In early May, a family of thirteen was displaced after a fire destroyed their home in Trio village. Yuri Choc, her mother, sister, and ten children lost everything in a fire, save for the clothes on their backs. Now, a month later, the family is reaching out once again to ask for assistance, as they have not received much help and are still in need of a home. We spoke with Choc earlier today, where she detailed the family’s current situation.
On the phone: Yuri Choc
On the phone: Yuri Choc, Fire Victim
“Like how a lot of us stay in one rent, and it’s kinda small, so we would like a kind of bigger house to stay for us. In one house rate, like a lot of us is in there, it’s all eleven and some of the children sleep on the floor. Well, during the fire, we lose a lot. We lose a lot. All our kitchenware, our clothes, and one of my son going to high school as soon as possible. And we lost all of his textbooks we already bought.”
Britney Gordon
“Okay, so can you tell me where people can reach you? What number can they call you to help?”
On the phone: Yuri Choc
“Here in Trio Village, number six-zero-eight-six-eight-forty-five.”
Britney Gordon
“Okay, what would you prefer that they give to you right now?”
On the phone: Yuri Choc
“Well food, clothes, like how we said, we want our house where we can be like we done before.”
The start of the rainy season is welcomed as Belize has been grappling with an extended heatwave for several weeks. However, the rain is not anticipated to come without risk. Earlier this week, Chief Environmental Officer Anthony Mai told us that, while the approaching rain would certainly assist in fire relief efforts, it poses a very real threat to water supplies in the affected areas because of the amount of ash that would run off into the waterways. We asked John Bodden, Principal Public Health Inspector at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, if they’re working proactively to combat this issue. Here is his response.
John Bodden
John Bodden, Principal Public Health Inspector, Ministry of Health and Wellness
“As it starts, we are the ones responsible for drinking water quality within the country. And we have had the discussion with our water labs to get prepared and we have the officers that will go out and do testing of these wells to give us a indication as to whether the wells are contaminated or not. The bigger picture I think is when we would be having flooding in the future. The ash that is still remaining on the surface will become contaminated. We have reached out to BWS to see how prepared they are and they are taking all these measures into consideration to ensure that they have the necessary filters and to do the necessary procedures that might be required.”
Aside from the damage to wildlife, agriculture and the livelihoods of Belizeans living in areas nearest to the fires, the compromised air quality poses a real threat to those in the affected areas. Several villages in Toledo and Cayo districts have displayed copious amounts of smoke in the air, rendering it difficult to breathe for some villagers. John Bodden, Principal Public Health Inspector at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, says that the ministry has taken a proactive approach to assisting people in coping with the smoke and that, for the most part, the communities have been handling the situation well. Here is Bodden with more information.
John Bodden
John Bodden, Principal Public Health Inspector, Ministry of Health and Wellness
“As per usually in any emergency, the Ministry of Health would normally activate its E.O.C. to address any situation on the ground. Of course, this one is rather different than any other than week that we had responded to. In terms of the number of cases and we look at the epidemiological week from the start of this year, which is week one through week twenty-two, we noted that at the first, probably first three months, we had a lot of cases in terms of respiratory condition. Comparing to this time period, which is at week twenty-two. We know that the number of cases that we at least would have thought that would have been contributed as a result of the fire is not that significant. It’s not to say that people are not facing challenges, but I think people have been doing things on the personal level to actually combat the situation. For example, the using of face masks and we know that many people still have face masks out there and we have been issuing out face masks as well. But I think with the collaboration of both Red Cross and Ministry, I felt, and we’re in the same cluster, we do the same type of activities. We have managed to reach out to the people that have or that were in need of any assistance. They, at the hospital level, we do have the facility on standby if there’s a need for the treatment of anybody who might be affected seriously, and we continue to monitor the situation and continue to provide advisory to the community as well as hold the best to address the situation.”
Reporter
“So you wouldn’t say you’ve had critical cases?”
John Bodden
“No, we haven’t seen any at this moment.”
Reporter
“How, in your view, has that been avoided given that the smoke is right in everyone’s faces and noses, I’d say.“
John Bodden
“Yeah, I think before the escalation of the fire we had been putting on advisories and even with the Department of Environment in the early part of the year, we had some advisories on. And so I think a lot of people know how to address fire and smoke inhalation issue, and they have been taking heed.”
Although the rainy season has begun, Belize has yet to experience a downpour that would offer a reprieve from the prolonged heatwave the country has been suffering from. This heatwave has not only exacerbated the wildfires running rampant in densely forested areas but raised health concerns regarding heat exhaustion and air pollution from the smoke. Recently, Minister of Education Francis Fonseca was asked whether any assistance is being provided for students and teachers in these areas and whether classes would be shortened as a result.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
“Yeah lots of things to help them, but not shortened classes. We need our students in school. But what we’ve done is, we’ve worked with the Ministry of Health to make sure that we put out advisories for the schools, that we make sure that we’re sharing proper advice with the principals and teachers and managers so that they have guidance on how they can help to help their students to deal with the excessive heat. You’re absolutely right. We’re dealing with excessive heat across the country, obviously, it’s created many problems for us in terms of the areas where we’ve had fires in Toledo. In Toledo, we’ve had to close schools on a number of days because of the smoke and fires. So in that case, we do close schools. Yeah, it’s an important issue, but we continue to work with our managers and with the Ministry of Health to make sure that we’re giving proper advice to our schools.”
This week, we’re shining a spotlight on resilience in small business—a quality every entrepreneur understands. It’s the grit and determination to persevere when the odds seem insurmountable. Nahomy Usher embodies this spirit. As a single mother and seasoned entrepreneur with over a decade of experience, she’s faced her share of challenges. When one business failed, she didn’t give up, she created another. We caught up with her at her booth at the Mahogany Street Reserve Project and found this week’s look On the Bright Side.
Sabreena
“Maanin Ms. Nahomy, Can I order some breakfast please?”
Nahomy
“Yes babe, what can I get you?”
Sabreena
“I’ll have your grilled sandwich with cheese and ham.”
Sabreena Daly, Reporting I’m here at one of my favorite places to enjoy a delicious Belizean breakfast or lunch. For many in Lake Independence, it is also their go-to location on Mahogany Street for a quick bite in the morning. It’s called Belize City Tacos, but if you look on the menu, tacos are nowhere in sight.
Nahomy Usher
Nahomy Usher, Owner, Belize City Tacos “My shop is named City Tacos and I think it’s a funny thing when people pass around here because when they come in the morning and ask can I have three dollars tacos or two dollars tacos? And I’m like, no, we don’t have any tacos. This is what we have on the board.”
The confusion comes from the owner, Nahomy Usher, being the face of one of her first business ventures– The “real” Belize City Tacos that was situated on Yarborough Road. Usher is a resilient entrepreneur who began her journey at twenty-two years old when she started selling tacos and other corn-based meals. She also had a small business renting a bouncy house, a feeding program, and even sold cooked beans.
Sabreena Daly
“Where did all these ideas come from, from the Bouncy House to cooked beans?”
Nahomy Usher
“When my son was three years old I wanted something different for a party and I saw this post on Facebook. That inspired me to do my own little Bouncy House business. I saved up the money from where I was working and that’s how that became. Then the beans business became because we Belizean people, well, we Belize city people, we like everything easy. So I said people will want beans already cooked if they get up late. Just purchase a pound of beans that’s already cooked and put it on the stove. It was successful. I still sell beans up to now when people order.”
Usher’s enduring spirit has brought her through successful ventures but has also taught her perseverance. When one business failed, she went on to another.
Nahomy Usher
“I remember COVID came and then it affected my Bouncy House business. I actually had some new bouncy houses, but because of the lockdown, I couldn’t do it anymore because they started rotting away. So then I decided to open back up a food shop and the same thing happened with the kids program. Two years of them being at home locked me up and I was there thinking, what can I do? What can I do again? And I started again with the breakfast in a box.”
Sabreena
“You get to choose what you would like to place inside the box. This morning, I went with a grilled sandwich. With the morning crowd, and the quality meal, Usher makes it look easy.”
Sabreena Daly
“As an entrepreneur, what would you say has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome in the span of 11 years?”
Nahomy Usher
“My biggest challenge has been financial. Financial and then advertising. I had to find my own ways of advertising and my own ways of getting my financial income to come in so that I can be able to have this that I have now.”
Usher started her business at a humble location just a distance from where she is now. She didn’t have much space, only a wish to stay in her community. So, when the opportunity presented itself for her to secure a booth with the Mahogany Street Reserve Project, Usher crossed her fingers.
Nahomy Usher
“I saw the opportunity here at Mahogany. It’s a busy street and I bring something different here from everybody else that has a shop here and people are pleased with it. So when I heard the news that they were going to build small booths for us, the people that were renting shops, it was good news. Until I got that key in my hand, I was like, thank God. You know, it was a relief not paying rent anymore. I was paying 300 to 400 a month. Now I am saving that . It’s a great help that I got. So, when you believe in yourself, when you remain focused, you go a long way.”
Gesmy Bernardez has been working with Nahomy for the past eight months and is also inspired to be in her shoes one day.
Gesmy Bernardez
Gesmy Bernardez , Helper, Belize City Tacos
“We sell breakfast, we sell lunch, and so on. The things that we sell the most is the stuffed Jacks in the morning, the waffle, the pancake wrap, we have wraps also, and grilled sandwich, and bagels and croissants. It’s good to be independent. And then to work for yourself, especially since we have a lot of single mothers out here., We try out here for our kids. We try different things. Sometimes when you work for other people, it doesn’t really work out, so it’s good to try things for yourself.”
Nahomy Usher
“You know, once you put God in everything that you do in a business, in your life, he will be the one to guide you. He is the one that told me not to give up. He has something for me. We can only see from a certain point of view, but he’s seen everything that he has for me in life, and he was the one that helped me where I am today apart from my customers.”
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a $10 million loan to support sustainable urban development in Belize’s northern municipalities. The initiative includes improved access to urban services, better drainage infrastructure and bicycle lanes.
The IDB’s Board of Executive Directors also approved a USD 2.5 million non-reimbursable facility for the same purpose.
This program aims to improve access to selected urban services, foster local economic growth, and facilitate social and economic integration of vulnerable populations, such as women and migrants.
Vulnerable neighbourhoods and prioritized urban areas will see improved access to essential urban services such as drainage, sewage, sidewalks, pavement, and bike lanes using the new or enhanced sidewalks with universal design. Integral investments include upgrading public markets, accommodations for local vendors, tourist centres, kindergartens, primary health care and cultural centres.
These projects will improve the tourism product and potential in Orange Walk (OW) and Corozal while fostering the social and economic integration of vulnerable populations.
This initiative will benefit an estimated 40,000 Orange Walk, Corozal, and San Pedro residents. The direct beneficiaries will be residents of vulnerable neighbourhoods, users of public spaces, local vendors, consumers, small business owners, and workers in the tourism and commerce sectors.
The program also finances institutional strengthening actions, both local and national, which will also strengthen local capacities to guide the sustainable urban development of cities in a planned and controlled manner. This initiative underscores the IDB’s commitment to fostering inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban development in Belize.
The IDB loan is for a 25-year term and has a grace period of five and a half years.
Police have identified the man who was found with a gunshot wound last night. An official report from the Belize Police Department says the person has been identified as Alfredo Enrique Rodriguez David.
David’s body was discovered around 5:00 p.m. Police are investigating.
Next week, a group of Russian naval ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will visit Cuba as part of the “historically friendly relations” between the two nations, according to the Cuban government.
The fleet will dock in Havana between June 12 and 17. The Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces emphasized that none of the ships carry nuclear weapons and that their visit does not pose a threat to the region.
Cuba noted that visits from naval units of friendly nations are a longstanding practice.
This visit marks the largest Russian naval presence in Cuba in years. It follows last July’s visit by the Russian Navy’s training ship Perekop and comes amid Cuba’s increasing reliance on Russian oil and aid during its worst economic crisis in decades.
The announcement also follows U.S. President Joe Biden’s recent decision to allow Ukraine to conduct limited strikes inside Russian territory with American munitions, prompting a strong response from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The U.S. State Department and Pentagon anticipate increased Russian naval and air activity near the U.S. this summer, as part of routine maneuvers leading up to a global naval exercise in the fall.
A man from Mullins River Village was found dead at sea earlier this weekend. He has been identified as sixty-one-year-old Gilbert Flowers.
His body was retrieved near Deadman Caye near Turneffe Atoll.
His nephew, Alberto Magdeleno of Ladyville Highlights said, ” He was one of the original guys who worked on sand boat sailing to Robinson point and back to Belize city on those classic sailing boats such as RADIO AND UNITED.”
He said they remain uncertain about how he died.
The investigation has revealed that Flowers and others left for Deadman Caye on May 31st in preparation for the lobster season, which begins on July 1st. Flowers stayed on the island, while the others reportedly returned to Belize City. When they went back to the island, Flowers was nowhere to be found.
His body was found on Tuesday morning by Coast Guard officers.
Police in Belize City are investigating an apparent murder. The body of a man was found with multiple gunshot wounds near the Port of Belize in Belize City yesterday. The unidentified man is believed to have been fishing in the area when he was murdered.
Investigators found a backpack, bucket, and bicycle near the body.
