Benita Keme-Palacio - Channel 5 Belize

11-Year-Old Girl Needs Urgent Spine Surgery

Eleven-year-old Jenica Jenkins, an aspiring fashionista, is in need of urgent medical attention following a severe scoliosis diagnosis in January 2023.

Jenica’s mother, Kezia Young, described her daughter as “a bright, beautiful, energetic little girl.” Young told News 5, “Initially, when we tried to get care for her, we thought that at first we just needed a brace, but upon deeper checkup we realised that she, that the curvature in her spine was beyond what the brace could fix and surgery was recommended, and we immediately started searching for doctors and paediatricians that could provide the surgical care that she would need.” Jenica and her mother live in Belize City.

According to Young, when she first reached out to the World Paediatric Team, Jenica was not considered a priority case; however, within one year, Jenica’s condition has worsened.

After reaching out to various healthcare providers, a surgical team was found to evaluate Jenica. However, a scheduled surgery in April was postponed to September and ultimately cancelled due to the unavailability of a paediatric surgeon. Young explained, “The paediatric surgeon that was supposed to be coming with the team would not be coming in the team, so the surgery would have been a no-go, meaning that she would not be getting the surgery anymore.”

Young added, “Throughout this year, she has been experiencing a lot more pain than usual. A lot more limitations. She can’t play as much without experiencing pain… Sometimes it can be tiring and painful for her, so she lays down a lot.”

Despite her challenges, Jenica remains optimistic. “I feel super good as usual,” she shared, expressing her dream of becoming a fashion designer and modelling them one day.

In a bid to fund her daughter’s surgery, Young is actively seeking donations. “Any assistance is good assistance,” she emphasised. A GoFundMe page has been established, and contributions can also be sent directly to Young’s account at Atlantic Bank (Kezia Arnold, Account No. 211534151). Jenica’s mother can be reached at +501-621-8940.

Eco-Leaders Celebrated at Belize’s Inaugural Travel Awards

Belize is bringing together leaders in sustainable tourism for a celebration of innovation and responsibility as it hosts the inaugural World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards (WSTHA) at Oakridge Venues, Spanish Lookout, on September 27, 2024. This event will celebrate leaders in sustainable tourism, recognising winners across 21 categories who advocate for net-positive tourism.

Justin Cooke, Executive Vice President of WSTHA, remarked, ““We cannot think of a more fitting destination to host the inaugural World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards than Belize… fully aligned with our mission to spotlight those individuals and organisations that are leading the way in safeguarding our planet for future generations.”

A highlight of the awards will be a trophy crafted from recycled ocean plastic and powered by renewable solar energy. Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, noted, “These awards honour the inspiring leaders who are driving transformative change towards our vision of Net Positive Hospitality.”

Organised in partnership with the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, which represents over 50,000 hotels and 270 brands globally, entries were assessed by Sustainable Business students from Nova Business School. Cooke added, “The ceremony promises to be a night to experience Belizean culture in all its splendour… where sustainability isn’t just discussed—it’s lived.”

Belize Stone Crab Season Opens: What You Need to Know

The Florida Stone Crab fishing season opens on October 1st, 2024, and ends on June 30th, 2025.

The Belize Fisheries Department reminded fishermen to adhere to regulations, including obtaining fishing licenses and using traps with escape gaps and biodegradable panels for stone crab. “A person who intends to fish or export stone crab shall apply to the Fisheries Administrator for a stone crab fishing or export license,” the department said.

Key regulations include the requirement for traps to have an escape gap of at least 2 3/8 inches and a biodegradable panel. The department also prohibits fishing, selling, or possessing stone crab from July 1 to September 30, although licensed fishers may set traps from September 15 without harvesting.

Restrictions are in place for the size of claws, which must measure at least 3 inches in length, and the retention of whole stone crabs is not allowed. Fishermen must also release any caught crabs immediately after claw removal.

The department emphasised, “No person shall fish for the stone crab unless equipped with a ruler or calliper on-board the vessel.”

Belize Conch Season Opens Soon: What You Need to Know

Fishermen in Belize gear up for a highly anticipated opening of Queen Conch fishing season on October 1st, 2024, to June 30th, 2025. The Belize Fisheries Department Administrator warns that the season could close early if the conch production quota is met.

Key regulations regarding Queen Conch include a ban on harvesting conch from July 1st to September 30th each year.

Conch must exceed 7 inches (17.8 cm) in shell length, with unprocessed conch not exceeding 7 ½ ounces (213 grammes), partially processed conch limited to 3 ounces (85 grammes), and fully processed conch capped at 2 ¾ ounces (78 grammes).

Additionally, diced or fillet conch meat can only be bought, sold, or possessed under a special permit from the Fisheries Administrator.

Exporting conch beyond the permitted quota is also prohibited.

Tupperware Files for Bankruptcy

Tupperware, once a staple of American kitchens, filed for bankruptcy protection in Delaware on Tuesday. The company’s decline follows years of dwindling sales and failure to adapt to modern retail, relying heavily on independent sales representatives.

Tupperware’s iconic food storage containers peaked their popularity in the 1950s with its innovative “Tupperware parties,” which empowered women.

“Nearly everyone now knows what Tupperware is, but fewer people know where to find it,” said Chief Restructuring Officer Brian Fox in a court filing. The company has been grappling with liquidity issues and reported $812 million in debt.

Tupperware plans to continue operations while seeking a buyer through a 30-day bidding process. “Even with a recently restructured balance sheet and a temporary financial boost, Tupperware’s high leverage, declining sales, and shrinking profit margins were too much to overcome,” noted James Gellert, executive chairman at RapidRatings.

Young Environmental Scientists Competition Opens for 2024

Macmillan Education Caribbean has launched the 2024 Young Environmental Scientists (YES) Competition, inviting students aged 7–18 across the Caribbean to submit innovative ideas focused on sustainable cities and communities. The competition, which aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 11, began on September 23.

It features two categories: primary (ages 7–11), emphasising practical solutions for sustainable living, and secondary (ages 11–18), focussing on resilience and inclusivity. Registration requires teacher support, and participants will receive an information pack detailing competition tasks.

Winners will earn prizes, including lab equipment for their schools and workshops with science experts. Judging will be conducted by a panel of scientific experts, with results announced after the competition closes on November 29, 2024.

For more details, visit www.macmillan-education.com or email caribbean@macmillaneducation.com.

Belize’s Exports Drop by 39%

The latest statistics from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) show that both imports and exports declined in August of this year. At SIB’s third press conference for this year, Statistician II Ronald Orellana announced that total imports fell to $219.2 million, a drop of 20.2 percent or $55.6 million compared to August 2023.

Key contributors to this decline included a $21.5 million reduction in’mineral fuels and lubricants’ and a $9.3 million decrease in goods for ‘commercial free zones.’

Domestic exports were similarly impacted, totalling $43.5 million in August, down 39.2 percent or $28 million from the previous year. This steep decline was primarily driven by a $32.5 million drop in sugar exports, although some categories, such as citrus products and marine goods, showed modest growth.

For the first eight months of 2024, total merchandise exports reached $307.1 million, a decrease of 1.5 percent from the same period in 2023, largely due to the downturn in sugar exports, despite improvements in banana and citrus sales.

While imports increased by 8 percent overall in the first eight months of 2024, reaching $1.935 billion, the August figures signal significant challenges ahead.

The Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) also spoke on other key economic indicators, including the Consumer Confidence Index, Gross Domestic Product, Consumer Price Index, and External Trade Statistics.

Consumer Prices Increase by 3.1%

Consumer prices in Belize increased by 3.1% in August 2024, according to the latest report from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB). This showed a continuation of inflation trends that began in late 2020 after a period of stability from 2019 to 2020. The most significant driver was the ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’ category, which saw a 5.1% inflation rate, largely due to rising costs for fresh vegetables (up 12.6%) and fruits (up 11.5%).

Among the highlights was the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for August, delivered by Melvin Perez, Statistician II in the Economic Statistics Department.

Other contributing factors included a 2.2% rise in transport costs, driven by a $0.67 increase in diesel prices, and a 7.1% increase in passenger transport services, marking its first rise since April 2023. The ‘Restaurants and Accommodation Services’ category also experienced a 4.9% increase, primarily from higher dining costs, while housing-related expenses rose by 1.7% due to increased rental prices.

The ‘Clothing and Footwear’ category recorded a 5.1% increase, and personal care products rose by 4.4%. The only decline was seen in the ‘Information and Communication’ category, which fell by 2% due to lower electronics prices.

Municipality-wise, Belmopan reported the highest inflation rate at 6.1%, while Punta Gorda Town had the lowest at 1.36%. The year-to-date inflation rate for 2024 is currently at 3.8%, driven largely by increases in food and accommodation services. Month-over-month inflation for August was recorded at 0.6%, indicating ongoing pressure on consumer prices across various sectors.

How Did Belize Achieve a $136 Million Economic Growth?

Belize’s economy experienced a significant boost in the second quarter of 2024, with a preliminary Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimate of $1.432 billion. This is according to the Statistical Institute of Belize’s (SIB) latest figures shared today. This marks a 10.5% increase, or $136 million, compared to $1.296 billion during the same period in 2023.

Christopher Hulse, Statistician II in the Economic Statistics Department, said that growth was evident across all three economic sectors. The economic sectors mentioned in the report include three main categories. The primary sector encompasses industries involved in the extraction and production of raw materials, such as agriculture, fishing, and mining. The report highlights agricultural industries like citrus, bananas, sugarcane, and livestock, as well as fishing. The secondary sector involves manufacturing and construction activities, including food production, beverages, electricity, water, and construction. The tertiary sector focusses on service-based industries, which include wholesale and retail trade, accommodation and food services, transportation, financial services and insurance, and government services.

According to Hulse, the primary sector rebounded with activities valued at $107.8 million, up 5.6% from the previous year. Key agricultural gains included a surge in citrus production, which rose from 1.9 thousand metric tonnes to 4.8 thousand metric tonnes, along with increases in banana (22.9%) and sugarcane (14.1%) production.

The secondary sector expanded by 8.4%, or $210.8 million, driven primarily by a 35.5% increase in electricity generation and a 7.3% rise in construction. However, manufacturing faced challenges, with flour production declining by 7.5%.

The tertiary sector, the largest contributor at $911.8 million, saw a 10.5% increase. Notable growth was recorded in accommodation and food services (33%), and wholesale and retail trade (23.1%).

SIB’s Director General, Diana Castillo-Trejo, says that climate change continues to affect all sectors, particularly agriculture, where adverse weather has damaged crops. “It is fair enough to say that climate change is having an impact probably across all the sectors of the economy. The most obvious one is agriculture,” she said, adding, “It is important to note that electricity production refers to what we produce locally, excluding imported electricity.”

Belize’s economy is rebounding strongly, with a 10.5% growth in Q2 2024 driven by improvements across all sectors. However, the recognition of climate change impacts highlights ongoing vulnerabilities.

Spending Slowdown Ahead? Belize’s Consumer Confidence Decreases

In its third press conference of 2024, the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) reported a drop in the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for August, which fell to 43.6—down 3.8% from July’s 45.4. The decrease in the overall CCI for August follows several months of consistent upward growth that began in May 2024. According to Acting Manager, Economic Statistics Department, Statistician 1, Jaqueline Sabal, this decline is mainly attributed to significant reductions in the ‘Durable Goods’ and ‘Expectations’ components, which decreased by 6.2% and 5.4%, respectively.

The CCI serves as a vital indicator of consumer sentiment regarding the economy, personal financial situations, and willingness to make major purchases. Given that household spending is a key driver of economic activity, shifts in the CCI can provide early indicators of future economic growth.

According to Sabal, urban consumers saw a 1.6% decline in CCI, heavily influenced by a 6.5% drop in durable goods sentiment. Rural areas, on the other hand, experienced a sharper decline of 5.4%, particularly in the ‘Expectations’ sub-index, which fell from 59.6 to 55.1.

By gender, males reported a 4.2% drop in confidence, while females saw a 3.1% decrease. The most notable decline occurred among consumers aged 35-44, with a 13% drop, while those aged 25-34 reported an 11.5% increase.

Ethnic disparities also emerged, as the Garifuna and Maya groups faced the largest declines, with the Garifuna CCI dropping from 51.5 to 45.9.

Overall, the August figures indicate growing pessimism among residents about their finances and the economy. It reflects increasing consumer caution regarding financial outlook and major purchases, signalling a potential slowdown in spending that could impact economic growth.