI and by doing that reverse engineering you will be able to see who of these wholesalers are not selling to the stores. And then we can go to BSI and say look these people are not selling to the local market and are allowing it to be contraband. Also, we must tighten our borders. Our borders are porous. We have a very large border and you can almost cross at any point. So there are many things we have to take into consideration and it is not just a clear cut, oh just raise the price.”