标签： Belize

Against a global backdrop of rising public demand for accountable, in-depth reporting, the newsroom of Greater Belize Media’s News 5 has completed a targeted two-day skills-building workshop to elevate its investigative journalism capacity.

Hosted by veteran award-winning Canadian journalist Cecil Rosner, who currently serves as managing editor of the Investigative Journalism Foundation, the workshop brought together reporters, editors, digital content specialists and newsroom leadership to refine core investigative practices. The training initiative was made possible through a Trainer Grant from the Public Media Alliance, a component of the organization’s Global Grants programme that receives financial backing from the Grace Wyndham Goldie (BBC) Trust Fund.

Unlike generic journalism training, the workshop focused heavily on hands-on, practical skills tailored to the realities of 21st-century reporting. Curriculum modules covered cutting-edge open-source intelligence gathering methods, protocols for accessing and analyzing public government records, ethical frameworks for integrating artificial intelligence into investigative work, advanced interviewing techniques, and narrative strategies for crafting compelling, impactful stories. Attendees also engaged in deep discussions about the complex legal and ethical dilemmas that investigative journalists frequently encounter when pursuing accountability reporting.

Marleni Cuellar, CEO of Great Belize Productions Ltd., which operates News 5, framed the training as a direct response to shifting audience expectations. Today’s news consumers do not settle for quick daily headlines, Cuellar explained: “Audiences globally are demanding more of their local newsrooms, not just answers from those in power, but the fuller picture: the context, the consequences, and the impact and relevance of each story on their lives. Belizeans are no different.”

News Editor Isani Cayetano emphasized that the workshop comes at a critical turning point for Belize’s journalism sector. Local newsrooms across the country face mounting pressure to produce more in-depth reporting even as they operate with constrained resources and increasingly tight production deadlines. “The programme strengthens our capacity to dig deeper, ask tougher questions, and follow stories beyond the surface, journalistic skills that are essential in holding power to account and serving the public interest,” Cayetano said.

For Digital Editor Hipolito Novelo, the training reinforces the News 5 newsroom’s longstanding commitment to moving beyond superficial, surface-level coverage. “Strong investigative reporting is built on persistence, verification and context. This training gave our team valuable tools to strengthen those areas while adapting to the realities of modern journalism. Ultimately, it helps us tell more meaningful stories and better serve the Belizean public,” Novelo added.

Rosner, the workshop lead, drew on more than four decades of cross-platform journalism experience spanning print, broadcast and digital media to lead the sessions. Throughout his decades-long career, Rosner has built a reputation for unpacking complex, underreported stories and training new generations of investigative journalists across the globe.

For decades, children facing harm and legal trouble in Belize have fallen through the cracks of a fragmented support system. Children experiencing domestic abuse would be handled by one set of social welfare agencies, while young people who encountered legal issues fell under the purview of a completely separate body – with barely any cross-communication between the two teams. This disjointed structure put vulnerable young lives at unnecessary risk, as delayed coordination left children waiting for critical support while agencies sorted out conflicting responsibilities.

On the small Caribbean island of Caye Caulker, a well-established independent non-profit high school is standing its ground against a government push to end its operations, as authorities move forward with plans to launch a competing public secondary institution on the island. Ocean Academy, a beloved community-centered secondary school that has served local students for years, has formally rejected a formal request from Belize’s Ministry of Education to voluntarily revoke its operational license, confirming it will remain an independent educational provider for the island’s community.

School leadership confirmed to local outlet News 5 that ministry representatives explicitly stated the upcoming government-run secondary school would operate with no formal affiliation or partnership with Ocean Academy, leaving the independent institution with no clear role in the new public project. Following a series of consultations with parents of current students, alumni, and other key community stakeholders, the school’s governing body voted unanimously to reject the government’s request.

Founder Heidi Curry explained the decision was rooted in deep community ties and widespread support for Ocean Academy’s unique educational model. “We have generations of alumni who deeply value their Ocean Academy diplomas and the reputation that comes with the school’s seal,” Curry said in an interview. “Parents are also consistently enthusiastic about our hands-on experiential learning framework, our specialized programs, and the unique curriculum we have built over the years. As a non-profit rooted in this community, we listened to what our stakeholders wanted, and we made the decision to keep moving forward on our independent path.”

The standoff comes as Ocean Academy is already navigating significant post-disaster recovery challenges. The school’s original campus suffered months of disruptive closures after severe flooding left widespread mold damage across the building. After extensive structural repairs and renovations to the upper floors of the campus, most students were able to return to in-person learning at the main site in April 2026. To adapt to the remaining damage, school administrators repurposed one upstairs classroom into new office space and restrooms, and the entire contaminated ground floor was permanently abandoned. This overhaul has left the school two classrooms short of its needs, forcing one group of students to continue attending classes at an off-site location as the region’s annual rainy season approaches.

To address the immediate classroom shortage while the school works toward a long-term solution of building a permanent new campus, Ocean Academy has unveiled plans to construct two modular movable classrooms on a nearby parcel of land. Curry noted that the school has already secured preliminary permission to use the temporary site, and has partnered with an architect to design the movable structures, ensuring that any investment in the facilities can be repurposed for the permanent campus down the line. “We designed the buildings to be movable so that every dollar we invest will benefit our students for years to come, rather than being locked into a site we won’t use long-term,” Curry explained.

To fund both the temporary movable classrooms and the future purchase of a larger plot for a permanent campus, the school has launched a public fundraising campaign branded as Ocean Academy 2.0. Early responses from the donor community have already been promising, with one donor already committing a $25,000 pledge that will go toward a down payment on the future permanent campus property. The proposed new permanent site would allow the school to add long-missing athletic facilities, including a basketball court, volleyball court, and running track, amenities the current campus has never had the space to accommodate.

The school has launched a dedicated website for the initiative, where it will post regular updates on fundraising progress for the movable classrooms, and will eventually share full details of the land purchase agreement once terms are finalized. As the government moves ahead with its plans for the new public school, Ocean Academy remains committed to continuing its 501(c)(3) educational mission on the island, backed by widespread community support.

A recent incident at a Belizean preschool has thrown a long-simmering issue back into the public spotlight: the widespread lack of neurodiversity awareness and accessible support for autistic students across the country’s education system. On Friday, June 20, 2026, three autistic children attending Anglican Diocesan Preschool were reportedly sidelined during the institution’s annual graduation ceremony, pushing the urgent need for systemic change to the top of local advocacy agendas.

A family member of one of the three students confirmed to local media that the ceremony’s seating arrangement placed the autistic children entirely behind the main graduate seating block, positioning them out of clear sight of most parents and event attendees. The deliberate separation has reignited longstanding concerns from disability advocates about how neurodivergent students are marginalized by educational institutions that lack foundational training on supporting autism.

Christie Almeida, founder of leading national advocacy group Autism Belize, emphasized that the incident is unlikely to have stemmed from intentional malice. Instead, she framed it as a clear symptom of deep-rooted gaps in public and institutional understanding of neurodiversity that persist across most Belizean schools. Almeida drew a key distinction between formal equality and targeted equity in education, noting that meaningful inclusion requires far more widespread education about autism and neurodivergent needs than the system currently offers.

Almeida pointed out that repeated missteps like this highlight a critical need for improved, ongoing communication between school leadership, classroom educators and the families of children on the autism spectrum. She called on institutions to proactively engage with autistic people and their families to co-design inclusive practices, rather than making unilaterial decisions that exclude students. “All we can ask is that there is some level of flexibility and that you consult us as parents. Have a sit down, have a discussion, and let’s talk about how best we can involve your child,” Almeida said. “This isn’t something for us to shy away from. Let’s have these conversations and figure out how we support each other.”

To address the recurring gaps in support for neurodivergent students, Almeida highlighted the transformative role that certified, trained classroom aides could play in supporting teachers who often lack the resources or training to accommodate autistic learners. She made a formal policy call for government-funded specialized aide positions, noting that many low- and middle-income Belizean families cannot afford private, one-on-one support for their children. “If government takes it on, it would be a significant cost, but it is something we need to work towards,” she said.

As of June 24, 2026, Anglican Diocesan Preschool has not responded to multiple requests for comment from local outlet News 5 on the incident, leaving the preschool’s official position unstated.

On June 24, 2026, a sudden road collapse at the 17.5-mile marker of Belize’s Hummingbird Highway triggered an immediate closure of the affected stretch, launching urgent emergency repair work while officials issue safety warnings for all passing motorists.

Local residents who first spotted the sinkhole raised urgent alarms about the hazard, telling local outlet News 5 that the depression is both large and deep enough to swallow a heavy commercial truck if any vehicle attempts to drive over the damaged area. The unanticipated collapse has disrupted regular traffic flow along the critical highway, forcing commuters and commercial transport operators to rearrange their travel plans on short notice.

Engineers from the country’s Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing (MIDH) completed an initial inspection of the collapse site shortly after the sinkhole was reported. Their assessment confirmed that the metal culvert installed beneath the highway at this location remains structurally sound. Instead, the failure is traced to the road surface and the supporting fill material positioned above the culvert, which eroded and gave way unexpectedly to create the sinkhole.

Crews of construction and maintenance workers have already mobilized to the site, with the first priority being stabilizing the damaged area to prevent any further expansion of the collapse before full repairs get underway. In an official statement published after the incident, MIDH emphasized that the agency is pulling out all stops to speed up the repair process, while still adhering to strict safety protocols to protect both workers and the traveling public.

To avoid incidents, transportation officials are urging all motorists planning to travel along this corridor to plan ahead and use marked alternative routes whenever possible. Any drivers who must travel near the work zone are instructed to follow all directions from on-site maintenance crews and traffic management personnel.

MIDH has confirmed that it will release new public updates promptly as work progresses, including a formal notification when the damaged section of the highway is fully repaired and reopened to all vehicular traffic.