Tonight, our in-depth coverage of the Alliance for Democracy continues as we delve into the events that led to the United Democratic Party’s dramatic turning point a few weeks ago. This pivotal moment saw the expulsion of the Albert and Collet area representatives. Earlier today, we had an exclusive interview with Tracy Panton. The hashtag “I Am with Her” has rapidly gained traction among U.D.P. members, highlighting the party’s ongoing internal strife. In our conversation, Panton shared the origins of this powerful movement.
Tracy Panton
Tracy Panton , Area Representative, Albert
“There were several colleagues of mine who shared a similar view, in terms of the party departing from its own democracy and disregarding the constitution of the party which is, for u, the most important institutional tool that we have in terms of our governance of a mass political party. And so, we felt that something had to be done so we can put the democracy back into the UDP. So we got together and it wasn’t an overnight exercise. It’s not a group of sixteen colleagues who just decided to go rogue. It was a process of trying to dialogue and trying to find a productive way forward internally. But when we were effectively removed from the internal communications of the party then we had no other option.”
Isani Cayetano
“The Alliance for Democracy includes two individuals who, at one point, were going head-to-head for leadership of the UDP. This would be Collet Area Representative Patrick Faber and former Belmopan Area Representative John Saldivar. How do you find this partnership working, notwithstanding the history of these two individuals?”
Tracy Panton
“I think the partnership is working quite well. It’s not a three-person alliance. It’s an alliance of sixteen colleagues who share a similar view and share similar values and want to do what is right for the party. In both cases, in both cases, our member for Collet and our member for Belmopan, they voluntarily stepped down when the situation arose that would have caused some kind of harm to the party. And so they decided, you know what, we are not prepared to that to the party just for our own self-preservation.”
Coordinating the mobilization of hundreds of U.D.P. delegates from all corners of the country is no small feat. This immense effort, spearheaded by the Alliance for Democracy, involves a substantial financial investment. But just how challenging has it been to orchestrate this massive event?
Isani Cayetano
“Let’s talk about the Unity Convention and the planning for this event. You are trying to mobilize as many delegates from across the country as possible to converge on the Birds’ Isle on October twentieth. What has it been like, in terms of being able to reach out to these individuals and pitch to them the idea that this is the event that they want to attend in terms of trying to make change in the party?”
Tracy Panton
Tracy Panton, Area Representative, Albert
“It hasn’t been as hard as one would think. The delegates that are part of the alliance have all shared the same values and where there are delegates with colleagues who may not be supporting the alliance as yet, some of those delegates have reached out to us and said we are interested in hearing what your platform is, why it’s important at this time. And so, we have been reaching out to delegates, visiting with delegates, those who are members of the alliance and those who are not members of the alliance. We all agree that the current situation is untenable and there needs to be some definitive action to make sure we right the ship.”
In certain factions of the United Democratic Party, skeptics have cast doubt on Panton’s credentials. Their skepticism stems from her family’s well-known allegiance to the People’s United Party.
Isani Cayetano
“How would you respond to some critics, or perhaps your detractors within the very same UDP who would say, well she’s not originally of UDP blood, so to speak. What makes her think that she would rise one day to lead this party, considering the history of her family in party politics?
Tracy Panton
Tracy Panton, Area Representative, Collet
“I would say I am in good company, so was Philip Goldson. Philip Goldson was not a member of a UDP. Philip Goldson left the coalition that they had to form the UDP. I believe that my track record speaks for itself. I have worked for this party, I have made a commitment for this party and I have not even winked in terms of my commitment. And Philip Goldson was not a UDP until the UDP was formed.”
Isani Cayetano
“Is it of any concern to you what has been put out there by the leadership of the party that whatever decisions taken come October twentieth, are essentially null and void since it flouts whatever agreement has been put in place to keep the leader there until after the 2025 generals?”
Tracy Panton
“There is nowhere in the constitution of the party that says that the delegates don’t have the option to change their mind. If twenty-five percent of the delegates sign a petition and say they want a national convention, a national convention shall be convened.”
The chairman of the United Democratic Party, Mike Peyrefitte, has become a divisive figure amid the internal turmoil that has crippled the organization. The Alliance for Democracy has repeatedly voiced their frustration with Peyrefitte, citing unanswered letters and criticizing his dismissive and often authoritarian decision-making style. So, what is Tracy Panton’s take on the chairman’s controversial approach?
Isani Cayetano
“It would seem, from, perhaps, all outward appearance that the chairman of the party is acting in a heavy-handed manner, in terms of his approach to decision-making and of course mitigating this situation.”
Tracy Panton, Area Representative, Albert
“Absolutely, I think he has…gross dereliction of his duties as chairman and he has a responsibility to the party. He should ensure, he is the gatekeeper to ensure that the constitution is followed and that we protect the constitution, that we defend the constitution and that we ensure that the constitution guides us in all our decision making.”
During our exclusive sit-down with Collet Area Representative Patrick Faber on Wednesday, we dug into the contentious issue of the United Democratic Party’s decision-making process. We specifically questioned the seemingly heavy-handed tactics employed by the party’s chairman, seeking clarity on this assertive approach.
Isani Cayetano
“The chairman of the United Democratic Party is, himself, an attorney and one would argue [that] he’s well versed in law and is able to understand the constitution of the UDP. Do you believe that, perhaps, he’s acting outside of his scope in respect of the decisions that he’s making that count against the positions being held by the Alliance for Democracy?”
Patrick Faber
Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet
“It’s not that I think that he does not understand or cannot comprehend. It is blatant, it is enabling of the dictator that is Shyne Barrow. It is an advantage-taking of the membership of all the branches of the party’s government. It is an affront to the members of the central executive and the members of the national party council, but especially to the members of the national convention who have signed petitions at least twice, signed a petition at least twice, appealing to him. But it does not shock us that Peyrefitte behaves in this way. This is a man, I’m sure, in the media, you have seen some of the clips that in our chat groups, uses the basest of terminology, profanity, just downright indecency to respond to those of us in the party who are trying to indicate to him, let’s do the right thing. So, it does not shock us and maybe Peyrefitte is acting in some kind of self-preservation mode because he feels that, of course, if Barrow leaves that he would absolutely have to pack his bags and leave along with him. But that is just what I surmise, I don’t know his mind. But what I can tell you is [that] I don’t think it’s because of any lack of understanding, on his part, of the constitution.”
Patrick Faber’s stint as leader of the United Democratic Party was anything but smooth. His brief tenure was marred by personal challenges that significantly impacted his ability to lead the U.D.P. effectively. Now, having stepped down, the Collet Area Representative has had the opportunity to look back and ponder what he might have done differently.
Isani Cayetano
“In terms of everything that has happened politically over the past two or three years, involving your leadership of the party and seeing what is taking place now, what would you say is the primary lesson that you have learned as a politician, seeing what’s unfolding in the UDP?”
Patrick Faber
Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet
“Well, I suppose that a lot could have been done differently and within the ranks of the UDP, we have to start trusting each other and giving each other the benefit of the doubt over time. You will recall that once I became the leader in 2020, led the party into the election and lost the election, there was immediately a gun pointed to my head because my attempts were to try to give the party an opportunity to breathe before we immediately said all the people who were former candidates of the party can come back. That was criticized heavily and, of course, I was attacked for it, but time has now proven that that might have been the bigger approach. And we’ve even seen new people come who we know can’t win. Many of them who surround Shyne Barrow now are not people who can win, but because of the need to try to continue this jostle for leadership, and to be clear, I am not aspiring for any leadership position, nor have I done so in the last four years. My last bid for leadership was in July 2020 and in fact I fought for the recall victory in 2021. But the lesson, again, is that we really need to get to a point where we are honest with each other and honest among the membership of the party. We need to listen to the members of the party. I tried to do that when I found myself with my issues, not wanting to tie an albatross around the neck of the party. I said, “Okay, I’m walking away.” In this instance, Shyne Barrow would be smart to do the very same thing. It is clear, the people of this party are saying, the people of this country are saying he is not the person they want for leadership.”
The Belize Defence Force is currently probing alarming reports of their soldiers being encircled by potentially hostile, armed Guatemalans at the Machakilha Conservation Post. This tense standoff occurred on September seventh, following the detention of several Guatemalan men by a B.D.F. patrol for illegal logging in the Columbia River Forest Reserve. In a bid to avoid bloodshed, the patrol commander made the contentious decision to release the men along with their chainsaw. This incident has brought to light serious allegations that Guatemalans have been bribing soldiers for years to overlook these illicit activities. Hipolito Novelo has been delving into these claims for the past three weeks. Here is his detailed report.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
On September seventh, a group of Belize Defence Force soldiers was surrounded by over ten possibly armed and hostile Guatemalans near the Machakilha Conservation Post. The last order the patrol received from Fairweather Camp before losing communication was to, “man your ground”. Soldiers report hearing two shots. They were outnumbered and outmanned. On September 28, we asked Minister of National Defence & Border Security Florencio Marin Jr. about it.
Florencio Marin Jr.
Florencio Marin Jr., Minister of National Defence & Border Security
“I don’t have the specifics. I do know that there was some aggression that we were able to work with the Guatemalan side to be able to bring that to a resolution. So I know sometimes when the, when the first news come out, they come out, you know, I mean, a little bit shady and all, uncertain, but I do know that we have managed to resolve that.”
But was the situation truly resolved? The reason these potentially armed and hostile Guatemalans encircled the soldiers was due to the detention of a group of Guatemalan men caught red-handed, illegally logging in the Columbia River Forest Reserve. The soldiers, dispatched to dismantle two wooden bridges constructed by the same Guatemalans, were alerted by the sound of chainsaws in action. Major Roberta Usher, the B.D.F.’s Chief of Staff, confirmed to News 5 that the bridges were indeed located within Belizean territory.
Roberta Usher
Major Roberta Usher, Chief of Staff, B.D.F.
“We can confirm that the legal infrastructure, including the bridges, were identified within the lease, and in response, the proper protocols aligned with the confidence building measures to ensure appropriate actions were taken. So, yes, we conducted operations and our teams encountered individuals and equipment at said locations. Whether or not they were surrounded is still under investigation.”
The soldiers arrested fifty-six-year-old Santiago Gomez and his seventeen-year-old son, both caught with timber six hundred meters inside Belize. A Guatemalan family, suspected of smuggling logs, was also intercepted nearby in a retrofitted pickup truck. The family was part of a larger illegal operation involving other detained chainsaw operators. Juan Jose Garcia, believed to be the on-the-ground boss, was arrested, but the mastermind, “Salvador,” remained in Guatemala. After the search, Lydia Ramirez and the minors were released and escorted to the border.
The other five men and their chainsaws were taken to the conservation posts. On their way, Garcia started a conversation with the patrol commander. During that conversation, Garcia tells the patrol commander, “Échame La Mano” which means “help me out.” News Five obtained an audio recording of a portion of the conversation.
Via Phone: Juan Jose Garcia
Voice of: Juan Jose Garcia, Guatemalan
“Look boss, but help me out. You know, as I tell you, we are all human beings. What can I tell you? You suddenly appear here…at least I can do and visit you and we can talk and see if I can work or can’t work. We can talk and you can tell me if it is possible for me to work here. I am not going to work if it is not possible. But, we can talk and if you say I can work then I will work but if you tell me I cannot work and I won’t. Help me out.”
According to documents reviewed by News 5, Garcia allegedly tried to bribe a soldier multiple times, but the soldier refused. The shocking part? Garcia admitted to bribing commanders at the CP to continue his illegal activities, even describing who he has bribed. He claims he has been doing so for the past five years. Minister Marin says it’s the first time he has heard the allegations.
Florencio Marin Jr.,
“I mean, this is the first time because I know that every time we know of these bridges, except if for certain things that the OAS have to inspect, we immediately advise the general to be able to remove these illegal fortifications that are possibly, possibly put on the ground.”
Major Usher would not confirm or deny the allegations, saying that an investigation has been launched. The patrol commander who decided to release the 5 Guatemalans and 2 of the 4 chainsaws is facing disciplinary charges. He is being accused of failing to destroy the illegal bridges and, unofficially, of accepting a bribe. A search of the commander and his team revealed no money or illegal items. The extended version of this story can be found on Channel 5’s website. Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
The Ministry of Education issued a late afternoon response to the Belize National Teachers Union’s concerns. The release starts by saying that the ministry recognizes and share the concern for ensuring that our teachers are paid in a timely and efficient manner. The release went on to say that the Ministry has submitted the names of one-hundred and twenty-two teachers for an off-cycle payment run to address the delayed salaries. It notes that the Treasury Department has confirmed that these salaries should be deposited into the respective teachers’ bank accounts by the evening of October fourth. According to the release, the B.N.T.U. provided a list of ninety-nine teachers to the Ministry which it claimed had not been paid. M.O.E says that upon review of the list they found that twelve names were duplicates, leaving eighty-seven cases to resolve. Of these, forty-four teachers are already included in the off-cycle payment, meaning their payments are expected this week. The release went on to say that the remaining forty-three teachers were investigated further. Nine teachers were found to have already received their September salaries, and three were secondary or tertiary-level teachers, who are processed through a different system. An additional four are being finalized for salary processing for the next payment cycle. Based on the ministry’s numbers, this would leave twenty-seven teachers from the B.N.T.U. list requiring additional attention. The Ministry says it is committed to working with school managements to sort these through posthaste so that these salaries can be processed later this month. The ministry also acknowledged that the current salary processing system is antiquated and prone to delays, especially where paperwork is incomplete or submitted late. M.O.E says it understand the frustration that these delays have caused for the affected teachers, and that they are committed to working closely with the B.N.T.U. and all stakeholders to address these challenges swiftly.
The United Democratic Party has also issued a release condemning the delay in payment. The release refers to the delay as an attack on teachers and the B.N.T.U. by the “Briceño-Fonseca administration”, unquote. The U.D.P. says it stands in solidarity with the teachers, adding “the recent occurrence has painfully reminded us that this uncaring government has no good intention for teachers and public officers”. The ends saying “The United Democratic party calls 0on the Minister of Education and the many senior officials on all expense paid tax payers’ funded luxury vacation to return home and immediately resolve this crisis”.
On Wednesday night, we revealed a troubling situation: over one hundred and thirty teachers have been tirelessly working without receiving their salaries. Dreadfully, some have been unpaid for more than six months. During a press conference at the B.N.T.U. headquarters on Wednesday afternoon, it was disclosed that these teachers are being systematically removed from the Government of Belize’s Smart Stream system. The union alleges that this system is being manipulated to target their members. There’s also a link to the highly controversial CPD hours that teachers must complete to renew their teaching licenses. News Five’s Paul Lopez brings us the full story.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
On Wednesday, the Belize National Teachers Union President accused the Ministry of Education of attacking its membership.
Nadia Caliz
Nadia Caliz, President, B.N.T.U.
“It is an attack on our teachers and an attack on the BNTU.”
This revelation follows the alarming news that over 130 teachers have been tirelessly working in classrooms without pay. At a press conference held at the union’s headquarters, we spoke with two of these affected educators. Kimberly Lopez has been without her salary for the past five months, while Janelle Cacho is still waiting for her September paycheck.
Kimberly Lopez
Kimberly Lopez, Primary School Teacher
“Well first of all I want to say I haven’t been paid for five months. I have not been paid since May. I have been getting money from all over, my spouse, my savings. Imagine you are saving money for your future, and you have to be touching money from your future right now.”
Janelle Cacho
Janelle Cacho, Primary School Teacher
“At has caused just major distress and trauma and inconveniences on my part. You have to function as a teacher, but then you know as a person how are you supposed to be functioning as a teacher if all of these things are hindering you.”
There is a common theme in both cases, the Ministry of Education’s requisite one hundred and twenty continuous professional development hours that all teachers must meet before their teaching license expires. In Lopez’s case, there was a delay in the renewal of her teaching license.
Kimberly Lopez
“Before my license got expired, I was sending emails to verify how much CPD hours I had. I was waiting and when I finally got, they told me I have only thirty two hours. After all these years and doing multiple workshops, how will they tell me I only have thirty-two hours. So, I went into the system found all my documents. I found my certificate and sent it in and that is how I ended up gettingmy hours.”
But her license was not renewed until July. In Cacho’s case, she says that the ministry informed her a couple weeks before her license was set to expire in January, that her CPD hours were insufficient.
Janelle Cacho
“I had to step out of the classroom because of the expiration of my license. So, I was out of the classroom. I did not get back into the classroom until June. I completed the hundred and twenty hours. I applied for my license which took a month and a half. I was behind everybody at ministry. I think by now they know my name, because I was calling, emailing, trying to get some kind of assistance. At times I felt so frustrated because I was not being attended to the way I should have been.”
BTNU President Nadia Caliz revealed a disturbing trend: many teachers who haven’t received their salaries have mysteriously disappeared from the Government of Belize’s Smart Stream system, which handles payroll. Caliz highlighted that the Minister of Education had promised that school managing authorities would notify the chief education officer about any teachers needing removal from the system. However, Caliz asserts that this protocol has not been adhered to, leaving many educators in a financial lurch.
Nadia Caliz
“So when we learnt on Thursday that a number of these teachers have not been paid, we said, why is this so. Did the management submit all that they needed to and all of that. You can’t find them any at all in the system. So, for those teachers to come off the system, you have to manually go in and remove them? So, who gave the order? That is the question, when we have an agreement. Who disobeyed the agreement we have with Minister Fonseca, because he was in the meeting with us? Who did that?”
Not every teacher’s experience is the same, according to Caliz. But she argues that it boils down to an administrative deficiency within the ministry.
Nadia Caliz
“Somebody is attacking the BNTU, and they are using that system to attack the BNTU. The BNTU will not take this lightly come October 2024. If we have to muster we will muster. But something has to be done about the current system. We can no longer have people showing up to work and at the end of the month no payment, two, three, four, five, six months, no salary.”
Diabetes is a chronic condition that arises when the pancreas fails to produce sufficient insulin or when the body cannot effectively utilize the insulin it produces. Insulin is the crucial hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. According to a report by the International Diabetes Federation released in November 2021, one in ten people globally has diabetes. Alarmingly, one in two individuals with diabetes is unaware of their condition, and every five seconds, someone dies from diabetes or its complications. If left untreated, diabetes can wreak havoc on the body, damaging the eyes, heart, and kidneys, often leading to severe and debilitating conditions. In today’s edition of Belize on Reel, News Five’s Marion Ali explores how diabetes can devastate the human body and shares effective strategies for controlling the disease. Here’s her insightful report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The Belize Diabetes Association estimates that around fifty thousand Belizeans, aged between twenty and seventy-nine, are living with diabetes. A person is considered diabetic if their blood glucose level exceeds one hundred and twenty-six mg/dL, and significant bodily harm begins when levels surpass one hundred and fifty mg/dL. However, Diabetes Specialist Dr. German Alamilla emphasizes that a disciplined regimen of a balanced diet, medication, and exercise can lower these levels significantly, potentially extending a patient’s life by years. The crucial first step is discovering your status.
German Alamilla
Dr. German Alamilla, Diabetes Specialist
“Some people are fearful of the testing because of the pricking of the finger, but this is necessary for you to control the levels of sugar in your body. Why? Because once the sugar is up, it’s damaging the whole system, affecting every organ in your body. Some people have this concept that diabetes – I can have a two hundred, two-fifty level and they say, “Oh that’s fine, that’s controlled.” No, that is not controlled. For me, I ask my patients to have at least below one-fifty or even closer to one-forty would be controlled. It can be controlled effectively with a diet and exercise, a balanced diet. I go more for the low carb, high protein diet; it seems to do a better job.”
Alamilla says that if the blood glucose level goes above one-fifty, it begins to wreak havoc on the body without the patient even knowing.
Dr. German Alamilla
“Once your sugar is above one-fifty, it begins to bind with other chemicals in your blood and the worst one it binds with is the LDL Cholesterol, the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is considered the bad cholesterol. Once that is bound, it deposits on the inside lining of the arteries, causing an inflammation and that inflammation develops into atherosclerotic plaque and that atherosclerotic plaque is what makes the diameter of the vascular of the artery goes down and so the circulation and the blood passing through is less and this less circulation or ischemia is what goes damaging your eyes, your heart, your kidneys, the legs. You can lose the functionality of a whole kidney and you won’t feel a thing because the other kidney compensates and while the other kidneys compensate, it’s getting damaged too.”
Failing to get tested for diabetes means you might remain unaware of the condition until its symptoms become glaringly obvious. Unfortunately, by then, the disease often has already inflicted irreversible damage on vital organs like the kidneys or heart. One telltale sign of diabetes is poor circulation in the hands or feet. Gary Ayuso, the visionary behind the Anodyne Therapy Center of Belize on Cemetery Road, is also a certified Anodyne Therapist. He passionately explains that their patented equipment revitalizes limbs by encouraging the body to release nitric oxide, promoting healing and improved circulation.
Gary Ayuso
Gary Ayuso, Anodyne Therapist
“Nitric oxide is a physiological compound of the body. And what it does, it vasodilates. One of the main effects of diabetes is allowing the body or tricking the body not to produce nitric oxide. In that case, it causes poor circulation, which is peripheral neuropathy. And that’s the effect, that’s the main effect of diabetes, it keeps shutting down the body a bit at a time, a bit at a time, causing limbs to go numb, then necrotic, et cetera. Another thing diabetes does is because the eyes have the smallest capillaries in the body, the circulation, is not enough to open. So it affects the eyes tremendously. Now what this infrared laser does, it allows the body to produce nitric oxide. So this machine actually stimulates the body to produce nitric oxide, so it begins to vasodilate opening veins, arteries, capillaries, and stuff like that. So it actually rejuvenates the body and bring, bring back new cells.”
Ayuso has been offering the service to diabetics and other patients since 2007 and since then, he says he has had a growing number of clients who find the treatment useful.
Gary Ayuso
“We have been open since 2007 and we’ve helped a lot of people. I can recall once a lady came in, the door and say, Mr. Ayuso you need to save my limb because the doctor said they’ll cut it off in two to three weeks. And I said, “Come every day” and we did it. And when she went back to the doctor, the doctor said, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but we don’t have to cut off that leg again.” So things like that, we have a lot of success stories.”
At the Belize Diabetes Association, located at the bustling intersection of Central American Boulevard and Mahogany Street, registered members can attend free group sessions on diabetes management. Additionally, they can benefit from personalized one-on-one consultations with Dr. Alamilla, who generously volunteers his expertise. The Association also provides essential supplies like syringes, glucose monitors, and strips to its members, thanks to generous donations. President Lynette Valerio proudly highlights that they offer a range of support services to assist those living with diabetes.
Lynette Valerio
Lynette Valerio, President, Belize Diabetes Association
“We have a support system where we have a doctor who works closely with us. He would see patients in a group setting and even have one-on-one session with persons who would need more support in managing their diabetes. And the services we provide are to support and educate people on diabetes. We also do a lot of awareness programs as well. On a monthly basis we have a meeting with members and persons living with diabetes where we would invite somebody who can speak on diabetes, maybe a doctor, a medical practitioner, who would speak on everything about diabetes.”
Twenty-year-old Deandre Dawson was diagnosed with Diabetes at age four. He told us that in his childhood, watching his friends eat sweets was difficult when he couldn’t. Then he began consuming sugary stuff and it almost cost him his life.
Deandre Dawson
Deandre Dawson, Diabetic Patient
“Seeing your friends, students eating the stuff that you cannot eat – candies, ideals, stuff like, tablatas, fudge, you know, cakes, that went very hard on me, meaning that I still went and do it behind closed doors. That took me those semi comas, hallucinating. Watching my peers, in regards to drinking and foodwise, us as diabetics can take a one and two drink. There’s nothing that we cannot do, I would say. It’s just in moderation.”
Dr, Alamilla who, incidentally, has also been suffering from diabetes for over twenty years, says it is possible for people to effectively manage their glucose level while still enjoying life. Marion Ali for News Five.
