2024-10-24 - Channel 5 Belize

Paying the Bills of Dumpster Living

Some of us either work for a company or we own one and employ others to work for us. Others simply work for themselves, surviving off a craft, service or talent. But there are those who do very humbling jobs, the kinds that put our safety at risk, like cleaning the streets and draining or collecting the garbage. And then there are the very few who pay their bills off rummaging through the garbage looking for recyclables they can sell to earn a living. We call them scavengers, but whatever we refer to them as, we spoke to a few of them today who say they rather do that than to engage in a life of crime in order to live. News Five brings you this week’s edition of Belize on Reel on dumpster living.

Marion Ali, Reporting

It was Scotsman Hector Urkuhart who wrote the popular English proverb: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. This saying holds true for the people who rely on the bags of garbage we dispose of to earn an honest living to buy their meals and pay their bills.

Patricia Robateau, Trash Scavenger

“We gather aluminum, copper, bronze, plastic, Bowen & Bowen pints, tin.”

Marion Ali

“All these things are sold where, the metals?”

Patricia Robateau

“Well, we have buyers and we have our recycling shop.”

Earl Trapp is the mayor of San Ignacio and Santa Elena. He says that people oftentimes throw away items that only need minor repair, and the discards come as great finds for the scavengers.

Earl Trapp, Mayor, San Ignacio/Santa Elena

“You could see people walking out with many fans many times. Sometimes it’s just one basic capacitor or one wire is broken, and it works. People have really been using this place as something to make a living from. People have used this place to send children to school, high school, sixth form, so, I know of some families that have picked up bottles on the roadside and sent their children to school with that.”

Patricia Robateau is a garbage scavenger who visits the Belize Waste Control transfer station at mile two on the George Price Highway in Belize City. She says that she lives off the trash that we throw away. Sometimes the job comes easy, she says, depending on what we pack them in.

Patricia Robateau

“Some of the bags are transparent and we can see through the bags and automatically we just grab the bag that we see the certain stuff that we want because the black bag, we have to open it and check it.”

For Robateau and her colleagues, Robert McKoy and Sidney Forbes, helping to control the garbage situation by recycling material that is thrown away is one part of what they do. There is the noble aspect of rummaging through our waste to earn a living.

Patricia Robateau

“It’s an honest way of making a living and it’s not very hard and you can take time off and go do extra stuff on the side. When you have a permanent job, you don’t even have time for yourself.”

Marion Ali

“This is your job. You work for yourself.”

Patricia Robateau

“Yes, self-employed.”

Robert McKoy, Trash Scavenger

“Everyday I fill my belly and I stay out of crime. I’m a gelly old all man. This place keep it just like I come from Brodies. The best things come to this place.

Marion Ali

“Okay, but you have to go through a lot of digging in garbage, so it’s not sanitary.”

Robert McKoy

“I’m the energizer, so digging doesn’t worry me. I come to dig and I come to sort, I come to seek and I will find.”

But the job is perhaps one of the most hazardous and unsanitary that exists because everything that is dumped from every sector of the community finds its way to the transfer station. Robateau says they have to gear down to face the filth.

Patricia Robateau

“I just use this because there’s certain things in the dirt, it make you feel bad, and bacteria is in the dirt. So I wear my mask every time. Some of us wear masks. We wear gloves, then we wear a vest. This is not a company vest.”

Marion Ali

“What about your feet?”

Patricia Robateau

“And then we wear our boots, like one of those boots that the guys have on. And that is a complete dress with long pants and a T-shirt.”

The only upside to the job is the lucky find, that is, wallets containing money, jewellery, and other valuables that people discard by mistake. Once Mayor Trapp said he got a frantic call from a resident who needed to track down a valuable piece of jewellery.

Earl Trapp

“About six weeks ago. A young lady went to the garage. She was very concerned. She was crying, um, that the garbage truck picked up garbage from outside her house.”

Marion Ali

“She threw away what?”

Earl Trapp

“A piece of jewelry. I’m not sure if she found it, but I think the guy reached on time before the tractor was able to unload and I think she may have retrieved what she had thrown away.”

Robert McKoy

“People just throw away the wrong thing sometimes. Sometimes people throw away the wrong bag. And when they come to me, I have a clean heart. If they throw away the wrong bag and they cry to me, I don’t need no money. Hold the items.”

Sidney Forbes, Trash Scavenger

“We find silver, gold, we find many things. We find even money. We come up, yoh call it come up.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

P.U.P. Chairman Comments on UDP’s Messy Infighting

This morning, two conflicting press releases emerged under the United Democratic Party (U.D.P.) banner, one from Moses “Shyne” Barrow and the other from Tracy Taegar-Panton. Both figures rejected each other’s involvement in the party. Barrow insisted that Sunday’s convention was illegitimate and not officially linked to the U.D.P., while Panton dismissed Barrow’s leadership and criticism. As this internal dispute intensifies, questions are being raised about the opposition’s ability to effectively hold the government accountable. The P.U.P.’s Chairman, Henry Charles Usher, was asked to weigh in on the situation.

Henry Charles Usher, Chairman, P.U.P.

“I think looking at it from a governance perspective, it is unfortunate the way the opposition can’t seem to get their act together, the infighting that they’re having because They are part of the government. They are elected by the people they serve in the National Assembly. We’ve been arguing about this, or making a mention of it to the Speaker that you have a member of the opposition that has not appeared in the House of Representatives except for that first initial time and probably stayed for thirty minutes. That is a good governance issue. You are elected by the people to do a job and you just refuse to show up to do your job. So that is something. The motion last week to remove opposition members from House committees, making it almost impossible that the opposition will be able to be a part of all of these House committees. I think on Wednesday, yesterday, there were like six House committees. I’m not sure how many of them the opposition attended.”

ComPol Says Police Won’t Get in UDP “Love Affair”

On Sunday, the police were called out to the U.D.P. headquarters on Youth for the Future Drive when U.D.P. loyalist Brian “Yellow Man” Audinett allegedly hurled threats at the Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne Barrow. The locks were reportedly changed on all the doors outside and inside the building to keep members of the Alliance for Democracy from claiming rights to the building. Today Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told reporters that he instructed the officers to stand down, as the police will not be used as pawns in the ongoings of the U.D.P. once it does not involve a crime.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I had recalled the police from there. I said to them, I don’t want the police to be involved in the love affairs of the UDP. We’re not going to be used as a pawn by either side. That’s an entanglement that they are in, and they must find a way to solve that. If it is that there is a threat of damage to property or a threat to life, then the police is going to respond. But in the absence of that to be manning the UDP headquarters or the likes, the police is not going to do that. no.”

ComPol Says “Shyne” Needs to File a Report

Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, has laid the matter at the feet of the police, saying that he feels that even if he filed a report against Audinett, he feels that it would be an exercise in futility since the police had not acted upon a previous report that he had made against Beverly Williams. Today ComPol Chester Williams responded to that comment and said that if Barrow wants the police to act, he needs to file a report.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“When you speak of the Leader of the Opposition, I would have to know which one of them you’re speaking about. I don’t know. I know there is – from what I’m told, there are two. I don’t know which of them you’re speaking of, so I can’t answer.”

Reporter

“Mr. Barrow, Sir.”

Chester Williams

“Oh, Mr Barrow, okay (laughter) – I had said to Shyne, the matter that he had reported in respect to Beverly Williams is one which is a class complaint. If Beverly is arrested then he needs to be arrested too. She also made a report against him. If it is that they wish to go to court and resolve the issue, then we have no issue doing that. In terms of the issue with Yellow Man, I’m not fully aware of the nature of that complaint. I have not seen it, so I cannot comment on that.”

Reporter

“No, he said he doesn’t want to make a complaint because he feels it might be futile and it should be up to the police to look into it, given that there’s a video online.”

Chester Williams

“No, no, it’s not up to the police. If a person made a threat against you, it’s your prerogative to come to the police and make a report. The police will not act if you don’t come to the police and give a report.”

Minister Usher Responds to PCC Critics: They Should Have Attended Consultations

The People’s Constitution Commission (PCC) has concluded its public consultations for Belize’s constitutional reform. This marks a significant step toward making recommendations for change. Early in the process, political scientists Doctor Harold Young and Doctor Dylan Vernon were brought in as consultants, but both eventually distanced themselves from the project. Doctor Young later voiced public concerns, questioning the PCC’s ability to truly represent the people’s views in their recommendations. When asked about this, Minister of Constitutional Reform, Henry Charles Usher, responded, suggesting that critics like Doctor Young should have participated in the consultations instead of criticising from the sidelines.

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Constitutional & Political Reform

“I understand that Dr. Young was making some criticisms and that’s, that’s fine for him to make what he should have done if he felt that he had input or he had points to make was go to some of the consultations and raise those points at that, at those consultations. Mr. Dylan Vernon, who was also part of the commission, he was not let go by the way. He stepped out, he has written articles. He has written opinions that have been sent to the PCC. He has attended some of the consultation processes. So, I’m not sure if Dr. Young did the same. But any criticism that is now coming, my answer to them is, they should have gone to the consultation. It happened for over a year in different parts of the country.”

Minister Usher Says PCC Report is Right on Track

The People’s Constitution Commission (PCC) is set to submit its final report with recommendations for constitutional reform by mid-November. The report, crafted by a diverse set of stakeholders, is based on a series of public consultations held across the country. However, the commission faced several hurdles during the process, including internal conflicts, time constraints, and financial shortages. News Five spoke with Minister of Constitutional Reform, Henry Charles Usher, to find out how these challenges impacted the commission’s work and the quality of its final recommendations.

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Constitutional & Political Reform

“The budget that they had presented was the budget that was approved, so I’m not sure where you got that information from they had requested an extension, the initial legislation, or the legislation called for a period of eighteen months, starting from November of 2022, so it should have been completed March of 2024, but they did request an extension to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister granted that extension up until November of 2024, in terms of additional budget, they did request an additional budget for that extension and that was also approved. I believe that they’re wrapping up now. I think the next step is for a draft to go to the stakeholders, as you would recall, there are twenty-three or so stakeholders that make up the commission. So now that they have consulted with the Belizean people, they have put all of that in summary form. It now goes back to the stakeholders for their input, and then we expect a final report very soon.”

Minister Usher Hails Belize’s Constitutional Reform as a ‘Historic’ Milestone

Despite facing criticism over its execution, Minister of Constitutional Reform, Henry Charles Usher, remains confident in the success of Belize’s constitutional reform project. Usher highlights that this initiative is the first of its kind worldwide, emphasizing its groundbreaking approach. He further underscores the importance of the project’s commitment to engaging Belizeans in discussions about their constitution, despite the challenges encountered along the way.

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Constitutional & Political Reform

“There has always been the criticism that the government is not hearing what the people are saying. Well, this is an opportunity to hear directly from the people utilizing the, the form of the PCC. It is not about any particular commissioner with a personal agenda to come in and say this is how the constitution should look. Their job, and the job of all of the stakeholders, was to get this information from the people, report back to the government. For instance, on the issue of finance and accountability. Do you as a Belizean citizen feel comfortable with the budget process? That is supposed to come back to the government. On the issue of the head of state, do you as a Belizean people want to see the Governor General remain the head of state, or do you want to see a shift? That is what we’re doing. It’s not for any particular individual or stakeholder to go in and try to bring their agenda or their feelings into the process. This is the People’s Constitution Commission, and I don’t think we appreciate that this is the first time in the history of the world, really, that something like this has been done. Barbados is currently in the process of rewriting their constitution, but what they have done is put together a team of lawyers stuck in a room somewhere trying to write this new constitution. They were supposed to release it in March. We’re now in October. We still have not seen that. The People’s Constitution Commission is one that it took a little longer. Why? Because that process of educating and consulting with the Belizean people is very critical.”

KHMHA Workers Union Fights to Restore Board Seat After Amendment

The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority Workers Union is voicing strong opposition to a recent amendment to the K.H.M.H. Authority Act. According to a statement from the union, the amendment, read in the House of Representatives this past Friday, removes their right to representation on the Board of Governors and replaces it with a representative from the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) who cannot be a member of the KHMHA workers union. In their statement, the union expressed frustration, stating that at no point during the drafting or consideration of this amendment were they informed. They stressed that having their own representation on the board is crucial for addressing the needs of staff, as they possess direct and intimate understanding of these issues. The union is now demanding a full retraction of this amendment and the restoration of the union’s seat on the board. But that does not look like it’s happening because the government issued a statement after, explaining the decision. It said that the NTUCB encompasses several member organizations, including the K.H.M.H. workers union, to ensure that diverse employee interests are considered.

Usher says Auditor General’s Position not Hindered by a Contract

The Government of Belize is still seeking to fill the position of Auditor General, which has been open since Dorothy Bradley retired from the post. In the interim. Maria Rodriguez has been appointed as acting auditor general for four months, and the post is still being advertised. However, there are concerns that if the Auditor General is put on a contract, that oversight body might not be able to act independently, in fear of it being withdrawn. We spoke with the Minister of Public Service, Henry Charles Usher, who dismissed these concerns.

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service

“If that was the situation, then we would not have contracts for judges. We would not have contracts for the Contractor General. We would not have contracts for the Ombudsman’s Office. So, I don’t believe that that particular criticism would be one that we should be concerned about. What is more, what is of more concern is finding the right person for the post. Now, let me clarify, because it’s the Office of the Prime Minister, according to Section one hundred nine of the Constitution. The Office of the Prime Minister makes a recommendation and that the Governor General appoints the Auditor General. So, it is not a regular, contractual post in the Public Service where it goes to the Public Service Commission. It goes to the Governor General upon the advice of the Prime Minister. And after, of course, consulting with the leader of the opposition. It also has to go to the National Assembly and both houses in the National Assembly for approval. What happened last week, Friday, was that section one hundred nine subsection two says that even if you appoint an acting Auditor General, it still has to go to the House. So that was taken to the House, and miss Maria Rodriguez was appointed to act in the capacity of Auditor General for a period of four months, while the vacancy is being filled, while the advertisement is still out. I’d also like to clarify that whenever, whenever there is a post in the government service, all of the vacancy advertisements look the same. This is not anything different, other than the fact that it comes from the office of the Prime Minister. But towards the end when it speaks about compensation, it speaks about the pay scale that that particular post is on and it shows the first point on the pay scale. Now the first point on the pay scale of this particular post, which is pay scale twenty-six is fifty thousand, one hundred and something. That does not mean that that is the salary that this person will receive. It just, that’s just the way that these vacancies are advertised.”

Usher Acknowledges Criticism Over Auditor General Succession Planning

It’s been three years after former Auditor General Dorothy Bradley’s retirement and the Briceño is still seeking a permanent replacement. In 2021, Bradley was reappointed on a two-year contract, but this month, a temporary auditor general was appointed to fill the role for four months. As the search for a qualified candidate continues, public backlash has mounted over the absence of a succession plan. Minister of Public Service Henry Charles Usher addresses the concerns surrounding this issue.

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service

“So succession planning was an issue that we found when we came into office in November of 2020. Really, many of the very important offices, did not have proper succession plans in place. So, it’s a criticism that I will accept in terms of the Auditor General’s office. What happened was that miss Dorothy Bradley retired two years ago. She was brought back on contract for two years. The contract has come to an end and she has decided not to continue in the office. Of course, I have to Congratulate her and thank her for her years of service, not only in the Auditor General’s office but throughout the public service, she’s served in various posts. Now we’re at the point where we’re advertising for a new Auditor General. We have individuals in the office that are going to be holding over or the Deputy Auditor General is holding over for a period of four months and then we see who applies. We’re hoping that we can get the best person for this post, somebody that has the requirements, somebody has the management capacity because that Auditor General does not only mean that you have to be a good auditor. You also have to manage that office. There are various audits that’s happening throughout the government system, and this office is responsible for all of them. It’s an issue that we have been trying to resolve at the Ministry of Public Service, looking at the human resource challenges within the Office of the Auditor General. I’m not sure if they didn’t have anything at all to do. It’s very rare that a public officer has nothing to do at all. But I do believe that there could have been more tasks assigned to these individuals. And that’s why I said whoever assumes the post of Auditor General also has to be a good manager, has to be a good human resource manager in terms of being able to task out the different auditors within the office to go and do the different audits. So it is a challenge that we’ve been working from the ministry’s perspective. But, we also have to be careful not to interfere too much in the independence of that office. Because remember, that office is an independently established office under the constitution, so it’s not like we can go in and just dictate how their operations are supposed to be done. We can’t go in and tell the Auditor General’s office, oh, you have to do these audits. They have an audit plan, they carry out that audit plan, and in terms of their operational objectives, that’s something that the Auditor General herself or himself would have to do. But in terms of the issue that you raised just now, it was one that came to our attention, and we were trying to intervene, yes.”