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  • Said Musa, “Musa: We Laid the Tracks for Belize’s Growth”

    Said Musa, “Musa: We Laid the Tracks for Belize’s Growth”

    Nearly three decades after his People’s United Party (PUP) swept to power in a historic 1998 landslide win, former Belize Prime Minister Said Musa is reflecting on his administration’s transformative economic policies, arguing the government laid the enduring foundational framework that continues to drive the country’s development today.

    Musa’s signature “economic train” pledge was far more than a rhetorical campaign talking point during the 1998 election cycle: it was a concrete promise to reverse years of economic stagnation, reignite sustainable growth, expand development opportunities, and put thousands of unemployed Belizeans back to work. Almost immediately after the PUP took office, Musa says, the country’s economy posted a clear, immediate upswing, fueled by targeted policy reforms designed to attract new domestic and foreign investment and expand critical public infrastructure across the country.

    In a recent reflection on his administration’s work, Musa emphasized that the PUP government did not just jumpstart short-term economic momentum — it built the long-term “tracks” that current development efforts still rest on.

    “The core priorities of our government were threefold: upgrade the national education system, expand access to the National Health Insurance (NHI) system, and stimulate long-term economic stability through diversification,” Musa explained. “We recognized early that Belize could not sustain its economy relying only on traditional exports like sugar and citrus. That is why we spearheaded the development of the domestic banana industry, and laid the groundwork that later allowed the business process outsourcing and call center sector to take root. Today, that call center industry is a major success story, creating thousands of stable jobs for Belize’s young people.”

    Musa also highlighted his administration’s investment in technical and vocational education, pointing to the establishment of the Institute of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ITVET) centers across the country. “We did not just build one ITVET in Belize City — we brought a skills training center to every district in Belize, training thousands of young people in a wide range of in-demand trades. That foundational investment in workforce skills means that even as new industries like artificial intelligence, computer science, and robotics emerge today, Belize has the base to build on that progress.”

    Despite these claimed achievements, the legacy of Musa’s 1998 administration remains contested. Some economic historians point to the government’s heavy reliance on external borrowing during that period as the root of long-term debt challenges that Belize continues to grapple with decades later.

    This report is a direct transcript of an evening television broadcast, with all Kriol language statements transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accuracy.

  • Musa Decries Decline of Ombudsman’s Office

    Musa Decries Decline of Ombudsman’s Office

    It has been nearly 30 years since Said Musa’s administration cemented the Office of the Ombudsman as a cornerstone of Belize’s public accountability framework. First established under a previous government led by Manuel Esquivel, the legislation creating the independent oversight body sat unused for five years, until the People’s United Party (PUP) won office in 1998 and followed through on the policy, appointing Paul Rodriguez as Belize’s first official ombudsman.

    Decades later, this institution once hailed as a critical pillar of transparent and responsive governance is facing an unprecedented leadership vacuum. As of this September 2026 report, the post of ombudsman has remained empty for nearly a year — a gap that former Prime Minister Musa argues has severely weakened a key institutional check designed to protect ordinary Belizean residents.

    In an interview, Musa did not mince words describing the situation, calling the prolonged vacancy nothing less than a national disappointment. “It is a damn shame to put it that way, because the Ombudsman is a very important arm of the nation,” Musa said. “And it need not be progovernment or anything. In fact, it is independent of government. In fact, it is there to protect the people. In other countries they call it defender of the people.”

    The former prime minister also noted that the current vacancy arose after the previous ombudsman came into conflict with the sitting administration, a dispute that Musa says he still finds puzzling. “I cannot understand it to this day. I guess we have to move beyond that now,” he added.

    This report is adapted from a transcribed segment of an evening television news broadcast, with all quoted statements preserved accurately to reflect the speaker’s original comments.

  • Musa Reflects on His Fight for Financial Accountability

    Musa Reflects on His Fight for Financial Accountability

    Nearly 21 years ago, a landmark piece of legislation reshaped how Belize manages its public finances, putting in place critical guardrails to curb corruption and mismanagement of taxpayer funds. Now, the leader who shepherded that reform through government is sounding a new call for vigilance, warning that the fight for transparency remains far from over for the Central American nation.

    In a recent interview reflecting on his legacy, former Prime Minister Said Musa recalled the context that pushed his administration to act back in 2005, during his second term in office. At the time, the young country — which had only gained full independence in 1981 — still lacked robust institutional frameworks to oversee public spending, leaving it vulnerable to the kind of systemic corruption that has destabilized other nations across the region. To address this gap, Musa’s government passed the historic Finance and Audit Reform Act, a sweeping piece of policy designed to strengthen regulatory oversight, lock in safeguards for public money, and hold government officials accountable for how they spend taxpayer resources.

    Looking back on the reform decades later, Musa emphasized that the legislation’s proactive safeguards have been instrumental in keeping Belize’s public finance system fairer and more transparent than many of its regional counterparts. “We had to put in place these protections to prevent corruption from taking root in both our political party and the public service,” Musa explained. “That work is what has helped Belize maintain a relatively stable and equitable system. We avoided the kind of crippling corruption that has brought down governments elsewhere, and that is no accident.”

    But the former prime minister stressed that progress on transparency is not a one-time achievement — it requires constant effort from successive generations of leaders. “We cannot become complacent and we cannot give up this fight,” he said. At the core of sustaining accountability, Musa argued, is ongoing public engagement: leaders must keep citizens informed, actively consult communities on policy decisions, and be open about both the benefits and risks of government initiatives. “If you want public support for your work, you have to be honest about the pros and cons, lay out the challenges as well as the gains, and stick to the right path,” he said.

    Today, the Finance and Audit Reform Act remains a foundational regulatory document for Belize’s Office of the Auditor General, and has served as a core framework for the office’s annual public audit reports for nearly two decades. In his message to Belize’s current sitting leaders, Musa urged officials to uphold the law, protect the national public purse, and preserve the trust that the Belizean people place in their democratic institutions.

    This article is adapted from a transcript of an evening television news broadcast.

  • Labor Tribunal Finds Central Bank Wrongfully Fired Employee

    Labor Tribunal Finds Central Bank Wrongfully Fired Employee

    Fourteen months after a veteran employee of the Central Bank of Belize was abruptly fired over a personal social media post, a key labor arbitration body has delivered a landmark ruling that sends a clear message to employers across the small Central American nation: procedural fairness and collective bargaining agreements are not optional.

    In its decision finalized on August 28, 2026, the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal found that the Central Bank violated its own Collective Bargaining Agreement rules when it terminated Dapheen Bowen, a 19-year veteran of the institution, in June 2025. The case stemmed from disciplinary action taken against Bowen over content she posted to her personal social media account. But the tribunal’s findings confirmed that the bank failed at every step of due process: Bowen was never formally notified of the formal complaint against her, nor was she given a legitimate opportunity to present a defense before the termination was handed down.

    While the arbitration panel concluded that the irrevocable breakdown of the employment relationship made reinstating Bowen to her former role impractical, it ordered the Central Bank to pay Bowen nearly $27,000 in compensation for the wrongful dismissal. Bowen has been represented throughout the process by the Christian Workers Union (CWU), which raised objections to the termination from the day it was announced.

    CWU President Leonora Flowers, who has overseen the union’s legal work on the case, spoke publicly about the long fight for justice for her member. “From the very beginning, we made clear to the bank that the termination was unlawful and violated existing labor regulations,” Flowers said in an interview following the ruling. “Because the Central Bank is classified as an essential service under Belizean law, we were required to bring the dispute before the Essential Services Arbitration Tribunal. The 14-month wait was agonizing for Bowen, who was sent home immediately after the firing and faced significant hardship in that time. All the union could do was stand by her and assure her that justice would eventually come.”

    Flowers added that the ruling’s final outcome, which came down firmly on the side of the employee, was a vindication for the union’s commitment to following the formal legal process. “When the ruling came down, it was such a relief to see that the law was upheld. It confirms that as long as we know our rights under the law and stand firm, we will get the outcome our members deserve,” she said.

    Labor leaders across Belize have emphasized that the ruling carries broader implications for all employers operating in the country. Any employer that chooses to disregard negotiated workplace protocols and due process requirements, they warn, faces significant financial and legal consequences for cutting corners on procedural fairness. This ruling sets a clear precedent that upholds the terms of collective bargaining agreements and reinforces the right of workers to fair treatment even when disciplinary action is being considered.

    This report is adapted from a televised evening news broadcast transcript published online.

  • Power Supply Emergency Forces BEL to Seek New Energy Sources

    Power Supply Emergency Forces BEL to Seek New Energy Sources

    In a groundbreaking move aimed at addressing an imminent energy gap, the government of Belize has officially declared a national power supply emergency, giving the country’s primary electricity provider, Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), the green light to accelerate efforts to secure alternative energy sources after its long-standing primary supplier proved increasingly unstable.

    The emergency declaration, approved by the Belizean Cabinet last week, removes bureaucratic barriers that previously slowed BEL’s ability to negotiate new power purchase agreements. For years, Belize has relied heavily on imported electricity from Mexico’s state-owned utility Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), but CFE has been grappling with its own widespread energy infrastructure challenges in recent years, leading to frequent delivery disruptions and eroding Belize’s confidence in the cross-border supply arrangement.

    While preliminary talks have been held to explore potential power imports from neighboring Guatemala, those discussions remain in the early conceptual phase, with no concrete agreements on the horizon. That has pushed Belizean officials to prioritize developing domestic energy capacity, with a specific focus on expanding renewable energy generation across the country.

    Dr. Leroy Almendarez, Chief Executive Officer of Belize’s Ministry of Public Utilities, outlined the government’s core strategy in remarks prepared for a national broadcast, noting that the end goal is to lock in affordable, reliable power generated within Belize’s borders—at a lower cost than the current imported power from Mexico.

    “Every new power procurement we move forward with is guided by two core priorities: expanding access to reliable electricity for all Belizeans, and securing that power at the lowest possible cost, which we believe can only be achieved by leaning into domestic resources,” Almendarez explained.

    A centerpiece of the new strategy is the country’s existing distributed generation framework, overseen by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which is designed to unlock small-scale renewable energy development from private households and businesses. Under the program, property owners can install their own solar panels, power their homes or commercial operations, and connect their systems to the national grid. Any excess energy generated beyond on-site use can be sold back to BEL at a fixed rate of 6.5 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour, or 13 Belize cents.

    Almendarez emphasized that this distributed renewable model is already the cheapest source of power available to Belize, and the program has already proven successful: currently, 11 megawatts of electricity are already flowing into the national grid from distributed renewable generation projects. Moving forward, BEL’s upcoming procurement rounds will prioritize this model, with opportunities for projects ranging from 250 kilowatts up to 1 megawatt in capacity.

    By centering distributed renewables, officials aim to avoid the pitfall of locking in high-cost power imports that would ultimately force consumers to cut back on electricity use due to unaffordable rate hikes. The emergency declaration kickstarts a formal procurement process that is expected to attract domestic and international investment in Belize’s growing renewable energy sector, as the country transitions away from its reliance on unstable regional imports.

  • BEL Warns of Shortfall as Consumers Endure Outages

    BEL Warns of Shortfall as Consumers Endure Outages

    For thousands of residents across Belize, what was once a hypothetical warning about an impending energy crisis has now become a disruptive daily reality. Starting in early September 2026, communities nationwide are facing unplanned and scheduled electricity outages that can last for hours at a time, sending ripple effects through every corner of everyday life. Remote workers are locked out of job responsibilities, students face insurmountable barriers to completing schoolwork, and ordinary families are forced to swelter through unrelenting heat without access to cooling when temperatures climb.

    The national energy provider, Belize Electricity Limited (BEL), has formally acknowledged that it is bracing for a sustained power generation shortfall, but frustrated consumers are demanding answers about why the blackouts have begun now and which stakeholders bear responsibility for the gap in energy supply. To address growing public confusion, Dr. Leroy Almendarez, Chief Executive Officer of Belize’s Ministry of Public Utilities, broke down the core factors driving the latest round of controlled rolling outages, commonly referred to as load shedding.

    Pushing back against widespread public narratives that pin blame on energy supplier Mexico, Almendarez argued that the root issue lies in insufficient domestic energy reserves within Belize itself. Under normal operating conditions, Mexico acts as a backup energy supplier to cover gaps between domestic generation and total consumer demand. But when domestic generation falls short and Mexico is unable to provide additional power to make up the difference, BEL has no spare reserve capacity to absorb the sudden gap. The controlled outages, he explained, are a proactive measure to prevent total, nationwide grid collapse that would far outlast the current rolling cuts.

    Almendarez used a concrete example to illustrate the imbalance: if total consumer demand hits 130 megawatts at peak usage, but BEL only has 120 megawatts of energy available across domestic and backup sources, the 10-megawatt shortfall creates dangerous instability for the entire electrical grid. To prevent a total system failure, grid operators must cut supply to a portion of consumers, rotating outages across different regions to distribute the impact as fairly as possible. When designing load shedding schedules, Almendarez noted, BEL prioritizes the protection of critical public services, prioritizing consistent power access for hospitals, schools, and other essential infrastructure even during periods of shortfall.

    Even with these mitigation measures in place, BEL has issued formal warnings that additional outages are likely through the current day and into the next, leaving Belizean residents bracing for more disruption to their daily routines amid the ongoing energy crisis. This report is adapted from a televised evening news transcript.

  • Government Targets Trade Bottlenecks with Digital Solution

    Government Targets Trade Bottlenecks with Digital Solution

    For years, cross-border trade in Belize has been plagued by inefficient, paper-heavy processes that force importers and exporters to navigate mountains of documentation, absorb unnecessary extra costs, and endure costly, frustrating delays at border checkpoints. To address these longstanding systemic issues, the Belizean government has launched an ambitious digital modernization initiative: the development of an Electronic Single Window for Trade, a unified digital platform that will consolidate all core trade-related government services into a single, accessible online hub.

    Development work on the platform kicked off earlier in 2026, launched in direct response to years of complaints from the local trade community about the country’s convoluted, paper-based clearance procedures. On September 9, Marconi Leal Junior, Belize’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, held a working meeting with technical representatives from the Uruguay-based technology firm contracted to build the platform. Following the discussion, Leal outlined the transformative potential of the project for Belize’s trade administration ecosystem.

    Leal emphasized that the digital single window represents a long-awaited opportunity to streamline end-to-end processes for both importers and exporters, calling it the starting point of one of the government’s most critical infrastructure projects for trade growth. “For years, traders have faced the unnecessary challenge of submitting separate documents to multiple agencies, from the Belize Agricultural Health Authority to other regulatory bodies, just to get clearance,” Leal explained. “The single window will eliminate this fragmented process entirely. All uploaded documents, permits, and approval requests will be accessible to every relevant authority through one system, turning a multi-step, weeks-long process into a simplified, digital workflow that cuts red tape at every turn.”

    Leal went on to outline the project’s progress to date, noting that extensive stakeholder consultations were held before the vendor was selected, and the development team is already on the ground in Belize to begin implementation. A dedicated cross-agency trade project team has been assembled to coordinate collaboration across all participating government bodies, with technical support from Belize’s Central Information Technology Office (CITO) and the national E-Governance initiative to ensure the platform integrates smoothly with existing government digital systems.

    The first phase of rollout will connect five of Belize’s most trade-relevant regulatory agencies: the Customs and Excise Department, the Chief Pharmacist Office, the Supplies Control Unit, the Belize Agricultural Health Authority, and the Belize Fisheries Department. Future phases will expand the platform to include additional agencies and services as the project matures.

  • Nineteen-Year-Old Charged in Kareem Garcia Murder

    Nineteen-Year-Old Charged in Kareem Garcia Murder

    A major breakthrough has been made in the high-profile fatal shooting case of 23-year-old Kareem Garcia, with Belizean law enforcement officials announcing a formal murder charge against 19-year-old Leon St. Clair.

    St. Clair, an unemployed resident of Belize City, was arraigned on the charge on September 9, 2026, more than one week after the brazen daytime attack that claimed Garcia’s life. According to police accounts, Garcia, a resident of the Belizean community Unitedville, was on the job alongside fellow workers at a road construction project in Cotton Tree Village on August 31 when two suspects arrived at the site on a motorcycle. One of the two men drew a hidden firearm, fired multiple rounds directly at Garcia, and inflicted fatal wounds before both attackers fled the scene.

    In the immediate days following the shooting, investigators had not identified a confirmed motive for the killing. Law enforcement did open lines of inquiry into a potential link between Garcia’s murder and a double homicide that took place just days earlier in nearby Santa Elena. Assistant Superintendent of Police Stacy Smith noted that investigators were exploring the possibility that the string of violence was connected to illicit drug trade activity in the region, but emphasized that no definitive connection between the incidents had been proven at that stage.

    The case drew heightened public controversy ahead of Garcia’s funeral, when a violent confrontation broke out between responding police officers and members of the victim’s family at Unitedville Cemetery. Family members accused law enforcement of interfering with preparations at Garcia’s tomb, and user-shared footage circulating online captured a heated verbal exchange that escalated to physical conflict.

    With the arrest and charging of St. Clair, the investigation has shifted from an active manhunt for a suspect to pre-trial proceedings, though law enforcement has released few additional details about the case. Police have not made public the evidence that led investigators to identify St. Clair as a suspect, nor have they confirmed whether a second suspect remains at large in connection with the August 31 attack.

  • Said Musa Defends Cuba as Medical Mission Faces Uncertainty

    Said Musa Defends Cuba as Medical Mission Faces Uncertainty

    As mounting pressure from the United States casts a growing shadow over Belize’s long-standing diplomatic and cooperative relationship with Cuba, one of the nation’s most prominent former leaders is pushing back against calls to cut ties, arguing that abandoning Havana would betray a decades-long partner that stood by Belize long before it secured full sovereignty.

    Former Prime Minister Said Musa made the forceful remarks in an exclusive interview with local outlet News Five, speaking out as the future of Cuba’s well-known medical brigade deployed in Belize hangs in the balance. Musa traced the history of Cuban support back to the era when Belize was still known as British Honduras, struggling to secure its territorial integrity in the face of a long-running territorial claim from neighboring Guatemala. At a time when much of the international community remained on the sidelines, Musa emphasized, Cuba offered unwavering backing for Belize’s path to independence and self-determination.

    The former prime minister, who has personal experience receiving medical care from Cuban medical professionals alongside hundreds of other Belizean citizens, said he could never accept calls to sever ties with the island nation. “These people have stood with us, sending doctors and nurses to our country. Took care of me in fact. I had to go there for some treatment as well, and many Belizeans,” Musa noted. He added that both Mexico and Cuba have been consistent, faithful allies to Belize throughout its modern history, recalling that Mexico dropped its own historical territorial claim over Belizean territory on the condition that Guatemala would do the same.

    Today, the territorial dispute that has shaped Belize’s foreign policy for generations is nearing a final resolution. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to issue its final ruling on the dispute by the end of 2027, and Musa expressed confidence that the outcome will confirm Belize’s full territorial sovereignty from the Hondo River to the Sarstoon River. “I think eventually with the ICJ giving its decision by the end of next year, that whole thing will be behind us and Belize will remain intact, from the Hondo to the Sarstoon. I can assure the Belizean people about that,” he said.

    Against this backdrop of nearing a final resolution to the country’s most pressing territorial issue, Musa argued that turning away from Cuba would be a profound betrayal of the allies that supported Belize through its most uncertain moments. “So, we can’t in this time now, when we are moving towards a complete solution to the problem, abandon Cuba, no, no. We have to find another way to deal with this problem,” Musa stated. He emphasized that the early foundations of Belize’s independence were built on trust: trust in the Belizean people to make the right choices for their future, and trust in the international partners that stood alongside the nation when its sovereignty was still unrecognized by many.

    This report is based on a transcript of a televised evening news broadcast from the outlet, with all quoted remarks preserved and transcribed accurately.

  • No Wrongdoing Found, but Pinelo Review Continues

    No Wrongdoing Found, but Pinelo Review Continues

    Months after an initial internal probe cleared former Acting Chief Forest Officer John Pinelo of any misconduct, scrutiny into his alleged improper dealings with a private business figure has reignited in Belize’s public service sector.

    While the first internal investigation turned up no evidence of wrongdoing on Pinelo’s part, the formal review process for the allegations against him is still ongoing. Currently, Pinelo continues to hold his position as Deputy Chief Forest Officer, his post unchanged amid the ongoing review.

    Sustainable Development Minister Orlando Habet confirmed this week that the Chief Executive Officer of his ministry is currently conducting a thorough review of the compiled report on the allegations. Once this internal review is completed, the document will be passed along to the Ministry of the Public Service, the governing body that will determine the next steps for the case. That ministry will make a final call on whether the inquiry will close with no further action, or if additional disciplinary or investigative steps will be taken against Pinelo.

    Habet reiterated Pinelo’s current standing in the department in comments to reporters, stating: “He’s still with the department. He’s still on his role as deputy chief forest officer, and that is where he is now. A report was given by him. The CEO is reviewing that, and they are sending that to the Minister of Public Service, and then they decide if it stays there, it goes further to, to the commissioner.”

    Separately, the government has confirmed it will move forward with readvertising the vacant Chief Forest Officer position, a post that Pinelo previously held in an acting capacity. The process to fill the permanent role will proceed as the review of Pinelo’s case advances through the public service pipeline.

    This report is adapted from a transcript of a televised evening newscast, with all statements rendered accurately per standard transcription protocols.