2024 - Channel 5 Belize

Op-Ed Agrifood systems: a path to sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean

Every two years, FAO holds a Regional Ministerial Conference in Latin America and the Caribbean, bringing together its 33 Members in the region to monitor progress and address the challenges towards fighting hunger, poverty, malnutrition, and inequalities, and to achieving the transformation of agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, FAO’s agrifood systems approach has been effective in supporting countries in accelerating the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to FAO’s latest estimates, the prevalence of undernourishment in the region decreased in 2022 to 6.5 percent, from 7.0 percent in 2021, which means that 2.4 million people are no longer suffering from hunger. However, such progress has occurred in South America (from 7.0 percent to 6.1 percent), while the prevalence of hunger has remained almost the same in Mesoamerica (from 5.0 percent to 5.1 percent). In the Caribbean, undernourishment has risen, from 14.7 percent in 2021 to 16.3 percent in 2022.

These statistics only scratch the surface of the current challenges facing agrifood systems in the region, which include the impacts of the climate crisis, economic disparities, and an over-dependence on commodities.

Although the region is a net food exporter and responsible for 13 percent of global food production, reliance on commodity imports and exports exposes its agrifood systems to macroeconomic volatility and geopolitical instability, which in turn negatively impact food prices and incomes and lead to unfavourable food security and nutrition outcomes.

*FAO Director General QU Dongyu and Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali/QU Dongyu*

The 38th FAO Regional Ministerial Conference will be held in the Caribbean nation of Guyana from 18 to 21 March 2024. This conference is a significant opportunity for member countries to enhance their individual and collective innovative thinking and build capacity to adapt to the changing landscape of agrifood systems across the region, and beyond, and be prepared for possible future scenarios.

With the engagement of governments and all partners, the conference aims to forge a consensus on tailored action plans for food and agriculture and to uphold the fundamental human right to food in an open, transparent, and inclusive manner.

The experience in Latin America and the Caribbean shows that achieving sustainable agrifood systems requires concerted multi-sectoral efforts. Fighting hunger is an act of collective responsibility, and thanks to a thriving regional integration, tangible results have been achieved. FAO continues to work through relevant international and multilateral fora in the region, and beyond, to continue to highlight the food security agenda and accelerate actions to advance the transformation of agrifood systems.

Ownership and leadership by FAO Members, and collective efforts by all development partners and stakeholders, are critical. Shared vision, foresight, responsibilities, and implementation arrangements are needed to achieve our goals. I would like to emphasize the significance of collaborations and partnerships across the Latin America and the Caribbean region.

In recent years, significant strides have been taken to bring together diverse perspectives and reach a regional consensus that will provide the blueprint for the Organization’s work in the region for the next biennium.

FAO is currently implementing around 400 national, sub-regional, and regional projects in Latin America and the Caribbean that have added millions of households to the agrifood value chain.

Moreover, there is evidence that FAO’s global initiatives, such as the Hand-in-Hand, the 1000 Digital Villages, and the One Country One Priority Product, have positively impacted farmers, especially smallholders, women, youth, Indigenous Peoples and marginalized groups and rural populations.

At the Regional Ministerial Conference, FAO will focus on four interconnected regional priorities reflecting the “four betters” set out in the Organization’s Strategic Framework 2022-31 – better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. These priorities aim to catalyze the transformation of agrifood systems by enhancing efficiency, inclusivity, and sustainability in production; eradicating hunger and advancing food security and nutrition; promoting the sustainable management of natural resources and adaptation to the climate crisis; and addressing inequalities, poverty, and fostering resilience.

*Guyana Rice Development Board applying technological innovation to better production/QU Dongyu*

The comprehensive Strategic Framework for the next decade provides us with an opportunity to take a wide-ranging look at our agrifood systems, identify areas that need improvement, and take appropriate actions. Members benefit from FAO’s technical expertise, assistance, and support through its headquarters, as well as regional, subregional, and country offices, to ensure effective implementation in support of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. My focus is on strengthening FAO’s country offices to maximize their impact on the ground and support the work of Members at the country level.

Our main goal for the region remains clear: to improve food production and ensure that everyone has access to nutritious food, while protecting natural resources and reducing inequalities, poverty, and hunger. We must produce more with less. To this end, we need to leverage the potential of cooperation, trade, investment and the utilization of innovation and technology within the region and with other regions.

At FAO, we have realigned and refocused our efforts towards supporting Members in accelerating the transformation needed. We have adopted agile operating strategies, offered tailored and timely data and analytical support, enhanced our engagement with governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, and international financial institutions, and have established transformative partnerships with all key players. The reformed and restructured FAO is now better equipped, fit-for-purpose and already working towards this transformation for the benefit of people, planet, and prosperity.

By QU Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

C.W.U. Brokers Amicable Agreement with G.O.B.; Stevedores are All Smiles

There was a significant breakthrough during a meeting with Prime Minister Briceño earlier today that had stevedores smiling from ear to ear. It’s a rare occasion for waterfront workers at the Port of Belize Limited to be happy or satisfied with anything that the government proposes, but this afternoon they were all cheerful, following a meeting of the Christian Workers Union and senior members of the Briceño administration. They filed in one by one at Charter House, led by President Leonora Flowers, and they were there for a singular purpose which was to iron out several issues that stevedores had been having with their employer. As you would recall, they effected a work-to-rule last week that saw cargo ships rerouting to the Port of Big Creek to discharge cargo. At the end of today’s meeting PM Briceño told reporters that government is making a payment of one point six million dollars to stevedores in lieu of redundancy.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We have an agreement and basically we’ve been working on the number of gang size and the number of hours that we’re going to be working on and we believe that we have an agreement at this moment. What will happen now is that both lawyers, our lawyer, the Port of Belize’s lawyer, and the CWU’s lawyer are going to get together and work out the agreement. Pretty much it has been spelt out properly and we believe that by tomorrow we’re supposed to be able to sign an agreement for us to be able to move forward. There is a general consensus from both sides that these work stoppages is not in the interest of anyone, that it does not help the Christian Workers Union, nor the stevedores, nor does it help the Port of Belize nor the country of Belize. We recognize though that there is competition and that some boats are threatening that if this is not sorted out that they will consider going south to the Big Creek Port to offload their cargo. So I believe that today, we managed to settle pretty much all of these issues. We will be signing that formal agreement tomorrow which will form part of the new CBA that is going to start the work on the new CBA pretty much immediately as soon as we finish this.”

PM Brings Out Senior Ministers to Meet with CWU and Stevedores

Present at this afternoon’s meeting was Deputy Mayor Cordel Hyde, Port Minister Michel Chebat and Tourism Minister Anthony Mahler. There on behalf of the Port of Belize Limited was Interim Chairman Doctor Gilbert Canton and C.E.O. Arturo “Tux” Vasquez. For her part, C.W.U. President Leonora Flowers congratulated the prime minister for agreeing to another ex-gratia payment.

Leonora Flowers, President, Christian Workers Union

“I just want to say thanks to the PM for having us here and his ministers, his team. Thanks for the new offer and the way it has been set out. We believe it’s palatable for our members. In fact, we were given certain instructions before we arrived for this meeting and we have found that they met with our requirement, so our members will be pleased with the response that we are taking back to them. Yes, indeed. We are going to sit with our attorney and get the document drafted, forwarded to the other side’s attorney and so we can move from that. One of the things that we had wanted was to commence the CBA negotiations and that has also been agreed to as soon as we’ve completed this agreement and the PM has offered another ex-gratia payment that goes to house for approval and after that we commence, as we had discussed, with within the next week our CBA which is what we really want to do on behalf of our members.”

PM and C.W.U. President are Circumspect on Details of New Agreement

While they were all smiles, the Prime Minister and the C.W.U. President would not divulge details of their agreement with the media. Instead PM Briceño alluded to the fact that they have essentially agreed on the number of gangs that will be servicing these large vessels that call to port in the Belize City harbor.

Reporter

“Would you be able to go into the details of the agreement at this time?”

Leonora Flowers, President, Christian Worker’s Union

“Not at this time.”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“No, we don’t really want to go, but basically we’ve agreed to the number of gangs that we’re going to have, how many gangs or how many members per gang, which already most of it is already listed out in the present CBA. That is not going to change. We also have agreed now that the big ships will be able to have two gangs working so that the big ships would no longer have to wait until the gang rests and comes back to offload. So these are the things that are going to benefit the Port of Belize by increasing and improving efficiency. Also, obviously it will also benefit our consumers because at the end of the day they have to pay for this. And, thirdly, it also benefit’s the stevedores because, then again, they, I believe, would then be able to more effectively, more efficiently, I hope, that they will be able to be rewarded for their work.”

C.W.U. President, “It’s a step in the right direction for us.”

The outcome of today’s discussion, as we’ve reported, was favorable to both parties and is seen as a positive for the often-contentious relationship shared by the C.W.U. and their employer. Since the Government of Belize announced the reacquisition of P.B.L. a few months ago, President Flowers says that there has been a marked difference in communication.

Leonora Flowers, President, Christian Worker’s Union

“It’s a step in the right direction for us. We can say today that we have seen a difference in the communication, a difference in the discussion and so we feel that we are on the right track. We want to say thanks to the government for doing this. As I said, they’ve said they’ve taken over the port for and on behalf of the people of Belize and this is showing that and with that I can agree.”

Reporter

“Where do both parties stand on the issue of redundancy today?”

Leonora Flowers

“We have passed that stage. With the gratuitous payment made today and the offer from the PM, our members are ready to relinquish that issue. We have passed that stage.”

Reporter

“Is the offer more than the $1.5 million [that was] previously discussed?”

Leonora Flowers

“We’ve agreed to $1.6 million because one of the members reached out to us to say that they have these huge legal bills and so without the approval of cabinet I agreed to include another hundred thousand, but I believe that the DPM will support me on that so that the package is $1.6 million.”

ComPol Keeping an Eye on Port of Belize

Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, told reporters today that there is a contingency plan in place at the Port of Belize. He noted that despite the outcome of today’s meeting between the stevedores and the Prime Minister, officers are prepared to act if the need arises in the future.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Certainly yes we have our contingency plan in place to address the issue at the port. We are hoping that whatever the outcome at the meeting with the Prime Minister will be that cooler heads will prevail and again I have always said we don’t ascribe to the confrontational style of policing but at the end of the day the police also has a job to do and we will make sure we do the job to the best of our.”

Woman Says Ex Who Killed Her Boyfriend Was Due in Court Wednesday

A murder happened in broad daylight in Ladyville on Saturday evening. It happened in the thick of traffic, as the occupants of one vehicle tried to escape the wrath of the driver in another vehicle. But they didn’t escape and when the pursuer caught up with his target, he acted with deadly precision, shooting one of the occupants before fleeing the scene on foot. Amber Dawson told reporters that she and her boyfriend, Damion Baptist were trying to escape her ex-boyfriend, Jamie Young, who is now wanted for murder. News Five’s Marion Ali visited Grace Bank to speak with Dawson, and to Burrell Boom Village, to speak with the mother of the victim. Here’s that report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

It unfolded quickly, sometime around five, on Saturday evening on the Philip Goldson Highway, where the driver of this red Honda Fusion tried to manoeuvre his way through heavy traffic while fleeing a gun-wielding attacker. But he could not make it through, and the gunman caught up with him and shot him through the passenger side of the car, causing him to swerve off the road and slam into this lamppost in front of the Ladyville R.C. School. Behind the steering wheel of the vehicle was thirty-year-old Damion Baptist, who was heading from Maxboro to his house in Burrell Boom. But when he came under attack, he decided to drive past the Burrell Boom cut-off and attempted to make a dash for the Ladyville Police Station a few miles away. But even the police were out of his reach.

A.C.P Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Saturday, 16th day of March 2023, around 5:30 p.m., police responded to a shooting incident in Ladyville Village in front of the Ladyville R.C. School. Upon their arrival, police found a car with what appeared to be bullet holes. Information received [was] that a person received gunshot injuries and was taken to the KHMH for treatment.”

Baptist’s relatives say he died en route to the hospital. He had been shot in the head. Amber Dawson, who saw everything unfold from the passenger seat, told reporters that Baptist spent the day in Grace Bank Village where she lives, and that it was her ex-boyfriend who killed him.

Voice of: Amber Dawson, Girlfriend of Deceased

“We spent the day here. It was my nephew birthday. Everything was going well. We left. We passed Mr. Young house. We stopped at my grandmother, spent five minutes. We never spent long at my grandmother, and we went. We were going to his house in Boom and after we passed Maxboro Junction, on that long stretch, it all became so crazy, hectic. Mr. Young was driving in the opposite direction towards us. He was at his home when we passed him, so he had to leave when I stopped at my grandmother’s house. [He] run us off the road, crank his gun at us, push his gun through the window, crank it, Mr. Baptist speed up. He was like, “we need to reach the police station.”

Dawson said that on three occasions that evening, Young tried to harm them on the highway.

Voice of: Amber Dawson

“When we passed the curb after Maxboro, he was coming in the opposite direction. He was literally driving into us. Mr. Baptist was driving, so he pulled on the side of the road and that’s when he cranked his gun at us and Mr. Baptist sped off. After that, it was around by Tubal we were stuck – traffic was there, so we pulled on the side again. And that’s when the first gunshot went off. Everything happened on the passenger side. So when we pull on the side, the first shot went off. It went at the bottom of the car window. That’s when Mr. Baptist told me to drop my seat and stay low. And then he kept on driving on the side of the road because traffic was hectic in Ladyville that day. And when we reached again by the RC school, the next bullet went off and the next thing I know we were driving into the lamppost. That’s when I looked over and I saw Mr. Baptist’s head down.”

Amber Dawson says that she had dated Jamie Young for thirteen years but broke up with him late last year. It was around the same time that she and Baptist became friends, she said, but they did not start to date until last month. And that was when they came under sustained attacks, to the point, that she had to take out a restraining order against Young.

Voice of: Amber Dawson

“Everywhere I go, that young man follows. Everywhere I go, he follows. Every time I pass his house, I bet I look in my mirror, he will be behind, good five, ten minutes afterwards.”

Marion Ali

“Why do you believe this was the case?”

Voice of: Amber Dawson

“We were in a relationship, we broke up and he couldn’t take it believe. He keeps coming around, following us, following me. Mr. Baptist was just with me that day. Our court deal would have been on Wednesday of this week.”

Baptist left the B.D.F. and was planning to buy a bus and apply for a route later this year. His mother, Shelmadine Baptist says his murder will be hard on his siblings and for his three children. She had just spoken with him moments before he was killed.

Voice of: Shelmadine Baptist, Mother of Deceased

“He called and he said he di come home. Ih say “Mommy ah deh pahn mi way home.” And I [say] “Bwai, how far yoh deh?” He say, “I deh right by Maxboro, Mommy.” He say ih wa reach directly. I say “okay.” I hang up the phone and then he never call – never come. So I never did call back. I guess da right deh the incident happened because he tell me he mi deh da Maxboro. And then the young lady weh he mi deh with, she tell me that the young man start attack dehn from Maxboro.”

A.C.P Hilberto Romero who briefed the media on this matter, said that the police are now looking for Jamie Young for questioning in connection with this murder. Marion Ali for News Five.

Young Father Killed Seconds Away From Home

In another tragic case of gun violence, a family is grieving the loss of their loved one after his life was taken over the weekend. On Saturday, March sixteenth, twenty-six-year-old Liston Williams was riding home on his motorcycle when suddenly several shots were fired in his direction at the intersection of Madam Liz Avenue and Woodpecker Street, ultimately killing him. While an investigation is ongoing, police have their suspicions as to who may be responsible. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Friends and family are at a loss for words as they process the recent death of twenty-six-year-old Liston Williams. On Saturday, around ten p.m., the father of one was just moments away from his home on Madam Liz Avenue when a series of shots would be fired at him. Williams was thrown from his motorcycle and onto the ground where he was quickly met by neighbors who had been socializing in the area and taken to the hospital. Police would later respond to the report.

ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division

“On Saturday, the sixteenth day of March 2024, around nine fifty p.m., police responded to shots fired at Madame Liz in Belize City. Upon arrival, they found Liston Williams with gunshot injuries. He was taken to the KHMH where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Investigation revealed that mister Williams was in the area when he was approached by a male person who fired several shots, causing his fatal injuries. Several persons are detained pending investigation regarding this murder.”

Although police say that Williams was known to them, his death came as a shock to many. According to several residents, Williams was a polite, kind neighbor, loyal friend, and devoted father who was not known to cause trouble. Upon investigation, police believe that Williams was targeted by an associate.

Hilberto Romero

“Yes, he was known to police.”

Reporter

“Would you guys be able to say or have a reason why anybody would want to target him?”

Hilberto Romero

“Investigation revealed this is an internal feud with persons from that area that led to this shooting.”

A few neighbors who had been socializing in the area at the time of the incident said the events unfolded suddenly as Williams had just seconds before honked his horn to greet them. A sound that was followed by gunshots seconds later. In that light, several people believe that the assailant knew William’s route and had been waiting for him to pass by. That theory was further supported by Commissioner of Police Chester Williams.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We believe that mister Williams was killed by his own associates. I’m not going to say who, but his own associates are the one who once were responsible.”

Reporter

“Any suspects or persons detained?”

Chester Williams

“We do have suspects at this time and I think some of them are detained, yes”

Reporter

“Motive?”

Chester Williams

“We do not have a definitive motive at this time. But like I said, he was killed by his own associates.”

As residents of the area lament the safety of their neighborhood, several noted the absence of a police booth that had previously been installed on that street a few years ago. They claim that if the police booth had been in operation, the crime may have been avoided. Britney Gordon for News Five.

Woman Stabs Pregnant Woman and Boyfriend in Belize City

A couple is left recovering from stab wounds, after being attacked in Belize City, all while preparing for a baby that’s on the way. According to police reports, on Saturday, March sixteenth, around seven p.m. thirty-three-year-old, Michael Young and his pregnant girlfriend, Shakira Myvette, of the same age, were walking near the intersection of Victoria Street and New Road when they were approached by a known female who proceeded to attack them. A fight ensued where the aggressor allegedly stabbed both Young and Myvette, resulting in their injuries. The couple was quickly transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital by a bystander, and they were treated for their injuries. Fortunately, Young and Myvette, who is three months pregnant, were listed in a stable condition. The assailant fled the scene but was later captured by officers and is now in police custody. The motive of the crime is yet to be determined as the assailant and the victims have conflicting reports of the details of the incident.

Former City Mayor, Zenaida Moya Attacked at Home

Former Belize City Mayor, Zenaida Moya says she is a victim of an attack that occurred at her home. Moya alleges that her caretaker pepper-sprayed her, beat her up, and then stole her money. Moya told police that around five o’clock last Thursday morning, while she was at her mile five residence off the Philip Goldson Highway, her caretaker, twenty-eight-year-old Corliss McKenzie entered her room. The two reportedly got into an argument and Moya alleges that McKenzie became aggressive and pepper-sprayed her in the face, after which he punched her twice in the head. Moya said that McKenzie grabbed a bread knife, held her and placed the knife to her neck and threatened to kill her. Moya said she stomped her feet out of fear and McKenzie left but not before destroying her two phones and stealing four hundred dollars from her purse. According to Moya, she managed to escape by running out of the room and down the stairs where she was able to secure the iron gate, and that’s when she called 911 for police assistance. Moya was taken to the hospital, where a doctor classified her injuries as wounding. She has asked for court action, which led to McKenzie’s arrest. In court, he pleaded not guilty to six criminal offenses, including: aggravated assault with pepper spray, threat of death, damage to property, and theft. McKenzie was offered bail of two thousand, five hundred dollars and the case was adjourned until May fourteenth. He is not to interfere, contact or communicate with Moya and or any of her family members or any other prosecution witnesses in the case. He must also stay one hundred yards away from her, and he must report to the Queen Street Police Station twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.