On Friday, Minister of Infrastructure Development & Housing, Julius Espat attended a groundbreaking ceremony out west for a road upgrade. In his speech, Espat highlighted the urgent need for road improvements in villages across the country. He explained that his ministry has been working tirelessly, despite limited resources, with the support of fellow area representatives. Espat emphasized that his government isn’t shying away from the challenges but is actively seeking solutions.
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development
“I also understand that villagers across the country are concerned that when it rains, we do have problems, we do have mud, we tend to slip and slide when we drive. But we inherited a road structure of six thousand kilometers and of that only about ten to fifteen percent are paved. So that is what we deal with daily and so I feel for our residents when they are slipping and sliding, but we also do too. The area reps when they request assistance from us, we don’t have resources so they chip in so they would put the salaries for the drivers. Sometimes they assist with fuel, and we give them the equipment. We find ways to be able to solve our problems and we don’t run away from them. We understand what we inherited. I would like to remind, and correct me if I am wrong, wasn’t it Dean Barrow who stood here and say his coffers was endless and that this would be the project to be done immediately when they were desperately looking for support. I am getting a bit political, but we are in the political season so I am allowed. The difference between the political parties is that we don’t talk too much, we come in and we bring the private sector mentality in government and we work and work and work and elections come again and we hope people see the benefit in that and we hope they give us their thank you and say lets go again.”
A piece of the old Haulover Creek Bridge is heading to the Cayo District! On Friday, Orlando Habet announced at an event in his Cayo Northeast constituency that a request had been made to place part of the bridge between Branch Mouth community and San Ignacio Town. Following his speech, Minister of Infrastructure Development Julius Espat confirmed that the bridge is on its way and will significantly improve access to the town for many residents.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo Northeast
“I am hoping that Minister Julius Espat will tell you that we also requested and asked that the bridge in Belize City, that when that bridge is dismantled it can be placed somewhere here close to branch mouth so that you can have a close access from San Ignacio to Santa Familia and beyond. So that will also cut a few miles instead of going around.”
Julius Espat
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development
“I must backup Landy when he mentioned the bridge. We have now dismantled the section of the bridge that will be coming here and it will come. So, the bridge is now not in place at Haulover. The contractor has dismantled it and have it in his compound. They will have to do some refurbishing and that is where the chief engineer takes over with all the technical expertise to design the permanent concrete structure to hold the bridge. So you will have the bridge. There is another bridge that we are in discussion with the Spanish Lookout community that if these guys do their work properly and myself and we form government again, we will be looking at the other bridge here in the Cayo district that is very important to us.”
Current residents in the area has access to a bridge across the Belize River that is only big enough for pedestrians.
The 2025 General Election is slated to happen sometime between March and June, with funds already allocated for the big event. But the burning question remains: when will the date be announced? As election fever grips the nation, Belizeans are buzzing with anticipation. We tried to get a hint from Prime Minister John Briceño this morning, but he’s playing his cards close to his chest.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I’ve been consulting with a number of people and, you know, you usually have a small group of close advisors and I’m trying to feel and talking to them, not trying to set a date, but when they think we’re ready. We’ve done our complete assessment and the national campaign manager, we’ve finished in December. So there’s a state of readiness in our constituencies and most of them are pretty much almost there. And then also I’ve consulted Cabinet, not as a group but as individuals to feel them out on how they think. Most, of course, from last year they wanted to call elections. A few were saying, “Let us hold a little bit.” Some are saying or are of the opinion that it doesn’t matter if you hold the elections in February or November, we’re still going to win. Well I come from the school that you do not take things for granted, you have to continue to work.”
Sabreena Daly
“Because elections are won on election day.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“It’s not won on election day. Elections are won before election day, based on the work that you do. If you are not properly prepared for elections then you can’t win on election day.”
Prime Minister John Briceño is keeping everyone in suspense about the date of the 2025 elections, but that hasn’t stopped the People’s United Party from rallying their supporters. With the United Democratic Party embroiled in internal conflicts, rumors of a potential P.U.P. clean sweep are flying around. While this prospect excites P.U.P. members, some worry it could undermine Belize’s democracy. We caught up with Caribbean Shores Area Representative, Kareem Musa, to get his take on the situation. Here’s what he had to say.
Kareem Musa, Area Representative, Caribbean Shores
“The campaign never stops. I try to stay as grounded. As possible within my constituency visiting homes off my constituents. And so that is certainly going to be intensified in 2025 because this is an election year. And it is my hope that we’ll be meeting with our committee this week and hopefully start the campaign within the next few weeks”
Reporter
“Do you think you guys will pull off a clean sweep?”
Kareem Musa
“It’s possible but I don’t know whether it will be a clean sweep, but I think it’s very possible given the current state of the United Democratic Party.”
Reporter
“Do you think, do you think that would bode well for democracy in Belize?”
Kareem Musa
“No I think any healthy democracy requires not just, a strong opposition, but also a strong media. I think that you guys have been an been exceptional in holding the government accountable. And so for any healthy democracy, not just the media, but you do need a strong, vibrant opposition.”
The Briceño administration is currently in the hot seat at the High Court, thanks to a claim by the Belize Peace Movement (BPM) over the long-delayed redistricting exercise. With the general election just around the corner, we asked Prime Minister John Briceño if this failure is a black mark on his People’s United Party Government.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I can give you an assurance that as soon as we get in, that will be a priority, we have to do re-districting in the next government and I plan to work on it… well not us, and it’s not the government, but the Elections and Boundaries Commission. We need to know the process but they are the ones that lead the process for the redistricting exercise and it’s given to the government to then take to the house. It’s the house that then either accepts or rejects the results of the redistricting exercise.
Isani Cayetano
“Do you believe that it had to have gone to the extent where it is before the court now or it should have been something that, I would want to think, could have been dealt with in short order, considering the fact that you were on the side of redistricting prior to November 2020.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“You really di try find something weh gaan wrong wid dis government, through?
Isani Cayetano
“I’m just calling it what it is.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I’m not gonna argue on that one. I believe that the Elections and Boundaries Commission could have worked faster or more diligently and probably have more consultations with the public and to see how best it can work. And so, at the end of the day, we are the government and I, as the head, have to take the responsibility. So, I will take responsibility for that and I can assure that we want, as soon as we get in, to make sure that we start working on it. I’m hoping that one or two years at the most, we should be able to already have that settled.”
Last week, the Senior Courts of Belize rolled out new sentencing guidelines to help determine jail time for convicted criminals. Defense attorneys are giving these guidelines a thumbs up. Earlier today, Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa, who is also an attorney, shared his thoughts on the matter.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“That is something that, I think, is going to yield great dividends in terms of certainly getting more convictions and definitely leading the way forward, in terms of what to expect when it comes to sentencing. I know that is being well received, especially from the defense counsel at bar. And so, looking forward to that, moving forward, I think we can expect good results from that.”
It’s been over six years since Belize decriminalized the possession of up to ten grams of cannabis. Last year, the Ministry of New Growth Industries hinted at the possibility of full legalization. Today, we caught up with Minister Kareem Musa for an update. He admitted that progress has been slow but emphasized the many potential benefits of bringing the cannabis industry to Belize.
Kareem Musa
Kareem Musa, Minister of New Growth Industries
“There’s no update on it but I know that 2025 is an election year and it is my hope as minister that we’ll be able to get that on the ballot. I feel that it opened up an appetite for innovation within the private sector. Looking at new industries that might not be your traditional industries aquaculture or sugar and citrus and bananas, I see that it definitely opened up a whole realm of possibilities. It does require, however, that we amend a lot of legislation to assist industries like the cohune industry in moving forward. And so I think that while it is that the main focus of creating the new industry was to see how we can introduce cannabis as one of those industries, I think there are so many other bright ideas that have come forward and hopefully even the orange economy, the film industry, the music industry, these can be put as priorities in the next administration.”
Besides the potential revenue from the cannabis industry, Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries, Kareem Musa, points out that decriminalizing the plant could help curb illicit drug activities in Belize. He argues that while small amounts of marijuana have been legal for years, the absence of a regulated industry fuels dangerous drug trade. Here’s more on that.
Kareem Musa, Minster of New Growth Industries
“I’m confident that if the cannabis were to be placed on the referendum, whether we as Belizeans want to see a regulated industry that is governed by legislation that is taxed, that is not part of this illegal black market that has cost us so many lives. I think that we want to make it make sense because cannabis has been decriminalized so you can’t have ten grams on you, you have no way of getting it and that is why there is this illegal dark market which is costing so many Belizean lives and so if you look at all the benefits moving forward of having that industry. I think Belizeans will realize that, and it is a multi-billion dollar industry. And I think we can make it make sense by voting yes in the referendum.”
This morning, the Belize Police Department, along with the Ministry of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries, unveiled Belize’s first-ever Highway Interdiction Team (HIT). This new police unit is set to ramp up law enforcement on highways across the country, targeting drug trafficking, human smuggling, human trafficking, and the illegal movement of firearms and ammunition. The HIT team will also collaborate with the Ministry of Transport to tackle unsafe driving behaviors on Belize’s highways. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
In 2024, Belize saw a tragic toll of one hundred and fifteen road traffic-related deaths, averaging more than nine per month. The year also witnessed a troubling spike in crimes tied to illicit drug operations, leading to several Belizean nationals losing their lives. To tackle these issues head-on, the Belize Police Department is launching the Highway Interdiction Team (HIT) this year. Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa, sheds light on the team’s mission.
Kareem Musa
Kareem Musa, Ministry of Home Affairs
“I know that focus of this highway interdiction team is certainly on firearms trafficking on drug smuggling, human trafficking and smuggling. But it’s also important that they work in tandem with our Department of Transport and their Highway Patrol in light of the very serious year that we’ve had, the number of traffic fatalities. And so it is my hope that this team, this Highway Interdiction Team, will also play a significant role in curbing the number of traffic fatalities and traffic accidents”
Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, explained that while the team will help ensure drivers are obeying road traffic laws, the main focus is on deterring and combating serious crimes like drug and human trafficking, as well as the illegal movement of firearms and ammunition.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Our thoroughfare across the country has been used by not just local criminals,But also by international criminals or transnational criminals. And we decided it prudent to create a team that will be able to ensure the safety of our terror fear. In a sense that we will be doing as much as we can to prevent our terror fear being used by human traffickers. firearm traffickers, ammunition traffickers, drug traffickers, as well as human smugglers and those who engage in the transportation of contraband.”
The team is currently comprised of fourteen officers, who will be stationed in various areas across the country. This team will expand as the current recruits graduate into the force.
Kareem Musa
“Over the last two years the northern operations has become a permanent feature annually in our budget where we seek additional funds and resources in that area. And so it is expected that along the northern border we will be seeing a lot of the highway interdiction team, as well as in the south, where we have a lot of pain landings. Yes, it is very remote areas in Dolores, where we have most of the pain landings. But hopefully this year we can get our forward operating base established in Dolores, along with the U. S. Embassy.”
Williams mentioned that he’s in the process of getting essential tools, like speed guns, which are crucial for the team to meet their goals.
Chester Williams
“Looking at breathalyzers, looking at speed guns, looking at ticket books, and the like are critical to the functions that we would have to be carrying out. As long with other equipment that will be used to inspect and search vehicles on the spot, those are things that the Embassy we’ll be providing to the team so that they can be able to discharge it in the best way they can. We are currently in discussion I think should be finalized by now, the different amendments to the road traffic regulation hat will deal with the issue of the use of fertilizers and strengthening some of the land. I know Mr. Rosado and the CTO have met on numerous occasions looking at the different areas of concern to see the different recommendations that we made to cabinet in order for the amendment to be made.”
The team will be employed to duty effective today. Britney Gordon for News Five.
On Friday, the University of Belize unveiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the renowned political ethicist who championed nonviolent resistance to secure India’s independence from British rule. Gandhi’s legacy of peaceful protest has inspired civil rights and freedom movements around the globe. Doctor Vincent Palacio, President of the University of Belize, shared a few words during the brief unveiling ceremony.
