May 6, 2025 - Channel 5 Belize

At-Risk Kids Find Hope and Adventure at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

On Saturday, a group of at-risk children from Belize City embarked on an exciting adventure at the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. Guided by dedicated mentors, the kids explored the sanctuary’s diverse landscapes and wildlife, finding inspiration and hope in nature’s beauty. This memorable trip was part of an initiative to support and uplift vulnerable children from crime-ridden neighborhoods. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with the following story.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Over the weekend, a group of at-risk kids from Belize City enjoyed a day of adventure at the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, thanks to the mentorship of Timmy Stamp and Perry Smith. The children participated in various activities, including birdwatching, as part of an initiative by the Jah Love Foundation. This grassroots organization, founded by Stamp and Smith, aims to support vulnerable children from crime-ridden neighborhoods, offering them a chance to experience nature and find hope for a brighter future.

Timmy Stamp, Manager, Jah Love Foundation

“Jah Love da wah group weh work with kids, weh try sih that we have a better future for the kids them because if dehn da di leaders ah tomorrow then it’s only right that we try our best to try guide dehn eena tomorrow.”

In response to the pervasive gang violence gripping many communities in Belize City, the Jah Love Foundation has stepped up with a powerful solution: mentorship.

Perry “Stix” Smith, Jah Love Foundation

“Todeh we have youths from George Street, Taylor’s Alley, Third World, PIV. We integrated youths from different communities and bring dehn out ya da Crooked Tree to be a part of the wildlife sanctuary; view the birds, get to see cashew roasting, and to me it’s a beautiful experience, a beautiful experience.”

Nestled just off the Phillip Goldson Highway, the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is a sprawling sixteen-thousand-acre haven of natural beauty. This sanctuary features a diverse landscape of lagoons, creeks, logwood swamps, broadleaf forests, and pine savannas. It’s not just a birdwatcher’s paradise; the sanctuary is also home to crocodiles, monkeys, iguanas, and turtles. This adventure provided them with a unique opportunity to interact with nature, exploring the diverse landscapes and wildlife of the sanctuary.

Derek Hendy, Site Manager, Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

“We usually work with school groups. As they come here we give them a little education outreach about the types of vegetation within our wetland system and give them a little tour, show them some different species of birds so that they can appreciate the nature of the environment.”

The experience aimed to inspire and uplift these children, offering them a refreshing escape from their everyday challenges.

Dajahaun Hope, Participant

“I like it because we gaan and see di sea, di river, di animal tracks, foot tracks.”

Mentorship is crucial for at-risk children because it provides them with guidance, support, and positive role models. Having a mentor can steer children away from harmful activities and towards healthier, more productive choices.

Timmy Stamp

“We try open different lee evening schools eena different communities fi try organize di youths dehn fi come together, bring dehn together, yoh undastand me, bring dehn together instead ah have dehn fight gainst one another, just bring dehn together. We have da problem fi forty-two years, you know, weh nobody seem to care about. By we bringing di evening schools together we could have di kids dehn from different communities and ker dehn pan different lee trips and have dehn mingle with one another.”

This sanctuary is a paradise for bird lovers, boasting over two hundred and fifty species of resident and migratory birds. The Jabiru stork, one of the sanctuary’s most famous residents, nests here from November to April.

Derek Hendy

“What happened, we covered the boatbill heron trails and we covered the limpkin trails. Again, the basic things that we try to find are the different species of animals that we can find on the trails and the different plants.”

Limpkins, those intriguing large wading birds, are a common sight in the wetlands of the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. With their long legs, elongated necks, and distinctive heavy, slightly curved bills, they might look a bit awkward at first glance. However, these birds are surprisingly graceful in their wetland homes, effortlessly navigating floating vegetation and foraging in shallow waters. Their unique appearance and elegant movements make them a fascinating subject for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts alike.

Janelli, Participant

“I see lots of birds. We went by the riverside and we went over bridges.”

Kenjay Thomas, Participant

“What I like bout di trip [is] that we had fun and we got to see a lot of things.”

Field trips provide a holistic approach to learning and personal development, making them an invaluable tool for supporting at-risk children. These excursions offer new experiences, hands-on learning, and social interaction, helping kids build confidence, relieve stress, and find inspiration. Isani Cayetano for News Five.

Inspiring the Next Generation: Celebrating International Girls in ICT Day

In celebration of International Girls in ICT Day, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology joined forces with the Ministry of E-Governance to host an inspiring event aimed at empowering young women through technology. This initiative seeks to uplift and encourage female youth to explore and excel in the tech world. News Five’s Britney Gordon brings us more on this exciting event.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Every fourth Thursday in April, International Girls in ICT Day shines a spotlight on the need for more girls and women in the tech sector. For years, the Ministry of Education has been championing this cause, promoting learning, innovation, and inspiration among young women nationwide. Adriani Coleman, Director of E-Governance, shares how girls are stepping up and taking charge in the world of technology every day.

Dr. Adriani Coleman, Director, E-Governance

“Let’s be real, the world needs your energy. You’re smarts. And yes, even your TikTok honed problem-solving skills. Who else has fixed a group project crisis via WhatsApp? I don’t think the young people today use WhatsApp. They use Discord or Teams, or maybe you’re chatting on ROBLOX or Minecraft, who knows? Nowadays, just a side note, at the Ministry of E Governance, fifty three percent of our team are women. Woo. Yes. Yes. That’s amazing Right? So we already have women in the field. I feel you need to know that because it shows that when we lead like a 501 girl, we become women who lead as well.”

The recent celebration of International Girls in ICT Day was packed with engaging activities and interactive sessions, including decryption and computer programming, all aimed at fostering learning, innovation, and inspiration. Stephanie Sylvester, co-founder of the classroom AI tool Avatar Buddy, captivated the audience with her insights on the skills needed to thrive in the AI industry and lead with confidence like a true 501 girl.

Stephanie Sylvestre, Co-founder, Avatar Buddy

“We have resiliency, we have resourcefulness, and we have creativity. So when we talk about resilience, it means not giving up, right? When you make a mistake, when you write the piece of code, when the software blows up on you, when you’re trying to put the electronics together and it just doesn’t come on, the light doesn’t come on. You followed all the instructions and you’re like, why doesn’t this work? This is not time for you to give up. This is a time for you to take a few deep breaths, look around, maybe go get some help, maybe just walk around and then come back and do it again. And if I did not have resilience, I wouldn’t be standing up here today because in 2016, when I started my company, everybody. I mean, everybody told me I was absolutely insane, not possible. And I kept on going and going until I met the first friend that said, okay, Stephanie, this is like mind blowing. The reason why people are saying it’s not possible is because you’re blowing up their mind.”

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is dedicated to fostering inclusive access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) through its annual events. These initiatives aim to prepare Belizean girls for success in the digital age. Namrita Balani, Director of Science and Technology, passionately shared her vision for empowering girls across the country who aspire to careers in ICT.

Namrita Balani, Director, Science & Technology

“ You’re not too young, you’re not too new. You can already start inspiring others. Very soon you’ll enter competition mode where you’ll be exposed to new areas of technology. Be open-minded, be curious, be fearless, and when you leave here, share what you learned with another girl who did not get a chance to be here today. That’s how we grow this movement. So when we meet here again next year, we won’t just be celebrating another event. We’ll be celebrating the impact of the steps you took. The girls you inspired, the bold actions, you turned into pledges because one day if we keep up this momentum, we’ll reach a point where we no longer have to talk about gender imbalance in ICT because it simply won’t exist.”

The ministry encourages young women throughout the nation to follow their theme and Lead Like a Girl. Britney Gordon for News Five.

Belize Celebrates Nurses Week with Heartfelt Tributes

This week, a wave of gratitude and admiration is sweeping across Belize as the nation celebrates Nurses Week. Clinics, hospitals, and homes are honoring the dedicated men and women at the core of our healthcare system, including midwives who touch every Belizean life from the very start. Today, a special ceremony at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital honored over forty nurses for their invaluable work in keeping us healthy and alive. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene to capture the heartfelt tributes and filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Today, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital dedicated an hour to honor over forty of its most outstanding nurses in a warm award ceremony. This event is part of the celebrations recognizing the invaluable contributions of healthcare professionals who tirelessly work in the crowded wards of the country’s busiest hospitals, clinics, and rural health outposts. CEO Chandra Nisbet-Cansino emphasized the importance of acknowledging these professionals, noting that such recognition serves as an incentive for their demanding and essential services.

Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, Chief Executive Officer, K.H.M.H.

“It’s important for us every year to ensure that we recognize them and we thank them and that their voices are heard. It’s now competition among not only the world, but within Belize itself – have a lot of healthcare institutions opening that are now hiring nurses. So we want to ensure that we get the best of the best nurses that the institutions are producing now.”

Registered Nurse Uriel Cowo joined the KHMH in December and has already had an enlightening first four months on the job. Although he needs to complete at least one year to qualify for an award, his positive attitude and dedication suggest that his name will be called in due course. Cowo’s promising start hints at a bright future in healthcare.

Uriel Cowo, Registered Nurse, K.H.M.H.

“It has its challenges, but that’s within a job, right? What you need to look at is the type of profession that you signed up to be in. So I signed up to be a nurse. What that is – what does that entail? It entails me embodying what we call altruism, giving myself to others. If you can’t put others before yourself, then maybe this isn’t the right profession. I think the awards are important because it gives you a sense of recognition that out there they’re seeing us, that our administration appreciates us, and just a little appreciation goes a long way because we come here to do a job that I believe is very difficult. Not everyone can do the type of work that we do.”

Renita Pop, President of the Belize Nurses Association, showered praise on the nation’s dedicated nurses, with a special nod to midwives. “Midwives are the backbone of our maternal and newborn care services,” Pop wrote. “From the first heartbeat to the first cry, you stand at the very beginning of every Belizean’s life journey.” Her sentiments were echoed by Nisbet-Cansino, who wholeheartedly supported Pop’s view, highlighting the crucial role midwives play in the health and well-being of mothers and newborns across Belize.

Chandra Nisbet-Cansino

“We have a fairly high rate of deliveries, especially here at Karl Heusner, so they are the backbone of delivery at the delivery department. We were in a very significant shortage, but again, there is the program that has – we have quite a few graduates. I think it was about 20 that were graduating and certainly we hope to get some of those midwives here to help us bridge that gap.”

The Belize Nurses’ Association is inviting the public to show some love for their favorite midwife or “mid-husband.” In an exciting twist, three lucky midwives will win a cash prize, generously donated by Dr. Gilberto Landero, Dr. Veronica Rosado, and Renita Pop, the association’s president. This initiative aims to highlight the invaluable contributions of midwives to maternal and newborn care in Belize. Marion Ali for News Five.

Belize’s Nursing Shortage: A Crisis Long Before COVID

Long before the COVID pandemic swept the globe, hospitals and clinics were grappling with a severe shortage of nurses. This issue continues to plague the nursing field in Belize, driven by an aging population, increasing burnout, and more attractive incentives in developed countries. Despite these challenges, Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, C.E.O. of Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (K.H.M.H.), assures that the hospital is doing everything possible to retain its dedicated nursing staff.

Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, Chief Executive Officer, K.H.M.H.

“There’s a global crisis; however, we now have programs within the country – nursing programs that are really helping us now to build back up our staff. The Ministry of Health and Wellness offers scholarships, and so that offers a lot of opportunities for nurses to study. And so, I think slowly but surely, we’re creeping back up to where we want to – not there yet, but getting there.”

Reporter

“Do you find that when they come here, they’re inclined to stay?”

Chandra Nisbet-Cansino

“For the most part, yes. Karl Heusner [Memorial Hospital] is the place to come for experience. Here you will get a little of everything, and then you have nurses that you know, further specialize or retire, et cetera, but the best experience that you can get as a nurse is to come to Karl Heusner.”

Cabinet Clears $50 Million in Hospital Debt, Ensures No Patient is Denied Care

Earlier this year, the Cabinet approved a massive write-off of over $50 million in unpaid hospital bills at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. These debts had accumulated over the years, mostly from patients who had either moved away or passed away. Despite this financial relief, there have been complaints about stricter enforcement of payment for medical tests. Today, Nisbet-Cansino addressed these concerns, assuring the public that no patient in need of a test will be denied care due to lack of upfront payment.

Chandra Nisbet-Cansino, Chief Executive Officer, K.H.M.H.

“At no point is care refused at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital if you cannot pay. Yes, we do try to collect on some of the bills, but as long as you come, especially through the Emergency Department, or if you are on the unit and you need any kind of – whatever test we offer here, be it lab, radiology, that is provided to you without prepayment. Elective surgeries require prepayment, but not any other care that happens at the K.H.M.H. The Cabinet approved a write-off. That was in excess of $30 million, so we are now in the process of going through that, well, engaging the persons who that applies to and reaching out to them. So it’s a lengthy process because it dates all the way back to probably the nineties. So that is what we are doing now.”

Marion Ali

“And what system do you have in place to ensure that it doesn’t recur – you don’t build another arrears bill that reaches another few million dollars in the next few years?”

Chandra Nisbet-Cansino

“It’s very challenging because Karl Heusner [Memorial Hospital] is the only tertiary hospital in Belize. We treat a lot of less fortunate persons. People can’t afford the private sector, so we cannot refuse treatment to anyone. So we will probably always be in a deficit because persons that need care access it care and the challenges is collecting.”

Minors May Be Arrested in SOE as Gang Violence Escalates

Police Commissioner Dr. Richard Rosado has indicated that minors may not be exempt from a possible 6-month State of Emergency (SOE) aimed at restoring public safety. “We will do what we need to do, and as law enforcement officers, our job is public safety, and whatever needs to be done to maintain the safety on the grounds, we will do it.” That is what he said when he was asked if minors will be arrested under the SOE.

According to the Commissioner, the situation between rival groups, primarily the PIV, BLC and their affiliates, has reached a dangerous tipping point. “Presently, from our assessment, we have made it’s only the PIV, BLC and its affiliates that are going after one another. And it is at a critical stage right now that drastic measures must be taken.”

Authorities have already increased patrols, deployed intelligence officers and expanded investigative teams. “We have also assigned or increased the investigative team in order to identify and disrupt this network,” Dr. Rosado said.

The police commissioner said discussions are underway with the National Security Council about implementing a minimum of 6-month State of Emergency, which he believes is necessary given the current critical situation. A decision is expected later today.

Will A 6-Month SOE be Implemented?

Newly appointed Commissioner of Police Dr Richard Rosado has confirmed that discussions are underway with the National Security Council regarding the possible implementation of a state of emergency (SOE).

“With the death of Brandon Baptist, the security threat was high, and with the shooting of Rojas, it has now escalated to a critical level,” Dr. Rosado told reporters this afternoon. He added, “Presently we are discussing with the National Security Council to see if we will implement a state of emergency, but I do believe that at the critical state it is right now, there’s a need for it.”

The commissioner said he is “lobbying” for the SOE to be enforced for “6 months at the very least.”

As previously reported, over 60 alleged gang members are currently in police custody following the increase of gang-related activities, which Rosado described as a “network” requiring “extensive investigation and interview of all the players them, hence the reason they were detained.”

Dr. Rosado assured the public that the department is “using all available resources, deploying all available resources, to ensure that we restore peace, safety and normalcy to the street.” He added, “I am not perturbed, I am not disturbed, and I am not overwhelmed by what’s happening; we will do what we need to do.”

A decision from the council is expected later today.

Mexican Power Supply Failure Causes Nationwide Outage in Belize

Belizeans across the country were unexpectedly left in the dark late Monday night after a sudden power outage struck just before midnight. The outage, which began around 11:50 p.m. was caused by a generation emergency in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula that forced Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) to cut its electricity supply to Belize.

Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) says it quickly launched emergency restoration efforts, relying on in-country power generation to bring electricity back online. BEL explained that the San Pedro and upgraded Westlake gas turbines were activated as part of the company’s coordinated response.

By 12:28 a.m., residents in the Northern and Western regions and parts of the Belize District had power restored. The entire country was reconnected to the grid by 12:47 a.m.

Peace Corps Trainees Arrive in Belize for Youth Empowerment Project

A new group of 23 Peace Corps trainees arrived in Belize today to begin 27 months of service under the Youth Empowered by Sports (YES) Project, a national initiative aimed at empowering Belizean youth through education, mentorship, and physical activity.

The trainees’ arrival marks a continued commitment by Peace Corps Belize to collaborate with the Ministry of Tourism, Youth, Sports & Diaspora Relations in promoting youth development. They will join two active YES volunteer cohorts already serving in communities across the country.

Over the next eleven weeks, the trainees will undergo intensive Pre-Service Training. The program includes instruction on Peace Corps’ development philosophy, the goals of the YES Project, technical skills training, health and safety preparation, and immersive cultural and language education in Kriol or Spanish.

The trainees will be sworn in as official Peace Corps Volunteers on July 18, 2025. Once sworn in, they will support efforts in two key sectors: Youth Development and Education. Volunteers in these areas work closely with community leaders to help young people build life skills, promote healthy lifestyles, and unlock opportunities for personal and academic growth.

The Peace Corps has a long-standing history in Belize and around the world. Since 1961, more than 240,000 Volunteers have served in 144 countries.

India Launches Strikes on Pakistan, Citing Retaliation for Kashmir Attack

India says it has launched “Operation Sindoor,” targeting nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir linked to terrorist activity. The strikes follow a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month, which severely worsened India-Pakistan relations, the BBC reported.

In an official statement, the Indian government said the operation focused on “terrorist infrastructure” used to plan and direct attacks against India. Officials said the strikes were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” avoiding Pakistani military installations.

Pakistan’s military, meanwhile, confirmed three locations were hit and is assessing the situation. The region remains tense amid the long-running dispute over Kashmir, which both nations claim in full.