When it comes to road infrastructure in Port Loyola, “Boots” Martinez claims that Usher has poorly maintained the streets. However, the P.U.P. standard bearer strongly disagrees, stating that he has been actively working on paving the streets in the constituency. Here’s what he had to say.
Gilroy Usher
Gilroy Usher, P.U.P. Candidate, Port Loyola
“When it comes to Fabers Road they want to talk about Fabers Road. They built Fabers Road for eight million dollars, when all the competent road experts said that road should have cost the Belizean taxpayers no more than four million dollars. What have I done in terms of proper roads? We paved Penn Road, the full length of Penn Road from Baldwin Drive to the boulevard, one of the longest roads. We paved Nurse Finley Crescent. We have paved Ceasar Ridge from the Custom to Reggae Street. In terms of paving, we paved the main Curl Thompson Street and upgraded all the inlets. We recently paved Freedom Street and all the inlets. So, the record is there that Mr. Usher has been working. We went about securing these lands for the people, that is why thirty residents of Port Loyola became first landowners in this area here. In further addressing the needs of the constituency, because I know if you give people house lots they need infrastructure to reach their lots. This road here way to Arlington Drive and the other one is almost complete. Gilroy Usher built those roads there so that the people can reach their land.”
On Monday, we introduced you to some of the candidates from Orange Walk Central, North, and South who are running in the 2025 general elections. Tonight, we bring you the remaining three standard bearers from the United Democratic Party and the People’s United Party for Orange Walk North, South, and East. News Five’s Britney Gordon caught up with the candidates to get more details on their campaigns.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
It’s been over four years since Ramon Cervantes beat Carlos Zetina by more than one thousand, four hundred votes to become the Area Representative of Orange Walk North. Now, they’re facing off again, and while some think it’s anyone’s game, Cervantes is confident he has the votes. He shared with us the efforts he’s been making to secure support in his constituency.
Ramon Cervantes
Ramon Cervantes, Standard Bearer, OW North, P.U.P
“ We rehabilitated a lot of the sugar roads, the village roads. We are paving a very main road in Trial Farm Village, which is the largest village. We built a community center at the park. We have given, education, health, a lot of assistance in health, and lighted up, we have lighted up many of the football fields that have been left abandoned by the previous administration, and given a lot of support to sports, tournaments and competitions.”
Cervantes, affectionately known as “Monchi” by his supporters, stays connected with his constituents by attending events and visiting homes. However, his opponent, Carlos Zetina, disputes this, claiming that if elected, he would have a stronger presence in the community. Meanwhile, in Orange Walk South, German Tillett is calling for better infrastructure. Drawing from his experience as a sugar farmer, Tillett explains that farmers have been struggling for years due to the poor condition of the sugar roads.
German Tillett
German Tillett, Standard Bearer, OW South, U.D.P.
“We have an area representative who is from Orange Walk Central, who is representing Orange Walk. And that is the things that needs to be fixed for us to get some better assistance here in Orange Walk. You see the road infrastructure that we have here. We have more than four years that no grader, nothing has come to fix the road here in August Pine Ridge. There’s a culvert that was put right there. We were speaking to the family that is beside the culvert. That the drain, it’s not even fixed well so that the water can flow. So we have many things here. August Pine Ridge is a big area. It’s a big village. And it is very abandoned here by the representatives.”
Moving over to Orange Walk East, standard bearer Kevin Bernard is confident that he has built a strong connection with the people of Orange Walk. Reflecting on his time as mayor of the namesake municipality, he believes these bonds will help him in the upcoming election.
Kevin Bernard
Kevin Bernard, Standard Bearer, OW East, P.U.P
“One of the things that I have done and I think the people of Orange Walk East appreciate is the fact that I have always been there for them. We have brought infrastructure improvement, we have improved our parks and playgrounds, we are constantly working on road infrastructure. We have always assisted in education and health so we have always been there for our people. So we have been there for our people.”
The United Democratic Party still hasn’t revealed who will run against Bernard in the 2025 elections. With nomination day just around the corner, it’s unclear if they’ll even appoint a candidate for the constituency. Bernard shared with us the areas he plans to improve if he’s reelected.
Kevin Bernard
“We want to make sure that we continue to build on the road infrastructure in Orange Walk. However, there are other areas of health that we are looking at expanding. Community, community health services, for example, Carmelita. We need to make sure we can bring that to the people there, we are very committed, and I am committed to making sure that the main road into Santa Marta is paved. We are already working in Palmar. We want to make sure that our rural communities are also addressed. We have done a lot in Orange Walk Town, with the municipalities, but my vision has always been for us to improve the rural community, and more the communities as well. Apart from that, of course, we have to provide much more social services to the people. Education is very important.”
Tillett promises to enhance the healthcare system in his constituency. He points out that residents of Orange Walk South often have to go to great lengths to get emergency medical help.
German Tillett
“We have a healthcare system facility right here in August Pine Ridge. If you go right now to the healthcare facility, it is abandoned. We have some persons right there, but we have many doctors here in Orange Walk, so doctors that can, we can be able to provide them with a job so that they can be able to provide us with a service for the community here, not only from August Pine Ridge but Trinidad and neighboring villages. You see right now, what is the problem? If an accident happens here in Agaspan Ridge or in San Felipe, We need to call an ambulance and it takes more than half an hour or an hour for them to reach right here. But with the facility that we have here, if we have proper, a proper ambulance, a doctor and everything, we can be able to save lives. Because every minute counts,”
Cervantes says that he is humbled by the support shown and promises more improvements to public facilities and roads.
Ramon Cervantes
“We’ll continue the paving of streets and overhauling some of the sugar roads so that people can bring their produce in comfort, that the villagers can travel in comfort, and even in the villages, the streets, that is one main thing that we need. Keep improving the sports facilities by putting bleachers. We have put lights, so we need to put more bleachers, more lighting. So that is what we will get ahead of.”
These days, internet connection is more than just a luxury, it’s a necessity. Every day, billions of people use the internet to communicate, learn, and stay updated on the latest news. Many of you at home might be using the internet right now to watch this newscast. But have you ever wondered about the early days of the internet in Belize and how it has evolved over the years? In tonight’s episode of Kocha Tuesday, News Five’s Britney Gordon delves into how the internet has shaped Belizean culture.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
In 1994, the Belize Telecommunications Authority (now known as BTL or Digi) launched internet services in Belize, sparking widespread excitement across the country. Back then, BTA was the only internet provider, and the launch was a big deal. Ervin Marin, who worked at BTA at the time, recalls the buzz and celebration surrounding this groundbreaking event.
Ervin Marin
Ervin Marin, Former BTL Employee
“ We started out with the dial-up internet. That was the only thing available. People were excited about it because it moved away from the telex and the telegram and we moved over to the dial-up. People were excited. You had homes that were connected and you had most of the offices that were using it as well.”
Belize may have been late to the internet party, arriving nearly a decade behind, but once it hit, Belizeans jumped right in. They flocked to chat rooms like AOL and MSN to connect with family, friends, and even strangers. Crios Munnings, who owns Sigertronic Systems in Belize City, remembers the explosion of popularity these chatrooms enjoyed.
Crios Munnings
Crios Munnings, Owner, Sigertronic Systems
“It took a few years before BTL, who was the primary ISP at that time, brought about internet and that was using a telephone line, what we call dial up. And at 56K, it was our lifeline in order to connect. To the world before cell phones, before it was our primary means of communication, reaching out to the online chat boards such as America Online, as we know it as AOL, and it was the only way of really reaching out to the world, hello world, and communicating, getting information, getting advice, communicating with people, sharing resources at that time.”
Before long, Belize rolled out its first internet-capable cell phones, and Belizeans couldn’t wait to get their hands on them. People rushed to the stores, eager to experience the new technology and stay connected on the go.
Ervin Marin
“When we launched the CDMA phones we had introduced, I think it was about a thousand phones for the entire country. I’m not sure the exact amount, but that was a crazy launch. There was some smart phones, but we had, I think one of the offices, I think it was in PG, the doors were broken down by the customers wanting a phone. They were really excited about getting the first cellular phone launched in Belize.”
The internet is more than just a way to stay connected, it is a means of accessing knowledge. Nowadays, the answer to most of life’s questions is a few taps away, but before Google, there were chat rooms.
Crios Munnings
“Again being the birthplace of chat groups, it was how we could gain knowledge and learn basically right now where we have Google, that was a precursor to Google, where it was there wasn’t a database of all this information, nor was there even a search engine. But there were means of just basic communication with others out there that, that were sharing their knowledge that was, that were coaching Belizeans and others.”
Marin notes that many customers initially struggled with computers, facing a steep learning curve. However, the younger generation, who grew up with the internet, quickly outpaced their parents in tech skills, becoming household experts.
Ervin Marin
“I think the young people are more knowledgeable of the way to use the internet and I think it comes natural for them. I’m still learning. I still have to ask my daughter what to do here, what to do there. It comes very easy for young people. It’s struggling sometimes. It’s hard. I’m getting there.”
In 2007, Facebook overtook Myspace to become the world’s top social media platform. Its knack for showing users content based on their location and interactions drew millions. In Belize, where it’s often said that everyone knows everyone, Facebook’s popularity soared just the same. Today, with features like Groups and Facebook Marketplace, Facebook remains a hit in Belize, helping many small businesses advertise their products and reach a wider local audience.
Crios Munnings
“Businesses can use it to reach the masses of the people. As actually as a media for news, entertainment, for everything, just as you’re saying, it actually has migrated a lot of people away from television screen or from the movies or from, from many of the traditional ways of reaching the eyes of everyone.”
The internet is vital today. Marin advises all Belizeans to remain involved in online spaces so that they do not miss out on life’s most important developments.
Ervin Marin
“I think technology is moving very fast and it’s exciting to see what would be next. You’re always thinking about what would be next. Everything is done online now. I think eventually that will be the new norm. Everything is online. So to me, I speak for myself. If you don’t keep up with the times you’ll be behind.”
Early this morning, thirty-six-year-old Leon Gray was shot while walking near the Princess Hotel and Casino with another man. Police report that Gray and thirty-seven-year-old Emmeth Baptist were on Newtown Barracks around 2:45 a.m. when two men got out of a parked car and opened fire, hitting Gray. He has since been treated and released from K.H.M.H. This incident follows a Saturday assault that injured Akeem Smith. Smith and three others were returning from a trip at sea when two gunmen ambushed them near the Belize City Swing Bridge. Police are now implementing a special operation to prevent retaliation. These shootings come on the heels of the January thirty-first death of thirty-nine-year-old Brandon Baptist at the Marion Jones Complex. Smith and Gray are reportedly members of the same gang, while Baptist was linked to a rival gang.
On Monday, the K.H.M.H. Workers Union leaders met with government representatives in Belmopan to discuss gratuity and pensions for about three employees. These workers have been at the hospital since as far back as 2000 but still lack these benefits. A pension scheme was introduced in 2018 for employees hired from that year onward. In 2023, Prime Minister John Briceño promised to form a committee to create a compensation formula for these long-serving employees. The committee was formed, and they had two meetings, but there have been no follow-ups since October 2023. This lack of progress led to two protests by the employees over the past two weeks. Today, News Five’s Marion Ali spoke with Andrew Baird, President of the K.H.M.H. Workers Union, for an update and filed this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
On Monday, thirty employees from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital joined the leadership of their workers union for a meeting with government representatives. The session aimed to further discuss the reinstatement of the employees’ gratuity and pension benefits. According to President Andrew Baird, the meeting was amicable and productive.
Andrew Baird
Andrew Baird, President, K.H.M.H. Workers Union
“We discuss probable ways of how a payout could occur. We have not made any agreement. There were just proposals on the table there. We and we had discussion in reference to those proposals and stuff like that. There was a commitment from both sides where the government side would need to set forward not a criteria, but a template of requirements for the three hundred employees to ensure that they meet the requirements to be compensated for their services.”
The union will complete the template with each employee’s years of service to calculate their gratuity and pension. Baird mentioned that although this issue dates back two decades, the government is clearly committed to paying the employees.
Andrew Baird
“I can be honest and to say this meeting really shows that especially from the FinSec position that they want to get this over with and we would hope that within the next two, three months that we will have this behind us.”
Since 2010, the hospital has been trying to set up a preparatory committee to create a pension scheme or provident fund. In 2018, it was decided that a provident fund would be best for new staff as their retirement fund, but nothing was set up for the existing staff who continued working. According to the K.H.M.H Act, hospital employees should have pensions, but the previous government chose to have the hospital run by a statutory board instead of as a government institution, without ensuring a pension scheme was in place. Baird believes that despite this oversight over the years, it’s an easy fix for the Government of Belize.
Andrew Baird
“It takes a stroke of a pen from the prime minister to say to the Governor General let’s make the staff of Kark Heusner public officers so that they can be pensionable in accordance with the Government Pension Act because the pension act is clear for you to be pensionable from the government, you have to be a public officer. So, without that declaration of us becoming public officers, we won’t be able to collect the government pension, but the government does acknowledge that we are to be compensated because of the Karl Heusner Act.”
Baird mentioned that another meeting between the K.H.M.H Workers Union and the government is set for two weeks from now. By then, the government will have provided a template for the union to use in determining the employees’ benefits. Even though the meeting is just before the general election, Baird told News Five that the employees are ready to push for their retirement benefits right up to and beyond the election. Marion Ali for News Five.
The Government of Belize has signed a funding agreement with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) to conduct feasibility studies at the Northern Regional Hospital and the Punta Gorda Community Hospital. On Monday, Prime Minister John Briceño, Health and Wellness Minister Kevin Bernard, and Minister of State Osmond Martinez joined Ruth Calderon of CABEI and Taiwanese Ambassador Lily Li-Wen Hsu to sign the agreements. These studies will also include predesigns for new facilities in Orange Walk and Punta Gorda.
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness
“This initiative, approved by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, CABEI, and facilitated through the Taiwan/CABEI Partnership trust and represents a critical step forward in enhancing our healthcare infrastructure. This journey, ladies and gentlemen, began with prefeasibility studies in 2022 and today we are proud to announce our government’s commitment to investing US$986,050.45 in the future of healthcare in our communities. The Orange Walk Hospital, serving over fifty-four thousand residents, and the Punta Gorda Hospital, serving nearly thirty-nine thousand residents, are vital to our healthcare system. However, we recognize that both facilities require strategic updates and improvements to meet the growing needs of urban and rural populations. These feasibility studies will not only assess the necessary infrastructure, equipment and human resources, but will also focus on strengthening the management of our hospitals.”
Lily Li-Wen Hsu
Lily Li-Wen Hsu, Taiwanese Ambassador
“Taiwan joined CABEI in 1992 as a non-regional member. Over the years, the ever-growing cooperation has made Taiwan the bank’s largest shareholder. In 2021, the Taiwan/CABEI Partnership Trust Fund was established to support CABEI and its recipient member countries in achieving sustainable economic, social and inclusive development with technical assistance, training and advisory services. Therefore, today, I am very excited that this trust fund will support a feasibility study to assist Belize to modernize healthcare infrastructure and reinforce institutional, technical and operational capacity building for the Northern Regional Hospital in Orange Walk and the Punta Gorda Community Hospital.”
Minister of State Doctor Osmond Martinez, the Area Representative for Toledo East, highlighted the significance of the Punta Gorda Community Hospital, which is in his constituency. He briefly discussed the rollout of National Health Insurance in the district and emphasized the importance of the feasibility studies for the new hospital.
Osmond Martinez
Dr. Osmond Martinez, Area Representative, Toledo East
“When you look at the health sector and the health system in Punta Gorda, I know we have done a lot and we must acknowledge the work that both at that time the Honorable Chebat did and what Minister Kevin Bernard has done and then with the NHI that is under the Office of the Prime Minister which the Toledo District enjoys the NHI, PM. And I must say that I’ve been walking, we’ve been in all the villages, the Mayan communities, the Garifunas, the East Indians, the Hispanic people, the Creole. Everyone appreciates the NHI. Everyone is grateful for what the Briceno administration has done under Plan Belize 1.0, now we’re going into Plan Belize 2.0. But we’re so grateful for that work but, nonetheless, there’s still a lot more work that we need to do in the health system in the Toledo District and the feasibility study is more than welcomed because we need to identify the needs and, especially, just the basic health needs that are needed in the system are also important for us to provide a better service to the most vulnerable population.”
Ruth Calderon
Ruth Calderon, CABEI
“In our strategy, we are aways focused on healthcare. This is something that our strategic, institutional goals are, so we are really happy to be aligning with Taiwan and Belize in building these two hospitals. This is a feasibility study that will also have a pre-design and we will have all the information and all the technical specifications for us to do a formulation of a project and soon being implementing these projects. So this is very important for us to be able to have all the information that we need, technical and specifically for the implementation of the project. So we will also like to tell you that we will launch the bidding process next week”
On Monday, Prime Minister John Briceño handed out robotic kits to several high schools during a ceremony in the Orange Walk District. These kits are meant to help students tackle problems they encounter both in school and beyond. Godfrey Sosa, the Information Technology Director at Belize High School, explained that the kits, which resemble small toys, can be programmed to perform various tasks. Dian Maheia, C.E.O. in the Ministry of Education, urged the students to make the most of these kits. News Five’s Marion Ali has the story.
Marion Ali, Reporting
On Monday, Prime Minister John Briceño donated robotic kits to four high schools in the Orange Walk District and another to the Banquitas USpace. The kits are for the youths who attend these institutions and who use the USpace. The PM encouraged the youths to advance their creativity by using the kits.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I felt that this was a good time for us to be able to then to provide kids to all the high schools, and also here at the USpace, that we can give more accessibility to our young people, for them to be able to, to use their creativity, and to be able to see how they could advance even more. By providing these kits, and the schools also encouraging more of our young people to get more involved in technology. I believe that Belize is going to be in great hands in the future.”
Robotics was introduced into the high school arena by students at the Belize High School. That institution’s IT Director, Godfrey Sosa explained to the youths how the kit works.
Godfrey Sosa
Godfrey Sosa, IT Director, Belize High School
“We have our Spike Prime kit. This is our robot. Now, we look at this kit and we may think that it looks like a small toy for a kid. It’s not. There are many sensors in this kit that we have line sensors, we have gyroscopes, we have temperature sensors, so there’s a lot that you can do. So building a robot is only one part of it, your creativity, how artistic you are in terms of the design, but there’s also the additional part because if I don’t program this machine, it will do nothing.”
C.E.O. in the Ministry of Education, Dian Castillo-Maheia shared that the whole idea behind the facility now called the USpace was to extend the public learning space for youths and now, that learning potential has been further widened by the donation of the kit to Banquitas USpace.
Dian Castillo-Maheia
Dian Castillo-Maheia, C.E.O., Ministry of Education
“There was a vision to start the USpace and that vision led us to open this space that’s open for you and the PM in his vision saw a way to extend and expand the reach of youth space. The BHS teachers, thank you for being here, because they’re going to share with us another way in which they have stood up and worked. They’ve taught and they’ve learned how to make robotics real. The kits that are going to be distributed today are going to be for your use, not for you to put on a shelf and then they’re going to collect dust and every now and again somebody wipes them off and says, oh yeah, remember when we got into that place and we may get that thing? Hm mmh. (Shakes hand)”
IT Director Sosa encouraged the youths to make the kits work so that they enable them to solve problems they encounter.
Godfrey Sosa
“In the future, we’re looking at those same people looking at problems that we have in our own country and see how we can then solve those problems. That is robotics. That is STEM. That is the whole concept of programming. How do we find solutions to our existing problems? And as simple as these look, it’s a start because the theme of this whole competition changes every year and it’s tied into problems in the community, agriculture, water, electricity, all of these things are problems and through a game this have you start to think, oh, this is how this works. How can I then become a part of the solution? How can I create something that can become a part of the solution?”
The Belize High School will hold a robotics competition on March fifteenth, for which ten schools have already registered. Marion Ali for News Five.
Police are investigating a case of rape reported by a 24-year-old woman in the Cayo District.
The victim reported to the police that the incident happened on Sunday, February 16, around midnight. Police say that the woman reported socialising, during which her cousin offered her a ride home.
According to the woman, the cousin did not take her home. Instead, he reportedly took her to a secluded area and abused her against her consent.
Police have not yet released the identity of the alleged abuser.
Police are investigating the death of 40-year-old Carlos Casanova, who had been missing since Saturday, January 8. Casanova, a resident of San Pedro Town, was found on Monday off the Yo Creek Road in the Orange Walk District.
According to police reports, Casanova’s body was discovered in “an advanced state of decomposition.” The matter has been labelled as a “death investigation.”
Last Thursday, a close friend described Casanova as “a very cautious” person who “never made irrational decisions.” The friend added that Casanova had left his phone and wallet in his room. Casanova’s landlady was the first to report him missing after he failed to return home.
News 5 reached out to Casanova’s family earlier today. Casanova’s brother told News 5 that the post-mortem was still ongoing, and they were still awaiting an update from the police.
