Cabinet Approves GST Exemption Expansion on Residential Electricity Bills

"If you can't relate, they put you out"-that's what the Prime Minister said a few days ago when he was insisting that he is in touch with the everyday struggles of regular folks.
And, certainly, Cabinet has gotten the memo on those increased electricity bills.
That's why it has approved an increase in the GST exemption on light bills.

Here's how the PM explained it a few days ago:

September 2, 2026
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"We're going to bring to Cabinet a paper where we want to present to increase, to remove the GST on electricity for consumers, I think to about 200 dollars. That in itself is going to be positively affecting our consumers-I think it's about a hundred thousand accounts. We understand, and we're doing the best we can with the little that we have."

So, starting September 1, 2026, home electricity bills of up to $200 per month will be tax-free. That means if your monthly power bill is $200 or less, you won't have to pay the 12.5% GST tax on it.

A Cabinet release says, "This measure is expected to provide direct relief to more than 91,000 customers, representing 96% of all residential customers."

Now, to be clear, GST is already excluded from bills up to $100. So those who will benefit now are consumers whose bills are between $101 and $200.

And for them, the savings will be a maximum of $12.50.

Reports say the waiver will cost the Government about half a million dollars per month in lost revenue.

That 91,000 customer figure likely includes persons whose bills are $100 or less-who are already not paying GST.

Notably, Cabinet also approved an Emergency Declaration to enable BEL to commence the procurement of additional generation capacity to address the projected supply shortfall in 2027.

And, Cabinet says it supports expanding eligibility for the Social Rate from 60 kWh to 80 kWh per month, extending the preferential tariff to approximately 17,000 residential customers.

New U.S. Ambassador Andre Bauer Arrives in Belize

The new U.S. Ambassador to Belize arrived in the country this afternoon.
Ambassador Rudolph Andreas Bauer, otherwise known as Andre Bauer, served as a State Senator in the South Carolina House of Representatives and as Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina from 2003 to 2011. He also appeared as a political commentator on CNN from 2016 to 2019.

Shortly after he landed, Bauer held a press briefing in the VIP room at the Philip Goldson International Airport, where he expressed his excitement to be in Belize:

Andre Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
"I can't just tell you how excited my family and I are to be here. Little Andre is right there. And we, more than anything, we look forward to being part of this community, this country. The President sent me here to try to continue to work on our relations. We have an incredible relationship that's lasted decades now between our two countries. We have so many mutual interests and so many big things getting ready to happen. When you look at the MCC, for example, there's exciting things that are going to help the people of this country and help our country and move opportunities forward for so many Belizeans. And so I'm excited to get to be a part of that. President has sent me here with a message to try to improve safety, security, and opportunities for both countries, and we are really going to focus on that. I think he picked a business person with some background in that to give a different perspective. And so I am extremely excited to be here."

Reporter:
"There are many citizens that view the U.S. Embassy in Belize as a disciplinary presence, to keep local government officials and elected officials in check, sometimes through visa revocations and designations. How do you view the diplomatic relationship dynamic in that regard?"

Andre Bauer:
"So everybody, you know, we all have opinions and different perspectives based on life experiences. The experiences I've seen and most people I've talked to feel very comfortable about the relationship between the two countries. Everybody's entitled to their opinion, but I hope that I'll be able to, to even more, make them feel better about the relationship between the two countries, so they'll be able to judge me by my actions and the actions of what the United States tries to do to work together. And so, people are always going to have opinions that are differ from yours, and hopefully I can, as the spokesperson for the President and someone who represents the United States and is planning on being an integral part of this country... I hope to do a better job of all I can to make people feel good about the relationship between the two countries in our bilateral relationship."

Ambassador Bauer Addresses Resurfaced 2010 Remarks on Government Food Assistance Like Feeding Stray Animals

When it was first announced that Bauer would serve as the new U.S. Ambassador to Belize, many were taken aback by comments he made in 2010. In those statements, he essentially compared Government food assistance for impoverished citizens to "feeding stray animals."

When asked about it, he said it was taken out of context:

Reporter:
"A decade and a half ago, as a younger politician, you drew a comparison between government help for poor people and feeding stray animals during a town hall meeting. The comments were made as part of an argument about government benefits. How do you respond to Belizeans who may be unsettled when they read those reports?"

Andre Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
"If I didn't know the background in the way the press tried to present it, I would feel the same way they did. But I'll tell you, number one, it wasn't about healthcare. It was about generational problems where we don't lift people up-if you just give someone enough dollars to get by, but you show them no vehicle to lift themselves up. America is about opportunity. It's about giving people a vehicle, a pathway to better themselves and better their family. And so when America has a policy that I disagree with-because I actually qualified for free lunches when I was a kid, I came from a broken home and I qualified-and so I believe in doing all we can instead of just giveaways, things like healthcare or transportation to help someone get to their job, or someone to take care of the children while they're trying to get an education so they can fully not have to always worry about the Government taking care of me. I'm all about opportunity, access, and lifting people up, not saying, 'Hey, here's where you're always going to be.' And so some people in government sound real good saying, 'Hey, we want to do this.' But a lot of times the difficult conversation is the one I have, the one where you get beat up by the media because you engage in real discussions about change. It's easy to be the person to say, 'Hey, I just want to give away money, I'm from the government, I'm here to help you.' If you really want to help people, sometimes you have to have very difficult conversations. Are you a parent? Yes, and I think you understand it."

Bauer Not Up To Speed On Safe Third Country Agreement

We also asked Bauer about the Safe Third Country agreement between Belize and the U.S. Since it was technically his first day in office, he explained he didn't have all the details just yet:

Courtney Menzies:
"To what extent has the U.S. utilized its safe third country agreement with Belize, and do you foresee greater use in the future?"

Andre Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
"I read an article today that they were actually taking... they were actually going to engage more of that. Recently I haven't been briefed directly on that. I know that we have had a good relationship, and in ironing out that deal, I don't think it's been fully impacted by the amount that we agreed upon. Actually, I know it hasn't. And so, I don't know that I have a great answer for you there, but I'll work on more for you."

USA has One China Policy - But Belize Urged to Support Taiwan

Another topic we asked Bauer about was the U.S.'s view of the diplomatic ties between Belize and Taiwan.
The global superpower has long urged Belize not to switch allegiance to mainland China-as so many of our Caribbean and Central American neighbors have done. Belize is one of only 12 countries worldwide which recognize Taiwan. Many diplomatic observers believe that is untenable in the long term.

Here's how the new ambassador responded:

Courtney Menzies:
"How much of a priority is it for the U.S. to Belize's relationship and allyship with Taiwan?"

Andre Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
"Taiwan? Both of our countries have prioritized relationship with Taiwan. I've actually been to Taiwan personally. I've spent time with the Taiwanese in South Carolina; they have a manufacturing plant. We have a very good relationship with the Taiwanese, and we prioritize that relationship. And I am very thankful that Belize has prioritized that relationship as well, and I look forward to continuing to facilitate that relationship with the Taiwanese."

Courtney Menzies:
"So why must Belize be bound to Taiwan recognition when the U.S. itself has a One China policy which recognizes mainland China?"

Andre Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
"I don't make policy for Belize. And really, I'm not a legislator, so I'm not making policy for the United States from the perspective I have. I have personally seen the Taiwanese, in good faith, invest money in South Carolina, create jobs, and they've been delightful to work with. And so that's my personal experience. I don't think I can speak on behalf of the Belizean Government and their relationship with the Taiwanese. But I tell you, the United States still considers Taiwan a very good partner and friend, and will continue to do so."

Ambassador Bauer Highlights Youth Employment Strategy for $125M MCC Grant

Bauer also spoke about the Millennium Challenge Corporation's grant of 125 million U.S. dollars to Belize and how that will be spent.

While we know it's being allocated to both energy and education, Bauer emphasized the need to use that money to create job opportunities for the youth:

Andre Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
"Well over $100 million. There will be opportunities for a lot of Belizeans with that money. Not only are we going to look at trying to improve energy here, but we're also going to look at trying to change lives. I'd like to see, over the next few years, I'd really like to see opportunity. I read in one of your posts just the other day disappointing news about continued expansion of people using drugs, and that really concerns me, because I know that path is not a good path to go down. So I think we need to have a conversation of what can we do for the young people, how can we show them a path so that's not the path they want to go down. We do that by opportunities, we do that by structure, we do that by having uncomfortable conversations. So priority to me is what can we do as the United States Government to help the people, the youth. And you have a disproportionate large number of youth here in this country, and so I think we need to have a serious conversation, engage in all we can with MCC to see where some of those dollars can be spent to lift those young people up, to give them an opportunity, whether it's an apprenticeship, whether it's a trade skill. I want to see us do all we can to change opportunities for Belizeans."

Ambassador Says He'll Be Hands-On

And Bauer says creating opportunity is his main mission.

The new ambassador emphasized his desire to immerse himself in the Belizean community-engaging directly with Belizeans and serving as an active, hands-on ambassador:

Andre Bauer, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
"When I leave this post, I want more Belizeans to have opportunities. I want them to feel better about the relationship between our two countries, that we really are working together on many, many fronts. I want them to feel like that we are their closest ally in so many different ways. I want the MCC to really take effect when they see that investment of how much it helped their country, whether it be the grid and the power production, or whether it be opportunities to give people a real, real hope and a real vision. And so those are my biggest dreams. Again, if we can make it safer, if we can do all we can to rid ourselves of illegal drugs, if we can do all, all we can to lift people up-those are my real goals I want to see. And again, some of the questions that you've asked me, I want people of Belize to feel good about our relationship. I want to get out. You're going to see me have meetings all over this country where people come out and ask me anything they want. People that have never met an ambassador before are going to have that opportunity personally. We don't have to agree, but I think sometimes people have changed my mind by good argument. I think that's part of the process, is to engage and give different perspectives, and that's how we both move forward. And so I welcome the opportunity for growth in energy and growth in leadership in the Belizean folks and in the population. I want to hear what they have to say. And so you'll see a schedule of events throughout the country where I try to really cover it and go out and meet people where I've got my sleeves rolled up and I'm ready to hear what we can do mutually. I have been told by Washington I have some tools in my toolbox to be able to help folks, and so I'm really going to find where I think the best use of spending U.S. dollars here that make a difference."

Bauer arrived in the country with his wife, Meredith, and his four children.

Fisheries Department Intercepts Major Contraband Seafood Smuggling Operation

Tonight, the Fisheries Department is celebrating one of the biggest seizures of illegally imported seafood in recent years, uncovering hundreds of pounds of products believed to be part of a wider smuggling operation. But as one man is fined more than $94,000, investigators are now looking beyond the couriers to the suppliers and businesses allegedly fueling the illegal trade. Jaleeza Roberts reports:

This is the pan of the GMC pickup that the Belize Fisheries Department seized. They found approximately 290 pounds of tilapia fillets, 335 pounds of jumbo shrimp, and 14 octopuses, with two men detained and charged in connection with the illegal imports.

The Department believes that this could be a wider seafood smuggling network from Central Mexico to Belize.

Fisheries Officer Hampton Gamboa said the Department had been gathering intelligence since June and intensified its operations in recent weeks.

But who were the smugglers servicing?

Hampton Gamboa, Fisheries Officer
"Primarily was servicing a number of resorts, supermarkets, and so on that are interested in buying shrimp, octopus, as well as tilapia fillets. And we were vigilant in trying to ensure that we captured the parties that were involved and tried to put a dent into this type of illegal operation."

"From our observation, there are bi-weekly smuggling happening and Belize City is not immune to it. It's also a part of the observation, and this operation on Wednesday night was more targeted for the southern part of the country."

These shipments were not random, but rather strategic to cater to the need on the high-end market. This is what they observed between June and September:

Hampton Gamboa, Fisheries Officer
"One of the main observations is that it has become rampant in that there were like two to three... during the close-I mean, during the slow season, which is tied into the whole tourism, right-based on observation, during this slow season right now, it had dwindled down to twice a week. And in high tourism time, it was all the way up to four times a week. These guys were transferring products throughout this country."

"Coincidentally, we made some observation after hours when we got the intel on, and there were times twice a week recently that they were moving. And prior to the slowing down of the tourism season, after the summer, during the summer, it was dwindling down. Then we saw that at that time it's only twice a week they're moving, rather than four times per week."

And the men that were caught onboard the pickup went to court today.

Leslie Lizarraga pleaded guilty to three charges relating to the illegal importation of the shrimp, tilapia, and octopus. He was fined $94,015, while the charges against the second man detained in the vehicle were withdrawn.

His attorney explained:

David McKoy, Attorney-at-Law
"The vehicle in question, as you were in court, does not belong to either of my clients. It belongs to a third party, so ultimately the application would need that third party to be present and have an opportunity to make representations before a Magistrate Court as to the reason why the application should not be granted. So it's not just because someone has been caught with illegal items, the application is an automatic right that you automatically forfeit your motor vehicle. In this case, it has to go through a process and, as you know, natural justice is important in any jurisdiction, and it is in Belize, so can't just forfeit somebody's vehicle and that's it. So that person needs to be heard first, so we'll see how that goes when the time comes."

But what market are they trying to fill and why is the demand so high? Is it because the prices are lower and restaurants and hotels prefer to purchase these products below market value?

Reporter
"Is there a possibility that you can find the person that are purchasing it? Because if they don't purchase it, the market doesn't exist."

Hampton Gamboa:
"Well, yeah, and that's what we're working on. We're working on the point of importation right now. And also, we're looking at the would-be buyers, like what you mentioned, who are actually buying these things."

Reporter
"So that means that a restaurant must have their receipts to say where they purchased it from, correct?"

Hampton Gamboa:
"Yes, exactly. Who are they purchasing from? And then that is where we continue our investigation, looking to find any kind of information on these individuals. We're also doing some work right now, not to disclose too much, but with the same token, we have a lot of partners involved in this illegal activity in terms of other departments that we're working close with, in terms of the police, even Customs and FIU."

And this is just a small part of a much bigger network. Gamboa had a message to the others who might be involved:

Hampton Gamboa, Fisheries Officer
"Our laws under the new Fisheries Act basically says anyone found with illegally imported products carries a fine of minimum $5,000, and it goes up to $250,000 once it's illegally imported products. And as it relates to individuals, we can literally count each and every individual, because each and every individual or parts of fish is deemed as one. So in our case, if we, like in the case with the tilapias, they were found with approximately 1,566 pieces of tilapia. In this matter, the Magistrate decided he was only going to fine them $50 for each piece. So that was a $78,300 fine. So the minimum in terms of penalty per each fish is $50 Belize, goes up to a maximum of $100 Belize."

Jaleeza Roberts, 7News.

The court explained to Lizarraga that if he is unable to pay the fines by December 31st, he will serve 2 years in prison.

Guatemalan National Remanded on Upgraded Charge of Child Rape

A 43-year-old dollar van taxi driver was remanded to the Belize Central Prison today after a sexual assault charge against him was withdrawn and replaced with a more serious charge.
Wenseslao Garrido-Veliz, a Guatemalan national, appeared unrepresented before a Senior Magistrate in Belize City this morning. Prosecutors withdrew the sexual assault charge he had faced since November 2025 and filed a single count of rape of a child.
The allegation is that on November 22, 2025, Garrido-Veliz had sexual intercourse with a female minor who was 15 years and 10 months old.
When the upgraded charge was read to him, Garrido-Veliz attempted to explain his position to the court, saying that he lives in Guatemala and insisting that he did not commit the offense.

And before getting in the police truck-he also professed his innocence to our court reporter:

Wenseslao Garrido-Veliz
"I am innocent. I am going to jail innocent."

But those protestations didn't count for much; the Magistrate explained that she could not take his plea or hear his defense at this stage.

He was denied bail and remanded to prison until September 28th.

Confrontation Erupts Between Farmers and Developer Nigel Petillo at Maya Ranch

Tonight, the battle over Maya Ranch Limited continues, but this time farmers were seen in a heated exchange with land developer and activist Nigel Petillo, who told them he was "working for the owner."
The confrontation adds another layer to the long-running dispute over the private property in the San Antonio, Cayo area, where farmers have been cultivating crops while Maya Ranch Limited maintains that the land is privately owned.
The farmers, meanwhile, have taken their fight to court, arguing that their years of occupation and cultivation give them a legal claim to the property.
Since January of this year, the Maya Ranch dispute has escalated into allegations of intimidation, gun violence, and confrontations involving police and the property manager.
In March, the conflict intensified when Police Sergeant Dalon Kelly was shot during a disturbance in the Maya Ranch area-an incident police said was connected to the ongoing tensions.
Today's confrontation between the farmers and Petillo is the latest flashpoint in the dispute; here's how that went:

We reached out to property manager Julian Sherrard, who has not responded as yet. Nigel Petillo told us that he was hired to remove the farmers from the land so he can begin a project to eventually sell the land, as he does with many other areas. He explained that he is doing it in a peaceful manner and having the farmers understand that they cannot just steal people's land.

Home Affairs Minister Espat Outlines Plan to Revitalize Police K-9 Unit

And that was one more tense event that the police had to respond to with a level head. As you may have heard the Home Affairs Minister say yesterday, police are not treated fairly-especially for the level of risky work they have to do.

In our interview yesterday, Espat also told us that he's working on bringing specialized units back up to a higher level. He said he's starting with the K-9 Unit:

Julius Espat, Minister of Home Affairs, MIDH
"And we will be doing more things. And right now I'm looking at the K-9 Unit, and we only have two dogs nationally, and I believe we should have at least 20, so we will work on that. I've been looking at other things within the force. We've been looking at the infrastructure, which is for us the easiest part of it. So we did a national analysis of all the substations that we have, and we did an evaluation as to what is needed to bring them up to an acceptable level. That report has been sent to Ministry of Finance already, sent to the Prime Minister. And then we're looking at vehicles. We got five about... two about a month ago, and we are supposed to get another five, you know, maybe this week or next week. We are looking at ATVs because you have areas in urban settings where vehicles are not the best, so we are looking at getting some of those. We just signed the contract to roof the Raccoon Street station, and we'll be doing another part to do the cladding of it. That's by MIDH. We just had a bid out for purchasing of weapons; we are awaiting that bid to come in. So, the transfer of personnel is just a part of what the Police Department needs."

"There's a lot of work that has to be put in, and I think we have very good police officers who are frustrated."

"So, lots of things that we are trying to do. And two months is not enough time, but it gives you an opportunity to learn and understand."

Minister Espat Urges Police and Politicians to Restore Public Trust

And Espat also said he gives the police a sobering perspective on their chosen profession:

Julius Espat, Minister of Home Affairs, MIDH
"In my case, we have to serve the people. And the people have to be trusting the police. I tell the police officers, I no share my telling them: there are two professions in this country that people detest: one is police and the second da politician. So we have to work together to make sure that we can raise that level of trust. It is upon us. And they laugh, but it's the fact. And so we as politicians have to be responsible and do our part as best as we can. The Police Department has to be responsible and regain the trust from the people. It's a simple formula."

Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca Meets With OAS Secretary General

In other news, Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca met with the Secretary General of the OAS, Albert Ramdin, between August 31st and September 2nd. The meetings were held in Belmopan, the Adjacency Zone, and then Arenal.
They held bilateral discussions and also joined the Ambassadors of the Group of Friends to visit the Ta'amay Training and Peace Promotion Centre in El Arenal, Guatemala.

On Wednesday, Fonseca told us how those meetings went:

Francis Fonseca, MOECST/MFAFT
"Yesterday I met with, at the Adjacency Zone in Benque, at the office of the OAS... I met with the Secretary General of the OAS, along with the Foreign Minister of Guatemala and what we call the Group of Friends-ambassadors of the countries who are a group of friends of both Belize and Guatemala, who support that office. And so we had a very constructive meeting about, you know, the road ahead. As you all know, we're hopeful that in the next 18 months or two years, we will have a final, definitive resolution of this unfounded Guatemalan claim. It is before the courts. And so we wanted to make sure that we are ready, that the office of the OAS is prepared for the road ahead over the next two years, and that they will be there to help us beyond the judgment. We will need help and support from our friends in the implementation of that judgment, so we wanted to start that discussion early and get ready for that day. So it was a very, very important meeting, a very productive meeting, a very positive meeting. And again, very important for the Belizean people to know that once again, both Belize and Guatemala reaffirmed our commitment to a peaceful resolution of this claim that hangs over our head, that has hung over the heads of our country for centuries. So we are very hopeful that we are approaching the last leg of that journey to resolving this claim."

Forestry Department Personnel Under Scrutiny Following Leaked Lumber Video

For two months, we've had possession of a cellphone video which purports to show a forestry driver or mechanic with allegedly confiscated lumber at a commercial lumber yard.
In the context of the video, it did not seem that he had taken the lumber there for storage.
The video was posted by other media outlets earlier this week, prompting a less-than-comprehensive response from the Forestry Department.

Jules Vasquez looked at the video-and the official response-along with material from his research:

The press release says, "On June 29 and 30, officers of the Forest Department observed signs of suspected illegal logging within the Sibun Forest Reserve and commenced an investigation."

That led them here to this home in Belmopan where, the release adds: "Forest Department personnel conducted a search of a property in connection with the ongoing investigation. A tractor, portable sawmill, and trailer were found during the search and secured as part of the investigation."

You can see Forestry staff, namely mechanic/driver Jorge Galvez, cutting the padlock.

But it doesn't say anything about the lumber-our reports say mahogany sawmill lumber was confiscated in the bush, allegedly illegally cut by the owner of the property.

One interested party tracked the lumber here to the highway where it was in motion heading west in a Forestry pickup-west of the Forestry Department office in Belmopan.

They tracked it to this lumberyard-where it was delivered by the same mechanic, Oscar Galvez. The exchange with this interested party is telling.

Galvez says they follow instructions:

Oscar Galvez, Forestry Staff
"We follow instructions."

Owner
"Follow instructions from who?"

Oscar Galvez:
"From the boss."

Owner
"Who da the boss?"

Oscar Galvez:
"Victoria."

Owner
"And she send you come sell the lumber?"

Oscar Galvez:
"No, this is not your lumber."

Owner
"So why are you coming to sell lumber?"

Oscar Galvez:
"Hold on man, we are talking to her."

We did reach out to Galvez and the acting Chief Forest Officer, Yanira Pop, from early July to try and understand what was happening here, but we got no response. Allegations are that the lumber was being sold.

But the release says: "Forest Department officers were authorized to transport a quantity of lumber for the purpose of assessing the extent of the suspected illegal logging activity. While carrying out this authorized task, the officers were intercepted by individuals who attempted to prevent them from carrying out their assigned duties."

But the question is: is Galvez-who is known to be a driver/mechanic-is he now vested with the authority of a forestry officer, including transporting and disposal of lumber of disputed ownership to a commercial lumberyard?

Charges were laid against two individuals for obstructing the Forestry team, but if the evidence has been disposed of, it seems that a major piece of evidence would be missing.

7News has also received reports that higher-ups in the department feel that forest officers cannot be trusted because they leak information to illegal loggers regarding operations. So, duties are given to other, lower-level staff.

Ministry of Health Promotes Community Awareness for World Suicide Prevention Day

As World Suicide Prevention Day approaches on September 10th, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is rallying the public to help break the stigma surrounding mental health. Under the theme "Changing the Narrative on Suicide: Start the Conversation," health officials emphasize that suicide prevention is a shared responsibility. Iveth Quintanilla, MOHW Mental Health Coordinator, shares how the community can participate-starting with today's annual Glow Run and Walk in Belmopan:

Iveth Quintanilla, MOHW Mental Health Coordinator
"So we are at the third and last year celebrating the theme, 'Changing the Narrative on Suicide', with a call to action on 'Start the Conversation'. For this year, we have planned our annual Glow Run and Walk in Belmopan that will be happening today at 5:30 around the Ring Road, and we want to invite everyone to participate in it if possible. As well, this year we opted in going more with social media involvement, involving different stakeholders, so we are speaking about hope and we had different participants speaking on what hope means for them. As well, we are involving stakeholders when it comes to passing a ribbon, symbolizing a ribbon of hope, and that will be coming soon. And we want to share that the responsibility is not only for the Ministry of Health and Wellness when we speak about suicide and prevention when it comes to suicide, so it involves different stakeholders, the community-it involves each and every one of us."

Sports Minister Anthony Mahler Emphasizes Long-Term Athlete Development

The country's first-ever National Sports Summit officially wrapped up in Belize City yesterday.
Government officials, local federations, and sports icons gathered with one common goal: transforming raw homegrown talent into sustainable, elite success.

We spoke with the Minister of Sports about the importance of athlete development and continuity in public sports management:

REPORTER:
"Minister, there was a lot of excitement when you and Daly were appointed in this role. There is also a lot of concern now that beyond you, what will happen to the policies and the initiatives, great initiatives that you have started? Athletes are concerned there might be a Cabinet shuffle away from all of this being on the desk. How do you ensure it is sustained?"

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Sports
"Well, one, we are trying to create this coalition between the federations, the National Sports Council, the Olympic Committee and the wider community, and so that is why we are creating a policy and a strategy that will drive us for the next 5 to 10 years. That is the only way you can continue to develop a nation. That is the only way you can continue to develop our athletes if we put consistency, if we put enough resources behind them. But also the athletes have to want it. For me, everything is out there: if you want to shoot a ball better, if you want to run faster, you can just press a button now and find all the training you want, so there shouldn't be any excuses from an athlete's standpoint. It has happened all over the world. Marion Jones just spoke about the small studio apartment that her and her mother and herself used to live in, the hour-and-a-half drive to trainings and competitions, and so you have to give that effort, you have to. And so we have to create the systems in the schools as well to allow us to identify talent at a young age, that is how you build consistency. When you start seeing-and how did, and I want to give her her flowers, Lupita Quan do it in terms of consistency in volleyball even at this regional level? She has a passion, she has a love and she has put her money, her energies behind that. We want to support her more as we go forward."

Minister Mahler Responds to Critique Over Funding for Local Coaches

Building world-class athletes requires elite coaching-a standard that has largely fallen to Belizean trainers in the diaspora. But when pressed on why state funds continue going to local coaches despite a decades-long drought in international podium finishes, Minister of Sports Anthony Mahler pushed back on the critique. Mahler argues that Belize's sports system has suffered from decades of fragmentation, and that true alignment means building local capacity from the ground up. Here is what Minister Mahler told us about fixing the system:

Jomarie Lanza:
"You spoke about alignment in your speech. One area that is little discussed are the diaspora coaches who train the majority of track athletes who perform internationally and who get to go to school there, but is funding and programming from your Sports Council being funneled to local coaches who haven't produced a single world-class athlete in many decades?"

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Sports
"Seriously? I mean, listen to me, this will take time. We have not had a culture in sports of having organization or a streamlined approach to doing things, it has all been fragmented. Today is the start of what we want to have as a collective approach in pooling our resources-whether it is money, talent, or training skills. That is what I mean by alignment: you all have to use the limited resources and the talent we have to ensure that we create programs and initiatives that can create better athletes and better Belizean citizens."

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