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Important Note: This Internet version of 7 News is a verbatum
transcript of our evening television news script. Many interviews on our newscast
are conducted in Creole. In the interest of clarity for our foreign readers,
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Floodwaters Filling Crooked Tree Lagoon
Tonight, Crooked Tree Village is almost like a ghost town as floodwaters continue to rise. Those who needed to evacuate their homes have done so, and drivers with small vehicles have already parked them on the other side of the causeway.
The floods from Sara are quickly making their way to the Crooked Tree Lagoon, where it will sit for months before it flows into the Belize River and out into the sea. And the villagers will continue life as they already know it - boat rides in and out of the village, waiting for the tide to go down to inspect the damage.
It's become tiresome and frustrating for those who have lived there for decades, but without any other option, they must once again endure seeing their home turned into an island.
Courtney Menzies visited the village today and has this story.
Almost overnight, the floodwaters in Crooked Tree Village have inundated their causeway and cut them off from the rest of the district. For the residents, it's nothing new, since they know the water travels from Cayo, to the Belize River Valley's Spanish Creek, and then to their lagoon. But this time, with two almost back to back tropical storms, the water began rising a lot faster.
George Tillett, Chairman, Crooked Tree Village
"We started getting a high level of water since Nadine, [Tropical Storm] Nadine, which almost filled the lagoon to capacity and we were tightening our skins for this one when we heard Sara because our lagoon was already up to capacity with water. So with this one that came, [Sara], really overfilled the banks and now flooding a lot of residents in the area."
"Crooked Tree is a catchment for the entire Belize River water shed, all the water coming up from Guatemala, Benque Viejo, Cayo, all those waters reach Crooked Tree as a catchment or as a reservoir before it silts its way out to the sea. Crooked Tree lagoon area has played a very important role ecologically speaking because without Crooked Tree lagoon, there would be no Belize City, Belize City would have been flooded under flash flood but the water comes to Crooked Tree and now we gradually ration it out to the Belize River."
And since the villagers are used to their lagoon overflowing, they immediately began taking their vehicles out of the village, and even evacuating their homes. It's basically a routine at this point - and until the waters recede the villagers will have to be ferried in and out.
George Tillett, Chairman, Crooked Tree Village
"That last one you see on the tractor going out, that was supposed to stay here in the village. From 2 days ago I got on the village chat, encouraging people in small vehicles who want their vehicles to be on the mainland to start taking them across but that case that you saw just now is a sick person going down and they're taking the vehicle over with the sick person to reach the hospital so. Most of the people who have small vehicles without the intention of staying on the island, if you notice this island is dead right now, there's not a lot of vehicles moving around, most of the vehicles are on the other side since a lot of people, instead of using the buses to go to work, they use their private vehicles."
"We have our friends at the junction and Bicayne, our neighboring village, where people would leave their vehicles and jump on the bus coming in and then the buses will stop where the water starts and that's when the buses being us across. As I speak, the Belize Audubon Society is providing us with a boat for the midday run and the Coast Guard is going to kick in later on this evening because as you know, we have five buses leaving the village daily and five coming back."
But just because it happens often doesn't mean the villagers aren't severely affected. For Verna Samuels, who runs the Bird's Eye View Lodge, she says it's the eighth time they've had to pack and up and close down because of a flood. It took them three days to take everything to the second and even so they had to leave some stuff behind. But she say she's not sure how much longer she can handle it.
Verna Samuels, Bird's Eye View Lodge
"We had a long low season vacation and first of November is when the season starts and this came the 17th so we were in the middle of everything coming back, the season starting, like for example, the day we had to pack, we had 25 people coming, so now we're dealing with a lot of refunds and people not understanding and people saying keep my money until you open and it's a lot of issues, everybody, especially the people who have to deal with answering the same questions over and over, saying this is beyond our control, we can't do anything, we want to be open as much as you want to be here but this is what it is."
"It's very difficult but… like when we have to go down there and see what it is, this is the eight time, so I have always been strong but somehow, this is too much."
"It really hurts us, and it hurts us financially, physically, every way you can think about it, it's hurting us, from our heart right to the rest of our bodies and I'm also very sad for our staff because they have been on vacation for at least 2, 3 months and they were so happy that we were open and we started with a boom, people were coming but this is what it is."
And it'll be months before the water recedes. But for the Crooked Tree Villagers, it's not a good enough reason for them to just up and abandon their homes.
George Tillett, Chairman, Crooked Tree Village
"Due to the fact that it's a basin and not like the areas up in Cayo or down south that will flood today and they can walk across the river tomorrow, we're going to be here for some weeks. I can recall 2013, when they had a flood, water came early November and we got back to normal sometimes in early February the following year."
Courtney Menzies:
"Have you guys just accepted that this is your way of life and once you live in this village, and this is your home of course, but once you're here, this is just something you have to get used to?"
George Tillett, Chairman, Crooked Tree Village
"To us the villagers, Crooked Tree is a paradise. First of all, it's an inland island, believe it or not, all year round it's an inland island and it is the home of the favorite cashew and there are many resources that people can live a nice comfortable land and, what the heck, there's nowhere else to go. This is our home."
According to the chairman, MIDH explained that to widen the causeway to mitigate the flooding would cost up to 5 million dollars
18 Year Old Murdered, His Father Says It Was His First Night Out
There were two murders in 12 hours in the Cayo district yesterday.
The second one happened at a bar coming on to 11:00 pm. A teenager was shot and killed following an altercation in a bar on the outskirts of Belmopan. Jomarie Lanza travelled West today and here's her story:
Just an hour after he left his home in Duck Run 2 last night, 18 year old Jonathan Leonardo was fatally shot in front of Divinas Restaurant and Bar outside Belmopan here on the George Price Highway.
It happened at around 10:45 when Leonardo was involved in a misunderstanding with another patron inside the bar. In an effort to avoid further confrontation, he left and entered a vehicle with two friends.
But the man he had the dispute with followed him outside and as Leonardo attempted to drive off, the gunman fired a shot at Leonardo, fatally wounding him.
For his family the sequence of events is unbelievable. Jonathan worked alongside his father doing deliveries and had just gotten his driver's license. His father says that he didn't even know his son had left home that night until he received the dreaded call.
Voice of Juan Leonardo, Father of deceased
"Yo de pronto no sabÃa nada por que ellos me avisaron a mi como las 11 de la noche me avisaron a lo que vi a pasado solo me dijeron que fue al hospital pero sin una respuesta de que lo que vi a pasado. Solo fui allà y nomas cuando yo llegué a la escena lo que mira a Jonathan que ya falleció."
(At first I didn't know anything, because they notified me until around 11. They only told me that he was taken to the hospital but didn't give me any answers as to what had happened.It wasn't until I got there at the scene that they told me look, Jonathan has already passed away.)
According to his family Jonathan wasn't the kind to go out and socialize, in fact this was the first time he had gone out without any of his relatives. And since he spent so much time working with his father, the news hit him the hardest.
Voice of Juan Leonardo, Father of deceased
"Lo que todo un padre pasa estaba destrozado muy triste no por que el es un hijo que creció conmigo A lado de mi trabajando desde pequeñito todo los dÃas el estaba conmigo todo los dÃas nunca andaba afuera por nada yo no entiendo por qué lo hice eso allá no entiendo por qué."
(Like any other father, I was destroyed, It made me sad because he was my son and he grew up alongside me. He has been working with me since he was a child, every single day we are together, he never went out alone and I cannot understand why, why anyone would do that I just don't understand why.)
The family is desperate for answers, and according to Leonardo they have not received any information from the police either as to what may have transpired between Johnthan and his killer.
Voice of Juan Leonardo, Father of deceased
"Lamentablemente yo no sé todavÃa no se nada a mi no me daba información nada no me dieron información no sé qué pasa a la policÃa aquÃ. O falta mucho entrenamiento la policÃa o no se pero no me dieron información si fueron animal que matan no hay nada no me pueden decir nada solo allà están no pueden ver allà están y lo llevamos yo no sé, yo no sé qué pasa sinceramente este es la primera vez que pasa a mi no se que asà es o solo a mi que me está pasando no pero no se que van hacer no se quien tienen encargando de todo eso que está pasando ahà tiene solo encargado para ver a quien a cuidar or quien ir o quien todo por qué no saben no tienen una respuesta de nadie."
(Unfortunately, I still don't know, I don't know anything, they didn't give me any information, they didn't give me any information at all, I don't know what's happening to the police here. Either the police lack training or they don't know but they didn't give me information almost as if they had killed an animal and there was nothing they could tell me. I don't know, I just don't know what's happening, honestly this is The first time this has happened to me, I don't know if this is how they are or it it's only happening to me. I don't know what they're going to do, I don't know who is in charge of all that is happening, or if only one person is in charge to see who will take care of what and who. Why don't they know? I don't have an answer from no one.)
Police say 33 year old Abraham Shal from the Maya Mopan area - the owner of a licensed weapon - is wanted for questioning.
Daughter Tells Horrifying Tale Of Finding Mother Murdered
Dogs Chase Jaguar Into A Village Warehouse, The Zoo Had To Get Him Out
This afternoon video emerged of a sedated jaguar being dragged out of a warehouse. All kinds of wild and baseless rumors started to fly - including that it was a Chinese store - and that the jaguar was going to be cooked up.
We're happy to report that it was all untrue. And the ones responsible for boxing in the jaguar at the CASTILLO HARDWARE warehouse in Hattieville, is man's best friend: a pack of dogs.
It happened this morning when The Forest Department and Belize Zoo staff responded this morning to a report about a jaguar that was chased by dogs in the early morning, and dashed inside the storeroom. The property owner then closed the storeroom door capturing the young jaguar - and protecting him from the dogs. The Forest Department and the Belize Zoo then sedated the jaguar with a tranquilizer and transported it to the Belize Zoo.
A release from the Forestry Department reports that the jaguar is currently under the care of the Belize Zoo where a comprehensive health assessment will be carried out. It is expected that the jaguar will be relocated to an undisclosed area and collared to closely monitor its movement.
And while some may worry about the presence of a jaguar in a community so close to human populations, the Forestry Department says its priority is to promote a balance between human safety and the well-being of the jaguar population. The Department says it will continue to respond to all reports of jaguar and wildlife issues in rural areas throughout Belize.
We also note that it is Jaguar Month globally, observed in Belize under the theme "Keep Wildlife in the Wild."
60 Year Old Farmer Remanded For Shotgun
And in other news from Belize Rural, a 60 year old farmer is in jail tonight - all because he was using his dead uncle's shotgun for hunting.
60 year old Stephen Flowers, a farmer of Burrell Boom Village was busted with a 12 gauge shotgun and seven live rounds of ammunition on Tuesday, November 19th as he walked along the road with the firearm in his hand.
When police stopped him, he ran and jumped into the nearby bushes. The cop chased after him and found him hiding about 15 feet off the road. Police say when elderly man was caught he told them, "Yuh caught meh boss. The rest of the shotgun in meh bag. Ah got it from my uncle who passed away years ago."
Flowers was unrepresented in court today and was read two criminal offenses of kept firearm and kept ammunition without a gun license- which are remand offenses. He will return to court on January 8th.
28 Year Old Woman Charged For San Pedro Fire
Yesterday we told you about a suspected arson in the DFC area of San Pedro. Three houses were destroyed including a two story home, a four bedroom house and a small shop with a bedroom, all at an estimated loss of $200,000 dollars. Police investigations have led them to arrest and charge one person so far. She is 28 year old Isela Catzim, and she was charged with 5 counts of arson. A motive remains unknown.
Her mother Sandra says anyone wishing to help her can call or text 631-2707.
Senate Passes Legislation To Raise Tax Threshold
The senate met today in Belmopan and went over a raft of tax legislation - among others.
Most prominently the Income and Business Tax (Amendment) Bill, of 2024 will raise the PAYE threshold. The Leader of Government business introduced it and the Minister of State for finance explained how it will be like putting money in the pockets of thousands of workers:
Eamon Courtenay, Leader of Gov't Business
"Insofar as the Income and Business Tax Amendment Act is concerned, we seek to raise the threshold from 20,000 to 29,000, which would then exempt a significant number of petitions from having to pay income and business tax. More importantly, or just as importantly, when I'm president, we remove certain anomalies because there are instances where persons get an increase in salary, but because of the tax, the way the tax structure is, they end up receiving taking home less because the tax rate is higher, because they have jumped into a new tax bracket."
Chris Coye, Min of State - Finance
"The movement from the 20 to 29, the bringing the threshold at that level. I think we can't underscore enough the benefit of that to hard working class Belizeans, especially the public officers. The average income of a public officer is between 26 and $28,000 dollars. They are paying taxes right now. They will no longer be paying taxes. The average public officer."
"The shift of that threshold to the 29,000, that by itself, based on 2023 figures, will benefit over 2,800 individuals, employed individuals. Increasing immediately, over 2800, increasing immediately their net take home pay effective January 1st by $900 dollars. That's $900 in the pocket of every employed individual that benefits from this increase in threshold, or increase in the exemption amount."
"In a sense, the current tax structure for those between, what is it between 26, 20, 25, six and 30,000? The current tax structure largely pushes employer and employee alike into tax evasion. Because what is the reality is that if you get an income increase, above one of these deduction thresholds, your net take home pay goes down.
So to avoid that, you have employers and employees agreeing outside of the tax system to make payments on the side. What we are doing is regularizing, not only regularizing but reducing the tax exposure of all these individuals in numbers. We're talking about over almost 2200 persons that will benefit from that. All told, the total benefit in terms of take home pay by individuals for dealing with this anomaly is over a thousand increase in net take home pay in total then you have over 5000 people now benefiting with an average increase in net take home pay of over $1,000. So so the threshold itself, the increase in the threshold and the adjustment with that, that, just adjusting tax credit brings a tremendous impact to the hardworking Belizean."
Stamp Duty Adjustment Will Try To Catch Condo Owners
Also included in that raft of tax measures is the Stamp Duties Amendment bill.
Here's how the Leader of Government Business outlined it:
Eamon Courtenay, Leader of Gov't Business
"And on the stamp duty, Madam President, it is to relieve certain instruments from stamp duty, again, primarily, transactions of below 100,000. And secondly, to ensure that where there are sales in relation to condos, that those also are subject to stamp duty, because what well, one of the great mischiefs is that they can be they seem to be exempt from stamp duty even though they're in the hundreds of thousands. Yet someone who is buying a lot for ten or 15,000 or 20,000 to be more accurate, is subject to stamp duty. So we are seeking to clear that up and to ensure that those who have that type of property pay their stamp duty."
Other tax based legislation passed by the senate today include the Tax Administration and Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024; the General Sales Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024; the Business Names (Amendment) Bill, 2024; and the Designated Processing Areas (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Senate Fully Support Changing Child Marriage
At the last sitting of the House of Representatives, the amendment to the marriage bill was passed with full support from both the government and the opposition. And today, it was also fully endorsed by the Senate. Both sides plus the social partners agreed on the importance of the bill, and leader of government business, Eamon Courtenay, said it was a human rights issue.
Eamon Courtenay, Leader of Government Business
"It is the position of the member of the senate and indeed the government of Belize that this bill is important, it is transformative, it is in the Belizean people's interest and we seek the support of the entire senate for this modernizing piece of social legislation. Madam President, we are debating a matter of constitutional importance. This is a human rights issue. I put it as high as that because for too long we have allowed in our country, infants to be married and infants to be married with the consent of their parents. In any maturing and evolving democracy as we are, which is founded on a constitution, which guarantees to each person, equality before the law, and the equal protection of the law. Child marriage and early unions should be made unlawful."
Michael Peyrefitte, UDP Senator
"I think that marriage is such a serious act and a serious responsibility that you can only be engaged in that act in your own free will and i think to use the number 18 is indicative of what we look at at the age of 18. At the age of 18, you are an adult and you should only enter into that union assuming you have the right faculties and it is a decision you are making for yourself, especially our young ladies. So the law is now on the verge of saying you can only get married if you're an adult and nobody can force you or make you get married to who you do not want to get married to. So we praise the legislation and we congratulate the government, as much as it pains me to say that, we congratulate the government on changing the law, we are in full support on this side of the assembly and we give kudos to the bill being passed today."
Glenfield Dennison, Senator
"The age of consent has been something that has been raised throughout the years. I'm not sure who all are aware but it used to be 14 prior to 2005. The parliament at that time saw it fit to raise the age to 16 in act 28 in 2005 and that was a bold step forward. We are here now on the recommendation of the good work of the NCFC, we thank you for your work and dedication."
Providing Reproductive Resources To The Ministry Of Health
Historian Illuminates A Little Known Chapter In Belize's History
When it comes to Belizean battles - most of us only know about the Battle of StGeorge's Caye - and the veracity of that one is in serious doubt. But you probably haven't heard about the Battle of Orange Walk - and that's because it doesn't fit neatly into the historical narrative that the British constructed for the colony of Belize. But, at 71, historian Dr Angel Cal says that this was a real battle and one that illuminates many important truths about defining Belize's boundaries. Jules Vasquez was at the book launch today:
You may not know about the battle of Orange Walk - but it happened in 1872, and pitted the Icaiche Maya against a detachment of soldiers from the English First West India Regiment.
Historian Dr Angel Cal has compiled the history based on manuscripts from the Archives and Records service:
Dr. Angel Cal, Historian
"This is an attempt to make available to the public, to our students, to our teachers what the archives has on the battle of Orange Walk. Ok? `So there is a faithful reproduction. The documents were in handwriting. So that had to be paleographed. Okay. And not only paleographed, but that needed to be analyzed. So there is some analysis in there."
From those records and analysis he has made this booklet - which brings to life a long obscured chapter in history.
He explained what led to the battle:
Dr. Angel Cal, Historian
"The first major, and to me, the most important reason is that the British colonial government and British land companies were ignoring and treating the Maya with disrespect. They did not want to pay the royalties for the mahogany that they were getting out of the forests. The Maya said you have to pay. That's one. The other one had to do with the boundaries. The boundaries. Related to the first one is that when that line was being opened, the western line, after the 1859 treaty with Guatemala, they started to open that line. And the British used that as an opportunity to push that line as further to the west as possible, even if - and it did- encroach on Maya territory."
"The third one is personal. That same magistrate, he whipped one of the Icaiche soldiers the previous July, whipped him, and then boasted about it."
To find out what happened in the battle, you'll have to read the book- but the lesson here is larger:
Dr. Angel Cal, Historian
"So when the British came. We know who stood up to the British colonialism in Belize. We know. And that is part of the story. That's part of what we are saying."
"So the resistance against British colonialism in Belize was interpreted, misinterpreted, distorted."
"The Battle of Orange Walk was a sacrifice that both the Maya and the San Pedro Icaiche Maya of Belize, of western Belize, they did that on our behalf, on Belize's behalf."
And more than just stand up to the British…..
Dr. Angel Cal, Historian
"Most definitely in the 1500s and 1600s, part of the 1700s, It was the Belize Maya who "brakes" the Spaniards."
"It was the Belize Maya were blocked Spanish colonialism from taking over our country. But yet when we talk about the patriots of Belize, very seldom is this mentioned. Almost three centuries of resistance and all the pain and the suffering and the dying that that signified."
That this is not a central part of Belize's origin story Cal says is deliberate erasure of the indigenous input into nation building:
Dr. Angel Cal, Historian
"Has it been undersaid? Yes. Yes, definitely yes. Was it deliberate? Yes, it was deliberate."
Reporter:
"So have the people in this book been whitewashed truth from Belize history, post colonial history in a very deliberate attempt at erasure?
I would say an unqualified yes. But it was part of British colonial policy. That narrative, unfortunately, sir, unfortunately, our government, both PUP and UDP, have swallowed that narrative."
Dr. Angel Cal, Historian
"And perpetrated it."
"And have taken and have tried legally to stop the southern Maya from cleaning their legitimate historical rights. "
The book is available online for free at the 501 Academy and for a hard copy you can check at the Image Factory.
SATIIM Calls MUB's Costume "Sacrilegious Misuse"
The Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management has written an open letter discussing the costume worn by Halima Hoy at the Miss Universe Belize pageant, which represented the cultural deer dance. The dance is a deeply rooted part of Maya traditions, but they call MUB's depiction at the pageant, "sacrilegious misuse."
The letter explains that the deer dance is, quote, "never performed. It is not theatrical. It is always undertaken by a community, not an individual. It is a true embodiment of the community spirit that is so critical to Maya cultures." End quote. The ceremonial clothing itself, they explain, holds spiritual significance as a prayer, and the rituals include fasting, prayers, and offerings.
In regards to Hoy's costume, the letter says, quote, "this sacred, ritualized clothing should never be a vehicle for something else, however well-intentioned. In this case, the Deer Dance was desecrated for a beauty pageant. Claimed to be an 'exact replica,' [it] was defaced with a political message. The revealing bustier also offends Maya women's conservative values against public displays. The ritualized dance cannot be 'cut and pasted' from YouTube videos for a few steps on stage. To mimic the dance is to mock the sacred values of an entire culture - like 'performing' the transformation of the host into the body of Christ and handing it to the judges or like doing dugu outside the family." End quote.
SATIIM then added that it is possible to share the Maya culture without it being sacrilegious, as with the Xe'il clothing line. They say that Mayas choose what to share from their culture, and that 'inspiration' is not an excuse for exploitation.
NEMO Responding To Flooding In Cayo And Belize Districts
After days of silence while flood water roll down to the Belize District, NEMO issued an update today. It says they has activated teams and, quote, "deployed resources nationwide to assist those affected by recent adverse weather conditions."
The release adds that "Regional teams in Cayo and Belmopan are assessing flood-affected areas and distributing immediate humanitarian aid, supported by BDF soldiers and additional transportation resources; Damage and Needs Assessment teams are actively evaluating affected areas in the Cayo District, and the BDF and BCG are preparing to assist with transportation for residents of Freetown Sibun and Crooked Tree Village once assessments are complete.
Undaunted By Shyne Doc, Tracy Convenes Shadow Cabinet
Leader of the opposition Shyne Barrow may be riding a high from the global success of his documentary and the re-occupation of the party headquarters, but Tracy Panton is not letting in her claim to be the true leader of the UDP.
She today announced that she has assembled a, quote, "newly reconstituted Shadow Cabinet," under her leadership. Th group convened its inaugural meeting yesterday and will meet weekly.
What Would You Do With $166k?
The last time we showed you a mega bingo winner, they took home more than half a million dollars after taxes. Today, the prize wasn't that big but it was still considerable at 166 thsoaund dollars. We spoke to the winner:
Scratch Winner Is Also From South
And there was also a scratch winner who claimed a 25,000 dollar prize yesterday. Like the Mega Bingo winner, this one is also from the south:
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