The Sitting of the Senate for Thursday will proceed as scheduled, that is the final decision by the President of the Senate, following a legal opinion issued by the Attorney General earlier today. As we reported last week, the opposition has raised serious concerns regarding the function of the Leader of Government Business in the upper house, since it is of the firm belief that that individual, based on their knowledge of the Standing Orders, must be minister of government. Those concerns were raised in the wake of former Foreign Minister Eamon Courtenay resigning from Cabinet. In his legal opinion, AG Anthony Sylvestre referred to the Constitution of Belize where he says, “there is no provision in the Constitution that mandates that there must be at least one minister in the senate for it to be properly constituted, or that the Leader of Government Business in the Senate must be a minister. Indeed, the only reference to a mandatory requirement in the Constitution relating to a minister is that he or she must be a member of the National Assembly”. In reference to the Standing Orders, the Attorney General wrote, “to the contrary, there are multiple provisions in the Standing Orders which make clear that the offices of a minister and Leader of Government Business are distinct and separate”.
Author: news5assistant
Minister Fonseca Assures IT-VET Teachers of Timely Payments
Last week, instructors at the Belize City IT-VET called the media to say that their salaries were not being paid by the Ministry of Education since September. The instructors said that it was the institution itself that was meeting their salaries each month. Some of them had issues with that fact, as well as the contracts they have with the ministry. But since then, the Ministry’s C.E.O. has told News Five that the matter has been resolved and today, the Minister of Education, Francis Fonseca, assured the instructors that their salary issues are a thing of the past.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“In the case of the ITVET here in Belize City, again, that’s a long-standing challenge. But we were able to resolve that issue on Friday last week Friday, Finally, we’re up to date with the payments. I talked about this in the National Assembly on Friday. It is not that the teachers were not being paid; they were getting monies through the IT-VET in Belize City. But they had not – we had not gotten the money from the Ministry of Finance as yet to pay them. So the IT-VET in Belize City through the support of the ministry was giving them money that now has to be reimbursed. But they were getting paid, and now what we have done is put them on the smart stream system, so that this problem does not reoccur. And again we’ve been looking at the contract situation. The whole challenge with this with IT-VET is the contracts which are annual contracts – one-year contracts. So we’re looking at that to try to expand and extend those contracts. But the main thing is that it has been resolved.”
Minister Fonseca: No Student Should Be Sent Home for Not Paying School Fees
Another IT-VET issue that surfaced last week was that thirty students attending the Orange Walk ITVET were reportedly sent home for owing several months of school fees. But the Minister of Education has said that no student should be kept from the classroom because of outstanding fees. Today, he reiterated that position and said that a payment plan can be put in place to solve the issue.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“In the case of the Orange Walk ITVET, discussions and with the manager of the Orange Walk IT-Vet and the briefing that I got, he said that the students were not sent home. They were asked to bring their parents to school to discuss a payment plan for the remaining outstanding fees that they owed. That was done and my understanding is that issue has been resolved. All the students have been back in school since last week, sometime Wednesday, Thursday and they have worked out a payment plan with the parents for the remaining outstanding fees. We made it very clear to them that students should not be out of the classroom because they have not paid their fees. And there has to be something worked out.”
Minister Fonseca: Curriculum Reform Designed to Ease Work
For over a year, the Ministry of Education has been discussing with educators the matter of curriculum reform. Some teachers have raised concerns of their own on the topic, such as the timeliness in delivery of the revised kits and how that could affect students. Today, Minister Fonseca said he hasn’t heard of those concerns and pointed out that the whole idea behind curriculum reform is to make the work easier, but more effective.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“I really have not heard that complaint at the Ministry of Education. I know there are always challenges with any new – the implementation of any new, initiative, and the curriculum reform is a big issue, a big initiative. So there are some challenges as we go along, but for the most part, I think teachers have embraced it and they recognize that the ministry is working very closely along with them to make it even easier for them. The whole idea is to make their class preparation even easier and I think that goal is being achieved. Not to say we don’t have a few challenges, but I think generally it has been well received. And wherever there are difficulties, we sit and work with the managements and the schools to address them.”
No Taxes on K.H.M.H. Workers’ Gratuity
They’ve come out swinging when the working conditions at the K.H.M.H. do not meet their standards, but now employees at that hospital will no longer pay taxes when they collect their gratuity upon retirement. This comes through discussions between the Public Service Ministry and the Ministry of Finance. Today the Minister of Health and Wellness, Kevin Bernard shed light on this breakthrough.
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness
“That has been a process through the public service and Ministry of Finance. That was something that we were trying to fix what had existed. As you know, some subsidiary or called statutory bodies were exempted and they were not exempted. So it was all an issue where the Ministry of Finance and the public service felt that they had to put it in line with other statutory bodies. So that’s, basically, that’s what was done.”
The Race for Town Hall Kicks Off in Peini
Tonight, we officially commence our pre-election coverage of the 2024 municipals with a series of profiles that will introduce mayoral and councilor candidates from all nine cities and towns to the masses of Belizean voters. In our inaugural segment, we take you to Punta Gorda where we met with mayoral hopefuls from the Belize Progressive Party, the People’s United Party, as well as councilor candidates from all three political organizations. Here’s our first episode of Meet the Candidates.
Anita Nicholas, B.P.P. Mayoral Candidate, PG
“From a child, I was always around with politics with both of my grandparents, my grandfather and my grandmother. When they would go to any political activities, they would take me along with them and I thought there was where my interest and my love for politics grew. However, I decided, based on what I have seen and based on what I have learned, to hold the politicians accountable and I was not seeing accountability in both of the major political parties, I decided to join the Belize Progressive Party which was a new party and that was how I decided to run with the Belize Progressive Party.”
Seleni Cus, U.D.P. Councilor Candidate
“What motivated me was that I saw the state our town is in at the moment and as a youth, I have been out before I even thought to get involved with politics and I thought that, you know, I could make a difference here in town and I would be a voice for the youths and women here in my town as well. Based on records, I believe that we don’t have most females being involved in politics and being the first Maya female to put up my name on a ballot paper here in Punta Gorda, I think that it is something, you know, that our youths can look at, especially young females. They can look at that and, you know, take a stand because it’s time for females to come up and join the political field.”
Jahrine Avila, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate
“For me, personally, I’ve always been involved with different organizations in my community, giving back and always volunteering my time. So when I was approached by one of our past leaders, Mr. Galvez, he spoke with me and my first thought was, you know, I’m not that type of person to be into politics but he was like, look at the bigger picture, look at what you have done in your community and see what you can do now on a bigger platform. So I thought about it and said, “Hey, why not!” This is not for myself, but for my community. I’ve always been involved. I have love for my people and my community, so why not give it a shot and do what you do best.”
Kevin Choc, U.D.P. Councilor Candidate
“What inspired me to run again, put my name on the ballot, is the people, you know. I have a passion to serve, you know, and the people have seen that and they, basically, I have a group of people who are behind me, pushing for me to be, some ah dehn mi even wahn I run fi mayor, but, you know, yoh haffi climb up di ranks. I believe that everything takes time. So di people is what inspired me to put my name on a ballot.”
Isani Cayetano
“What do you believe is perhaps different this time around from the previous time you ran for office?
Kevin Choc
“What is different is being in opposition. That is very different, you know, and I believe that hard times create strong men.”
Malcolm Galvez, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate
“PG needs a lot of help, you know. We need people, well we need leaders that are willing to stand up and speak on behalf of the voters, on behalf of the residents. One of the things that I personally did was, I got up at our national party council meeting and I mentioned that, you know, Toledo East has always been, the south has always been known as a PUP stronghold. I mentioned that to the prime minister and deputy prime minister and at the time we had the worst streets in the country. It’s not the best place to mention some of the problems, but it is important to us, so every opportunity the current council got, we tried to mention those issues.”
Franklyn ‘Kranka’ Polonio, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate
“I went there because I realize that we need to build that hope again, you know, that trust, that integrity as Belizeans and also as politicians. I believe that trust needs to build back and that’s one thing that I basically have with the people of Punta Gorda.”
Carlos ‘Obeah’ Galvez, PUP Mayoral Candidate
“People, voters here in PG, had asked me on numerous occasions to come back in participate in electoral politics and, you know, I decided after thirteen years, I decided, you know what, I said listen it’s at the call of the people, at the request of the people, why not?”
Lack of Proper Infrastructure Hinders PG’s Development
You just met several of the candidates vying for a seat at Town Hall in Punta Gorda on March sixth. They are all optimistic that their respective slates will be successful on Election Day. Beyond the campaigns, however, are serious concerns being shared by residents of PG and those issues have to do with the deplorable conditions of streets and drains. In the following story, News Five’s Isani Cayetano takes a look the infrastructure crisis that is frustrating Punta Gorda’s socioeconomic progress. Here’s that story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The southernmost municipality is often described as forgotten, lost in a world of its own where growth seems to evolve at a much slower pace than in other parts of the country. Infrastructure is a key factor for socioeconomic development, as it provides the physical and digital means for people to access opportunities, goods and services. All of that is quickly changing and residents of Punta Gorda are keenly aware of what it takes for their hometown to advance in those respective areas.
Punta Gorda Resident
“When it comes to, like, road infrastructure, I don’t think anybody that lives here or that has come around here will think that they are doing a good job. However, we have seen some work going on. I don’t know how much that is going to accomplish, but until we see much and see how much it has done then we‘re going to be in a good place to render judgment. When it comes to roads, I think they are still lagging behind.”
As municipal leaders, the aim is to leverage social and economic infrastructures to support sustainable growth and development. It is necessary to invest in projects that meet the needs and demands of the citizenry, as well as align with the strategic vision and goals of the town council.
Carlos ‘Obeah’ Galvez, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, PG
“The crying you’re hearing from a lot of people is infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure. With the present conditions of the streets and roads in town, we need to get to work as of now, not waiting until we get into office. So currently, we are currently working and repairing a lot of streets, major streets.”
For some, the recent roadwork may be long-awaited, given the deplorable state of streets and drains across the town. For others, it remains an extremely difficult situation that hinders the development of Punta Gorda.
Franklyn ‘Kranka’ Polonio, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate, PG
“We have a municipality right now [that] is ailing in all aspects, you know, in regards to, when it comes to roadwork, when it comes to the economy, you know.”
Roads and physical infrastructure are critical because they improve the connectivity and integration of different communities in PG.
“Weh da di improvement ah PG? I noh sih nothing. Dis maanin’ ah ride gone by da bridge, by Joe Taylor deh, di way I sih di foundation, da bridge, dehn got sohn lee, weh dehn wah do deh? Wah lee pass walk… dehn tek down Haulover Bridge and dehn ker it da Cayo. We noh got no two-way bridge, soh why dehn neva bring dat ya? Infrastructure, we have a lot of things here [that are] yet fi get done and we noh di sih no movements yet. Now I need fi send wah message to my government, to my prime minister and di government that I support, I need di staat sih my Joe Taylor Bridge staat build, I need fi staat sih my road paved.”
Transport networks, including bridges, can facilitate the mobility of people and goods, reduce trade costs and connect markets. Returning mayoral candidate Carlos Galvez contextualizes this by looking at the achievements of the present Punta Gorda Town Council.
“What they have done, they have initiated that Joe Taylor Bridge. That’s approximately two million dollars, a new bridge, a two-lane bridge. The contract has been signed already, M&M Construction, and also six major streets.”
Social infrastructure, on the other hand, improves the quality of human resources, such as education, health, and social services, which leads to an increase in the wellbeing and efficiency of the population. As an example, public education can enhance the skills and knowledge of the workforce, as well as foster innovation and creativity. Together, they foster social cohesion, cultural diversity, and political stability.
“On my manifesto, there are two things, two big things that we looked at, one is a House of Culture. When we get a House of Culture built here in PG, we will be looking at the tourism industry, the sector, you know, affecting that in all manner. We have the different cultures, we know that PG is one of the melting pots in Belize, you know. That will bring jobs, we have different crafts, different food items in PG. And of course, another one is looking at a call center. That will very much boost the economy of PG, money will be spending and things will begin to look better in that regard.”
To create a more livable, resilient, and prosperous municipality for the people of Peini, municipal leaders should collaborate with other stakeholders, such as the private sector, civil society, and international organizations, to mobilize resources and expertise in infrastructure development. Isani Cayetano for News Five.
Will PG Get a House of Culture?
Earlier today, when we caught up with Minister of Culture Francis Fonseca we asked him about the possibility of a House of Culture being built by NICH to benefit the cultural development of Punta Gorda. Here’s what he said.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Culture
“That’s definitely something we’ve discussed and that’s on the agenda. We’ve been talking to the Belize Tourism Board about partnering with them. As you know, I think they have a welcome center there in PG and we want to see how, perhaps, we can partner with them to develop and expand that welcome center into a House of Culture. So it’s something under discussion, but I think you’re absolutely right, you know. PG is a unique culture and I think we need to put a House of Culture there. So it’s certainly something we would like to do. When we can do it is another matter, we’ll see. But we’ve been discussing it with BTB.”
Forgotten CWU Members Speak Out
Ever since the termination of several members of the Christian Workers Union from the Port of Belize Limited, tensions have run high between the two parties. Since then, the union has rallied for compensation to be paid to the employees that they believe were wrongfully terminated. And in October 2022, the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal ruled in favor of the union, ordering sugar redundancy payments to be made to the stevedores by the Port. That payment has yet to be made to the stevedores, but that is not the only issue that remains unresolved. Today, the Christian Workers Union held a meeting, where grievances were aired out about the remaining thirty-five employees that were dismissed from their positions but who were not included in the court ruling made in 2022. According to them, all they want is a resolution. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Currently, the Christian workers Union and the Government of Belize are negotiating the payment owed to the union for the termination of several employees back in 2021. According to CWU President, Leonora Flowers, the union is awaiting a proposal from the government on the matter.
Leonora Flowers, President, C.W.U.
“On the eighth of December when government took over the port, all our matters were taken over by the government and so that means too that the debt now rests with the government. So we’re, we have approached the interim board that they put in place and we’ve had an initial meeting with them and then we had another meeting which they are going to give us a proposal on what they propose to put on the table. We will get that on the fifteenth of February. So that is where we are.”
Wayne Lambey, Former Employee, Port of Belize Ltd.
“Look at our world. We don’t want to make noise. We don’t want to have that old idea that the wheel that makes the most noise gets the oil. We are saying, reach us before we start crying. Come on, have a sit down and then whatever options are there, whether reinstatement compensation and let this thirty-five know because people are working, but it’s not the best job to have. I imagine you gave up sixteen years of your life to start all over again from nothing. Where we had single mothers, we had single fathers who were working and we are men on the day off who got texts that you are no longer, your service is no longer required without any other explanation. So that is my appeal. My appeal is to ask the tribunal and the government to have a heart, have a conscience, bring up the thirty-five case, have a conclusion to the matter, and we will all be okay again.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
How Electricity is Generated and Distributed Across the Country
In our final episode of Bringing Energy to Life, we look at electricity generation and how it makes its way to the national grid from independent power providers who supply the country with a significant amount of energy. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with that story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The process of converting any form of energy into electric power is called electricity generation. One of the most common ways to generate electricity is by using a turbine, a device that spins a rotor shaft connected to a generator. That turbine can be driven by the kinetic energy of flowing water. The Mollejon Dam is one of three hydroelectric facilities operated by Fortis Belize on the Macal River.
Tedford Pate, Operations Manager, Fortis Belize
“As you notice in the background, we have our dam across the river. That is what creates the main storage in a hydroelectric facility, without the water it’s impossible for us to produce power. So as long as we have adequate storage within the dam then we have the ability to transfer that water through the penstock from the dam into the power plant.”
Built in 1995, the Mollejon Dam, which currently generates in excess of twenty-five megawatts, is the country’s first commercial hydroelectric facility. The reservoir saves and collects 1.71 million cubic meters of water.
“So as the water enters into the power plant, it passes through a series of controls for safety purposes. So we have what we call a main turbine shutoff valve and then we have wicket gates that allow the water to pass into the turbine. That then spins the turbine that is connected to the generator by a shaft, and as that spins, the generator itself produces the power, the water continues down the river to its normal flow.”
The electricity generated is then transmitted to a substation and distributed through a network of wires and transformers called an electric grid.
“The power now that comes out from the generator is transmitted to the substation, as you can see in the background at a voltage of six thousand, nine hundred volts and then it’s stepped up by that transformer in the substation to the transmission grid voltage which is a hundred and fifteen thousand volts. So once the power is on the grid, then BEL is then responsible for distributing that power to wherever the need is across the country.”
Twenty-five megawatts of power is generated by Fortis Belize at Mollejon, seven point three megawatts at Chalillo and nineteen megawatts at the Vaca facility. Hydroelectricity is one hundred percent renewable energy.
Omereyon Fregene, Manager, Energy Supply, B.E.L.
“In Belize, as you know, BEL is the sole transmission and distribution company for electricity. Our main sources comprise of the Fortis Belize Ltd, hydro dams: Chalillo, Mollejon and Vaca. We have a small hydro dam down south called Hydro Maya Ltd. We also have the biomass plants which is BELCOGEN, ASR/BSI at the northern part of the country and Santander Sugar Industries at the western side.”
Cayetano Acosta, Electrical Manager, Santander Sugar Group
“We mill six thousand tons of cane a day, of which thirty percent is bagasse which we use to generate approximately sixteen megawatts of energy. Eight megawatts is destined for internal consumption and eight megawatts is destined for the grid. We are harvesting sugarcane to produce sugar, however, the process to convert cane to sugar requires a lot of energy. It requires steam and electrical energy to power driver and motors. The most sustainable way to meet our energy needs is by using the same byproduct that we are getting from the extraction of juice from the sugarcane.”
“BEL is, of course, well aware of the trends in generation sources and the move from traditional fossil fuel plants to renewables. So BEL did conduct a study looking at a twenty-year horizon and that study took into consideration generation, transmission and substation assets that we would need to have in place looking at what the electricity requirements are for the country within that twenty-year period. That study did also take into consideration that Belize, as a country has committed through the national determined contributions to reach seventy-five percent renewable energy for all electrical energy consumed within the country.”
Isani Cayetano for News Five.