Drivers, especially in the Belize District, are fed up with the shortage of license plates, stickers, and cards. The Transport Department has been getting a lot of heat over this issue. When we spoke with the Minister of Transport earlier today, he admitted that the problem is due to the department not ordering enough of these items.
Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transportation
“Because I’m the minister, I get the blame. The minister has to assume responsibility. I’m telling my Department of Transport but there must be a minimum and maximum reorder level. For argument’s sake, if we reach a hundred that means you know that you must reorder the quantity of maybe five hundred if that is the maximum.”
Sabreena Daly
“So this is an ordering issue and not so much a supplier issue minister?”
Rodwell Ferguson
“No, it’s more an ordering issue.”
Sabreena Daly
“An ordering issue.”
Rodwell Ferguson
“Just two weeks ago or last week, we made an order for a large amount of license plates stickers and cards. So this will now be an issue of the past. So once those license plates are produced and stickers, we can say that the Department of Transport is on top of that now and it will not happen again under my watch.”
Premier basketball in Belize is back—or is it? At the very least, the drama is! With no confirmed start date for the 2025 season, it looks like two leagues are vying to be the top dog in Belizean basketball. First, we have the Belize Elite Basketball League (BEBL), which organized the 2024 season and had one of the most controversial finals in its short history. Then there’s the new kid on the block, the Belize Premier Basketball League (BPBL), proposed by Doctor Gilbert Gordon, C.E.O. of Benny’s Belize Hurricanes. News Five has learned that the Hurricanes pulled out of the BEBL after only two teams showed up to planning meetings late last year. In a bid to keep premier basketball alive in Belize, Gordon reportedly decided to form this new league. The BPBL already has commitments from at least seven teams for the 2025 season. But as news of this new league spread, the BEBL’s Facebook page sprang to life. On Wednesday night, they posted, ‘Fans have no fear, BEBL 2025 is near.’ The BEBL is the only league sanctioned by the Belize Basketball Federation, which might give them an edge. But will the folks behind the BEBL step aside for the new league, or will Belizean basketball fans have to choose between the BEBL and the BPBL? All parties are meeting tonight to discuss the way forward, and we’ll keep you updated on this unfolding story.
Belizean author and illustrator Ian Gibson has launched an exciting fantasy-adventure series inspired by Maya culture in Belize. This three-part children’s book follows the journey of a Maya girl grieving the loss of her grandmother. She embarks on an adventure through the Maya underworld, encountering various Maya gods along the way. But it’s not just a cultural tale, says Gibson. The books are packed with humor for kids and vibrant illustrations. Today, Gibson introduced his captivating work to the children of Saint Peter’s Anglican Primary School. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the story.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Join Itzel on an enchanting journey into the Mayan underworld as she searches for her grandmother in ‘The Land of the Night Sun,’ the first book in the fantasy-adventure series ‘The Jade Necklace.’ Itzel stumbles upon a mysterious necklace from her late grandmother that opens the door to the underworld. Today, author and illustrator Ian Gibson hosted a book launch for eager students from Saint Peter’s Anglican Primary School in Belize City.
Ian Gibson
Ian Gibson, Author
“It is a fantasy book about a Maya girl who goes to visit her grandma who lives in this remote village in the highlands and the grandmother passes away. She leaves her this special mysterious necklace that grants her access to this mysterious underworld. She falls into the underworld while looking for her grandmother. Along the way she meets all these Maya gods and folklore character like Tata Duende.”
Gibson has been a passionate reader of fantasy books since he was a child. This love for fantasy grew into a desire to write his own magical tales. Over the years, he has created numerous illustrations for children’s books. His talent truly shines in this fantasy-adventure trilogy, bringing the story to life with vibrant, detailed, and relatable illustrations.
Ian Gibson
“I feel like there a lot of books out there for teenagers and a lot of books for really young kids. But there is not a lot for pre teens, from ten to thirteen. But really there is no upper age limit. You can enjoy as a teenager, an adult. I try to make it as entertaining as possible. I guess it is a serious story because it is about a girl who is cooperating with the death of her grandmother, but there is a lot of jokes in it. It is a really funny story and I hope the illustrations give it a lot of extra character and grab their addition.”
And the children today were well engaged and highly interested in today’s presentations on the book. Standard six student Kaylie Castillo shared that she has already fallen in love with the book just from what she’s heard so far.
Kaylie Castillo
Kaylie Castillo, Student, St. Mary’s Anglican Primary
“I actually love the book, especially how they describe it, because I like writing and reading, especially comics and this books actually inspire me to save up and go buy one of the book.”
Paul Lopez
“What stands out to you about this book?”
Kaylie Castillo
“I actually like the adventures that the girl went on. It is very inspiring, because me myself, I like going on adventures, myself. So, it is very good. I like the book.”
Gibson even created a detailed map of the underworld that Itzel explores, where she encounters numerous Maya gods. Some are already saying that this trilogy has the potential to be turned into a motion picture.
Paul Lopez
“Any plans to put this into some sort of motion picture?”
Ian Gibson
“No plans of my own, but if I am approached by some animation studio, I would definitely be up for that.”
The U.S. Embassy in Belize has announced the arrival of David Hodge as the new Chargé d’Affaires.
In a Facebook post, the embassy said that Hodge previously held the role of Senior Advisor in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. His extensive diplomatic career includes serving as Consul General in São Paulo, Brazil; Deputy Chief of Mission in Guatemala; and Chargé d’Affaires in Panama. In Washington, he served as Director for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy, alongside other assignments in Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Thailand, Portugal, and Mozambique.
Hodge holds undergraduate degrees from Indiana University in Bloomington and a Master’s degree from Georgetown University. Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai, he brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role in Belize.
Two Belizean police officers are set to enhance their skills abroad through specialised training. The Belize Police Department announced today that the Deputy Commander of the Orange Walk Police, Assistant Superintendent of Police Armando Dubon, is heading to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the police constable Kennara Trapp is off to Honduras for a four-year training.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Dubon will begin a four-month diploma course in Policing Innovation & Leadership on January 25, 2025. He departed Belize on January 11 and was selected after a competitive process, which included a panel interview. The course will allow him to engage with experts and explore new methods to improve law enforcement practices.
Meanwhile, PC Trapp, with the San Ignacio Special Operations Team, will head to Honduras for a four-year Officer Cadet Training at the National Police Academy (ANAPO), starting on January 25. Trapp successfully met the rigorous physical, medical, and educational requirements for the program. Once completed, she will return to Belize with enhanced expertise in police science, which will aid in her future role in the department.
Since 2018, the Organization of American States (OAS) has awarded over 800 scholarships and enabled Belizean students to pursue higher education and professional training that would have otherwise been out of reach. This initiative is part of the OAS’s ongoing collaboration with Belize’s Ministry of Education to create a more inclusive and sustainable nation through education.
In a statement issued on Monday, OAS stated that it has “established itself as a leading provider of scholarships for Belizean students.”
The organisation says it has also helped Belizean children and teachers embrace the digital age, with over 3,900 students benefiting from digital lessons and 920 teachers gaining new skills. In the past year alone, 197 scholarships were awarded, while Belizean educators were benefiting from specialised training in subjects like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Blockchain at the OAS Youth Academy.
“The OAS understands that scholarships have the power to transform the lives of individuals, and education can break the cycle of poverty,” the organisation added.
Additionally, up to 300 teachers are set to receive training in computer science and robotics, benefiting thousands of students in the coming years.
Wildtracks has unveiled its newly completed wildlife rehabilitation facility, backed by a $150,000 investment from the Belize Fund for Sustainable Future. The cutting-edge facility is set to significantly enhance the rehabilitation efforts for endangered species like manatees and primates, bolstering the protection of Belize’s natural heritage.
Originally built over 30 years ago for environmental education, the centre now supports manatee rehabilitation (since 2000) and primate care (since 2010), with the new facility bringing significant improvements in capacity and efficiency.
Key upgrades to the facility include dedicated food prep areas for both manatees and primates, along with a “fruit room” designed to store tropical foods like bananas and papayas. A larger, fully equipped first-aid clinic will now handle health assessments and veterinary care on-site, while expanded storage areas improve organisation and access to equipment.
Additionally, the project has trained 24 participants in project planning and grant writing, developed manatee conservation plans for Corozal Bay and Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuaries, and provided training to nine wildlife authority officers in manatee rescue and rehabilitation.
Charges against 61-year-old Telesfora “Ms. Thelma” Arana, owner of the popular Thelma’s Kitchen, were dropped after her common-law partner, 50-year-old Curtis Rhaburn, pleaded guilty to drug possession with intent to supply and illegal firearm possession.
Police officers searched the couple’s residence on Kraal Road in Belize City, where they discovered a loaded 9mm pistol and 112 grams of cannabis. Neither Arana nor Rhaburn had a firearm license.
Rhaburn was fined $1,200 for the drug offence and sentenced to one year in prison for the firearm charge.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has signed a bill limiting smartphone use in elementary and high schools. This aligns the country with a growing global trend to curb digital distractions in education.
Starting in February, the new law will restrict smartphone use in classrooms to emergencies, educational purposes, or for students with disabilities requiring the devices. Education Minister Camilo Santana stressed the need for the measure and noted that children’s early online activity makes it harder for parents to monitor their behaviour.
The bill has received rare bipartisan support from both President Lula’s allies and opponents, including former President Jair Bolsonaro. Public opinion also favours the move, with a Datafolha survey showing that nearly two-thirds of respondents support banning smartphones in schools.
As of 2023, about 66% of Brazilian schools had some form of cellphone restrictions, with 28% banning them entirely, according to the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee. Several states, including Rio de Janeiro, Maranhão, and Goiás, already enforce local bans, though enforcement has proven challenging. São Paulo, Brazil’s most populous state, is debating similar measures for public and private schools.
Global concerns about the impact of smartphone use on children have driven similar restrictions in other nations. France bans smartphones for students aged 6 to 15, and China recently imposed limits on children’s phone use. In the U.S., eight states have introduced laws to curb classroom phone distractions, while UNESCO reports that one in four countries has implemented school smartphone restrictions.
Four Caribbean nations are stepping up to turn the growing sargassum seaweed crisis into a powerful economic opportunity through the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funding.
Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Belize are among the selected countries to receive support for innovative projects that will transform sargassum into valuable resources for industries like agriculture, waste management, and renewable energy.
The initiative is a response to the increasing influx of sargassum seaweed that has negatively impacted tourism, fishing, and coastal ecosystems in the region since 2011. It aims to tackle the environmental damage caused by sargassum while providing new pathways for sustainable growth and coastal resilience.
According to the IDB, “This initiative was launched to identify and support solutions that leverage advanced technologies and innovative practices to harness the potential of sargassum biomass and enhance the resilience of coastal communities in Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Among the selected projects, Caribbean Chemicals will create safe products for crops by reducing arsenic and heavy metals in sargassum, while Belize will implement a Waste Recycling Environment Network to manage sargassum and produce high-quality compost and fertilisers.
By implementing the Static Pile Inoculated Compost Extension (SPICE) composting process, the Waste Recycling Environment Network in Belize seeks to sustainably manage sargassum and other waste materials. Through the production of high-quality compost and liquid fertilisers, it aims to enhance local agriculture while minimising the environmental impact of waste.
