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Eight Teams to Compete for National Women’s Softball Champions

Softball fans who are used to attending the national tournament in Belize City, will have to travel to Sand Hill this weekend to cheer on their favourite team. The Rogers Stadium field is undergoing major resurfacing and retrofitting, following incessant rains that left it unsafe for use. The first games begin at six-thirty this evening and the tournament resumes at nine-thirty on Saturday and Sunday with fifteen teams taking part. It promises to be an exciting competition, with all teams said to have a degree of strength. Entrance to the Sand Hill Softball Field is five dollars and there’ll be fifteen games played altogether. News Five’s Marion Ali spoke with the Tournament Organizer, Shane Williams about the shift from Belize City to Rural Belize for the event. Here’s that report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

For the first time, at least in recent memory, the National Softball tournaments are being played outside of Belize City. It is a necessary move to allow for resurfacing and repairs to be done at the historic Roger’s Stadium. This weekend, the National Women’s Softball Tournament will be held in Sand Hill Village. Tournament Organizer, Shane Williams told News Five that the field at Roger’s Stadium had become unsafe for the players.

Shane Williams, Tournament Director, National Women’s Softball Tournament

“We had to make that decision because the Rogers Stadium is not fit for a national tournament at the moment. We had a really bad year in terms of rain and the field condition was already in subpar state due to damages from previous storms and hurricanes. The playing field is very unlevel. We had some serious injuries in the Belize City Tournament this year that we cannot allow to happen at the national level. So, we had about two weeks to prepare the field for nationals because the Belize City Tournament was playing and it played late due to weather conditions. So we only had about two weeks to prepare the field…”

Williams says the Sand Hill softball field is one of the best to hold the event and it was tested only recently when the men’s tournament was held there.

Shane Williams

“Sand Hill Village has a very good field. It hosted the male nationals two weeks ago, and it was a very good host. The village itself was a very good host for the players, so we believe that this will be one of the more memorable tournaments.”

Marion Ali

“And when do you foresee the Rogers stadium field will be ready again for more games?”

Shane Williams

“Well, that’s the good thing. Even though we have moved the tournament to Sand Hill, we have not stopped working on Rogers Stadium. We have over fifteen loads of material that have already been brought into the stadium. They are being spread out at the moment. We have 10 additional lights that will be put up over the next couple of weeks that have already been purchased. And we have some donors, B.T.B. And other donors that will be investing in the fence and we are looking at specific private company for the installation of a scoreboard that we have been looking for several years. So I would say by the time tournament is ready, which is January, the calendar opens, Rogers Stadium definitely will be ready.”

Altogether there are eight teams competing for bragging rights of National Women Softball champs and the trophy this year. They are the Esperanza Wolverines and Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy, Orange Walk’s Palmar and Elites, Belize City’s Beacon Softball Club and Wolfpack Softball Club and from Belize Rural we have Doublehead Cabbage and Belize Bank Bulldogs. Williams says it will be no walk in the park for any of them.

Shane Williams

“The defending champs are the Beacon Softball Club from Belize City and you know, they have us very solid team. They have even international players as well on that team. We have the rural who believe that this will be their year to unseat them, especially since they are hosting for the first time. So the home field advantage will definitely be with Belize, but the Bulldogs and the Double Head Cabbage Unity team. The Orange Walk teams are fairly new and from what I’ve seen in their practice, they expect to come and make some real upset in the tournament. Cayo has won the nationals multiple times before, and the same for Roaring Creek Grace Kennedy team, it’s coming back with some very young talent and Esperanza Wolverines are always contenders. So there’s no set favorites, I would say. But this will be an exciting tournament.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

Changing the Narrative on Suicides in Belize

For Belizeans everywhere, September is a time of celebration as the country observes the Tenth of September, Independence Day and accompanying festivities. However, September is also a month to raise awareness for various mental health issues as the country observes Suicide Prevention Month. Belize recorded seventy-nine cases of suicide between 2022 and 2023, with males accounting for the majority. To shine a light on the prevalence of suicides in Belize and end the stigma against seeking mental health assistance, the Western Regional Hospital is hosting its annual 4K Glow Walk on September fifth. We spoke with Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Anne Link for more information on the resources available for those struggling with their mental health.

Anne Link, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Western Regional Hospital

“With our theme for this year, suicide prevention it is changing the narrative. So being that’s the team, it’s all about focusing and saying what your narrative is. And in order to change it, we have to hear, we have to be able to communicate it. So, to be able to reach that point, we have to hear others be able to show this is what I’m going through and then someone else will be, you know what, I’m going through that too. And by creating that bond that their thoughts and their feelings are heard and validated, and that’s something that should be quiet about or shouldn’t be spoken about. And that’s one of the things that lets the person that’s going through it. lengthened the time before they get help is that they don’t want to see what they’re going through. So, by making it something we acknowledge that someone can go through, it is more easier for someone to say, it’s happening to me too. What have you done to help to make it through those moments? One of the things that’s very difficult is stigma. Those who do look for help, they’re afraid of being seen as someone that is not stable. And for instance, always, once you hear mental or psychology, Everyone that hears that you think or what they’re saying is not validated. And that’s far from the truth that we want to ensure that person is heard. It does not mean that you’re crazy as a lot of people want to think. It means that you have feelings and thoughts that needs to be addressed. And the first step is talking about.”

Link encourages those struggling with their mental health to visit the Western Regional Hospital or contact them via their Facebook page or phone number.

U.D.P. Divide Widens With Every Passing Day

The United Democratic Party’s divide widens with every passing day. The central executive has ejected Tracy Panton, Patrick Faber, John Saldivar and Beverly Williams from the party. News Five has received information that as of Wednesday, all these individuals were declared constructively resigned. According to this information, all four politicians were removed from the party because they formed a cabal, “Alliance for Democracy” and are acting in violation of the U.D.P.’s constitution. The central executive referenced a March 2011 U.D.P. declaration in which then party chairman, Patrick Faber deemed Orange Walk East Area Representative Marcel Cardona constructively resigned due to repeated violations of the party’s constitution. So, this is perhaps a scenario where Faber is getting a taste of his own medicine. But Faber says he is not going anywhere. He, along with Saldivar, Panton and Williams took to Facebook today to respond. Faber wrote, “The longest serving member of parliament, former chairman, deputy party leader/ deputy P.M. and former party leader, do you really think you can constructively resign me?”. John Saldivar said, “this is hogwash. I am now looking at my colleague’s standard bearers to see who will stand up for what is right, what is fair, what is constitutional. I am looking to them to see who will bell the cat before we self-destruct”. Panton and Williams both noted that they have not resigned and neither do they have any intentions to do so. So, will Belizeans see a united U.D.P. anytime soon? Information to News Five is that a team of mediators was established to intervene in the matter. The mediators have since given up on this mission. The team was comprised of Reverend David Goff, former House Speaker Laura Longsworth, Aldo Salazar and the party’s National Campaign Manager, Lindsay Garbutt. Reverend Goff wrote to both Barrow and Panton saying that they have only met once with both groups, however, given the recent events taking place, they believe that they cannot continue the process. The Alliance for Democracy says has scheduled a press conference for Monday morning. We will continue to follow.

B.S.C.F.A. Official Addresses Sugar Commission

The Commission of Inquiry into the sugar industry heard from Chief Executive Officer of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, Oscar Alonzo today. He told the Commission that since the formula for the payment of sugarcane was first derived in 1966, there has not been any kind of agreement on the part of cane farmers that the formula ensures they are getting their fair share of the profits. Alonzo pointed to the contention, distrust and divisiveness that has developed between the investor and producers and he expressed hope that the inquiry can lead to having an industry working with greater unification and harmony. He said that the sugar industry regulations have served a purpose in the past, but that there is need now for them to serve a better purpose for the foreign investors and the cane farmers. Alonzo hopes for a partnership between both parties where one does not have to take the information provided by the other, but one where the information is shared freely.

Oscar Alonzo, C.E.O., B.S.C.F.A

“One of the fundamental factors is the issue of disclosure of information. If we could achieve a greater measure of this being improved on, I think this would help a lot because the disclosure of information is at the root of what we are experiencing at the moment. The investors, foreign and whatever the case might be, have generally tended to use the expression of private sector – private business – to justify their reluctance to disclose information, but they have also used terms like free market economy, capitalist accumulation, things that we don’t object to; it’s part of what we are involved with. That would work if we had a situation where we are equals, where it is not a process where the powerful which invariably has been the foreign investor and the weaker party which is the local producer having to literally accept without question what is given to them in terms of the commercial nature or the commercial value of the transactions that occur. Allusions have been made to the fact that we should not touch the issue of the cane payment and the formula that exists because no consideration of profit-sharing should be part of that; we should consider a concept of values and having the pie grow and not sharing the pie. I think this is an interpretation being given just to further reinforce the reluctance to provide information.”

B.S.C.F.A’s Attorney Says Amend the Sugar Industry Regulations

Ahead of the inquiry, the B.S.C.F.A had hired Senior Counsel Magali Marin-Young to make presentations on its behalf. Today, Marin-Young expressed, on behalf of the association, the importance for the Commission to investigate the legal framework, as well as the Sugar Industry Regulations to see how it could strengthen them, the weaknesses and what she termed as the unequal bargaining power and lack of transparency and information.

Magali Marin-Young, S.C, Attorney for B.S.C.F.A

“You have one miller in the northern districts for Belize sugar cane farmers to sell their produce to. It is in effect, a monopoly. There is no other miller that the canefarmer can sell his sugarcane in any cost-effective manner. Santander is all the way near Cotton Tree in the Cayo District. For it to transport its sugarcane would make it highly inefficient, so the canefarmer has nobody else to sell but to the one miller in the northern districts. So, speaking on behalf of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, and as signaled by the CEO, I think it is time for us to seriously look at the legislative framework. It is not working. It leads to a contentious situation.”

B.S.C.F.A Official Raises Issue with Net Strip Value Method of Payment

Chairman of the association’s Finance Committee, Javier Keme told the commission that there is concern over a disadvantage in the current model of the Net Strip Value, which Belize Sugar Industries/American Sugar Refinery uses in the method of payment to cane farmers. Keme explained that they are paid by percentage, but they believe that the figures can be manipulated.

Javier Keme, Chairman, B.S.C.F.A. Finance Committee

“Depending on the first estimated price, which is the first issue that the farmer is at a disadvantage because BSI at arriving at a first estimated price, in our view figures are being manipulated because the NSV model offers that on the side of the marketing prices to be conservative, to be on the lower end, and on the costs to be on the upper end. That cost would be more. This automatically results in a low first estimated price and the first estimated price is what give ground to apply a formula that if its over forty-two dollars, it’s going to be eighty-five percent. If it’s more, the percentage reduces to eighty percent of that estimated price. This creates a big challenge to the producers and it worsened over the years with the cost of grain inputs increasing. Why? Because as the first estimated price is calculated, it only covers the cost of harvesting. Remember that the producer had already embarked on a loan or financing to do the maintenance cost or investments in the production for that respective crop.”

B.S.C.F.A Believes Solution to Sugar Shortage is More Production

Chairman of the Orange Walk branch of the B.S.C.F.A., Alfredo Ortega said that the farmers are not in agreement with the idea that increasing sugar prices will solve the problem of the sugar shortage on the shelves. He told the commission that what should be considered is simply producing more sugar to supply both the local and the foreign markets.

Alfredo Ortega, Chairman, B.S.C.F.A, Orange Walk Branch

“Everything that uses sugar will go up and we don’t think that by increasing the price will solve the problem and it’s also not good for us being a sugar-producing country having two mills not to have sugar on the shelves as our community needs. SO we as the B.S.C.F .A are concerned of that issue. We think there are methods that can be put in place to reduce the smuggle out of here or as they have said to us many times, that the local sugar is the best price that they have, whenever there are reduced prices around the world. So what they should do then if they want to have this outgoing of sugar is produce more local sugar.”

Feinstein Group Lawyers Up Against GoB

The Government of Belize might be facing yet another lawsuit after it decided to compulsorily acquire a portion of Stake Bank land. The twenty-three point four acres of land is owned by the Feinstein Group’s Chairman, Michael Feinstein. A press release from the Feinstein Group, refers to government’s decision as high-handed interference in a private sector dispute. It continues by sharing its view that the matter that is before the High Court is unfair and improper for several reasons and it goes on to list several, a port of which we “first, government is siding with Honduran businessmen of questionable business practices. Atlantic International Bank Limited was, in 2019, forced to pay twenty-three million dollars to settle Federal Trade Commission charges for its involvement in the massive Sanctuary Bay land fraud. That bank collapsed and the Hondurans allowed Atlantic Bank International to go into receivership rather than satisfy all its outstanding creditors. Second, earlier this year the domestic Atlantic Bank Limited was slapped with a substantial fine by the Central Bank of Belize for irregular banking practices. Third, these Honduran businessmen have no experience in developing cruise ship port facilities”. On Tuesday, Commissioner of Lands Talbert Brackett informed Feinstein via letter of the government’s plan to acquire the land and stated that the acquisition was for a public purpose. The letter also informed Feinstein that he can present proposals for the government to voluntarily purchase the land, but that if he doesn’t, the government can acquire the land. The acquisition would be within six weeks of the second declaration being published in the Gazette. The land is the subject of a High Court civil matter to determine ownership between Atlantic Bank and Feinstein. Development at the cruise facility stopped in March. News Five attempted to get a comment from the Feinstein Group but our efforts were futile.

Police Pleads Guilty to Hitting Man in Head with Padlock

A police officer has plead guilty to hitting a detainee in the head with a padlock back in 2023. He is Inspector Christopher Martinez, who is accused of removing the padlock from a jail cell and striking businessman Aaron Flowers in the head with it. Flowers alleges that he was beaten by Martinez while detained in a holding cell after he discovered that Flowers was the person who allegedly opened fire at his residence with a firearm. Martinez appeared before the court today represented by senior council Simeon Sampson, where he pleaded guilty and apologized to the court for wasting their time. Earlier this year, Martinez, who was then represented by attorney Andrew Bennett, requested a sentencing indication as he was considering pleading guilty. However, when he was told he would be given a custodial sentence he chose to push the matter further before the court. Bennett would later recuse himself from the case after allegations arose of Martinez attempting to bribe and intimidate Flowers into settling. Today, his guilty plea was recorded and he is due back in court on September thirteenth for mitigation.

Immigration Officer Accused of Extorting Three Thousand US Dollars Back in Court

The immigration officer accused of extorting three thousand U.S. dollars from a Jamaican traveler was back in court today where she was provided full disclosure of her case. Allegations are that in March of this year, thirty-one-year-old Monique Escalante demanded three thousand U.S. dollars from Jamaican national Janhoi Richards while he was at the Philip Goldson International Airport. Escalante claims that she was legally authorized to do so as an immigration officer. The disclosure amounted to one hundred and four pages and three CD’s that make up the evidence which the police will be relying on to prove a case against her. Escalante’s previous attorney Audrey Matura had claimed that her client was innocent, and her arrest was a scapegoat for the corruption of senior immigration officers. Escalante is now represented by attorney Leslie Hamilton and her next court date is set for November eighth, 2024.