Belize Electricity Limited has received notice from CFE in Mexico that it will be doing planned maintenance on the interconnection between B.E.L.’s transmission grid and CFE’s substation at Xulha [pronounced Shul-Ha]. These works will be done for a period of five days, from seven a.m. to five p.m. from February fifth to ninth. B.E.L. assures customers that there is sufficient in-country capacity from local energy sources, including hydro, biomass, fossil fuel, solar and B.E.L.’s own gas turbine. B.E.L. says it is working in collaboration with local independent power producers to maintain reliable and stable supply of power.
Author: news5assistant
Belize’s First Health and Nutrition Expo
Healthy habits, healthy schools, healthy Belize”, that is the theme of the first Health and Nutrition expo held today the Belize Civic Center. The expo was held in order to encourage healthier habits and bring awareness to health concerns threatening the young population. Several primary and secondary schools attended the event earlier today, where they got to sample an array of nutritional foods, as well as learn about how to make small changes in their daily lives. News Five’s Britney Gordon stopped by to learn all about it. Here’s the story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Today, dozens of students got the opportunity to learn about fostering healthy habits at the first ever Health and Nutrition Expo at the Belize Civic Center. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, in partnership with several NGOs and government agencies, including the Ministry of Education. At the event, students visited booths where representatives educated them on topics such as mental health, nutritional dietary options, skin care, and non-communicable diseases.
Robyn Daly-Faber, Technical Advisor for Nutrition, Ministry of Health and Wellness
“So we wanted to be able to share with those that are in the program and others as well, the impact, the importance of health and nutrition. We’re giving out posters, informational, flyers, contents. We’re also being able to teach some of the students some pointers about health and nutrition today. We have twenty-two booths. We also invited some of the beverage companies that are selling juices that are natural for them to also promote their healthy products. So that gives us about twenty-two and we expect about five hundred students varying from preschool, primary and secondary school to join us today.”
Minister of Health and Wellness, Kevin Bernard spoke on the importance of such an event.
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness
“Today as you know the Ministry of Health and Wellness have launched the National Nutrition Policy last year. And as part of the commitment and to ensure that we move on with the policy, we have been able to team up with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Agriculture, in showing our commitment as a government and as ministries, that we are committed to ensuring that we can Push into Belize, especially in our schools at a very young age, the issue of being healthy habits so we can create healthy schools and the end result that we have a healthier Belize. As we have been saying for a long time, we have to address the issues of non communicable diseases that are affecting our society. In my message, I spoke about it briefly, diabetes, cancer and all these things that are prevailing in our country, we need to reduce that and the only way we can do if our people start to eat up healthy, start to build those healthy habits, and it has to start not only from the schools, but from home, as Minister Fonseca rightly mentioned. It starts at home, but we must ensure that it is incorporated in the school system and that’s one of the reasons why the Ministry of Education has also adapted the healthy eating habits within the school system. For us, it’s important that we bring together stakeholders from both the non-governmental organization, the government partners, international partners, and the private sector to come together to ensure that we continue to promote this initiative.”
According to Education Minster Francis Fonseca, this event is part of a larger initiative to educate students about personal health and encourage change within the community. The ministry has been working on several other projects that are set to be implemented soon.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“I think we all know, in our own individual lives, we know how important health is, how important nutrition is to leading a healthy life. So I think for us at the Ministry of Education, what’s important is that. We have, in a sense, a captive audience. We have, as I said in my remarks. We have one hundred thousand students in our education system from preschool to university. And so we believe that represents a unique opportunity to really instill in our students these healthy habits which will ultimately lead to them leading healthy lives and Belize becoming a healthier country. So it’s, absolutely important at the Ministry of Education. We have focused on this in our new curriculum that we launched, the competency based curriculum health and nutrition and sports play an important part of that in that curriculum. We’ve also worked with the Ministry of Health to develop the National Nutrition Policy. And of course we’ve launched the National Healthy Start Feeding Program across the country, which is all about making sure that we’re providing nutritious meals to our students in their classrooms across the country. We have to start gradually, but I’m happy to report that we’re already in thirty-five primary schools. We’re already in nine high schools. Later this year, we’ll expand to twelve other high schools and I think six other primary schools. So it’s an exciting initiative. And the whole objective is about ensuring that we’re producing healthier citizens for Belize.”
“It’s a challenging issue because you know how addicted our people are to these sugary drinks and our students and young people in particular. But it’s something we feel very strongly about, so we’ve worked along with the Ministry of Health to pass that legislation about the banning of sugary drinks in our schools. We have to take a phased approach, obviously, a responsible approach so it’s being done in phases but I’m very glad with the initial results as we roll out that program. Already we’re seeing that, there’s so many good alternatives, coconut water, natural water, of course. So it’s, again, it’s a challenge. It’s an issue of changing habits and ensuring that our students understand and appreciate that it’s much better for you to drink some water or drink some coconut water than to drink a soda or a soft drink.”
Reporter
“When it comes to what the schools are allowed to sell, is it going to be made mandatory now?”
“Yes, that’s the whole idea. That, as I said, the whole policy is about banning these sugary drinks in our schools, on our school compounds. But it has to be done in a phased approach. So it’s not saying, okay, effective today. No, it’s being done in a phased, rolled out approach. And so far it’s been very successful. And we hope, as I said my, our goal really is that over a period of say a year and a half or two years that eventually we can have a complete ban of these sugary drinks on our school campuses.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
One Road, Two Projects
The rains a couple months ago seriously damaged a number of streets in Belize City. Cemetery Road, which has not seen repair work for several years, was among them. But now that road is receiving urgently-needed resurfacing at two different locations, and what is interesting is that there are two different entities conducting the work. Today, the Belize City Council issued a press release informing that the work that has begun on the portion near the Constitution Park is a project that it is overseeing. That rehabilitation was made possible through funding of a hundred thousand dollars from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing. Meanwhile, the MIDH is conducting rehabilitative work on another portion of Cemetery Road – that four-hundred-foot stretch from the roundabout to the junction with Elston Kerr Street. Chief Engineer in the Ministry explained to News Five today the two projects taking place on Cemetery Road.
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer, Ministry of Infrastructure Development
“The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing is currently doing some works on the George Price Highway from its intersection with the Central American Boulevard near the monument towards Partridge Street. These are some minor works that we had planned for just over a month or month and a half ago that we wanted to execute, but we could not execute that because of the range that we had. And also we wanted to utilize the contractor that we had doing some paving works at the Haulover Bridge, but now that we’re finished with those paving works, we were able to get the contractor to mobilize to that section of the highway yesterday, and I issued a public notice to the media so that they could have shared with the public of these works that we will be executing over the next five days. Basically, the idea is that we had some minor road failures in that little section, whereby the pavement was under some stress because of vehicular traffic that utilizes that section, especially the buses. We have a bigger project, which is called the George Price Highway Upgrading Project, which is the upgrading of the entire George Price Highway from Central American Boulevard to Belmopan. So, that section that we’re currently working on is within section 3 of the full scope of works. And so, we’re trying to limit the extent of works or the extent of funds that we have to spend within that year until we could get the full project up and running later this year. We do not go into the city unless we are asked to do so by those municipalities. However, as MIDH, we’re willing to assist and so they have been discussions between our CEO and also the minister for us to assist the City Council financially to do some works on Cemetery Road, and that will be implemented by the council itself and not by MIDH.”
MIDH Official: Haulover Bridge Was Never Planned Four Lanes
On Tuesday, we reported that there was a minor traffic accident on the newly-opened Haulover Bridge at Mile five on the Philip Goldson Highway. When the finishing touches on the bridge are complete, it will have proper lighting and line marking down the centre of the bridge to guide motorists to stay in their respective lanes. The Haulover Bridge has become the topic of much discussion lately. While some have marvelled at the design and aesthetics of the bridge, others have complained that it is not a four-lane structure to accommodate more traffic. Today, the Chief Engineer, Evondale Moody set the record straight that the bridge was never designed to be a four-lane structure.
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer, Ministry of Infrastructure Development
“The Haulover Bridge was never, ever four lanes, never. The original structure that we got designed by an Italian firm called Polytechnica was exactly the same width that we have right now in terms of typical cross-section. The only difference is that this structure is a reinforced concrete girder bridge, and the original one that was designed was an arch bridge, which basically was a single span. So it spanned from one bank to the next, but that was a steel structure. And based on the retendering procedures that we went through, we were not able to construct that bridge because of the significant cost. We were estimating, based on the bids that came in, that whole structure was supposed to cost us $60 million Belize. We could not afford that, and so we had to go back to the drawing board and that was when we decided to design the new structure that we have built right now locally, and so that was what we were able to build for $30.9 million, which is still a substantial amount, but it works for us based on our economy and what we could afford. Just to ela borate on the four lanes, we would have never been able to do that because the approaches coming into the new Haulover Bridge from Belize City, and also the part where you depart going north, we did not have the space to put four lanes. So it made no sense for you to build a four-lane bridge when you still have to taper back into two lanes. And if you know the value of lands around that area, especially where we have built the bridge, we had to acquire a number of properties equating to over $6 million that we spent in land acquisition. So if we were supposed to build a four-lane bridge, imagine how much we would have had to pay to convert that section from the north end of the new Haulover Bridge going towards the airport. Those are all expensive land on the seaside and on the riverbank. So it was never, ever the ministry’s intention to build a four-lane bridge at that location, never.”
New CT Scan Machines Are In The Country
The new CT Scan machines are officially in the country. Belizeans have been anticipating the arrival of the new equipment ever since it was announced that they would arrive in late January. While January may have passed without the arrival, the wait is finally over. Minister of Health and Wellness, Kevin Bernard brought us up to speed on its status today.
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness
“The CT scan is in country. I know that the Fuji team, because it’s a Fuji brand. And as I had mentioned, it comes with warranty, it comes with maintenance, over a five year maintenance plan, supported by the Fuji company and they were in country last week, and I think they are still in country this week. And the installation process will commence. We are hoping that by the end of this month, we should have the installation completed, and it should be in operation in early March.”
Who Wanted Orlando Vasquez Dead in Corozal?
Meanwhile in Corozal Town on Saturday night, an unnamed gunman came whistling at a residence, and when twenty-eight-year-old Orlando Vasquez peered outside of his mother’s house to see who it was, he was met with a barrage of gunshots. Vasquez is presently hospitalized and investigators are seeking a person of interest.
HILBERTO ROMERO
ACP Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“On Saturday, January 20th, 2024, around eight p.m., Corozal police responded to an area in the Joseito Layout area where they found Orlando Vasquez, twenty-eight-years old with gunshot injuries. Orlando Vasquez reported that he was at home when he heard someone whistle. He came out to see who it was, at which point a male person fired several shots towards him, causing injuries to him. He is at the hospital receiving treatment and is in a stable condition. We are seeking one suspect.”
Reporter
“Sir, could this be a case of mistaken identity because I believe he was at his mother’s house?”
Hilberto Romero
“Yes, he was at his mother’s house and when he heard the whistling he came out to check who it was.”
Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.
New Regulations for Social Media Pages?
It’s been one week since allegations of rape emerged against a popular Belizean attorney. Two women came forward, alleging that the attorney, who they met at a night spot in Belize City, later took them to a house. There, they allege that he raped both of them while they were heavily under the influence of what they believed were laced drinks. The police are still investigating and have not yet brought any charges against the attorney. That did not stop a social media page to which he is closely affiliated from coming out swinging against the two women who have accused him of the crime. Hot Off the Press, a Facebook page that poses as a news-oriented platform, started soon after the allegations surfaced, to blame the victims. One of the initial posts on the page sought to target the women, suggesting that they were requesting drinks from him, asking him where the after party was and generally behaving inappropriately at the night spot where they first crossed paths. Thereafter, Hot Off the Press proceeded to post surveillance footage downloaded from inside the nightclub that showed a crowd and from among them, the two women who were swaying to the music on the night in question. The actions of the social media page, however, have come under strong criticism from at least one attorney, and from others who view those actions as weaponizing the attorney’s stance and blaming the victims. Today, the Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa, told the formal media that there is an ongoing discussion on how his ministry can address these kinds of social media pages that single out and target people.
KAREEM MUSA
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“I had a discussion just now over at National Security Council about establishing regulations for the media. There has to be some control because we know every single day a new media outlet pops up online with no sort of accountability or transparency to see who are the actors behind these websites, behind these social media pages, and we don’t know whether these are legitimate media houses, and so there has to be some action taken by the Belize Broadcasting Authority to put in place legislation and regulations to ensure that we can get rid of these types of social media pages that are using it, like you rightly pointed out, for the totally wrong purposes – undermining the police work and also trying to further the personal agenda of one individual.”
Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.
Minister Musa Slams Hot Off the Press Facebook Page
The Minister of Home Affairs criticized Hot Off the Press for the way it attacked the women and for, in his words, “adding insult to injury” by showing the video recording publicly of the two alleged victims. The actions by Hot of the Press, according to Minister Musa, who is also an attorney, prove nothing at all of the accused’s innocence.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“I don’t want to acknowledge Hot Off The Press as a legitimate media house, and I’m sure that other media houses can look to this particular social media platform sorry – media house as carrying out very despicable actions by showing imagery and video footage from the nightclub that night that really did not go to prove anything at all. And then to further insult to injury to make a commentary about how that in some way exonerates the individual, I just find it to be downright unacceptable and despicable.”
Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.
Hofius to Close Down After 132 Years in Belize
The closure of heritage stores in the downtown area of Belize City always grabs public attention because of the rich history that these businesses have, as well as the many experiences that customers share, either traveling to or simply enjoying the sights and sounds of busy Saturday mornings in the Old Capital. So when word got around this morning that Hofius was shuttering its business, there were more questions than answers regarding the unforeseen announcement, after all the store has remained a fixture in the downtown seen since 1892. We begin our newscast tonight with a brief look at the legacy of the company as it prepares to go out of business. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano.
Another of the oldest department stores in downtown Belize City is preparing to wind down its business in the months ahead. Since opening its doors to the Belizean public in 1892, Hofius Ltd. has endured as a well-known establishment and landmark on Albert Street. In fact, it was founded by Otto Hofius and Curt Hildebrandt almost one hundred and thirty-two years ago. In 1914, the business became known as Hofius Hardware Company Ltd., before becoming Hofius Ltd. The store remained in the Hofius family until 1960.
Facebook Marketplace Scams on the Rise in Belize
Online sales scams have become an all too familiar occurrence in the digital age. We have reported on numerous cases that were brought to the attention of the police. Recently, a man was arrested and charged for allegedly scamming a woman of fourteen hundred dollars for a sofa set he never delivered. We have also reported incidents involving vehicles and electronic devices. Well, one Ladyville resident was very close to making a deposit for the very same sofa set scam that another woman fell victim to. She saw some red flags during her online and telephone interactions with the purported seller. So, what did she do? She threatened to send the police after the individuals and decided to forego the purchase. News Five’s Paul Lopez takes a closer look at the matter and the steps victims can take. Here is that report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Reports of online sales scams have become all too common. The latest person to be charged for a related offense is twenty-six-year-old Hattieville Resident, Austin Williams. He was charged for scamming an elderly woman out of fourteen hundred dollars for a sofa set he never delivered. We spoke via phone to a Ladyville resident who almost fell for Williams’ Facebook scam.
Voice of: Ladyville Resident
“I was just looking on Facebook Marketplace because I like looking up there to see if there is anything I want and I saw this beautiful white sofa, white leather sofa so I figured o wow this is this. I have a sofa but I can do with this one. So I messaged the person and they immediately asked if I was interested and I said yes and I asked where they were located and they said Placencia.”
But, further interactions with the seller only raised red flags for this potential buyer.
Voice of: Ladyville Resident
“Supposedly it was a young lady I was talking to and she said I can have my husband, text not talking, I can have my husband bring it for you. I said, could you please ask how much he would charge me to bring it from Placencia and she said I will get back to you. She messaged fifty dollars that was the first red flag, fifty dollars from Placencia.”
The seller insisted that this potential buyer deposit fifty percent of the fourteen hundred dollar price tag placed on the item. She informed the seller that she had cash only but, that she would send two hundred dollars to hold the item. The purported husband of the woman she first interacted with called her the following day.
“Now we were talking from a cell phone, he started to call me and said he is the husband of the young lady I was talking to. He said he would get somebody from Belize city to come to me for the money. I said ok, but I want a receipt. He took a picture of the receipt he wrote, with my name and the money. He took a picture of it. I said ok. And within half hour the run man came to my house in Ladyville. The first thing that set me, the first thing the run man did was pull out the same receipt that the run man made in Placencia, little bit more than half hour ago. So I put back my money in my pocket, took the receipt and asked where he get the receipt. He said, oh the man from Belize City gave me. I said which man, the man you are suppose to send something for.”
Pretending that she was ignorant of the red flags, she called back the number and the purported seller informed her that he was still in Placencia. She then informed him that her husband is a police officer in Placencia and that she would send him to collect the item and make the payment. She says, the accounts she was interacting were immediately deleted from Facebook. The purported seller used the identities of two individuals, Nailea Nunez and Howard Casey, without their knowledge. Even though she avoided this scam, one woman fell victim and lost fourteen hundred dollars. Police, with the help of their Cybercrime Unit, were able to track down the purported scammer.
Superintendent Osmond Mortis, Head of Cybercrime Unit
“The first step is making a report, statements will record and we will be gathering the evidence, who is involved, the method that was used and so forth. The first step is making a report. No amount is too small and we will be looking into every matter.”
According to Superintendent Osmond Mortis, there has been an increase in reports of online sales scams. He says potential online buyers need to act with increased caution.
“Not everything electronic is good. There are some good people doing legitimate business on social media and there are a few out there who are making bad. The good suffer for the bad. As the saying goes, buyer beware. You have to make sure that when you are spending your money that the money is going where it is suppose to go and that you are getting that product for the money that you are spending. As a lot of people in Belize are not aware, there is a Cybercrime Act and the penalties are no joke.”
We also spoke with Attorney Richard “Dickie” Bradley, who implored citizens to protect their personal information so as to avoid being named in these kinds of online sales scams.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley, Attorney
“You need to protect yourself. You can’t mek people the have access to your pins, to your accounts, to your information which can be used against you. I was shocked to find out, that, at two courts they want people to bring and show their bank account if they are going to be allowed to sign bail for a citizen. Now if you give them your bank account, you don’t know what will happen. This is your information, you know what that is? Fortunately the law in Belize is being brought up to speed in terms of a lot of these matters here. As a victim is a crime has been committed against you, if you have been duped, obtaining properly by deception, hurry go and make a report to the police and secondly shut down everything that is out there and then don’t let it happen again. There is a phrase, if a man deceives me once, shame on him, if he deceives me again, I am the jack a…”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.