A delegation led by Ambassadors of Investment Jaime Briceño and Haisam Diab, alongside Belize’s Ambassador to Mexico Oscar Arnold, convened with representatives from Mexico’s Tren Maya Railway Project.
The meeting took place at the Teya Tren Maya Station in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico, on March 25.
The delegation engaged with Carlos Imanol Belausteguigoitia, Mexico’s Director General for Central America and Caribbean, along with officials from Mexico’s Secretary of National Defense (SEDENA). Among them were Brigadier General D.E.M. Germán Redondo Suárez, in charge of Corporate and Commercial Strategy Development for Tren Maya, and Lieutenant Colonel Jair Garcia Pineda, overseeing Social Communication at Tren Maya.
Tren Maya Route
Key discussions revolved around the potential establishment of a station at Belize’s Northern Border with Mexico, facilitating passenger and freight services between Belize and southern Mexico.
This initiative also grants access to Mexico’s Interoceanic Railway, a pivotal route connecting major port cities on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Mexico’s Government has entrusted its military with the construction and management of Tren Maya routes to ensure competitive pricing and project security. Five out of seven routes have been completed, with the Chetumal to Cancún route slated for June-July 2024.
In the 2024 World Happiness Report, Finland clinches the title of the happiest country for the seventh consecutive year. Following closely are Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, and the Netherlands, as revealed in the annual survey released on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. This survey ranks countries based on the perceived happiness of their citizens. European nations, including Norway, Switzerland, and Luxembourg, continue to dominate the top 10.
An interesting note from the report is that the survey in Israel was conducted after the attacks on October 7, 2023, but before the subsequent escalation in the conflict.
Australia stands out as the sole non-European country in the top 10 for 2024, securing the 10th position. The United States experienced a notable decline, dropping to 23rd place from its 15th position last year.
Similarly, the United Kingdom slips one spot to 20th place compared to the previous year’s rankings.
Belize did not make the list and this may be because of a lack of data.
World’s 20 happiest countries in 2024
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Sweden
5. Israel
6. Netherlands
7. Norway
8. Luxembourg
9. Switzerland
10. Australia
11. New Zealand
12. Costa Rica
13. Kuwait
14. Austria
15. Canada
16. Belgium
17. Ireland
18. Czechia
19. Lithuania
20. United Kingdom
At the bottom of the list
Afghanistan remains the world’s lowest-ranked country for happiness. Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone and Congo also ranked at the bottom.
Today was the last time we’ll hear from Elena Smith as Senator for the Unions. As we have reported, Smith is vacating the seat. Glenfield Dennison of the P.S.U. was elected to replace Smith. During her budget presentation today, Smith noted that if the Briceño administration seeks to remain on track it must ensure that its financial policies are benefiting most Belizeans.
Elena Smith, NTUCB Senator
“As we go through and we look at the budget, the budget speech is titled staying track and so while it is that the government wishes to stay on its track, we only hope that the track we are going to be staying on is a track where we see the majority of ur people benefiting and the lives of the Belizean people will be better based on this track that the government wants to remain on. We must also look at accounting madam president of our finances. Coming here and going through the budget is one thing, but we must have proper accounting of how we spend the people’s money. Reconciliation and auditing will help to account for the monies we spend. If we continue on the track where we are getting an audit report every ten years, eight years then that is not giving us a true picture of where we are, how well we are spending our funds and accounting for those funds. So those are the kind of things we have to ensure are on track so that we as a people and government can say year after year we budget this amount, this was spend this amount, we have this remaining and we can now put this toward something years, and next year we can do better.”
During the 262nd Ordinary Board Meeting of COCESNA convened in Madrid, Spain, on March 19, Prime Minister John Briceño nominated s CEO in the Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation, Kennedy Carrillo for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for the term 2025-2028.
The Central American member countries on the COCESNA Board unanimously endorsed CEO Carrillo’s candidacy.
ICAO, a global UN body established to advance the safe and systematic development of civil aviation worldwide, convenes every three years to chart its course with input from its 193 member states. During these sessions, 36 member states are elected to the ICAO Council. Belize, as per its rotation agreement, is slated to occupy the Central American seat from 2025 to 2028.
Last night, we told you that A.S.R./B.S.I. denounced Prime Minister John Briceño’s decision to launch a Commission of Inquiry into the sugar industry. It was gazetted on March nineteenth, prompting a statement from the multinational company. The miller contends that the decision is politically motivated and erodes B.S.I.’s investor confidence. Today, members of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association’s executive team were present for day two of the budget debate inside the National Assembly. They were there to support Jose Mai, the Minister of Agriculture and a member of the B.S.C.F.A. Alfredo Ortega, the Vice Chairman of the Committee of Management commented on B.S.I.’s position.
Alfredo Ortega, Vice Chairman, BSCFA
“Like in any case it is a pity they behave in that way because in all, before they had said that they want to put two commissioners on which they had named them, from Brazil two join the other three persons from Marishous. So they were on board long before this thing with the commission of inquiry. It is nothing new, so it is a pity to hear from them now on this date that they will be coming out and say they will not support the commission of inquiry. I think that the prime minister has to take better steps and better decision in regards to this commission of inquiry, because as you can recall, the prime minister and the minister of agriculture have mentioned many times that once the commission of inquiry brings out their information that information will be used by the cane farmers, not only the BSCFA but the other associations to get better commercial agreements and also it will assist the Government of Belize to produce a modernized sugar industry. So to us the BSCFA is not a surprise, but we believe that Belize should not admit that multinationals comes and place in our throats or in our mouths what they want things to happen in their way. Belize is a nation of laws and rules and rules must prevail. If, look, I will use this example, whenever a Belizean opens a small business and GST gets to know there is a business, they come directly to the business and investigate so that person can pay their GST. So if they do that to small Belizean people, why shouldn’t they do that to the multinationals?”
Angela Rayner is one of the most arresting figures in British politics today. A self-declared socialist, she pursued an unorthodox route into politics, leaving school aged 16 while pregnant having gained no formal qualifications. After becoming a care worker, she was a trade union representative before entering the House of Commons in 2015 as the Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne. She served as the Shadow Secretary of State for Education for four years from 2016 and was elected deputy leader of the Labour Party in April 2020.
Rayner’s life story has earned her a reputation as an authentic working-class voice and, thanks to her own power base and combative performances in the Commons chamber, she is widely considered to be a standout figure among Sir Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet.
But who is the real Angela Rayner? What does she actually believe in? What is she like behind the scenes? Can she unite the factions of her party to endorse the Starmer project? And does she harbour ambitions for the top job? This careful examination of her background and career seeks to answer these questions and many more.
Michael Ashcroft’s new book follows the journey of a politician who has quickly become an outspoken and charismatic presence in British public life and who promises to be a lively addition to the government should Labour win the next general election.
Eclectic Aspirations has announced the completion of the director’s cut for WEALTH UNTOLD. This will be the third iteration of this evolving film. This version will undergo screening with selected test audiences to gather feedback before finalizing the post-production process.
Oceana Belize VP Janelle Chanona being interviewed/San Pedro Sun
Formerly titled UNBELIZEABLUE, the documentary delves into groundbreaking marine conservation efforts in Belize, spearheaded predominantly by women from diverse backgrounds. Their collaborative mission to safeguard a unique and endangered ecosystem serves as a global model for coastal communities. Director/Producer Eladio Arvelo said that WEALTH UNTOLD draws inspiration from Belize’s national anthem and resonates with the participants’ shared vision.
WWF Belize Country Rep., Nadia Bood/UNBELIZEABLU Facebook/Phil karp
WEALTH UNTOLD was recognized as one of the “Hot Films in the Making” by From the Heart Productions during the 2023 Roy W. Dean Summer Grant season. The film is slated for completion by June 2024, with plans for a world-premiere screening later in the year.
FAO’s launches innovative approach to prioritizing water management investments in Belize
The FAO Investment Centre today launched a study highlighting FAO’s new methodology to identify and prioritize investments in irrigation and drainage in Belize. The study outlines a practical framework for policymakers and private sector investors to address climate-related risks and bolster agriculture resilience through investments in water management.
Mohamed Manssouri, Director of the FAO Investment Centre, said; “It is vital that we boost strategic irrigation and drainage investments, with the goal to elevate agricultural productivity and support Belize’s smallholders to deal with climate challenges.”
‘Priority areas for irrigation investments in Belize’shows how data-driven investments in water management – alongside improved data availability and strategic resource allocation – can reduce climate risks to Belize’s agriculture sector.
Urgent need to support farmers facing climate threats
Belize remains one of the most vulnerable countries to climate-related risks. Threats of sea-level rise, intensified tropical storms, decreased precipitation, and rising temperatures, underscore the urgent need for investment to boost climate resilience.
In 2019 a severe drought devastated agricultural production and hampered economic growth, with Belizean farmers collectively losing as much as USD 38.5 million. The sugar industry was severely impacted, necessitating government intervention to provide financial aid for affected producers.
Climate-induced shocks have not only jeopardized food security and damaged infrastructure, but also triggered widespread economic repercussions – including increased transportation and food prices.
Identifying investment priorities
Recognizing the urgency, the Government of Belize is prioritizing water management – as demonstrated in the National Agriculture and Food Policy (NAFP) 2015–2030 and the National Climate Resilience Investment Plan.
To support these goals, FAO’s innovative approach aims to guide policymakers and private sector investors in identifying investment priorities within water management infrastructure.
Roble Sabrie, Economist, FAO Investment Centre and lead author of the study, said; “We sought to develop an evidence-based decision-making system that is practical and tailored to improving national and local planning, and supporting efficient resource allocation. To prioritize projects effectively, we considered technical, financial, economic, social, and environmental aspects – ensuring the approach is both comprehensive and practical.”
FAO employed a dynamic mix of on-the-ground data and advanced tools like EarthMap and Google Engine to map out Belize’s irrigation and drainage needs. This proposed approach combines diverse data sources, including temperature, precipitation, water deficit, and land use. It considers climate trends, assesses impacts, and estimates required investments for sustainable water access, focusing on priority watersheds.
Luis Loyola, Senior Irrigation and Drainage Specialist, World Bank – who was part of the FAO project team – said; “The methodology supports informed decisions and helps to identify priority areas for strategic irrigation and drainage investments – while factoring in climate change. We are aiming to enhance decision-making for more effective and responsive water infrastructure development.”
The initiative draws on learnings from FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) conducted in 2019-2021, and builds on the World Bank Infrastructure Prioritization Framework (IPF) to prioritize investments using climate, natural resources, and socioeconomic data.
It complements ongoing programs by the World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) focused on enhancing climate change resilience in agriculture.
Next steps for forging water-tight investments
Despite these advances, there is a need for more comprehensive assessments on water availability and climate data in Belize – particularly for surface water and groundwater resources – to help ensure a resilient and adaptive agricultural future.
Strengthening collaboration with authorities and institutions for data-gathering and sharing is a crucial step toward enriching future analyses and enhancing the accuracy of assessments.
Yet, these innovative initiatives driving data-driven decision-making and investments from FAO and other partners mark significant strides towards building a more sustainable and resilient water sector in Belize.
In celebration of women’s accomplishments and historical contributions, Cognella presented a special title catalog for Women’s History Month. The featured titles, which span the disciplines, underscore the struggles and successes of women throughout history. Cognella’s spotlight title is Marie Sharp: Made in Belize (The Authorized Biography). Written by Deborah Wagnon, the book tells the story of an extraordinary woman from Belize who overcame societal barriers, as well as personal and professional setbacks, to build a hugely successful worldwide business, Marie Sharp’s Fine Foods, Ltd.
As a business led and owned by women, Marie Sharp’s farm currently has over 125 full-time employees, with 85% of the workforce being women. At 84-years-old, Marie takes pride in being recognized as the “Queen of Habanero” throughout Belize and in kitchens globally. To purchase Marie Sharp’s Fine Foods, Ltd.
The Caribbean Court of Justice today dismissed an appeal brought by Nevis Betancourt. He is the man who was convicted of the murder of Jose Castellanos. In July 2017, Castellanos was shot inside a restaurant in Santa Elena Town. Betancourt was subsequently indicted and tried for murder. He was convicted and sentenced to twenty years in prison. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and affirmed the conviction. Betancourt appealed to the C.C.J. on the ground that the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the trial judge’s rejection of the defense of self-defense. The trial judge accepted the case for the prosecution, which was that Betancourt entered a restaurant, shot Castellanos twice before Castellanos chopped him with a machete. Betancourt continued to shoot Castellanos, who left the restaurant and thereafter died. The C.C.J. ruled that Castellanos did not act in self-defense, but rather that he was the aggressor. The Crown was represented by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl Lynn Vidal.
Cheryl Lynn Vidal
Cheryl Lynn Vidal, Director of Public Prosecutions
“Yes, I had to unfortunately come out of court to go to receive that judgment and the appeal was dismissed and the conviction was affirmed.”
Hipolito Novelo
“On what grounds?
Cheryl Lynn Vidal
“Their argument was that there was a third version of events that the trial judge had not taken into account and so there was a resulting miscarriage of justice. Our response was that there was in fact no third version because on the facts that the trial judge accepted she had already found that he was not in fact acting in self defense. He was the aggressor and the court found favor with our arguments.”
