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  • Leisure : Did you know ? #27

    Leisure : Did you know ? #27

    The Haiti-based general knowledge platform HaitiLibre Quiz has rolled out its latest monthly content update, adding 30 brand new knowledge games to its free, no-registration gaming library as of May 4, 2026. This expansion brings the platform’s total collection of interactive quizzes up to 119, covering a wide range of topics from local Haitian current affairs and culture to global historical, military and social themes.

    In the 27th installment of the platform’s popular “Did You Know?” educational series, the quiz team shares a key insight into modern Western military strategy: that mastering asymmetric conflict has become a central focus of contemporary military doctrine today. To contextualize this concept, the feature contrasts asymmetric conflict with traditional conventional warfare. In a standard conventional conflict, two standing national armies from sovereign states face off on a clearly defined battlefield, typically using comparable equipment and tactical approaches. Asymmetric warfare, by contrast, is defined by a massive power gap between opposing sides: a militarily advanced, well-resourced state often finds itself pitted against non-state groups such as insurgencies, terrorist organizations or guerrilla movements.

    For the weaker, outgunned side in these conflicts, direct head-on confrontation is rarely a viable strategy. Instead, these groups rely on unconventional tactics to offset their material disadvantages: hit-and-run harassment, improvised explosive devices, and psychological warfare designed to erode the stronger side’s morale and public support. One of the biggest challenges for powerful modern militaries in these conflicts is achieving a clear, traditional military victory: opposing non-state fighters often embed themselves within civilian populations, making it difficult to separate combatants from non-combatants and eliminate the adversary’s ability to operate. Recent high-profile conflicts in Afghanistan and the Sahel region serve as stark illustrations of this dynamic, showing that even overwhelming technological superiority does not guarantee a swift or decisive win for the stronger military power.

    Built to serve knowledge seekers of all ages and skill levels, the HaitiLibre Quiz platform offers all its exclusive content completely free of charge, with no account registration required for access. Every quiz is available in both French and English, and is structured with three distinct difficulty tiers: easy, intermediate and hard, to accommodate casual learners and expert knowledge enthusiasts alike. Users can browse general knowledge topics across a wide range of categories, or head to the dedicated expert menu for more advanced, challenging question sets. With new games added every month to keep content fresh and engaging, the platform invites visitors to explore its full collection, share the resource with friends and family, and submit feedback to help improve future updates.

  • DNA zoekt werkbaar compromis met regering over Comptabiliteitswet

    DNA zoekt werkbaar compromis met regering over Comptabiliteitswet

    Parliamentary proceedings to amend Suriname’s 2024 Comptabiliteitswet (Accountability Act) were paused on Tuesday, with the debate rescheduled for this Thursday. The extension grants Finance and Planning Minister Adelien Wijnerman additional time to refine proposals submitted by both governing coalition and opposition lawmakers, as cross-party consensus grows around retaining core provisions of the new law while building a feasible implementation framework.

    The administration has proposed pushing full implementation of the 2024 Accountability Act to the 2029 national budget, arguing that critical administrative infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and oversight mechanisms remain insufficiently prepared to roll out the full reform package. The scheduled Tuesday session, originally set to begin at 10 a.m., was delayed until 1:45 p.m. due to a lack of quorum. Once underway, multiple assembly members pushed back against the idea of pausing all provisions of the law, instead advocating for a phased rollout that would keep already actionable provisions in effect immediately.

    Lawmakers also clashed over the length of the proposed delay, with many arguing a two-year postponement is sufficient rather than the administration’s requested three-year delay. The debate repeatedly centered on 2028, the year Suriname expects to begin collecting revenues from offshore oil production. Multiple parliamentarians emphasized that by 2028, the country’s financial oversight mechanisms, procurement rules, and accountability structures must be fully operational and aligned with the new law’s standards.

    Following a procedural suspension, closed-door negotiations were held between faction leaders, National Assembly Speaker Ashwin Adhin, and Minister Wijnerman. After the talks, Rabin Parmessar, leader of the opposition NDP faction, stated that participants had collaborated to develop workable implementation models. “We reviewed every proposal put forward in this chamber, and I believe we have developed shared frameworks that we have presented to the minister,” Parmessar said, noting that negotiators had drawn a clear distinction between budget drafting processes and post-implementation accountability requirements. “Especially on the accountability side, the minister’s responsibilities have now been clearly outlined,” he added, confirming that the minister will now refine the proposals and return an adjusted plan to the full assembly for consideration.

    Asis Gajadien, leader of the governing VHP faction, echoed the call for shared parliamentary responsibility, noting that the reform is far more than a technical technical adjustment to legislation – it shapes the long-term financial and governance trajectory of Suriname. “This is about who we are and where we as Surinamese want to go,” Gajadien said. He reiterated that parliament must identify which components of the law can enter into force immediately, and which can be rolled out in stages. “At the end of the day, all of us want a system that can deliver accurate accountability both to the public and to this parliament,” he added.

    Rossellie Cotino, an NDP lawmaker who chairs the assembly’s rapporteur committee, framed the current delay as a consequence of inadequate preparatory work when the 2024 Accountability Act was originally passed. She noted that the bill was originally approved without the required supporting legislation and institutional preparations in place, but emphasized: “This is not a cancellation of the 2024 Accountability Act, it is merely a postponement.” Cotino added that stakeholders have now mapped out all the supplemental reforms needed to make the law fully implementable.

    She also confirmed that the Ministry of Finance has received technical support from an International Monetary Fund macroeconomic expert to assist line ministries in developing a multi-year financial framework and five-year strategic plan aligned with the act. Minister Wijnerman has already submitted an adjusted action plan and revised draft amendment, which includes a requirement for semi-annual progress evaluations of the act’s implementation.

    Assembly member Jeffrey Lau of the opposition NPS has emerged with broad cross-party support for his proposal to implement already ready provisions of the act on a phased basis, rather than delaying the entire legislation for years. Lau stressed that as Suriname prepares to receive 2028 offshore oil revenues, the country urgently needs strong oversight mechanisms, transparent procurement procedures, and a robust financial accountability system. He argued that policymakers must avoid pushing needed, long-awaited reforms off for additional years, at a time when the public is demanding greater transparency and improved public financial governance.

  • SVG’s H20 Lions gain swimming experience in Barbados

    SVG’s H20 Lions gain swimming experience in Barbados

    A small but talented delegation from the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines recently made its mark at one of the region’s top youth swimming competitions, turning in impressive performances against talented international opponents. H20 Lions Swim Academy, based in Questelles, was the official representative of the country at the 2024 Sonia O’Neal Memorial Invitational Swimming Competition, which ran from May 21 to 24 on the neighboring island of Barbados.

    Three rising young swimming stars carried the academy’s banner at the four-day event: Tezza Sutherland, who competed in the girls’ 9-10 age group, and Ezron Quashie and Tyler Forde, who raced in the boys’ 11-12 division. Leading the team through the competition were head coach Josel Williams and assistant coach Elise Quashie, who guided the young athletes through every step of the multi-day event.

    Hosted by the Barbados Aquatic Sports Association, the annual invitational draws skilled young swimmers from across the Caribbean. The competition is designed not just to crown top finishers, but also to foster friendly competition and good sportsmanship between emerging athletes from different regional nations.

    According to an official press release from H20 Lions Swim Academy, the team overcame unexpected hurdles to post strong results across their races. “Despite encountering a few challenges along the way, the young swimmers demonstrated remarkable determination, courage, and resilience in the pool,” the statement noted.

    For many of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines athletes, several of the race events they entered marked entirely new competitive experiences. Yet every competitor rose to meet the challenge, approaching new races with confidence and excitement. The countless hours of training and commitment the three swimmers put in ahead of the meet paid off in full: all three athletes achieved personal best times across their events, a milestone many young competitors spend months working toward.

    The value of the trip extended beyond just the on-pool results for the team’s coaching staff as well. The competition offered a unique chance for the academy’s coaches to observe racing strategies and training approaches from other regional programs, letting them expand their own professional knowledge and refine their coaching skills to better support future athletes at the academy.

    For community members who are interested in learning more about H20 Lions Swim Academy, enrolling a new swimmer, or connecting with the program, head coach Josel Williams can be reached directly at 432-8701. To follow more local sports and community news from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, readers can subscribe to the iWitness News WhatsApp Channel.

  • ‘Labour of love’ — calypsonians still last in line for Vincymas earnings

    ‘Labour of love’ — calypsonians still last in line for Vincymas earnings

    In a press briefing held Tuesday, May 19, 2026 in Kingstown for the upcoming 2026 iteration of Vincymas, the annual carnival celebration of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Earl “Cabba” Bennett, president of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Calypsonians Association, called attention to a longstanding inequity plaguing the island nation’s iconic cultural art form: calypsonians are the only major core stakeholders of Vincymas who receive no guaranteed payment for their work, even as every other participating group walks away with assured compensation.

    Bennett framed calypso performance as a practice sustained almost entirely by artists’ passion rather than financial reward, noting that most creators spend untold hours honing their work with no promise of payment. “For the most part, calypso is a labour of love,” Bennett told attendees. “You are like Billy Button … you work for nothing.”

    He drew a sharp contrast between the uncertain financial standing of calypsonians and other contributors to the festival, including musical bands, venue operators and assorted third-party service providers, all of whom receive guaranteed payment regardless of competition outcomes. Unlike these groups, calypsonians who fail to advance to the competition’s semi-final round walk away with no compensation at all. Only a tiny subset of performers see meaningful financial gains: artists who go on to win the coveted Calypso Monarch title or other top awards can earn a windfall, but this success is reserved for just a few, Bennett explained.

    Even amid this systemic lack of compensation, Bennett emphasized that calypsonians remain deeply committed to nurturing the art form and sustaining St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ national cultural identity. “Because if you don’t have a cultural foundation as an island, as a nation, you could be lost,” he said, highlighting the irreplaceable role that calypso plays in the social fabric of the small island nation.

    Bennett used the press conference to issue a public call for greater recognition of calypsonians’ contributions, urging local residents and business leaders to acknowledge the art form’s central place in the country’s heritage. “So understand the importance of calypsonians in the fabric of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, not underestimating their importance,” he said.

    The payment inequity is part of a broader need for increased sponsorship and community support across all sectors of Vincymas, Bennett added. He called on local entities to step up with donations when carnival groups including calypso organizations reach out for backing, noting that the festival delivers massive economic benefits to the entire country. “It brings in millions, millions of dollars in our economy… and we must recognise that the carnival plays an important role, an integral role, in buoying the economy,” he said.

  • Calls grow for Saint Lucia to enforce death penalty following killing of young mother

    Calls grow for Saint Lucia to enforce death penalty following killing of young mother

    A brutal fatal shooting that claimed the life of a 24-year-old mother in Saint Lucia has sent shockwaves through the Caribbean nation, reopening long-simmering public divisions over the reinstatement and active use of capital punishment for violent crime.

    The victim, identified by authorities as Joy St. Omer, was discovered dead early this week slumped in the driver’s seat of her vehicle, left with multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators and local reports confirm that the prime suspect in the killing is Omer’s estranged husband, Primus Toussaint, who later turned himself in to officers at the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Department following Wednesday night’s emergency response to the shooting.

    Court and police records reveal a troubling pattern of escalating abuse prior to the killing: at the time of the shooting, a formal protection order was already in effect barring Toussaint from contacting Omer. The suspect had been arrested just three days before the fatal incident at the Anse La Raye Police Station on allegations of assault, and was formally charged with assault causing harm, making criminal threats, and violating the existing protection order. Though bail was initially denied during his first appearance at the First District Court, he was subsequently released on bail by the High Court – a detail that has added to public outrage over the case.

    In the wake of Omer’s killing, an online petition launched on Change.org calling for the full reinstatement and active enforcement of capital punishment has rapidly gained public support, amassing more than 5,000 signatures in just days. The petition notes that while capital punishment remains technically encoded in Saint Lucia’s Criminal Code, it has not been applied for decades, a shift driven by successive judicial rulings and sustained international pressure. Supporters argue that actively enforcing the death penalty for convicted murderers and other violent offenders would act as a meaningful deterrent against the island’s growing tide of violent crime, including widespread gang-related killings, while delivering tangible closure and justice for grieving families affected by such violence. “We do not make this request lightly. We make it out of love for Saint Lucia and a desire to see our communities thrive in peace once again. By signing this petition, we declare that enough is enough,” the petition reads.

    Top political leaders across Saint Lucia have formally condemned the brutal killing, while offering differing perspectives on the broader systemic issues it exposes. Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre expressed deep sorrow and distress over Omer’s senseless death in an official public statement, noting that far too many interpersonal conflicts end in brutal violence when they should be resolved through dialogue, mutual understanding and peaceful intervention. “No disagreement should ever end in violence. We must learn to talk to each other, seek help, walk away when necessary, and resolve conflict without violence,” Pierre said. He also urged public commentators and social media influencers to avoid leaning into sensationalism and inflammatory emotional rhetoric around the case. Reaffirming the government’s commitment to public safety, Pierre emphasized that “Every woman, every person deserves to feel safe in their country. Every family deserves peace. Acts of violence must be met with accountability and justice, because no family should have to endure this kind of pain.” While the government respects the independence of the judiciary, Pierre added, officials hope judicial decision-makers remain attuned to growing public concerns over rising violent crime, and the government will continue to strengthen its frameworks for violence prevention, criminal justice and offender rehabilitation.

    Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet also joined in condemning the killing, highlighting that a widely circulated voice note predating the shooting contained explicit death threats against Omer. “We cannot continue to dismiss threats, intimidation, and emotional abuse as ‘relationship problems’ or private matters. Too often, the warning signs are there, and too often, we wait until it is too late,” Chastanet said in a social media statement. Directing his message to young men across the island, he pushed back against harmful cultural narratives that tie masculinity to control and violence: “strength is not found in control, anger, or violence. Real strength is found in discipline, respect, patience and the ability to walk away when emotions become dangerous. No woman belongs to you. No disagreement, heartbreak, or rejection justifies violence.”

    As the nation mourns Omer’s death and grapples with calls for systemic change, the debate over capital punishment continues to gain momentum, with residents divided over whether resuming executions will address the root causes of violent crime or simply mark a retreat from the human rights progress the island has made in recent decades.

  • Magnitude 4.3 Earthquake Recorded Northeast of Antigua

    Magnitude 4.3 Earthquake Recorded Northeast of Antigua

    A moderate 4.3-magnitude earthquake has been detected in waters northeast of the Caribbean nation Antigua and Barbuda, according to an initial automatic alert released by the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre.

    The seismic event unfolded around 9:41 p.m. local time Tuesday, which translates to 01:41 UTC on Wednesday, per the center’s preliminary assessment. Geospatial data pins the earthquake’s coordinates at 17.44 degrees north latitude and 61.18 degrees west longitude, with the hypocenter sitting roughly 39 kilometers below the ocean floor.

    Calculations place the epicenter approximately 82 kilometers northeast of St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda’s capital, 135 kilometers northeast of Brades, the administrative center of Montserrat, and 138 kilometers north-northeast of Point-à-Pitre, the largest city on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.

    In the immediate hours after the tremor was recorded, no reports of structural damage or human harm have emerged across the region. The Seismic Research Centre has emphasized that the current geographic and magnitude data is fully automated, generated by computer processing algorithms. Officials noted that final parameters will be updated after manual review and further analysis by the center’s team of professional seismologists.

  • Haiti at the High-Level International Conference on Water and Development

    Haiti at the High-Level International Conference on Water and Development

    From May 25 to 28, 2026, the capital city of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, is hosting the 4th High-Level International Conference focused on the 2018-2028 Decade of Action for Water and Sustainable Development. Representing Haiti at the invitation of the conference, Environment Minister Valéry Fils-Aimé is participating in the gathering under instructions from Haiti’s Prime Minister, aligning his delegation’s participation with the Haitian government’s core strategic priorities: integrated water resources management, enhanced climate resilience, and strengthened national environmental governance.

    This landmark global conference convenes senior delegation leaders, national government representatives, leaders of multilateral international institutions, and development partners from across every continent. The core agenda centers on pressing, shared challenges: advancing inclusive water governance, building systemic climate resilience, and embedding water security into long-term sustainable development strategies. For Haiti, the conference represents a critical opportunity to expand technical collaboration and open new cooperation channels for two key national projects: the revitalization of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INARHY) and broader efforts to improve sustainable water resource management across the Caribbean nation.

    On May 26, Minister Fils-Aimé delivered an address to the plenary assembly that outlined major progress Haiti has achieved in its water sector over the 2005-2015 decade. Key milestones he highlighted included the establishment and institutional strengthening of the National Directorate for Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA), which consolidated a national governance framework for water access. He also noted the completion of targeted water infrastructure projects across dozens of rural and urban municipalities, the rollout of community-led hygiene and sanitation public awareness campaigns, and the development of durable technical and financial partnerships with the global community to address long-standing structural vulnerabilities in Haiti’s water system.

    Central to Fils-Aimé’s address was the argument that no climate-vulnerable nation can tackle the interconnected crises of water insecurity and accelerating climate change in isolation. He called for a new era of strengthened global solidarity rooted in equitable knowledge sharing, open technology transfer, and expanded access to climate finance for the world’s most vulnerable countries.

    Outlining Haiti’s specific policy asks, Fils-Aimé emphasized four core priorities: expanded access to climate finance and dedicated support mechanisms for low-income and vulnerable nations; accelerated technology transfer and capacity building in sustainable water management, national hydrological monitoring, and climate resilience infrastructure; cross-border collaborative action to protect critical water ecosystems and transboundary watersheds; and increased international backing for local community initiatives that boost adaptive capacity for marginalized populations facing environmental crises.

    As part of the global 2018-2028 Decade of Action framework, Fils-Aimé also presented Haiti’s upcoming domestic initiatives to strengthen water governance and climate resilience. Key national priorities set out by the minister include the finalization and rollout of the National Water and Sanitation Plan (PHAN), the formal establishment of the revitalized National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INARHY), the mainstreaming of water security concerns into national climate adaptation policy, and the validation of the National Integrated Water Resources Management Plan (IWRM 2025–2050), which is currently in the final approval stage.

    In closing his remarks, Fils-Aimé highlighted the critical importance of inclusive, community-centered water management projects that center the participation of women, youth, and Indigenous local stakeholders in long-term sustainable water resource governance, echoing the conference’s core focus on leaving no community behind in the global push for water security.

  • Milieu autoriteit benadrukt: nog geen besluit over opslag radioactieve bronnen

    Milieu autoriteit benadrukt: nog geen besluit over opslag radioactieve bronnen

    Public concern over a proposed permanent radioactive source storage facility tied to Suriname’s oil development sector has prompted an official response from the country’s National Environmental Authority (NMA), which has moved to clarify the project’s current status and regulatory process.

    In a statement released on May 26, the NMA acknowledged that widespread anxiety has emerged among Suriname’s communities regarding the planned facility, which will store radioactive materials used in oil exploration and production operations. The regulator emphasized that all mandatory legal protocols for environmental impact assessment are being strictly followed at every stage of the project review, and no final evaluation or approval decision has been issued to date.

    According to the NMA, the proposal is currently in the active public consultation period, a key requirement for major infrastructure projects with potential environmental risks in Suriname. The authority has issued a formal call for all relevant stakeholders and ordinary citizens to submit their concerns, feedback, alternative perspectives and expert input either in written form or through scheduled public consultation sessions.

    The NMA stressed that every submission of public concern will receive a full substantive review, and all input will be weighted seriously when the authority conducts its final evaluation of the facility proposal. Under Suriname’s environmental regulations, the project developer and its contracted environmental consultants are legally required to integrate all public objections, proposed alternative solutions, and suggested risk mitigation measures in full into the final consolidated environmental impact report (EIR) for the project.

    Only after this complete, updated EIR is officially submitted to the regulator will the NMA begin its in-depth substantive assessment and move forward with formal decision-making on whether to approve the permanent radioactive storage facility, the authority confirmed.

  • Ambitious action plan of the Haitian Minister of Culture

    Ambitious action plan of the Haitian Minister of Culture

    Haiti’s Minister of Culture and Communication (MCC) Emmanuel Ménard has laid out a sweeping multi-faceted action plan targeted for full implementation by the close of the 2025-2026 fiscal year on August 31, 2026, as part of the broader national push for state institutional reform and modernization. The plan centers on four core pillars that tie institutional overhaul, cultural preservation, public engagement, and economic growth into a unified vision for strengthening Haiti’s national identity and governance.

    The first pillar focuses on internal institutional modernization, designed to embed core values of transparency, administrative efficiency, and closer citizen engagement across the ministry’s operations. Key reforms include updating the ministry’s outdated legal framework, establishing new dedicated legal and internal audit units, strengthening existing accountability and oversight mechanisms, and expanding the ministry’s physical and operational presence across all of Haiti’s regional departments. These structural changes are intended to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and bring government cultural services closer to communities across the country.

    A second and central priority of the plan is restoring culture to its rightful place as a core driver of national development, through targeted investments in preserving Haiti’s rich collective memory. The ministry has outlined concrete initiatives to safeguard both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, rehabilitate deteriorating historical sites, restore critical national cultural infrastructure, and elevate the legacies of iconic figures in Haitian history. Standout projects in this area include the full restoration of Anténor Firmin’s historic house, the conversion of Jacmel’s existing School-Workshop into a national Artistic Restoration Center, and a series of upgrades to national museums and protected historical monuments across the country, all designed to preserve the nation’s heritage for coming generations.

    The plan also takes an inclusive approach to centering the foundational roots of Haitian national identity, with dedicated protections for grassroots and traditional cultural practices that form the soul of the nation. Minister Ménard’s agenda prioritizes official recognition and protection for traditional Lakou communal encampments, mystical societies, folk traditions, and community-held heritage, framing these practices as irreplaceable components of Haitian culture. Planned interventions at multiple historic Lakou sites, most notably in Gonaïves, and the development of the Lakou Bwakayiman project, mark a deliberate step toward honoring the value of traditional knowledge and ancestral practices that have long shaped Haitian life.

    Beyond cultural preservation, the ministry is set to modernize its public communication and citizen outreach functions to bridge the gap between government and the Haitian public. Key upgrades include expanding the operational capacity of Radio Télévision Nationale d’Haïti (RTNH), relaunching the official State Journal with a new digital-first format, launching regular publications of the MCC Review, and establishing a new national Information and Communication Center that includes a 24/7 public call center for citizen inquiries.

    Finally, the plan includes comprehensive measures to support cultural workers and unlock growth in Haiti’s domestic creative economy. Reforms here range from conducting the first-ever general census of the country’s cultural sector, issuing standardized professional identification cards for cultural workers, providing streamlined administrative support for independent cultural operators, establishing a dedicated national cultural development fund, and organizing the inaugural Haitian Creativity Festival. These measures are designed to professionalize the cultural sector, spur artistic innovation, and create new sustainable economic opportunities for artists, artisans, writers, musicians, and cultural professionals across every region of Haiti.

    Minister Ménard’s agenda ties all these priorities together into a clear, forward-looking national vision: by strengthening institutional governance, revitalizing cultural heritage, and empowering cultural creators, Haiti can build a more confident, connected, and resilient nation proud of its unique identity and ready for future growth.

  • Sticker Shock at the Meter: What’s Driving Higher Bills?

    Sticker Shock at the Meter: What’s Driving Higher Bills?

    Across Belize, thousands of households are opening their monthly electricity statements to jaw-dropping numbers that have left many reeling financially and frustrated with the national utility provider. Starting in early 2026, widespread reports of bills doubling and even tripling compared to previous months have spread across social media, uniting residents in shared anger and confusion over the unanticipated price surge. For working families already navigating broader cost-of-living pressures, the unexpected jump in energy costs has stretched already tight budgets to breaking point, leaving many questioning what is actually driving the sudden increases.

    The national utility provider, Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), has publicly addressed the outcry, attributing the higher bills entirely to unseasonably warm seasonal temperatures. In an official statement released in response to public inquiries, the company noted that warmer weather forces cooling systems – from ceiling fans to central air conditioning units – to run far more frequently and work harder to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures, which directly increases total energy consumption and final billing totals. BEL added that it prioritizes customer well-being and offered small, actionable energy-saving tips for residents, such as using circulating fans to reduce AC reliance and closing window blinds during the hottest peak daytime hours to block solar heat.

    But this explanation has failed to satisfy thousands of angry customers, many of whom point out that their energy use habits have not changed, even as their bills have skyrocketed. A resident of San Pedro shared her statement with local outlet News Five, showing that her bill has more than doubled over just three months, despite only running a single refrigerator and keeping her daily energy routine unchanged. A second resident from Orange Walk reported a $167 jump in her monthly bill, also noting that the only major appliance in her home is a single refrigerator. Even a Belize City resident who occasionally runs an AC for short periods reported a more than $105 increase, a jump far out of line with his minimal additional usage.

    A number of customers have also raised questions about BEL’s recent shift to digital metering, claiming that their bills began climbing immediately after the new meters were installed. When pressed on this claim, BEL denied that any changes have been made to billing calculation systems, maintaining that its metering and billing processes remain unchanged.

    In on-the-record interviews with News Five reporter Britney Gordon, multiple customers emphasized that they already practice strict energy conservation, yet are still facing crippling increases. “I don’t consume that amount of electricity. You understand? Because once I go into one room, I put on that light. Once I’m not in the room I turn off the light,” one BEL customer told Gordon. When asked if she had noticed a dramatic change in bills since April, the customer responded that costs have climbed across the board: “Right now. It’s going up. Everything’s going up. Whenever gas goes up, everything goes up.”

    As of May 26, 2026, BEL continues to stand by its temperature-driven explanation and has urged residents to adjust their energy habits to lower costs. News Five has reached out to BEL for additional comment and further clarification on customer concerns, but has not yet received a formal response. The public outcry continues to build, with growing calls for an independent audit of the utility’s billing practices to resolve the conflicting claims.