The Government of Belize, in collaboration with Belize Tax Services, has launched a fantastic initiative to give back to taxpayers across the country. On December fourteenth, fifteenth, twenty-first, and twenty-second, any local retail purchases will be GST exempt! Yes, for four days in December, you can shop at your grocery stores, supermarkets, hardware stores, and convenience stores—basically any retail store—without paying the usual twelve and a half percent in General Sales Tax. However, some items like gasoline, alcoholic beverages, and cigarettes won’t be GST exempt.
Michelle Longsworth
Michelle Longsworth, Director General, Belize Tax Services
“We are now announcing that we will have GST tax free days in December. This coming weekend, which is the fourteenth and fifteenth, Saturday and Sunday and next coming weekend which is the twenty-first and the twenty-second weekends, all high spending, this is the high spending months, these days will be GST free. Based on our data analytics and economic trends, we were able to properly advise to say this is an initiative that government can undertake bring government and the people closer. So the GST tax free days will see our tax payers going into stores purchasing tax free for those days, twelve point five percent, tax free. So that will be deducted form your spending. It is important to know for the business side, it is going o be simple. They don’t have to reprogram their registers. Most of them use the POS systems, there will be no need to reprogram their systems. They will just offer the twelve point five percent as a discount line. Meaning, that when you as the tac payers go in. we are empowering our tax payers. All year around, we as the tax administration we always advise people ask for your receipt, look for your receipt. All stores, everywhere you go, from the mom and pop that charges GST, to Courts, the big retail, everywhere, it is across the board, the entire country of Belize. Whenever you go into the store and you are purchasing cash based. The following goods are not exemptible, goods that are imported, at importation all importers will still have to pay their GST. Goods on consignment or others sold for wholesale purposes. The supply of goods on credit, or credit installment or higher purchases. Those are not included. The supply of motor vehicles, gasoline, LPG, diesel, guns, ammunition, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, those are not included.”
Minister of Public Service, Henry Charles Usher, shared that the Government of Belize is foregoing five million dollars in GST revenue due to the four-day exemption. He explained that this is just one of many targeted initiatives the government is rolling out to help ease the high cost of living.
Henry Charles Usher
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service
“It is important to understand that this is a targeted initiative, because we are always talking about cost of living and the effects of inflation. We know that inflation is something we import just like how we import goods. This government has taken the initiative to have targeted release efforts to consumers for Belizean citizens. You saw the prime minister announce at the State of the Nation Adrees, the announcement the movement of income tax. He announced that the mortgages of a hundred thousand dollars and less, there will be no stamp duty on those. Those are targeted relief to combat the cost of living. This is another targeted initiative, because most of the persons who are in the different bracket, because the already brought their goods. They have their freights coming in, bought it on Amazon or wherever. This wont cover that. What this will cover are those Belizean getting paid this week, because this week is payday week, that will be able to go to the stores and have a discount. This discount is important to understand that this twelve and a half percent relief to what the store is already offering. So if the store is offering a ten percent discount this is a twelve and a half percent on top of that. So you are looking at a twenty-two and a half percent discount. And, from the data that the Tax Service has, normally on a regular weekend, the tax collected from GST during the weekend is around one and a half to two million. Around this time of the year, Christmas time, demand is higher, it is closer to two and half million. So, you are looking at five million dollars between the two weekends that the government or the tax department is putting back into the pockets of Belizean citizens.”
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize has a new executive team. Over the weekend, the umbrella organization held its fifty-eighth annual general meeting in San Ignacio. During the two-day event, Ella Waight was elected as president of the N.T.U.C.B., with Clifford Martinez as second vice president, Ayona Shantell Ramirez as assistant general secretary, Jaqueline Medrano-Cruz as treasurer, Shane Reneau as assistant treasurer, Luis Luke Martinez as trustee, and Trisha Perez as Director of Gender Affairs. Ella Waight takes over from Luke Martinez at the helm of the trade union congress.
Kenrick Theus, the President of the Belize Assembly for Persons with Diverse Abilities (BAPDA), has sadly passed away at the age of fifty-five. He was on his way to Brazil for a disabilities conference when he suffered a major heart attack upon landing in Panama, which tragically took his life. We spoke with Kenrick’s brother, Michael Theus, about his passing and his tireless advocacy for people living with disabilities.
Michael Theus
Michael Theus, Brother of Deceased
“From my knowledge, what I was made aware of was that he had travelled to Panama to get a flight to go into Brazil and some business for the organization BAPDA. Upon landing in Panama he had some medical issues and that led to a massive heart attack which took his life. That is what we know today about that this passion is all about. Growing up on Dean Street with our grandparents, it was a strict upbring and that shaped us. Unfortunately for my brother in November 2012 he lost his first leg to diabetes and five years later he lost his second leg. That led to some advocacy for him. Eventually he started dabbling in a lot of different things to keep himself from not getting bored or depressed. He spent numerous days and times getting certified in all different kinds of fields. I know there are going to be many students who are going to be shocked since he lectured at CET dealing with persons in culinary arts. He also managed numerous hotels in Placencia, the Placencia Hotel comes to mind, San Pedro all over. He spent his time getting himself accredited and learning. On his wall you will find numerous certificates that he attained over the years. Eventually after losing his feet he migrated to Chetumal and then came back to Belize and started to advocate. I was a city councilor serving with the Belize City Council. He started pushing for advocacy with disabilities. Eventually he became a member of BAPDA and I saw he rose to leadership position in BAPDA, hence the reason why he was travelling to Brazil.”
Last week, we had the pleasure of chatting with Kenrick Theus about the newly passed Disability Bill. He opened up about the discrimination that people with disabilities face and emphasized the importance of teaching children to see things differently.
Kenrick Theus, Deceased
“It is prevalent. I have never felt it, simply because I don’t go out that often and when I do it is very specific. I am going to a meeting, I am going to the bank, I am going to see a lawyer. I don’t go out like some people go out every day. They will suffer it more. And, a lot of it sometimes I hear people talking about catching a cab in a wheelchair, the taxis don’t want to pick you up and if they do pick you up they want to charge more. They say because I have to come out and help you and want to charge more. That is discrimination. Then you will find where people will tend to look down on you as person in a wheelchair, because for some strange reason people imagine that because you are in a wheelchair you are not as sharp, you don’t have the wit, you don’t have the education. I don’t know where that is coming from, because you could be in a wheelchair sitting down with a master’s degree. That does not make me something lesser than, it is simply because you believe that. So, we have to teach our children to respect that and to know, to make them aware of it.”
Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. The Central Division High School Basketball Finals were hosted over the weekend inside the Swift Hall. The finals saw both male and female teams battling it out to see who will represent the region in the finals. We begin with highlights from the game between Saint John’s College and Gwen Lizarraga male teams.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Gwen Liz won the tipoff and Thurton immediately goes for the basket. He falls short but draws the foul. Thurton made one of two free throws. On the other end, S.J.C’s captain, Thompson is right there to secure the rebound and make the inside jump shot. Thurton again for Gwen Liz, finds the opening and gets the layup with two defenders on him. And here goes Thurton again on the breakaway. He makes good on the layup and forces a timeout a minute and a half into the game. Right out of the timeout, S.J.C’s Arthurs on top of the three point line, banks it in. But, Thurton continued to score, this one an impressive one-handed maneuver around the defender. Gentle there with a huge corner three for Gwen Liz late in the first quarter. Arthurs from S.J.C responded shortly after with a huge three-pointer to close the first quarter.
Gwen Lizarraga High School led at the end of the first with thirteen points to S.J.C’s ten points. By the end of the first half, Gwen Lizarraga’s points ballooned to twenty-five, while S.J.C had fifteen points. Thurton scored fifteen of Gwen Liz twenty-five points in the first half. The third quarter was a low-scoring period, with both teams only able to put up six points each. But that kept Gwen Liz in the lead, ahead of a fourth and final quarter for all the marbles. Missed three-point shot from Gentle but Morgan is inside for the cleanup. He shows his strength. On the other end, Arthurs spots the opening around the defenders and finds himself alone inside, however, he missed the open layup. Captain Thompson ends up with the ball, he goes in and takes a hard foul.
Ultimately, Gwen Lizarraga High School Male Team won the match with forty-five points to S.J.C’s thirty-three points. Gwen Liz is headed to the national tournament to represent the central region. The Central Region Female Finals saw Gwen Lizarraga High School take on Wesley High School. This one turned out to be a low scoring game. in the first quarter, Gwen Liz scored one point, while Wesley scored six. In the second quarter, both teams scored six points. At the end of the first half, Gwen Liz had seven points and Wesley had twelve points. At the end of the third quarter, Gwen Liz added four points to their score, while Wesley added seven points. In the end, the match finished with Wesley High School securing the ticket to the national tournament with twenty-six points. Gwen Lizarraga fell with twelve points.
And from basketball locally, we take you to Buenos Aires, Argentina where the Belize National Cricket Team is currently competing in the World Cup T20 Qualifiers. They have played three of the eight matches scheduled for the tournament. They defeated Mexico but fell to host country Argentina and Cayman Islands. We spoke with Doctor Roy Young, the Manager of the National Cricket team who is currently with the delegation in Argentina.
On the Phone: Dr. Roy Young, Manager, National Cricket Team
“We played three games. We played a game immediately after we arrived. We played against Mexico, we beat them. The following day we played against Argentina. That was a close, very close game, everybody was so excited about that game. That would have been really great for us, defeating the host country. But we lost in the last over of the game by five runs. And we lost yesterday to Cayman. That was not a close game. Today is our rest day. Tomorrow, we start off again with a new set of games. So, all the teams are resting today. Tomorrow, we take on the Bahamas. We are hopeful of winning that game and if we win that we will be in a very good standing to place in the competition.”
Doctor Young sent his heartfelt gratitude to Belizeans at home and abroad who are throwing their support behind the team.
And finally, for tonight, we bring you highlights from this weekend’s Belize District First Division Football matchup between Caesar Ridge F.C. and Lake I F.C. Here is how this one played out. Twenty-one minutes into the match, Lake Independence F.C.’s Tom Moguel fired from inside the penalty box and into the goal. Moguel with the first goal of the match. At the twenty-eight minutes, the referee called a foul against Caesar Ridge inside the penalty box. Caesar Ridge players were certainly not happy with that call, but ultimately Tom Moguel took the penalty shot and scored his second goal of the match. In the thirty-ninth minute, Raheem Eagan finds himself with an open shot towards goal inside the penalty box. He launches and that counts. Ultimately, Lake Independence won the match with five goals. Tom Moguel scored three of the five, securing a hat trick. Caesar Ridge F.C. fell with three goals. Well folks that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one.
In response to the growing threat posed by the New World Screwworm (NWS), the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise (MAFSE) have enacted Statutory Instrument No. 143 of 2024. The new regulations aim to prevent, control, and eradicate the deadly parasite, Cochliomyia hominivorax, which has been steadily spreading through Central America.
The decision comes after confirmed NWS cases in neighbouring Guatemala and Mexico. This prompted authorities to increase Belize’s threat level to “extremely high.” The regulations, which took effect on November 8, 2024, empower BAHA and MAFSE to strengthen preventive measures and implement control and eradication protocols if necessary.
The new law outlines several key measures to safeguard Belize’s livestock and animal health. These include:
Mandatory reporting: All cases of myiasis (wound infestation by larvae) must be reported to the nearest BAHA office, MAFSE office, or healthcare provider.
Animal health inspections: Small stock and livestock must be physically inspected and possess an NWS Health Inspection Certificate and Movement Permit before being transported.
Controlled animal movement: Movement of animals must occur during daylight hours, and all animals (including pets) must be declared at Animal Movement Control Points.
Regulated imports: Animals can only be imported with BAHA’s approval and authorization. Imports through non-established points of entry are strictly prohibited.
Violations of SI 143 of 2024 carry severe consequences. Anyone found in breach of the regulations may face fines of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
BAHA and MAFSE are calling on farmers, animal transporters, and the public to comply with the new measures to prevent the entry of NWS into Belize. Authorities have emphasised that the illegal movement of animals is a primary driver of the parasite’s spread.
The New World Screwworm is a highly destructive pest that feeds on the flesh of warm-blooded animals, causing severe health risks to livestock and pets. BAHA is urging stakeholders to remain vigilant, prioritize animal inspections, and report any suspicious cases of myiasis to prevent a potential outbreak.
A fatal shooting in San Ignacio on Wednesday morning claimed the life of 17-year-old Howard Ramirez. The incident occurred in the Boiton area, where Ramirez allegedly entered a trailer without permission.
Police reports indicate that 44-year-old Juan Gonzalez, the property owner, arrived at the scene and found Ramirez attempting to exit the trailer through a window. Gonzalez claims that when he confronted Ramirez, the teenager picked up a piece of wood and attempted to attack him. In response, Gonzalez reportedly drew his firearm and discharged a single shot, fatally wounding Ramirez.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Hilberto Romero stated that the matter is currently before the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). “We are awaiting directive. None has been given to us yet, so we are waiting for directive regarding the shooting,” said ACP Romero.
The lifeless body of Ryan Romero was discovered in the canal near Yarborough Bridge over the weekend. Police responded to reports of the sighting on Saturday, December 7, and upon arrival, they retrieved the body from the canal. Regional Commander of the Eastern Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Hilberto Romero, confirmed that Romero had no visible signs of injury.
According to ACP Romero, investigations revealed that Romero was last seen in the area shortly before his body was found. Police believe his death may be linked to a pre-existing health condition, as he was known to suffer from seizures. The body was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), where he was officially pronounced dead on arrival.
Authorities have not indicated any signs of foul play, and the investigation is ongoing as police await further results to determine the exact cause of death.
His sister, Mauri Lianne, posted on Facebook, “Ryan was an incredible person—kind, loving, and always there for those who needed him. He touched so many lives with his warmth and spirit, and we are heartbroken by this loss.”
News 5 has confirmed that the president of the Belize Association for Persons with Diverse Abilities and disability activist Kenrick Theus has died.
The BAPDA membership was told via Whatsapp Chat today that he “passed away last night in Panama City, he was heading to Brazil for the disability conference.” We are told that Theus suffered medical complications while travelling.
His death marks the loss of a powerful voice for inclusion, accessibility, and the rights of persons with disabilities in Belize.
Theus was a passionate leader who championed the rights of people with diverse abilities, often calling for greater access to education, employment, and social services. As President of BAPDA, he worked tirelessly to ensure that the voices of persons with disabilities were heard at the national level.
Theus was instrumental in raising awareness about the daily challenges faced by persons with disabilities, including the need for physical infrastructure that accommodates all members of society.
