A family of three was dragged to court late Tuesday on a drug charge after police found seventy-seven grams of marijuana inside their refrigerator on Myrtle Waight Crescent in Ladyville. They are forty-one-year-old Herbie Eddison Moreira, a tour guide, his common-law wife, thirty-nine-year-old Sherice Andrea Foreman, and sixty-six-year-old Bernadette Williamson. The trio appeared in the Magistrate’s Court in the presence of their attorney, Godwin Haylock, where they were read a charge each of possession of a control drug with intent to supply seventy-seven grams of cannabis to another person or persons for the purpose of drug trafficking. Haylock asked for a sentencing indication as Moreira was contemplating pleading guilty. The magistrate indicated that she would impose a non-custodial sentence of a fine of no more than two thousand dollars but only if he has no previous conviction or has special reasons why a fine is appropriate in his case. His attorney Haylock submitted that while this is not Moreira’s first drug charge, his conviction for possession of a control drugs with intent to supply from 2013 is on appeal. Haylock also asked the court to take into consideration the small quantity of drugs. Moreira pleaded guilty and was fined fourteen hundred dollars. Moreira was facing the mandatory minimum fine of ten thousand dollars in default three years plus an additional prison time of three years if he had not pleaded guilty but was found guilty.
Author: Brianna Bennett
Ministry of Education Denounced Bullying in All Forms
Over the past week, we’ve been covering a troubling case of alleged bullying at Saint John’s College that left thirteen-year-old Dominick Alvarado seriously injured and bedridden. This incident comes on the heels of another in Stann Creek District back in mid-June. These events have sparked public outrage and raised serious concerns about the safety of children in Belizean schools. We spoke with Dian Maheia, the C.E.O. of the Ministry of Education, to get some insight into how the ministry is addressing this critical issue.
On the phone: Dian Maheia, CEO, Ministry of Education
“So the Ministry of Education categorically denounces any and all acts of bullying. We are obviously very concerned for any student who is a victim of bullying of any form. We recognize that bullying. Activities that these actions are indications of deeper challenges, unfortunately, and we recognize that there’s only so much that anyone person can do, but I think these activities highlight the need for responses, continued campaigns in our schools. All our high schools run anti-bullying campaigns. They run as part of their life skills activities that they, some of them, in particular, take the approach of teaching kindness and promoting kindness campaigns. We also see this as proof of the need for counselors in all our schools. We need. Counselors, the ministry is committed to first to secondary schools to ensuring that each secondary school has a non-teaching counselor. So that’s something we’re working toward. We recognize that we also need counselors for primary school. We need to train our counselors and provide support for them. And then, of course, on the biggest level, we recognize the importance of family support of community support, working together so that we could just really build a belief that is going to be more kind and more accepting and more, more inclusive, more helpful.”
101 Cayo North Voter Transfers Ordered to Remain in Previous Constituencies
Last month, we reported on allegations of election fraud made by U.D.P. standard bearer for Cayo North, Omar Figueroa. He claims that over a hundred voter registrations during the transfer period are fraudulent, citing unspecified and overcrowded home addresses as key indicators. On Tuesday and earlier today, Figueroa and the magistrate visited several of these addresses to investigate. After today’s hearing, the magistrate decided that the matter will be forwarded to the High Court, with no determination made yet. For now, all one hundred and one voter transfers will remain in their original constituencies until a final decision is reached. We caught up with Figueroa before today’s verdict for more details.
Omar Figueroa, UDP Standard Bearer, Cayo North
“We’re hoping it is the last day. It’s been going on for, I think this is probably the fifth session, but we’re covering a lot of grounds and we’re making a lot of progress. The last session we had, the magistrate went to visit three of the landlords. Unfortunately, none of the landlords were home and none of the the persons that we were objecting to were home. It was a total of forty-six persons at three different houses. The magistrate was not able to speak to anyone other than some of the neighbors. We are feeling very confident that the reasons for objections are valid. We believe that in fact the cases are fraudulent registrations. It is our hope that at the end of the day the magistrate will weigh all the evidence that is before her. In cases like this, at times it’s hard to prove that someone doesn’t live at the house when the landlord is saying they live at the house. And then there’s a refusal from the landlords to show up to court. And obviously we feel like. They were evading us yesterday, but we will see what happens today. Today, we have the last testimony the final two houses that we are objecting to. One of them, by the way yesterday, was one of the one bedroom starter homes that the government really recently issued. Two of those are actually on the table here. Two of those have been used for these registrations. You guys know as well as I do, how many people can comfortably fit in those houses. “
U.D.P Standard Bearer Responds to Criticism on Voter Fraud Trial
After weeks of back-and-forth in the San Ignacio magistrate court over alleged voter registration fraud in the Cayo North constituency, the magistrate decided that no determination could be made. The case will now move to the high court for further proceedings. However, it’s not all bad news for U.D.P. Standard Bearer Omar Figueroa, who brought the case to court. For now, all 101 voter transfers will remain in their original constituencies. Throughout the five court sessions, Figueroa has faced criticism from the public, with some claiming that voter fraud is a common practice by both parties every year. We asked Figueroa for his response to these comments. Here’s what he had to say.
Britney Gordon
“What do you have to say to the people that criticize this trial saying, oh, it happens every year, both parties do it, and they think that this is a waste of time?”
Omar Figueroa, UDP Standard Bearer, Cayo North
“I don’t subscribe to that argument. If we believe in what we’re doing, then at some point, the change has to start. We, our country is governed by a parliamentary system of government, right? Which essentially means we have 31 constituencies. And it is the legal residents of those constituencies that should determine who the standard bearers are. And there is I’ve heard that argument from several fronts, but like I said, if we don’t start to do the things the right way, um, it’s never too late to start well and get this thing done the right way.”
MIDH Says Used Rubber Tires in More Tomorrow are for Roadwork
Residents of More Tomorrow, in the Cayo District, were alarmed on Tuesday when they stumbled upon thousands of used tires dumped along the road to their village. Initially, it seemed like these old tires were just being discarded there. However, News Five later discovered that the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing had placed them there for roadwork purposes. Chief Engineer Evondale Moody explained that the road to More Tomorrow is prone to flooding, and the ministry is experimenting with using these rubber tires in road construction to address the issue.
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer, MIDH
“The ministry has just over three thousand, one hundred miles of road that we have to maintain countrywide and one such road is the More Tomorrow Road which is a secondary road within the Cayo District. That road normally is susceptible to flooding. As you may be aware, I think a few weeks ago, there were some complaints from the school in that area about access to the village and also to the school. And so, we had to go in and do some remedial works in terms of periodic maintenance, but that is our fourth trip to that area just in this year. And so, what we are trying is an engineering technology called mechanical concrete whereby you utilize old tires to construct a formation basically, and you would utilize that in areas where you have areas that are susceptible to flooding or you have major consolidation. And so, the old tires are basically set up in a grid formation, similar too what we call a geo-grid, which you would have to import; however, utilizing the old tires is beneficial to us because it also prevents erosion from happening and also acts as a confinement for the aggregates that we’re placing on the road. Within the area that we’re doing this test, this pilot project, on the More Tomorrow Road is, as I said, usually susceptible to flooding and we thought that trying this technology it would also be environmentally friendly. So the idea is that you place these tires in a grid formation and we infill these tires with aggregates and then compact over it. We have done that today, for approximately five hundred meters. We intend to try and complete at least one point six kilometers which is about a mile and we want to do that by the end of this week as a pilot project.”
MIDH says Belize is not First Country to Use Tires to Build Roads
When we visited the location earlier today, we met a team of workmen laying down the tires in what Moody describes as a geo-grid which is used to reinforce soils and similar materials. Geogrids are much stronger in tension compared to soil. This strength lets them spread forces over a larger area of soil, making the ground more stable and secure than it would be otherwise. Here’s more from MIDH.
Santiago Juan, Ministry of Infrastructure Development & Housing
“It’s an old technology in which, basically, you’re providing a firmer base for low-lying parts of the road. You dump over them and form like a cell, like a honeycomb, and once you dump over them, they stay in place and you raise the road. It’s much cheaper and very environmentally friendly and easy to do. So that’s what, basically, they are for.”
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer, MIDH
“The ministry, itself, has a large fleet of equipment and we continuously have to be changing out tires but there’s no use for those old tires. We can’t burn them, there’s no way we can discard them and so the process that we are implementing, as far as we know, it’s an environmentally friendly process because we are basically just burying the tires and using them within the road construction industry to help us elevate the road formation and also protect it from being inundated by floodwaters. So the idea that we are implementing on the More Tomorrow Road, we believe that it will be more beneficial to the community. Once this is proven to be successful in Belize, then it’s something that we would be able to try in other areas throughout the country. This is not the first country that is implementing this technology, it is being done in Central America, it’s being done in the U.S. and also in Canada and some parts of Europe as well.”
Japan to Build New Swing Bridge Replacement
What’s the latest on the Belize City Swing Bridge? The crossing near the mouth of the Haulover Creek is in dire need of being replaced. Earlier today, we also asked Chief Engineer Evondale Moody for an update on the pending project which will be funded by the Japanese government.
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer, MIDH
“In respect to the Belize City Swing Bridge, yes, I have been involved in discussions with JIICA. It is the Japanese that will be financing that project. In the last discussion I had with them, just over a month ago, there’s a consultancy team that’s supposed to be in the country within the next week or two weeks to carry out the final studies with respect to the design of that structure. That is because this project will be funded by Japan and so they intend to engage a Japanese consultant to do the design and also a Japanese contractor to construct that bridge. So we expect that by early next year, by the first quarter, we should get confirmation from them with respect to the financing and then those works would commence on the Belize City Swing Bridge. With respect to the BelCan Bridge, there is no new update on that. We are still waiting on a decision from the Ministry of Finance on how we proceed with the implementation of that project.”
Appreciation and Concern Over Currency Notes’ New Faces
In just a few months, Belize will be rolling out new currency notes, and they’re coming with some big changes. For as long as we can remember, we’ve always seen the face of the British monarch on our money. But that’s about to change. The late Queen Elizabeth II, whose face has graced our notes since her coronation in 1952, will be replaced—not by her son, King Charles, but by notable Belizeans. Some folks think this change should have happened back when we switched from British Honduras to Belize in 1973, or when we gained independence in 1981. Others worry that moving from a royal to a patriotic theme might have some impact on our currency’s value. In this edition of our Five Point Breakdown, News Five’s Marion Ali dives into what this change means for us. Here’s the scoop.
Prime Minister John Briceño (File: September 17th, 2024)
“The Central Bank, the Governor came to my office, I think about two weeks ago to show us the new dollars. We will be using the national heroes, both George Price and Phillip Goldson. They are the ones that are going to be on the face.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
When Prime Minister John I announced on September 17th that our new currency notes will feature national heroes George Price and Philip Goldson instead of the late Queen Elizabeth, reactions were all over the place. Some people were thrilled about the change, while others had their reservations. The new notes will be hitting our wallets in the coming months, and it’s clear that this decision has sparked quite a bit of conversation.
Belizean Resident #1
“I don’t think George Price or Philip Goldson business pahn for no money. By the end of the day, dehn da just some heroes weh do certain things fi Belize. But by the end of the day, the Queen da mi the person weh actually mek this money stay da top.”
Belizean Resident #2
“The Queen has been on this money for a long time, so people are used to seeing that. If they see Philip Goldson’s face and George Price’s face, they’re going to think it’s counterfeit money.”
Belizean Resident #3
“I don’t think it will make any difference with the value of the money. I don’t see any reason why it should make a difference because our money is only good in Belize anyhow. You can’t take it anywhere else, even with the queen’s face on it.”
Belizean Resident #4
“Someday ih have to change. All dehn next countries, after a while, dehn get dehn own Prime Minister, or whoever, put pahn the paper money. So, I nuh see it as no devaluation.”
Belizean Resident #5
“If you really think about it, if the money has somebody else’s face, remember we done have Guatemala, weh want to take over Belize, soh I think Guatemala wah more want step in now because dehn wa she that we nuh deh under the British colony again.”
Belizean Resident #6
“If we take the Queen’s or the King’s [face] off our money, I think we will suffer for some reason, I don’t know.”
Marion Ali
“You think the money will be worth less?”
Belizean Resident #6
“Less, yes, I think so.”
Marion Ali, Stand Up
“While there are Belizeans who have that concern that removing the late monarch’s face from the Belize dollar and replacing it with those of Belizean heroes will have a negative impact on the value of the Belize dollar, one economist we spoke with assures that is not the case. Rumile Arana says the value of the Belize currency has more to do with economics than what is printed on it.”
Rumile Arana, Economist, Arana Consultancies
“When we’re talking about our Belizean currency, having the Queen’s face on it, having the King’s face on it, having my face on it, won’t give it any value. What gives it value is the laws and the regulations of our country. It doesn’t matter whose face is on the dollar.”
Belize’s Currency is Legislated from the 1900s
The legislation to place the queen’s face on Belize’s currency dates back to the early 1900’s when Belize was a British Colony.
“When the first bank notes were provided, that was in the early 1900s, I believe. The monarchs were placed on the dollar bills. Now if you look at the Central Bank of Belize, they have a history of our currency. We’ve had bills where there’s a young Queen Elizabeth on there, and we have bills where there was an older Queen Elizabeth on there.”
Belize’s Current Exchange Rate
While Belize is a former British colony, our currency is pegged to the U.S dollar at a rate of two Belize dollars to one U.S dollar.
“The exchange rate is what you would pay for another currency like in terms of Belize dollars like we would say it costs two Belizean dollars to get one U.S dollar. That right there is our currency peg. We have been pegged to the U.S dollar since about 1976 and that has not changed throughout history, no matter what has happened in the economy.”
What Triggers Devaluation
What would trigger devaluation of the Belize dollar? Arana explains that devaluation is a decision that governments take, based on economic fundamentals.
Rumile Arana
“When a country devalues it’s currency it’s because it’s looking to boost its exports because when you devalue your currency, your currency becomes cheaper for foreigners. So, now, if Belize devalues its currency to say like three to one – I’m not saying this is going to happen – but if Belize devalues its currency from three to one, that means that the goods and services from Belize are cheaper to people in the United States. So, people do that for export purposes. If you stay at your fixed rate exchange regime, the only thing that you have to do, for Belize, the only thing that we have to do is to maintain a certain level of foreign exchange within our economy.”
Arana believes that featuring the faces of Philip Goldson and George Price on Belize’s currency would be a fantastic way to honor these two national heroes. The families of both men are thrilled at the idea of seeing their loved ones celebrated in this way. Alice Craig recently shared how much she treasured the moments spent with her uncle, George Price, especially since the family often had to share him with the entire nation.
Alice Craig Castillo, Niece of George Price
” I can recall seeing so many pictures of my aunts and my uncles, but minus Uncle George. You know, I would see Mom and Dad, I would see Aunt Jo and Uncle Poly, I would see Aunt Jane and Uncle Henry, I would see Aunt Betsy and Uncle Gilly, you know, in the pictures. John Price was in them sometimes. Uncle Sam left from early, so he wasn’t around much, but Uncle George was never there, because he was doing the business of the country. Those of my cousins who were born in that time were lucky enough to travel with him when he moved around the country. He would take turns calling on us to go and I went with him twice.”
Philip Goldson’s son, also named Philip, was appreciative of the decision made.
Philip Goldson, Son of Philip Goldson Sr.
“It’s a good thing for Belize to have its notable people represented – all aspects of life. And the currency is a major part of that. And having or starting with our Belizean heroes is a good starting point for this. I believe my father would have been positive about it. He might not have been eager to have his face on it, but he would have been positive about doing something like this. Without that group that began this process of changing and demanding change and suffering for it, we might not be where we are today, but be much further back in our development.”
The new red and blue currency notes are set to hit the streets in just a few weeks. While Britons sing “God Save the King,” Belizeans will soon be saving money that proudly features the faces of those who stood up against the monarchy. Marion Ali for News Five.
The Indigenous Resistance is Still Going Strong
Today, the University of Belize held an Indigenous Resistance Day forum to celebrate the vibrant Maya and Garifuna cultures. This event brought together people from all walks of life to explore the history and cultural significance of these communities’ practices and beliefs, while also engaging the youth in meaningful conversations. News Five’s Britney Gordon was there to give us the full scoop. Here’s the story.
The spirit of indigenous resistance is alive and thriving, growing stronger every day. Indigenous Resistance Day brings together people from diverse backgrounds to shine a light on the struggles of indigenous communities and their fight for liberation. Today, at the University of Belize, students and stakeholders gathered to discuss the importance of preserving these rich cultures and to educate each other on their unique beliefs and practices.
Delmer Tzib, Coordinator, Inter-cultural Indigenous Language Institute
“We are celebrating it in a very unique way, trying to open a space for academic discussion, but also to an extent, breaking the walls, because we want the community to also be engaged in discussions about what does it mean to be indigenous in Belize, secondly, different expressions that relate to the cultures that exist in Belize. One of the biggest concepts that we are pushing is the idea of interculturality. Interculturality centers on the notion of understanding each other. So you don’t only know that these cultural expressions exist, but you try to understand what is the significance of it.”
At the forum, both Mayan and Garifuna communities came together to share the cultural significance of the Deer Dance and the Wanaragua. The aim is to tear down the barriers between Belize’s diverse cultures, fostering a true sense of intercultural unity.
Joshua Arana, Owner, ORO Drumming
“Culture is very important. All of us identify with a culture and we need to start to find ways of understanding how. What commonalities we have because we keep looking at the differences that, that makes us who we are. And today we’re going to talk about the Wanaragua. Some, many people know it as Jankunu, and we’re going to get into a little bit more details about what one hour, one hour ago really is.”
The Owner of ORO Drumming, Joshua Arana, presented on the Wanaragua dance, explaining what the different ribbon colors and steps of the dance signify.
“It is important for our youth population to be able to understand who it is that they are, who it is that we are, and where it is that we came from. I think that present day there is a disconnect between what was, what is, and what will be. All of us as people we are here because our culture is our legacy from our ancestors. And we need to start recognizing that for us to be able to know where it is that we want to go in the future.”
Creating spaces for young people to discuss indigenous cultures reassures students that pursuing an education doesn’t mean abandoning their heritage. Eighteen-year-old Tareek Smith, now a sophomore at the University of Belize, shares how deeply involved he’s been with the Garifuna community.
Tareek Smith, Wanaragua Dancer
“I am Garifuna. My parents are Garifuna and we have this culture, and we need to express this culture. So as I got older, I felt like I needed to connect to my culture, and that’s how I got into drumming and dancing and all this stuff.”
The holiday shines a light on the struggles that indigenous communities have overcome and are still grappling with to this day. Forums like these, create conversations about how that work can be supported and strengthened.
Rolando Cocom, Director, ISCR
“Our indigenous peoples have endured horrendous suffering because of colonialism the diseases that were brought when Europeans arrived to this side of the world. It’s a significant depopulation of our indigenous peoples. And the same goes for Africa, for African ancestors and our Garifuna communities who had to escape genocide and resist for their very survival. And can now celebrate continue resisting.”
Director of the Institute of Social and Cultural Research at NICH, Rolando Cocom explains how the institute is working to celebrate indigenous people every day of the year.
Rolando Cocom
“Indigenous languages continue to be at risk. Traditional expressions continue to be at risk. And so that is what we’re, what we are aiming to do at the University of Belize. Is really to say the work of indigenous peoples are important. Their culture is important. And we want to ensure that more and more Belizeans have an opportunity to learn more from each other. And to reduce the suspicion, the discrimination that exists. Colonialism has brought to our society.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
Bullying Victim Speaks Out
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Thirteen-year-old Dominick Alvarado used to love fishing and was a straight-A student at Saint John’s College. But now, instead of casting lines, he’s stuck in bed, twisting a Rubik’s cube to pass the time while his fishing rods gather dust in the corner. What should have been an exciting start to his sophomore year, filled with dreams of becoming a marine biologist, has turned into a painful recovery process. This is the harsh reality of bullying.
Dominick Alvarado, Bullying Victim
“I was up in front of my class by the door, standing up with my friend. And then because we could see them at the other side playing, they were playing this game with a cover, and if it goes in your, between your legs, they pat you. And we were there, and he just come out of nowhere and pat me.”
Dominick shares that when he first felt harassed, he tried to report it to a teacher, but the bully stopped him in his tracks.
Dominick Alvarado
“Before I reached to tell the teacher, he pushed me in the drain and at the time I didn’t feel the pain because I had meat, so I’m chunky, I didn’t feel the pain at the time, so then around a couple weeks now, when I was walking to go to school, it hurt so bad I couldn’t walk I had to limp, and it hurt, so I call, I text my mom on my laptop to come for me at school.”
Natalie Alvarado, Mother of Victim
“When I saw him he was completely soaked with water. I mean completely head the toe. So books was wet, everything was wet. And I went into the office and asked them what’s going on and they told me that they pushed him down. So I figure from, I did not think, take it serious that from then he already hit, had that injury. I just, I thought he was going to grow it out, then he started limping, then it started getting worse.”
Dominick did not immediately feel the pain of his injury, but the damage was already done. Over time, the muscle on his hip started to deteriorate. It only worsened by the distance he had to walk daily, since he takes the bus from Boston Village to Belize City and walks to school from there.
“It’s like when you go to the ice cream store and buy ice cream, you’re licking off the ice cream melt off and just the cone remain. So that was what was happening to him, just the bone part was going to remain because the other piece is coming off.”
Dominick was rushed into emergency surgery and will need another one soon. At just thirteen, he now has a screw in his hip that will stay there for about a year. He’ll have to relearn how to walk, with his mom by his side every step of the way. This incident has turned Natalie and Dominick’s world upside down, forcing her to take time off work to care for him full-time while she looks for a caretaker.
“It is not a daily, it’s a twenty-four hours thing. It’s like a shift. Like a cycle now. So he’s thirteen, but now it’s just like he’s what, four or five all over because you have to teach him how to walk back. You have to learn how to sit up his back. So I have to help him sit on. I have to pick him up. I have to do everything for him. Bathroom. And he’s somebody that don’t like nobody to be watching at him. So his grandmother is here but he won’t call for his grandmother. He won’t call for his grandfather. He will call just for me. So I have to be there twenty-four seven.”
The financial burden and stress have taken a toll on the family. Natalie’s parents have had to pitch in to help with Dominick’s treatment and care. When he returns to school, his family anticipates that transportation expenses and special accommodations will be costly.
“We don’t live in the city where it’s just five minutes away from the school. We live twenty-six and three quarter miles away from the city. So gas and it’s going to be a sacrifice that I have to meet. And I’m not a person that’s making all that money. I’m a tour guide”
Natalie has penned a heartfelt letter to SJC, laying out her expectations for the school’s role in Dominick’s recovery. She starts by expressing her disappointment with the school’s initial lack of empathy and concern following the bullying incident that led to Dominick needing emergency surgery. As a parent, she believes every student deserves a safe and supportive environment, and it’s disheartening to see this wasn’t the case. To help Dominick fully recover, she’s asking St. John’s College High School for a detailed action plan covering several critical areas: mental and emotional well-being, spiritual support, physical rehabilitation, caregiver support, and academic accommodations. Natalie also urges all parents to act swiftly and decisively on behalf of their children.
“Don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared. If your son is going through something, speak up. Don’t wait too long until he gets what I am going through right now.”
Despite the adversities that Dominick is facing, he has decided to take the high road and ignore whatever mean comments people have to throw his way.
“I’m not gonna say nothing about it. I’m gonna let God deal with them.”
Britney Gordon for News Five