2024-08-23 - Channel 5 Belize

Small Gathering, Major Representation at University Hospital Demonstration

A little over a hundred protestors marched in front of Prime Minister John Briceño’s office in Belmopan this morning. The gathering was relatively small, but the representation was far reaching. Members of the various trade unions and workers associations were present to raise their voices against the government’s decision to purchase fifteen acres of land for six point nine million dollars for the construction of a tertiary hospital in Belmopan. The contention is that the Ministry of Health has refused land that is being offered by the University of Belize free of cost for the project, and that the newly purchased is situated near the capital city’s sewer pond. Today’s demonstration was organized by activist Nigel Petillo who was prepared to brave the elements by himself if push came to shove. Fortunately for him, he was not alone. Our cameras were also out there. News Five’s Paul Lopez report.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Today’s protest in front of the Sir Edney Cain Building that houses the prime minister’s office in Belmopan began at eight a.m. with a handful of demonstrators, including grass roots activist Nigel Petillo and members of Belize National Teachers Union. By nine thirty a.m., a total of seven organizations among a group of just over a hundred protestors had representation in front of the building.

As has been reported, the protest was sparked by the government’s decision to purchase fifteen acres of private land in Belmopan at a steep cost of seven million dollars to build a university hospital, while the University of Belize is offering the government free land for that project. The Government of Belize contends that a technical study of the lands being offered by the University of Belize reveals that it is too remote and inadequate to construct the health facility. That report remains confidential.

Luke Martinez, President, N.T.U.C.B.

“For me seeing is believing. The National Trade Union Congress with the other social partners. Don’t think we are standing alone. As a matter of fact, we have the diaspora standing behind us. We are the in the process of writing to the minister of health to give us those documents and we are using the freedom of information act to get those documents. And if they refuse to give the information we will get in and take it, because the people need to know.”

The private property that the government has purchased from businesspersons, Kenny Zheng and Annie Zhu to build the hospital, sits next to a sewage pond, further exacerbating public concerns.

Luke Martinez

“You could ask an infant one student if ih rather build a house in a sh*t creek or a land that is far away from that. You could even go back to your nursery rhymes. You have the pig that build his house out of straw and the house out of rock, which was will blow down when the winds come? This government wants to build a house out of straw, it is not going to work for us, plain as that.”

But will the Government of Belize heed the calls of the N.T.U.C.B. president and those who are raising strong objections to the land purchase and newly proposed construction site? Opposition Leader, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, says the opposition intends to take legal action against the Briceno administration.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“We will continue to protest. We will take legal action. We have written to the auditor general, the contractor general, and the ombudsman and the Saudi Fund. I hear brother Luke talks about location. But we cannot lose sight of the most glaring fact of corruption. The government used taxpayers’ dollars to spend six point nine million dollars on a property that is worth, six hundred thousand dollars, according to the Belmopan City Council Valuation we saw that happened this year.”

Belize has only one tertiary healthcare facility in the country. That is the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City. The proposed university hospital will be the second of its kind in Belize. Andrew Baird is the President of the K.H.M.H. Workers Union. He says this latest move by the government is untenable.

Andrew Baird, President, K.H.M.H.W.U.

“Anybody from the health sector, including the CEO should have concern with infection control, having a hospital of that magnitude built in that area. Now, forget the infection control. Let us go to that location, man dah hog wash deh the put pan we. Because it is a tertiary hospital, it can be built on the U.B. Campus. The same six point nine million dollars they use to buy the land, they could put it in infrastructure to have proper access to the hospital built on the U.B. compound.”

At one point during the demonstration, a committee of vultures flew above the heads of protestors as a sign of affirmation to those protesting the construction of the tertiary care hospital near sewer ponds.

Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U.

“It is extremely sad when we have a population who are looking at me right now from behind a screen who cannot understand how these corrupt decisions affect them. What we want? All of us want Belmopan to develop. I live in Belmopan area. So I can tell you that form the Maya Mopan road. So I can tell you, had that road been built I would have been able to access the western and southern highway easily. The entire community would have benefited form that. Now we have spent that six point nien and nobody has benefited except for an Asian couple. I really think that is sad for us. You may be laughing at the small number of people out here, not knowing you are laying the foundation for your children to suffer in the future, to get a piece of land, to access education, to access quality education.”

Today’s demonstration was executed without any outbreak of violence. It almost happened when the prime minister’s vehicle arrived in front of the building. He was not inside, but some protesters viewed it as a form of provocation. Nigel Petillo, the organizer, says this is only the beginning.

Nigel Petillo, Demonstration Organizer

“I sure all these ministers hear. I sure Bernard hear, Hyde hear, Briceno hear. But this is to show how they treat us. It is about power for them and money for them and over and over I have been telling people. While we the out here the fight for good governance they find way to wap we, to enrich themselves and future generations. And if push comes to shove and one of these days dah probably looting and breaking up things. We hope it doesn’t get there. But if you continue to ignore the cries of the people, believe you me we will have to find other ways to get your attention and retract this deal.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

N.T.U.C.B. Senator: “The government is pulling wool over our eyes”

Union Senator Glenfield Denison was also present at today’s demonstration in Belmopan. As a member of parliament, Denison says the government is pulling the wool over the eyes of the citizenry. He says that the Briceño administration was clever in how they presented the Saudi loan motion in the recitals versus the resolution. Denison placed the Briceño administration on notice, signaling incoming court actions.

Glenfield Denison, N.T.U.C.B. Senator

“The social partners senators will be putting out a release next week. But, to look at the loan motion itself. I think the government is really pulling wool over our eyes, because they did something very clever. They put in the recitals that they would build the hospital on the UB land. They removed that wording from the resolution. They put that the hospital will be built. In Belmopan, and nobody said anything then. So, I think it is important that we acknowledge that the governance structure is broken. The legislature and the executive just are one and with the exception of the four social partners who are barely holding it together, the legislature is just done. The executive is the legislature, and it is incestuous. The important thing is that there is a third branch of government and thankfully it was recently fully staffed with a lot of technical people from out of Belize who are not tainted with the politics of Belize. I clamored against the filling of the judiciary with foreign judges. I still do, but I think a surprise will come for the executive very soon when the judges start issuing judges against the government and surprise, surprise they all security of tenure. These judges are all appointed until sixty-five. You might not be afraid for the union or so, but when the court actions start coming, I really hope the executive starts to pay attention.”

P.S.U. President to U.B. President: “I am extremely disappointed”

P.S.U. President Dean Flowers also had a few words for Doctor Vincent Palacio, the President of the University of Belize. Flowers says he is extremely disappointed in the president’s response to the government’s decision.

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“And I want to say, Doctor Vincent Palacio I am extremely disappointed with your lack of emotions on this stinking deal. Saying you are disappointed leaves a whole lot to be desired as the president of U.B. Valuing bush for six point nine million dollars, what is wrong with you brother? When the P.S.U. just help the government require two hundred and twelve acres of land for three point three million dollars. This is madness and the commissioner of lands needs to be held accountable for that foolishness. How will you subdivide the thing and buy the thing when dah just bush. And I will say this. My son broke his hand, double fracture. I went to Western Regional and all they did was wrap his hand. I had to go to Saint Lukes and pay five hundred dollars. That six point nine could have done a whole lot for Western Regional to make it the key primary hospital in the west and then we go to the tertiary center.”

U.B.F.S.U. Expresses Concern Over University Tertiary Hospital

Unlike the students and the president of the University of Belize, the tertiary institution’s faculty and staff union has taken a clear stance on the government’s decision to reject the university’s land offer. The union issued a release on Thursday night expressing its discontent with the six point nine million dollars, fifteen-acre purchase. U.B.F.S.U. says it firmly believes that the land currently owned by the University of Belize, as initially proposed, would successfully meet all required environmental assessments and receive approval from qualified, objective building engineers. Today we spoke with Doctor Pio Saqui the President of the union who urged the board to call on the government to reconsider their position.

Dr. Pio Saqui, President, U.B.F.S.U.

“I think the reaction of the union is exactly the same as every national of Belize should have. The motion that was passed in the House of Representatives and Senate clearly indicates that this hospital was to be built on the U.B. property. Any change or deviation to that decision should have gone through some type of rigorous process and a transparent one that we should see. U.B. has very good land and if there is any kind of evaluation or assessment done that says this property is not good enough, we should have been able to see that to determine that. For the union this is a sad day because we do believe in transparency, accountability and good governance. This speaks to the heart of that. This is not just a U.B. employee, U.B. student issue, this is a national issue. U.B. faculty and staff union, as well as the students, need to be a part of the discourse. We have not been approached or communicated with in any official way.”

Paul Lopez

“Does the union have a position on the university’s president’s response to this entire situation?”

Dr. Pio Saqui

“I can’t speak for the president. I have not communicated with him personally on the issue. I have only seen the response of the chairman of the board. But we have spoken and one of the things that we have really said is that the board of trustees did not have a say in deciding when this hospital was going to be moved and where it was going to be moved. There was some discussion and objection particularly from the faculty and staff union voting against the move. But we are just one vote on the board.”

Belize and Taiwan Sign M.O.U. for Men’s Empowerment Project

Normally, whenever we hear of signing of an economic Memorandum of Understanding, it’s to benefit women. Today, however, the governments of Belize and Taiwan extended a project to include men. Taiwan, which has been funding social programs to uplift the lives and livelihoods of Belize’s women, has now agreed to do the same for Belize’s men. The initiative came about through the efforts of Belize’s Special Envoy for Women and Children, Rossana Briceño, who sought the assistance of the Taiwanese Embassy and got the green light. At a special signing ceremony, representatives of both countries attached their signatures to documents, making the agreement official. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Men and boys who sign up for an empowerment project stand to gain endless economic opportunities through partnership between Belize and Taiwan. It aims to improve stressful domestic situations by offering men and boys economic opportunities. Special Envoy for Women and Children, Rossana Briceno sought the funding.

Rossana Briceño, Special Envoy for Women & Children

“We had young people there trying to figure out and, and in consultation with our communities to see what’s the best approach for police to end poverty, to end abuse, to end gender-based violence to have more equality in our communities, in our homes. And this engaging men and boy rightly with its title, we were focusing on the men and trying to change mindsets, trying to reach out to boys, getting them at an early age to start working on their attitudes and beliefs and all of that, because if we – whatever we grow up with, whatever we get in the house, that’s what we’re going to give back. So that’s our goal.”

Taiwan came through once again, through its ambassador to Belize.

Lily Li-Wen Hsu, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Belize

“When I look at the proposal, I just been struck to see that how serious the violence against women, the issue in Belize. It is – this is surely affecting women, not physically, but mentally and their own development and any opportunity. So the training like this targeting our future leaders. The men and boys, young men and boys, is a very strategic way to tackle this issue from bottom up or in the long run in a fundamental way. And I think our Women’s Empowerment Project As previous speakers mentioned, mainly we want to build up women’s capacity and if they earn money or they want to get out to learn new skills without a safe family net back home or a safe environment back home, there’s no point to do that. Or they don’t feel comfortable enough to work outside of their family.”

The existing Women Empowerment Project has had notable success throughout Belize for at least seven hundred women. The C.E.O. at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amalia Mai says that extending it to men is expected to do far more than create economic opportunities.

Amalia Mai, C.E.O., Ministry of Foreign Affairs

“I think this new component of the project will assist 600 young men. And I very much applaud the Special Embassy for going farther outside the box of only women. Because really and truly, while we have our own struggles and we have our own challenges, certainly we don’t live alone. And so including the men, the young men, is very important. It takes them away from crime. It gives them a more productive life. And really at the end of the day, what do we want? Strong families.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

American Journalist Busted at P.G.I.A. with Marijuana

Today, an American national is enjoying his vacation in Belize with lighter pockets after being busted for entering the country with marijuana. He is forty-nine-year-old Roderick Boone, who was caught with twenty-two grams of Class B cannabis on Thursday. Reports are that Boone arrived at the Phillip Goldson International Airport on a flight from North Carolina when a customs officer allegedly smelled a strong odor from Boone’s person. The officer asked him if he had anything to declare, and Boone allegedly admitted to having weed on his person for medical uses, which he handed over to the officer. Upon weighing the contents of the bag, it was discovered to be above the legal limit. Boone was charged with importation of a controlled drug. He appeared unrepresented in court today and while he pleaded guilty to the crime, he maintained that he was sure the contents of the bag were only about thirteen grams and attributed the rest of the weight to the bag itself. Boone was told that the charge typically carries a fine of three thousand dollars or a three-year prison sentence. However, due to his early guilty, plea, he was given a one third deduction of the fine. Boone has until next week Wednesday to pay the fine.

Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Marijuana

Belize City resident, Timothy Elijio pleaded guilty today to possession of over a hundred grams of marijuana with intent to supply. He was fined five thousand dollars and was spared from a stiffer fine, plus three years in prison since he is a first-time offender. Police had also detained Elijio’s common-law wife, but Elijio confessed that the weed was his. Initially he didn’t agree with everything that was read as part of the facts of the case and said the weed belonged to his common-law wife. He was offered bail and taken into the holding cell. Sometime later, however, he decided to change his plea to guilty and was taken back to the courtroom where he pleaded guilty. The forty-three-year-old was ordered to pay the fine by December 31, 2024, or he will spend a year in prison. On Wednesday, police visited Elijio’s house with a body cam and began to search the place. They found some jackets hanging and inside their pockets police found the weed.