Prime Minister John Briceño announced today that Belize Rural South Area Representative Andre Perez is returning to cabinet as the Minister of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management. Perez now assumes control of the National Emergency Management Organization, NEMO, and the National Fire Service. This announcement comes four weeks after the municipal elections and more than seven months after Perez went on leave following allegations of sexual misconduct. Those allegations were levied by female attorney Wendy Auxillou. When asked for comment, Minister Perez told News “I thank the Prime Minister for his decision to invite me back to Cabinet and will work hard every day for the Belizean people, especially the good people of Belize Rural South.” As for requests for an update to the investigation, Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre told us that the request would have to be made to the Office of the Prime Minister. But, one portfolio that Perez does not get back is Civil Aviation which now falls under the purview of the Prime Minister. Perez was one of the persons who led the P.U.P. to victory in San Pedro Town on March sixth. Also, Cayo Central area representative Alex Balona is now the Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise. Belize Rural North Area Representative Marconi Leal is now the Minister of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing. Cayo West Area Representative is now the Minister of State in the Ministry of Investment. The Office of the Prime Minister says “These adjustments and assignments come on the heels of an overwhelming mandate at the polls, a reminder not only of the confidence and trust in this government, but also of the tremendous responsibility we have to the people of Belize.”
Tag: 2024-04-03
B.N.T.U. Holds 54th Annual Convention
The Belize National Teachers’ Union is gearing up to conduct a bi-election to elect a national president. Jorge Mejia was appointed acting president in September of last year following Ruth Shoman’s controversial resignation. The election of a new national president is scheduled for Wednesday in Belmopan. Today, B.N.T.U. members gathered at the Our Lady of Guadalupe High School compound for their fifty-fourth annual convention. There, we spoke with Mejia about the activities scheduled for the two-day event.
Jorge Mejia, Acting President, B.N.T.U.
“First of all we are having our fifty-fourth annual convention, BNTU, and then today we are conducting the business of the union. And, at the moment we will be reviewing our constitution which is important to our members. Tomorrow it will be crucial, we will be having an election, a bi-election for our president. It is important for our members to come tomorrow to exercise thier democratic right to elect the next national president of BNTU.”
Paul Lopez
“How do we ensure transparency and fairness in the process, because while it is a union election, the union collaborates strongly with the public.”
Jorge Mejia
“We have an excellent team which is the election committee that oversees the entire process. And so tomorrow if you want to know, you can come tomorrow and you will get the result after the election.”
Paul Lopez
“How important is it to have your members come out and vote?”
Jorge Mejia
“Very, because it is their right to exercise because the person they choose will lead us for the future.”
Two Teachers On The Ballot For B.N.T.U. Presidency
As you heard, the Belize National Teachers’ Union will be electing a new national president on Thursday. Two members are vying for the position. They are Ifasina Efunyemi and Nadia Caliz. We sought to speak with both candidates today in Belmopan. Caliz denied our request for an interview but says she has nothing to hide and will grant an interview after Thursday’s election. Efunyemi, on the other hand, was willing to speak. She is one of the three candidates who lost to Ruth Shoman in April 2023. This bi-election gives her another chance at the presidency, and she says that she is feeling very confident this time around.
Ifasina Efunyemi, President Candidate, B.N.T.U.
“I am feeling very confident. I am feeling very calm. I know and have a lot of confidence in the members of the BNTU. At the end of the day the m3mbers they get the leaders they deserve it is just like democracy overall, people get the leaders they deserve because they get the leaders they choose and even if they don’t make themselves available and are present for choosing they still end up with whoever is chosen by those who go and make that decision on thier behalf so I would like to appeal to members to be fully present. It is.important that we are here. We claim to be Defenders of democracy. We are key in this democracy in Belize. We establish a balance in our democracy and our hold our leaders accountable. This is why we saw to it that the UN Convention against Corruption is signed and that we have a thirteenth senator. The BNTU was a big part of those things happening. So to whom much is given much is required but we have to be fully present. It cannot be the minority that makes the decision. However if you forfeit your right, your voice, it will be the minority that makes the decision.”
B.N.T.U. President Candidate Says Minister Fonseca is “Politricking”
We also asked candidate Ifasina Efunyemi for her thoughts on comments Education Minister Francis Fonseca made two weeks ago against the union’s executive inside the National Assembly. In his remarks, Minister Fonesca said that there are still a few U.D.P.’s who want to create mischief before the municipal elections. He was referring to the B.N.T.U.’s press conference on March fifth in Belmopan. Acting-President, Jorge Mejia declined to comment, but Efunyemi says that Minister Fonseca is doing what politicians do: misleading and disseminating misinformation. Here is how she puts it:
Ifasina Efunyemi, President Candidate, B.N.T.U.
“The Minister was being a political and he was doing what politicians do, “politrickians”, that is why there is that coining of the term because when they are playing that game the whole point is to mislead by giving misinformation. The conference that happened the day before was led by the council of management of the Belize Teachers Union. And, while our political affiliation is our constitutional right, the BNTU is not a political party and has to fight fervently to ensure that none of the parties, so that partisan politics undermines the strength of the union, which is our struggle right now because we have members who have their alliance with their different parties but their allegiances happens to be to their political parties.If that is the case that is where we will have some problems with our union.”
Police Cpl and JP Testify in Case of Bladen 12
The voir dire in the case of the Bladen Twelve resumed today at the Charles Bartlett Hyde Building in Belize City. The twelve men are facing trial for the landing of a drug plane on the Southern Highway on November fifth, 2021. The prosecution called its fifth and sixth witnesses today in the persons of a police corporal and a Justice of the Peace. Head of Prosecutions, attorney Alifah Elrington, called Corporal Jose Uh this morning. Uh, who was a constable at the time, recorded a caution statement from one of the accused, Moises Perez. The defense is claiming that several of the defendants were beaten or threatened while in police custody following the discovery and seizure of the plane. In court today, much of the arguments centred on whether Moises Perez was abused in any way. The JP, Martin Cal, was present during the recording of that statement and said he spent a few minutes alone with Perez before he gave the statement. Today, the Senior Magistrate presiding over the matter admitted Perez’s statements so that the court can determine at the end of this voir dire, whether any of the defendants were coerced, beaten, or in any way abused to give their statements. We spoke first to one of the defence attorneys, Leroy Banner, and then to the Head of the Prosecutions Branch, Alifa Elrington.
Leroy Banner, Attorney for Four Accused Drug Traffickers
“The person who recorded the caution statement testified today. It was tendered. So she just mark it to say it is entered into evidence.”
Reporter
What does that mean, because at the end of the voir dire she will decide whether the caution statement will be accepted into evidence is what we understand.
Leroy Banner
“That is so. At this stage, it’s just – we’re going through the process, then she will decide after hearing both sides if it was given freely and voluntarily, then she was admit it into evidence formally. So right now it is just tendering into evidence, and if she decides okay, I’m satisfied that it was given freely in compliance with the Evidence Act, I will admit it. But at this stage, no, we’re not at that stage yet.”
Reporter
“She also said that she is not looking at the content right now. What does that mean?”
Leroy Banner
“Okay, that means – because when it comes to a caution statement, what is important is not the truth of the caution statement. What is important is that when the police got the statement, was it given freely? Was the person beaten? Was he threatened? Those are the questions, so it’s not per se if it’s the truth. We’re not concerned about the truth. We are concerned if the police follow the Evidence Act. Was there any force? Was there any inducement? Was there any promise? Today. We focused on Mr. Perez’ statement. He gave two statements on the 5th and 6th of November 2021. Those are the statements we challenge.”
Alifa Elrington, Head of Prosecutions Dept.
“The defense has been alleging or suggesting that they were beaten and beaten for all the time that they were in police custody and therefore they had no other reason but to give these statements because the police were beating them and beating them. I believe that on the last occasion, I told the court that we would have about 10 witnesses for the voir dire. So if we’re at about six, then I have about four more witnesses.”
Prosecution Addresses Prisoner Complaint
Throughout much of today, the defense based its arguments on the premise that there was police abuse committed against the defendants. This afternoon, the prosecution called JP Martin Cal to testify. He told the court that the statement of defendant, Moises Perez was taken in his presence, during which the police constable, Jose Uh offered him food and water. However, the defense suggested to Cal that he did not ask the defendant whether he was abused prior to the recording of the statement. The cross-examination process, as Elrington explained, can be a tedious one. She addressed that matter as well as an allegation that defendant, Elmer Nah made.
Alifa Elrington, Head, Prosecutions Branch
“The National Forensic Science Service, Mr Cho was one of the co-chairs along with two Justices of the High Court, and we were supposed to be looking at the actual the National Forensic Science Service and how it relates to the Criminal Justice System. What are the difficulties that we all face and how it is that we can make it better.”
Reporter
“The very last thing I wanted to ask on the previous occasion, one of the accused had complained about his transportation detail from the prison. I believe it’s under your purview. I’m not sure you could clarify, but the senior magistrate had said that it’s a matter to be addressed through PSB. I think you may have some involvement, but was that addressed?”
Alifa Elrington
“So technically, prosecution branch is responsible for the transporting of prisoners. Ordinarily, what would happen is that the prison would bring down prisoners in the morning, and then my office is responsible to transport prisoners back in the afternoon because this is a very high-profile case, as Mr Bradley has said countless times in interviews and we’re dealing with a high-profile defendant, we have had to add security measures in the transporting of those two prisoners. So what has happened is that GI-3 is assisting in the transporting of those two prisoners for this particular case. Defense Counsel, Mr Jones did get up and did say to the court that his client made certain complaints to him. Based on what was said, I indicated to the court that as much as it is that he is making that for the court’s knowledge, the proper procedure, if it is that he’s having a difficulty with a police officer, our police officer is doing something that he’s not required to do or he’s not expected to do as a police officer. The proper procedure was to make an official complaint through the Professional Standards Bureau of the Belize Police Department. After that complaint was made, I subsequently got certain information as it relates to the actual transportation. So there is actual video footage of the full transportation of Mr. Nah when he was picked up at the prison, when he was escorted out the prison doors, into the prison van and the prison van is actually secured also with video cameras at the front and at the back. So his entire transportation while he was on that prison van was also recorded.”
Belizeans Experience 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake in Taiwan
Taiwan was rattled by a seven-point four magnitude earthquake. This is the strongest tremor that has hit the island nation in more than twenty-five years. At least nine persons have been confirmed dead with hundreds more injured. Authorities have issued warnings of potential aftershocks in the coming days. Many Belizeans are in Taiwan and News Five’s Hipolito Novelo spoke to one of them.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Belizean teacher living in Taiwan, Melody Wagner recounted the moment she felt her building shaking. She was on the nineteenth floor when the island nation was hit by a seven point four magnitude earthquake at round eight a.m. local time on Wednesday.
Melody Wagner, Belizean Teacher Living in Taiwan
“Well, immediately, like I had to kind of regulate myself a bit because your first. First I was, I thought I was just dizzy and I was like, oh wait, it’s an earthquake. So I just kind of sat down for a bit thinking like, you know, let’s just wait until it passes because I live on the 19th floor. So it’s not really smart to try to take the elevators down. So I just kind of sat on my bed was the most safe location in my apartment. So I just sat there waiting for it to pass.”
Melody Wagner
“From my 19th floor apartment, most earthquakes that are above five would like really have an impact. Like I would feel like I’m swaying, like I’m in a hammock kind of feeling which is quite uncomfortable, but this one was a lot more intense because more things were shaking. Like, behind me I have like shells, but you can’t really see them, but. My shelves things that I have on my shelves, some of things fell down, some of the carvings and stuff that I have up in my apartment fell down. So that made me realize, you know, this might be a bit intense. I just kept hearing like rattling and I have a mirror on my cupboard and that kept like rocking vigorously back and forth. So, it kind of made me realize maybe this is a serious one. Also the duration of it, it was a lot longer than the usual earthquakes that happened. I’ve experienced since living here.”
Melody Wagner
“I’ve reached out to the to the people that I am close to and most of them have expressed that they’re okay. We see, um, I think Hualien is one of the greatest locations that’s been impacted. I’ve reached out to the Belizeans that I know there and most of them are, well, the ones that replied to me that I interact with have said they’re fine and everything is okay, but they post on their stories saying, you know, they’re nearby where some of the buildings collapse and stuff like that.”
Has this experience made you reevaluate whether you want to continue living there?
“I think short answer, no, because I feel like anywhere in the world that you choose to live, there are natural disasters that you have to contend with. In Belize, we have hurricanes. Here is earthquake center Earthquakes and typhoons. And you just have to learn how to coexist with these natural elements. So, I don’t think it should be a deterrent for anybody and for me personally, no.”
On X, Prime Minister John Briceño shared “Our thoughts are with the government, people and our friends of Taiwan”. The Belizean embassy in Taiwan saying that it responded immediately by liaising with Belizean students located in different regions in Taiwan, as well as universities where Belizean students are studying, to confirm that students are safe. The embassy said that while some Belizeans are understandably shaken emotionally, there has been no report of material effects on Belizeans. Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
B.E.L. Requests Mean Electricity Rate Remain at 40 Cents
Belize Electricity Limited wants the mean electricity rate to remain fixed at forty cents per kilowatt-hour throughout the 2024–2028 tariff cycle. B.E.L. officially made the request to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on March twenty-second. B.E.L. says this aligns with its overarching mission to provide safe, reliable, and sustainable energy solutions that bolster quality of life, productivity, and national development. B.E.L.’s proposal is backed by four reasons, including the introduction of new tariffs and pricing structures for electric vehicle charging, the retrieval of outstanding balances from prior periods, and the allocation of over five hundred million dollars towards capital projects over the ensuing five years. The PUC says that a public hearing will be held on Thursday, April eleventh at six p.m. at the Belize Biltmore Plaza.
A Dream For Kids To Drink Healthier
No sugar, no water, just pure, healthy juice. That is what Marjeli Alvarado, owner of Juiced by Mar told us when we asked about the contents of her cold-pressed juices, which are currently making waves across the country. Alvarado is hoping that she can get her juices to even more children by making them available in schools. News Five’s Britney Gordon reports.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Belize City resident Marjeli Alvarado has been making juices for over six years, and in August 2023, she decided to launch Juiced By Mar, her very own company, to provide Belizeans with cleaner, healthier juices. In alignment with that goal, she launched Juiced for Kids.
Marjeli Alvarado, Owner, Juiced By Mar
“I have I have a dream, a dream and a vision that I want to see make an impact in Belize.”
Britney Gordon
“So what is that dream?”
“So last year in July, the Ministry of Education started a healthy school. Healthy Belize campaign. And mainly, that is to eliminate sugary drinks from our primary school kids diet. And since I’ve been doing cold fresh juices for the past six years, I was like, wow, this can be the perfect opportunity. How can it be a coincidence? My dream and the vision that I have is to see my juices in all schools in Belize City. Not only in Belize City, but countrywide. It’s not something that I want to keep for myself, but I want everybody to benefit from it, especially our kids. It’s hard for us as adults to get out of our habitual ways that we’re stuck in, but it’s easier to work with our primary school children, right?”
Alvarado stated that her products are made from locally sourced produce.
“So you said that this is cold pressed juices. What is a cold pressed juice exactly and what makes your juice stand out from all the other natural juices that we see for sale in the market?”
Marjeli Alvarado
“First of all, we don’t have any heat added to the process. Secondly, cold pressed is a process of blending fruits and veggies. So you’re actually extracting the juices. from a fruit and a vegetable and you have to have a ratio of sixty to forty. It all depends on what you want to select, right? So there’s no water or sugar added to the process and when I say no water, zero percent water, zero percent added sugars and zero percent preservatives. So it’s all just the way as nature intended it to be.”
“So for now the brand only has three different flavors. I have a Captain Carrot’s Plant. That is carrots with orange juice. And I also have a Mister Cocopina. On each of my bottles, there’s a superhero in a vegetable form. Like a cartoon character to appeal to the children. And the third brand is actually a Misses Apple. Which is green apples, cucumber, and pineapple which I’m going to make on set today. And I came up with these brands. We were simply in where I was in, in San Pedro, those three juices were our top sellers. And so from ten, why not just narrow it down to three, which is the average juice that, consumers would purchase on a daily basis.”
Alvarado offers a variety of flavours, including activated charcoal, which is made from locally sourced coconut husk. She also offers custom juices.
Belize City Man Charged For Assaulting Girlfriend
A Belize City man was arraigned today for harm after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend because she refused to have intercourse with him. The incident happened on March first and the accused is twenty-three-year-old Kenyon Flores. The woman says when she refused Flores’ advances, he got angry and accused her of cheating. That is when Flores allegedly choked her and slammed her head on a table while hitting her several times in the face. She told police that she got a knife and cut Flores in the knee to defend herself. Flores was brought before the Magistrates Court this afternoon to answer to a single charge of harm. He pleaded not guilty. There was no objection to bail, but the prosecutor did ask the court to set bail conditions to protect the complainant. That is when Flores flipped the story and told the court that his girlfriend stabbed him because he got a text on his phone. We briefly heard from Flores outside the courtroom.
Reporter
“Sure you don’t want to talk to me, you don’t want to tell me your side.”
Kenyon Flores, Accused of Assaulting Girlfriend
“Deh done do what deh do mein. Deh done please deh self.”
Reporter
“Why the gial stab yo? Just give me your side.”
Kenyon Flores
“She get vex because deh mih the call me and she seh me disrespectful, so she stab me.”
Reporter
Dah wah girlfriend relationship?
Kenyon Flores
“Yah.”
Flores was granted bail in the sum of one thousand dollars plus one surety of the same amount which he met. Flores next court date is set for May sixteenth.