Jamaican dancehall recording artist Vybz Kartel was freed from prison a few weeks ago, after serving thirteen years for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. Since his release, following a lengthy legal battle for his freedom, the popular entertainer has been making his rounds in the media. A few minutes ago, Kartel released a short video clip informing the Belizean public that he will be visiting the Jewel in the next two weeks to call on Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow.
Of note is that Opposition Leader is presently in Jamaica where he met with Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Wednesday. In a statement released by Barrow, he said, quote, we discussed the state of our nations, in particular, economic development, education and citizen security. P.M. Holness is also the Chairman of the Caribbean Democratic Union of which the U.D.P. is a member, thus it was important I seek his counsel on how best to ensure we deliver sixteen seats in the general elections that are upon us, end quote.
This weekend, the 2024 Paris Olympics came to an end and the athletes hailing from all over world returned to their home countries. Hundred-meter sprinter, Shaun Gill carried the title of Belize’s sole Olympian this year, garnering international support. The next summer Olympics games are to be held in Los Angeles, California in 2028 and with four years to prepare many are wondering if Belize will be able to send a larger team to the event. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the answers.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
From swimming to golfing, from canoeing to tennis, whatever your favorite sport may be, there is a chance that it is one of the forty events held at the Olympics. Every four years, athletes from across the globe gather to compete while viewers at home eagerly watch to see who will take home the gold medals and make their country proud. This year, hundred-meter sprinter Shaun Gill was the only athlete from Belize. We spoke with Giovanni Alamilla, Vice President of the Belize Olympic Commonwealth Games Association, to get the answers to the one question on the minds of many Belizeans, why just one?
Giovanni Alamilla
Giovanni Alamilla, VP, Olympics Association
“It’s it’s a long process. So, it’s not something that just happens overnight besides him being recommended by the National Federation here. He also needs to be approved by the International Federation World Athletics and by the organizing committee of Paris and the IOC. So it’s not just submit a name and you go online in Shaun’s case, he didn’t qualify, so we had a we had an invitational slot that was awarded to him in the one hundred. So we did have opportunity to maybe send people in other athletes in the one hundred or the eight hundred, male or female But the results for the eight hundred and the kayaking and the sailing didn’t meet the minimum standards that the, as mentioned, committees needed. So they weren’t, we weren’t awarded slots for them.”
The lack of representation at the Olympics does not reflect a lack of talent in Belize. In recent months, athletes such as Amorette Banman and Gareth Bruce inspired hope in Belizeans for their prowess in their respective disciplines. According to Alamilla, the gap is in the policies.
Giovanni Alamilla
“So when it comes to the ones that just won the medals, there’s a difference between weightlifting and powerlifting, right? So one is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the other isn’t, right? So they don’t have a recognized national federation or an international federation that’s recognized by the IOC So we weren’t able to submit to them Their names for that. So again, there’s a lot of little things that that the general public needs to understand. It’s not just, oh, send someone. There are procedures and policies in place that it goes down. It’s from the International Olympic Committee to the International Federation and then to the Belize Olympic Committee.”
It is no secret that sports are severely underfunded in Belize. From a lack of resources to the degradation of training facilities. Returning Olympian, Shaun Gill says that more effort needs to be invested in assisting athletes if Belize is to have better representation at the games.
Shaun Gill
Shaun Gill, Belizean Olympian
“It takes a lot. It’s going to take heavy investment from the sporting bodies here in Belize. Obviously, heavy investment from the government. We do need the fan support from our Belizeans. And aside from that, especially with track and field, we don’t necessarily have the facilities. So most people, not even just the Caribbean countries, but most people leave their country to find better environments for training. I mean, even some of the great world class athletes, they leave their country and go to Jamaica because they know that Jamaica is the Mecca for sprinting. So we kind of have to look at it and start doing the same, but it takes a lot. I mentioned in one, one interview and it kind of went viral, but all I said was the resources here are not as great. That’s literally what I said. And it’s the truth, you know? So I don’t know who’s responsible for it, but we need to start working on it because sports is a big deal and sports Unite all athletes.”
There is much work to be done before the 2028 Olympics, but Belizeans remain hopeful for the future of sports in the country.
Giovanni Alamilla
“It’s a matter of getting the national federations recognized. And it’s not just recognized. Start the Inter National Federation and do it. Again, there’s so many policies and procedures in place. And it’s, it is a lot of little things that come into play. For instance, I received a message yesterday that, Oh cricket will be in L.A. 2028. We’re going to send a team. Yes, we can, if they qualify. A lot of things need to be done in the next four years, or three years, to be able to get to L.A. 2028.”
As we reported, Doctor Osmond Martinez was sworn in as Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Trade two days ago. The former C.E.O. in the Ministry of Economic Development won handsomely at the polls last month in the Toledo East by-election. Today, Cabinet Minister, Orlando Habet said he thinks Martinez is a plus for the party, the government and for Belize.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Cabinet Minister
“I am so happy that Minister Martinez is now part of our team – a very qualified, very able individual, and I think it will just be a plus for our administration to have him now, with the experience that he has gained at the Ministry of Economic Development, and now assisting Mr. Fonseca as a Minister of State in Foreign Trade, absolutely great for us as a party, but also for the administration, for our people. Because of his experience that he has gained at the Ministry of Economic Development, as I mentioned and then here at Foreign Trade, they would be closely linked. There are a lot of things that are closely linked where he can move that knowledge that he has gained there to Foreign Trade to improve not only the investments but also local economy.”
Today representatives of the ministries of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Blue Economy, Fisheries and Natural Resources met in a briefing session to discuss regional cooperation and the implementation of projects. Some of these have to do with the Mesoamerica Reef Project, among others. Focal points for the relevant departments and ministries gathered to get a broader understanding of these projects and how Belize can maximize its gains and benefits from those initiatives.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Minister of Climate Change & Disaster Risk Management
“We have smaller projects, which we implement right now, for example, in the region. We have another project, too, which is coming upstream, which is among Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. It’s a landscape project to look at the region. Belize, the entire country of Belize is considered Selvamaya, so we’re looking at that from that perspective. But it looks at landscape, also looks at livelihoods, and certainly some areas of conservation. We have on stream a project which Belize was not directly a part of, which is the Dry Corridor project. We have been pushing as much as we can to be part of that regional project. For some reason or the other, a hundred and seventy-nine million US dollars, and the G.C.F. and Belize was not involved, but when I came into office, we found out about the project and we have been pushing to get the project. Now that it has been approved, we have been able to gain and get some benefits out of the project even though we are not part of the project per se. We have projects that are funded through G.C.F. Another project that will start is handled regionally. We have done the first phase, which was for the river. But now we are looking at the second project to be able to do that reef to reef project where we can help to mitigate the problems that go from inland into the rivers, streams and then eventually into the ocean.”
In a few months, delegates from across the world will gather for COP-Twenty-nine in Azerbaijan to discuss how climate change continues to impact our environment and way of life. The Ministry of Climate Change will attend with specific goals it wants to be addressed. Today Minister Habet said that if Belize is to learn from other countries’ recent experiences, it must better prepare for climate change impacts and to do that, it wants to seek finance for adaptation and to build resilience to climate change.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Climate Change
“We saw what happened recently in our small islands, St. Vincent and others, where they were devastated by the high tides and the hurricane. And so we have to start to push together and try to make certain that the global community is aware of what’s happening to us. And so that we can gain their support. Finance is something that is always on the agenda but takes a lot of time and effort to be able to gain the finances that we really need. But I think if we stick together as groups, as teams, for example, SIDS are over sixty-four countries. If we stick together with the SICA countries, the Caribbean, maybe in the entire Western Hemisphere, we could gain more support, but nobody will give you monies if it’s not well spent. So, for adaptation projects especially, these projects have to be resilient, so that you don’t implement an adaptation project that will be washed away or blown away with the next hurricane or flooding event, for example. So, they want to see that the money is well spent, so it has to be well planned out. We need to also push further for the loss and damage fund to be implemented. We need to find out what is the modality, how do you qualify and how that money will be disbursed without the problems that we have encountered for other financing mechanisms.”
The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) continues to monitor Hurricane Ernesto, currently situated about 500 miles south-southwest of Bermuda. Ernesto is moving north at 12 knots, with maximum sustained winds of 75 knots and gusts up to 90 knots. The storm’s minimum central pressure is estimated at 975 mb.
The NHC has indicated that no new tropical cyclone formation is expected in the North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf of Mexico over the next seven days.
In Belize, the 24-hour forecast predicts isolated showers or thunderstorms between Friday afternoon and Saturday midday. There may be a few more showers or storms over the southern regions on Friday night and Saturday morning.
Today, Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, visited the Caribbean Chicken Processing facility in Blue Creek. He was accompanied by his technical officers from the Ministry of Agriculture. Gerhard Friesen, Chairman of Caribbean Chicken, and Mai both delivered speeches.
The tour, arranged by the Chairman of the Board, allowed the delegation to view the facility’s operations and learn about recent advancements in poultry processing. The facility, located in Blue Creek, specialises in handling mature birds and utilises state-of-the-art technology to ensure high standards of quality and food safety.
After the tour, a small opening ceremony was held at the Caribbean Chicken auditorium. The visit showcased Caribbean Chicken’s advanced poultry processing techniques, emphasising the facility’s commitment to food safety and quality. This aligns with ongoing efforts to support and enhance local agricultural practices in Belize.
A homeless man was found dead near the fishermen cooperative wharf on Front Street in Punta Gorda Town today. The body of 44-year-old Jennison Vernon, who had recently been released from the Belize Central Prison, was discovered around 11:35 a.m. with multiple chop wounds.
Police responded to the scene and found Vernon lying face down by the seawall of the cooperative building. He had suffered seven severe chop wounds from his upper shoulder to the middle of his head. Vernon, who was known to be mentally challenged, had no known family members in Punta Gorda Town, and authorities are currently trying to locate any relatives.
The crime scene was processed by Scenes of Crime Technicians. Vernon’s body was transported to the Punta Gorda Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead at 12:40 p.m. The body is now awaiting a post-mortem examination at the Punta Gorda Hospital Morgue.
This article was originally published by the Caribbean Investigative Journalism Network (CIJN). It is part of a broader series where four other Caribbean journalists explored the issue of depleting fish stocks in their respective countries, as part of the CIJN’s investigative efforts.
By Hipolito Novelo
A lack of official data and opposing positions have made it difficult to ascertain the level of fish stock in Belize. In February, the Belize government, through the Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries Department, said that recent stock assessments indicate strong fish recruitment, stable populations, and consistent catches.
This, according to the government, proves that fisheries resources are sustainable. However, fishermen and non-governmental organisations such as the Belize Federation of Fishers (BFF) have raised an alarm.
The concerns raised by the BFF were highlighted during a recent workshop conducted in collaboration with scientists and local fisherfolk. These workshops revealed a significant decline in fish stocks, particularly conch, corroborating scientific findings with fisherfolk experiences.
The topics of discussion during this workshop included the overharvesting of juvenile fish and conch, hindering population recovery, adequate enforcement of fishing regulations, and illegal fishing by Guatemalan and Honduran fishers.
Nigel Martinez, Executive Director, BFF speaking of lack of fish data
The Fisheries Department said these statements were irresponsible and baseless and accused the BFF of ulterior motives. “It is evident, as expressed in their press release, that the current statements are founded on the work done by the Summit Foundation, which has not been validated nor endorsed by the Government of Belize.”
But the Department has correspondingly failed to provide reliable figures to support its claims.
Meanwhile, fishermen like Dale Fairweather, who has over 40 years of experience, are turning to deep-slope fishing as fish stocks in Belize have dramatically declined. Fairweather noticed this depletion starting about 15 years ago, and now it’s difficult to catch even a few hundred pounds of fish compared to the thousand pounds they used to catch.
Similarly, Wayne Whittaker, with over 35 years of fishing experience, has to travel further and spend more time and money at sea due to the reduced fish population. Despite the increased costs and risks, his passion keeps him fishing.
Younger fisherman, Brian Fitzgibbon, with 15 years of experience, describes fishing as a gamble, with unpredictable yields often resulting in insufficient profit. This frustration is widespread within the fishing community.
Three Belize City Fishermen share anecdotal data of declining fish stocks
A trip to Middle Long Caye, just off the coast of Belize City, led us to a fishing camp owned and operated by the Lopez family. They have been affected by declining fish stocks.
Nestor Lopez is a career fisherman and says they are now seeing fewer fish. This cripples their livelihoods. According to Lopez, fishermen, especially those operating outside protected zones, face significant challenges due to diminishing resources. This is because each time a new protected area is designated, the family’s fishing grounds shrink.
A major contributor to declining fish stocks, according to the BFF, is overfishing. In 2023, the government issued approximately 4,000 commercial fishing licenses. Executive Director of BFF, Nigel Martinez, said, “One of the assumptions was yes, due to overfishing, and we support that. We support that simply because we have seen a spike in fisherfolks.”
One of the top fisheries experts, Dr Daniel Pauly of Sea Around Us, the international organisation that assisted in recently assessing the fish stocks in Belize, says that juvenile fish are being targeted, removing the possibility of reproduction.
“Now you have a fishery that is a coastal fishery that is heavily overfished. Now, the fish that are in Belize are tiny. They are juveniles, mostly. That means there are very few parents because they don’t grow to be, to become parents. There are very few parents in deeper water that maintain that fishery for juveniles,” Dr Pauly explained.
Dr Daniel Pauly, Principal Investigator of Sea Around Us expressing disappointment at the Belize Fisheries Department
A 2021 Fisheries Audit report by OCEANA found that “fisheries information, including landings data, do not appear to be systematically collected and reported, which hinders the ability to assess fish stocks and develop effective catch control measures. There is also a substantial need to improve transparency of decision-making processes.”
According to the report, the fishing industry contributes approximately 28 million Belizean dollars ($1 Belize = .50 USD) annually to the country (Statistical Institute of Belize, 2021). Belize’s fisheries directly employ around 2,500 fishers and indirectly support over 15,000 Belizeans (UNCTAD 2020).
However, several fish stocks are showing signs of decline and overexploitation, raising concerns about environmental sustainability and the effectiveness of fisheries management in maintaining these critical stocks that many people rely on for food, culture, and livelihoods.
A 2023 report from the Belize Fisheries Project states, “It was clear that scientists’ and fishers’ perspectives on what “abundance” and “overexploited” mean may be different due to differences in scale.
Scientists assess the status of whole stocks, while fishers rely on their direct observations of the water. Both can be an accurate representation of observations and complement each other.”
The debate on whether Belize’s fish stock is declining and fisheries is in crisis can be settled with the Fisheries Department sharing the data it claims it has. But according to Dr Pauly, the department won’t because “they don’t have alternative data.”
“It is ridiculous. And you cannot pretend you have data, but be unable and unwilling to show them.”
In July 2024, the European Union (EU) funded and launched the E-Mobility Pilot Project in Belize City, introducing two electric buses. The project, budgeted at 4.5 million euros, aims to advance low-carbon transportation with electric buses. It includes the deployment of electric buses, the development of a national transit app, and the creation of a comprehensive transport policy.
Nonetheless, City Shuttle Limited expressed concerns about Belize City’s electric vehicle (EV) bus pilot project, citing potential financial impacts on June 25, 2024. The company, which has served Belize City for over 35 years, argues that the pilot project could severely affect its revenues. In a letter to the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Katherine Meighan and the Belize Business Bureau’s Arturo Lizarraga, City Shuttle Limited stated, “Our objection to the proposed EV Bus Pilot is however rooted in the reality that the Pilot i.e. (The EV buses managed by the Neil Hall and the City) will have a significant adverse impact on our daily gross revenues and financially destroy City Shuttle Limited within a few months of the launch.”
The company criticised Mayor Bernard Wagner’s claim that higher fares for EV buses would not affect City Shuttle Limited’s clientele, saying, “It is very difficult to defend the Mayor’s “assumptions” to support his thesis, i.e., that City Shuttle Limited and the other stakeholders’ clientele will not be affected in any way due to the impact of the additional BZE $1.00. being levied by the EV buses. Logic and common sense dictate that a portion of City Shuttle clientele will indeed make the shift. (especially in the early months after launch).”
City Shuttle Limited questioned the understanding of the Mayor and Neil Hall, noting, “The assertions on TV by the Mayor and Mr. Neil Hall confirm one of two things: either (i) Neither of them understand the fundamentals of the bus transportation industry or (ii) the objectives of the Mayor and Mr. Neil Hall are not as presented to the nation.”
In response, the UNDP and Belize City Council clarified that the pilot project’s goals include transforming the transport sector and exploring new business models in an official statement issued on August 14, 2024. According to the statement, the goal is to assess the buses’ performance under private-sector management, evaluate financial feasibility, and develop a business case for a potential public-private partnership to support both sectors.
The statement explained, “We recognise the concerns of the private sector and their critical investment in Belize’s bus industry. As a result, this pilot project is designed not only to transform the transport sector but also to explore innovative business models and financing mechanisms, which are vital for cultivating a more advanced, private sector-driven development process,” the statement noted. “To achieve this objective, the project incorporates the adoption of EVs to enhance both inter-district and intra-city transit systems. As an executing agency for the intra-city pilot, the Belize City Council, through adaptation of its existing structure, manages and operates two electric buses as a part of its broader sustainable cities program. In contrast, the inter-district pilot will be managed and operated by the private sector. To support this initiative, the Cabinet has authorised the use of a two-year contract for managing and operating three additional electric buses,” it added.
The E-Mobility Pilot Project aims to improve low-carbon transportation and integrate modern energy services. It includes two intra-city and three inter-city electric buses. It aims to create frameworks for expanding electric vehicle use with contributions from key stakeholders, including financing bodies and government agencies.
