Economy - Channel 5 Belize

G.O.B. Donates 477 Water Meters to Rural Villages

Over four hundred water and plumbing fixtures have been donated to the water boards of rural villages across Belize. Today, representatives from the water boards in the Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo districts gathered to receive donations from the Ministry of Rural Transformation. The equipment will allow each water board to connect households in their community to the village water system. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Water is one of the basic needs every person needs to survive. But for residents of rural communities, access to that may be difficult to come by. For decades, villagers have relied on wells and naturally occurring water systems for drinking and washing. Now, the Ministry of Rural Transformation is bridging the gap between these communities and access to this human right with the donation of four hundred and seventy-seven water meters and plumbing equipment.

Valentino Shal, CEO, Ministry of Rural Transformation

“Most systems now provide water to their villages twenty-four hours a day. Before, people used to have water five hours a day, six hours a day, and sometimes the systems would go down for weeks. We don’t have those problems anymore. For instance, in villages like Santa Rosa, San Roman, every dry season. No water. San Antonio, Toledo. They get water three hours a day. It’s a very big village. You can’t live like that. You should not live like that.”

CEO IN the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Valentino Shal, explained that for years, local water boards have worked diligently to ensure that members of the community have access to water, but now, the government is ensuring that is accessible twenty-four seven.

Valentino Shal

“But who will fix it? Who will change it? Who can we depend on? Nobody. Just ourselves. We have to do it ourselves. We have to do it together with the government and we have to do it together with our villagers and we have to do it together with our leaders and our board. And I think that we have been doing a very good job together, not just the government, but everybody here. I’m sure that you are proud of the work you have done in your own village, with your own water system. And so we will continue to push for the sustainability of these systems. We want water, people to have water twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year. We want water systems to have money in the bank. And we want people to make sure they’re very comfortable where whichever village they live in this country, it shouldn’t matter.”

The equipment is valued at one hundred and twenty-three thousand dollars. This year, the ministry has purchased and distributed one thousand, three hundred meters.

Oscar Requena, Minister of Rural Transformation

“One of the first things that we have done is to improve the efficiency of how we support water systems. We support them by drilling new wells, by cleaning existing wells, superchlorinating wells when they are contaminated, support our communities by putting in place water boards. Providing training and capacity building so that they can manage the systems. We have seen where we have donated thousands of meters to water boards to make them sustainable. And that is why we are doing this here today. Because the goal of this is to make our communities and water boards self-sustainable. What does that mean? It means that by using meters, people are going to pay a more equitable price more equitable price for the water that they use.”

The meters will allow for expansion through new connections, water regulation, and conservation, which will help each water board improve its efforts at self-sustainability. Minister of Rural Transformation, Oscar Requena explained that with the installation of the systems, residents will be more conscious of the amount of water they consume.

Oscar Requena

“Because without a meter, people go wash their foot, wash the car, wash whatever on the tap, just di run and nobody cares. But by having a meter, people are going to be more conscious. You know once I turn on that, the meter di run, and that means the cents di go and I have pay. It also means that it allows the water boards to collect more revenue. And that we have seen how that has changed where communities have implemented meters. Their income has increased, has expanded. And if your income increases, what does that mean? It means that you can take care of your expenditure. You can expand water. And when your systems go bad and you need to fix something, you have money to be able to do that. And you don’t have to be depending on the government or the Ministry of Rural Transformation. That’s the big goal.”

Minister of State, Ramiro Ramirez, highlighted the hard work of the members of the village waterboards and the Rural Community Development Organizations. He emphasized the need to provide stipends for the members on the ground ensuring that the needs of the public are met.

Ramiro Ramirez, Minister of State, Ministry of Rural Transformation

“As he mentioned, now we have money and I’m glad that he mentioned that you guys deserve a better stipend. Because you work hard, all the insults goes to you. Once they don’t have water, they start to complain. But this ministry is doing our best and let us see who will put on Facebook that you guys are doing something good for them. So thanks to the RCDOs countrywide. Remember, meters are very, very good, very helpful. If you have a leakage in your system, that will show it because the price will go. It’s not only because a meter is just to affect you. The meter will never affect you. The meter will give you a service. Something that you don’t have to be twenty-four hours watching where is the leak. That will identify what is happening in your area.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Who Knocked Down Christian Chuc and Left Him for Dead?

The Independence Day weekend was punctuated by road traffic accidents. In Hopkins Village, the access road saw the second deadly road mishap in as many weeks. This time, the victim was not a resident of the village. Twenty-nine-year-old Christian Chuc lost his life when a vehicle knocked him down near the entrance to the village. The driver did not stop to render assistance to him. From what it appears, Chuc was about a mile into the road on his way to Hopkins Village and might have been knocked down from behind. He was left on the pavement bleeding profusely from the head, while the mangled motorcycle he was driving lay several feet away from him. This mishap took place less than a mile from the location where a previous road traffic accident claimed the life of nineteen-year-old Amaad Arana. The police are yet to share details of this accident with the media.

A Lukewarm Forty-third Independence Day Ceremony

The official 2024 Independence Day Ceremony was held on Saturday in Belmopan. It was perhaps one of the shortest ceremonies in recent times. Both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition’s address were relatively short and stayed away from the unwarranted spectacle of political mudslinging that often taints this event. Patriotism and unity were the themes of the day. Such was depicted not only in the speeches, but also the musical entertainment composed by Carlos Perrotte and Alexander Evans. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the story.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

“A Nation Proud and Free, Belize @ 43”. The nation’s forty-third Independence Day anniversary was commemorated with an official ceremony at Independence Plaza. The ceremony saw the attendance of government officials, Belize’s diplomatic corps, and the Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, among other dignitaries. Belmopan Mayor, Pablo Cawich delivered the opening remarks.

Pablo Cawich, Mayor, Belmopan

“Today, we gather to reflect on a journey of our nation and celebrate the progress we have made together. I stand before you with deep personal pride and gratitude, not only as the mayor of this beautiful Garden City, but also as the son of a visionary leader. In 1998, my father, the late honorable, Agripino Cawich, then area representative of Cayo south which included Belmopan at the time, took the necessary steps to establish the Belmopan Coty Council. His vision was to ensure that our beloved capital would have the leadership and administration needed to guide it into a prosperous future. Today, I am proud to say that Belmopan continues to carry on this vision.”

The Leader of the Opposition was next up to speak. Unlike previous Independence Day ceremonies, the opposition’s speech was not filled with criticisms of the ruling party, a picture of doom and gloom or a “sky is falling” narrative. All that was done days before the official ceremony. So, on this day, his address was focused on unity and patriotism.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“It is not just about the past on which we reflect but about the today and tomorrow that the new generation will build for Belize. Let us celebrate that this generation, young and old have the characteristics of our forebearers in our minds, hearts and our souls. We just have to dig deep within and attach ourselves to the ideals od patriotism that transcends, materialism, self-centeredness and momentary satisfaction. Let us today stand proud and free at forty-three and renew our commitment to the Belize we want to see over the next forty-three years.”

His address was immediately followed by a Belizean musical composition from conductor Carlos Perrotte. The composition included Perrotte’s take on Leela Vernon’s “Creole Kolcha”, “Ding Ding Wala” and “Call the Police”. Prime Minister John Briceno’s speech immediately followed the musical interlude.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Our success will always be amplified by our openness, because our strength comes from our diversity. And the symbol of it all, that which especially unites us, whether we live here at home or abroad is the Belizean flag. Lord Rhaburn expressed it best when he said, I am true born Belizean. Another Belizean looks not at another Belizean’s differences, but at what those things we share in common. We learned this from our ancestors who toiled, often against the odds, to build a resilient nation, despite the odds, which subjected them to cruel colonialism. They left for us a moral compass, the persuasion that has left in us the desire to construct societies that celebrate diversity, appreciate openness and values social justice, liberty and national happiness.”

Messages of congratulations to Belize on its forty-third Independence Day anniversary came from several nations. U.S Secretary of State Anthony Blinken emphasized the U.S. and Belize’s shared commitment to democracy. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Belize. CARICOM Secretary General Doctor Carla Barnett, a Belizean herself, praised Belize for its contributions to regional integration and environmental protection. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

Corona Beer Import Permit Put on Pause

The import permit that the Government of Belize granted to Goliath Investment Company to import ten thousand cases of Corona Beer from Mexico has been put on hold. Today, C.E.O. in the Ministry of Agriculture, Servulo Baeza, confirmed with News Five that the permit is on pause and that the company has not brought in any of the beer since the permit was granted a couple weeks ago. But who are the principals of Goliath Investment Company? From our research, we discovered that there are at least two shareholders, Jose Aldana and Emily Melissa Waight of a Tenth Street Address in San Ignacio, Cayo. The company, as far as we’re informed, was registered recently and is not a member of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry. And while the news that Goliath and its investors will not be allowed to act on their permit, Bowen and Bowen and Caribbean International Brewing Limited, brewers of Belikin and Mine beers, respectively, were still up in arms over the decision to grant the permit in the first place. With taxes included, a case of imported beer was estimated to sell at a hundred and thirty-five dollars a case, which calculates to a million, three hundred and fifty thousand dollars at the end of the last sale. But the reason why the two breweries are upset goes beyond the legal importation. They estimate that for every case that is imported legally, there are several more that are contrabanded. Today, Bowen and Bowen’s Corporate Relations Manager, Rosanna Villanueva told us that it goes beyond just the loss of revenue for what is imported legally, but the long-term repercussions to the industry. Similarly, Caribbean International Brewery’s Communications Director, Fortunato Noble told News Five this afternoon that the importation would have affected everybody.

Via phone: Fortunato Noble, Communications Dir., Caribbean Int’l Brewery Co. Ltd.

“It will affect the economy. It’s – you’re opening a kind of one that you don’t want to get into that messy situation because if you allow, and let’s say the permit is granted for argument’s sake for ten thousand cases. Who is going to monitor the fact that only ten thousand cases will come in? Because we know our porous borders. We know that you can bring in ten thousand cases and you can bring in, a hundred thousand cases the same way. Who is going to monitor that It’s ten thousand cases that they brought in? So it would affect us, of course, it would affect the beer industry in Belize, both Belikin and Mine, because people – you want something new, ih nuh matter if it costs five dollars, people will go for it and that will take away from our sale, that’s a given. But how does that affect our local industry? We cannot compete with a market from Mexico. And they say, okay, the tariff will be a hundred percent. Yeah, okay, yes, I agree, but who is going to see that that is carried out? We don’t have no problem with it. They say they’ll pay the taxes, but there is the danger that they will abuse it. And we, as it is, the country cannot police the borders properly. We are at least, for the time being, assured from what he said on the media that, hey, we de pull the permit right now, we put it on pause, and I am sure cooler heads will prevail, and sense will prevail, and the person or the company that is being allowed to bring in the Coronas will not get that permit.”

Agriculture C.E.O. Says Corona Permit was Based on Resorts’ Request

Agriculture C.E.O. Servulo Baeza explained to News Five that Goliath had not met the requirements to proceed with the importation of the beers, and now their permit has been put on pause. He said that the permit was granted because resorts were asking for the availability of Corona beer in Belize.

Via phone: Servulo Baeza, C.E.O., Ministry of Agriculture

“The conditions were that one, each bottle has to have the “Belize Market” and the address of the importer and that they have to pay all the duties. And as far as I know, they have not brought anything in to show that they are meeting the requirements because they would have to show that each bottle is labeled the Belize Market and so forth. I understand that there are bigger setbacks because for that amount of product, no big company wa goh do that, nuh and will take on the expense for going there, because that will be an additional expense for the labeling. So that is why even from the onset, I really thought that this thing wouldn’t fly. But they wanted to try it. The tourism sector is demanding and is always asking us for different things. This is one of the things that some of the resorts are asking us for, so that is how it came about.”

Are People Making Fair Wages For Their Labour?

While the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry agrees that there does seem to be a high percentage of employment in Belize, the matter of how much people are being paid for their labour is quite another topic. The B.P.O. industry seemingly advertises the most job vacancies in Belize. We’re told that people with degrees are now being employed at B.P.O.s across the country. At the start of the new school year, News Five was made aware of a teacher shortage at a few schools. It is a situation where teachers are reportedly leaving the classroom to seek either more convenient jobs closer to home or better-paying ones in other fields of work, including the call center industry. We asked the President of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Katherine Meighan if the wages that people are earning are fair.

Katherine Meighan, President, B.C.C.I.

“There’s always that challenge where you may have an employee that feels as if they’re not being fairly paid. The question is: what is that employer doing and what is that employee doing? And you have to approach it from a solution-based perspective because what you don’t want is an employee that is not achieving their best within that company and an employer doesn’t want that because it doesn’t work. It’s not going to be sustainable into the future. So it’s really – that is very specific of a question, but what I would say is these are discussions that any business that’s looking to grow and develop, they’re going to have these discussions and they’re going to encourage their employees to have these discussions with their relevant managers so that they can find solutions.”

Chamber President Happy with G.O.B.’s Efforts to Promote MSMEs

In his State of the Nation address earlier this week, Prime Minister John Briceño spoke about the government’s efforts to create better economic opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). He said that the government has enacted legislative amendments to its fiscal incentive programs. These programs have been updated to expand the range of eligible sectors and accommodate uptake among MSMEs. The PM used the digital services sector, or the B.P.O. sector, as now being able to apply specific features, such as work from home arrangements and on-site daycare for single mothers. Additionally, Prime Minister Briceño said that recently, the government introduced the Belize Economic Empowerment Program, where grant funding from the Caribbean Development Fund will provide eight hundred thousand dollars to ninety-three MSMEs. Along with this will come training and mentorship to ensure their sustainability. And to further support small businesses, small farmers and new homeowners, the PM said that the government is making affordable financing more accessible. These efforts, Meighan says are important for the development of a sector that represents a significant percentage of Belizean businesses.

Katherine Meighan, President, B.C.C.I.

“MSMEs are a very, very important part of our economy. I think it’s an important part of any economy, in my opinion. Because they really make up, they’re fuel. They’re a fuel for growth. They’re a fuel for innovation. They are a part of the entrepreneurial cycle. They also play a critical role, like some of these other industries, B.P.O.’s for instance, in the growing of the middle class. And the middle class in any economy, any community is significant because they’re the blood, if you want to say it that way. And so, I’m happy to see, wherever there are opportunities and incentives to encourage their continued growth. MSMEs need technical training and support. They need access to financing. They need support in many, many areas in terms of packaging, for instance, marketing. You can name quite a few. And what I also encourage and what I see, and this is something we share with all of our MSMEs that are members of the Chamber – we encourage them to come together, network, and identify what these opportunities are and not be fearful to jump on them and learn. The quicker they can formalize and develop themselves, the better off they will be.”

PM Clarifies Inflation Rate is up from 2020

During his State of the Nation address earlier this week, Prime Minister John Briceño highlighted the decreased inflation rate as one of the successes of his administration. He said inflation has fallen from six-point-three percent to three-point-eight percent since 2022. However, in response, Belize City residents claim that they have not observed the decrease and complained about the high cost of living. We asked the Prime Minister for a response to these complaints. Here was his response.

Britney Gordon

“And some people do not agree that inflation is down though, sir, a lot of people, I know you mentioned this, but what can you say to those people that are disputing that?”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I understand what they’re saying. The prices indeed have gone up from 2020, but when you look at the rate of inflation, you compare it to the previous year, not to 2020. Last year, the inflation rate was over four percent and now it’s down to about three percent. About 3 percent of last year, not of 2020. So yes, the prices are still high, and we’re hoping that with time and competition, that the prices are going to come down even more. The issue of price gouging it exists and wherever we find that we try to act as best as we possibly can.”

Chamber President Says Many Factors Can Cause Inflation

While shoppers disagree with Prime Minister Briceño that there has been a two-point-five percent decrease in inflation since 2022, President of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Katherine Meighan told News Five today that there are several variables that factor into the inflation rate. Tied very closely to that, she explained, is the issue of importation.

Katherine Meighan, President, B.C.C.I

“If you look at the statistics, just generally just what’s out there and you can pull inflation has plateaued. Nonetheless, there are effects that are coming into play. Examples: sometimes what you’re looking at is there is older stock that has now finished and newer stock has come into play. If it’s a commerce related matter. Now, additionally, it could be a demand and supply component as well? So there’s lots of angles that can cause that. Whether it’s all directly connected to external effects, we’ll have to continue to evaluate and see. Nonetheless, I would say, for us, we need to look at the fact that the more we are dependent on external sources, for instance, for food and packaging, the more we’re going to have these sort of effects where inflation comes in and can increase prices in a very unpredictable way.”

PM says 10K Cases of Corona Beer Due to Local Shortage

The government of Belize recently authorized over ten thousand cases of Corona beer to be imported into the country. The volume of the shipment raised concerns among local brewers about the impact that the flood of Mexican beers would have on the Belizean market. Prime Minister John Briceño explained that the importation is due to a shortage of local beer at a time of high demand. Here is more on that.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“It’s ten thousand cases. And not a single bottle has been imported yet. They just issued, or about to issue the the permit to import it. What has been happening is that there has been a shortage of Belikin, there has been a shortage of Coca-Cola in the market. I got a message from one of my constituents yesterday saying, here with the twenty-first, and we are short of soft drinks and beer, and this is a time when we can sell. And I’ve been in touch with the CEO, mister Michael Bowen, an excellent businessman and Belizean. And he’s saying that they have increased the production and sales have increased. But it seems because of the growth of the of the economy, we’ve been growing very fast, it’s been difficult to catch up. So there’s some shortages. Is that a policy that we want to go down to? I don’t think so. I don’t think that’s a policy that to we want to support local industry but if from time to time there’s a shortage we may need to consider in the short term to allow that to come. We are still looking at the issue of the Corona beer and probably quite likely at the next cabinet probably it will become will come up for discussion.”