This strategy seeks to create gateways for Belizeans to become conversation leaders in the science field. This includes providing opportunities for Belizeans to elevate their careers through the use of science. Dr. Leeroy Almendarez, Executive Director of BELTRAIDE explained how the implementation of this strategy can help business owners develop their brands.
Dr. Leeroy Almendarez, Executive Director, BELTRAIDE
“BELTRAIDE deals a lot with MSMEs. It deals with innovation. It does deal with investment. It deals with export development. And of course, we have a training center. And so the role we play in technological development, for example, for MSMEs, for those in that space to become more competitive, there is a need for adaptation to technology, and latest technology. A number of the projects we are undertaking through the IDB, one of them being digitalization of MSMEs to make them more competitive. We also have been launching digital connect centers in partnership with the UNDP to bridge the digital divide. And if you can bridge the digital divide, then it means absence of information, you’re not disadvantaged. You’re able to participate in the whole digital communication. And so this is important for us in terms of innovation. We continue to remind entrepreneurs sometimes it just takes a little bit of differentiation to your service or product that you’re offering to make you more competitive. And so as you adapt to innovation, making things different, coming up with new ideas, because that’s how you become leaders within the market. The more innovative you are, you become a market leader, and others have to follow you.”
The Belize Police Department and the Department of Transport now have better equipment to prevent motor vehicle operators from breaking the law. As we reported, new legislation recently came into effect prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving. And, to show how serious they are about road safety, the Belize Road Safety Project handed over thousands of dollars in equipment to both departments to bolster their traffic enforcement efforts. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the story.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
To mitigate the increasing number of road traffic incidents on the nation’s highways, the Second Road Safety Project handed over much-needed equipment to the Department of Transport and the Police Traffic Unit at a ceremony in Belmopan. Minister of Transport Rodwell Ferguson was present at the event.
Rodwell Ferguson
Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport
“Our responsibility is to try to keep the commuter safe and those who are driving motor vehicles across the country. So, what we received today is just a collaboration between ourselves and the Road Safety Project to make sure we can implement these in our highways. Fortunately, over the Easter I didn’t hear of much accidents. If we can maintain it that way that would be very important. So I am asking now for a collaboration with the police and traffic department to do night patrols. To mitigate the amount of drunk driving and those who are driving carelessly at nighttime. So these will complete what we have already. About a year ago we also got a number of other equipment. WE have also passed legislation so that we can use them. So, with this and those we can improve road safety in the country of Belize. So I feel very confident it is going to work.”
Among the items handed over are handcuffs, reflective vests, binoculars, and handheld radios. Zane Castillo, the project manager at the Road Safety Project, explained that the resources will be shared between the police and traffic departments according to their needs.
“The Department of Transport will be receiving handcuffs, raincoats, reflective vests, uniform caps, retractable speed bumps, traffic signs, handheld radios and base chargers for the radios. The police traffic unit will be receiving traffic cones, binoculars and flashlights, and also reflective vest. They both will also be receiving first aid kits. Especially with respect to the Department of Transport, the equipment should be shared among all the branches within the department for them to have better equipment while on the road doing patrols and checkpoints.”
The Road Safety Project functions under the Ministry of Economic Development. CEO of the Ministry, Doctor Osmond Martinez, says the resources are valued at one hundred and ninety-six thousand Belize dollars. He noted that the funds to acquire the equipment were sourced in part from the Caribbean Development Bank.
Osmond Martinez
Dr. Osmond Martinez, C.E.O, Ministry of Economic Development
“We continue to see road accidents. There is also a need to upgrade the enforcement of our constitution and also support the reinforcement of the transport department. The donation that has been handed over today by the Road Safety which is under the Ministry of Economic Development to Transport, which is also to support all the officers, the men and women who work with the transport department. The total value of the donation to the Ministry of Transport is a hundred and ninety-six thousand dollars and is funds that come through the Caribbean Development Bank. There is also a counterpart funding from the government of Belize.”
And both Minister Ferguson and CEO Martinez had a message for motor vehicle operators. With new legislation passed that prohibits the use of cellphones while driving, Minister Ferguson and CEO Martinez emphasized the fact that one life lost as a result of a road traffic incident is one too many.
Rodwell Ferguson
“I want to urge the travelling public that lives really matter because when someone dies it affects the families. So, we are asking you all to make sure there is no drunk driving. We recently passed the cellphone law that you cannot answer your phone while driving. So, I hope the people comply and many time accidents involve drunk driving and cellphone use. So, I hope they get the message and understand clearly what we want to accomplish for them. It is not only for us, but also for all of us.”
Dr. Osmond Martinez
“The loss of one life is too many, therefore it is important for us to be responsible when we are driving on the road. Follow the rules of the transport department also to be responsible and understand that driving a vehicle is similar to having a weapon on you and it is a weapon on you, a weapon that can kill, injure, anyone out there.”
Belize and Guatemala have provided all their written submissions to the International Court of Justice in the first round of presentations to settle the age-old territorial dispute. Today, when we sat down with Foreign Minister, Francis Fonseca, he gave us a sequence of the events to follow. And even while this is happening, he said, we are still engaged in protecting our borders on the ground, particularly in the remote areas where incursions are known to happen.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“Where we are is that we are awaiting a date to be set by the court for oral hearings, the actual oral hearings of the case. We expect that date will be set sometime later this year. That date is likely – it could be late this year or it could be sometime early next year, the early part of 2025, we’re not sure as yet. That’s where we are with that. Again, Belize maintains its very strong confidence that we have a firm, strong case. We believe that this case will vindicate Belize’s position that, in terms of our territorial integrity over our territory or islands or marine spaces, but Belize remains committed to a peaceful resolution of this matter before the I.C.J. So we’re going to see that process work its way out. And at the end of the day, we will respect the decision of the court. We’re very glad to hear that or neighbors in Guatemala have also said the same thing: that they will respect the outcome of the court’s decision. At the same time, we of course continue to have challenges on the ground, at the border. In terms of incursions, farming on Belizean territory. We are tracking these things very carefully – the deforestation that’s taking place, particularly in the Chiquibul area. So these are issues that we are very concerned about, and even though we’re working through the I.C.J process, that doesn’t mean that we’re not working with Guatemala on these issues. We’re engaged with them on these issues with the help and support of the O.A.S. The O.A.S plays a very critical role in terms of that Adjacency Zone. So we’re all committed, I believe Guatemala, Belize, the O.A.S to ensuring that area, this region remains a zone of peace.”
A common practice you may have noticed is people removing excess gravel from roads that have been recently paved. This gravel is typically what’s left after a road project is completed and will likely be disposed of by the contractors working on the road. With that in mind, some take it upon themselves to remove the gravel and use it for their own purposes. If done correctly, this practice is typically well received and sometimes encouraged. However, we spoke with civil engineer Michelan Gilharry in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, who encourages the public to exhibit patience before removing the gravel. Here’s what he had to say.
Michelan Gilharry, Civil Engineer
“What we would ask the people to do is to wait for us to give them the go ahead, because what happened is, yes, there is some excess material and it, in a way, positively helps the contractor to clean up, in a sense, because they would still need to do it. But once we have placed the first layer, then we wait another thirty days to put the second layer. And then after that, we need proper embedment. If they go and take it beforehand, then they can damage the edge of the road. But if they wait as what we want, and after we have swept it and it’s all the way to the edge, or like to the embankment of the road, then it doesn’t typically affect the road structure. But so that’s what I would comment on saying that we just want patience. They will still be able to get the material is beneficial to the community members, just let’s wait, get the go ahead from the contractors in my project, we do speak with the people shoveling the gravel. We explained to them and most of the time they’re very understanding. They know they wait and then afterwards they would come on, pick up the material and use it for whatever purpose they have.”
The upcoming total solar eclipse in North America is scheduled for Monday, April eighth. The totality will last up to four minutes and will span across Mexico, the United States, and Canada. For those outside the path of totality, a crescent-shaped partial eclipse will still offer a mesmerizing view. While Belize won’t experience the total phase of the eclipse, it will witness a partial solar eclipse, beginning at eleven-eighteen with the first contact between the Moon and the Sun’s edge. We spoke with Chief Meteorologist Ronald Gordon, who gave us some more information.
Ronald Gordon
Ronald Gordon, Chief Meteorologist, National Meteorological Service
“As it relates to this particular eclipse that will occur actually on Monday, the eighth of April believes is not within the path of totality, which means that we are not going to experience a total solar eclipse. However, we are going to see a partial solar eclipse. From what I’m seeing. We are going to be about forty percent of occlusion, which means that about forty percent of the sun will be covered by the moon. And that indicate that it will not be very dark. You may recall that we had an annular solar eclipse in October of last year. And that was an eclipse in which the moon basically was within the entire part of the or entire coverage of the sun. But there was that. Ring around it because at that point, the distance between the moon and the earth was not close enough for it to entirely cover the sun. So it’s not a total eclipse, but rather described as an annular solar eclipse. In this case, there’ll be even less coverage. In other words, there’ll be even less blockage of the sun, so it will not even be as dark as it was. For the clips that we saw last year. Now, in terms of timing, the information that I have is that it will be starting around about eighteen minutes after eleven here local time. The maximum coverage will be about twelve thirty-one and by about one forty-five or so more or less. It will be all clear. Weather conditions currently, although it’s a bit far away, indicate that we’ll be under an easterly flow. There’s a possibility of isolated showers and the possibility of some cloudiness. We cannot tell for sure if at that particular time, it will be cloudy or not. It’s not possible to see that. But if it is not cloudy, and you’re able to look at the sun, which we advise you to do with specialized sunshades. You will maybe see that there’s an obstruction between the earth and the sun. You’ll see the shadow of the moon, basically, not the shadow, but the actual moon obscuring part of the sun. If you look up, if you are not able to look up with those specialized sunshades, you may not even know that there’s something covering the sun. It may look like a cloud or something, or it might be the level of darkness will not be that significant for you to know that there’s an eclipse occurring. That’s what we expect it to look like at that time.”
Brian “Yellowman” Audinett withdrew the criminal complaint he filed with the Belize Police Department against Leader of the Opposition Moses ‘Shyne’ Barrow. When News Five asked Police Commissioner Chester Williams the reason for Audinett’s decision to withdraw the complaint, he said, “I don’t know, I wish I would know but I don’t know.”
In a previous interview, Williams said that Audinett alleged that “information reaching him is that the leader of the opposition placed a hit on him.”
Audinett was fired from the United Democratic Party by Barrow. Barrow claimed that Audinett stole items from the party’s HQ. Audinett denied stealing anything.
Politico is reporting that the detection of avian flu in a Texas dairy worker represents the initial confirmed instance of human infection with the illness in the United States, which has already afflicted cattle across multiple states in recent weeks.
This singular case, only the second recorded instance of H5N1 in the nation, has stirred unease among public health specialists who have long warned about the potential threat of avian flu. Authorities have identified only this one case, with no indication of human-to-human transmission. The worker’s illness is mild, and recovery is anticipated.
The CDC, FDA, and USDA confirmed that the virus was detected in a Michigan dairy herd that had received cows from herds in Texas. The strain in Michigan closely resembles those in Texas and Kansas, believed to have originated from wild birds.
While initial tests haven’t indicated changes making the virus more transmissible to humans, federal agencies continue monitoring the situation closely. Stockpiles of vaccines targeting avian flu are maintained, with the possibility of increased production depending on the situation’s progression.
The emergence of avian influenza in cows underscores the necessity of heightened surveillance among farmworkers and dairy employees, as the virus continues to pose a persistent threat, echoing concerns that have persisted for over two decades.
Taiwan continues its search for 18 individuals still unaccounted for following Wednesday’s devasting earthquake. The earthquake, registering a magnitude of 7.2, struck the rugged eastern coast of the island, particularly impacting the mountainous and sparsely populated Hualien county.
Tragically, the earthquake claimed the lives of 10 individuals, with over 1,000 sustaining injuries and many left stranded due to landslides obstructing roads. As of Friday, 18 individuals remain missing, including six hikers and four foreigners.
Rescue efforts have focused on ensuring the safety of approximately 400 individuals stranded at a resort within Taroko National Park. However, the unpredictability of weather conditions, including the potential for rain exacerbating the risk of rockfalls and landslides, poses significant challenges to ongoing search and rescue operations.
Despite the devastation, tales of survival emerge. David Chen, a security manager at a hotel, expressed gratitude for surviving the ordeal. Strict adherence to building codes and heightened awareness prompted over 100 residents to opt for outdoor tents over apartment dwellings amidst numerous aftershocks.
Several Belizeans living in Taiwan experienced the tremor. The Belizean embassy in Taiwan shared a statement saying “While some Belizeans are understandably shaken emotionally, there has been no report of material effects on Belizeans. The Embassy advises students to monitor the news and official disaster management agencies’ broadcasts, which will keep them informed on the areas of Taiwan confronting infrastructural and physical damages.”
Weather forecasters from Colorado State University (CSU) have projected an “extremely active” 2024 Atlantic hurricane season due to warm sea surface temperatures and reduced wind shear during the summer and fall months. The report says that current El Niño conditions are likely to transition to La Niña conditions this summer/fall, leading to hurricane-favourable wind shear conditions.
According to the CSU forecast, there are expected to be a total of 23 named storms, with five of them developing into major hurricanes, characterized by winds exceeding 111 miles per hour (178 kph), out of a total of 11 hurricanes.
The report explains that sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central Atlantic are at historically high levels and are expected to remain significantly above average throughout the upcoming hurricane season. It says that this heightened warmth in the tropical Atlantic creates conditions favorable for the formation and strengthening of hurricanes.
With high confidence in this early April outlook, CSU projects a substantially increased likelihood of major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean.
It’s crucial to note that, despite predictions, every hurricane season carries the potential for significant impact. Coastal residents must remain vigilant and prepare thoroughly, as even a single hurricane landfall can define an active season.
Тhе 2024 ѕtоrm nаmеѕ аrе:
Аlbеrtо
Веrуl
Сhrіѕ
Dеbbу
Еrnеѕtо
Frаnсіnе
Gоrdоn
Неlеnе
Іѕаас
Јоусе
Кіrk
Lеѕlіе
Міltоn
Nаdіnе
Оѕсаr
Раttу
Rаfаеl
Ѕаrа
Тоnу
Vаlеrіе
Wіllіаm
Why are hurricanes given names?
According to the National Hurricane Center, employing concise and distinctive names in both written and spoken communication proves to be more efficient and accurate compared to older methods reliant on latitude and longitude. Additionally, using easily memorable names helps mitigate confusion, especially during periods when multiple storms occur simultaneously.
What happens if the predetermined list of hurricane names is exhausted?
Prior to 2020, when all names were used, the Greek alphabet was utilized, assigning names like Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Zeta, Eta, Theta, etc. This occurred twice, once in 2005 and again in 2020. Now, instead of resorting to the Greek alphabet, a supplementary list of tropical cyclone names will be employed.
Belize ranked number 2 as the most affordable country in Latin America, behind Barbados in the number 1 spot. Yahoo Finance reports that airfare to Belize is USD 411, and accommodation costs are USD 199. It says, “Belize is a captivating destination known for its diverse natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and adventurous experiences. Bladen Nature Reserve trails and the Mayan ruins are some of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.”
The report was compiled by the stock advisory firm Insider Monkey.
These countries secured the top spots in the affordability rankings for US tourists due to their inexpensive flight fares and accommodation costs.
Joining Barbados and Belize on the list of wallet-friendly destinations are Aruba, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. On the contrary, the report identifies Costa Rica, Antigua and Barbuda, and the Cayman Islands as among the most expensive countries for visitors.
It’s worth noting that airfare and accommodation expenses can vary significantly based on the traveller’s departure point, destination city, and choice of lodging.
Mordo Intelligence predicts that US travellers will significantly contribute to Latin America’s tourism revenue, which is expected to reach approximately US$52.18 billion this year. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, international arrivals in Latin America have shown signs of recovery, with figures returning to 88% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023, as reported by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
This resurgence in tourism is reflected in the financial performance of travel services provider Booking Holdings Inc. In the latest quarter, the company’s revenue surged by 18.15% to reach US$4.78 billion, exceeding market expectations by US$73.37 million.
