After many years serving as the head of the Belize Cancer Society, Laura Tucker-Longsworth stepped down from the role and has been succeeded by former Special-Envoy Kim Simplis-Barrow. The organization announced on Wednesday the newly-appointed members of the board. News Five’s Britney Gordon visited the Belize Cancer Society for more information.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
The Belize Cancer Society has big hopes for the future. On Wednesday, a new board was announced with Kim Simplis Barrow serving as the newly elected president. Barrow spoke to News Five, giving us an update on the organisation’s way forward.
Kim Simplis-Barrow
Kim Simplis-Barrow, President, Belize Cancer Society
“Our major objectiveat this point is to really work on our strategic plan for the next five years. The current strategic plan is outdated. A part from that, we want to continue our outreach program. We want to continue our advocacy role. To ensure that people are aware of what they can do for healthy living and prevention of cancer and the services that are offered by the Belize Cancer Society. So there’s a lot to do. There’s a lot that has been done. But there’s still so much that we need to do. We have the cancer walk that’s coming up. We’re looking at the end of May and so huge preparation for that has already started. So a number we will see, I believe, a number of things happening throughout the year.”
Former President Laura Tucker-Longsworth shared her sentiments about the newly elected board and their mission for the Belize Cancer Society.
Laura Tucker-Longsworth
Laura Tucker-Longsworth, Former President, Belize Cancer Society
“I’m excited about the new boards. Seriously, we’re very happy that we put together a really dynamic slate of men and women with different expertise, as you know. The Belize Cancer Society went through a really bad time, like other organizations, during the COVID pandemic, and they were literally operated without funds, but we stayed, our doors remained opened, and so we have been making that recovery over the past two years. And so now we’re here ready and poised to really move the organization to another level. The board members and new board members are highly skilled. They are cancer survivors, many of them. I think we have over six individuals on the new board that are cancer survivors. So they understand the journey and that’s will allow great advocacy For those in the community and a greater understanding of how important it is to conduct public awareness campaigns and so on.”
Recently, the government of Costa Rica issued a state of emergency after two hundred and three cases of screwworm were detected among various animals such as cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and dogs. Screwworms are a species of parasitic fly that is well known for the way in which its larvae eat the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. The recent breakout originated but has since moved upward to Costa Rica, leaving some to wonder if this will have any effects on Belize’s cattle Industry. We spoke with Minister of Agriculture, Jose Mai for more Information. News Five’s Britney Gordon Reports.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Belize’s cattle industry has been on the rise for the past few years, increasing a reported 21.4 percent between 2022 and 2023. This generated over seventy million, five hundred thousand dollars in revenue. Belizean cattle is also certified disease-free, but a recent outbreak of screwworm detected in Panama and Costa Rica has raised concerned about the security of the cattle industry. Minister of Agriculture, Jose Mai, briefed us on the situation.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“Last year, October, I think it was that, cases of Screwworms showed up in Panama. I believe it Screwworms were eradicated from Belize in 1993, I think it was. I was a member of the technical staff that worked then eradicating squirrels from Belize. So we eradicated Screwworms in nineties, ninety-three, I think, nine-two, ninety-three. Thereafter, Guatemala eradicated, Salvador all the way down to Panama. There’s a natural barrier between Panama and Colombia where the flies don’t come over. But for some reason or the other, last year they claim climate change and they claim the migration of people from South America into North, into Central America. They claim that that must have been the reason why we found the screwworm flies now in Panama. From Panama it then spilled over to Costa Rica. Panama right now has more than a thousand cases, I think. Costa Rica has a number of cases. I think they found two hundred and two last week. And they, actually they made a declaration, an emergency declaration, that they’re having Screwworms”.
Mai further stated that countries that have invested heavily in cattle such as Mexico, the United States, Belize, and Guatemala are especially concerned about the outbreak due to the risk of significant economic damage to the industry.
Jose Abelardo Mai
“But every country in Central America through ORISA, which is the Regional Organization for animal and Plant Health, are working together to put a plan to try to contain the spread of this pest. Now, you will probably know that the way how screwworms are controlled is by releasing sterile flies. There is a plant in Panama that produces sterile flies and then these are spread across the areas that have incidences and when they mate with the fertile flies, then the eggs do not hatch, so you break the cycle. But we understand that there’s not enough flies to disperse in the area. Hence we are having increased cases of worms. So it is a concern for all of us. We have stepped up our surveillance programs. We do not allow cattle or any animals to come into the country because they can be infected. And so the movement of animals across the region is slowing down. It’s being watched carefully. So we have stepped up our game to that.”
We also spoke with Roxanna Alvarez, Chief Veterinary Officer & Technical Director of Animal Health of BAHA, who gave further insight into Belize’s current preventative measures.
Roxanna Alvarez
Roxanna Alvarez, Chief Veterinary Officer & Technical Director of Animal Health, BAHA
“What we’ve been doing is that we’ve been sending regular press releases out to remind the public of animal health emergencies. We’ve been encouraging farmers and producers through their association groups that they need to report cases of masses. This is actually when there is an infestation of a wound by larvae. So we’re asking farmers to repeat report cases of this to their local livestock officers or to our BAHA offices. So, we’ve started that process already. We’ve also been working at training our field officers and our laboratory officers in identification in prevention and treatment and all of this of the screwworm and we’re participating in regional workshops on the response to these emergencies.”
Mai explained that sterile flies are a key part of containing the outbreak and neighboring countries are pooling resources in order to ensure that every nation is equipped.
Jose Abelardo Mai
“Now, there is a call from Mexico to us, to help in financing the cost of dispersing flies. It’s not a cheap operation to produce the flies and to disperse. Mexico has asked us to I believe we will have to every region, every country in the region will have to add some kind of resource in no specific quantities, but we have to just contribute to controlling the outbreak. If we don’t do so today, it will be even more expensive in the next year or so. So we will step up our game quick and do it very fast.”
On the topic of cattle, last week, up to three truckloads of Belizean cattle were turned away at the Mexican border due to a change in cattle importation regulations. Reportedly, the cattle was stalled by an entire day after being sent back to Belize before being returned the following day. Reporter Britney Gordon has the story.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“Last week, I think Tuesday three truckloads were returned back to Belize. I’m not sure why or under what technical reason I did have to communicate with the Minister of Agriculture, my counterpart in Mexico City, and the cattle were allowed to leave the following day, but thereafter both countries’ animal health authorities met to decide what was the problem how to solve it.”
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Agriculture Minister Jose Mai told News Five that he along with a number of health directors and representatives from Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA), travelled to Mexico to sort out the matter.
Jose Abelardo Mai
“There we were informed that the protocols had changed. And so we have to adapt to the changes that they have asked us to do. And they asked us a number of things. One is that we have to use an OIRSA vet now, which is not a bad idea. It’s a good idea. We’ll have some additional costs, of course. And two is that we will need to put a corral. I call it a border corral. And they wanted to put it as close as possible to the border for their animal health inspectors to come and do inspection for the cattle to go. They said to us that this is what Guatemala is doing. So We traveled to Guatemala immediately after to look at what they have, the border between Guatemala and Mexico to look at their facility.”
Mai stated that the representatives were able to negotiate an agreement in which Belize would update its facilities to proceed with cattle exportation into Mexico.
Jose Abelardo Mai
“And the most challenging part will be to have a corral near the border within eighteen months. That is the most challenging part, but I’m sure that we will, we already started to work on a plan of how to move forward with that. The important thing, though, is that cattle continue to be exported from Belize from the entire country which is a good thing. Cattle exports can generate up to ninety million. We exported forty thousand head last year. We have about ten thousand consumed locally. So we’re talking maybe Close to ninety million dollars. And the export is very important. So we need to keep the markets open. We need to do what we need to do to keep that market going.”
The Generation Amazing Foundation is establishing its grassroots football program in Belize. The foundation is described as a legacy movement from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. An official ceremony was held in Belmopan this morning to celebrate the introduction of the program in more than two dozen primary schools. Here is more from that event courtesy of TNC.
Nasser Al Khori
Nasser Al Khori, Executive Director, Generation Amazing Foundation
“We started at the very early stages of the bid for the World Cup. Countries put together a bid and there is a legacy component that you have to put together for FIFA. Generation Amazing was one of the projects that we presented and we continued, regardless of the bid, Generation Amazing was created as a foundation and we use sports, mainly football as a tool for social development and we are aligned with the UN’s sustainable development goals and we really believe that people have the power to come together and unite and to kind of embed different values and create more coherent societies and that is what we have been doing over the last fourteen years. We have been able to impact the lives of one millions boys and girls over seventy-five countries around the world.”
Sergio Chuc
Sergio Chuc, President, F.F.B.
“What we have done here is introduce it to the primary school kids, to a number of primary schools, twenty-five and we have been begging for more. I know Jennifer committed she will throw in another ten. The legacy will go on because the ministry for Education has seen the value with what we are doing and when they realigned their curriculum they made physical education a priority. I believe with the meeting we had, they had five major educational components and one is physical education.”
A man was shot dead early this morning in Ladyville. He has been identified as twenty-one-year-old Cameron Hemsley, a known street figure of the same community. Hemsley was released from the Belize Central Prison on February second, for a robbery that is still before the Magistrate’s Court. He was shot in the Kwam Street area and ran into a yard where he collapsed and died. His body was discovered this, morning beside a house, where he apparently ran to escape the gunfire; however, he had already been mortally injured. News Five’s Marion Ali was in Ladyville today and put together the following report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
This is the location behind this residence at the corner of Seagull and Kwam streets in Ladyville, where twenty-one-year-old Cameron Hemsley drew his last breath this morning, before one o’clock. He had apparently sought refuge here when eight gunshots rang out. Hemsley ran into the yard and collapsed. The occupant of the house told News Five that he heard the gunshots, and a few seconds later he heard laboured breathing for a short while outside his house near a window. The man said that he thought that it was an opossum because not long ago, stray dogs had mauled one of these animals and it was breathing heavily before it died.
This morning, after the shots were fired, residents said that dogs were barking incessantly. But no one went to investigate what had really happened and it was not until the occupant of the house opened his window and looked outside that he saw Hemsley’s body beside his house. While no one in the immediate area was willing to talk on record, this incident has left them spooked. Two of Hemsley’s acquaintances did share with us off-camera, different perspectives of the same person. One of his friends, a woman who did not wish to share her name, was shocked by the incident.
Voice of: Friend of Cameron Hemsley
Voice of: Friend of Cameron Hemsley
“I surprised when I hear this morning that they kill her, you know, it was very surprising because I never believe they want to kill her, cause he well known a lady villain, everybody hang with her, soh ih very surprising. He did crimes, but not concerning people, nuh like that. He mi cool, da wa cool young man.”
But Hemsley’s other friend who also spoke with us off-camera, said the killing came as no surprise to him.
Voice of: Friend of Cameron Hemsley
“He choose a life deh. That da neva pahn we.”
Marion Ali
”What kind of life yoh di talk bout?”
Voice of: Friend of Cameron Hemsley
“Street, and you know the street is gonna eat you up after a while. There’s a lot of things. A lotta people mi want get the man. One time he was good; we tried to help him, but we can’t help him no more. We told him that when he come from jail last time.”
According to court reports, Cameron Hemsley was in fact, facing a trial for robbery. He was out on bail which he had secured just twelve days ago while awaiting the trial to begin, when he was shot dead. In 2019, he was charged with two counts of robbery with a firearm and one count of aggravated assault for pulling a gun on a police officer. Police are investigating the incident. Marion Ali for News Five.
In 2023, twenty-eight-year-old Howard Reyes was charged for attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm, aggravated assault with a firearm and wounding, following a shooting incident in Saint Paul’s Bank. Today, the Burrell Boom car dealer is a free man after his last two charges were dropped by the virtual complainant, James Perry, who requested that no further court action be taken against Reyes. According to Reports, Perry had been walking home when a gray Chevrolet Equinox drove up beside him and someone inside the vehicle fired several shots, injuring Perry. Due to the nature of the offenses, Reyes was denied bail at the time and was remanded to the Belize Central Prison. However, Reyes was later granted bail in late 2023 by the High Court and now, in light of the complainant’s request, the remaining charges of wounding and deadly means of harm were dropped and Reyes was set free.
After a mere six days in Belize, a Honduran national has been charged with illegal entry and is at risk of serving six months in Prison. Allegations are that thirty-nine-year-old Loren Rosales entered Belize on February eighth, 2024 through the banks of the Mopan River in Benque Viejo Del Carmen and has since being staying in Belize City, where she was later found. Rosales appeared unrepresented before a senior magistrate where she was read a single charge of illegal entry, to which she pleaded guilty. Rosales was given the option of paying a one thousand, five dollar fine or spending six months in prison, after which she will be deported back to Honduras. During mitigation, Rosales pleaded for leniency and asked the court for assistance in obtaining legal documents so that she may be removed from Belize earlier. Rosales was informed that if she wishes to remain in Belize legally, she must return home, obtain a passport and follow the proper protocol for such proceedings. However, she expressed disinterest in remaining in Belize any further. Since Rosales pleaded guilty and has no legal ties in Belize, the court ordered for her expulsion after paying her one thousand five hundred dollar fine or serving six months in prison. Tonight, Rosales is at the Belize Central Prison.
The Senate Special Select Committee continues to investigate the Portico Definitive Agreement. Since its establishment, a total of four witnesses have been called to testify before the committee, including two who were called to answer questions today. The committee’s focus in this session was on government land transactions that occurred between October and November 2020, only months before the general elections. Sean Duncan, the Director of NYNE Enterprises, and his business partner David Morales are among the individuals who purchased land from the government at the time for what the committee considers to be below market value. Duncan was summoned to testify before the committee. Former Lands Commissioner, Wilbert Vallejos was also called to testify. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
The Senate Special Select Committee convened for yet another session inside the National Assembly. The first witness to go before the committee was Sean Duncan, the Director of NYNE Enterprises Limited. He appeared with his attorney, Andrew Bennett. Duncan and his business partner, David Morales, purchased two, fifty-acre parcels of land from the Government of Belize in October 2020. Those land transactions were among a total of sixteen properties sold off around the same time. The relevance of the sales to the agreement is that the parcels are located in the vicinity of the project’s proposed site.
Sean Duncan
Sean Duncan, Director, NYNE Enterprises Limited
“My involvement in whatever land transaction this is was fairly technical. I have a partner that deals with all of the commercial aspect of it, transaction. From my perspective I am not sure of the relevance of me being here, but I am here to comply with whatever questions you ask me. I am here because I respect this process and on the advice of my counsel.”
In his opening statement, Duncan sought to establish that his business partner David Morales oversaw most of the land transaction process. Duncan says he only signed off on papers authorizing NYNE Enterprises to make the purchase.
Kevin Herrera
Kevin Herrera, Senator
“Our records are showing that there are two properties of fifty acres each, I think one I for fifty point one and the other is around the same size, can you confirm?”
Sean Duncan
“That is correct.”
Kevin Herrera
“And you paid, five thousand two hundred dollars each for those properties, our records are showing?”
Sean Duncan
“That is the reason we wanted disclosure because we could have reviewed the documents. I really cant remember those figures or anything like that.”
Janelle Chanona, the chair of the Senate Special Select Committee, questioned Duncan on the expedited manner at which NYNE Enterprises’ land applications were processed. And, when Senator Bevin Cal questioned Duncan on Morales’ involvement in the land transaction process, Duncan continued to somewhat throw his business partner under the bus.
Janelle Chanona
Janelle Chanona, Chairpersons, Senate Committee
“We have documentation here saying you applied the seventh of October it was received the thirteenth of October and then you get approval the twentieth of October. When you got the notice from your business partner that you got the investment secured all within less than a month.”
Sean Duncan
“Something’s work faster than others I guess, from his perspective. But remember, I did not deal with that aspect.”
Bevinton Cal
Bevinton Cal, Senator
“So, David Morales was the one who did all the paper work, went to the proposed land site, inspected it, applied for it; all you did was just sign?”
Sean Duncan
“Yes he is the managing director; he did whatever he did with the transaction. He brought a good opportunity I signed over, because I don’t think you can ever go wrong with lands.”
The second witness to go before the committee today was former Lands Commissioner, Wilbert Vallejos. He served as the lands commissioner for eleven years and appeared today with his attorney, Dean Barrow, who wasted no time stating that his client will not answer questions deemed irrelevant.
Dean Barrow
Dean Barrow, Attorney-At-Law
“I believe that you would have to agree with me that questions about land transfers or land sales in an area that is within two miles of the locus, site of the Portico cruise project, those questions has nothing to do with the end on which you have embarked. You can put any question you wish, but I am suggesting to you that you are not entitled to put questions that fall outside the ambit of your terms of reference. You are not entitled.”
Thereafter, every question that senators put to the former lands commissioner was met with an objection of irrelevance.
Wilbert Vallejos, Former Lands Commissioner
“Senator Herrera your question keeps coming about land. I am sure you heard Mr. Barrow, the terms of reference is specific about the Portico Definitive Agreement which I don’t know anything.”
Kevin Herrera,
“For me, there is relevance. You may determine otherwise but for us there is certainly a relationship so we really wanted to get an understanding of what took place that faithful day on November fourth but it seems you don’t intend to be helpful to the committee which I think is sad. The Belizean public certainly deserves a lot better than that, you being commissioner for so much years, being paid by the Belizean tax payers. So I think it is a very sad day in the country that you decided you won’t help or assist the committee in this investigation.”
It was then determined that Vallejos would be of no help to the committee during today’s session. He requested that questions be sent to him in writing and that a determination be made on whether the committee will request his presence at a later date. Former Minister of Lands, Hugo Patt was also scheduled to testify before the committee today. But due to time constraints, his testimony has been rescheduled. Paul Lopez for News Five.
Notwithstanding Wilbert Vallejos’s reluctance to answer most of the questions put to him by the Senate Special Select Committee, Chairperson Janelle Chanona continued to press him on certain records in the committee’s possession. One of the matters on the committee’s record pertains to the short time between the signings of the Portico Definitive Agreement and the sale of the lands in question.
Janelle Chanona, Chairperson, Senate Committee
“I put to you Mr. Viejo that the chronology the paper works shows that the Definitive Agreement was signed on first of October 2020. The land in and adjoining the Portico development area went from national lands to particular companies on the fourth of October and then in 2022 was purchased by Portico.”
Wilbert Vallejos
Wilbert Vallejos, Former Lands Commissioner
“Madam Chair, are you giving evidence?”
Janelle Chanona
“No he is asking me to clarify the question. With all due respect, I am asking you Mr. Vallejos, the context of the question is, was there a process. The committee would be guided from an expert like yourself as to what was the process for national land to be sold to companies.”
Wilbert Vallejos
“You are asking a specific question and you want to give a general answer.”
Janelle Chanona
“You can give a general answer if that is what your counsel is advising you to give us. As a former public officer I am asking you to answer the question.”
Wilbert Vallejos
”Chair, I don’t want to be looked at as somebody who doesn’t want to help the committee. I have heard the questions you asked the former commissioner. I have heard the questions you asked other people about the lands. But again, in my humble opinion, those questions are set and a part from what you would be asking me. I am trying to see the relevance.”
Former Special Envoy Kim Simplis-Barrow is the new president of the Belize Cancer Society, succeeding Laura Tucker-Longsworth who served in that capacity for many years. The announcement was made earlier today, following an annual general meeting that saw the appointment of a new board of directors. Simplis-Barrow is joined by Vice President Sharon Young and Secretary Doctor Dionne Chamberlain. During the AGM, two resolutions were passed which permits the board of directors to establish a dedicated seat for the immediate past president to serve as an ex-officio member, providing valuable continuity and experience, as well as institutional knowledge. Secondly, dedicated seats will be established on the board of directors for the presidents of district branches.
