The Government of Belize has brought in two top-notch attorneys for this case: Senior Counsels Eamon Courtenay and Godfrey Smith. Courtenay is representing the Attorney General and the Speaker of the House, while Smith is representing the Chair of the Elections and Boundaries Commission. But why isn’t the Attorney General representing himself and the government in this matter? We asked him today to find out.
Anthony Sylvestre, Attorney General
“It is a valid concern, valid observation. As you may be aware, the attorney general ministry is tasked with defending all matters and we have a cadre of excellent brilliant crown counsel. But as a matter occurred with this matter, we have a very urgent matter, a matter that requires an attorney with certain special skills. Unfortunately that is the nature of the matter and he had to engaged such attorneys. As I indicated earlier we didn’t want to prejudge whatever determination made by the court. But as I said, it is something in the normal course that government has to do.”
For the second time in less than a week, around sixty K.H.M.H. employees took their lunch break to rally in the hospital compound, pushing the government to finally set up a proper pension plan for them. Many of these dedicated workers have been at the hospital for up to twenty years without any retirement plan in place. Despite countless meetings over the years, there’s been no real solution. After Saturday’s protest and a promise from the hospital administration to arrange a meeting with the government, the employees are back today to keep the pressure on. News Five’s Marion Ali was on the scene and has this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
During their lunch break, about sixty members of the KHMH Workers Union gathered in the hospital parking lot, chanting to express their frustration with both the current and previous governments for not taking their pension plan seriously. These workers, part of a group of around 250 who have been at the hospital since before 2018, some for as long as twenty years—still don’t have a retirement plan. Vice President Dr. Alain Gonzalez told reporters that the employees are simply turning up the heat on those in power.
Alain Gonzalez
Dr. Alain Gonzalez, Vice President, K.H.M.H Workers Union
“We have worked for the hospital. We have worked for the community. We have worked for the people of this country, and we deserve our pension just as any other public workers in this country. Our last meeting, as we mentioned before, was on October 2023. So that would have been maybe almost a year and two months, right? And so we have tried in the past to meet with the government. We have tried in the past to communicate back with them and to reopen the pension negotiation, but it has failed every time.”
This issue stretches back as far as twenty years for some employees, who’ve been working all this time without any retirement benefits. KHMH CEO Chandra Nisbet-Cansino describes it as a complicated matter.
“It’s been a couple of decades, um, that this issue has been on the table. Cause I had to do some research myself. There have been various legal opinions on this very, very same issue. Before this union took it up, I think it was the Belize Medical and Dental Union. They actually had an attorney look at it as well. And so there are, there’s a lot of meetings that have been held, a lot of opinions that have been given. So it is not a recent concern. And particularly referring to the period between 2001 and 2017, which is when the authority established a provident fund. So there’s that gap of about 15 years, 14, 15 years, um, where there is no pension coverage for those staff members, despite the fact that they came over from the government voluntarily. Some did not, some of them still remain employees of the government, so it’s not an issue for them, but it’s an issue for those that came over to the authority.”
Cansino said she supports the employees in their plight.
Chandra Cansino
“I honestly believe all workers deserve a pension, however, in this particular case, being public serving the public again. I do believe everybody deserves a pension including the workers at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.”
KHMH has been grappling with a severe shortage of nurses for over ten years. However, the hospital’s CEO reassured everyone that they have backup plans ready. If the current nurses decide to walk out due to an unfavorable government response, they’ll bring in substitute nurses to keep things running smoothly.
Chandra Nisbet-Cansino
“Our contingency plan involves several things, um, including collaboration with the private sector, with other hospitals our session on nurses, et cetera. So yes, there is a contingency plan in place for nursing and for medicine.”
But Gonzalez says the employees do not plan to walk out just yet.
Dr. Alain Gonzalez
“We don’t intend to break our services because we know that we are essential workers, and we know that the service that we give is very important. So we have no intention to break our service from the hospital and to the public. Even if negotiations don’t go your way and the government isn’t relenting to your demands? Well, that is something that we probably see in the future. Not at this time. Um, we do have certain plans in place or in motion for that. But that is that we don’t want to go to that extreme as yet.”
The meeting with the union leaders, the hospital administration and government representatives will take place on Monday in Belmopan. Marion Ali for News Five.
The Belize City Magistrate Court announced it will be closed from midday today until Monday, February seventeenth. This decision comes after staff complained about health issues like kidney problems, migraines, and chest pains, all linked to prolonged mold exposure. Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegodapola confirmed that the closure is essential to tackle this hazardous situation. Today, we caught up with Attorney General Anthony Sylvester for more details.
Anthony Sylvester
Anthony Sylvester, Attorney General
“As you may know, while the judiciary, the Attorney General’s ministry has the substantive responsibility to facilitate allocations, on a day-to-day basis we wouldn’t be a tuned with what is taking place. But, late last week, I was appreciated of the situation with respect to the mold infestation and obviously the decision was taken to address the matter and so yesterday in speaking with the Chief Magistrate and Chief Justice, a decision was taken that there would be the closure of the court until we sort that matter out. So people who have matters which are adjourned, a notice has been sent out. Those matters have been adjourned to I think commencing the following week.”
This morning, the National Kriol Council proudly unveiled the second edition of the Creole English Dictionary. The original version came out in 2007, and this updated edition is packed with new words and revised spellings. It’s all part of the council’s mission to keep Belizeans connected to their rich culture and to promote Creole as a recognized language. News Five’s Britney Gordon was at the launch to find out how the council is working to keep the language vibrant and alive.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Creole is one of the most spoken languages in Belize, and for many, it’s their mother tongue or even the only language they know. However, a lot of Belizeans find it challenging to read and write in Creole, which has created a gap in Creole education. To tackle this issue, the National Kriol Council has just launched the second edition of the Kriol-Inglish Dikshineri.
Silvaana Udz
Silvaana Udz, Editor-in-Chief
“Well it got more than five hundred and sixty mew entries. And wa new entry might be a new sense ah dih word like the word taat/ T-a-a-t. You di think coconut tart right? But we gone da Flower’s Bank and di lady dih talk bout ‘no man. Tell ah ddown pan dih taat.inna dh dorey. Dih lee boad. Now, me neva know that but anybody weh know bout dorey and deh da riva bank know bout taat.So that get added in as a new sense ag di word taat.”
The new edition is a hefty volume, over six hundred pages long, and it’s available both online and in print. The council is doing its best to make the book as accessible as possible to everyone. Editor-in-Chief Silvaana Udz emphasized how vital language is in shaping and preserving a culture.
Silvaana Udz
“First of all, its free online. Access 501. You could get ot, download it free. And then we di try get wa app so you could quick search free. And soon you could get it, we gwain da Angelus and Brodies hopefully by the end pf the week. Today you could get it at the especial price of thirty-five dollars Belize. And the wole idea dah any lee money we mek wah be so small just fi mek more book. Cuz we want people get it.”
The council took feedback from the first edition of the dictionary, released back in 2007, to make these latest revisions. Silvaana Udz’s updated dictionary includes variations of words commonly used by Creole speakers. By standardizing the spelling, Udz explains, Creole is one step closer to being recognized as an official language.
Silvaana Udz
“If you use a standard orthography, then there is a right way fih spell it. You might have a variant way, an accepted variety because dah how people pronounce it. Like ‘fih’ lotta people say ‘fuh’. So fih, fah, fuh ,da one ah the words for ‘for’ weh got dih most variants. But when you standardize, you noh want too many variants cuz then you dih move wrh from the standard. So wah dictionary set put fih be desriptive. You di describe whe people done dih do. Bit the minute you get it codified, it become prescriptive. And it start prescribe down the road.Mek we check di dictionary. Mek we check the dictionary.”
The council calls this book a true labor of love for all Belizeans, urging everyone to help preserve and uplift the Creole language. They’re already looking ahead, with plans for a third edition expected to come out in the next five years. Britney Gordon for News Five.
Today, we’re excited to bring you part two of our series of conversations with the political candidates running in the upcoming general election. On Tuesday, we introduced you to the candidates from both the reigning People’s United Party and the Opposition United Democratic Party in the Corozal Southwest and Corozal Southeast divisions. The U.D.P. candidates highlighted that their constituents are most concerned about the cost of living, while the P.U.P. candidates emphasized the need for more or better infrastructure. In this report, we turn our focus on the candidates from the Corozal North and Corozal Bay areas. Here’s News Five’s Marion Ali with the details.
Marion Ali, Reporting
With just twenty-nine days left until the March twelfth general election, candidates are in a race against time to campaign and convince voters that they are the best choice to represent their constituencies. For some, like Hugo Patt and the UDP in Corozal North, this is a familiar territory. Patt, who has successfully navigated this path before, shared that the main concern among his constituents is the rising cost of living, echoing the sentiments of his UDP colleagues we spoke with on Tuesday.
Hugo Patt
Hugo Patt, U.D.P. Candidate, Corozal North
“Go around and speak to the families, and I’m not saying families in the middle class or the high end. I’m talking as well about the families who are socially marginalized. It is a challenge for every mom, for every dad. The worst hit if you’re a single mother, to try and have ends meet. Food, for example, is so exorbitant. And you’re not going to blame the world outside and the events that are happening outside to say, “Look, inflation in this country is as a consequence of what’s happening in the world.” Fine, part of it is true. What the other part of the formula is that this country has a lot of taxes. I would always say if you as a government are charging forty-one cents for every dollar at the pump, imagine what that is causing to the end consumer.”
While Patt highlights the rising prices of goods and services as the main concern, his rival, David Castillo, says he’s been hearing more calls for land distribution from the community.
David Castillo
David Castillo, P.U.P. Candidate, Corozal North
“There’s a lot of land issues a lot of land issues in Corozal North, not only here in Xaibe but the constituency. So for the past couple of years we have been addressing these matters and resolving land issues, so that is one of the major concerns. Secondly, is infrastructure. There, there is the aspect of the infrastructure.”
Marion Ali
“So they’re asking for sports infrastructure?”
David Castillo
“Yes, they want to see these things, but we, on our side, like I mentioned, we have been working voluntarily. We are doing that. We are the ones promoting sports. We are the ones doing social programs.”
Over in Corozal Bay, Hernan Riverol has thrown his hat into the ring. He ran as an independent candidate in the last elections, but now he’s echoing the same concerns as his fellow UDP candidates: the rising cost of living. Riverol mentioned that residents in his division feel their concerns have been overlooked and are eager for change.
Hernan Riverol
Hernan Riverol, U.D.P. Candidate, Corozal Bay
“One of the main issues is the high cost of living, the roads. The people have been abandoned in Corozal. We had the central government. When they elected the government in Belize, in Corozal, we had the municipal elections that was run by the PUP. They had the, the Town Council. Then they said that they cannot work too good because they did not have the support from the central government. So when the central government won, they still did not do anything. They’re still not working in the Corozal Bay.”
This is Thea Garcia-Ramirez’s first shot at a national election. She’s stepping in for the incumbent, Elvia Vega-Samos, who won the seat just months after her brother, David “Dido” Vega, sadly passed away from COVID in 2020. Thea mentioned that the residents of Corozal Bay are calling for more land distribution and cleaner open spaces.
Thea Garcia-Ramirez
Thea Garcia-Ramirez, P.U.P Standard Bearer, Corozal Bay
“The concerns here in Corozal – streets and roads. There’s a concern about garbage and garbage collection. Corozal is a very proud town and Corozal Bay is a proud constituency. And we have had some problems with garbage collection. The town itself is facing a lot of problems with streets and of course, concerns about cost of living, which I believe is, is national, noh. Everybody would say that that’s a big concern. So those are the three big ones. Corozal Bay is a very young constituency, so we have a lot of people between that age range, 18 to like 35, so, young people want access to good paying jobs. They want access to start their homes, financing for homes, they want access to land ownerships.”
The leaders of the P.U.P. government are about to face some serious scrutiny in the coming weeks for the policies they’ve implemented over the past four years. One person who’s particularly critical of their performance is the Leader of the Opposition, Moses ‘Shyne’ Barrow. He believes that the government’s efforts have fallen short, especially when it comes to improving the quality of life for citizens, which he feels hasn’t gotten any better over the last four years.
Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“Under the People’s United Party, all of their promises, for the most part, have been broken. The ones that truly counted, which was housing as a human right, which was the improvement of social services, and which was improvement of the economy, we don’t feel those benefits because if you did, all of these different sectors would not be up in arms. It is not me, the Leader of the Opposition, criticizing the government. Every union, for the most part, is criticizing the government as we speak, and not just regular criticism, but to the point where their members are voting to have protests. And that is a reflection that people’s lives have not improved over the last four years.”
Meanwhile, Albert Area Representative Tracy Taegar-Panton didn’t hold back in her criticism of the government, accusing it of displaying a high level of arrogance. She pointed to the recent Senate Hearing, aired two days ago, as an example, highlighting how the Leader of Government Business, Senator Eamon Courtenay, responded to a U.D.P. senator.
Tracy Taegar-Panton, Area Representative, Albert
“I had an opportunity yesterday to listen to parts of the Senate hearing, and when I heard the leader of the government business in the Senate, Mr. Courtney, being dismissive to our representative on the opposition side, the level of arrogance, that is palpable. It is clear that is not what the people of this country are prepared to continue to support. We need leaders with humility, with integrity, and who will take into account the voices of the people.”
During our chat on Tuesday, the Leader of the Opposition didn’t hold back on his thoughts about the P.U.P. administration’s handling of the economy, saying it leaves a lot to be desired. Barrow pointed out that under the U.D.P.’s last term, the economy was in much better shape, and they left behind a strong economy when they exited office in 2020.
Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“The Prime Minister always talks about the economy. We left a great economy for the People’s United Party. Before COVID, we had years where we were growing the economy at 4.4, 4.2 back to back years. The John Briceño administration has not done that. The only thing they have done is recover the economy that we left. And the United Democratic Party built such a strong economy over the thirteen years. That is why they were able to recover, but the Briceno administration has not gone even close to the growth, the GDP growth that we had through the thirteen years. And you not only think that based on the statistics, but you live that. That is a lived reality, that the cost of living is worse than it has ever been. The quality of life has deteriorated to levels that we have not seen in quite some time.”
Jose Uc Espat, Barrow’s standard bearer for the Albert Division, shared his thoughts on the key issues that need addressing as we head into the elections. He emphasized that political leaders, both past and present, should be held accountable and liable. Espat pointed to the UN Convention Against Corruption, which would hold these officials legally responsible.
Jose Uc Espat, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Albert
“Cost of living, infrastructure of the whole, the quality of the homes. And I speak of the houses first because the quality of the home is another issue that needs to be addressed. We have a lot of broken homes in this country that is caused by politically driven poverty to have a people in oppression to remain controlled by those in power. That’s not my objective. The only way every one of these: justice, the high cost of living – everything can be fixed, is if its not just a check and balance. We need liability, not only accountability because we have had so many senate inquiries and no one has set one foot in prison nor paid for what they have been found guilty of. So we can’t just have accountability and people know weh di happen. We have to have liability. If yoh da wa minister and you misappropriate certain amount ah money, yoh have to respond to that and yoh have to pay by the law, what you have to pay for misappropriating those monies because decisions made by leader sin this country, they nuh realize it, and their constituents nuh realize it and the people nuh realize it but every decision made by one of these people affects every single one of us out ya. So they have to be held not only accountable but liable.”
This afternoon, the Protected Areas Conservation Trust made a generous donation of over four million dollars to fund projects that will boost climate resilience in Belize. These grants are set to help communities tackle climate change issues like flooding and wildfires. News Five’s Britney Gordon was at the ceremony to get the scoop on how this money will be used and the positive impact it will have on the lives of Belizeans. Here’s her report.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
In 2024, wildfires ravaged hundreds of acres of forest and nearby areas, impacting thousands of Belizeans. These fires are a harsh reminder of the devastating effects of climate change. The Protected Areas Conservation Trust is dedicated to fighting and reducing these impacts. Today, PACT stepped up by donating over four million dollars to climate resilience projects across the country.
Abil Castaneda
Abil Castaneda, Executive Director, PACT
“PACT is currently the only institution in Belize that are credited to both the Green Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund, which are climate finance mechanisms that provide financing support to countries to build resilience against the challenges and impacts of climate change. So this particular award ceremony was is directly related to the Adaptation Fund. There was a particular mechanism that’s called EDA and Enhance Direct Actions that that are geared towards specifically to fund programs that target community resilience. So it’s more for the local communities to be able to address specific vulnerabilities that they are facing..”
The ten-million-dollar program kicked off on February twelfth, 2024. Now, celebrating its first anniversary, four recipients have committed to using the funds to improve their communities. PACT also plans to award grants to another four organizations in the coming months.
Abil Castaneda
“Today we highlighted four partners. One was the Belmopan City Council. And they are, I’m sure my colleague from Belmopan, here could appreciate the vulnerabilities of Ten Cents Creek. And the idea is that this project will assist in improving the drainage. Infrastructure within the Ten Cents Creek area, and so we hope that will assist them upon to be able to better address flood issues into the future. We also have a partnership with ICA, the Inter American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture. They received a grant to provide additional support and lending to improve livelihood initiatives within communities across the country. And so that’s not specific to one community that would be funding that would be later sublet to additional communities within the country.”
The Forest Department also received a donation as it is one of the key regulatory departments within the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change. That project will focus on addressing wildfires in Belize. Sarteneja Village is the final grant recipient of the day. Village Chairman, Paulino Guerrero, expressed his gratitude to PACT for the generous donation of four hundred sixty-four thousand dollars.
Paulino Guerrero
Paulino Guerrero, Chairman, Sarteneja Village
“I feel happy because first time we have this break in our village. Because every year in the dry season we have problem with fire. And now I think that we will have the solution of that.”
Britney Gordon
“What do you plan to invest the money in specifically?”
Paulino Guerrero
“We have the repair the building and some machines for engines for the fire.”
Castaneda reassures everyone that PACT keeps a close eye on how the funds are used, making sure they go towards the intended projects and objectives.
Abil Castaneda
“To be honest with you, to be able to access these funds, PACT as an organization has had to invest a lot in specific policies and procedures and systems that allow us to monitor and evaluate what are the impacts of these. And so we have installed within PACT a project management unit that’s part of our climate finance unit specific to this program. But also as we saw today, there are other elements that are in place. So there is a technical expert team that is there to provide guidance and also a project steering committee that will be providing overall oversight on the program. We do have various mechanisms to be able to ensure that we are meeting our targets. We have about three years or so to finalize these investments. And we need to make sure that we meet all those objectives before the time runs out.”
Guerrero also thanked PACT for their continuous support of the village, noting that PACT also funded its water system.
Paulino Guerrero
“I think the people of my village will be happy because every year, then it’s the ones that suffer the bad moments.”
