The Department of the Environment (DOE), under the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, is intensifying efforts to tackle plastic pollution through the enforcement of Statutory Instrument No. 17 of the 2022 Environmental Protection (Pollution from Plastic) Regulations.
The regulations aim to phase out specific single-use plastic products and replace them with eco-friendly alternatives that comply with the Belize Standards for Biodegradable Products. Items under regulation include single-use plastics and Styrofoam products, such as food plates, clamshell containers, cups, lids, straws, cutlery, and plastic bags commonly known as “T-shirt bags.” The DOE has identified several unapproved and unauthorised brands currently on the market.
To ensure compliance and reduce plastic pollution, the DOE will conduct random inspections nationwide to verify that only registered and permitted products are sold. The public is reminded that it is illegal to import, manufacture, sell, or possess the regulated items. Violators of Statutory Instrument No. 17 of 2022 will face prosecution.
Every day, Belizeans come across stray animals wandering the streets, often hungry, injured, or pregnant, relying on human kindness for survival. Unfortunately, help is hard to come by for these creatures, who are frequently viewed as nuisances and public health risks. Humane societies across the country are striving to address the problem, but with limited resources, the situation is becoming increasingly dire. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Belize faces a significant issue with stray animals. Across the country, thousands of pets are abandoned or left to fend for themselves on the streets. As these strays scavenge for food, they often scatter trash, and tragically, many fall victim to traffic accidents daily. The responsibility of managing this growing problem falls on the shoulders of dedicated volunteer teams. Liam Woods, a volunteer at Belize City Animal Aid, shares insights into the crucial work his group undertakes to address this pressing issue.
Liam Woods
Liam Woods, Volunteer, Belize City Animal Aid
“We do a whole bunch of work. Scattered, would not be the word, but something similar. cause we all have our jobs and responsibilities, school and so forth. So we tend to go every Saturday to our foster home. We take care of all the animals that we have up for adoption, cause we have to maintain them. Bathe them, take care of their ticks and fleas, monthly preventatives, and heartworms. Food is a big issue actually. On our last bag of dog food today. So we’re looking for donations or else we’ll pull from our fund, which the funds are low.”
Just this week, dozens of animals were rescued and are in desperate need of a forever home. When animals become strays, the likelihood of them getting pregnant or impregnating another animal increases; further exacerbating the issue.
Liam Woods
“I’d say, it’s really bad. Because, and it’s not even people’s fault. The thing is, spaying and neutering is an expensive procedure. And to do that you require responsibility and care for your animal. And that’s why one of our main objectives right now is to restart the program with the spay and neuter clinics for a heavily discounted price. That’s just a bit problematic right now because we have issues finding and sourcing doctors. But yes, I’d say it’s quite bad, the abandoning and neglect.”
To prevent this, the BCAA requires that those looking to adopt animals from them to have a fenced yard.
Liam Woods
“We are really against tying animals because that’s a whole different issue in itself. Thank you. But just keep them enclosed, because once a dog goes and hits a female, they say that males can smell it from miles away, and they will pack her, and then the pregnancy will just continue and continue.”
Woods pointed out that the window between rescuing an animal and finding a foster home is shrinking, as funds and space become increasingly scarce. Presently, the Belize City Council does not directly handle the rescue of stray animals. However, in the unfortunate event that an animal is run over or dies by other means, the sanitation department steps in to ensure proper disposal of the body. Sanitation Manager, Simeon Alvarez, elaborates on this process.
Simeon Alvarez
Simeon Alvarez, Sanitation Manager, Belize City Council
“Our sanitation department’s role is just to ensure that we remove the carcass whenever we get a call or a request. That means we only remove the animals in they have died. In respect to the amount of stray dogs, it’s directly the responsibility from the Public Health Department and the Ministry of Health. They normally collaborate with the council and do dog eradications I think quarterly.”
Previously, animals were rounded up and euthanized by the council, but the program was put on hold after backlash from various humane societies.
Simeon Alvarez
“However the Humane Society, I think, had an issue with it. I believe they wrote the council one time and they wanted to see how we can improve and enhance the eradication of dogs. I think they prefer we rehabilitate the dogs them and try to find Owners or some persons who will want to adopt the stray animals rather than eradicate them the way we do.”
To some, euthanasia might appear to be the easiest solution, especially for those who feel threatened by stray animals or find them a nuisance on their property. However, since this issue largely stems from human actions, humane societies argue that these animals shouldn’t be punished for circumstances beyond their control. Despite their best efforts, the noble aim of saving every animal is a challenging goal for these groups to maintain.
Liam Woods
“That is very extremely difficult for all of our volunteers collectively to do. Because as you mentioned, we all have our own jobs, our responsibilities at school, issues at home, everything we have to take care of. And we’re living in a society where you have to work you need to do that out of your free time, and free time is very limited, an issue that we’d really like to resolve throughout these coming years is to gather more volunteers, people interested, outreach, as I said, to help us with this issue.”
As the problem persists, the teams dedicating their time, energy, and resources to save and dispose of these animals, hope that more people can come together to find a solution fair to both the animals and the people living in their shared habitats.
Simeon Alvarez
“Stray dogs compound the waste management stream in respect to that, even the mental patients, the people that dig up the garbage like I said, stray dogs. The increase of that definitely affected our city tremendously. And I believe we need to find a solution for it sooner or later with the human society.”
Tonight, a Belize City resident is living in fear inside his own home after he was allegedly targeted during a raid of his property on Monday night. He claims that he was at his home on Matura Street when he stepped outside to use the bathroom in an adjacent building when he heard the footsteps nearby. He claims that shortly after, he found himself face-to-face with a group of police officers, suited in dark clothing. Fearing for his life, he surrendered, showing he had no weapons on his person. Nonetheless, he alleges that he was shot at several times with rubber bullets and taken to the police station. He says that the event has left him traumatized and concerned for the wellbeing of his newborn child. We spoke with him earlier today for more details of the incident.
Voice of: Belize City Shooting Victim
Voice of: Belize City Shooting Victim
“I come use the lee and thing. And it sound like people di run through the yard and thing. And when I come out back fi go back inna my family house, I run straight into a gun man. And as he see me, he buss wa shot atta me and I run cause I run fo my life. I just got my newborn you understand me? I run fi my life now and when I run, they buss two more shot. And I done surrender. When I surrender, da den they shot me. I end up da hospital. I have to gone check if they damage my ribs or something. They deal with me real stiff. Real stiff. You understand?”
Britney Gordon
“Around what time did this happen?”
Voice of: Belize City Shooting Victim
“About round eleven, twelve soh.”
Britney Gordon
“So you’re unsure of who shot you?”
Voice of: Belize City Shooting Victim
“Mami nobody she nothing. You understand? When I come out, I just see somebody dress inna full black, mask down everything. Then when I come out now da then I get the sense dat da police I just surrender. And as I surrender, they shot me.”
Britney Gordon
“So you were unarmed and you were not making any threats towards them or anything?”
Voice of: Belize City Shooting Victim
“I mi unarmed.. I noh have no firearm or nothing. You understand?”
Britney Gordon
“And did they state a reason for coming to raid your house?”
Voice of: Belize City Shooting Victim
“No ney noh tell me nothing. Ney ker me da hospital and after that, ney ker me straight da cell block. I inna pain da cell block. I had to mi gone da hospital right ya soh gine checkup pan thing. See if they damage part of my inside or something. Da when I done use the bathroom, I come out cuz I hear people di run through the yard. I look fi back upstairs inna my family house go lock up and thing. And right deh as he see mi he buss ah shot atta me and I di run fi my life. I no want dead left my newborn. Left my pikni fatherless.”
Britney Gordon
“Have you made any reports against the officer? Are you seeking legal action?”
Voice of: Belize City Shooting Victim
“Yes ma’am I di seek legal action right now. I di look fi go back da station go mek a report. Cuz I just lee while come from hospital.”
The past few days have been a struggle for residents of Belize City who have been grappling with the sudden flooding in the area. Despite minimal rainfall, several inches of water have found their way into homes and businesses. On Wednesday, Deputy Mayor, Allan Pollard explained that while the Belize City Council is working to reduce the flooding, climate change is difficult to counteract. Prime Minister Briceno told News Five that the government is seeking long-term solutions to the issue.
Britney Gordon
“This flooding that’s happening here, we know that there’s work being done to try and reduce it, but the pumping, as we mentioned yesterday from Deputy Mayor, is not enough. So what other work are we doing to hinder this flooding?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“That’s a million-dollar question, and why do I say that? Simply because we’re living the sign of the times, the issue of climate change. And, as these floodings are going, not going to improve, they’re going to get worse with time. And unfortunately, that’s what we’re facing. Belize is in the probably top ten countries that’s most vulnerable to climate change. And that is why we have been going around internationally trying to put pressure on the countries that are causing this. Because the temperatures of the planet is increasing. And as it increased and the the dirt and the salt caps is are melting all the ice there. And as more water pours into the oceans tend to rise, and low-lying areas like Belize, especially Belize city in particular, water’s going up. I just drove down north from the street and you can see the river. The river is up. How can you pump that out? And to where? Because even the sea is up. So we have to try to find how best we could mitigate against it. And and we have to take a harder look, a more long-term approach.”
This weekend, Belize City residents were shocked when they discovered that several streets across the city were flooded with up to four inches of water, despite the lack of rainfall. According to the National Hydrological Service, the floodwaters are making their way down the Belize River and emptying out into the Haulover Creek, subsequently flooding several areas along the path. To address the flooding, the Belize City Council has implemented a pumping station to drain the excess water. Over the past few days, the floodwaters have ebbed and flowed in different areas without warning. Deputy Mayor, Allan Pollard tells us that the flooding is more than just a drainage issue.
Allan Pollard
Allan Pollard, Deputy Mayor, Belize City
“In most of the areas it has gone down, so that we have, we are very thankful for that. But as the expert have indicated to everyone, it’s really It’s a unique situation where the river is actually coming above normal heights on that mixed with high tide is a recipe for disaster, right? We had a meeting yesterday with the mayor and you know we cannot stress enough how much that we have to sensitize people to understand that climate change is real. It’s here. Everybody talks about, in the future when it comes to climate change, but we are actually living in examples of what. What we’re seeing, I’ve never personally seen the river that high. I’ve never seen streets being that flooded without any rainfall. It just shows that it’s not so much of a drainage issue, but just climate change in general. If you look at the seas, for example, someone sent me a video of the area by Hanga yesterday, and to see the sea level that high as well, it just shows overall what we’re going through is something that is very alarming. And we have to make sure that, We are putting the right measures in. The pumping station is one effort, but that alone cannot drain all the water out of Belize City and that’s a pilot program. We have to look at other areas, and we have to ensure that we are keeping up with the maintenance of the city as well to ensure that the water drains off as quickly as possible.”
Minister Bernard went on to explain why the land offered by the University of Belize was deemed inadequate, following a visit by the ministry’s technical team. By his estimations, it would cost the government seven million dollars just to build road infrastructure to the area, that excludes additional infrastructure which is necessary. Bernard says several land options were reviewed until they settled on the two parcels next to the Hector Silva Airstrip.
Kevin Bernard
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health
“To get to the site that U. B. Was offering could easily take fifteen minutes or longer. This was a persuasive reason why Cabinet supported the proposal to relocate the hospital. With no road or other infrastructure like electricity and water, imagine what it would cost to get all in all this in place. And how long will it take? Imagine the inconvenience and cost our nurses, doctors, cleaners, security personnel, and others who would work at this hospital would have to endure having to go an additional six miles to and from work every single day. For all these reasons and more, the technocrats in the Ministry of Health made a presentation to Cabinet recommending that the location be changed to a suitable land near the highways. Cabinet was convinced and requested that the Ministry of Natural Resources in collaboration with the Ministry of Health identify an appropriate location for the hospital. Several options were presented and reviewed. All private parcels and Ministry of Health ultimately settled on the two parcels on the roadside that were unencumbered and easily accessible. The process of negotiations with the owner thereafter commenced at which point both parties obtain their own valuations based on comparative, comparable sales. The Ministry of Natural Resources valuation was six point two million, while the owner’s valuation was for nine point three million. Ultimately. The owner agreed to six point nine million, seven hundred thousand dollars higher than gobs valuation, but two point nine million lower than the owner’s valuation for the record, we in the Ministry of Health and Wellness are convinced that this is the best possible location for the hospital to be constructed.”
Nurse Lizett Bell is the head of the Ministry of Health’s technical working group assigned to the university hospital project. The group also consists of representatives from the Central Executive Unit within the Ministry of Economic Development, RECONDEV, and the Ministry of Health. Bell also joined the minister at the head table. She spoke on the challenges hospital staff and patients would face in accessing the hospital, based on a technical assessment.
Lizett Bell
Lizett Bell, Deputy Director of Hospital Services, MOHW
“You are looking at how patients would navigate, or how patients would move within the urban infrastructure to get to the facility. So, you’re speaking about transportation links, people able to walk to the facility. ease of access with low-cost transportation. And based on our experience at the Ministry of Health, we currently have the Palmview Center that is located in Maya Mopan, which is closer than this particular area and to date, there is no public transportation goes to that particular area. We are still transporting our staff for each shift to that facility. So you can see how that also was an important factor for us, not only the access for the staff, the safety for the staff in the area, but ultimately the users of that facility. So that facility, why we say the users, because the facility will provide secondary services, meaning the Western Regional Hospital is going to be replaced. So the population of Belmopan will no longer access services at the Western Regional Hospital. They will access the service at this new facility. In addition to the secondary care, this facility will also provide the tertiary care services for the Cayo District and also for the south of Belize, but one thing that we need to also remember is that this facility will act as the alternate to Karl Heusner in the event of a natural disaster. We know that the vulnerability for Belize City and Belize District, so if Karl Heusner needs to relocate in a category four or five, this facility will also be able to accommodate for such emergencies.”
A little over a hundred protestors marched in front of Prime Minister John Briceño’s office in Belmopan this morning. The gathering was relatively small, but the representation was far reaching. Members of the various trade unions and workers associations were present to raise their voices against the government’s decision to purchase fifteen acres of land for six point nine million dollars for the construction of a tertiary hospital in Belmopan. The contention is that the Ministry of Health has refused land that is being offered by the University of Belize free of cost for the project, and that the newly purchased is situated near the capital city’s sewer pond. Today’s demonstration was organized by activist Nigel Petillo who was prepared to brave the elements by himself if push came to shove. Fortunately for him, he was not alone. Our cameras were also out there. News Five’s Paul Lopez report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Today’s protest in front of the Sir Edney Cain Building that houses the prime minister’s office in Belmopan began at eight a.m. with a handful of demonstrators, including grass roots activist Nigel Petillo and members of Belize National Teachers Union. By nine thirty a.m., a total of seven organizations among a group of just over a hundred protestors had representation in front of the building.
As has been reported, the protest was sparked by the government’s decision to purchase fifteen acres of private land in Belmopan at a steep cost of seven million dollars to build a university hospital, while the University of Belize is offering the government free land for that project. The Government of Belize contends that a technical study of the lands being offered by the University of Belize reveals that it is too remote and inadequate to construct the health facility. That report remains confidential.
Luke Martinez
Luke Martinez, President, N.T.U.C.B.
“For me seeing is believing. The National Trade Union Congress with the other social partners. Don’t think we are standing alone. As a matter of fact, we have the diaspora standing behind us. We are the in the process of writing to the minister of health to give us those documents and we are using the freedom of information act to get those documents. And if they refuse to give the information we will get in and take it, because the people need to know.”
The private property that the government has purchased from businesspersons, Kenny Zheng and Annie Zhu to build the hospital, sits next to a sewage pond, further exacerbating public concerns.
Luke Martinez
“You could ask an infant one student if ih rather build a house in a sh*t creek or a land that is far away from that. You could even go back to your nursery rhymes. You have the pig that build his house out of straw and the house out of rock, which was will blow down when the winds come? This government wants to build a house out of straw, it is not going to work for us, plain as that.”
But will the Government of Belize heed the calls of the N.T.U.C.B. president and those who are raising strong objections to the land purchase and newly proposed construction site? Opposition Leader, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, says the opposition intends to take legal action against the Briceno administration.
Moses “Shyne” Barrow
Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“We will continue to protest. We will take legal action. We have written to the auditor general, the contractor general, and the ombudsman and the Saudi Fund. I hear brother Luke talks about location. But we cannot lose sight of the most glaring fact of corruption. The government used taxpayers’ dollars to spend six point nine million dollars on a property that is worth, six hundred thousand dollars, according to the Belmopan City Council Valuation we saw that happened this year.”
Belize has only one tertiary healthcare facility in the country. That is the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City. The proposed university hospital will be the second of its kind in Belize. Andrew Baird is the President of the K.H.M.H. Workers Union. He says this latest move by the government is untenable.
Andrew Baird
Andrew Baird, President, K.H.M.H.W.U.
“Anybody from the health sector, including the CEO should have concern with infection control, having a hospital of that magnitude built in that area. Now, forget the infection control. Let us go to that location, man dah hog wash deh the put pan we. Because it is a tertiary hospital, it can be built on the U.B. Campus. The same six point nine million dollars they use to buy the land, they could put it in infrastructure to have proper access to the hospital built on the U.B. compound.”
At one point during the demonstration, a committee of vultures flew above the heads of protestors as a sign of affirmation to those protesting the construction of the tertiary care hospital near sewer ponds.
Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U.
“It is extremely sad when we have a population who are looking at me right now from behind a screen who cannot understand how these corrupt decisions affect them. What we want? All of us want Belmopan to develop. I live in Belmopan area. So I can tell you that form the Maya Mopan road. So I can tell you, had that road been built I would have been able to access the western and southern highway easily. The entire community would have benefited form that. Now we have spent that six point nien and nobody has benefited except for an Asian couple. I really think that is sad for us. You may be laughing at the small number of people out here, not knowing you are laying the foundation for your children to suffer in the future, to get a piece of land, to access education, to access quality education.”
Today’s demonstration was executed without any outbreak of violence. It almost happened when the prime minister’s vehicle arrived in front of the building. He was not inside, but some protesters viewed it as a form of provocation. Nigel Petillo, the organizer, says this is only the beginning.
Nigel Petillo
Nigel Petillo, Demonstration Organizer
“I sure all these ministers hear. I sure Bernard hear, Hyde hear, Briceno hear. But this is to show how they treat us. It is about power for them and money for them and over and over I have been telling people. While we the out here the fight for good governance they find way to wap we, to enrich themselves and future generations. And if push comes to shove and one of these days dah probably looting and breaking up things. We hope it doesn’t get there. But if you continue to ignore the cries of the people, believe you me we will have to find other ways to get your attention and retract this deal.”
Union Senator Glenfield Denison was also present at today’s demonstration in Belmopan. As a member of parliament, Denison says the government is pulling the wool over the eyes of the citizenry. He says that the Briceño administration was clever in how they presented the Saudi loan motion in the recitals versus the resolution. Denison placed the Briceño administration on notice, signaling incoming court actions.
Glenfield Denison
Glenfield Denison, N.T.U.C.B. Senator
“The social partners senators will be putting out a release next week. But, to look at the loan motion itself. I think the government is really pulling wool over our eyes, because they did something very clever. They put in the recitals that they would build the hospital on the UB land. They removed that wording from the resolution. They put that the hospital will be built. In Belmopan, and nobody said anything then. So, I think it is important that we acknowledge that the governance structure is broken. The legislature and the executive just are one and with the exception of the four social partners who are barely holding it together, the legislature is just done. The executive is the legislature, and it is incestuous. The important thing is that there is a third branch of government and thankfully it was recently fully staffed with a lot of technical people from out of Belize who are not tainted with the politics of Belize. I clamored against the filling of the judiciary with foreign judges. I still do, but I think a surprise will come for the executive very soon when the judges start issuing judges against the government and surprise, surprise they all security of tenure. These judges are all appointed until sixty-five. You might not be afraid for the union or so, but when the court actions start coming, I really hope the executive starts to pay attention.”
During today’s interviews with union representatives at the demonstration in Belmopan, N.T.U.C.B. President Luke Martinez sought to put the Belmopan land acquisition into perspective. In this light, he pointed back to the U.D.P. administration that was heading the municipality when the fifteen acres were sold to the Asian couple back in 2018.
Luke Martinez
Luke Martinez, President, N.T.U.C.B.
“The man weh sell out Belmopan, that man cant even come out of his hole that he went to build, can’t even come out. Listen, talk about vex, vex with dah bally deh. Dah bally deh give weh fih we.Which bally dah, he nuh weh ih deh the hide in a hole, he and John Saldivar, every single piece of green space, sell out everything f**king thing for free.”
Moses “Shyne” Barrow
Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“But the People’s United Party did not get elected to continue in the way of past transgressions. That is not what the P.U.P. got elected for. We cannot justify current transgressions by bringing up past transgressions. The people of this country voted out the U.D.P. for all of these crimes that you are now brining up and they will vote out this government if they don’t correct these actions. So, the people are not out here for now U.D.P. or P.U.P. The people are out here for what is right for the Belizean people. And, this is absolutely wrong.”
