Flowers has also urged the auditor general to come forward and disclose whether an audit has been conducted on the Ministry of Youth and Sports to track how funds were used under the previous minister. He didn’t stop there—Flowers also called on Prime Minister John Briceño to explain if the current state of the ministry played a role in his decision to remove Minister Rodwell Ferguson from his position.
Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U.
“I am still waiting for the new auditor general to make a public appearance to lay out her plans on how she intends to carry out meaningful audits and especially risk audits on these high-risk audits that she knows exist. She knows they exist, but I have not heard anything. I am hoping we will hear from her on whether she would have conducted an audit on the transport department where Belizeans would have been denied services from that department by way of license plates and stickers for over two years, despite monies being allocated. We need to know where all that money. We need to know why the prime minister saw it fit to put Minister Feguson on time out in a corner under his ministry. The prime minister needs to come clean in terms of what occurred in the ministry of sports under the former minister, the ministry of transport under the former minister and what really occurred in the department of youth services.”
Traffic on La Isla Bonita has been a real headache over the past couple of years, mainly because of two big issues: the island has been flooded with imported golf carts, and there’s been a surge in trucks dumping fill for development projects. The San Pedro Town Council has been working hard to tackle these problems by implementing strict measures. Mayor Wally Nunez told News Five that a comprehensive study on their traffic situation is essential. In the meantime, they’ve put limits on heavy-duty trucks and the importation of golf carts to San Pedro.
Wally Nunez
Wally Nunez, Mayor, San Pedro
“We have not been issuing any more permits for golf cart rentals. If you are aware, the council is not the one who directly gives the permits. There is a traffic control committee who does the permits and then it is passed on to the council. When it comes to these permits, we have asked the Ambergris Caye Traffic Control Committee, and of course, part of the council is part of that committee. We do not want anymore golf cart rentals. We’re not issuing trade license for new go cart rentals so that we can have more control of what is going on on the island. Until we do a proper study of the traffic flow and the amount of vehicles necessary and apart from that, we know that we have an issue with the trucks bringing down material to fill different areas. We do use these trucks as well as part of the council works in the different areas. However, we’re going to limit them on how they come into town. We’re going to be – I don’t want to use the word ban, but it’ll be restricted in the sense that they will no longer be allowed to come into town without a proper permit and escort. The trucks will have to barge their material from the north side to the south side of the island. If there is a need to bring any trucks for material for the council, we will try to do it as least as possible. We’ll try to get them to the barge as well, but if we need to bring them somewhere within the town area where they’re restricted, it would have to be at certain hours, probably at four in the morning or five in the morning where there’s less traffic. They’ll only allow one or two trucks to deliver per day.”
The Belize Chess Federation is excited to send two talented chess players to Tegucigalpa, Honduras next week for a regional tournament. The stakes are high, as the winner will earn a spot at the Chess World Cup 2025. Nathaniel Reyes, a proud member of the Belize National Chess Team, shares more about this thrilling competition.
Nathaniel Reyes
Nathaniel Reyes, Chess Player, Belize National Chess Team
“So the tournament is being hosted in Honduras, in Tegucigalpa and it’s a pretty big one. Many countries will be participating such as Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and more. The tournament is going to consist of nine rounds, a Swiss system, with every match being ninety minutes with thirty seconds increment. The tournament includes many prizes. First place wins the person a coveted spot in the Chess World Cup, and second, third, fourth, fifth, and below come with cash prizes, trophies and more.”
Isani Cayetano
“Let’s talk a bit about your love for chess and your involvement with the sport at the federation level.”
Nathaniel Reyes
“Chess has always been a sport that I love dearly. I learned how to play chess when I was eight years old. My father taught me. Chess has always been something that I play from time to time, over the years. But as of a year ago, I started taking it a lot more seriously. Last year was the first time that I represented Belize internationally in September, for the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. I’d say that was the one event that really made me, really inspired me to pursue chess more seriously and professionally.”
Isani Cayetano
“How are you guys preparing, either individually or as a team at the federation level for the tournament on May thirteenth?”
Nathaniel Reyes
“So, as of right now the Belize Chess Federation is sending two players. My teammate, Charlton Roches, and myself. Me and my teammate, we’ve been getting together for practice games, studying together for the past few weeks and we feel like we’re well prepared for this tournament coming up.”
A drop in revenue for exporters shipping to the U.S. means they need to cut costs. This could mean pausing expansion projects, reducing production, or even laying off staff. According to Jody Williams, Chief Sales and Marketing Director at Marie Sharp, mass layoffs are the last resort. He explained that if revenue goes down, costs have to be cut somewhere.
Jody Williams, Chief Sales and Marketing Director, Maries Sharp
“Let say our importers in the U.S. they are doing two to three containers a month, they will say no Jody we will do one or we will do one every two months. Let us wait and see if these tariff decision will be reversed. So they will not order with the same momentum and speed. And at the end of the day, this increase will go to consumer prices in the U.S. let us say a product is four forty-nine for a bottle of our product, it will go up to five ninety-nine, it all depends. We always work with a more than thirty percent margin. So if you are working with a thirty, thirty-five percent and there is a ten percent tariff, then do the math, take that thirty and minus the ten. If our sales slow down then that means it is less products from Belize going into the U.S. due to these extra cost. Even if it does not slow down, the prices go up. So consumers will not buy as quickly as possible. Let us say we were buying this amount of peppers from farmers, these amount of carrots from farmers, we are brining in foreign exchange, all of that slows down and any expansion into growing our exports to the U.S. So if money is not coming into our business and we have bills to pay and it is too much then we have to cut cost somewhere or the other.”
The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry has started meeting with its members to talk about how the Trump administration’s tariffs might affect the private sector. Jody Williams, Vice President of BCCI, says they’re ready to advise their members and work with the government to ensure stakeholders get some relief.
Jody Williams, Vice President, B.C.C.I.
“We are on the meeting table. WE are trying to collaborate and have as much information flow as possible and to be there to advise. In this time for this new ten percent information is crucial and essential for us to see what kind of decisions we are going to make, what plan to do. What little tweaks and changes in order for an exporter to not take that ten percent. So we as chamber will provide information, do the collaboration, bring persons to the table and we will bring heads together to see how we can work along with the government, with foreign trade, to see how we could lessen the impact on us exporters. Inflation is already going on and extra percentage of inflation does not help anyone including exporters and consumers.”
The Government of Belize has ambitious plans for the health sector over the next few years. At a recent meeting, the cabinet endorsed the Belize Health Sector Strategic Plan 2025 to 2034, which lays out a detailed roadmap for tackling key health system challenges. The cabinet also approved a retention package of allowances for public health nurses to help keep highly skilled nurses in Belize. We spoke with Andrew Baird, President of the K.H.M.H. Workers Union, to get his reaction to the news.
Andrew Baird
Andrew Baird, President, K.H.M.H. Workers Union
“I’m working as a nurse for the past twenty-five years and for the past twenty-five years, uniform allowance for nurses have been at three hundred annually. And if you look at the cost and living to today, three hundred can only buy us our scrubs. And but our uniform includes shoes. So the allotted amongst should be enough to buy shoes. What I know from it maybe raised from three hundred to five hundred also there is what we call a night. Allowance that is given to nurses. Then at this time it is fifty for every twenty night that you work, but you only get to work seven nights per month. So to reach twenty nights, you have to work at least three months or so before you could get that allowance. I believe that they want to raise that allowance to a hundred dollars or something like that, contrary to what the government might offer in our CBA, I believe we are asking for that a lot that night allowance to be monthly rather than based on the amount of nights that one work. So those are a couple of the allowances that I know that the government may have in their package. May so be that they may have a raise of salary for nurses, I don’t know, or a salary adjustment. But our last adjustment for nurses was in 2012 when we had that adjustment along with the nomenclature name changes throughout the nursing system. But I wait to see a document that the government is pledging to give as a package to nurses, to retain us. The retention of Belizean nurses is long overdue, but not only Belizean nurses, but nurses that works on Belizean a whole. What we have seen over the years is that because of the global demand for nurses, our Belizean nurses and nurses who work in Belize are being offered packages in the US, Canada, and the UK mainly. And those packages have signed bonuses, they find places for them to stay, and then the salary is very attractive. So the government has the match that if we’re going to retain our nurses to stay in Belize.”
The Government of Belize has reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the redistricting of the country’s electoral divisions. In the latest cabinet meeting, it was decided that the 2023 proposal from the Elections and Boundaries Commission was unworkable and didn’t meet constitutional standards. Although the commission must now come up with a completely new plan, the government has promised to complete the redistricting by the end of 2025. News Five’s Britney Gordon has more details on this situation.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Another general election has come and gone without redistricting Belize’s electoral divisions. In 2023, the Elections and Boundaries Commission put forward a redistricting plan, but it faced immediate backlash from politicians and redistricting advocates. Earlier this week, the Cabinet reviewed the proposal again and decided it was unworkable and didn’t meet constitutional standards. Paul Morgan from the Belize Peace Movement believes the proposal should have been rejected well before the general elections.
Paul Morgan
Paul Morgan, Belize P.E.A.C.E. Movement
“I wouldn’t accept those proposals either. They’re total nonsense, right? When you hear, when you see a constituency that include Caye Caulker and Belize City. And when you see Belmopan stretching all the way out to the Guatemala and border, they cannot be serious. That was intended to, those proposals were intended to be rejected, right? Those weren’t serious proposals at all. And honourable men rarely should be challenged by the media. Take a look at the proposals and tell me if they make sense. They’re betting that we, the population of Belize, will not be reading those things and will not be analyzing them thinking that they’re total magic, but they’re total nonsense.”
The Cabinet has asked the minister in charge of elections and the Attorney General to work with the Elections and Boundaries Commission on any needed constitutional changes to finish the redistricting. They’ve also promised to complete the process within a year. Before his re-election, we asked Prime Minister John Briceño if the redistricting could have been done sooner.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño (File: January 13th, 2025 )
“I believe that the Elections and Boundaries Commission could have worked faster or more diligently and probably have more consultations with the public and to see how best it can work. And so, at the end of the day, we are the government and I, as the head, have to take the responsibility. So, I will take responsibility for that and I can assure that we want, as soon as we get in, to make sure that we start working on it. I’m hoping that one or two years at the most, we should be able to already have that settled.”
Jeremy Enriquez, a strong supporter of redistricting, believes the proposal was flawed from the start. He argues that it didn’t tackle the problem of ensuring fair and balanced electoral divisions across the country.
Jeremy Enriquez
Jeremy Enriquez, Concerned Belizean
“There was another flaw in the proposal is that it did not meet the required international standard of ten to fifteen percent of deviation from the average number of voters across electoral divisions. the proposed twenty-five to thirty-five, which is totally unacceptable. So. first, they did not address the issue across the country. Then they picked areas of Belize City. The methodology did not look at the number of persons eligible to vote. All of those things made it wrong.”
Enriquez also took aim at the Election and Boundaries Commission, saying it was too politicized to come up with an unbiased proposal. He suggests that other organizations should be involved in drafting the new plan.
“I would recommend that an analysis of our electoral revising could be done through the policy section of the University of Belize. They have enough experts who could really objectively do that and then present the proposal to the Elections and Boundaries Commission, who would then present that to the government of their redivision. Secondly, there’s also the Statistical Institute of Belize, which has a lot of data. They have mapping equipment and all of that who could professionally do or undertake a study for a fair divisioning of our electoral divisions.”
Recently, the government has faced pressure from concerned citizens demanding a faster redistricting process. Last month, the Caribbean Court of Justice dismissed Jeremy Enriquez’s appeal against the Government of Belize. Enriquez had tried to delay the election due to the government’s failure to finish redistricting, but he was told that such a claim must be made outside the election period. Britney Gordon for News Five.
Today, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing held its second annual Women’s Month Sports Day. The amazing women who took part were honored for the unique challenges they face outside of work. Two inspiring speakers, Minister of Human Resources Thea Garcia-Ramirez and Belmopan Deputy Mayor Correta Banner, delivered encouraging messages at the event.
Thea Garcia-Ramirez
Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Minister of Human Development
“You juggle a professional career. A lot of you go to school on top of that and try to continue developing, professionally, personally. You raise families, you take care of children and husbands, and you take care sometimes of older members of your family. I know a lot of times you struggle like I do to have some personal time just for yourselves and you do it all with a smile. And sometimes, you smile on the inside because it’s hard to smile every day on the outside. I get that. I get you, but it’s a wonderful way to recognize you, to say, I see you and to celebrate you.”
Correta Banner
Correta Banner, Deputy Mayor, Belmopan
“Your dreams are valid and no one can take away your potential. It’s important to support one another and lift each other up because when women stand together, the force becomes an unstoppable force. Never doubt your words and never forget that you are exactly where you are supposed to be. Keep pushing forward and stay true to yourself and trust the process. Remember, as Maya Angel beautifully said, we may encounter many defeats, but we should never be defeated. But we must not, so we must not be defeated. Keep going because the world is waiting for you to shine. And always remember, never ever forget. You are all wonderfully and fearfully made.”
After a strong re-election win in Belize Rural Central on March 12th, many were surprised when Dolores Balderamos-Garcia didn’t retain her role as Minister of Human Development, Families, and Indigenous People’s Affairs. In fact, she didn’t receive any ministerial portfolio. However, Garcia told News Five that she’s very happy with her new role as Senior Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister and doesn’t see it as a demotion.
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Area Representative, Belize Rural Central
“No, not at all. Not at all. Not at all, Marion, the Prime Minister had a very difficult balancing act to perform, and I am actually very happy that I have been put in a different role – a senior role – because I don’t want the song boassy or anything, but if you notice, I have had many, many firsts and I believe I’m the first Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office, and I can assist to define my role. I have said to the Prime Minister that I’m particularly interested in elder affairs. I know in Barbados they actually have a ministry and a portfolio of elder affairs, and so although there’s no actual portfolio for that, I will be lending my support to Pastor Catalina Arthurs and Miss Ichel Pott and Ms. Sandra Hall and them who have been really spearheading the attention not only to policy, but also to the actual wellbeing and welfare of our senior citizens. And in addition to that, I’m still passionate about HIV and AIDS. I am still passionate about our women’s affairs. I have said that I will offer all my help and experience to Minister Thea, to Minister Louis Zabaneh. I will be here to assist Special Envoy for the development of families and children. So I’m actually happy, and you know what, I believe I’ll be able to spend more time, giving more time to my constituency.”
A hundred years in business is no easy feat to accomplish, but that is just what James Brodie and Company Limited has been able to do. In fact, in twelve years, the company will celebrate one hundred and fifty-years in business. Over the last century, the company has changed leadership from its original Scottish owner to at least four others. Today, Edward “Billy” Musa sits at its helm, and he is preparing to make his exit in due course to make way for a new generation. In tonight’s installment of Belize on Reel, News Five’s Paul Lopez takes a closer look at storied history of one of Belize’s longest standing companies.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
In twelve years, James Brodie and Company Limited will celebrate one hundred and fifty years in business. The company was founded in 1887 by James Brodie, a Scotsman who arrived in British Honduras in 1872, hoping to make his mark in Britain’s newest Crown Colony. Today, the company is led by Chairman and Managing Director, Edward ‘Billy’ Musa Senior.
Edward “Billy” Musa
Edward “Billy” Musa, Chairman, James Brodies and Co. Ltd.
“Brodies advertised for an office manager. I applied and I got the job, and I was hired in nineteen sixty-four.”
Covering the company’s hundred-and-thirty-eight-year history would take a book with hundreds of pages. But there are some key moments worth highlighting. For instance, the original store was where the Downtown Plaza now stands on Albert Street. James Brodie bought that Albert Street location thirty years after opening, from Hofius and Hildebrandt.
Edward “Billy” Musa
“It goes way back to 1872 when a young man from Scotland came to Belize to seek its riches. From then the company has grown and changed shareholders. From that date it has changed about four controlling shareholders. This gentleman was not a social guy. Whenever he left work he would go to his home across from Saint John’s Cathedral and stay there for the rest of his day or night. He was not sociable and that is why they called that home “The Retreat”.”
In 1915, knowing his time was running out, the elderly Scotsman turned James Brodie into a limited company, allowing shareholders to come on board. The cover of the ‘100 Years of Brodies in Belize’ magazine, published for its centennial in 1987, shows Barry Bowen leading the company. The magazine featured congratulatory letters from then Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel, Father of the Nation George Price, and then Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce Cresencio Sosa. It also included congratulations from partner companies like General Mills, Kiwi, Canon, and General Foods. The first page even had an ad for Rolex watches.
Edward “Billy” Musa
“During that time we had many good companies, representing many good companies. Rolex was one of them, but not the ordinary man can by a Rolex. When tourist came they would by it, but over the years the business just dwindled. There are many items we had to get out of because of competition in Belize and across form Chetumal. But our main core, business is food, dry goods, agro-chemical, veterinary products and of course drugstores, medicines.”
Interestingly, in the early 1970s, there was a time when David Estephan, the former majority shareholder, thought about selling his shares to Santiago Castillo Limited. That’s when Musa, who was the board secretary back then, stepped up and took action.
Edward “Billy” Musa
“So I went to him and said Don David, why not give me a chance to see if I canraise the funds and buy the shares. He said, I will give you one month. Duringthat one month, I spoke to Barry Bowen and we were able to come up with themoney he wanted and that is how Bowen got involved with myself.”
Musa later bought Bowen’s shares and became the major shareholder. Under his leadership, James Brodie and Company Limited has flourished. Brodie’s International Corporation was set up in the Corozal Freezone, and Brodie’s Superstore opened on the Phillip Goldson Highway. The Albert Street location expanded to include a pharmacy and deli, with a department store across the street. Belmopan now boasts an expanded branch, and a new agro and veterinary outlet is in the works. At the heart of this century-old business are its dedicated staff members. Brodie’s employs over four hundred people across all its locations.
Edward “Billy” Musa
“The staff, we give them loans for health, education, and we give scholarships to members of the staff, for their children. So they are happy with us. The managers and supervisors have health insurance free. We don’t give it to the regular staff, because the turnover is so fast. We have a problem because everybody wants to go to the call centers.”
However, today’s business world brings new challenges. Call centers are offering higher salaries, and competing stores are providing alternative products at very competitive prices.
Edward “Billy” Musa
“We strive on excellence when it comes to quality. We believe in quality and in today’s business world, many people are not looking for quality but pricing. That is affecting us a lot now.”
Paul Lopez
“What does the future of this company look like?”
Edward “Billy” Musa
“I think it has another hundred years, with my boys taking over.”
