The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority (KHMHA) announced this morning that its CT scan machine is fully operational once again, following repairs completed last night. The management extended gratitude to their service provider for the swift response and thanked the public for their patience during the downtime.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Health and Wellness celebrated the installation of the country’s first public CT scanner at KHMH. However, after just eight months of operation, the machine experienced a hardware issue caused by condensation, which disrupted communication between components.
A specialised technician was brought in to address the problem, replace a faulty part, and conduct routine maintenance to prevent future disruptions. Arrangements were made with nearby facilities to ensure continued access to CT scans for patients while the machine was being repaired.
The breakdown over the weekend caused significant inconvenience for patients, including teenagers injured in a road accident near Carmelita Village. With the machine back online, the KHMHA assures the public that the CT scanner will continue to provide reliable and efficient diagnostic services for Belizeans.
We begin tonight’s newscast with an update on the garbage collection issue plaguing Belize City. For the past two weeks, some streets have been overflowing with unsightly, smelly trash that hasn’t been picked up. Residents in the Freedom Street area of Port Loyola told us on Monday that they haven’t seen the garbage truck in two weeks. The problem is that the Belize City Council is short on cash and hasn’t been able to pay Belize Waste Control for the past three weeks. The bill is reportedly over eight hundred thousand dollars. But when will this problem be fixed? We asked City Councilor Kaya Cattouse, who is responsible for Sanitation and Maintenance. She said that CitCo is working with Belize Waste Control to resolve the issue, but she couldn’t say when residents can expect their garbage to be collected.
Kaya Cattouse
Kaya Cattouse, Belize City Councilor, Garbage Maintenance
“The company responsible has not been picking up the garbage for whatever reasons and as a result of this The residents of Belize City have been left with garbage on the streets and it has been looking bad, feeling bad. Nobody wants to see garbage everywhere.”
Marion Ali
“I understand the reason is because the Council has been unable to meet the garbage fee, the collection fee. Has the Council sat down with these people to try to work out something? Has the Central Government even intervened? That’s what the Deputy Prime Minister, Cordell Hyde said, there might be some need for an intervention by Central Government. Has all of that taken place?”
Kaya Cattouse
“The garbage situation has been ongoing even before Council – David Fonseca’s administration, Zenaida Moya’s administration, Darrell Bradley’s administration, and now Bernard Wagner’s administration. And if we can see that all these mayors, all these heads have had an issue with garbage situation and for whatever reason, cannot come to some kind of proper arrangement to get it resolved, then we have to look deeper into it because that is telling you that there is more to whatever contract there is.”
Marion Ali
“Has the Council received a lawsuit from the company because of nonpayment?”
Kaya Cattouse
“I am not able to comment on that.”
Marion Ali
“Well, as the Councilor responsible though, can you say when we can expect that the streets will be cleaned, the garbage won’t be out there lying around for days on end?”
Kaya Cattouse
“So we have been trying our best to, clean the areas that we can. However, it is not within the scope of the contract for the City Council trucks to actually pick up residential garbage. So, it’s not something that we can just take our trucks and go out there and pick up the garbage. Because then, that will cause another problem. So we are trying to work as best as we can with the company and see how best we can rectify the situation as soon as possible.”
Earlier today, we also spoke with the General Manager of Belize Waste Control Limited. Both the company and the Belize City Council are keeping quiet about the details of their discussions. However, James Nisbet mentioned that they are hopeful the issue will be resolved in the coming days.
James Nisbet
James Nisbet, General Manager, Belize Waste Control
“As with any business, we do have some issues from time to time, operations-wise, financial-wise; however, the company has been able o work through all of those difficulties in the past and we were sure that we will have some difficulties going forward. However, we have been doing all that we can with the resources that are available to us in collecting the garbage. We understand the inconveniences that have been caused by a shortfall of picking up, maybe two streets and we need to do it two days later and the problem becomes compounded, and it looks a whole lot worst from a residential standpoint, as well as from an outside looking in standpoint. We are completely aware of the hardships that all businesses face, i.e. the Belize City Council. We are in dialogue with them and hopefully we can reach some kind of arrangement with them sometime very soon, but in the meantime, I ask and I beg the indulgence of the citizens, the residents, to try and work with us a little bit. We are doing the best that we can with the resources that we have at this time.”
Isani Cayetano
“Now I understand that the debt owed by the Belize City Council is an accumulation over a period of time. Are you guys able to continue with the operations or the day-to-day and meet your financial end?
James Nisbet
“I would not like to comment too much on that other than to say that we have and we will continue to work with the city council on conducting what we do. It has become challenging for us to maintain the absolute best possible service that we can with the resources that are available to us. Like I said, we are doing our best to try and see how we can remedy that. So we hope that we can reach a resolution very, very soon.”
Earlier today, a young man was shot and killed in the Boiton neighborhood of San Ignacio Town. A property owner reportedly went to make a check of his storeroom when he encountered a Hispanic male attempting to burglarize the container. The man alleges that the teenager confronted him with a piece of board, prompting him to fire in self-defense. The alleged thief ran out of the container but fell a short distance away and succumbed to his injury. The identity of the victim is yet to be determined; however, he is said to be seventeen years old. It is expected that the Director of Public Prosecutions will determine if the shooting meets the criteria for self-defense.
A coast guard sailor is in an induced coma at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital after a motorcycle accident on the George Price Highway on November thirtieth. Gianna Vanegas was riding alone towards the Westar Service Station when the accident happened. The seaman apprentice, who was off duty at the time, was seriously injured and rushed to Belize City for emergency treatment. While she remains unconscious, her current condition is unknown. Earlier today, News Five spoke with Acting Vice Commandant Alma Pinelo about the incident.
Alma Pinelo
Lt. Cmdr. Alma Pinelo, Belize Coast Guard
“What we understood was that she was on a motorcycle on her own. She had left home, and she was going towards the direction of Westar Gas Station and somewhere in that vicinity is where the accident happened.”
Isani Cayetano
“What is her present condition?”
Alma Pinelo
“It is a bit sensitive, but what we know is that from the onset when she was transported from between the area of the accident and Western Region, she had to be induced into coma due to the state of the accident. What we know is that she was put into a coma to be transported over to the KHMH which she has been there since early Saturday morning, and she also had a broken arm.”
Isani Cayetano
“This accident happened while, presumably, she was off duty?”
Alma Pinelo
“Yes, she had just come in from patrol, actually, so she was on her stand down. She had come in from Consejo maybe about three or four days before that and so she was on her relaxed down time at home.”
Isani Cayetano
“What can you tell us about Ms. Venegas, in terms of her service here at the Belize Coast Guard?”
Alma Pinelo
“She recently joined with Intake Eleven, so she has been in the coast guard now for a year. This December makes a year since our Intake Eleven has been in the coast guard. She has been a part of the fleet, so in operation, she has been very active, actually, both in operations and in athleticism.”
After nearly a week behind bars, bus conductor Evan Cain is a free man again, having avoided a three-year prison sentence for assaulting a traffic officer. On November twenty-sixth, a video surfaced on social media showing traffic officer Kenrick Deshield being physically assaulted by up to three people on a bus in Belize City, which had been flagged for carrying too many standees. Thirty-one-year-old Evan Cain, also known as “Sweet Bwai Cain,” was identified as the person who shoved Deshield off the bus. He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was remanded to prison. Today, Cain was brought back to court and allowed to apologize to Deshield. He told the officer, “I am sorry I interrupted you while you were doing your duties. I understand I made an error. It won’t happen again.” Typically, offenses like this carry a three-year prison sentence. However, the Magistrate considered that Cain was a first-time offender and showed remorse. He was fined one thousand, three hundred dollars, plus a five-dollar fee, which he must pay by March fourth, 2025. If he fails to pay, he will face a one-year prison sentence.
Tonight, Ocean Academy High School teacher Zane Zuniga is still in critical condition after last Friday’s accident on the Phillip Goldson Highway. Last night, we heard the heartfelt pleas of Nikita Marin, the mother of Alexander Bainton, asking the public for help. Now, Zuniga’s family is also reaching out for support through prayers and financial contributions. Zuniga was driving one of the two vans taking the team to Orange Walk for a high school regional basketball tournament. Unfortunately, the van had a blowout and overturned with twelve passengers inside. The passengers in the second van witnessed the entire ordeal. Zuniga suffered severe spinal injuries, affecting his ability to breathe. He needs surgery that isn’t available in Belize but can be done in Guatemala, costing up to fifty thousand U.S. dollars. He was being prepared for transport to Guatemala today. Another victim, seventeen-year-old Gilbert Teck, is in an induced coma at the K.H.M.H. with spinal injuries and a broken femur. News Five understands that the school arranged vans for the students’ transport. When they arrived on a water taxi in Belize, they simply boarded the vans and began their journey. The Caye Caulker community is still reeling from this tragic incident. We will continue to follow this story closely.
The Government of Belize recently presented its case at the International Court of Justice regarding the responsibilities of states in tackling climate change. These hearings are a historic step towards global climate accountability, aiming to clarify what countries must do to reduce climate impacts and protect vulnerable populations. Doctor Kenrick Williams, C.E.O. in the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, highlighted the severe threat climate change poses to Small Island Developing States like Belize. He emphasized that this Advisory Opinion is a crucial opportunity for the international community to define state obligations in addressing this global crisis. For Belize, the stakes are incredibly high. Doctor Williams pointed out the significant challenges Belize faces, such as rising sea levels, warming oceans, and more frequent and severe storms. He shared the example of Monkey River, a community suffering from severe coastal erosion and economic losses, to illustrate the broader climate crisis affecting SIDS worldwide.
Kenrick Williams
Dr. Kenrick Williams, C.E.O., Ministry of Sustainable Development
“Belize is uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, our nation is home to the second largest coral reef system in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the largest tract of forest outside of the Amazon in Central America. These are not just natural treasures, they are lifelines for our biodiversity, economy and cultural heritage, yet they are under siege from rising sea levels, warming oceans, and increasingly severe storms. Hurricane Lisa, alone, in 2022, caused damages of nearly US one hundred million dollars, affecting nearly forty percent of our population. Let me take one example of the profound human and environmental toll of climate change on Belize and on Small Island Developing States, more generally. That is the case of Monkey River, once a thriving community engaged in fishing and ecotourism, it is now in crisis. Rising sea levels and intensifying storms, unmistakable markers of climate change, have stripped away its coastline with some areas losing up to two meters annually. This underscores the urgent need for clarity on states’ obligations under international law to protect vulnerable nations.”
Despite these challenges, Belize has shown resilience by protecting over forty percent of its territory, shifting to renewable energy, and creating innovative financing mechanisms like the Blue Bonds for marine conservation. The I.C.J. is now considering important questions about state duties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, prevent environmental harm, and support adaptation measures. Belize has urged the court to provide clear guidance to enhance accountability and international cooperation under frameworks like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Rural Transformation, the Labor Department, and the Labor Advisory Board teamed up with the International Labor Organization to discuss rolling out the Decent Work Program in Belize’s rural areas. This strategic plan aims to boost labor standards and create decent work opportunities. Valentino Shal, C.E.O. of the Ministry of Rural Transformation, explains how the teams are working together to build a future where inclusive and decent work opportunities are available to all Belizeans.
Valentino Shal, CEO, Ministry of Rural Transformation
“So yesterday we met with the ILO. We also have a new project targeted to the south of the country to promote local economic development. So it’s one thing to promote infrastructural development, like water and electricity and roads, which is what’s happening in this case, light and water. But there’s also a need to promote economic activity, economic growth using the resources and the skills of the people in the area. And so that project is going to be done by the ILO, executed by the ILO, and it’s being funded by the European Union. But it’s being led also by the Ministry of Rural Transformation. So it’s a wonderful opportunity for us, and of course for the communities to be, eh, targeted, but also to, to be focused on doing interventions that will really help to improve their lives and we’re very happy for that.”
This week, Belize wrapped up its first one-year term as the temporary president of the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM). The RCM is a multilateral forum with eleven member countries, including Belize, and five observer nations. During its leadership, the Ministry of Immigration got an up-close look at how member states collaborate to tackle shared migration challenges and responsibilities in the region. Belize has now passed the baton to Costa Rica, which will take the lead in 2025.
Tanya Santos
Tanya Santos, C.E.O, Ministry of Immigration
“We have heard that progress towards our goal is hindered by the multitude of intersecting crises, ranging from economic stability to the intensifying impact of climate change and disaster. These challenges test the resilience of our migration systems and the capacity of our government and partners to respond effectively. However, our discussion over the past two days have underscore enduring value of corporation as a means to overcome obstacles. We are further bound to this mandate through principles outlined in leading international documents, such as Objective Twenty-Three for the Global Compact of Migration and SDG seventeen which empathize strengthened international corporation and shared responsibilities for our goals.”
