2024-07-22 - Channel 5 Belize

The Urgency of Now: Ending Aids in the Caribbean

The end of the global AIDS pandemic is within reach and if countries can increase preventive measures and treatment, it can be achieved by 2030. According to the joint United Nations Program on H.I.V. and AIDS, UNAIDS, the Caribbean has displayed substantial progress against H.I.V. since 2010, however, AIDS-related deaths continue to be a concern in several countries including Belize. Today, we spoke with Doctor Russell Manzanero, Director of Epidemiology Unit at the Ministry of Health and Wellness to learn how close Belize is to the endeavour.

Dr. Russell Manzanero, Director of Epidemiology Unit, MOHW

“The use of the Dolutegravir, which is a newer medication, which is WHO approved and which we are now using at the ministry and rolled out nationally, that has pretty much shown to be effective. So we rolled that out, Dolutegravir, perhaps eighteen months now. So at this time we will, when we look at the data and we look at how the management is, we’re seeing that the individuals who are on that medication are showing a good response. By that, I mean that if they continue to do their regular checkups, we’re seeing that the viral load is going down. Their CD4 is going up. Clinically, they’re looking well. They’re responding well to it. And we see fewer drug resistance with this new medication. Of course, every time the person has to go in for their checkups, it’s the patient, too, that has to take that time to go back and say, okay I need to check on my liver, my kidneys and everything to ensure that everything is okay. With this, we do believe that in a span of two years, which should be in the next six months or by the end of the year, we should start seeing a decrease in our mortality. Yes, the numbers might still be as weh we dih see right now. But we should start seeing a decrease in immortality. We’re still trying to throw out the messages of prevention. That has not changed. We have gone as far as introduction of prep now for that purpose, just to make sure that individuals are have an ex armor. Besides having a Condom use and all of that, of course, education, desensitization, the political as well. Now, we also have this armory of prevention with prep. Of course, that is to be used among our serial discordant couples. If you’re in that position, but of course, they’re not anybody to take. You still need to go in, have a little talk with your physician, make sure that you’re a candidate, make sure you do the tests and all of that.”

MOHW: Belize Displays Steady Rate of HIV Cases

New H.I.V. infections are on the decline globally, but according to the Joint United Nations Programme on H.I.V. and AIDS, there is still much work to be done to end the pandemic. The disease has been a challenge for the Caribbean for decades, particularly in countries such as Haiti and Jamaica. However, while some countries like Belize have made strides in preventative measures, there is still work to be done to decrease the number of AIDS-related deaths. Doctor Russell Manzanero, Director of Epidemiology Unit at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, provided us with some insight on those numbers.

Dr. Russell Manzanero, Director of Epidemiology Unit, MOHW

“For the past years, the numbers for H.I.V. pretty much have plateaued. It has not, I have not seen a decrease in the numbers as other countries have done. But I haven’t also seen that sharp increase either. So we have maintained or self-retained that like two hundred. It’s not, it differs probably just a little bit or go down and go up. So those numbers have not changed. We still have H.I.V. related deaths. So that is something that we also are seeing a decline in other areas. But in Belize, we’re still seeing that we do have HIV related deaths yet. Based on what we’re doing, as a ministry and as an entire response, because with the call on the National AIDS Commission and everybody that’s a part of that is how do we address the situation right now? How is it that we’re going to look at what is the best way to address this? To be done and do we need to do more targeted interventions with specific groups? Do we have this epidemic concentrated in a certain population? So those are the things we’re trying to work at.”

Using Data to Better Understand the Needs of Belize

The Statistical Institute of Belize and UNICEF have teamed up, once again to host a data needs assessment workshop for the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. This survey is used to gather critical data that will inform policies and programmes to improve the lives of women and children in Belize. The workshop consisted of participants from across the country and representatives from the S.I.B. and UNICEF. We spoke with Wendy Benavides, Mixed Coordinator at S.I.B. for more information on the training. Here’s more on that.

Wendy Benavides, Mixed Coordinator, S.I.B.

“So we have a group of trainees from across the country. People from Corozal, in Orange Walk, down to Toledo district that are here on their first day of training. We’re going to be training them for a duration of four and a half weeks. We have here field supervisors and interviewers. Then we’re going to be joined later on August first with other persons and their role will be that of measures.”

Britney Gordon

“So this training is supposed to benefit women and children in Belize. What type of strategies are they learning in order to achieve that?”

Wendy Benavides

“So we’re going to give them a walkthrough of all the topics in the questionnaires. We have questionnaires related to, in general, the household characteristics, getting information on all members of the household. We’re going to also inform them about the purpose of it. The use of the data. We’re going to invite some experts that are knowledgeable on the topics and for them to be knowledgeable of what or how the information have been, has been used in previous rounds of the mix.”

Britney Gordon

“So how is this supposed to affect Belize and benefit the country?”

Wendy Benavides

“So we want to, mostly this information will be helpful in to help in the identifying or getting more information to close the data gaps. So there is some outdated information there. We have done the mix, the last mix was done in 2015. So you want updated information for the policy makers to make informed decisions.”

Nearly 80 Musicians Unite to Celebrate Belizean Classics

The Belizean classics that have entertained people for decades are back for a new generation to enjoy. The Belize Music Project and the Belize Tourism Board partnered to celebrate Belizean culture with four musical ensembles consisting of over seventy-five artists. This weekend, the musicians will unite to perform new interpretations of traditional songs to bridge the gap between young artists, audiences, and their cultural roots. News Five’s Britney Gordon stopped by the Artist Development Center today to meet a few of the performers participating in the event.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The traditional music that many Belizeans grew up with continues to resonate in the hearts of many to this day. However, it is at risk of being lost to newer audiences. To preserve these rich musical traditions and innovations, the Belize Music Project and the Belize Tourism Board are uniting, for the first time, four musical ensembles featuring more than seventy-five musicians from all corners of the nation. Al Ovando of the Belize Music Project spoke with us about this historic endeavor.

Al Ovando, Belize Music Project

“It’s a research and history research and initiative. And the main objective is to document the history of music in Belize and based on the records in the archives, It shows that we have music based from the 1920s. It’s the earliest existence of music in the archives, Belize archives. So we’re using that, and we’re using that coming up. So now, and we use that as a, especially with the broke down with combo, we’re exploring all these sounds, all these this harmonies, these melodies that we find, and we are incorporating it with these new people, these new energies we have our own, and we’re trying to make it one new sound, but at the same time, celebrating the past and all this work that happened before. Each of the four combos is comprised of three generations of Belizean musicians and singers who have prepared an arrangement of songs spanning over one hundred years of music, from early logging days camp chants to popular tunes from the 1970’s and, of course, punta and dancehall. Singer Barabara Herrera of the rock band combo explained how this project is bridging the gap between generations.”

Barabara Herrera, Lead Vocalist

“The importance of preserving this culture is to identify our culture and keep it alive. So I believe this project is very important for both the young and the old because I believe that this culture in particular had never been displayed this much. I feel like we should keep this project alive.”

Joining Herrera is singer Crysel Gabourel-Moro. She says that she is honoured to be singing alongside legends in the industry.

Crysel Gabourel-Moro, Lead Vocalist

“I’m extremely excited because I’m the newest of them all. And I’m, among legends here, being a part of something that, just coming out and already being a part of the big international stage is really like a one of the goals that I had and I didn’t know it was going to happen so quickly, but it did and I’m, I really am appreciative of, teaming up and being on, this dynamic female duo right here.”

Following in his father’s footsteps is the son of the famed musician Aurelio Martinez, Newani Aurelio Martinez. He is one of the youngest artists to join the ensemble, at eighteen years old. Martinez will be playing the guitar as well as performing some of his father’s songs.

Newani Aurelio Martinez, Musician

“Being young in this, me and Diane we’re here learning more about our culture as well as representing. It’s good for us because, there’s a lot of, kids in our culture that don’t want to express and be a part of their culture. So this is gonna show them that, I’m a Garifuna, I can do big things too. So it’s just gonna help us as the younger generation to be confident in who we are as Garifuna people and continue to build that legacy as well.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.

G.O.B. Acknowledges Hard Work of Co-managers

On Thursday, the Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations, APAMO, held a press conference to voice concerns about proposals made by the Ministry of Sustainable Development that would affect the relations between comanagers and the government and how comanagers operate daily. During the press conference, APAMO members said that voicing their concerns was a necessary course of action after letters from the organization went unanswered for weeks. As a result, APAMO demanded more respect and acknowledgement from the government. In an interview with Doctor Kenrick Williams, C.E.O. of the Ministry of Sustainable Development, he told us that the government plans to deliver on those requests.

Dr. Kenrick Williams, C.E.O., Ministry of Sustainable Development

“The approach that Belize have is very unique, certainly you can see that and a passion coming out in these people. It is hard work. It’s not an easy feat to be on the ground, to mobilize the resources and to protect things like research, to do biodiversity monitoring and all of that is, it’s quite expensive. It’s quite difficult and definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s no profiting venture. No. And so government recognized the importance of these agencies and these partners in co-management. Now, there’s a couple things that have been happening in the national level. As we have been looking at how do we improve the financial year, in terms of how much we need to support the National Protected Area System. And as part of the Blue Bond Initiative, as part of several of these national initiatives, we’ve been trying sustainability of this protected air system. Recent studies show that we are about at a gap of about twenty million per to mainstream, improve coordination and collaboration between government and the partners. And So, to be able to do that, we have to strengthen the systems that we have in place. We have to make sure that on the government side as they’ve been saying, there’s been a lot of weakness, and so we need to put in the systems. We need to put in the agencies. We need to strengthen the forest department. We’re creating a new agency. Cabinet In 2021 endorsed the establishment of the National Biodiversity Office. Because when we came in, we saw that there is no clear champion on the government side for protected areas. Management. There was a forest department who does primary businesses and forest management, forest concession on the extractive side. But there was nobody focusing on the conservation side and the preservation side. And that’s why we instituted the National Biodiversity Office, to help us to support and work with these co managements.”

G.O.B. May Increase Private Sector Investments in Protected Areas

During the press conference, APAMO also raised concerns regarding how changes to the legislation surrounding co-managers and their partners would have on the tourism sector. According to APAMO, changes to operations and policies may affect the livelihoods of those employed in this sector. C.E.O. Doctor Kenrick Williams told News Five on Friday that the ministry acknowledges the concerns of APAMO and plans to strategize accordingly. However, Doctor Williams maintains that the goal is to improve the tourism sector.

Dr. Kenrick Williams, CEO, Ministry of Sustainable Development

“So the intention is to improve the system that we have, right? When you look at the tourism product that some of these protected areas, it certainly can be improved, right? And the services and stuff like that. The whole idea of this new framework is trying to, again, strengthen that. How do we engage the Ministry of Tourism as part of the national discussion? How do we engage the respective B.T.B. and all the other agencies in the process? We have to look at services that these protected areas provide and see possibly how we can leverage new resources. There’s opportunities for concessions, private sector investments within these protected areas that can then benefit the protected areas. Co-managers have to look at those opportunities. This is 2024. There’s some unique opportunities out there. We’ve been discussing things like carbon credits and these concessions and opportunities for investment in these protected areas. We can’t do one and not strengthen the system which we’re going to do that in, and so that is the intent of the revised changes in the legislation.”

$50,000 Scratch and Win Winner from Little Belize, Corozal

A resident of Little Belize in the Corozal District won big over the weekend on a Scratch and Win ticket. The individual visited J & F Store in San Estevan Village after work on Friday to purchase a ten-dollar ticket. Much to his delight, after scratching the ticket he discovered that he had won fifty thousand dollars. He says he has big plans for the money.