Today, another subcommittee was formed to look at the retirement of public officers from the service. The Minister of the Public Service, Henry Usher says this will look at improving the efficiency with which public officers receive their retirement benefits. In addition, he said that the classification of the grading of public service positions is being investigated.
Henry Usher, Minister of the Public Service
“Quite often in the media, we’ve heard about persons not getting their gratuity or their pension to time, and we’ve been putting a lot of effort on that, but we wanted to more focus on that to make sure that when public officers retire, that they can get their benefits more efficiently. So, those are some of the areas we discussed today. We also looked at a recent review that was done. By a consultant that was brought in by the IDB to look at the modernization and the classification the grading of our public service positions and I think that is very important we shared that report with the union and I’m sure that we will have a further discussion on that at the next meeting.”
Today, the Belize Hotel Association hosted its second annual allied trade show. This event is an opportunity for members of the association to come together to network and share information about the goods and services they offer, as well as promotions for members and non-members alike. Earlier today, News Five’s Britney Gordon stopped by the Caribbean Motors showroom for more information. Here’s the story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Belize is eight thousand, eight hundred and ninety-six square miles, but across the tiny country, there are approximately eight-hundred and thirty-two hotels and accommodations. Of that number, only seven percent, or sixty-one of those hotels belong to the BHA. Today, the association hosted its second annual trade show to bring these members together. Membership and Services Coordinator Keisha Reyes, provides more details.
“We have thirty-eight of our members, they are all businesses here in Belize and we have one of our allied international who is also here. And the main focus for this trade show is to have them network with themselves as well as other persons from outside the association. So they have some booths, they have information, some have goods, some have services. They’re all here on display for everyone to take advantage of.”
The Belize Hotel Association is a non-profit organization that works to sustainably grow the tourism industry in the country. Aside from the hotels, there are sixty other businesses that make up the membership. Christine Tun, of Belize Commercial Laundry and Linen, says that the company has been a member for three years and the show allows them to introduce the towels and linens that they offer to the hotel industry.
Christine Tun
Christine Tun, Belize Commercial Laundry and Linen
“We’ve been a member of this association for about three years. And the trade show is a great opportunity for members and non-members alike and all those in the hotel industry to know about our services, which is providing commercial laundry services to hotels, resorts, vacation hotels, Airbnbs. We’re able to make life really easy and simplified by not having to worry about that. We take the load of laundry off of you.”
Another business that contributes to the tourism industry is the T-Shirt Factory Belize. As September Celebrations are underway, the company is here to showcase a variety of products offered to Belizeans and tourists. Manager and designer Ritisha Hohenkirk says that they could not miss the opportunity to participate.
Ritisha Hohenkirk
Ritisha Hohenkirk, Manger, T-shirt Factory Belize
“We are a part of BHA. We’re very heavily involved with the tourism sector. We do a lot of gift shop items, t-shirts as well souvenir stuff. We did actually decide it would be a great opportunity for us to come out here. We thought that we can get our brand out more.,I mean people do know T-Shirt Factory, but, some people might not be aware. And also, people can’t mak it to the store, so we brought the store to them.”
It is Hohenkirk’s first year participating in the trade show, but she is already seeing the benefits of her participation.
Ritisha Hohenkirk
“And I feel like there are some, I like members here that probably didn’t know about tshirt before and so know us being here, they can introduce themselves, we can introduce ourselves as well and create a connection.”
Celia Humes and her family are among the first visitors to stop by. Humes says that she’s glad they made the trip.
Britney Gordon
“What made you come down and decide to see what’s going on at the show today?”
Cecilia Humes
Cecilia Humes, Customer
“Well I got an invite from Belize Hotel Association.”
Britney Gordon
“And are you usually interested in things like this? How has it met your expectations so far? Are you satisfied with what you’re seeing?”
Cecilia Humes
“It’s been great so far. There’s a lot really interesting things and I’m going to…”
Britney Gordon
“Make use of them?”
Cecila Humes
“Yes, make use of them.”
Britney Gordon
“Is this your first time attending the show?”
Cecila Humes
“Yes, this is my first time.”
In only two years the event has grown significantly, a trend that the Belize Hotel Association believes will continue.
Keisha Reyes
“It will be just as worth it because last year we have a lot of our members say to us that, we got some great connections, we were able to connect with members and non-members that they, weren’t expecting to be connected with. So this year they asked us to do it a little bigger, so of course we came to a bigger venue. And of course, they’re here, everything that they could take advantage of, whether you’re a business or not, you can come. So the feedback last year compared to this year, I believe it will be even better.”
We have been hearing about the Millennium Challenge Corporation since the start of the year. The Government of Belize previously announced that the MCC is granting Belize one hundred and twenty-five million US dollars to address poverty through economic development. Well, that grant agreement was officially signed today at a ceremony in Belize City. Representatives from the MCC, including Chief Executive Officer Alice Albright, were present. So was Prime Minister John Briceño, as well as Opposition Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow. News Five’s Paul Lopez was also there and filed the following report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Today, the Government of Belize and the Millennium Challenge Corporation formally signed the Belize Compact Grant Agreement. The one-hundred-and-twenty-five-million-dollar grant is aimed at strengthening Belize’s education and energy sectors. The Toucan Room at the Biltmore was filled with government officials, U.S representatives and a special appearance by the Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow. Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of MCC, explained that the Government of Belize will invest an additional forty million dollars to the project, bringing the total to one hundred and sixty-five million U.S dollars.
Alice Albright
Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer, MCC
“Your dedication to reform and your commitment to improving the lives of your people serves as a beacon to what is possible when it comes to reducing poverty through economic growth. So it is a big number and a big number we should all be proud of given the tradeoff involved in making those kinds of investments.”
Seventy-four million U.S dollars of those funds will be invested in the education project. The primary objective is to increase training for teachers to combat low-quality education. And what about the need for additional teachers in institutions where there are reported shortages?
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“It is a very important issue but I think what this grant intends to do is to really take a comprehensive look at our education system. We will look at all the legislation involving he education system, all the structures that have in place for decades, to see how we can make the education system more effective. A critical component of that is how we improve opportunities for our teachers. How do we enhance our teachers capacity to contribute to education in Belize. How do we improve in terms of incentives for our teachers.”
Twenty-one million dollars of the funds will be invested in the energy sector to reduce the cost of electricity for Belizeans.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Our research has focused on finding sustainable ways to reduce the cost of energy for the people of Belize. Through this grant, we will facilitate new power purchase agreements for low-cost renewable energy, modernize our grid to efficiently manage an influx of various power generation and support the organizations that oversee our electricity infrastructure. This grant is a testament to the strength of our partnership with the MCC an independent U.S. Government international agency whose mission to reduce poverty by fostering economic growth is fully aligned with the priorities of this government.”
In total, ninety-five million dollars is being allocated to the education and energy projects. The additional funds will be used to meet administrative costs associated with staffing. As it pertains to oversight, Prime Minister Briceño noted that the entire process has been and will continue to be transparent.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“The whole process for the signing of this compact has been open and transparent. Everybody has been on board on how this has been set up. This is nothing new that has been done in Belize. I think it follows from different templates that has been done in other countries. There is no hidden agenda. We are bound by this agreement to be able to be open and transparent. So I don’t think there should be any concern.”
Alice Albright
“The oversight and implementation will be very much a joint effort and a joint partnership between our folks in Washington and then the entity we set up here.”
Michelle Kwan
Michelle Kwan, U.S Ambassador to Belize
“This is a very momentous occasion. I know it has been two and a half years in the making. This is the eighties compact of MCC and it is the celebratory occasion, and it is also the beginning of a lot of work. A hundred and twenty-five million dollars focused on education which will be eight percent and twenty percent on energy. I think as the prime minister has said in the past, this impact will be transformational for this country. It will impact a hundred and forty thousand Belizean student across the country and every single Belizean will feel the lower cost of electricity when they get their bills at the end of the month.”
In July, the opposition cautioned the Briceño administration concerning the one hundred and twenty-five-million-U.S.-dollar grant. Patrick Faber questioned the U.S organization’s true intent. Well, today, we asked Alice Albright, the Chief Executive Officer at MCC. For reference, we revisit that clip from Faber inside the House of Representatives.
Patrick Faber
Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet
“Let’s go down that road for a minute and please nobody doesn’t go misquote me or say anything contrary. I am not anti-united states, but whenever you see the U.S doing something it is a part of a larger plan. And so everything that the United States does is geared towards an agenda for the United States.”
Paul Lopez
“What does the U.S get from this, in terms of returns? What is expected of Belize. There were certain suggestions that the population would be bugled down to be forced to sign on to certain treaties, certain conventions, forced to support the U.S. in certain internation issues as a result to the size of this grant. How do you respond to the question of what is expected of Belize moving forward?”
Alice Albright
Alice Albright, C.E.O, MCC
“Let me answer it on two levels. We have an eligibility framework at MCC that guides us in the decisions of which countries we choose to work with. Leading up to December 2021, Belize was considered eligible to work with MCC and our board of directors decided to work with MCC on that basis. So that weas the origin of the decision. WE have signed an agreement, and it includes a number of details about the nature of the work we will be in parentship with GOB on. Part of it is education, part of it is on energy and there are mutual expectations of both partners, but they are really surrounding the project that is at hand.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“There is no hidden agenda with this agreement. It is open, transparent and we have not signed any secret agreement to get this compact. It is just that we have qualified for it.”
The objectives set out under the MCC’s grant agreement is to be accomplishedwithin a period of five years. So, what are the immediate areas of priority for the Briceño administration? Minister of Finance, Christopher Coye provided some details.
Christopher Coye, Minister of Finance
“In connection with education, I think everything has to be tied back to the root causes of the constraints to economic growth in education and the equality of education and how that translates over towards the labor force. So, focus areas will include education, quality improvement that already ties in with work that is being done by the ministry of education to complement that work. Alongside that will be training as well. So we have talked about teachers training, all the work being done. This will support that, but in a broader sense. Those would be specific areas in focus and for implementation. The implementation period is over five years. It is not an overnight thing. A lot of work ties into what the constraints are and how we will address those challenges. In energy it gets technical. There will be a lot of policy development. A crucial part of the work is the development of the grid code so that there is more efficient use of electricity through our grid. There will be some work that we have to focus on and what we want to advocate for is support in battery energy storage and how much of that grant can assist us in funding battery energy storage.”
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Francis Fonseca says the Government of Belize has sent a diplomatic protest note to the government of Guatemala, following a conflict between a group of Belizeans and Guatemalan Armed Forces on the Sarstoon River. The Belize Territorial Volunteers organized a trip to the Sarstoon River over the weekend. During their visit, a team of GAF soldiers rammed their boat into BTV’s vessel. According to Minister Fonseca, the incident has also been reported to the Organization of American States. He gave us further details.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“We absolutely, of course, state very clearly that we, our sovereignty and territorial integrity over, a part of the Sarstoon River that is absolutely clear. The median line of the Sarstoon River is long established between Belize and Guatemala. So, anything north of that median line is Belizean waters. So, you know that that’s our very clear position.”
Reporter
“Minister, what do you say to Will Mejia? Who says you all have taken a stance against Israel. That’s all the way over there. And then you have Guatemala’s military violating us here in our backyard. Why not take a more serious diplomatic stance against them, too?”
Francis Fonseca
“But what more serious diplomatic standing can we make? We have agreed, the people of Belize have voted for us to resolve this issue through the International Court of Justice. We are pursuing that path to a peaceful resolution on this matter. You know, no disrespect to Will. I like Will. Will has never been in authority. He has never held power. He has never had responsibility for making decisions. On behalf of the Belizean people. We have that responsibility. I have that responsibility at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And we will exercise that authority with absolute competence, with absolute recognition and respect for the people of this country with their interest. It is not about being emotional and beating your chest and going down there and pretending you are big and bad. It is about doing the right thing in the interest of Belize.”
On Monday, we showed you the incident at the Port of Belize where an eighteen-wheeler whose container filled with imported goods, careened off the pier at the Port of Belize Limited and plunged into the sea below. Dockworkers were quick to render aid to the driver, who fortunately escaped unscathed. The truck that he was driving was not submerged before he got out. Today, the Management of the Port informed News Five that the accident was not caused by any deliberate driver negligence. It’s also not the first time that an accident like this has happened at the port facility. The accident happened while work was being done on the pier. A plumber reportedly crossed the pier to allow for the truck to pass, but in doing so, the driver swerved a little too much away to avoid hitting the plumber and hit the guard rail on the other side. The rail broke and the truck fell. The port equipment and consignee cargo are fully insured and that will take its normal course. The pier is outfitted with guard rails and pillars along both sides but those could not stop the load of around seventy-five thousand pounds from breaching the barriers. The truck was salvaged on Tuesday, using a crane to load it on a barge. While the truck is not expected to be useful because of being in the sea for two days.
Earlier in the newscast, we told you about an altercation at the Lands Department in Belmopan that led to a Lebanese businessman brandishing a firearm. We contacted that individual who was detained by police and later released. Here is what he told us over the phone:
On Monday night, we told you that the Alliance for Democracy, a faction of the United Democratic Party led by Tracy Panton, is seeking to mend fences with party leader, Moses “Shyne” Barrow. The party recently took a decision to deem four of the alliance’s members, including Panton and Patrick Faber, constructively resigned. The alliance is now looking to have that declaration rescinded. When reporters asked Peyrefitte about all that has played out to date, his response was that the U.D.P. is not worried because the party will be fine.
Michael Peyrefitte
Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, U.D.P.
“I know of the United Democratic Party. And I have seen a couple side shows over the past years and I won’t entertain or dignify any of that with any response. I think the internal matters of the UDP can easily be left in UDP. We will figure it out. We have always figured it out. We have had situations where when you compare that, this, this is nothing. I mean, we’ve had a national hero of this country belonging to the UDP break away from the National Alliance for Belizean Rights and then join with the UDP a couple of months before a general election and we win. So, I’m not even concerned about that.”
Reporter
“Okay, so are you going to retract this? They’re calling it an effective expulsion. Is that what it is?”
Michael Peyrefitte
“Me? I think you already are aware of what the central executive decided, but like I said, things can, I’m always the hopeless romantic in the bunch. I always think that things can work out and we can talk through things, and we can unite and we can heal. I will always want to believe that up to a certain point. And I could also want that, but it takes two to tangle. So, let’s see how it progresses from here. But what I’m saying, what I will maintain is this, the internal business of the UDP in comparison to what’s happening in this nation right now, and the PUP always sorts itself out. The PUP always, the UDP always figures away. The UDP always sorts itself out. And so, I’m not worried about that, we’ve seen bigger problems than this and we worked our way through it. So, I think it is proven that nothing and no person can destroy the UDP. Nobody ever will. So, we’re not worried about the UDP. The UDP will be fine.”
This afternoon, a little girl was knocked down and seriously injured as she rode on the back of a motorcycle with an adult. The incident happened on New Road shortly after two p.m. The minor, in her school uniform, was not wearing a helmet when the driver of the motorcycle collided into an oncoming vehicle. We do not know the extent of the child’s injury; however, the accident came several hours after the Belize City Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Unicomer, the parent company of Courts Belize, for a traffic safety campaign. There has been a significant increase in the cases of road traffic accidents involving persons on motorcycles. The alarming rate of these RTAs has prompted several agencies, including the Traffic and Transport departments to join forces for law enforcement. News Five’s Isani Cayetano has the following story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Traffic safety prevents accidents that can lead to injuries or fatalities. With a marked increase in the number of motorcycle accidents recorded since the beginning of the year, the Belize City Council and Unicomer have joined forces to raise public awareness on the recurrent issue of road traffic accidents involving motorcycles. RTAs are a significant public health concern, resulting in death or serious injuries that have long-term impacts on health and quality of life.
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor
“We have been noting for some time now that motorcycle accidents have been on the rise. You can see for this year that twenty-seven out of sixty-five fatalities were through motorcycles, and as a city and a responsible municipality, we couldn’t sit by without taking some proactive steps. Being able to partner with Unicomer and Courts and the entire and the entire AKT team was something substantial for us.”
CitCo and the parent company for Courts Belize have entered a memorandum of understanding that will see a joint effort in public information being shared on road safety. Edgar Alvarez is the Commercial Regional Manager for the automotive division of Unicomer.
Edgar Alvarez
Edgar Alvarez, Commercial Regional Manager, Unicomer
“We see it very important to take care of the people that are in the streets, you know, not just as the mayor mentioned, riding the bikes but the people that are surrounding the streets. It’s not just the driver that is the person that is one hundred percent responsible for the accidents. We have some pedestrians and we have other people that are involved in different accidents that are not behaving the way they should be.”
Courts Belize is the agent for AKT motorcycles. Following its growth in Colombia, the company decided to expand its reach into Central America and the Caribbean through the Unicomer Group. The well-known AKT 150GT was introduced to Belize four years ago.
Edgar Alvarez
“So we saw the increase in the sales of the motorcycles, the increase in the accidents that were happening in the streets and we decided to go the best way possible with the Belize City Council to really have an impact on the society and the people that are driving the motorcycles.”
Traffic accidents can be costly, involving medical expenses, repairs and lost productivity. Reducing accidents through safe driving practices helps minimize these economic burdens. Adhering to traffic laws is a legal obligation. Violations can result in fines, penalties, or even imprisonment, depending on the gravity of the offense.
Bernard Wagner
“What this will do now is really assist us in providing the equipment for some of our enforcement officers, being able to have the necessary equipment to enforce the traffic laws within Belize City. We also looking at how we could raise awareness through campaigns and we also have to ramp up enforcement, that is the key part. So it has to be a kind of multi-sectoral approach. We require, again, assistance through the Transport Department, as well, in terms of really looking at how we could enhance the existing laws that we have in place, in terms of penalties.”
By prioritizing traffic safety, motorists can contribute to a safer, more efficient, and more harmonious road environment for everyone. Isani Cayetano for News Five.
