Year: 2024

It’s been more than three months since the first e-bus arrived as part of Belize City’s gradual shift from fuel-operated to electric buses for public transportation. The Belize City Council says there’s been a lot of work done over that time to make the transition seamless. Part of that transition is getting the technical personnel who will be responsible for driving, repairing and maintaining the e-buses familiar with the vehicle. So this week, those persons are in training, held by Build Your Dream, the company that manufactured the e-buses. A delegation of from BYD is in Belize to conduct the training with drivers, conductors, and personnel from the Department of Transport. News Five’s Marion Ali went on board one of the buses today and filed this report.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

At first glance, it looks like any other bus, but this e-bus has features that we, in Belize, aren’t necessarily accustomed to. Before we get into the cool aspects of what the bus can do, the city’s e- Transit Start-up Coordinator, Neil Hall says it’s not just drivers, conductors and technical staff who are receiving the training.

 

Neil Hall, e-Transit Start-up Coordinator, Belize City Council

“They’ll be training on first responders. So when the police or the EMTs need to access the vehicle for any particular reason, they’ll know the proper way of doing it, so it’s safe for everyone. On Monday, we’ll start doing other types of trainings that are more physical training. At that point, we’ll have the buses actually start hitting the streets and do range testing, heat testing, speed testing, capacity testing and several different types of tests, physical tests for the buses themselves.”

 

Chad Dietrich is the General Manager for Caribbean Motors, which is participating in the training sessions.

 

Chad Dietrich, General Manager for Caribbean Motors

“Some of these features that we’re explaining, yeah, they’re new to us in a lot of cases because of the newer versions of the bus that this is.  But as for the difference between diesel and electric, in some cases it’s how do you tow it? Because of the different mechanical systems. How do we maintain it? There’s actually a lot less maintenance required for an electric bus. But it’s making sure that our mechanics and those that are maintaining these buses know exactly the procedures how to do that. Just, it’s a big investment, so we want to keep them in tip top shape so they last a long time.”

 

Dr. Curtis Boodoo is the UNDP’s e-mobility expert in Belize. The UNDP is the implementing agency for the pilot project, which is funded by the European Union.

 

Dr. Curtis Boodoo, UNDP’s e-Mobility Expert

“It is our hope, but I am very confident that this will transform the transportation sector in Belize. The inclusion of these two buses, and we have three other buses to come as well as part of the project. Belize uses around 40 percent of your national energy for transport. So that is gasoline, diesel, et cetera, that you import. Having electric vehicles, and in this case, an electric bus, ensures that you more efficiently use your fuel that you import. Electric vehicles, electric buses, around three times more efficient than a normal bus, diesel, or normal car. So you make more efficient use of it. There is a push towards the increasing the use of solar in Belize. The more renewable energy you generate in Belize, the less fossil fuels you burn. So the cleaner the energy becomes.”

 

And about those cool features I mentioned, Dietrich gives us a first look at those.

 

Chad Dietrich

“This is a low floor city bus, so it sits low. Number one, it also kneels. So that means it tilts down to the curb level to make it easy for people to get on one one people group that makes it a lot easier for is those that are mobility challenge. So we have a wheelchair ramp here so I can quickly flip that out for you. We have a wheelchair ramp. We also have a call button on the outside of the bus. So if there’s somebody that needs the ramp flipped out. There’s a call button that alerts the driver, and then somebody will get out and assist. So there is a way for us to affix the wheelchair here in the bus, and also when they want to get off, there’s a special button that they’ll press to alert the driver and the conductor so they can be assisted. For those wanting to get off at a certain stop, certainly the stops will be listed up on the screen at the front. I also see time and temperature up there. And then these stop buttons will also alert the driver that somebody wants to be wants to get off at a particular stop.”

 

The buses are air-conditioned and have USB phone chargers near the seats and free Wi Fi for passengers. But these e-buses, like many of those internationally, accommodates more standees than sitting passengers, with only twenty-three seats, and room for twenty-seven standees with rails to hold onto. Meanwhile, Neil Hall says the launch of the new e-buses is scheduled for July. The plan, he says, is to fully replace all of Belize City’s fuel-operated buses with e-buses at affordable prices. Marion Ali for News Five.

A team from the International Fund for Agriculture and Development, I.F.A.D., has completed a series of studies on the projects implemented through the Resilient Rural Belize Project. These analyses were executed from May seventh to twenty-fourth, through the fund’s Independent Office of Evaluation which seeks to engage with Small Island Developing States such as Belize and Grenada and ensure that these countries adhere to quality standards, including reporting processes. The team conducted meetings and interviews across Belize, with program stakeholders to observe project achievements and better understand key vulnerabilities related to social, economic, and climate change impacts. The goal of these studies is to ensure that the Resilient Rural Belize Project can meet its objectives and that the benefits are equitably distributed among the targeted rural communities. Previously, the project received a twenty million US dollar loan and grant financing package from I.F.A.D., the Green Climate Fund, and the Government of Belize. This funding is allocated to a six-year initiative to reduce the impacts of climatic and economic events on rural small farmers.

 

Holy Redeemer Credit Union saw a record turnout for its Eighth Annual General Meeting inside the Belize City Civic Center. In its eightieth year, the financial institution has hit a few milestones that were highlighted during the meeting, including breaking ground for its Belmopan headquarters which is scheduled to be completed in 2025. The building will be named after former H.R.C.U. President, Fred Smith.  H.R.C.U. was also connected to the National Payment System in June 2023. One of the major announcements that member owners look out for during these meetings has to do with their dividend and rebate. News Five’s Paul Lopez tells us more.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Belize’s oldest and largest credit union, the Holy Redeemer Credit Union, held its Eightieth Annual General Meeting on Saturday inside the Belize City Civic Center.

 

Dr. Carol Babb, Director, H.R.C.U.

“I want to thank you for coming to this very important A.G.M. As Ms. Castillo mentioned we celebrated eighty years of stellar service to the people of Belize. Remember HRCU is a member only organization. We are the owners of this credit union and we are very proud because on the sixteenth of May 1944 we started and now we are celebrating eighty years. Let us say happy birthday H.R.C.U.”

 

 

More than two thousand, eight hundred member-owners were present at the AGM. Wendy Castillo, the President of the Board of Directors, noted that an institution which started with seventy-five cents has grown to more than seven hundred million dollars in assets.

 

Wendy Castillo, President, Board of Directors H.R.C.U.

“Today what started with seventy-five cents, today I can tell you as your president and a member of this board that today we are seven hundred and seventy-three point nine million in total asset. Look at that growth. Who would have thought that seventy-five cents eighty years later would translate into a million dollar institution. give yourselves a round of applause because you did that, the member owners.”

 

 

As it pertains to HRCU’s loan portfolio, that has also seen an increase over the last year. Marion Marsden, Chair of HRCU’s Credit Committee, announced that eighteen thousand and sixty-seven loans were issued over the past year. Loans issued went primarily to investments, house repairs and vehicle repairs.

 

Marion Marsden, Chairperson, Credit Committee, H.R.C.U.

“The credit committee is pleased to report that your credit union continues to have a strong loan portfolio. Credit union policies ensure that our loans are the highest quality and in the best interest of each member. From this activity our loans portfolio grew from two hundred and fifty-seven point eight million to two hundred and sixty-eight point eight million, or an increase of four-point two six percent. Major loan categories were investments, totaling twenty-six point seven million which is thirty one point nine seven percent with six hundred and sixty-seven loans. House repairs and renovations totaling twelve million with fourteen-point three five percent with one thousand seven hundred and eighty -four loans. And vehicle repairs totaling eight point one million and nine point seven percent, with one thousand four hundred and nineteen loans.”

 

At the A.G.M., close to three thousand members who were in attendance learned that the board of directors is recommending a four percent dividend and a rebate of ten percent.  Castillo made the announcement.

 

Wendy Castillo

“Dollar value of loans issues accounts to eighty-three point six million. The number of loan issues in 2024, is eighteen thousand and sixty-nine loans to member owners. The total gross profits is forty-two point three million. Total net profit of twenty-seven point nine million dollars. Give yourselves a round of applause. These are really good numbers considering coming out of the COVID pandemic. Your board is recommending a four percent dividend today and a rebate of ten percent. So that is what you the member owner will receive on your investment in H.R.C.U. this year. Give your board and members a round of applause.”

 

H.R.C.U. is celebrating eighty years of service to the nation of Belize. And this year’s AGM saw the most member-owners in attendance. Clement Usher, the Chief Financial Officer of the institution, sought to emphasize just how significant eighty years of service is.

 

Clement Usher, Chief Financial Officer, HRCU

“Today at this massive A.G.M., because honestly this is the most people I have ever seen at one of our A.G.M.s, I understand the count has now reached two thousand eight hundred. We celebrated our birthday on Wednesday May fifteenth, 2024. Just imagine, H.R.C.U. is now four scores, eight decades, eighty years, nine hundred and sixty months, twenty-nine thousand two hundred days, seven hundred thousand eight hundred hours and forty-two million forty-eight thousand minutes old. You guys deserve a round of applause for that. I say these numbers to empathize this milestone achievement for H.R.C.U.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.