On Monday, the Ministry of Agriculture announced the first case of screwworm in southern Belize. The infestation was limited to one animal, which has since been treated. While the New World Screwworm is treatable if caught early, it can have deadly consequences for both animals and humans. Since July 2023, the ministry has been proactive in preventing the spread of screwworm in Belize. Minister of Agriculture, Jose Abelardo Mai, elaborates on the measures taken to protect livestock and ensure the safety of Belizeans nationwide.
Jose Abelardo Mai
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
“We have been working hard to prevent the introduction of screwworm into Belize. Belize is the last of all Central American countries to be reporting on a suspect case. We activated our national plan in October and aggressively engaged with stakeholder groups to strengthen our position. As part four hundred twenty-five establishments, farms, and homes were visited and more than two hundred and thirty-five technical personnel have been trained in new worlds home prevention and control brochures were designed and printed in English, Spanish, lower German, Ketchi, Mopan, and Yucatec, Maya, and Garifuna, and these have been widely distributed. Technical teams made appearances on morning shows and this was supported. by social media, post billboards, and home visits. All this contributed to thousands of religions becoming aware of and informed of the New World Screwworm as a country as a part of the prevention plan, we also increased inspections of pets being imported from New World Screwworm-infested countries at all official points of entry, these are on land, sea, and air. And then by moving control points when installed at Bullett Tree, Cayo District, and Toledo district. These are manned by BAHA officers, the police and a BLP officer and are operational twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. These movement controls were strengthened to ensure no animals enter Belize at these unofficial crossing points, and that all cargo vehicles entering Belize through these points are sprayed with an insecticide that’s also a larvicide.”
The year 2024 was a mixed bag, with personal triumphs for some and hardshipsfor others. In his New Year’s address, Prime Minister John Briceño highlighted that overall, the past year brought numerous victories for Belizeans, both big and small. He celebrated the high employment rate, the availability of well-paying jobs, the removal of GST from property transfers and mortgages, the increased income tax threshold starting January 1, 2025, and the elimination of fees at public clinics. These changes, he noted, are steps towards a brighter future for all.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Belizeans are winning when the vast majority who seek employment can find high paying jobs. National data shows that 98 out of every 100 who seek work can now find well-paying jobs. Belizeans won when government recently raised the brackets of those who pay zero income taxes and removed the GST for property transfers and mortgages. Belizeans are winning when all fees and costs at every public health clinic in the country have not been eliminated. And Belizean entrepreneurs have won special status with a targeted duty and tax exemptions that automatically apply to micro, small, and medium enterprises. Some wins take more time to secure. For example, inflation. Government heard the complaints about the cost of living and government has acted forcefully against price gougers and acted decisively to provide relief. Our commitment to lowering the cost of living is why our bakers and public transport operators and farmers have all received some level of support of subsidy and relief. And in spectacular fashion, Belizeans capped the year with a first ever tax holiday. The sum of our efforts is the reason why the latest estimate shows price inflation contained to only two-point-one percent. 2024 has truly been a year of Belizean triumph.”
As Prime Minister Briceño reflected on his administration’s achievements, he assured Belizeans that they will continue to push forward. He promised more improvements in infrastructure, increased distribution of land documents, and more accessible healthcare. Looking ahead to the election year, the Prime Minister expressed his confidence that with the ongoing implementation of their Plan Belize manifesto, “the best version of Belize lies ahead”.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“This government’s push to place valuable, titled land in the hands of first-time landowners will not relent. 2025 will witness the construction start of the new state of the art tertiary care hospital in Belmopan that will elevate public healthcare to new levels of excellence, and the new year will bring the final phase in the realization of a truly national health insurance program so that every Belizean, including residents of the Cayo District, benefit from free public health care. Our push for a greater quality and more accessible education programs will intensify in 2025, as will our already aggressive program of infrastructure improvements, including streets, roads, drains and bridges, particularly in our villages and towns. Altogether, Belize is better positioned than ever before to soar to enriching heights. Government, in this new year, will continue to champion higher individual and institutional standards, conscious that, as public servants, we must lead by example. We also know that 2025 brings with it the promise of elections. A time when we must first give an account of our performance over the past four years and offer our vision for building on Plan Belize. We remain confident that the best version of Belize lies ahead of us and with the guidance of our creator, we will move forward.”
With 2025 just around the corner, celebrations are already in full swing. For many, this is a time to reflect on the highs and lows of the past year. Whether 2024 brought joy or challenges, the new year offers a fresh start and new resolutions. Today, we hit the streets of downtown Belize City to find out what Belizeans are aiming for as the countdown to 2025 begins. We also gave them a chance to shout out to the loved ones they’re excited to celebrate with.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
2025 is just a few hours away and many Belizeans have already written their list of goals to take into the near year. Speaking to a few Belizeans on the streets of Belize City, 2025 will be filled with positivity and good memories with family and friends.
Britney Gordon
“What’s your New Year’s resolution?”
Jovani Fernandez
Jovani Fernandez
“Have a perfect life. Have a perfect relationship. Do the positive things, never think negative.”
Mr. Carcamo
Mr. Carcamo
“My resolution da fi get my family together and get my house pray to the father most of all. And big up mi ma, mi mother-in-law, mi daughter, mi wife, all mi friends and family abroad. And I wa tell Belizeans mek we live back with one another because the year di come to the family.”
Reina
Reina
“First God, I believe the new year will bring lot of progress in my life. I believe God is good.”
A few Belizeans are hoping to level up their lifestyles in 2025.
Danyalee
Danyalee
“I would say living a healthier lifestyle.”
Britney Gordon
“What one change that you’re hoping to see in the new year?”
Daynalee
“Coming? I would want to go to the gym and get a little slimmer, I guess. My new year’s resolution is to be a better person.”
Britney Gordon
“So who are you celebrating the new year with?”
Daveesh
Daveesh
“Friends and family of course.”
Michael Enriquez
Michael Enriquez
“My new Year resolution is to make more money. I’d like to shout out my mom, she’s eighty-nine-years-old, going strong.”
Britney Gordon
“How are you planning to celebrate the new year?”
Michael Enriquez
“Basically, I stay home and watch all the fireworks around my neighborhood.”
A few were hopeful the new year would ease the financial burdens they faced in 2024.
Harry Usher
Harry Usher
“Just pray that things get better and things get easier, the cost of living go down. If God spares we life next year, if we have belief in God, everybody have trust in God, we might survive. With this cost a living, we can’t be hard fi survive.”
Walter
Walter
“I want work. I need a good job. Well I hope the country get better, We have a lot of vegetables. Thank God for that.”
Climate change drives more frequent and severe weather events, such as hurricanes, flooding, droughts, and erosion. It is no secret that these events disproportionately affect people with disabilities, who are up to four times more likely to die in a disaster. So why is it that people with disabilities often feel forgotten by their governments?
Kenrich Theus was one of them. Unfortunately, he died a week after I spoke with him at his home in Belize City. He was the president of the Belize Assembly for People with Diverse Abilities (BAPDA). And during my interview with Thues, he expressed frustration at the government’s delayed response to an already severe situation with respect to vulnerable populations. He said, “To remember someone means that you attribute, in government, that you attribute a part of your budget to deal with the things that affect those people. Sad to say, as a line item, disability probably stands last on the list.”
According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), a critical gap exists in disaster preparedness, with only 25% of persons with disabilities able to follow evacuation instructions. Just 11% are aware of a disaster management plan in their community. This is extremely alarming, especially since we have seen intensified effects of climate change.
Theus says that accessible information and evacuation plans are vital to reduce vulnerability, as many individuals lack sufficient warning of impending disasters or face inaccessible procedures. “We have a WhatsApp group where I post updates. One or two persons might call because of their unique situation. They prefer to call us, and we make contact with authorities to have them evacuated. But there isn’t like a strategic plan to evacuate this vulnerable population.”
As climate change accelerates, Belize faces a rapid succession of extreme weather events, leaving vulnerable populations with little time to recover before the next disaster strikes. For individuals with disabilities, this creates an even more precarious situation as it exacerbates existing challenges and introduces new layers of hardship. “There’s been a rapid succession of storms. So you barely have time to bounce back from the first one. So with this rapid succession, it means then that whatever plan that you do or lack of planning you do have will suffer,” Theus added.
He said, “Displacement also occurs as well, where people are displaced, and that makes their situation even worse off for someone who’s severely disabled. For those who are disabled to the point where they are still helpful to themselves, they might be better able to fend for themselves.”
UNDRR data indicates that persons with disabilities face heightened risks, including violence, exploitation, and abuse in emergency shelters. Young women with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence. Displacement also presents barriers to accessing humanitarian aid, with 75% of persons with disabilities reporting exclusion from aid efforts, according to UNDRR data.
Shelters in Belize are ill-suited to accommodate persons with disabilities. Only two shelters in Belize City are considered accessible. Two out of the four hundred structures across the country that have been designated as shelters. Displacement often leads to the loss of essential items like wheelchairs, glasses, or medications, further jeopardising safety and health. Limited access to necessities such as water, food, and healthcare exacerbates these challenges. Essentials are crucial, says Evan Cowo, the community-based rehabilitation manager at the Inspiration Center. He also sits on the Special Needs Disaster Response Team for Belize City. “You can’t bring somebody who has a disability and just let them sit on the floor; you know, you need beds, and some of these people that come, sometimes they have bedsores, and you have other complications that they, you know, they really need to be in a bed.”
According to Theus, displacement can lead to heightened anxiety and stress, especially when individuals are separated from assistive devices, caregivers, or familiar surroundings. For those severely disabled, such disruptions can significantly impact their mental and physical health. Theus stressed that climate change also compounds economic vulnerabilities. Many individuals with disabilities already face limited income opportunities, and the destruction of homes, assistive devices, or small businesses due to flooding can push families further into poverty. Repeated storms leave little time for recovery, making it harder to rebuild and regain stability. He stressed that this cycle of loss and recovery is especially brutal for families with limited resources, as they often have to choose between immediate survival needs and long-term solutions like rebuilding a secure home.
Security is another significant concern. During evacuation, homes are left unattended, leaving them vulnerable to theft. Theus says that perpetrators often target properties they assume are unguarded. “It’s an additional mental stress on that person and their family members if they have to leave your house for a long time, because you know that sometimes in these cases, when the storms are brewing, that’s when robbers are out as well. And it’s not like they won’t pick the house of a disabled person. They are not selective,” said Theus.
These concerns align with findings from a 2023 UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction global survey. Only 8% of persons with disabilities reported that local disaster risk reduction plans accounted for their specific needs, while 86% said they had not been involved in community-level disaster decision-making or planning.
Addressing these issues requires a dual approach: investments in physical infrastructure, such as accessible evacuation routes, and reforms to communication systems to ensure disability-inclusive emergency services.
Pok Ta Pok, the ancient Maya ball game, is a profound testament to the ingenuity, spirituality, and cultural depth of one of Mesoamerica’s most sophisticated civilizations. Played over 3,000 years ago, this game transcended mere sport, embodying cosmic balance, spiritual beliefs, and social order.
And what was once something of the past is now something of the present. Today, efforts to revive Pok Ta Pok have gained momentum, especially in Belize, where cultural organisations and communities are reintroducing the sport to new generations.
Mayan priestess and founder of two Pok Ta Pok teams in Belize, Felicita Cantun, said, “It is not just a game. It is something more spiritual.”
At its core, Pok Ta Pok involved striking a solid rubber ball using only the hips, aiming to propel it through stone hoops. However, its significance extended far beyond physical prowess. The game symbolised the eternal struggle between light and darkness, often serving as a ritual to honour the gods or as a ceremonial resolution of disputes.
“It’s very important because I said it is not just a game. It was used as a means of settling disputes. Instead of going to war, they play a game, and anyone who wins, well, the dispute is settled. It was used to honour the gods, to give thanks for a good crop, to ask for whatever, during sickness. We offer this game to show our gratefulness, to show our thanks. We also play this game to ask for his guidance. So it is very important to us Mayas,” added Cantun.
Ancient ball courts where the games were played can be found at archaeological sites like Lamanai and Nim Li Punit.
Cantun says that this revival is more than a return to culture and tradition; it is a celebration of Maya heritage as it offers a tangible connection to the past while fostering pride among modern Mayas.
The Visionary Revival
In 2015, an impassioned Cantun took the bold step to rekindle the ancient game, forming the first team, Ek’ Balam, which signifies the jaguar, a revered spirit animal in the Maya culture. Over time, this effort evolved into the creation of a second team, K’iinich Ahau, named after the Maya Sun God.
Cantun says that K’iinich Ahau remains a young team; it has rapidly gained recognition. Comprising both male and female players across senior and junior divisions, the team has represented Belize in international tournaments, achieving remarkable milestones. The inclusion of women, who were initially hesitant, has been especially transformative, as evidenced by a historic first-place trophy won by the women’s team in September.
“Together, our team has 40 members. And very often more people ask to join. But it is a very expensive game. I am happy that this game has already, um, captured the interest of the youths,” Cantun said.
She added, “What makes me more proud is the women. Never did I imagine that the girls would be brave enough to play this game, but it is happening. Just on the 21st of September, we came from a tournament where the female team brought back the first-place trophy. So it is very satisfying to realise that this game has been revived.”
A Future Rooted in Culture and Tradition
According to Cantun, the revival of Pok Ta Pok has not been without its hurdles. Initially, assembling a team of youth players willing to don the traditional attire—a simple loincloth—met with scepticism from some family members. There were also financial constraints, particularly the cost of the solid rubber balls and traditional uniforms. She said, “As I say, it’s a very expensive game because people from Toledo, people from these places, they are interested. But whenever they hear the cost of the ball, the cost of the attire, then they are not so readily eager to join.”
For the past years, Belize has been represented at the Pok Ta Pok World Cup, with Cantun’s teams emerging victorious. Belize hosted the most recent games held in 2023. A team from Mexico was the winner.
According to Cantun, she sees Pok Ta Pok becoming a national sport in the near future. “I want this game to be played all over Belize. I think it will happen soon that we will have this Pok Ta Pok all over Belize.”
Cantun says that the game’s revival serves as both a celebration of ancestral traditions and a unifying force for contemporary Belizeans. She says that its spiritual essence—where players represent celestial bodies and engage in a symbolic cosmic dance—underscores its cultural significance beyond mere competition.
The resurgence of Pok Ta Pok has even inspired creative innovations, such as torch-lit nighttime matches and immersive educational exhibits.
According to Cantun, the revival of Pok Ta Pok exemplifies the critical importance of sustaining cultural practices that transcend time. She says by embracing their ancestral heritage, Mayas are not only preserving their history but also enriching their national identity.
Prime Minister John Briceño, in his New Year’s address, described 2024 as a year marked by significant victories for Belizeans, despite the personal challenges some may have faced. The PM celebrated achievements such as increased employment opportunities, the removal of GST on property transfers and mortgages, and the elimination of fees at public clinics.
“National data shows that 98 out of every 100 who seek work can now find well-paying jobs. Belizeans won when the government recently raised the brackets of those who pay zero income taxes and removed the GST for property transfer mortgages. Belizeans are winning when all fees and costs at every public health clinic in the country have now been eliminated,” the PM said.
Addressing inflation, Prime Minister Briceño stated that the government’s interventions against price gouging and its support for bakers, public transport operators, and farmers helped contain inflation to 2.1%. He described 2024 as a year of Belizean triumph, capped by the nation’s first-ever tax holiday.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to the goals of Plan Belize. He acknowledged that while poverty has been halved since 2018, any level of poverty remains unacceptable.
“This government’s push to place valuable, titled land in the hands of first-time landowners will not relent. 2025 will witness the construction start of the new state-of-the-art tertiary care hospital in Belmopan that will elevate public healthcare to new levels of excellence.”
He said that the new year will see the final phase of a national health insurance program. His administration plans to intensify its focus on improving education and accelerating infrastructure projects, particularly in villages and towns.
With the 2025 elections on the horizon, the Prime Minister pledged to provide a full account of the government’s performance and present a vision for building on the achievements of Plan Belize. .
On Monday, reports surfaced that immigration officers at the Philip Goldson International Airport staged a sick-out.
Tanya Santos, CEO of Immigration, explained that some officers are currently unavailable due to illness and maternity leave. Despite these absences, there are still enough officers to maintain operations. However, a recent issue arose at Terminal 1, where only one officer was available due to a malfunctioning computer system. According to CEO Santos, this caused longer lines as passengers were redirected from Terminal 2 without realising the staffing limitations.
Reports also surfaced that the sick-out was linked to dissatisfaction with the new immigration leadership at the airport, following Dalia Mai’s recent appointment as the new immigration commander. It is expected that with Mai’s appointment, a crackdown on corruption will be swift and hard.
Santos acknowledged recent changes in management under a new commander, which have led to some adjustments in operations. She stressed that these changes take time for some staff to adapt to, but efforts are underway to address any issues.
The situation at Terminal 1 has since been resolved, with the necessary repairs made to the computer system. According to Santos, additional officers may be needed at the departure terminals.
A reef of at least 4,000 years old died in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, between November and December 2024. This is according to Edwin Alexis Hernández, a research affiliate at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and senior research scientist at Sociedad Ambiente Marino. He issued a chilling wake-up call following the catastrophic loss. “What you see here no longer exists… because of record-breaking sea surface temperatures, degree heating weeks, and massive coral bleaching,” Hernández said. “These are highly endangered Elkhorn corals (Acropora palmata). They are now >99% gone! In a blink of an eye! This is called climate change! Are you sceptical? Well, here you go! Are we going (again) to do nothing about it and pretend nothing has just happened? Or are we going to step forward and do something about it this time?” he added.
According to Hernández, even with the most intensive restoration efforts, it will take 20 to 30 years to rebuild what was lost—if that’s possible.
Hundreds of nautical miles south of Puerto Rico, coral reefs in Bonaire are being devastated by bleaching. Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire (RRFB) says that rising ocean temperatures, which reached record highs across the Caribbean in both 2023 and 2024, have inflicted widespread damage on nearly every coral species around the island. A comprehensive seven-year study conducted by Stichting Nationale Parken Bonaire (STINAPA) revealed a sharp increase in corals affected by thermal stress, jumping from 25% in 2016 to over 80% in 2023. “The scale of bleaching is evident across reefs around the island, with widespread impacts on nearly every coral species.”
In Belize, coral bleaching has worsened. Northern Belize has already seen significant coral loss, and while southern areas are faring slightly better, experts warn that without drastic action, similar outcomes are likely. Fragments of Hope, an organisation dedicated to restoring coral reefs across Belize, has shifted its focus in recent years due to escalating sea temperatures. With each year hotter than the last, the group has paused coral restoration efforts for the past two years, instead prioritising coral bleaching surveys. The decision stems from the heightened risk of mortality for stressed corals under such extreme conditions. Monique Vernon, a coral reef practitioner with Fragments of Hope, said the bleaching in southern Belize in November is “off the charts.” She added, “At Laughing Bird (Caye), along which has been the Fragments of Hope control site, it’s really sad to see, because since 2006, Fragments of Hope has been restoring corals there, and the corals have been doing wonderfully, but this year, they bleached, and they died, and unfortunately only a few of them are recovering.”
The unprecedented coral bleaching is not only occurring across the Caribbean, but it is a global event.
NOAA Confirms Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed in April the 4th global coral bleaching event. Derek Manzello, Ph.D., NOAA CRW coordinator, said, “From February 2023 to April 2024, significant coral bleaching has been documented in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres of each major ocean basin.”
According to NOAA, mass bleaching has affected tropical coral reefs worldwide, including regions such as Florida, the Caribbean, Brazil, the eastern Tropical Pacific (encompassing Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia), Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, large areas of the South Pacific (Fiji, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Kiribati, the Samoas, and French Polynesia), the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Aden. Widespread bleaching has also been reported in the Indian Ocean basin, including Tanzania, Kenya, Mauritius, the Seychelles, Tromelin, Mayotte, and parts of Indonesia.
Manzello said, “As the world’s oceans continue to warm, coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and severe…When these events are sufficiently severe or prolonged, they can cause coral mortality, which hurts the people who depend on the coral reefs for their livelihoods.”
The summer of 2023 was the hottest on record globally, with sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic and Caribbean reaching unprecedented levels.
What is Coral Bleaching?
Coral reefs are among the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on the planet. Though they occupy only 1% of the world’s oceans, these ecosystems provide critical habitats for at least 25% of all marine life. According to NOAA, coral reefs support over 4,000 species of fish, corals, and other organisms.
Beyond fisheries, coral reefs bolster local economies through tourism and recreation. “Coral reefs support jobs and businesses through tourism and recreation. Local economies receive billions of dollars from visitors to coral reefs through diving tours, recreational fishing trips, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses located near reef ecosystems,” NOAA said in a statement.
Coral reefs are also pivotal in medical research. According to NOAA, compounds derived from coral reef organisms have led to the development of treatments for cancer, arthritis, bacterial infections, and other diseases.
So coral reefs are extremely important, and addressing coral bleaching in a timely manner is critical. Coral bleaching occurs when corals, stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues. This causes the corals to turn white and, if the stress continues, can lead to their death. Vernon said, “Consider the corals like the forest, the rainforest of the sea. Without the trees, there are no birds, right? And a dead ecosystem has no life. So there’s no reason for fisThe fishesgo there. The that we have in Belize, they’re very colorful. So when you go to any dead reef, you can see, you can easily find the fishes. They’re not easily camouflaged anymore because the corals are all dead. They’re not colourful anymore, so they can’t camouflage in. And because the corals are dead, the strength of the corals is lost, which means they’re very, they’re even more fnow, which now, means the stability for fishes to hide in it decreases. It’s like you’re living in an abandoned house that no one takes care of, basically.”
Vernon explained that corals can only survive within a specific temperature range. When the water temperature falls too low or rises too high, the corals experience stress. She said that corals are animals that house algae, a plant that lives inside them. This algae enables the corals to photosynthesise and gives them their vibrant colors. However, when the water temperature becomes too warm, the algae perceives the environment as too stressful and expels itself from the coral. This process leaves the coral pale or white, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the coral is dead. “Until there are macroalgae that start to grow on top of that coral, that’s when we know for sure it’s dead. We’ve seen corals that turn fully white, and they bounce back and gain their colour again. Those are what we consider thermally resilient corals,” Vernon said.
Restoring Hope
Earlier this year, in April and June, Fragments of Hope trained 23 Belizeans in coral identification and bleaching surveys with the aim to cover more ground across Belize’s various dive sites, such as Laughing Bird Caye, and to increase local community involvement in the organisation’s mission. “So what they are trying to focus on is locating those thermally resistant corals so that they can start propagating those across Belize. And when I say corals, I’m talking about the acroporidae species: elkhorn, staghorn, and fud staghorn. orn.Those are faster-growing corals than the boulder corals,” Vernon shared.
But is this enough?
“I mean, there’s only so much we can do. If we could get a tent to put and shade these corals, you know, but it’s not realistic. And the only thing that we can do is train Belizeans to help us go out and source these corals, thermally resistant corals, to get more of those out on the ground. And next year, we’re actually going to add fish identification to the list. So that more people can get more involved with those surveys as well.”
Despite these efforts, public and governmental attention to the crisis remains limited. Many view the Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest in the world, as intact from surface observations, but underwater surveys reveal extensive coral death and algae overgrowth.
The loss of corals has wide-reaching implications, not just for biodiversity but also for tourism and fisheries. Laughing Bird Caye, for instance, saw coral coverage rise from 6% after Hurricane Iris to over 60% following restoration, only to experience significant loss again this year. Without corals, fish populations decline, affecting food security and livelihoods. Vernon said, “If we lose our barrier reef just at Laughing Bird Caye alone, where there were so many, I mean, after the 2001 hurricane, Iris, that had, like, destroyed corals, it was left down to 6 percent, and fragments of hope restored those corals. Recently to over 60%. And so now those corals are almost all dead. And that’s why I feel like more emphasis needs to be put on this because that’s a national park, and most people go there. And now there’s not even as many fish; you know, more corals equal more fish, and with dying corals, I mean, the fisheries population can also see a shift as well.”
In Bonaire, RRFB “is working to strengthen coral populations at a biological level and build resilience against these threats.” According to RRFB, during the peak bleaching season, it intensifies its monitoring efforts to pinpoint resilient coral colonies. Between October and December, their team dedicated over 150 hours to surveying 25 reef sites around the island in search of “super corals.” Once identified, these corals are nurtured in nurseries, outplanted to the reef, and incorporated into RRFB’s coral breeding program, allowing them to pass on their resilient traits to future generations.
Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, a research team of divers partnered with the Institute for Socio-Ecological Research (ISER Caribe) focused on installing suspended habitats for baby Diadema antillarum, the long-spined sea urchin, a species crucial to coral regeneration by controlling harmful algae. ISER Caribe has launched the Caribbean Reef Project, which aims to restore 5 acres of coral reef in Puerto Rico by employing an ecosystem-based approach that not only targets coral restoration but also addresses the rehabilitation of herbivores vital to coral reef health. The project will restore six coral reefs across Fajardo, La Parguera, and Mayagüez by outplanting 20,000 coral fragments, 1,600 sea urchins, and 100 crabs at each site. The team’s efforts are vital in the battle against coral decline, and their work is an essential part of preserving Puerto Rico’s fragile marine ecosystems.
The stakes are high, but coordinated international action offers hope for the future of these vital ecosystems.
As we close the year 2024, it’s time to look back at the stories that captured the attention of our audience and sparked important conversations throughout the year. From viral reels to must-read reports, News 5 Live has been at the forefront of sharing the moments, trends, and breaking news that kept you informed and engaged.
This year, News 5 Live covered several important stories. Among these stories are the nation’s worst road traffic accident recorded, which tragically claimed 10 lives; a shocking kidnapping case in Belmopan that revealed the dark realities of domestic abuse; a triple murder in Monkey River Village that left two children without parents; the young lives lost in motorcycle RTAs; and the death of a teenager in San Ignacio Town, which led to deep discussions about poverty, desperation, and the challenges many young people face.
In this roundup, we’ve compiled the top viral content from our platforms—stories that resonated with our community. You can revisit these stories below, where we’ve linked to the full reports and updates from each of these defining moments. Here’s a look back at the moments that defined this year:
