On Sunday, a woman’s house and vehicle in Guinea Grass Village, Orange Walk, were shot at by two men on a motorcycle. Thankfully, no one was hurt. ACP Hilberto Romero told reporters today that the police are actively searching for the two suspects.
“On Sunday, the 13th of October, 2024, Adalme Chan reported that she was at home at Green Grass Village when she heard loud bangs and realized that someone was shooting towards her house. She made checks and saw two persons on a motorcycle who fled from the area. She made checks and saw a bullet hole in a vehicle that was parked in the yard and also a bullet hole in the house. We have identified two of the suspects and we’re looking for them. They are from the Guinea Grass area.”
A man is recovering in the Northern Regional Hospital after a machete fight broke out on Saturday while he was hanging out at a friend’s house in Orange Walk Town. Luis Espino came out of the brawl with the worst injuries and had to be hospitalized. Today, ACP Romero informed reporters that the suspect is currently in detention as the investigation continues.
“On Saturday, 12th of October 2024, police visited the Northern Regional Hospital where they found Luis Espino with chop wounds. He reported that he was at a house on Santa Elena Street in Orange Walk Town with a female when the common-law [husband] of the female arrived and they had an altercation. Both of them then got machetes and they attacked each other and Luis Espino received the injuries. The person that came to the house, the common-law of the female is Emerson Wade. He is presently in custody. Luis Espino is in a stable condition. We are conducting interviews and we will review the case to see if any charges will be levied.”
No one captured it better than the late Lela Vernon when she sang about the misconception that Creole people had no culture. Though she’s no longer with us, her song left a powerful message for the Creole community to reflect on and change that narrative, leaving a legacy for future generations. Today, we were delighted to meet a young Creole man dedicated to preserving and passing on the richness of Creole culture to the next generation. In this week’s edition of Kolcha Tuesday, News Five’s Marion Ali sits down with Wilford Felix, a proud Creole man who is teaching his young daughters the value of their heritage. He does this through the vibrant Creole language, sharing folkloric stories, and even playing the traditional Gumbe drum to sing Creole songs. Marion Ali reports.
Wilford Felix
Wilford Felix, Chair, Cultural Safeguarding, Nat’l Kriol Council
“This one ya da bout three fren, ih name the three fren dehn. Once upon a time dehn had three fren. Deh mi name Big Head, Big Belly and Snipy foot.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
Wilford Felix made the most of his daughters’ sick day from school by jumping into some Kriol folklore with them. He read them enchanting stories that have been passed down for over a century.
Wilford Felix
“Big Head end up gone up pahn the tree. Ih shake, ih shake, ih shake he shake the tree till ih head drop off because he da Big Head soh ih head it drop off. Big belly he start to laugh and he laugh and laugh and laugh till ih big belly buss. Sniper Foot, fi he foot deh mawga soh. Snipy Foot he run fi goh goh ker the news. Fi he foot drop eena wa cassava hole an bruk, but before ih foot bruk ih drop pa wa pin an what happened? If the pin neva bend, the story nuh mi wa end.”
The Kriol advocate says the stories are oftentimes meant to entertain, and this one was all fun for his two little girls, Kali-Mae, age six, and Imani-Ann, five years old.
Wilford Felix
“Not only are the stories fun to tell but stories often convey an important message or lesson and it’s an intrinsic part of the culture to convey that information via stories to captivate the audience and essentially fi nuh give the lesson eena wa boring way and especially when yoh di transmit da information to pikni, dehn wa tend fi remember wa story than if yoh give dehn wa direct instruction.”
Marion Ali
“Did you like that story?”
Kali-Mae Felix
Kali-Mae Felix, Daughter of Wilford Felix
“No.”
Marion Ali
“You never like it? (Turning to other child) But you mi like it. What you mi like about it, baby?”
Imani-Ann Felix
Imani-Ann Felix
“I mi like when the big head drop off. (Laughter)”
Marion Ali
“And what you never like about it?”
Kali-Mae Felix
“Because it’s so sad because I don’t like when people dead. That’s so sad.”
Many of these stories carry important life lessons, and Felix uses them to share valuable messages through the rich tapestry of Kriol culture.
Wilford Felix
“I think the lesson in this story is be careful who you trust. The story might sound convincing weh dehn di tell yoh fi do but mind, dehn di set yoh up.”
The Kriol protagonist also uses music to pass on the hidden messages to the younger generation. And in his home, culture is far more important than gadgets.
Wilford Felix
“My pikni dehn nuh spend a lot of time pahn no device because I want dehn learn the culture? I want dehn learn fi value the heritage instead ah mek wa laptop or wa tablet or a phone entertain dehn. I entertain dehn, soh I meke the time fi interact with my kids a lot and share the culture because if we nuh di pass it to dehn that da how the culture wa dead and like how Miss Lela ask, Ah Want Know Who She Kriol Nuh Got No Kolcha? We do.”
The digital gap, often called the grey digital divide, is a real challenge for older folks trying to navigate the digital world. Studies show this divide can lead to isolation, limited access to services, online vulnerabilities, and fewer learning opportunities. But there’s good news! The University of Belize has teamed up with several organizations to tackle this issue head-on. Today, they brought together a room full of elderly individuals and service providers to get a better grasp of the needs and skills required to bridge this gap effectively. News Five’s Paul Lopez has the full story.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Belize’s elderly population, estimated at around thirty thousand, is quietly grappling with the challenge of keeping up with modern technology. Many of these seniors are fighting an uphill battle to stay connected in our fast-paced digital world.
Paul Lopez
“I see you have a device in your hands.”
Elenita Phillips
Elenita Phillips, Retired
“Yes, but it is not an extension of my hand. I just have it here because I was answering a call just now.”
Paul Lopez
“You sure, looks like you are getting like those young people.”
Elenita Phillips
“Oh no, I don’t check Facebook until late in the evening.”
Meet Elenita Phillips, a retiree we caught up with at a Senior Digital Literacy Training hosted by the University of Belize in Belize City. These free sessions are designed to help seniors like Elenita unlock the power of technology, an area where many face challenges, as she shared with us.
Elenita Phillips
“I try to learn what I don’t and what I don’t know I try to ask the younger people who would have the knowledge of it. But a lot of time I like to train myself and find out things for myself.”
Paul Lopez
“How hard is it to learn this device.”
Elenita Phillips
“Sometimes it is hard when I want to do something on it that I haven’t done before. I haven’t learned to scan on the printer because I don’t have to do it. Every now and then something comes up that I would need to scan a document to send it and then I say I wish I didn’t put it off, that I knew how to do it.”
Kyle Miller, the President of HelpAge in Punta Gorda, interacts with the elderly daily. He has come to understand the importance of bridging the technological gaps that exist among the elderly and how this can make their worlds a lot less lonely.
Kyle Miller
Kyle Miller, President, HelpAge PG
“Especially in PG, a lot of their daughters or family members live in the states. So, that is one of the only way the can communicate with them. So, helping them to learn this bridges a communication gap with them and their family. I was just explaining to them that my mom got her sister sending for her and so they sent a ticket online and she was like, I guess I am not going because I don’t know how to do this and so things like that. The missing information, it opens up a wider doors when it comes to things and some of our elders are left behind when it comes to things like that.”
Paul Lopez
“What’s your thoughts on social media?”
Elenita Phillips
“You have to limit yourself. You cant live on it or else you wouldn’t do anything else. I time myself on the computer and decide so much to check emails, Facebook, so much time to do that, not a lot of time, because there is always something interesting to do.”
Paul Lopez
“So you communicate on Facebook?”
Elenita Phillips
“No, I am a stalker on Facebook. I see what other people post. I don’t post. If somebody post something nice I like, I give the thumbs up. Sometimes people will post things I don’t like and I would like to comment but I say no, I don’t want to start argument with anybody.”
Phillips showed us that the technological tools at our disposal today can help to enhance the lives of our elderly population. A large part of the training also focused on teaching young people how to create a supportive environment when imparting essential digital skills to the elderly among us. We also spoke with the organizer Arnulfo Kantun.
Arnulfo Kantun
Arnulfo Kantun, Business Development Officer, UB
“Another skill that is very necessary is communication, how do you communicate with older citizens, how do you share information, how do you bring them within a space where you can impart practical skills. So, we look at that as well and we also look at reasons why it is very important to have these kind of training skills. It is different than when you would normally teach anybody else. You have to be more confident, clear in your delivery and you have to remember you have to have patients.”
A mother and son in Belize City have lost everything after a fire broke inside their home on Friday night. Residents of Pelican Street Extension recall that around ten-thirty p.m. flames engulfed the two-story cement and wooden structure, resulting in severe damage to the contents of the house. Firefighters responded to the scene and were able to douse the flames and prevent the fire from spreading. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the incident.
It’s been nearly two years since the People’s Constitution Commission (P.C.C.) kicked off its mission to thoroughly review Belize’s Constitution. They aimed to engage with Belizeans through a public outreach campaign and deliver detailed recommendations to the Prime Minister. Originally, this project was supposed to wrap up in eighteen months, but the commission needed more time to gather and summarize public feedback. So, in June, they got a six-month extension. Now, they’re gearing up to present their final report to the Prime Minister in November. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more on the challenges they faced along the way.
Harold Young
Dr. Harold Young, Asst. Professor of Political Science
“They didn’t like the advice and it wasn’t anything technical or anything crazy. It was a basic fundamental what your mandate is. You are not fulfilling your mandate and they didn’t like it. And within that week, we were both let go. Wow. Or we both separated. I don’t want to say let go because it wasn’t the same thing between us. But within the week, we were both separated from the commission. And that’s an indictment of the commission, not of the government. The government did not pick those twenty-seven people.”
Britney Gordon, Reporting
In November 2022, The People’s Constitution Commission was created for one purpose: to conduct participatory, inclusive, and transparent engagement with the people of Belize to inform recommendations to the government for an amended constitution. These recommendations aim to genuinely capture what the Belizean people truly want. Last month, Anthony Chanona, the Chairman of the PCC, gave us an update on how things are progressing.
Anthony Chanona
Anthony Chanona, Chair, People’s Constitution Commission (File: September 26th, 2024)
“We have been meeting ever since we finished the public outreach which was back in May 2024, and the process is to review what the people have said and formulating it. So as soon as that was completed and we are at that stage, we will come to the media and we are saying this would probably be around the eighth of October and present what we have done. So it’s an important engagement but I cannot go into any details at this time.”
More than twenty-two thousand people shared their thoughts for the report. Public consultations were the go-to method for the outreach campaign, although over ten thousand surveys were also used. Given the overwhelming number of responses, the PCC got a six-month extension in June to wrap things up.
Anthony Chanona
“People in Belize actually showed up at these sessions, participated in the call for papers, responded to the text blast and so we were unable to collate all of that information within the eighteen months. So the law provided for us to apply for a six-month extension and we are now to be finished on the fourteenth of November for a final report. But we will be producing an interim report with the first draft with all stakeholders so that there is some transparency and validation to the process.”
The commission is a diverse group, bringing together voices from worker and student unions, cultural councils, NGOs, and political parties. Their mission is to represent all the different communities across Belize and be their voice. Caleb Orozco, the Executive Director for the United Belize Advocacy Movement, represents the LGBT+ community. He shared that the hurdles he faced on the commission make him doubtful about the report’s success.
Caleb Orozco
Caleb Orozco, Executive Director, UNIBAM
“I will predict that we will go through the motions of talking to our stakeholders, supporting their recommendations, and the recommendations will be submitted to the Prime Minister. But it will be watered down based on the experience of the Political Reform Commission of two thousand. There will be lots of delays with regards to the actual implementation of the recommendations that are either accepted or welcome. And we will continue to be erased.”
Orozco maintains the support of his community is a surface-level attempt at inclusivity that will not find its way into legislation.
Caleb Orozco
“What I notice is that they reassure themselves that as long as they offer me food, are you hungry? Or they are nice to me and say hi, how are you doing? That somehow they’re above those who are directly insulting. Being tolerated in a commission process is new. example of being accepted in the legislative process.”
In the early stages of the project, political scientists, Dr. Dylan Vernon and Dr. Harold Young, were brought on as consultants by the PCC. Dr. Young claims that their services were dismissed by the PCC because the commission did not agree with their recommendations. Like Orozco, he does not believe that the PCC is acting in alignment with its mandate.
Dr. Harold Young,
“The civic leaders did not engage. They did not read material that Dr. Vernon and I put to them to read, that would have given them the groundwork to start thinking comprehensively and seriously about electoral reform in this country. They dropped the ball. They are happy to get out there. They are happy to get out there and criticize and comment and this is wrong and that, but when they were put around the table, with the power of legislature, the legislature, the law, giving them the power to review the and make recommendations in a report to the prime minister, they drop the ball.”
Belize’s National Senior Men’s Football Team is gearing up for the Gold Cup with a fresh face leading the charge. Charlie Slusher took over as head coach in July, and since then, Team Belize has been making waves on the field. Last week, they crushed Anguilla at the F.F.B. Stadium in Belmopan. Tonight, they’re set to take on Turks and Caicos at the same venue. On Friday, Head Coach Slusher shared his thoughts on what to expect from the team tonight and their exciting journey to the Gold Cup.
Charlie Slusher
Charlie Slusher, Head Coach, National Men’s Football Team
“On Tuesday night we play against Turks and Caicos Island and again our key thing is that we want to, when it comes to our standings, we want to try to rank the number one ranking team in the entire group C, although we already went to B, but it is still a ranking process. So, we need to score some goals against Turk because it is a ranking process. I love to see, as a coach, the direction we are heading in, especially with the time we have. I started in July, and we started camp later and when you are seeing so many positive things. We cannot be perfect overnight, but we are seeing a lot of positive things, and I like I said I am happy with the direction or the buy in from our players and trying to change the culture and the style of play, adapting to some of the things I believe that can help us. One of the things that can surely help us is that in the past we would lay back and wait to be slaughtered. We must take the game to them. It doesn’t matter who we are. We got to play pressure football. We got to pressure the opponents. If anybody watched the game, we didn’t give that team any chance to build up any opportunity to play. They had to force the ball and that is our playing style we want to adapt. We are very good at it.”
The National Meteorological Service and the National Emergency Management Organization are keeping an eye on the southwest Caribbean Sea for any signs of a tropical cyclone. In a joint press release, they mentioned that while the chances of formation are currently low—near zero percent over the next forty-eight hours and thirty percent within the next week—the situation could still change. In the worst-case scenario, a tropical depression or storm might form by Thursday or Friday, moving over northern Nicaragua or Honduras and weakening before its remnants pass over Belize late Friday into Saturday. This system could bring moderate to heavy rainfall. The NMS and NEMO emphasize that there’s no need to panic. They remind everyone that we’re still in the peak of hurricane season, so it’s crucial to stay informed by following official alerts and not getting swayed by rumors or misinformation from unofficial sources.
There’s a new player in town that’s set to make life a whole lot easier for bakers and chefs, all without costing a fortune. Say hello to Ma Baker and Chef, a Mexico-based brand that’s just launched its exciting range of bakery and confectionery products right here in Belize. These goodies are being brought in by Mayito Cal Limited, and today, they teamed up with the manufacturers to host a hands-on training session in Belize City. This event wasn’t just about learning the ropes; it was also a golden opportunity for the importers to showcase their products to major supermarkets and hoteliers from all over the country. News Five’s Paul Lopez was on the scene and gave us the scoop on how this brand aims to elevate Belize’s culinary scene. Here’s his report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Ma Baker and Chef is the latest bakery and confectionery brand to make a splash in Belize. And guess what? Bakers and chefs are already singing its praises!
Neri Castilla
Neri Castilla, Culinary Instructor
“They have a wide variety of products. It is a lot cheaper than other brands here in Belize and it is accessible to us to get in any store. It is not like we have to order or wait for an order to come in.”
Ma Bakers and Chef Products are manufactured in Mexico and imported by Mayito Cal Limited, a company led by Miriam Cal.
Miriam Cal
Miriam Cal, Importer, Ma Baker and Chef
“Ma Baker in collaboration with us brought in two renowned chef to come and introduce the usage of their products and the many products they have in their catalogs. To answers question for the home bakers that might have doubts about the product or want to know more about the products, because some are already on the market. In this way we are introducing new products, I will be bringing them back into the country.”
Home bakers, supermarket reps, and hotel and resort representatives all gathered in one room to get the inside scoop on how Ma Baker and Chef products can boost their businesses and delight their customers.
Amalia Marin
Amalia Marin, Assistant, Ma Baker and Chef
“Guys Ma Bakers and Chef is one of the best brands in the baking industry. They bring in a long selection of products for pastries as a whole. This one is edible markers. It is not markers you can use to give your kids. It is edible markers. So, you can use it to write happy birthday in the fondant or maybe to decorate your cookies. You can be creative with this. We also bring in luster dust, edible paint in a dust form. Most bakers would mix it with vodka, a little bit, not much and they would paint away their flowers, cookies, cake, our pastries and that gives it a different color. If you are making flowers, you get these to color your flowers. Your flower would usually be white because of the material you are using, this is what you need to get and your dust it off and it becomes amazingly beautiful like the flower we show earlier that is edible. That is dust with this one.”
And those are just two of the many fantastic products Ma Baker and Chef has in their lineup. The two bakers who flew in to showcase these goodies spent the morning crafting and decorating a stunning Christmas-themed cake. The end result? A vibrant, eye-catching cake display with sharp contrasts, perfect for the festive season!
Miriam Cal
“As the chef just said, every product has a code at the back that can be scanned, and it will show them how to use it. And each one is made to make the baker’s life easier and to save time. Like I am just saying, time is the most limited resource we have. For example she used the royal icing to create three different things, she used it as an adhesive for her figurine. She used it to make the snow effect and she added more water to show snow on the figurine of the trees. So the same product can be used different ways. Its not only about introducing the product but how it can be applied throughout.”
Before today, these products were not available at supermarkets in Belize City. But, during the demonstration, Publics Supermarket committed to carrying all Ma Baker and Chef products in its grocery stores. The news came with applause from the audience.
Amalia Marin
“We have three sizes of fondants, the large, the medium and the smaller ones. The smaller one is good. People say it is small and they need the whole pack. Not every time a baker needs to buy the whole two pound if it only a piece they need. You don’t need to buy the two pounds. You can buy the small one and just use it for what you need.”
A collision on the Thomas Vincent Ramos Highway claimed the life of motorcyclist Christian Guerra on October 13. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hilberto Romero reported that a motorcycle, driven by Christian Guerra, collided with a Dodge RAM pickup, driven by Esekias Vasquez. “Guerra was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.”
The accident occurred while the vehicles were travelling in opposite directions; the pickup struck the motorcycle, causing Guerra to fall and sustain serious injuries.
Vasquez is now in police custody, awaiting charges.
