February, 2025 - Channel 5 Belize

Land Registry Reform to Include Digitization & Better Land Tax System

Back in 2013, former Prime Minister Dean Barrow didn’t mince words when he called out the Ministry of Natural Resources, especially the Lands Department, as a breeding ground for corruption. There were stories of desk clerks practically demanding “incentives” or gifts just to do their job of processing land documents. If you didn’t play along with this corrupt game, your paperwork could take forever or even mysteriously disappear. Fast forward to today, the P.U.P. Government is promising to clean up this mess. They’re planning to digitize the land registry, push through new land laws, and improve the land tax collection system. Prime Minister John Briceño shared more details about these plans today.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“There is a process when you are transferring land from one person to the other, maybe the people at Lands could have been more vigilant, probably. maybe some may be involved, I don’t know, but yes, I think there’s a lot that has to be left to be done in the Lands Department. There are a number of things that we want to put into place. First of all, the DPM has given me a copy of the proposed legislation for real estate agents – to regulate that industry. It is something that I started working, I had it pretty much ready when I resigned back then in 2007, but it seems that the previous government had no interest in working on that. Or D.P M obviously got carried away – well, I shouldn’t say got carried away but was tied up with all of these land cleanings that he continues to do. And then he finally has this bill ready to take to Cabinet and then to the National Assembly when the elections came upon us. In his mind, the timeline I think he was working was November, 2025. So he did not have it ready, but to take it to the National Assembly. But we’re working on that, so we have that ready and that’s going to be a priority in the next government. Secondly, we’re looking at digitizing the land registry on the titles unit because once we can digitize that, it slows down. It makes the issue off fraudulent transactions more difficult because then there is a digital imprint of what is happening. And so we want to do that, not only to prevent fraud, but also to provide a more effective and efficient service for the private sector. And thirdly, we need to be able to digitize the land tax unit of the ministry and see once we can digitize that. And maybe look at how the Lands Department can partner with the Belize Tax Service to be able to have a more effective and efficient ways to be able to collect land tax. I am told, and I may be wrong, that we have as much as a hundred million dollars in land tax to collect. But we collect maybe ten or twenty percent of that. So we have to be able to digitize it, modernize it, and then to be able to collect that money is in a timely fashion.”

New Dorothy Menzies Child Care Centre Opened in Belmopan

Today marked the grand opening of the new Dorothy Menzies Child Care Centre in the Maya Mopan area. This impressive facility, which replaces the former Dorothy Menzies Children’s Home in Belize City, comes with a price tag of $2.1 million. The children here will now enjoy spacious amenities that were previously unavailable, including an open activity area a playground. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene to capture the event.

Marion Ali, Reporting

This brand-new, bright yellow building, known as the Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center, in the Maya Mopan area of Belmopan, is now home to Belize’s most vulnerable victims of abuse. Named after Dorothy Menzies, a dedicated member of the first Board of Directors, the facility honors her tireless efforts and passion for supporting abused and neglected children since the original children’s home opened in Belize City.

Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development

“Some of the stories of what happens sometimes to our children is absolutely heart wrenching; the type of neglect, the type of sexual abuse, the type of difficulties of discrimination because of special needs or any kind of handicap. Some of these stories are heart wrenching, You can’t even sleep at night sometimes. It is important for us as a country to have a facility supported by the staff who can really dedicate themselves to some of us who are most in need – some of these children who have been through so much.”

Minister of Human Development, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, emphasized the need to move away from the cramped and unsuitable building in Belize City. The new center, which opens its doors to seventy-one children, offers a much-needed upgrade. Back in the early nineties, Dorothy Menzies worked tirelessly on a shoestring budget provided by the government, dedicating nearly three decades to healing emotionally and physically wounded children. Now ninety-two and unable to leave her home, Dorothy’s legacy lives on through her daughter, Kay, who shared stories of her mother’s unwavering commitment and the remarkable successes the facility has achieved over the years.

Kay Menzies, Daughter of Dorothy Menzies

“The institution was always there. It is government-owned, and my mother was asked to serve as the chairman of the board I’d say in the early nineties and jumped in with a dedication that you don’t see very often. Her motivation was always the children. Her view was: If you don’t address the children of society and bring them up in the best way possible and take care of them, you’ve failed society because we have no future to go to. She took that very seriously up until Healthwise she couldn’t anymore. I’ve spent a lot of years hearing stories around the dinner table and trying to help in anyway we could, but it was mom’s passion.”

Menzies says that there have been quite a few success stories coming out of the children’s home, and many of these people are now upstanding members of society.

Kay Menzies

“I’ve met young professionals who are employed at companies like B.T.L.; officers making good progress within the Police Department, people from all walks of life but young professionals doing well and proud to say that they were in the centre and that the centre was part of their success stories. And I wish that at some level they would come out and say this is how you can be, having gone through a process ike the centre.”

Prime Minister John Briceño emphasized that the government prioritized creating a nurturing environment for children, one that would help them heal and recover from their past experiences. The goal is to rehabilitate these children so they can re-enter society and eventually move in with loving families.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We need to set a place where they can feel loved, they can feel safe and we can try to fix them because many of them have been mentally abused, physically abused. So having a special centre with all the amenities, we’re hoping that we can fix them. Kay Menzies mentioned that she has seen boys and girls, young men and women professionals who have been at the centre and who have managed to do something with their lives. We want to offer hope to these children. The centre in Belize City got too small and they felt that we need to find somewhere bigger. This is only a portion of the land. This is two and a half acres so there’s a lot more land for expansion to be able to provide a basketball court, volleyball court, things for the kids to live happy and productive childhoods.”

Kay Menzies confidently shared that the opening of this beautiful and welcoming space for Belize’s most traumatized and neglected children is bound to bring a smile to her mom’s face.

Kay Menzies

“I think it puts a smile on her face, even though she can’t be directly involved anymore. It’s dear to her heart, it’s always a part of who she is and who she has been. I wish I could bring her here today but hearing how the centre has progressed and hearing where its going now, I think she will be pleased when I give her the update.”

The center is located on a plot of land donated by RECONDEV. Marion Ali for News Five.

BELTRAIDE Awards 15 Small Businesses $7,000 Grant

This morning, fifteen small businesses from all over Belize received a boost of seven thousand dollars each through BELTRAIDE’s Belize Enterprise Empowerment Project (BEEP). Supported by the CARICOM Development Fund, this initiative aims to help growing businesses expand their reach and enhance their products. News Five’s Britney Gordon was at the seed capital ceremony in Belize to bring us more details.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Seed capital is the initial funding that a new business gathers to develop its product. It’s a crucial investment needed to get the company off the ground. This morning, the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) hosted a Seed Capital grant ceremony, where fifteen growing businesses were awarded seven thousand dollars each. Ishmael Quiroz, Executive Director of BELTRAIDE, mentioned that the recipients were carefully selected to represent a diverse range of industries.

Ishmael Quiroz, Executive Director, BELTRAIDE

“So it’s a wide range of businesses. Spanning from agro-processors to artisans to service providers, people operating in the cosmetics industry. And so it’s quite diverse and it’s fantastic to see such innovative ideas coming up. Things involving people, providing photography services, for example. And so it’s, it really is inspirational and we hope that it opens the minds of entrepreneurs out there, especially young people to not be afraid of your new ideas, go after it.”

To qualify for the grant, recipients had to go through a tough selection process, which included multiple rounds of applications and training, submitting detailed proposals, and delivering a two-minute pitch to a panel of judges. Herbalist Aurora Saqui, is one of the lucky fifteen chosen from a pool of two hundred and thirty applicants.

Aurora Saqui, Grant Recipient

“I have a small business and I am, my ideas is to grow and maybe one day, be trademark in Belize and not only in Belize, maybe for the world. And I am promoting the natural remedies. So I have been struggling with my business. from when I was younger. And today, I feel very excited because it is the first time I am getting a little help to do a little bit more of my footsteps that I always dream of, and I feel that good, more good things gonna start to happen.”

With the grant money, she plans to broaden her reach by offering more ready-made, pre-packaged products. She also aims to cut down on preparation time by investing in better machinery.

Aurora Saqui

“I have oil, soap, tinctures. More ready to use creams. Beauty products too. I even have Colgate’s deodorants, and so far I am doing good. I have over eighty different products ready to use in my shop. And I am now promoting my product as the Kittal remedies, which is I have branded it. I have registered and so from now on I want Al Remedies to be known like in Belize and abroad.”

Another grant recipient is Orissa Molina, the proud owner of Treasured Memories Photobooth, which offers instant photobooth and three hundred and sixty photo services for events. Molina shared that part of the application process involved creating a detailed investment plan.

Orissa Moline, Grant Recipient

“So when we got the news, we were elated because we know that we were up against really good businesses and we were hoping that everybody could get the funding, but we were so happy and so elated and proud of our accomplishments really and truly for receiving this fund. And this is going to provide the funding or the initial investment that we need to provide the 360 overhead booth and we’re going solar. Our booths are now going to be powered solely by the sun. It’s solar powered photo boots, which means, Britney, that we can go to any part of Belize. You don’t have to have electricity.”

Molina also plans to make her services more inclusive and accessible to people in wheelchairs and with mobility issues.

Orissa Moline

“We wanted to create the overhead 360 for persons who have mobility issues who cannot step on a traditional platform. I’m sure you guys have seen the 360 videos, and you have to step onto a platform. But people who are in wheelchairs, or people who have mobility issues, or seniors, can’t step on a platform. And so we wanted to include everybody in what we do.”

The Belize Enterprise Empowerment Project, funded by the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), started as a loan but was later converted into a grant at the government’s request. CDF has provided BELTRAIDE with four hundred thousand dollars for grant distribution. CDF CEO, Rodinald Soomer, highlighted the fund’s long-standing relationship with Belize, noting that Belize was the site of the fund’s first country program back in 2010.

Rodinald Soomer, CEO, CARICOM Development Fund

“We’ve come to realize that these SMEs in the region are just Belize, require a lot of support if it’s concessional financing to either get their operation started or to grow their businesses. So, you know, we are really happy to be part of this process. But what we what we like about the about the program is the rigorous approach to selection of these businesses so that there is an assurance that once they receive the financial support that it is going to be put to good use in terms of building their competitiveness, enhancing their product development and innovation so that they can successfully trade in the domestic market, the regional market and the international market.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

International Musician BK Davis hosts Charity Concert in Belize

On Thursday, Steinway artist Byron “BK” Davis will take the stage for a solo performance at the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts. His show, titled ‘Invisible Secret,’ will feature his original music, including a song dedicated to the beauty of Belize, as well as covers of classics by Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder. All proceeds from the concert will go to the Bliss Center for Performing Arts to support the theatre and its programs. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

After just one visit, Byron “BK” Davis fell head over heels for Belize. Hailing from the United States, this talented musician specializes in jazz, R&B, gospel, and soul, and can play over a dozen instruments. His first trip was in 2017, and now he’s back, ready to use his musical talents to express his love for this beautiful country.

Byron “BK” Davis, Musician

“ When I came to Belize, it was more like a sabbatical after thirty years of hard work as a musician and everything. So I came to Belize just to kick back and to have some time. I don’t know how long I stayed. It was like nine months or better than a year. And I fell in love with Belize. It’s just a wonderful place, wonderful people. The food is matchless. You can’t, it’s just amazing. The food’s amazing. Everybody’s nice. Everybody’s nice. And I decided, I said geez, I’m gonna go back to Belize and finish my audiobook.”

Davis returned to Belize to record an audiobook for his memoir, ‘B.K. Davis Ivory Towers.’ During his visit, he chatted with Kim Vasquez, the director of the Institute of Creative Arts, to brainstorm ways he could give back to the creative community.

Kim Vasquez, Director, ICA

“Having released that album and having the song about Belize he wanted to come back here to spend some time to do his audio book that he’s working on. And as well, just be back here. He really loves Belize loves our culture, our people, our food, our music. And naturally, he found his way back here to the Bliss Center for the Performing Arts to connect with us. That was just before Christmas, and he had barely sat down with me five minutes when he said Kim, whatever you’re doing here at the Bliss. I really want to support it. How can I help? And I said you have an amazing voice. You are a fantastic composer. And if you would just simply do a performance for us, that would go a long way.”

Davis is set to perform a ninety-minute solo concert, showcasing his incredible musical talent as one of the select few Steinway artists in the world. These musicians are handpicked to perform exclusively on Steinway instruments. During the concert, Davis will play his song ‘Down in Belize,’ a track he created to celebrate his love for Belize’s serene beaches.

Byron “BK” Davis

“When I feel like sunbathing nude down in Belize. In the moonlight undulating smooth right by the sea you and I both feel so tropical down in Belize where only lovers go. Second verse is dolphins dancing, scarlet macaws singing love themes, mangoes falling, coconut milks oh so sweet, you and I both feel tropical, feel so tropical, down in Belize, where only lovers go. That’s my contribution. And these are really my thoughts my feelings. Belize is the perfect getaway for anybody who wants to take a vacation. Anybody who wants to close, to close things off and study. As for me, this particular trip, I’m completing my audio book.”

Tickets will be sold at fifteen dollars for adults and five dollars for children. The profits will be used to assist with the refurbishing of the Bliss Center and its theatrical projects. Britney Gordon for News Five.

Cause of Death of American Women Confirmed

The tragic deaths of three young women at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro, Belize, have been confirmed to be caused by acute pulmonary oedema, according to the Executive Director of the National Forensic Science Service, Gian Sho.

In an interview with CBS News Boston, Sho stated, “”The lead examiner concluded the terminal cause of death to be acute pulmonary oedema… and what led to acute pulmonary oedema is what is pending investigation.”

Also part of the interview was Police Commissioner Chester Williams, who reaffirmed that physical trauma was not observed, as there were “no signs of violence on the bodies of the 3 young women.” Williams added that the vomit found beside each woman led investigations to suspect drug overdose.

Alcohol and gummies were discovered in the room, and forensic tests on these items are being analysed to uncover any potential links to the deaths.

The U.S. Embassy is working closely with Belizean authorities, with toxicology results expected within 7 to 14 days. Samples were taken and will be sent to a laboratory in the US for testing. A complete report could take up to a month, depending on the findings.

Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, Imane Mallah, 24, and Wafae El-Arar, 26—were found dead in their hotel suite on Saturday morning. The women were residents of Revere City, Massachusetts.

Colin Gillet, the Fire Chief of the Belize National Fire Service, confirmed that officers conducted two separate tests for carbon monoxide and “found nothing.”

Sho added that though the fire department has ruled out carbon monoxide as a factor, the forensic department will “still be going to test the samples for carbon monoxide”

The investigation to determine what led to acute pulmonary oedema is still ongoing.

Trump’s $5M ‘Gold Card’ Offers Wealthy Investors Fast-Track to U.S. Citizenship

Would you be willing to spend $5 million for U.S. residency and citizenship? If you happen to have that kind of money, President Donald Trump’s new “gold cards” could provide a fast track to securing both.

CNN Politics reported that Trump’s “gold cards” will offer their holders green card privileges and a pathway to citizenship. “We’re going to be selling a gold card,” Trump stated in the Oval Office, adding, “You have a green card. This is a gold card. We’re going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million, and that’s going to give you green card privileges, plus it’s going to be a route to citizenship. And wealthy people will be coming into our country by buying this card.”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick explained the gold card would replace the EB-5 investor visa program. The EB-5 program was introduced in 1992 and allows foreign investors to obtain a U.S. green card by investing in U.S. businesses.

CNN stated that despite its intentions to create jobs, it has been criticised for benefiting the wealthy, including Trump’s own businesses.

Trump suggested the cards could also be sold to Russian oligarchs, stating, “Yeah, possibly. I know some Russian oligarchs that are very nice people.”

The program’s reform, which Trump aims to implement within two weeks, has already sparked debate over its potential to prioritise money over merit and fairness in immigration, CNN reported.

EBC Issues Correction on Nomination Day Details

The Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) has issued a correction regarding its earlier press release on the nominations for the upcoming March 12th General Elections. The statement revealed errors in the names of two political parties. The Belizean Justice Movement was initially listed as the “Belize Justice Movement,” while the General Opportunity Development Party was listed as the “Good Opportunity Development Party.”

The EBC received a total of 90 nominations on Monday. These include 41 from the United Democratic Party (UDP), 31 from the People’s United Party (PUP), 7 from the Belizean Justice Movement, and one from the General Opportunity Development Party. The People’s National Party secured 2 nominations, the People’s Democratic Party 4, and 4 nominations were made by independent candidates.

As previously reported, the Fort George Area Representative Henry Charles Usher and Pickstock Area Representative Anthony Mahler were declared winners without contest after their opponents failed to show up for nomination. Usher saw his challenger, Melvin Hewlett, absent from the event, while Mahler secured another term after his opponent, Dean Samuels, did not appear for his nomination. Both Hewlett and Samuels were candidates running under the UDP led by Moses “Shyne” Barrow.

Belizeans Show Growing Optimism About Economy in January

According to the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB), Belize’s Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for January 2025 showed a major improvement, which means that Belizeans are feeling more “optimistic about the economy and their own economic prospects.”

The CCI jumped from 48.0 to 50.5, a 5.2% increase from December 2024, SIB reported. Key to this increase were improvements in the ‘Present’ and ‘Durable Goods’ components.

The ‘Present’ sub-index surged by 12.9%, reflecting more positive views of current economic conditions. Confidence in making major purchases like homes and cars grew by 5.9%.

Meanwhile, expectations for future economic conditions dipped slightly by 1%, with the ‘Expectations’ sub-index falling to 59.6.

The Cayo district recorded the highest gain, with confidence climbing 11.4% to 52.4, while Stann Creek experienced a 6.5% decline.

While urban consumers saw an 8% rise in confidence, rural areas also showed improvement with a 3.1% increase. Confidence was notably higher among men, whose sentiment rose by 4.7%, while women saw a more modest increase of 0.8%.

The Mestizo/Hispanic group saw the largest rise in confidence, with a 12% increase, reflecting stronger sentiment in both present conditions and major purchases. In contrast, the ‘Other’ group experienced a 6% decline in consumer confidence.

Belize Inflation Rises by 2.2% in January

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) reveals that Belize’s inflation rate rose by 2.2% in January 2025 compared to the same month last year, with price hikes reflected in food, housing, and transport. According to SIB, the CPI rose from 117.3 to 119.8.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages saw a price increase of 2.2%, with fruits like watermelon and pineapples rising by over 16%, and cereal products like bread and tortillas climbing by 2.8%. Meanwhile, fresh vegetable prices dropped by 4.2%. The cost of non-alcoholic beverages surged by 7.6%, particularly for fruit juices and purified water.

SIB reported that housing costs also contributed heavily, rising 2.8%, mainly due to higher home rental prices and an increase in the cost of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which jumped by $8.21 per cylinder. Transport costs saw a modest rise of 2%, driven by increased intercity taxi fares and higher international airfare prices.

According to the SIB, some categories saw a decline in prices. The ‘Information and Communication’ sector dropped by 1.5%, primarily due to lower costs for electronics like cellular phones and TVs.

SIB’s report revealed that Belmopan experienced the highest inflation among municipalities, with a sharp 4.5% increase in consumer prices, particularly in food, household goods, and transport services.

SIB reported that despite the year-over-year inflation increase, the month-over-month change from December 2024 to January 2025 was a slight decrease of 0.2%, attributed to lower food prices.

Imports Drop 10.9%, Exports Up 2.1% in January

In January 2025, total imports dropped by 10.9%, down to $242.6 million from $272.2 million in January 2024, according to the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB). The decrease was driven largely by a sharp decline of $28.5 million in “Machinery and Transport Equipment”—a category that had spiked in 2024.

SIB reported that other categories, including ‘Mineral Fuels and Lubricants’ and ‘Chemical Products,’ also saw reductions, primarily due to lower world fuel prices and decreased fertiliser imports.

There was growth in certain sectors. Imports of ‘Food and Live Animals’ increased by $3.8 million, driven by higher demand for orange concentrate and groceries. The ‘Commercial Free Zones’ also saw a slight rise in imports, mainly for cigarettes and handbags.

On the export front, SIB reported that Belize’s domestic exports in January 2025 totalled $17.1 million, a modest 2.1% increase compared to the previous year. Marine exports, especially lobster products, surged by $2.1 million. Citrus exports also surged, with more than doubling from $0.4 million to $1.1 million, due to favourable prices for orange concentrate.

Despite this, certain export categories, like ‘Other’ exports, faced setbacks, with a $1.8 million drop, mainly due to the absence of cattle and alcoholic beverages. Additionally, banana and sugar exports saw slight declines.