Wildfires continue to burn across Toledo and Cayo districts. With no rains forecasted in these areas, at least for the next few days, residents will continue to remain on high alert. Prime Minister John Briceño says his administration is doing everything it possibly can to put out the fires and assist victims. We spoke with the prime minister following today’s house meeting where he informed reporters that one million dollars have been set aside from government’s five-million-dollar contingency fund to offer immediate relief to fire victims in both districts. P.M. Briceño also touched on the issue of slash and burn, which is believed to be one of the primary causes of these fires. He, like the Area Representative for Toledo East said last week, believes that the method should be done away with and replaced with a safer farming practices. Here is what he told reporters.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I think the first thing we need to accept is that the way we do things ten years ago, twenty years ago can no longer happen. The issue of slash and burn is something of the past. Now in agriculture we have to be using science and technology. I like to use the story of my grandfather who was a hundred and two years old and he was a subsistence farmer. He knew when it was time to fall bush, when it was time to burn and time to plant. But if he was alive today, he would be totally confused because things have changed dramatically. So the first lesson is that we have to understand that we cannot continue the ways of the old. We have to do better. What have we been doing, well we have been doing a lot of work. I need to give credit to our ministers, they have been on the ground not profiling but actually working, mobilizing resources and it is almost like all hands-on deck. All the different ministries that can help, from Human Development, Housing, MIDH, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry. All of us are on board. But at the same time, we quickly realize that this was not a fire like other times so we needed to declare it a national disaster. By doing that we can then access international resources. We have wrote to the IDB and CABIE and both of them have already responded that they are going to assist us. We are using some resources from the contingency fund in the budget. WE have five million dollars aside for emergencies. So in Cabinet we decided we will be using a million dollars. We know that this is not enough, but this is just to get things going in the meantime. But we know that we have to be looking at food, that many of our farmers up to Tuesday, I don’t think we had any houses burning down, but we knew that a lot of them their milpas burn down, some of them their corn houses burn down. So we are working with human development and agriculture to see what is the best way to do something that is sustainable.”
And the losses have only increased since our visit to Toledo last week. According to Andre Perez, the minister responsible for the National Emergency Management Organization, an estimated eight million dollars in losses have been recorded due to forest fires. A total of two hundred and fifty families, or more than one thousand individuals, have been affected. Today, residents in at least three communities in Toledo were out battling fires that posed a threat to their livelihood. Here is more from Minister Perez.
Andre Perez
Andre Perez, NEMO Minister
“Our initial damage assessment report indicates that two hundred and fifty families have been affected by the raging fires and these numbers continue to rise every day. Several hundred acres of farmlands have been destroyed by raging fires. I was told last night; two homes were lost in the Blue Creek area of the Stann Creek district. Today there are still communities at risk to these fires. Last night San Miguel, Silver Creek and Blue Creek were fighting these flames. We have reports as far north as Altun Ha and as far west in Benque Viejo. In the Mountain Pine Ridge, over ten thousand hectares of forest have been affected by wildfires. This is thirty-four thousand acres of land. The initial DANA is showing up to eight million dollars in damages so far. The full impact on agriculture remains unassessed due to the ongoing threat of wildfires and the unrelenting hot and dry weather condition. The full impact will only be understood when we analyses not only the damages but the loses our people have suffered.”
Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow is criticizing the government for its response to this natural disaster. Barrow says that the government has not responded adequately. Here is what he had to say during today’s House meeting as he recounted his recent trip to Toledo where he visited affected families.
Moses “Shyne” Barrow
Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“I would like to discuss, bring to the nation’s attention concerns from the people in Toledo district. I had the pleasure of visiting there over the last couple weeks and when I was there the wildfires really reached its peak and there was a state of emergency declared. But what is happening in Toledo east and west brings into sharp focus the failures of the Briceno administration, and I would like to present these faults for corrective measure. We need as a government, as a nation to become policy oriented. We need as a government to anticipate these emergencies and be ready. We know it is dry season, traditionally the farmers across the country are preparing the farm and land for planting crops and to have the type of devastation taking place, it really is devastating not just to the people in Toledo, but to the economy. And the response is the concern Mr. Speaker. We cannot prevent natural disasters. We cannot stop wild fires but we can respond accordingly Mr. speaker and when I visited Trio village in Toledo East, about four families, I have gotten the chance to see their homes completely destroyed. And, the response of the government is completely inadequate.”
Also in Belmopan earlier today, the National Emergency Management Organization received a donation of equipment from the United States Embassy to be used in fighting wildfires across the country. On hand to receive the items was NEMO Coordinator, Daniel Mendez.
Daniel Mendez
Daniel Mendez, Coordinator, NEMO
“This donation was received from the U.S. Embassy through USAID. This equipment is firefighting equipment that we will be issuing, that we will be sending out to work in the communities. These include water tanks, they include pumps and hoses in order for us to provide faster access to water for the firefighting equipment. There are also small machineries such as trimmers and chainsaws which will be needed to continue that work of clearing fire paths around affected areas in each of the villages. So a significant amount will be going to Toledo. As you may be aware that there has been significant flare ups of fires there and this is where that help is needed. We will also mobilize other units to other parts of the country in anticipation of more fires. The general outlook for weather doesn‘t look promising for us. We don‘t anticipate rain for another few days which means that the risk of fire still remains high. So we remain on alert. Teams have been deployed from all over, so the Belize Defense Force has mobilized. We have villagers working alongside the different ministries. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development is working with bulldozers creating fire paths. We also have other N.G.O.s who have been contributing, so it‘s really a big effort in really trying to control all of these fires across the country. The efforts continue, we continue to work and we monitor these day and night and our teams have been out going up to two weeks now. So it‘s been a big operation and hopefully, we‘re able to soon when the rains come.”
Belize continues to face an energy crisis, despite B.E.L. being able to bring online the gas turbine at its Mile Eight facility. Earlier today, the senior management of Belize Electricity Limited. met with reporters and provided an update on the challenges that the utility company is presently grappling with. Those issues have been brought on by extreme temperatures and damage to B.E.L.’s infrastructure. To make matters worse, the company is unable to receive energy from C.F.E. when power lines and other infrastructure are out of service. So what does this mean for customers? B.E.L.’s General Manager for Employee and Corporate Services, Dawn Sampson-Nunez says that more load shedding can be expected in the days ahead.
Dawn Sampson-Nunez
Dawn Sampson-Nunez, General Manager, B.E.L.
“The challenges that we’re experiencing with respect to generation supply, it is one that we can get through as a community. We can get through it in terms of support from the community in the form of energy conservation. Having said that, a number of issues and each of them we have to manage. As you would have heard earlier from our C.E.O., so there is climate change, it’s an issue that is being experienced worldwide. We’re experiencing extreme temperatures, dry weather conditions. That’s having an impact on our infrastructure. So, a number of the outages that would have been experienced, I believe, in particular up north is a result of the weather. There’s damage to the infrastructure. When that occurs, there are issues with respect to being able to take energies from C.F.E. and of course being able to then do some readjustments to ensure that we can meet the demand on the other side of wherever that damage occurs.”
Compounding the energy crunch are technical difficulties being experienced by BELCOGEN which uses biomass to provide electricity. Also, in the days ahead, BAPCOL, another energy supplier to the national grid, will be doing systematic repairs to its machines. As we’ve said, this means more load shedding.
Dawn Sampson-Nunez
Dawn Sampson-Nunez, General Manager, B.E.L.
“The challenge here is weather-related damages to the transmission system and as a result we then need to source more energy from the hydroelectric facilities. That then is causing a reduction in the water levels at the hydro facilities and so that’s a situation that we need to manage going forward. The other challenge that we’re dealing with here is BELCOGEN. BELCOGEN has notified us that they’re experiencing some technical difficulties with their infrastructure. They have indicated to us that they should be offline for about two weeks. So that’s one challenge that we’re managing there. BAPCOL, as well, they have notified us that they need to carry out some very urgent maintenance repairs on their machines. We currently get about, I think it’s about twenty-two or so megawatts from BAPCOL. There are about three machines that supply us with power from BAPCOL. They will be taking out one unit at a time and each time they take out a unit it’s about two days they’ve indicated to us they will need to be offline. So again, we’re managing the situation at BAPCOL. The situation with BELCOGEN, they expect to be out for about two week. It is possible that they can come back before, as well, it might take a little longer. We’re managing the weather-related outages, the impact that it’s having on our transmission system. So, in a nutshell, where we are at this point in time is that there may be the need for load shedding from time to time.”
According to Sampson-Nunez, customers also have an important role to play in conserve energy. The General Manager for Employee and Corporate Services says that energy conservation will reduce the likelihood of load shedding.
Dawn Sampson-Nunez, General Manager, B.E.L.
“The more greater the effort is to conserve energy then the less likely it is for load shedding, or at least to the areas that can be or that would be affected, would be smaller areas.”
Karique Marin
Karique Marin, Manager, B.E.L.
“From the current time, from now to June fifteenth, what we’re looking at is trying to manage the varying independent power producers across the country to ensure that we can serve as much customer as possible. What we are doing is to try to minimize the load shedding. We are working with our large customers to ask them to provide support, so they would go on generators so that we minimize the load shedding, do not have as much load shedding during that period. Our aim, of course, is to supply every customer, all times throughout the day; however, as the generators across the country experience issues, we do, from time to time, have to have these load shedding. Our plan, of course, is to work with all customers, try to get our gas turbine in San Pedro on line which is currently projected for June fifteenth. Once that comes on line, it gives us an additional twenty megawatts, a little bit of breathing space; however, the hydroelectric dams are reducing their output.”
As the nation continues to grapple with an energy crisis, it may appear as if there is no end in sight and that Belizeans will have to endure many more hot days and nights without electricity. Well, Michel Chebat, the Minister of Energy, says the Briceno administration is putting things in place for the short and long term, as he sought to provide some reassurance to the public. Here is what he said inside the National Assembly.
Michel Chebat
Michel Chebat, Minister of Energy
“As we reflect on the electricity sector in the past couple of months. We can see how climate change has impacted our lives. On the fourth of April the Phillip Goldson International Airport recorded a new high temperature of a hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Last week there was a new record high for electricity demand of a hundred and twenty-seven megawatts caused by the increased use of ACs and fans to deal with insufferable heat and the electricity demand is expected to grow to a hundred and thirty-five megawatts in June, levels never before seen in our country. This extended heatwave and drought has brought the levels of our hydro facilities to critical low levels. These events reinforce the considerations that went into the new energy policy that was approved last year. The policy has a clear vision of how we will take action to increase our renewable energy penetration from fifty-three percent to seventy-five percent by 2030 and by adding a hundred and sixty megawatts of new generation to the grid. This increase will meet our future demands which is expected to be at a hundred and sixty-three megawatts based on current trends. A couple weeks ago I traveled with the honorable prime minister to Cancun where we met with the Mexican president to discuss the supply of electricity to Belize. Mexico is committed to assisting us and we have the assurance that after the second of June the electricity from C.F.E. will stabilize and in addition we will extend the supply from C.F.E. by twenty-five megawatts more.”
The job of educating young minds of the next generation is no easy feat. Every day, teachers are sought after to provide knowledge and instill moral values in the dozens of students placed under their care. While teachers are often remembered for the significant impact they have on the lives of their students, teaching is a thankless job. In tonight’s episode of Belize on Reel, we acknowledge the hard work of teachers and the role they play in the lives of our youths. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with that story.
Britney Gordon, reporting
If you’ve been teaching in Belize for more than a decade, chances are that you are a recognizable face in education. The face of your favorite teacher is not one that’s easily forgotten and in the small country of Belize, running into past students is very likely. This situation is a daily occurrence for vice principal of Belize High and Elementary School and teacher of over fifty years, Diana Azueta. She detailed her extensive background in the field to us.
Dian Azueta
Dian Azueta, Teacher
“I started when I was sixteen. My forts place of working was Saint Mary’s, my alma mater. And shortly after going there, probably two years into it, I went to the teacher’s college, got trained, and I was called back immediately after finishing internship to go and lecture up there at about age 19. So I was lecturing teachers at that age, and then I went to study in England. No, backtrack. I did my ACP and all that, then went to England, came back, did part time at Teachers College, returned to St. Mary’s, did ACC, but at that time it was the only other private school. So I did that and then on to St. Mary’s again. Queen’s Square, Grace Primary, and now I’m here. But each time it was like seven years, so I think God had a hand.”
Azueta says that she never intended to become a teacher, but it was God that brought her to the profession and the love for children that kept her there.
Diana Azueta
“I’ll be very honest, I did not want to teach. I’d seen my mother do it and I was convinced it was too much work. But my belief is if God wants you to do something, He will get you to do it no matter what. So despite my preliminary dislike for it and not wanting to do it. I was convinced shortly after that’s what God wanted me to do.”
Britney Gordon
“I know you’ve been asked a couple times to retire, you’ve done so much already, but you always keep coming back. So why do you keep coming back?”
Diana Azueta
“The Children. I believe you, you have to love Children. And if you love God first, that’s my thing is, it works this way. You love God. That’s the this part of the cross and God calls you to do his work. So the arms stretch out and then you work for others. And in that case, it’s the Children for me. First, you have to care enough for them. If you don’t have the passion, don’t bother with teaching. Don’t bother.”
Azueta describes her teaching style as thinking outside the box. She explained that it is important to engage children in their learning experiences in ways that are easy to understand, but also challenge minds and inspire creativity. Now a teacher at Belize Elementary School, Danyia Samuels, a former student of Azueta’s, told us that this philosophy is now present in her own teaching methods.
Danyia Samuels
Danyia Samuels, Teacher
“I remember in standard six when we had big projects to do. And you wouldn’t realize it at that moment in standard six, but once you move up and you go into your high school and you start your jobs, you realize how much that role played in, uh, shaping how you would do in your job, how you perform as well. So it really helped actually. You don’t know it then, but you know it now and especially now, has made my teaching experience here a positive one. In cases where I’m not sure about something or I think that maybe I could do something a bit differently, I would go to her for advising and she really helps me a lot. So I really appreciate having her here.”
Azueta’s influence as a teacher extends beyond her students, as teachers working under her guidance also express appreciation for her mentorship. Kendra Hoare, a fellow teacher at Belize Elementary School, who has been teaching for over eleven years, explained how much Azueta has impacted her.
Kendra Hoare
Kendra Hoare, Teacher
“My teaching style definitely changed because she tells you what you can do. And she, she doesn’t only tell you to change something. She gives you ideas. She sends you a link, um, reinforcement. She’s very good at helping you whenever you need it.”
Britney Gordon
“And what’s one thing, that you try to implement into your classroom that you hope will leave a mark on your students?”
Kendra Hoare
“Something that I try to implement, and I got this from misses Azueta, is to think outside the box. I encourage my students to make sure that we are not ordinary, we are not basic. We are the best, and so we think like the best, and we act like the best. And as misses Azueta said, we think outside the box.”
Azueta is renowned for her creative teaching methods. However, she explained that teaching extends beyond knowledge. Her goal is to help children become better people.
Diana Azueta
“My belief is you don’t teach students to know. You should be teaching them to be. And I’ve always held that as my, my, my goal. Teach them to be a better person. Teach them to be a good citizen. Teach them to be the best they can be. Teach them to use interpersonal skills. And that sort of thing, yes, you can give them content, but especially in this day, that’s not needed. I can pick up a phone and get whatever I need to know. So why spend hours teaching content that I can get in a few minutes? Teach them to be the best of what, or who they can become.”
For teachers like Samuels, the emotional impact they have on students is something that is treated with care. She said that being able to offer emotional support is something she’s learned to do over the years.
Britney Gordon
“What does it mean to be a teacher?”
Danyia Samuels
“That’s a loaded question. What does in mean to be a teacher? F1:11or me, it means being there for my students, most important. Yes the teaching is important and getting through to them the curriculum, but also being there for them emotionally, as well as physically being there for them. So it’s very important for me to impact them emotionally first. Once you’re there with them and they know that they can talk with you, it’s easier to teach them going forward.”
Much like Samuels, the connection she makes with students is one of the most rewarding parts of being a teacher. Seeing how her pupils have grown is the highlight of her career.
Diana Azueta
“There are so many the ones that stand out for me are like, no, because I taught you. Yes. And I remember those days when we were doing English and see, no, you’re using it. I remember things like Keon Griffith being in my class and always this huge artist, but I don’t only remember the persons who have made it big. It’s like walking down the street a few months ago and a student ran across the street through the traffic. He said miss, and gave me his history and what he’s doing. He said, you remember in instill in us, we have to do our best, and telling me what he’s doing. Those stand out for me. More than anything else.”
On Wednesday, carrot farmers in northern Belize voiced their concerns regarding an excess supply of vegetables on the local market. They believe that contrabandistas are part of the reason why they cannot sell their carrots. Out west, carrot farmers share the same belief. But agriculture officials say that the farmers have contributed to the current dilemma. In the following report from News Five’s Marion Ali, the issue is explained in greater detail. Here’s that story.
Marion Ali, Reporting
This carrot farm is part of a sixteen-acre plot that Oscar Martinez planted out last November. But an overabundance of the root vegetable on the market means that he is likely to lose three thousand sacks of carrots. That converts to fifty-five thousand dollars, if he does not find a market for his carrots within the next couple weeks.
Oscar Martinez
Oscar Martinez, Carrot Farmer, La Gracia Village, Cayo
“Last time I sell carrots, the guy buy only four sacks and this time he didn’t get any more because there is too many local and from Mexico.”
Marion Ali
“That’s what he told you?”
Oscar Martinez
“Yeah.”
Marion Ali
“Have you tried other people to sell to?”
Oscar Martinez
“Yes, but they don’t want nothing because there is too many from Mexico. Everything is contraband.”
We visited the San Ignacio Town Market and did not see any of the bigger, smoother, contraband carrots available. A vendor told us that they don’t purchase contraband carrots at that market. About thirty miles away in San Antonio Village, Ananias Mesh has seven acres of carrots that remain unharvested. Aside from the contraband issue, the glut of carrots has pushed the price below profitable margins for him.
Ananias Mesh
Ananias Mesh, Carrot Farmer, San Antonio Village, Cayo
“The problem is the price right now is low. We sell $35 by 50 pounds.”
Marion Ali
“What should the price be?”
Ananias Mesh
“At least $50 a 50 pounds. We used to go two times a week in Belize City to sell it. And then right now we are not going right there because it’s too cheap the carrots right deh. Last time we sell like 200 bags a week, but right now we just sell 60 bags a week.”
Marion Ali
“And that’s because they’re buying from other people too?”
Ananias Mesh
“Yes. The contraband is affecting us We sell right now slow.”
Marion Ali
Do you think the contraband is selling for cheaper than you guys?
Ananias Mesh
“No, expensive.”
Marion Ali
“Why do you think that is? Is it because of the quality? Is there a difference in the quality?”
Ananias Mesh
“Yes, quality, more quality – the contraband.”
If Mesh doesn’t sell carrots by the end of the crop, he stands to lose twenty thousand dollars. Another contributing factor for the oversupply is climate change. Suitable planting conditions did not occur until late in the year, and that meant that farmers in Cayo who were to provide the first supply of carrots were unable to plant earlier than the other farmers in the north. Now, when these farmers should be reaping the last of their crops, there are still more carrots in the ground than they can sell. That is before the farmers in northern Belize begin to supply the market.
Oscar Martinez
“The people in charge to stop the contraband, they are supposed to do that. If they don’t do a good job, the contraband never stops. If they don’t stop the contraband, I never plant carrots again.”
In the past two months, Oscar Martinez has only been able to sell roughly two hundred sacks of carrots. He wants the relevant authorities to crack down on those who are contrabanding carrots in Belize. That is a step that Andrew Maheia says will be taken in the days ahead.
Andrew Maheia
Andrew Maheia, Acting Director, Extension Unit, Ministry of Agriculture
“When we do activate and we’re, after this exercise, that’s the first thing we’re going to do: activate the vegetable interdiction unit to ensure that all entities come together and we try to see what’s the source of the problem.”
But Maheia says that the carrot farmers also bear some responsibility for the problems they are facing now with oversupply. They don’t plant in phases, and they plant more than they agree to plant.
Andrew Maheia
“The farmers did one thing that wasn’t planned – the production acreages, they planted more and compounded to the issue of them planting together. The Ministry of Agriculture can only do so much. We meet with the farmers on a regular basis. We plan who will plant first. The schedule will ensure that the farmers understand and most of them don’t abide by it. They will tell us, “okay, I’ll plant two acres this year. I normally plant two, I’ll stick to two.” The extension officers visit the farm, it’s three, it’s four, it’s five acres.”
Marion Ali
“And everybody together?”
Andrew Maheia
“And that’s the thing. Once the climatic conditions remain the same as last year, they will plant together. And then we’ll be right back again here next year. We’re hoping that we have better coordination, better communication with the farmers this year.”
