According to Tourism Minister, Anthony Mahler, overnight tourism has been hitting record highs in the first two months of 2024. During his budget debate presentation, Minister Mahler said that with the increasing number of tourists visiting Belize, the industry is expected to generate one point four billion dollars in revenue for 2024. Mahler also explained that the absence of a berthing facility in the Belize district continues to be the greatest challenge faced by the country’s cruise tourism sector.
Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism
“We are projecting approximately eleven percent growth for Belize in 2024. Way beyond global growth, we have already recorded growth of over sixteen percent in overnight growth in two months this year. The month of January saw an impressive fifty-seven thousand tourist arrivals making it the highest January ever. This performance continued in February with an all-time high of fifty-nine thousand. We expect a ten percent increase in tourist arrivals in March, bringing it to over sixty thousand visitors for this month. Madam Speaker this would be a first for tourism in Belize and a new high for tourist arrivals. At this pace, we project that tourism will generate revenues of around one point four billion dollars this year. This is two hundred million more than we did in 2023. Big growth, I think it will be more than that too. The cruise sector also a saw resurgence in 2023 with a total of nine hundred thousand visitors from three hundred and one calls. This figure is a significant forty-seven percent increase, reflecting the sector’s continued recovery. There is demand, we have days with requests for more than five ships a day. But we cannot expect to take full advantage without a berthing facility in the Belize District. The longer we take the more the larger ships will continue to bypass Belize as they are doing now.”
Opposition Leader Moses ‘Shyne’ Barrow says he supports the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association’s continued call for a commission of inquiry into the sugar industry. Barrow publicly expressed his skepticism when PM Briceño and the association entered into an agreement to have the inquiry launched within ninety days. That was three months ago, and today Barrow said that he hates to be right on this matter but said, “I told you so.”
Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“I told you guys this. I did not want to get ahead of myself and start celebrating, because I told you ninety days we would be right back here. I used the word that it was just a band aid on a gaping wound. Unfortunately I have been proven right. I don’t want to be right in these instances. I would wish these problems get solved indefinitely. But I have to say I have to agree with the BSCFA in what they said as far as if a small business person starts a business, all the authorities goes down there and they want to make sure that tax is paid and that sort of thing is proceeding accordingly. So, I don’t think a multinational should be exempt from a process that regular Belizeans face. What is the problem with transparency, accountability, having all the details? Maybe it could be that there is some confidentiality, so while the commission of inquiry may happen you block out certain parts, maybe certain parts don’t come to the public but it would just be for the considerations of the parties involved, if the cooperation feels that their privacy is being invaded. They are a public company. It is private sector but they are involved in a public service when we are talking about the sugar industry that impacts so many people and we have had this impasse for so long and it is hard to solve it.”
Convicted attorney Oscar Selgado is appealing his ruling. News Five is told that Selgado signed the appeal documents himself. On March eighth, Selgado was found guilty of abetment to commit murder. High Court Justice Nigel Pilgrim ruled that Selgado attempted to hire Giovanni Ramirez to murder Marylyn Barnes, who had filed a complaint against him for unethical behaviour with the General Legal Counsel. In his ruling, Justice Pilgrim established Ramirez as the key witness for the prosecution, affirming the veracity and dependability of Ramirez’s testimony. Selgado is expected to be sentenced on April twenty-ninth.
A pregnant woman is spending her first night behind bars for failure to comply with the conditions of her Visitor’s permit. The Salvadoran, twenty-five-year-old Martha Hernandez, was caught living illegally in Belize after she had reportedly been here for more than five years. She pleaded guilty to the charge and was ordered to pay her fine of a thousand dollars forthwith, or she would spend six months behind bars. Hernandez paid the fine, and the magistrate ordered her expulsion. Hernandez will await her expulsion from Belize, which is expected about a week or so from today. Hernandez, who is in the early stages of pregnancy, was charged with failure to comply with the conditions of her visitor’s permit. Authorities say that Hernandez was found at the San Pedro Express Water Taxi Terminal in Belize City and could not produce any form of documentation to show her status in Belize. According to the immigration facts, on Thursday morning, the Belize City Immigration Investigation Unit conducted routine checks at the San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi Terminal, where persons of interest were stopped and asked to produce a form of identification. In doing so, she could not provide any documentation to show that she is Belizean, and she was taken to the Belize City Immigration Department Office, where it was discovered that her Salvadoran passport, which was issued on January fifth, had expired. Hernandez entered Belize in September of 2018 through the Western Border and was later issued an extension to remain in Belize until February of 2019, but she got another extension thereafter.
In a world often overshadowed by environmental concerns, one Christian woman’s innovative approach offers a glimpse of hope. Through the art of crocheting, Juanita Bailey not only transforms discarded plastic bags into reusable treasures, but infuses each stitch with heartfelt prayers. This week’s Look on the Bright Side sheds light on sustainability, showing that even in the face of adversity, there exists beauty, faith, and a path towards positive change. Sabreena Daly tells us more.
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
On a cool Monday morning, Juanita Bailey sits on her porch carefully stitching a bag. She’s also faithfully reciting her prayers.
Juanita Bailey
Juanita Bailey, Produces Eco-Friendly Plastic Bags “Every stitch that I put on, I pray. It’s very relaxing. I could be home and in a worried condition, and I would just pick up and start to pray.”
In an informal, yet deeply spiritual routine, her prayers break free from her soul and find their way onto a crochet stitch.
Juanita Bailey
“I know that God is with me and I pray. I pray every day and every minute of the day I pray.”
Juanita Bailey, a woman of Christian faith, is steadfast in her belief that the journey to God begins with a quest for answers. Regardless of whether those divine revelations come sparingly or abundantly, Bailey clings to her faith for the tranquility it imparts.
Juanita Bailey “I can see God’s hand working inside my life. Because there, there can be days that I am without, I’m on, I’m the last. And God came right in and said, and, you know, He gives Peace.”
Bailey is a member of the Olive Branch Church of Christ in Burrell Boom. It’s here that she found and cemented her faith. It’s also where she picked up a new skill after meeting a visiting missionary.
Juanita Bailey
“I got into this last year, June, when some missionaries came to our church, and there was a lady, Miss Donna, who brought a few with her and then she decided to show me how to do it. I never liked plastic bags. I hated plastic bags. And they’re all over the place. People throw them out in the street, blowing in the wind. You know? And it’s not something you can burn. It’s the smell, it affects people, and so I decided I’m going to learn this to help the environment as a recyclable product.”
These are no ordinary grocery bags; they are meticulously crafted from the same single-use plastic bags you’d find at any grocery store. Depending on the size, up to sixty plastic bags—each a potential hazard to the environment if disposed of improperly—are repurposed into a single reusable grocery bag. But where does Juanita Bailey acquire such a substantial amount of plastic bags to transform into these eco-friendly alternatives?
Juanita Bailey, “After I learned how to do this, I told the ladies at church to save their bags for me when they go shopping. And Sister Vanessa and two other sisters, they always go to the store, like maybe every two weeks and they would save their bags and Sunday morning when I go to church… Oh, sister Juanita, I have some bags for you.”
Vanessa Thompson
Vanessa Thompson, Church Sister “It’s not good for the environment. And with that, this is a big help. I do go to Publics to buy and when I buy, I buy very good. So when she asked in church, I said, well, no problem. Because even though I do use it for garbage, there is extra.”
Fellowship and service are fundamental pillars of the Christian faith. Uniting believers in communal support and active service guided by the teachings of Christ, fosters enduring bonds. This shared goal is exemplified by Bailey. It is also affirmed by Vanessa Thompson within their Christian community.
Juanita Bailey
“We have every two weeks, our ladies come together on a Friday night. And we sing, and we worship, and we share with each other different things. We could share craft, we could share, we share all our different lifestyles. You know, we share.”
Sabreena Daly
“What would you say is the importance of having this type of bond, um, as Christians?”
Vanessa Thompson
“It’s very important. Why? It’s important because you know, you have someone to fall back on. Maybe you can give them a call or they give you a text and you know, and you get a verse from the Bible. They give you a verse from the Bible. Maybe you’re going through a sad day and bum, she sends you a text message, and she makes you feel very happy. Or she gives you a call or I give her a call and you know, we feel very happy. We communicate with one another.”
As their shared faith strengthens the spiritual bond between the church sisters, they find that prayers serve as conversations with God. What we see here is a humble solution for environmental conservation. It is also a litany of prayers manifested in the form of a reusable bag, each stitch embodying a heartfelt conversation with God. Looking on the Bright Side, Im Sabreena Daly.
Gustavo Requena is the new director of the Office of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs. The announcement was made today via a press release. The ministry says that Requena joined the ministry on March eighteenth after what it described as a transparent recruitment process. According to the ministry, Requena has a deep-rooted connection to indigenous communities. Requena hails from a Maya background, offering invaluable firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities confronting indigenous groups. The ministry says his upbringing provides a unique perspective essential for this role. But the Toledo Alcaldes Association does not feel that way. The association fired off a release this evening, saying that the Maya people vehemently denounce nepotism within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs. The association says “His appointment, particularly in the absence of any consultation with Belize’s Indigenous Peoples’ representatives, the Maya communities, and their representatives, coupled with his direct familial relationship to the Area Representative of Toledo West, Minister Oscar Requena, is a total failure in building trust on this Government.”
On Thursday night, we told you about the immigration officers being accused of theft by Richard Shaun Dhee, a Jamaican national. He says that a woman immigration officer stole thousands of dollars from him while he was at the Philip Goldson International Airport. On Thursday, Prime Minister John Briceño, who is also the Minister of Immigration, was asked about the matter. The PM said that if the immigration officer is found guilty, she will have to face the music.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Basically what has happened as we all know, the Jamaican national has made an accusation and the police have reviewed the tape. And they believe that they have enough information or evidence to be able to do a full-fledged investigation. As I mentioned to the CEO, we should not get involved. These people, if that is happening, need to be held accountable. And if this kind of action is taking place within the ministry or within the department, it needs to stop. It needs to end. It needs to end now. And we need to find a way to get rid of all of those people that behave in such a manner. I’m told that the Jamaican was, and I can’t go into too much detail, but basically, passed over monies and then when he tried to leave the country, he was told he can’t leave the country. And so then he got upset and then made this report. But I want to again repeat, as I said earlier, in a previous interview when I was asked, I believe that this kind of behavior is unacceptable of any member of this government. And especially in this case, in the immigration department, I have an issue that I am responsible for. We need to get rid of that kind of behavior and we will not get involved. I don’t care who these people are. And they need to answer. And if they are guilty, then they have to face the music.”
The Belize Agricultural Health Authority, BAHA, is reminding the public that importing agricultural products without the necessary permit is illegal and punishable by law. In an interview with the Technical Director of BAHA’s Quarantine and Inspection Services, Hernan Zetina, he stated that border control will be tight, and fines will be hefty this season to ensure the safety of all Belizeans and animals that unregulated items put at risk. Here’s more on that.
On the phone: Hernan Zetina
On the phone: Hernan Zetina, Technical Director, Quarantine and Inspection Services, BAHA
“The reason why BAHA is very concerned about contraband is that a lot of times these products do not go through the process of risk assessment and therefore they can serve as pathways for plant pests and animal diseases that may be in the region or not in the region, but in other parts of the world, but are not present in Belize and so if these plant pests or animal diseases do come into Belize, they could devastate our agricultural patrimony. There’s also, sometimes people bring food items that may not be wholesome, and so they can pose problems for humans and also for animals, for example, when people bring in contraband feed. So the press release is just a reminder to everyone involved in the importation, seal distribution of agricultural products that are regulated by BAHA, that it is illegal to import these products without a BAHA permit, or if you’re found in possession of illegally imported products, then you can face hefty fines and also go to prison if you’re convicted. We’re working along with the other regulatory agencies, such as customs, fisheries department, MIT of the Ministry of National Security. And so, it’s a coordinated effort between different agencies. And we’re also stepping up our border inspection. So, during the Easter period, there’s a lot of traffic that happens through the border. And so, we have included inspection as a priority. So, whenever you’re passing the northern or western borders, you might need to catch long lines and you will see our BAHA officers there doing their inspection to ensure that whatever is imported is imported legally.”
Belize ratified the Escazu Agreement last year, and since then, the government has been working on charting a strategic plan to implement the agreement. Named after the second sub-division in San Jose, Costa Rica, the agreement is a binding political treaty in Latin America and the Caribbean that seeks to improve access to information and justice in environmental matters, as well as participation in decision-making. It is the first of its kind of environmental agreement in the world. Now, Belize is working on implementing the agreement after consultations that looked at legislation and policies to guide the process. Today, the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and the World Bank held a stakeholder engagement assembly in San Ignacio to begin the process. News Five’s Marion Ali has the story in this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Today, people who have an interest in the environment and access to justice in environmental matters gathered to give their input in the process of formulating a strategic plan to implement the Escazu Agreement. Minister of Sustainable Development, Orlando Habet, says there will be consultations after this stage.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“The consultation process now will begin with the roadmap being established, because it is a strategic plan. So now we’ll get the different communities, NGOs, CBOs, and all stakeholders who have an interest, indigenous groups, people from different races, whatever it is that should have an interest, because they also have the rights, so that we can have something that is very comprehensive, meaningful for Belize.”
During the event, Yaya Marin-Coleman from the UBAD Educational Fund sat in protest on the grounds that all relevant organisations should have been included in the process from this inception stage. Ruth Spencer is a community activist from Antigua and Barbuda. She supports the involvement of the NGOs that stand up against developments that threaten the environment.
Ruth Spencer
Ruth Spencer, Community Activist, Antigua and Barbuda
“Unless the people become empowered and take this Escazu Agreement in their hands and move forward with it, that’s where the power is. The power is in the people. Principle Ten was the name before the Escazu Agreement. It came out of the 1992 Rio Summit because the governments realized they alone don’t have all the answers when it comes to environmental matters. So one of the principles that came out of the Rio Summit was Principle Ten, which said stakeholders must be engaged in the process. And look how long it take for the Escazu Agreement to be signed, almost 20 something years. And this is the roadmap that’s being discussed today is for this greater stakeholder engagement. If that doesn’t happen, it’s just going to be something on paper.”
Minister Habet explained that invitations have been sent out countrywide to those organisations, and their input will be welcomed as soon as the consultancy phase, paid for by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC, is completed. Habet adds that people who feel they are at risk of suffering severely from climate change and feel that they have been excluded have a chance to take part in the process and have a say in how developments in Belize proceed.
Orlando Habet
“We have to involve the issues of economics, the social issues, and also the environmental issues. This is not only about climate change per se, because climate change is a political issue and a lot of it, as we know, is man-made. But how do we now look at the environment, our eco-systems, our forests. How do we protect those? And then, looking at our environmental justice – how to we protect those people who are the defenders of nature and of the environment. So we have already, for example, pieces of legislation like the Freedom of Information Act, which is crucial and then we have other policies which are in place for climate change, the national biodiversity, the Forest Department have different policies that guide and assist us.”
Early on Monday morning, a fire erupted in San Ignacio Town, catching Juan Tzib and his family off guard as they slept in their residence on Rodriguez Street. The fire originated in a “back room” within the yard, rapidly spreading and engulfing the property, leaving the family unable to salvage any belongings. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported. But the Tzib family lost everything to a fire they believe was intentionally set.
Juan Tzib
Juan Tzib, Fire Victim
“So I closed the gas tank. I couldn’t find the adjustable tool to unscrew it. So I run from my machete and I cut the hose. This is a tank that is of 22 gallons, almost two three-quarters full. And I can tell you, I cannot tell you how I drug that time to the roadside, which is about roughly about 50 feet away. I guess that’s what helped in for the blaze not to get worse but at that time the fire was already coming into the house,. Well, everybody ran out, so we couldn’t save nothing, nothing at all. It is being confirmed by many people that I guess they saw something or know something or have heard something about it. That’s what they’re saying that is, is that guy that did it and I’ll tell you the truth when that fire started and I was on the roadside watching it deeply in my heart, I believe it was him. Nothing takes that away from me that it was him. And like I said, people are confirming to me that it was him.”
If you would like to assist Tzib and his family, you can contact them at six-two-one-four-one-seven-nine.
