Category: Environment

The frequent downpours in Belize City have left many streets in dire need of repair. Today, a resident from the Pen Road area reached out, asking the Belize City Council to assist those living in Waller Alley. This alley, located off Pen Road across from the basketball court, has turned into a large pool of water due to the constant rains. Jehvon Ramclam, a local resident, mentioned that schoolchildren have had to get creative to navigate the flooded alley until it’s fixed. Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner acknowledged the issue, stating that the rains have taken a toll on the infrastructure. He assured reporters that the council is working hard to address the flooded streets, potholes, and drains as quickly as possible.

Jehvon Ramclam, Resident, Pen Road

“If you notice, the hole is down there somewhere, the hole is through there, all the way there, so too. In the morning, when the, um, we got young pregnant women live through there too. When the pregnant women come home from school, they have to walk barefooted. They mess up, they really mess up. Then, we got people back there, we do here all kind of things. Nobody want to walk through that, if you go do their hair or nothing. So, we really need help.”

Marion Ali

“What do they do to navigate through the mud and the swamp?”

Jehvon Ramclam

“They walk, they walk through it, they don’t have no next choice, no next option. If you notice over there, there’s one rubber boots over there, so.”

Marion Ali

“So they leave their shoes and their rubber boots there and walk?”

Jehvon Ramclam

“They leave their rubber boots there, and then they put on their tennis when they reach out, go to school and whatnot. When they come back, that is the same thing. They have to take off their shoes and walk through it.”

Marion Ali

“How many families would you say live back there?”

Jehvon Ramclam

“About ten, and ih goh way da back cause da wa alley. Way da back ih goh. Yes ma’am.”

Marion Ali

“And you live back here too?”

Jehvon Ramclam

“ Partly. I live cross the street but da like I live back ya because I deh back ya nearly every day.”

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“ We are completely looking at how we change the way we address drains maintenance, chopping of grass, potholes, we know that the current system that we have in place has not worked, does not work, um, for the residents of the city, and, and, and we are very aware of that and so  we are working on a new system which will be  really powered by GIS  where we’ll be really  dividing up the entire city north side south side into different grids we call them grids. 24 such grids have been identified and what we’ll be doing we’ll be having dedicated teams for each grid so you’ll have a chopping team, you will have pothole teams, you will have, um, drainage maintenance team within the scope of each grid and they will be dedicated to that area. So, it provides accountability. That, um, if I am in this area, I become familiar with the terrain, um, I come, I become familiar with the residents in the area and it is more responsive.  But again, one of our priority areas is drainage. That is key and so within the scope of this year, we’ll be ensuring that we focus on infrastructure, potholes, decent streets, ensuring that the drains are clean and maintained in a timely fashion. That is very important for us.”

Reporter

“What about sidewalks?”

Bernard Wagner

“Sidewalks again, everything is on the table, safety of our residents are always important. We’re not only worry about the motorists, but we always worry about the pedestrians, the kids. And so, if we have to put sidewalks in certain areas, we certainly will look at that.”

Today, a diverse group of industry representatives and companies that use chemicals came together for a workshop focused on improving chemical management. The goal? To develop a National Strategy that ensures Belize meets its commitments to four key environmental conventions on managing chemicals that can turn into pollutants. The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change brought in consultant Stephen Sangster to lead the event. Chief Environmental Officer Anthony Mai emphasized the importance of proper chemical management for a healthy environment and hinted at upcoming legislation to regulate this area. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene and filed this report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Today, representatives from various agencies and industrial companies gathered for a workshop that examined how Belize handles chemical waste. Chief Environmental Officer Anthony Mai explained that once chemicals are used, they turn into waste. It’s then up to the Department of the Environment to make sure this waste is managed properly, so it doesn’t harm the environment or our health.

Anthony Mai, Chief Environmental Officer

“Chemical has the capacity to create significant environmental harm and health-related harm. So it is important for the Department of Environment to put measures in place to be able to reduce the negative impact that chemicals could have on the environment and to human health. Today we’re here because we’ve hired a consultant to develop the base tool that we would need to guide our direction forward. So we have key institutions here because chemicals stretch across all sectors. Chemicals are used at the household level, at the health sector, in the agriculture sector, by academia, by the private sector, so it involves all sectors.”

Belize is already recognized as a trailblazer in the Caribbean and Latin America. To keep up the momentum, the Ministry has brought on board Stephen Sangster, a Chemistry Lecturer from U.B., as a consultant. His mission? To lead the charge in creating a solid framework for new legislation that ensures proper chemical management.

Stephen Sangster, Consultant, Department of the Environment

“Belize is actually one of the leaders in the region when it comes to implementing these agreements, We have a lot of laws and frameworks in place. We do have some reports that we’ve done but there’s more that we can do.”

Sangster emphasizes that as environmentalists and the legal team work on updating the legislation, it’s crucial to launch an education campaign. This campaign would teach people how to properly handle and manage the chemicals they use every day.

Stephen Sangster

“One of the main things that Belize has done is phased out a lot of the very persistent chemicals that stain the environment for long periods of time. We’re making sure we’re not producing it in country, that they don’t come into country, but there are a few that we’re managing as we go. Things like mercury and DDT that we use to control malaria, those chemicals are useful in our current climate but what we want to do is make sure that everybody is aware of how to best manage the use and day-to-day interactions with these chemicals and how do we dispose of it when we’re done with it, making sure that it’s not leaking into our environment. There is a lot of information that these agreements have provided some technical assistance in how do we manage these chemicals.”

Mai points out that although Belize has a solid track record in managing chemical waste, there are new areas the global community is aiming to improve. That’s where we need to direct our attention.

Anthony Mai

“Currently there are some major international conventions that Belize is a signatory to. For example, there’s the Basel Convention, the Rotterdam Convention, the Stockholm Convention, the Minamata Convention and recently there’s the Global Framework on Chemicals Management. All of these conventions are important. All of them look at chemicals from a different perspective and require different obligations from our country.”

Minister of Sustainable Development, Orlando Habet, said that once the National Strategy is finalized, he will urge the Cabinet to take the necessary actions to implement it.

Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development

“I will be taking some of these information papers and memorandum papers to Cabinet for their approval and those that will become the Act and Regulations will also have to go to the House for acceptance by the House of Representatives for them to become the Acts, but very importantly for us is that we comply but also because compliance is also providing human wellness that we need in our country, both for agriculture and human health, and in the broad sense, also for the environment.”

The Department of the Environment keeps a close eye on things, and when they spot violations and find those responsible, they don’t hesitate to take legal action against the offenders. Marion Ali for News Five.

Residents of Monkey River Town are deeply worried about their community’s future. It’s a tale many Belizeans know all too well. For decades, this small coastal town has been slowly disappearing into the sea. The situation has only gotten worse over the years, thanks to the effects of climate change. Tonight, the residents are raising their voices about yet another threat to their riverbank—the booming eco-tourism industry. News Five’s Britney Gordon brings us the story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Just three months ago, this tree stood proudly on the banks of Monkey River Town. Brian Garbutt, a local resident, fondly remembers taking his son there to hunt for iguanas. Now, it’s just another piece of driftwood, claimed by the relentless erosion of the riverbanks. For years, the residents have been battling this erosion, but as Garbutt points out, the problem has only gotten worse.

Brian Garbutt, Monkey River Resident

“In the late 1990’s that’s when tourism get started here in Monkey River, right? About ninety-seven, ninety-eight, right?  For the first couple of years, everyone that would do their tour, they would go up pretty slow, right? But on their way back down about noon time, you know, the sun would be up, the humidity would be real high, pretty much at that time. Most of the wildlife would seek shelter to get away from that immediate heat, right? So there’s not much to see. And that’s when these guys started to run their boat full throttle. And I have been I would say get awake about two weeks ago when I went up into the river and I could have seen the effect that are taking place against the river.”

The area has turned into a bustling tourism hotspot, with boatloads of cruise passengers arriving several days a week during the high season. Local tour guides whisk these tourists off to Harvest Caye or Placencia, navigating through the Monkey River waters. While the community appreciates the revenue, there’s a catch—the speed of the boats is causing problems.

Brian Garbutt

“Can you imagine a boat with about twenty  people doing about twenty miles an hour within, the widest area within our river? Probably would be about thirty yards.  You imagine five, six of these boats just keep banging on direct onto the clay.”

These boats, carrying anywhere from ten to thirty passengers, send waves crashing into the banks as they speed by. But erosion is just one of the negative effects residents have noticed. Ebenezar Gordon, a tour guide since the early 2000s, often joins these tour boats to educate visitors about the local flora and fauna. While his livelihood relies on these tours, it relies even more on preserving his home.

Ebenezer Gordon, Monkey River resident

“The whole environment changing because of big companies like the farming companies, you know. They have made big trench for the farm, so it do affect the water around here.  When we were younger, when it’s raining, this river used to take long before it goes down. But now, two, two days maybe the longest and it’s get calms around here. If you notice around here, you see a lot of erosion taking place.”

Residents also say that the boats stir up sediments, which the river can’t wash away, leading to shallow pockets of water. Garbutt, a fisherman by trade, mentions that navigating the river is becoming increasingly difficult.

Brian Garbutt

“Let’s say  for the day, one ton of sediment would be coming downstream, right? And the impact that these boats are doing to this river at this present moment, one ton would come down and meet with twenty tons.  So what would happen? That would just keep trapping up and trapping up. That eventually, what I have seen in my lifetime, if the almighty permits me with another ten years, it would be very impossible for me to get up in the river within a 23 foot Mexican skiff.“

Residents suggest imposing a speed limit for boats passing through the area. They also propose a small fee for tour guides to help fund the town’s maintenance.

Ebenezer Gordon

“We have that stuff  in place for a long time and it’s not having enforcements. I wish they could enforce it for us?”

Britney Gordon

“Who would be the persons in charge to enforce that?”

Ebenezer Gordon

“Well, I think it’s BTB, you know, because the guys there know, but they just want to ignore us because we don’t have the laws to back it up.”

A few years back, locals were filled with hope when they heard about a project aimed at saving the riverbank from erosion. Residents say funds were collected, but unfortunately, the plan never materialized.

Brian Garbutt

“And it’s pretty sad, you know?  That guy went over there and raised that fund, have to come through the government. Literally for sure sixty percent would go to the government.  So many people comes in and do their research. So much goes out. I hope that we get about a hundred thousand. Because it’s pretty sad.  We have a job that would be much bigger than what they are about to do, that is done by a local writing placentia done for a house right here on our coastline in Monkey River.”

The future might seem uncertain, but the residents remain hopeful and determined to save their cherished community where the river meets the sea. Britney Gordon for News Five.

The Belize City Council is finally paying off the eight hundred-thousand-dollar debt owed to the Belize Waste Control, which caused a garbage crisis in the Old Capital late last year. Thankfully, garbage collection resumed before the end of 2024. Mayor Bernard Wagner credited Prime Minister John Briceno for bringing both parties to the table to reach an agreement. When asked if the central government bailed out the council, Mayor Wagner clarified that the council is handling the debt repayment. He also continues to advocate for a garbage collection tax for Belize City residents.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“I have not shied away from that. I have been saying for years that the residents must. It is your garbage and the city has the responsibility to ensure that we are not utilizing funds that would be normally used for street rehabilitation and other operational purposes on your garbage. That has to be at some point addressed. Why is Belize City different from other municipalities? All the other municipalities has legislation to collect a garbage fee. I have not shied away from that. I do believe we have residents who want to pay. I have had residents who say mayor we want to pay a fee because we are a responsible contributor to our city.”

Paul Lopez

“Did the central government bail out the council where that outstanding balance was concerned?”

Bernard Wagner

“We are paying those outstanding balance. It is always a cashflow problem. Cash flow is how you manage it. During the slow season there will be a slow down of revenues coming into the council’s coffers. So it is about managing it, but we are, as we speak keeping up to our obligations to the Waste Control Board, as a city.”

Paul Lopez

“So there was not a bail out?”

Bernard Wagner

“We had very good discussions with the prime minister and he helped us with getting the parties to the table and formulating a plan and that plan is being adhered to as we speak.”