2024-10-10 - Channel 5 Belize

Family of Kidnapped Father & Son Releases Info

Tonight, we have a developing story that’s shaken the community of Louisville, Corozal which is located approximately twenty-five miles away from the Belize/Mexico border. Luis and Johan Camara, a father and son, were kidnapped in the Subteniente Lopez area of Chetumal, Quintana Roo on Tuesday. On Wednesday evening, Veronica Camara, Luis’ sister and Johan’s aunt, took to Facebook with a heartfelt video appeal, sharing details about the incident and pleading for any information that could help bring her loved ones home safely. Unfortunately, for her own safety, Veronica has since locked her account, making the video no longer accessible to the public. In her post, Veronica recounted how the kidnapping unfolded and urged anyone with information to come forward. The forty-eight-year-old father and his nineteen-year-old son were with another family member, Luis’ daughter and Johan’s sister, when they were taken. News Five’s Marion Ali visited Louisville today and spoke with villagers who are in shock over this unprecedented incident. Here’s her report.

Voice of: Veronica Camara, Sister & Aunt of Kidnap Victims

“Upon reaching Susteniente, they were intercepted by armed men. Johan managed to reverse and drive past the parked vehicle. The assailants gave chase to my nephew and started to shoot after him. Johan managed to reach the spot where he was supposed to meet my brother, Luis Josue. But by then, the assailants managed to reach the spot too.”

Marion Ali, Reporting

In an emotional audio post on Facebook, Veronica Camara shared the harrowing details of what happened to her nephew, nineteen-year-old Johan Camara, a student at Instituto Tecnologico Maya. Johan was traveling with his sister in a pick-up truck in Chetumal to get some money for gas so he could make it to school. But things took a terrifying turn when they reached the Subteniente Lopez area. A group of men attacked Johan, and when his father, Luis Camara, tried to intervene, he was also forcibly taken. Veronica explained that Johan’s sister, who witnessed the whole ordeal, was able to seek help immediately.

Voice of: Veronica Camara

“Johan was forced out of his vehicle and forced to get in the assailant’s car at gunpoint. Upon seeing his son forced into the vehicle, my brother tried to stop them, but he was threatened and pushed into the vehicle with his son. The assailants then left, heading to the direction of Chetumal. A call was made to 9 11, but they did not show up to render help to my niece, who was left behind. It was then that we headed to the attorney general’s office in Chetumal, Quintana Roo, where they gave us prompt assistance in the missing person report and publish the notice of the missing persons.”

We spoke with two Louisville residents who are left stunned by the news of the kidnapping. One of them saw the father in the village just hours before he disappeared.

Arnaldo Chan, Louisville Resident

“What happened to him, this is not usual because we as neighbors of Chetumal, we always go and come right and we go and buy and it affect us in the way that we are now afraid.”

Voice of: Louisville Resident

“I saw him the day when he went missing, I saw him around 10 o’clock, right here in front of the polyclinic with the Chinese man, he went to buy, that was around 10, 10:30. He just wave his hand saying hello, just as if nothing was expected on that day.”

Luis Camara is described as always willing to assist in the village.

Voice of: Louisville Resident

“We know them from long, long time and they have been kidnapped. Proven community members that they could help. When there was need within the community village council, they were asked for assistance, and they never said no.”

Back in Louisville, the community is reeling with shock and fear. Neighbors and fellow villagers are calling the situation “unsettling,” and many are now worried about their own safety when crossing the border. So far, the family hasn’t received any updates from the Mexican authorities about where their loved ones might be. They’ve only been told that the search is ongoing. Veronica Camara is pleading with the public for any help they can offer.

Voice of: Veronica Camara

“Assist in circulating the missing person report of my brother and nephew. The people who know our family knows that we are hardworking, honest and humble people. We plead to the governor. Mara Lisama to continue to help our family, to bring back my brother and nephew alive and safe. We ask the Belizean government to reach out to help our family. Abolition family that need their assistance as citizens of Belize.”

Luis Camara is a truck driver and his son, Johan, has been studying agriculture for the past four years in Mexico. Marion Ali for News Five.

Belize City Sisters to Stand Trial for Setting House on Fire

Belize City residents, twenty-year-old Janiece Augustine and her twenty-four-year-old sister, Janiene Augustine, are set to stand trial for arson. The sisters were charged for allegedly setting fire to a home in Crooked Tree Village back in July 2022. The wooden house was valued at thirty thousand dollars, and the household items inside were worth two thousand dollars. This week, their case wrapped up a preliminary inquiry before a Senior Magistrate, and it’s now headed to the High Court for trial in January 2025. During the inquiry, the police prosecutor presented over thirty witness statements to support the charges against the sisters. Interestingly, they weren’t charged with arson until two years later, on April twelfth, following directives from the DPP. Today, they were granted bail of eight thousand dollars each, with two sureties of four thousand dollars each, which they managed to meet by the end of the day. On top of that, Janiece picked up an additional charge for aggravated assault with a dangerous instrument—a hammer—related to an incident on September thirtieth. She pleaded not guilty and was granted bail of two thousand dollars, which she also met. Janiece is due back in court on December second.

Belize Survey 2024 is Formally Discussed

Two weeks ago, the results of the Belize Survey 2024 were released and shared with the public by the media. This annual survey examines various aspects of Belizean life, such as crime, the economy, corruption, and politics. Earlier today, a press conference was held to discuss the survey’s findings. The principal of Viking Strategies kicked things off by explaining how they gathered the information. This year, the survey includes new data on cartel-related crimes, adding a fresh and important dimension to the analysis.

Trygve Olson, Viking Strategies

“They have a pattern where first one, they go the right, then they go to the left and then we collect it via online, via mobile phones and tablets. So the questions are being asked and they are responding. We can see the GPS location of where they are, which is one check. In addition to that, it tells them, say we’re only running into men who are fifty years and older, once the quota gets filled it will be telling them that the next set of interviews they need to be doing younger women or grandmothers or whatever. So it ends up being that the survey is balanced nationally for gender, age, racial breakdown and demographic breakdown, and then, of course, for regions of Belize. The biggest concerns of Belizeans in the fifteen years that we’ve been doing surveys down here are always one of three things. They’re always either economic, which could fall under a few different pockets: jobs, prices and just general economic issues, there’s crimes which ebbs and flows. Sometimes, like in 2014 or now, it’s seen as a huge problem, and the last one is government corruption. We ask about other issues, but it is always some combination of the three of those for about ninety percent of Belizeans. Right now, crime is ascending. I was talking with one of you about a kidnaping that had occurred up in Corozal. What is new in the survey this time which we had not seen in the past as was mentioned in various ways, is this sort of cartel-related crime.”

Poll Shows Steady Erosion of Economic Confidence

The high cost of living continues to be a major concern for Belizeans, chipping away at their economic confidence. While the findings show that Belizeans are doing better year after year, the rising prices and cost of living are really hitting their wallets hard.

Trygve Olson, Viking Strategies

“Declining economic confidence. So the cost of living, inflation and economic inequality is a significant issue for many Belizeans. What is unique, though, is in all the times that we have done surveys here in Belize, people are better off, actually feel better off about their ability to provide basics for their families, pay the electric bill, food, clothes than they have at any other point that we’ve been doing surveys. But what’s really taking a toll on Belizeans, and this won’t surprise you as Belizeans, is rising prices and cost of living. While people feel like they’re doing better, they also don’t feel like it’s keeping up. As somebody who’s worked on a lot of campaigns around the world, I would say if you had a president who ran just on a popular vote where party is less important, anybody could run, this is a country where you have a third of the population, they might consider somebody who’s outside of the two parties, if it were the right candidate. That is only going to grow. There eventually will be an election where either those voters will stay home en masse or they rise up and sort of go with it and it’s an interesting dynamic for the two parties because at some point, if voters are demanding it, the question will be, you know, they’re still sort of tied to that structure as it was. Which party sort of evolves to that new reality and starts to represent them will be the party, at some point, it may not be this election maybe the next, but it’s going to have some tremendous success with a very different coalition than has previously been winning coalitions.”

Belize Hosts Strategic Alliances International Partners Conference

The Government of Belize is hosting a two-day Strategic Alliances International Partners Conference to boost dialogue with development partners and enhance collaboration on sustainable growth initiatives. The event, themed “Unlocking Climate Finance and Disaster Risk Financing for Sustainable Development,” kicked off with remarks from Minister Francis Fonseca and Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amalia Mai. Prime Minister John Briceño also addressed the audience, speaking for thirty minutes to Belize’s diplomatic core. While much of his speech resembled a Plan Belize address, he did touch on climate change and its impacts on Belize towards the end.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I can’t describe it in words of how grateful I am, my Cabinet and by extension the people for what you have done. But we still have more challenges. Every day and week in Cabinet the ministers are saying, we need to extend electricity here, we need a clinic here, we need more roads, housing, and the list can go on. And this is where you can continue to play this role, this partnership of mutual respect and having the same objectives, that the issues of climate change, of which we had nothing to do with climate change. We are doing our part, but the developed countries haven’t. And it is unfortunate that a hurricane like what went through Florida is starting to raise more awareness in minds of people. They are saying that hold on this thing is really serious. Finally, the developing countries are talking about loss and damage, you all are talking about preparing to have a fund. All of that we had we only need one hurricane, and we could lose fifty percent of GDP, God forbid. I use to hate speaking when I was the minister of environment about adaptability. Why should we adapt, we have not caused this problem. The reality is we have to adopt.”

Hurricane Milton Rips through Florida, Claiming at Least 12 Lives

The dreaded hurricane that Florida residents were bracing for has finally passed, but not without causing significant devastation. At least twelve lives were lost, many more people are now homeless, and millions are without power. The hurricane made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, late Wednesday evening as a Category Three storm, packing winds of one hundred and twenty miles per hour. It uprooted trees and knocked down light poles, causing widespread power outages along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Many Belizeans living in the storm’s path were affected. While there have been no reports of Belizean casualties, many are now beginning the arduous task of cleaning up and repairing their damaged homes. Before hitting land, the hurricane had intensified to a Category Five in the Gulf of Mexico but weakened just before making landfall. It dumped over ten inches of rain in some parts of Florida, with other areas receiving an additional eight to twelve inches.

Building a Healthier Society Through Nutrition Education

Teaching children healthy nutrition is not an easy task when the unhealthy options that exist are backed by huge marketing budgets to increase their appeal. One school has discovered that one way to change a child’s mind about eating healthy is to include healthy eating habits in their daily routine. That’s what Stella Maris School is doing with “Fruity Tuesdays” and “Water Wednesdays” initiatives. And that approach works in tandem with a regional campaign to eliminate the region’s most deadly food product, trans fat. Teaching children to eat healthy empowers them to avoid food options that can lead to non-communicable diseases. News Five’s Paul Lopez tells us more in this week’s installment of Belize on Reel.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

A healthy, nutritious diet is essential to a child’s physical and mental well-being. This is one of the reasons why the Ministry of Health and Wellness launched the “Healthy Habits, Healthy Schools, Healthy Belize” campaign. Stella Maris School adopted the program.

Sheree Salgado, Teacher, Stella Maris School

“As a staff we came up with different activities we can do. On Tuesdays we have what we call fruity Tuesday. Parents are encouraged to send their child with a fruit. That day we don’t want any chips, any biscuits. So, you will that the classes will do different activities with the fruits. On Wednesdays we do a water Wednesday. We don’t want to see any ideals, any juice. So, student and teachers are encouraged to drink water on Wednesdays.”

These two students at Stella Maris School are busy at work, preparing their plate of fruits for a midday snack. They are encouraged to bring their own fruits and to get involved in the cutting up the fruits, while they learn to identify each one. As a school for children living with various disabilities, too much sugary drinks and snacks can prove counterproductive.

Teacher

“What is this?”

Student #1

“Grapes”

Teacher

“And this one?”

Student #1

“Apple”

Teacher

“And this one?”

Student #1

“Banana”

Teacher

“What is this one?”

Student #2

“Banana, Apple.”

Teacher

“And this one, Grapes.”

Student #2

“Grapes.”

We asked a couple of the older students why its important to eat healthy.

Paul Lopez

“What are some examples of healthy food?”

Elijah Martinez, Student, Stella Maris School

“Orange Banana, Carrots, Lime and dende.”

Paul Lopez

“And what are some examples of unhealthy food?”

Elijah Martinez

“Sweet, fry chicken.”

Paul Lopez

“Why should kids decided to eat healthy food?”

Elijah Martinez

“To let them grow, look better and build up deh blood and so.”

Paul Lopez

“For you, how often do you eat healthy, be honest?”

Elijah Martinez

“Well, I eat healthy every Tuesday and Monday.”

Paul Lopez

“How about Wednesday and Thursday and Friday?”

Elijah Martinez

“Sometimes I eat healthy on Thursday and Friday.”

Martinez has learned to associate healthy eating with the healthy eating program implemented at his school. This is an important start to developing a lifelong healthy lifestyle.

Paul Lopez

“Why is it important for children to eat healthy food instead of unhealthy food?”

Malique Requena, Student, Stella Maris

“Because it makes you strong, when you eat your fruit and vegetables every day you eat?”

Paul Lopez

“What are some examples of healthy food?”

Malique Requena

“There are fruits, vegetables, all kind of things we need to eat.”

Their knowledge is testament to the fact that anyone can learn to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy food options to make better choices. Also, introducing these lifestyle lessons into the school system builds a healthy nutrition foundation at an early age.

Sheree Salgado

“You know, after a hard day of work, you come home, you tired, especially as a teacher and you have your children at home waiting for you and you just look for something easy. But, we can do easy stuff that are healthy. We just need to be more educated about it, rather than just go and grab a fry chicken and a pack bread.”

Salgado contends that teaching children healthy eating habits in schools begin with adults first understanding the body’s daily nutritional needs. In fact, there is an entire regional campaign geared towards banning a food product that is a danger to Caribbean health, trans fats.

Koleen Neal, Nutritionist, Dangriga Polyclinic

“Trans fats are an unhealthy type of fat that could lead to having high cholesterol. It is naturally produced in animals, and you could find it in dairy products. The unhealthy trans fats are industry produced.”

It goes through a process called hydrogenation which turns the liquid to solid so that the product can have a longer shelf life. Shortening and margarine butter are examples of trans fats. It can also be found in many store-bought prepackaged snacks. Ice cream also contains trans-fat.

Koleen Neal

“What makes it bad is because it solidifies at room temperature imagine what it does to your arteries. So, because it does that, it causes a blockage in the arteries. Before it does that, your levels of high cholesterol increase, which is one of the risk factors of having a heart disease.”

Paul Lopez

“Are there healthier options? Since this is solid, are liquids healthier?”

Koleen Neal

“We recommend unsaturated fats. These are liquid oils. These stay liquid at room temperature. So it is less likely to solidify or clog the arteries.”

With this knowledge in hand, Elijah gave his advice to children about eating healthy.

Elijah Martinez

“I wah tell deh, yo always have to stay healthy, eat good fruit on Wednesday and Tuesday and Thursday. And in my opinion, I suppose to eat healthy to, because that will build me up and make me better.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

Belizean Youths Discuss Disaster Risk Reduction

The National Emergency Management Organization hosted the country’s first-ever Disaster Risk Reduction Youth Forum today. Youths from across Belize District gathered at the Princess Hotel to provide their input on Belize’s disaster risk reduction policies. The forum also served as a platform to engage our youths in discussions on disaster preparedness, response, and climate resilience. The idea is that empowering the next generation with the knowledge and skills to build a safer, more resilient Belize is an investment in a more resilient future. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Disaster is everyone’s business, because when a disaster hits it does not discriminate. The young and the old stand to be affected. Today, children are at the forefront providing key input on how Belize can improve its disaster risk reduction practices and policies.

Brielle Goff, Student, E. P Yorke High School

“One of the things I see that children face is let us say their house gets flood out, like ok they have their textbooks in their and stuff like that, the resources they had are no longer there because it go damaged from the disaster. There is not always resources that they can get it back. So for example their uniform get damage and they only have one and they would have to wear that uniform again and again and then when they go to school, people bully them. So, I feel like that would be one of the things, they don’t have the supplies.”

Brielle Goff, a student at E.P. Yorke High School provided us with real examples of how children are impacted by disasters and the importance of reducing these vulnerabilities. She was able to voice her concerns at the National Emergency Management Organization’s first first-ever Disaster Risk Reduction Youth Forum.

Fern Guitterez, Deputy National Emergency Coordinator, NEMO

“The importance of having the youths building the framework for resiliency is a must as we continue to as a country conquer the issues related with climate change. So, the new approach to disaster risk management is to ensure that we have an all-inclusive approach to having a resilient nation. The goal is to ensure that young people understand that they have a role to play in disaster. Disaster is all of our business. Ensuring that they are actively involved in your local communities, ensuring that you are a part of your plans or programs, a part of your family hurricane plans, or family hazard plans.”

The University of Belize’s Environmental Club was also a participant in today’s discussion. Their interest is geared toward reducing the risks faced by our natural environment in a disaster event.

Samuel Esperanza, Vice President, UB Environmental Club

“Whenever we talk about disasters we have to take the environment into consideration. For example, when we have a hurricane, it is not just our human lives and our infrastructure that gets damaged, but you also have to think about the biodiversity in our areas. All of those are getting affected as well. A lot of times we have many species dying. Even if we take into consideration down south where all the forest fires, thousands of species of animals died and a lot of them are determinantal.”

UNICEF Belize’s participation in this event is also crucial. As Jenna Hoare, the Emergency Officer at UNICEF Belize, indicated, one billion children globally lives in disaster prone environments.

Jenna Hoare, Emergency Officer, UNICEF Belize

“What we understand and what we see on the ground is youth and children are among the most vulnerable group in disaster situations. So, this is why it is so important that we start from early on in educating young people on key concepts when we talk about disaster risk reduction and management. They play a very pivotal role throughout our country. They have innovative ideas. I remember talking to one of the young persons earlier and they are talking about how we can use AI to advance early warning systems. So, young persons play a very critical role.”

Brielle Goff

“We have something to say too you know, because we are in this generation. What they said, I was a teenager once, like what the adults say these days. I was a teenager once. Now we are the teenagers of this generation. The millennials could guh suh because this dah Gen Z time. So that is why we have something to say. We can relate to it. Like AI, my granny nuh know how to use AI. My mom, the other day I had to show she how to scan the network, you know weh I the she.”

At the government level, Minister of Disaster Risk Management, Andre Perez, says the most important policy at this time is building resilience.

Andre Perez, Minister of Disaster Risk Management

“Of course it is what we are saying here, building resilience. We have to learn; we have to cope with this. We have to better prepare ourselves for when these things come. That is what is important and that is what is being highlighted and carried to the students, to the youth.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez

The Santiago Ciau Invalidity Case Clarified

As we reported on Wednesday, thirty-seven-year-old Santiago Ciau Junior sadly passed away earlier this week after a long battle with a debilitating bone condition. Ciau had been a dedicated member of the Belize Police Department since July twenty-third, 2006. However, in March 2023, he was retired by the government due to medical unfitness stemming from a workplace injury in 2009. Diagnosed with avascular necrosis, Ciau reportedly faced repeated denials for invalidity benefits from the Social Security Board (S.S.B.). Despite his appeals, he said he received a late notification, which prevented him from making a timely second appeal. Earlier today, the Social Security Board issued a statement clarifying Ciau’s invalidity case. The S.S.B.’s release says that after reviewing the application and relevant documents, the Medical Board, guided by the Social Security Act, ruled that Mister Ciau did not meet the requirements for invalidity benefits. Exercising his right to appeal, Mister Ciau took his case to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal on August sixteenth, 2023. This independent body, built into the Act, allows members to challenge the decisions made by the S.S.B. The Tribunal includes a chairman who is an attorney-at-law, along with representatives from employers and employees. During the appeal hearing, Mister Ciau had the chance to present his case and was represented by an attorney. However, the Tribunal upheld the S.S.B.’s decision. Mister Ciau was informed that he could further appeal to the High Court, but according to our records, no such appeal was made.

Belize Celebrates Taiwan Day and 35 Years of Friendship

On the other side of the globe, long-time allies of Belize celebrate National Taiwan Day on October tenth. Here in Belize, people are joining in on the celebration at the Taiwan Expo 2024. This expo celebrates thirty-five years of friendship between the two countries and allows Taiwanese businesses to enter the Belizean market. News Five’s Britney Gordon was there to meet some of the participants. Here’s the story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

October tenth, or Double Ten Day marks the founding of the Republic of China, Taiwan after they overthrew the Qing Dynasty and relocated to the small island off the coast of China. It is a day of pride for all Taiwanese citizens, and as Belize observes thirty-five years and diplomatic friendship with Taiwan, the celebration continues at the Taiwan Day Expo 2024, Goldie Lee, a member of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council provides more details.

Goldie Lee, Taiwan External Trade Development Council

“Our main mission is to help, to assist Taiwanese enterprises to expand their international trade. And for this year because it is the thirty-fifth anniversary for the diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Belize. So we are so happy and so glad for this Expo. We have twenty-one Taiwanese businesses here, and eight of them participating in person. The others participate by technicals and samples.”

Belizeans stopping by the expo were met with a range of products, from hardware to food and beverages and even the medical industry. Any Taiwanese business seeking to find a footing in the Belizean market was invited to participate. Sales representative for Kwang Yang Motor Company, Sawai Uhdong, landed in Belize on Wednesday. He is excited to showcase the scooters and ATVs that he believes Belizeans will gravitate to.

Sawai Uhdong, Sales Representative, KYMCO

“We actually doing overseas marketing. It’s over, I believe, thirty years. Now we’re seeking more opportunities all over the Central America and South America Cities and we believe Belize have, we have some products we believe it’s fit in the Belize cities.”

KYMCO is an environmentally conscious company that Lee believes will be an advantage when entering the Belizean market.

Goldie Lee

“We found that the people here, they are willing to promote I mean, they preserve their environment. And the product from KYMCO, this company, they also emphasize on protect the environment, therefore their products is really meet the need of this country.”

While many of the representatives flew in from Taiwan to participate, a few have already established business in Belize. Such as Yishen Chen from the Nine Six Shopping Center that has been operating in Belize City for over twenty years. Chen explains the joy she feels from being welcomed into Belizean culture.

Yishan Chen, Nine Six Shopping Center

“I personally really Belize, because compared to other places, like you said, Belize is a country really, people are very friendly and their life is very simple, we don’t have to be having a complicated or like a struggle life because, here the people is willing to help foreigners.”

On display were a variety of Taiwanese Pastries and snacks. Chen explains which ones are the store’s best sellers among Belizeans.

Yishan Chen

“But they also like this kind of mooncake. Not mooncake. We call it suncake, but it’s inside with some sweet fillings. I don’t know how to call that. It’s the sugar from, the sweetness from the wheat. Yeah, the sweetness from the wheat. But they like this. And also our Taiwanese famous mooncake. Pastries, which is this pineapple cake.”

The Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund, ICDF has been a long-time source of funding and educational opportunities for Belizeans.

Glendy Chiqin, District Health Educator

“We have people that would come that has never checked themselves. So it’s very important for us to be out there at every opportunity because like that we have people that would come and would find out whether they have high blood pressure, high glucose and start some kind of checking themselves. Yes, it’s not going to happen immediately, but they will have an idea of, oh hey, I need to do something about my health because my glucose is high or my blood pressure tested high today.”

The celebrations will continue into the evening with a ceremony highlighting the bond between Belize and Taiwan. Britney Gordon for News Five.