Category: Entertainment

September Celebrations are less than a month away and Belizeans everywhere are gearing up for the occasion. For many, the highlight of the month is the carnival road march that sees the streets filled with colorful costumes, music and most importantly, dancing. In just a few short weeks, the streets will be filled as people gather to watch the hundreds of revelers showcasing their love of country and community. In this week’s episode of Kolcha Tuesday, News Five’s Britney Gordon caught up with Soca Moca for an idea of what the energy is as the carnival date marches towards us.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Sub Umbra Floreo: under the shade, I flourish. That is what is written at the bottom of Belize’s coat of arms. It is a symbol of Belize’s history and resilience. However, it is under the blazing sun that the members of the carnival group Soca Moca, revel. And this joy is a symbol of Belize’s freedom.

 

Joslyn Smith, Reveller

“Literally, I ready like now. Honesty I noh di lie. We ready like fah today.”

 

 

 

 

 

For carnival fanatics, Soca Moca has become a household name as it has been a part of the celebrations for twenty-two years. Although back then, the group was known as the Southside Masqueraders. Audrey Bradley, the owner of Soca Moca for the past fourteen years, tells us that the new name represents the blend of ethnicities that make up the mas band.

 

 

 

Audrey Bradley, Owner, Soca Moca

“Fortunately that is so easy. Everybody loves Soca Moca. I think we’re the people band. That’s never a problem for us. As people hear Soca Moca, they always want to come and join. Thank God I noh have to di likd beg, di recruit.”

 

 

 

Almost a quarter of the group is made up of Bradley’s family members, but it is never short of new faces. The group’s ability to attract new dancers is something she strives to foster.

 

Audrey Bradley 

“Everybody love us everywhere we go and da like when once they come inna da this circle, this carnival circle, they automatically turn family. We have people from I started fourteen years ago and now they call me cousin and sister. So da family.”

 

The dancers are comprised of women and men of varying ages. Wilson Bejerano, a reveler for the past two years, says everyone is welcomed here.

 

Wilson Bejerano, Reveller

“From the first practice you can see that everybody just really accept me and just want to have fun just like this. I just come back and dance again.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Miss Bradley describes this sort of like a community, like a family. What’s that like for you coming in and being a part of this?”

 

Wilson Bejerano

“Like just like where she said, like family just come in and that’s happy unconditional love. Really good.”

 

Taija Flowers is participating in the road march for the first time as a dancer. Bitten by the carnival bug, she immediately knew that Soca Moca was the right choice for her.

 

Britney Gordon

“And you feel that you feel any kind of nerves being like a newcomer joining a group like this?”

 

Taija Flowers, Reveller

“No, it’s all love here I love it here. Everybody’s so nice. Everybody’s so sweet. Everybody just pure vibes.”

 

 

 

 

Soca Moca’s theme this year is an illusionary insanity where madness meets mystical magic. According to veteran reveler, Roslyn Smith, the team is ready to bring that magic to the streets of Belize.

 

Roslyn Smith, Reveller

“Well we could seh anybody who join our group, we da love. We da like family. Soh as yo come, yo feel the support, you feel the love. Yoh no wah go nowhere, you wah stay cah wr da all about love. When you hear bout Soca Moca yo only think bout family. Yo see the song weh Mashall Montana mi bring out? We rolling with we family? This da the song fi match this group yah. We rolling with the family because we da like one big happy family.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.

The Caribbean Media Awards Ceremony is being held tonight in Placencia. Media workers from across the region will find out later if their submissions will receive an award. We begin with Monday night’s opening ceremony for the C.B.U.’s Annual General Meeting. The environment took center stage at the ceremony, with a keynote address from Prime Minister John Briceño. News Five’s Paul Lopez is in Placencia. He filed the following report.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Caribbean Broadcasting Union officially opened its Fifty-fifth Annual General Meeting on Monday Night at the Naia Resort in Placencia. The opening ceremony saw several presentations that captured the diverse ethnicities and cultures in Belize. But the environment took center stage, as the theme for this year’s A.G.M. is “Media and the Environment”.

 

Dr. Claire Grant, President, C.B.U.

“There is so many parts of the country that are protected. You can’t just go around burning down trees and cutting down trees and that just struck me, but maybe people in Belize does not know but that is not everywhere in the Caribbean. It is not like that. The fact that you have by law protected your environment with policy is not something that tis common across the region and I am praying you do not take it for granted.”

 

 

Prime Minister John Briceño was the keynote speaker at the opening event. He highlighted several government policy initiatives undertaken by his administration to safeguard the country’s natural heritage.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We here in Belize are deeply committed to environmental sustainability and preservation. I am pleased that you all decided to focus this year’s meeting on such a crucial issue, the media and the environment. Today I will share with you some of the work that is being done by my government, the work of preservation and conservation. As a government we are deeply committed to safeguarding our natural heritage and promoting sustainable practices that will ensure the long term health and viability of our environment. As a journalist I hope that you all did your research and you would know that Belize is home to a rich diversity of eco systems, including pristine rain forest, vibrant coral reef and abundant wildlife.”

 

The Caribbean is on the frontline of the negative effects of climate change. Unpredictable weather patterns brought about by fossil fuel emissions have caused significant damage to vital ecosystems. The media plays a key role in helping to inform the public, tell the stories of those affected, and hold authorities accountable.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Claire Grant

“If you have all of these mangoes and suddenly somebody starts sending mangoes into your country that are cheaper than your mangoes and they send lots of them, after a while people may not remember the taste of your local mangoes or they see it and it is hardly there and they begin to think about the mangoes they get form outside. That is the same thing that happens with content. To the extent there is so much important content that is proliferating the entire region. It challenges how local people are able to see themselves because they are now like, I want to be like that, I want to speak like that.”

 

Monday night’s opening ceremony also saw the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center receive the CBU’s President Award. Additionally, the late Oliver Clarke from Jamaica was inducted into the C.B.U.’s Hall of Fame.

 

Dr. Colin Young, Executive Director, 5Cs

“You are an indispensable partner Dr. Grant. You and your team reaching almost five million people across the region there is no other entity that has the expertise, that has the reputation, the reach, the know-how, stories told by us for us, by the C.B.U. and linking arms with you over the last two years is paying rich dividends by encouraging our journalist, media professionals to showcase the plight of our people.”

 

Stewart Krohn, C.B.U. Hall of Fame Awardee, 2011

“With your financial prowess and strong business instincts you turned around the fortunes of the Grand Dame and Caribbean print media the Gleaner Company, establishing it as a financially strong organizations now celebrating its one hundred and nineteenth anniversary boasting the accolade of being the longest continuing publication in the Americas. But most of all, you were known at home and abroad for your commitment to press freedom. In the late nineteenth seventies spurred by the government of the day to bring pressure on the gleaner to influence editorial policy or to close the company you launched a campaign to protect the free press which you regarded as an important pillar to democracy.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

It’s an event that a lot of Belizeans look forward to as part of the September celebrations. The Carnival parade usually offers a visual potpourri of colours, sights and sounds. Revelers are often up from the crack of dawn to take part in J’ouvert before the big dance – that is, the carnival road march. The event this year will be huge, going by what carnival officials are saying, with as many of fourteen bands. New to the 2024 parade is the participation of bands hailing from as far away as Corozal and Punta Gorda. But there is a need for more assistance, especially from a junior band that suffered a major setback this week. News Five’s Marion Ali serves you this week’s edition of Kolcha Tuesday with what carnival is shaping up to be in this report.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

It may still be a month away, but the planners, organizers, designers and officials of Carnival 2024 are having their busiest time making sure that whatever necessary adjustments are made in time. Owner of senior band, Mother Nature Creations, Carla Flowers, says she has already gotten most of her spaces filled.

 

Carla Flowers, Owner, Mother Nature Creations Carnival Band

“This year looks great for me, so I’m not going through any challenge right now, like I have a platinum sponsor, which is Belize Tourist Board.”

 

Marion Ali

“Oh, great. Okay, so how many members do you have?”

 

Carla Flowers

“Well, I’m catering for like one hundred and fifty. I already have one-forty. So maybe only 10 more we are going for.”

 

Marion Ali

“Three segments? How many?”

 

Carla Flowers

“Seven segments.”

 

 

 

The overall parade in Belize City is also shaping up to be a great display this year, according to President of the Belize Carnival Association, Patrick Thompson, who said there will be a couple new aspects to the tradition.

 

Patrick Thompson, President, Belize Carnival Association

“We have been visiting the bands. And we see where the bands have improved a lot. So I must say, yes, the route has changed, yes, but that again is a new thing for Carnival this year. So I can assure you that the hype, regardless of the route, will be the same come September 7th. We have five junior bands and five senior bands this year. Also, we should be seeing a band coming out of Punta Gorda. And we are in dialogue with a band from Corozal and Orange Walk. What we want to do is to make carnival a national carnival, where we want these different municipalities to have their own, and then all the winners from different municipalities come to a national carnival.”

 

 

 

While the general momentum is positive, one junior band suffered a significant misfortune this week. Marina Welcome, who owns Jump Street Posse, told us today that things were also looking good for them, until someone paid an unwelcome visit to their camp.

 

Marina Welcome, Owner, Jump Street Posse

“It was going good until they sabotaged my camp. The other night in the hard rain, I think it was like about three o’clock in the morning, they tried to get in on sabotage. I don’t know if they took pictures or what, but right now they have me – I was doing good. Right now they have me one step behind because I had to do a lot of repairs.”

 

 

 

 

Marion Ali

“So they damaged some of your stuff?”

 

Marina Welcome

“Yes, a lot of them. Almost all the head pieces, so I had to take a day and a half and did all that all over again and repair.”

 

Marion Ali

“How many pieces?”

 

Marina Welcome

“Sixty.”

 

Marion Ali

“And the band is made up of how many members?”

 

 

 

Marina Welcome

“I’m catering for sixty.”

 

Marion Ali

“It’s all of them, and it’s really bad because you know already, sponsorship is bad. How are you coping now, having to repair that and it’s costing more?”

 

Marina Welcome

“(Sighs) Right now, I’m begging for somebody to at least sponsor my queen costume for me. The total cost of that is only one thousand five hundred dollars. So somebody please, my number is 671-2639. Please help and sponsor and get the kids off the street. “

 

The Association President also appeals for the assistance from the business community towards an event that a lot of people enjoy watching.

 

Patrick Thompson

“Without Carnival, there’s no September. So, like I would say to everybody, please come out, support these bands, all the little grocery stores in the different areas that these bands practice. Give them that little support, because like, in Creole we say, “one, one okra full basket” and all the support that these bands get will be gratefully appreciated.”

 

Marion Ali for News Five.

The countdown for the 2024 National Song Competition has begun and with that comes an announcement of the seven finalists who will be facing off on stage with an original song. The competition is held to celebrate Belize, but all participants are open to submit a song about any theme or topic. Competitors are also able to choose from a variety of genres and this year’s show will feature songs with soca, punta rock, traditional and contemporary brukdown sounds. We spoke with Kim Vasquez, Director of the Institute of Arts for the long-awaited reveal of the finalists. 

 

Kim Vasquez, Director, I.C.A.

“In no particular order, the finalists for the 2024 National Song Competition, Wilson Grinage: Until Forever, Jackie Castillo: Song for Belize, Shadow: In Your Blood, Echo: Remember Them Days, Allan Castillo: We Need Love, Lenox Awardo: Gimme All Belize, and Hubee: Explore Belize.”

 

Reporter

“So what happens now?”

 

Kim Vasquez

“So now we the competition is judged in two parts. The adjudicators, they look at the song and they’re looking for again, it’s a very technical competition. They’re looking for things like originality, production, arrangement, the originality of the lyrics, the meaningfulness behind the lyrics and that is judged in the first part of the competition. And then on the sixteenth of August, we come here live at the bliss center at eight p.m. for the performance segment now of the competition and again, very different, very unique format. When they come on stage here, they get an opportunity to warm up. They’re going to perform a song of their choice. It can be something that one of their previous hits, or it can be any cover of any song that is to just warm them up and introduce them to the audience. And then they will come with their song into the song competition.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And you said there’s a very good reason to come out and support this competition.”

 

Kim Vasquez

“There is again, what we’re trying to do is this is a way for us to, yes, have new music come out to support artists, to encourage them to improve their craft, but it’s also has to do with now where emancipation day has just taken place. And now we’re going full speed ahead into the September celebrations. And we were working hard this year to bring the competition in the month of August. So that all the songs could be out and they could be played and shared. And this is what we want the public to do, support them.”

Every year, Belizeans across the country look forward to the annual Queen of the Bay pageants. However, this year, residents of San Ignacio and Santa Elena expressed disappointment after the event was cancelled and a queen was appointed with little fanfare. Earl Trapp, Mayor of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, says that he understands the public’s disappointment and anticipates next year’s event.

 

Earl Trapp, Mayor, San Ignacio & Santa Elena

“The Queen of the West, we had a committee placed from November of last year. Somewhere between November and a month ago after elections in March, everything just eroded. Like I said on the station this morning, I’m not the person that will micromanage. But the candidates decided to fall out and I cannot force people to do what they don’t want. So I expressed my I mean my apologies for that but I can tell you that next year around I have a vibrant committee that will make ensure that we have enough delegates to have the Queen of the West pageant.”

It’s episode six of KTV the Remix Season Six and the competition is as tense as ever. With only three more episodes to go, tonight will see crowd favorites fight for those final spots. KTV Producer Viannie Reyes promises a night of excitement that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Here’s more on that.

 

Viannie Reyes, KTV Producer

“It’s hard to say this, but one of your favorites will be going home tonight. We have been seeing A lot of great performances from all of these contestants and it’s hard to see them leave. Last week was the first battle round. It was very emotional. So we’re hoping that tonight can be a bit smoother. They’re preparing for country or pop tonight. That’s a genre. And after tonight, there will be four more contestants that will be battling it out to stay in the last of KTV and that one person to become the champion.”

 

Britney Gordon

“So what’s the energy like going into this? How are the contestants faring?”

 

Viannie Reyes

“They’re very nervous, of course. There’s a lot of emotions behind the scenes, and it’s totally understandable, especially when they’re announced that they made it to the bottom two. Like I said before, the emotions came out behind the scenes, they took it on stage. So that can also be a bit, scary for them, too, because this is where the judges will have their say and they will be deciding out of those two who will be keeping that run for KTV the Remix Season six champion. We’re looking forward to see who is the bottom two. But we’re also asking for you for everybody to come out at the bliss to support them. It’s a different vibe than seeing it on TV. And also you get to participate in a lot of different giveaways. And also the halftime challenge as well to where you get to win a lot of different prizes as well. And like I said, it’s just the ambience, the entertainment and everything at The Bliss is so much better than seeing it online.”

This past week, twenty-two students from Belize City took part in free swimming lessons. The event was organized by the Belize Port Authority, which teamed up with the Belize Defense Force and the Belize Coast Guard. The lessons took place at the Y.W.C.A. swimming pool on Saint Thomas Street and today the children received their certificates of completion. Acting Ports Commissioner, Kaylon Young told News Five that they decided on a maritime activity since it is not taught in the regular school setting, and Coast Guard Training Officer told us about the different components of the training.  

 

Kaylon Young, Acting Ports Commissioner

“The Belize Port Authority along with the Belize Coast Guard and the Belize Defense Force, we developed a curriculum for summer camp and we planned the entire thing collaboratively.  And so we’ve executed it at several different locations and this is just one of them. Things that teach them seamanship, things that if they go to sea if they want to be a fisherman, if they want to be a boat captain, if they want to work on board a ship, it’s just to get them excited about the maritime field.”

 

Lieutenant Junior Grade Otto Garcia, Training Officer, Belize Coast Guard

“The Coast Guard assisted with the instructor. The instructor was part of the entire week and they did, um, basic knots and ties, basic CPR they learn about, safety at sea and those things that the kids should know. Everybody should know the basics of maritime safety. And one of the things that you teach the kids is how to breathe, how to do bubbles, and depending on level that they are, in terms of swimming, then you would be able to better teach them. And if you see, most of the kids are with the, what we call noodles, and that’s what they use if they’re just starting to swim and teach them different techniques.”

The children who participated in the event ranged in ages from six to ten and today when they received their certificates of completion, they were all smiles. Four of them were even excited to share with News Five what they learned from the program during the week. 

 

Marion Ali

“What you mi like the most bout your swimming training?”

 

Orville Alvarez Jr., Recipient, BPO Swimming Course Certificate

“The freestyle because we get to play around in the pool.”

 

Marion Ali

“Soh if you neva come da this weh you mi wa di do, if you neva tek this swimming?”

 

Orville Alvarez Jr.

“Deh home di watch TV.”

 

Keith Nunez, Recipient, BPO Swimming Course Certificate

“When we mi di do CPR, I never really get a chance, but want me to watch everybody do it. It mi look easy, but I nuh really know because I never try or nothing.”

 

 

 

 

Marion Ali

“So it could be something that maybe you could do you think?”

 

Keith Nunez

“Yes, I could do it.”

 

Marion Ali

“Okay, good. And then in terms of the swimming techniques, like how you do your hand, and how you flap your foot.”

 

Keith Nunez

“Yes ma’am, we mi learn wa side stroke and what else. We mi learn doggy paddle, and we may learn fi blow bubbles.”

 

Diondre Gamboa, Recipient, BPO Swimming Course Certificate

“If I deh eena danger I could swim from the danger and I nuh drown.”

 

Marion Ali

“Were you afraid before now?”

 

Diondre Gamboa

“Yes, maa’m, I neva want come. I mi fraid cause I neva know if I mi wa fit in with the people dehn weh deh round me, soh I mi fraid and I neva mi want come. Then my ma mek I come and now ih fun.”

 

Marion Ali

“And how when yoh get in the water?”

 

Diondre Gamboa

“I forget everything.”

 

Damien Gomez, Recipient, BPO Swimming Course Certificate

“I like learning the CPR.”

 

Marion Ali

“Any particular reason why?”

 

Damien Gomez

“Yes, because if my family ever gets hurt and they’re unconscious, I can help save them. I’ve always liked swimming, fishing, hunting. It’s my type of thing.”

Benksaid Bembe is officially for sale. The Kriol and English storybook written and translated by Belize Kriol language enthusiast, Silvaana Udz, hit the shelves today at the Angelus Press. The publication features illustrations from artist David Smith and promises pages of comedy and Belizean expressions that all readers can appreciate. Today, News Five’s Britney Gordon attended the book launch in Belize City for more details on the story. 

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

If you have ever been referred to as bembe, then chances are you enjoy a good argument. The word typically carries a negative connotation, referring to a bully or someone who’s confrontational. And nine times out of ten, it is a woman being labelled as such. But Belizean author, Silvaana Udz says that there is a little bit of bembe in all of us. Udz launched her first work of fiction titled Benksaid Bembe today at the Angelus Press.

 

Silvaana Udz, Belizean Author

“Benksaid Bembe. I believe everybody got a bembe inna dey. But, you know, the idea of this riverbank person weh inna everybody business. But ih da no really a bully bully. So, one of the things with Benksaid Bembe is, she get in a whole thing when tourists just mih dih start come da Belize, foreign visitors. And when they gawn da riverbank, they get in a big thing with what are the difference between Creole drum and Garifuna drum. And that’s basically the story.”

 

 

 

True to Belizean culture, the book is filled with laughter. For Udz, who had never published a work of fiction, it was a passion project. It was through the encouragement of her fellow Belizean authors that she was finally able to step into the genre.

 

 

 

 

 

Silvaana Udz

“I want to thank people like David Smith, weh do the cover and the illustrations, because that seemed fih draw in people when I had my first readers. And I also want to thank Ivory Kelly, who do pengereng stories, and lotta otha stories because Ivory Kelly and Colin B. Hyde, a columnist, and of course a writer himself, Invasion of the Mangrove Goons and all of that. I nuh mih a brave enough to do this thing. If they neva read it and tell me, yeah, guh deh strong. And give, then me give me some good feedback too, and mih make lee changes.”

 

 

 

Benksaid Bembe features both English and Creole translations, making it more accessible for children and non-Creole speakers. But it is not the average word-for-word translations. Udz explained that it is a meaning-based translation so that readers can understand the message and emotions of the passages. Krystal Dougal, Marketing Coordinator at The Angelus Press, says that the company was excited for the opportunity to support another Belizean author.

 

 

 

 

Krystal Dougal, Marketing Coordinator, The Angelus Press

“As you guys know, Angelus Press has been about for many years, for one hundred forty years to be precise. And when it comes to local authors or writers, we’re always all hands on deck with that because we believe that, you know, as a locally made business, we should support our locally made artists and writers and publishers. So that’s what we strongly believe in. Any person can come to us if they have inquiries about printing, all of those stuff, and we’ll definitely support them. Like, we had the luxury of having Miss Silvana’s book launch today. So that’s what we’re doing here, and we’re glad to support her and be the proud publishers for that.”

 

 

Udz has a long history with the preservation of the Kriol language and Belizean culture. This endeavor is another step towards ensuring that the language lives on in readers young and old for years to come.

 

 

Silvaana Udz

“And weh mih really, really strike me that some young people who done read it, when I mih di draft and so, they never know a lot of the expressions and sayings. Like, since Hachette da hammer you di wash gyal. They neva know weh that. So I hope da wa lee contribution as miss Ivory and Colin seh, but I hope they’re fun. More than anything else.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.

Emancipation Day is almost here, and the Faces of Belize Jazz Festival musicians are ready to put on a show. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the festival which plays tribute to the rich culture and deep history of the holiday with a blend of Jazz, traditional music and orchestra. We stopped by the Ramada Hotel earlier today to speak with a few of the performers who travelled from abroad to be a part of this beloved event.

 

Jalen Charles, Tenor steel pan

“So I’m a student at N.I.U., Northern Illinois University in the United States.  And one of the members of the band’s father actually came to N.I.U. for like a week.  And he saw us and asked if we would be willing to come and help out the band play and stuff.  it’s an opportunity that we are grateful to have been offered. And now we’re really excited that we could be here and just play, not just with a steel band, but with an orchestra as well and just even experience in Belize because this is my first time and all of us This is our first time in Belize. So we’re really excited for that.”

 

 

Hannah Sheridan, Celloist

“So I actually I was pretty lucky. I knew that my friends who were our steel and players were going and there had been a vacancy for a cello and my friend Joshua had said, Oh, I know a cellist. And put my name in and I think they needed me. And so I was here, I’ve been practicing the music for a couple of weeks. And yeah, I’m just really excited to play in this kind of ensemble. Usually I play classical cello and I don’t really get to be exposed to a lot of different kinds of musical ensembles and experiences. So it should be a new and fun and exciting experience.”

 

 

 

Carlos Perrotte, Director

“We are blending traditional music from Belize, from, with jazz, with classical music. And we have a big amount of musicians that will participate, around seventeen musicians, internationally and local musicians. That will be this Saturday, seven o’clock, in this room, Princess Ramada room. And we are inviting everybody that want to come and enjoy Belizean fusion music.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And what countries are the artists coming in from?”

 

Carlos Perrotte

“We have musicians from Mexico. So we have musicians from the US and also from Trinidad and Tobago. 

 

Britney Gordon

“And how much does it cost to come be a part of it?”

 

Carlos Perrotte

“General is thirty, reserve is fifty. You have to hurry because most of the reserve is already gone.”