Belize Sovereign Over The Sapodillas, But ICJ Allows Guatemala to Join Honduras Challenge

Guatemala has made some headway at the International Court of Justice - and, tonight Belize's Foreign Ministry is welcoming it. Today the court granted Guatemala permission to intervene in the case concerning Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes.
The case started in 2022 when Belize asked the court to confirm its sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes - which Honduras also claims in its constitution.
In 2023, Guatemala - which also claims the Cayes - asked for permission to intervene in the case.
In public hearings last year at the ICJ, Guatemala claimed that it has "a clear interest of a legal nature in the case since . . . it has a longstanding claim of sovereignty over the Sapodillas.
At the end of those hearings, Belize stated that it had no objection to Guatemala being permitted to intervene in this case - while Honduras resisted.

Today the court announced its findings where it concluded that Guatemala's Application satisfied all substantive and procedural conditions - and would be allowed to intervene. Here's how the president of the court Judge Iwasawa Yuji put it this morning:

Judge Iwasawa Yuji, President of the Court
"The court notes that Belize claims sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes, Cayos Zapotillos on the basis that the United Kingdom and subsequently Belize have continuously, peacefully and openly exercised sovereign authority over the Sapodilla Cayes, Cayos Zapotillos for 200 years."

"The court observes that the precise object of Guatemala's intervention which is to protect its interest of a legal nature over the Sapodilla Cayes, Cayos Zapotillos and to inform the court of the nature and extent of such interest falls within the subject of the main dispute. For these reasons, the court unanimously decides that the Republic of Guatemala is permitted to intervene as a nonparty in the case pursuant to article 62 of the statute, to the extent and for the purposes set out in paragraph 76 of this judgment."

You can find a link to the decision on our web platforms.

Foreign Minister Welcomes ICJ Decision To Settle The Sapodillas Once And For All

And Belize's Ministry of Foreign Affairs put out a statement today welcoming the decision saying it is, quote, "a step forward that advances the process leading to finality of the two sovereignty cases before the ICJ involving Belize, i.e., Guatemala's Territorial, Insular and Maritime Claim and Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes.

Here's what the Foreign Minister told us today:

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Not surprised at all. I mean, as you know, Belize offered no objections to Guatemala joining the case. So our legal team expected that that would be the result. And so we're not surprised at all. And, you know, in, in fact, we the thinking of the legal team is that that is in Belize's interests. That's our objective. We want the integrity of these matters to be resolved."

Reporter
"But people will get jumpy the public because it will be interpreted as a gain for Guatemala before the court."

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"That would be a wrong understanding of the outcome of the case. You know, as I said, our legal team made submissions to the court. I would invite people to review those submissions. They were very clear about our position on this matter. We thought it was in the interests of all the partiesÃ¢â‚¬"and, of course, in the interest of BelizeÃ¢â‚¬"that Guatemala join the case so that all these issues can be resolved, once and for all, definitively."

PM Says Fuel From Panamanian Vessel Should Be Seized

Turning now to waters north of the Sapodillas, the Humilde Viajero - a Panamanian flagged vessel carrying diesel is still moored in the waters off the Big Creek Port.
The vessel has fake documents, a suspect crew and a dubious cargo - but, still, Customs and the Department of the Environment seem unsure of what to do with it.

But when he spoke about it yesterday the PM said government will seize the fuel cargo:

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"What we have said is we have seized that tanker and whoever is responsible for that tanker will have to answer in a court of Law and if necessary, we are going to seize those 50 thousand gallons of Diesel to put to use for, we're going to sell it to PUMA and to be able to help us with the challenges we're facing."

"From what it seems, this tanker just showed up, there's no documentation, I'm told not even the captain said they didn't know who they had there and no invoice no nothing and then all of a sudden some paper come up so we're doing a full investigation, we have the attorney general's ministry working with DOE, working with the customs department to ensure that if there is anything that was done unbecoming, or anything that was done illegally that we're going to deal with it to the fullest extent."

We note that while the PM seems to have clarity on it, there have been complaints that the Customs Department and the DOE seem to be dragging their feet.

PM: GOB Can't Reduce Taxes On Fuel

The PM also had to answer for the pump price of premium and diesel which went up by more than 10% last week. It's a direct result of the conflict in Iran which has caused crude oil prices to soar by 60% since the end of February.
And while the Briceno administration has passed on the increases, Leader of the Opposition, Tracy Panton has suggested that he lower the taxes on fuel as was done under the Barrow administration.

When the Prime Minister was asked about it in Belmopan, he said that they have already budgeted for how much revenue they will be getting from gasoline this year and reducing the tax take would cause an economic imbalance:

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Well the leader of the opposition would fail to acknowledge that the then Prime Minister had Petrocaribe with them, they had the monies from the oil, the revenues they got in, they got a combine of over 6, over a billion dollars off of the taxes so they could have probably do some of that. We are going to do what is necessary to be able too help our people, we are committed to our people, we are committed to the economy and so we have to find that balancing act as to how best to be able to manage these high prices that are coming to Belize."

"We have to be more prudent in how we use our vehicles. We have to take a look and take a balance, as I said the pie is the pie and when we set up the 2026-2027 pie it is set and we already projected the amount of revenue that we are going to collect from that, from fuel and if we were to cut that, then we either have to collect it from somewhere else or cut from some government program."

In 2025, an average 42% of the pump price was made up of taxes.

Tillett Bus Passing Through Ladyville Kills 15 Year Old

A fatal accident was reported at a little after 5:00 this evening in Ladyville. It happened near the Puma Gas Station where one man was knocked down and died in the middle of the road. Reports say a northern bus line knocked him down.

At this time, details surrounding the fatal incident are scarce but police are currently on the scene, and we'll have more information as it becomes available.

Robbery Outside Bank Causes Chaos When The Victim Ran Inside The Bank

There was a major police response at the Belize Bank northside this morning. It happened at around 10:30 when there was an attempted robbery just outside the bank which is on the Phillip Goldson Highway at the Matalon building.
But, while it caused a scare inside the bank, there was no attempted bank robbery.
A 28 year old employee of DHL went to the bank to make a deposit. He opened his carrier and removed 3 deposit bags with cash and that's when a man wearing a helmet put a gun to his waist and told him not to move. The man then stole the package from him and ran towards Coney Drive - escaping on a waiting motorcycle. The courier then dashed into the bank and asked them for emergency assistance - which created a scare inside the bank and caused them to send customers outside and lock the doors.

Later, police recovered a red motorcycle they believe to have been used by the suspect in the robbery. At this point, the amount of money stolen has not been disclosed, nor has it been recovered.

Cordel Hyde Impersonator Charged For Scamming Woman

Tonight a Cordel Hyde impersonator has been fined after he scammed a woman out of five hundred dollars. 26 year old Callie Barrow entered into a plea agreement on Monday and was back in court today on a charge of dishonestly obtaining a wrongful credit.
Back in 2024, Barrow swindled $500 from his victim after he sent her a friend request from a Facebook page under the name Cordel Hyde. The victim began communicating with the account and Brown, who was impersonating the DPM, told her he needed her to deposit $500 into an account for a land transfer. The victim did so but later became suspicious and realized the profile was fake.

Barrow, who was represented by legal aid Sherigne Rodriguez, was imposed a non custodial fine of $500 and additionally he was ordered to pay the victim $700 in compensation. He must pay both by June 30th in default 12 months imprisonment.

PM Proposed Prisoner Swap For Budna, Foreign Minister Says That's Not In The Cards

Joseph Budna, he's still languishing in a Guatemalan prison - and it looks like he will be there for a while more. He was extrajudicially extradited in August of last year - and earlier this week the Prime Minister suggested that they could bring him back in a prisoner swap with Guatemala.

Sounded simple enough - but actually too simple because the Foreign Minister made it clear today that Belize has no such agreement with the Guatemalan government:

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Well we have no, we do not have any prisoner exchange agreement or treaty between Belize and Guatemala. So there's no basis for us to have a prisoner swap. You know, but as I've said repeatedly, we are at the embassy in Guatemala in contact with Mr. BudnA. We are there to provide support to him, in any way that we can. So if he, you know, ask us to do anything on his behalf in terms of reaching out to the Guatemalan government, or the Guatemalan administration, then we will certainly do that."

We note that there is a framework agreement for the repatriation of prisoners in the Belize - Guatemala Confidence Building Measures, but these have not been activated.

PM Wrote A Letter To The Cane Farmers And Then Misrepresented It

Tonight the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association is at another pivotal crossroads. They're being strongly urged by the government to accept the settlement of a lawsuit against Tate and Lyle Sugars and BSI for Fairtrade monies in exchange for one million dollars in assistance from the government.
It's desperate times in Cane country and reports suggest that BSCFA's leadership and membership are divided on the issue.
Not so much for the Prime Minister where the only division is between what he says publicly and what he wrote privately to the BSCFA Chairman.

Jules Vasquez looks at both:

On February 25th, Prime Minister John BricenoÃ¢â‚¬"who's also the Minister of the Sugar IndustryÃ¢â‚¬"wrote to the Chairman of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association (BSCFA) offering the association an incentive to settle the Fairtrade legal dispute with BSI and Tate & Lyle Sugars.

According to the cane farmers, that was first proposed in a meeting on December 19th with the Minister who has day-to-day responsibility for the sugar industry, Osmond Martinez. The association noted that "acceptance of ASR's conditions would require the BSCFA to waive its right to recover approximately BZD $11 million in Fairtrade Premiums already earned over the past four crop years."

The PM's reply was much like Martinez: accept 1.1 million in state funds and drop that court claim against Tate and Lyle and BSI. But, in an interview yesterday the PM spoke a falsehood when he said that the government has not proposed for them to drop the case:

Reporter
"Has government proposed that they drop the case?"

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"No, government has not proposed for them to drop the case, what the government has been saying is that it is their right if they want to go to court but at the same time what they have been doing is spending all of this time losing monies from fair trade and so forth to the detriment of its farmers and it's a decision that they want to make if they want to continue or not."

The Prime Minister's written statement, however, indicated that government's financial support is "contingent with the Association dropping their claim in court." The PM made it clear he is only trying to help because, as a cane farmer himself, he has already sought alternatives.

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I have left the BSCFA because I don't see I'm getting anywhere so I went to Progressive Progressive to sign on for Fairtrade so we will get the support from Fairtrade."

Is Belize Under Pressure To Protect US Corporations?

So, if the government is proposing compensation for settlements on behalf of ASR/BSI and Tate and Lyle Sugars, is it working for the multinational?
And is the government doing this to please US state and corporate interests since both BSI and Tate and Lyle are owned by a powerful US Company - which is ASR or American Sugar Refining.

We asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs is they are under US pressure to deliver for the multinational:

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"No not at all, not at all I think, all our engagements, with the, certainly with the US embassy here, in respect of ASR, have been very, very positive, very, very productive. No, I think you know no no no intimidation. No no none of that. I think it's all been very productive. And we have a very good working relationship with ASR, BSI government they have come to cabinet many times to make presentations. We have discussed their concerns. Even their, their owners, in Florida, have come to make presentations. So I think we have a very good we have a very good relationship with them."

Jules Vasquez:
"But why then would the Prime Minister write to Tate and Lyle Sugars urging the cane farmers to settle their matter and receive an incentive from the government? In fact, using public funds to buy fertilizers to offset a corporate private litigation that the BSCFA has engaged in against Tate and Lyle sugars for the Fairtrade money?"

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Yeah. Well, you're asking me something that you'll have to ask the minister responsible for sugar, for the sugar industry about. What I do know is that, as you all know, I mean, the Prime Minister, has long expressed his frustration with the state of affairs in the BSCFA and the sugar industry. This is a critical industry to our economy. And we want to see the matter resolved. The stalemate has gone on for too long. And the Prime Minister in fairness to him he has said this many times in cabinet, he feels very strongly, that the BSCFA, should try to settle the matter."

PM Tells UB Students They're In A Delicate Situation With Cuba

Volleying back now to the Prime Minister: At yesterday's "Guest Lecture" at the University of Belize, he spoke to the students about delicate state of relations between Belize and the US as it relates to the Cuban medical Brigade:

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"And as to the Cuban Brigade, you know, you feel very strongly about the Cuban brigade, we are very grateful for the tremendous work that they have done. And, and that they are in areas where we don't want to be some of our doctors. And also they have specialties that we don't have. We are in some delicate negotiations, both with the Americans and hopefully with the Cubans, to see if we can find a hybrid, to be able to keep, as many as possible of, of the Cuban doctors, here."

"But as you know, we are just a speck in a big pond and know we have our big brothers in the in the up north. And they don't care about anything. They just say you do it or we are. Then we are going to deal with you. And now just imagine we said to hell with you. We are with Cuba. We are going to raise the flag and all of that. And then they said, we are going to cancel, all the visas for Belizeans. You all will be the first ones that will jump on my back. True or false? True or false? Be honest. Be honest. You all will be the first ones to jump on our back that what's wrong with you. We are going to lose our visa and we can't go to the United states. I say that to make the point that we have to be able to, to to diplomatically see how we could walk that fine line, to be able to see what best we can do for our citizens."

"But at the same time, the Ministry of Health is already looking at trying to get more doctors to Belize, through El Salvador and Nicaragua. But then UB Doc. We're looking for that within a few years, you are going to be producing doctors that we could take then we could take care of our own so."

Many students have chosen not to attend due to the high cost of the UB School of Medicine.

PM Won't Say If Cuban Brigade Will Leave

And when asked point blank by the media if the "delicate" nature of the situation would result in the Cuban Brigade leaving, the PM balked at that one:

Reporter
"Can Belizeans expect ultimately for the Cuban Medical Brigade to leave?"

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I don't think that I'm in a position to answer that at this time."

Foreign Minister Says They May Need An "Exit Strategy" For Cuban Brigade

The foreign Minister spoke on it at greater length today - but conceded that they may need an exit strategy with the Cubans:

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Now, in terms of the brigade, the medical brigade. That is a matter that we are reviewing in light of the circumstances in Cuba, the changing circumstances in Cuba. We are looking at options, in terms of what do we do? So we are discussing that with Cuba. You know, I want to, of course, place on record our deep gratitude for, to the Cuban government and people for the brigade. The brigade obviously has played a critical role in the development of our health system here in Belize, particularly in rural communities, where their doctors have served. So currently we have about 92 medical professionals serving in Belize, 45 of them, as I understand it, our doctors. So we're looking at that. And what we have done, cabinet has asked that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs work, along with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, to devise a plan that will present different options to cabinet for us to look at."

Reporter
"Sounds like an exit strategy, though."

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Well, that may be one option. You know, so that may be one option. But the whole point is that given the circumstances, what is happening in Cuba. We have to be prepared. And so we have to have a plan. Whether it's a transition plan, we have to have a plan, to ensure that our health system is protected."

Reporter
"What consequences might be faced? Are we looking at the cancellation of visas for officials and their families or other such considerations?"

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"No, no, I want to be very clear about that issue. The, you know, in all our engagements with the United States on Cuba. I have found them, including Secretary Rubio, at the last meeting in Saint Kitts, to be very pragmatic, very practical. There were no threats made to anybody. No, you know, no intimidation. They have a different view of Cuba. And what has been happening in Cuba, for the last 50 or so plus years. So, we have to respect that view. So, you know, no threats have been made. We are in dialog, respectful dialog, as I said, with the Cubans. And, you know, we're looking at options. We're looking at different options."

Will UB Medical School Someday Eliminate The Need For Cuban Doctors?

And if Belize has to send him the Cuban doctors, there will be many gaps in coverage - especially in rural areas. So, the focus would then turn to the nascent University of Belize School of Medicine which was inaugurated and established in August 2024 to present Belizean students with a local option for medical education. Well the Prime Minister says that the hope is that the local med school will be able to produce doctors who can eventually transition to employment at these clinics:

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Well remember if you look back at history, the Cuban Medical Brigade was never something that would have been prominent it was supposed to have been for a period of time and to allow countries to catch up to be able to provide their own doctors. At least this government had the foresight to start with a medical faculty here at UB and I think if it's not this year, next year, these students will start to go to KHMH to be able to do some practical, for practice in their different fields in the hospital. So in a way it is working out for us and we hope in the next few years we'll be producing more and more Belizean doctors that can provide the necessary services that our people need and deserve"

Belize May Need A Reset In Cuba Relations

And whatever happens with the Cuban brigade, the Foreign Minister concedes that Belize will have to re-examine its relationship with Cuba - which is what the Cubans are themselves doing right now with the USA. But, in the meantime, they have to stay close with Belizean medical students in Cuba :

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"The president of Cuba himself has made it public that they are themselves in discussions with the Americans. We will see what comes out of that. So I think everybody is watching and waiting."

Reporter
"Has the ministry been in contact with our students and, any considerations been made?"

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. We are in contact with our students almost on a daily basis through our embassy in Cuba. Ambassador Aldana, we have now about 28 students in Cuba. I think about 20 of them are nearing completion of their studies. So that's good. And really, you know, so far, they have not expressed an interest in coming back to Belize. They are still hopeful that they will be able to complete their programs of study. We are there to support them if they indicate to us or if the Cuban government indicates also that they believe it's in their interest to return to Belize, then we will facilitate that."

PM Says Opposition Sees Cuba Through Rose Filtered Lens

And while the government of the day prepares for a Belize - Cuba reset of some sort, the UDP has a much more status quo outlook.
"Friends do Not Abandon Friends", well at least that's what the leader of the opposition said via a Facebook post.
Tracy Taegar Panton writes, quote, "It is deeply troubling to hear the Prime Minister as well as the Minister of Health & Wellness admit that Belize is now engaged in delicate negotiations regarding the future of the Cuban Medical Brigade".

Here's how the PM responded:

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Well the leader of the opposition has the luxury to be where she is and we expect that she's going to be there for a very long time. But we have to be realistic, we have to be pragmatic, we have to be able to see how best we can deal with these issues we know the position of the US government so presently we are on some very delicate negotiations and discussions with the Americans to see what kind of hybrid program we can have in Belize"

Foreign Minister Not Fazed By Letter From US Congressman

And the Briceno Administration has another Foreign Affairs concern coming out of the lobbying effort in the US by the Feinstein Group.

Responding to questions about the negative public relations campaign by the Feinsteins against the Briceno Administration in US media - Foreign Minister Fonseca gave a candid if measured response:

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"Yeah, I think, you know, we've we've responded as you know, we put out a press release on the matter. We have also responded directly to both Chairman Mast, and to Secretary Rubio. You know, setting out in great detail our response to to the letter that was sent by Mast to Rubio. And we are following up on many different fronts, both through our embassy in Washington, and here with the US embassy here in Belize, providing information."

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"You know, the bottom line is, is that, you know, that whole campaign that's that's taking place, you know, is is grounded in a private sector matter that's before the court so we can't engage deeply into it. But as you all know, the the court, it's going through the court process. The court determined that the acquisition was legal. That is being appealed as Mr. Feinstein has the right to, that is being appealed. And that matter is now before the courts. So the courts will determine the outcome of that."

Reporter
"But this is part of a smear campaign against the Briceno administration orchestrated by the Feinstein group. What would you say in response to that?"

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"We understand that it's clear, obviously, that the Feinstein group has engaged lobbyists on their behalf. They are engaged in a very negative and, I think, dangerous campaign against their country, Belize. I find that very disappointing and, in many ways disgusting. But we understand we are dealing with it. We have to remain professional. We have to deal with it at a diplomatic level. And we're doing that. We're doing that in a responsible way."

PM Says Stake Bank Scare Is Overrated

And the Prime Minister also commented on the Feinstein Group's public relations and lobbying campaign. He said it's in the court:

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Here we have a congressman who gave us raving reviews about working with the private sector in agriculture, I did not link that to Stake bank in the least. But we know what's going on with stake bank that an individual is paying for these and when you look at some of these pages where they put these out, they're pages that have just pop up or hardly anybody watches. The truth of the matter is that has gone to court and the truth of the matter is that the Supreme Court or the Upper court from Belize has ruled in favor that the government does have a right to be able to coy in the best interest now, Mr.Feinstein and his team If they want to appeal, that's their right and they have done that. They gone to the court of appeals we have a judicial system that's fair, a judicial system that works and so we are not concerned about it."

Will Investment Climate Be Soured By Stake Bank?

And when asked if they are concerned that this smear campaign in the US could potentially impact the foreign investments we get in Belize, he didn't sound too worried:

John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Right now we have SSA Marine owned by Black Rock, one of the biggest hedge funds in the world, they are dying to come and invest 450 million US dollars in the Port of Belize, you have carnival, you have all of these big companies that want to come and invest in Belize so that speaks about the investment climate in Belize"

Foster Films Now Available On 501 Academy

The legacy of the late filmmaker Robert Foster lives on through his wife and creative partner Carol, who has teamed up with NICH and the Ministry of Education and Culture for a project called: "501 WILD."
Today we got a first hand look at the Foster archives and some of the work they have compiled over the years documenting wildlife in Belize.

Jomarie Lanza was at the opening of the exhibition and here's her report.

What do you get when you blend art, science and history? A project called Wild 501. It's a product made up of a collection of nature documentarians Carol and Robert Foster's life long work, a series of films and images that beautifully capture the "wild" and beating heart of Belize's jungles, rivers, and marine life. Now students and nature lovers will be able to access these films, some of which have been sitting in the Foster archives for the past 42 years.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education, Culture, Science and Technology
"When we talk about the soul of Belize we often speak of our music, our food, our history but there is another side to our national identity, one that Carol knows very well. That breathes in the canopy of the rainforests and pulses through the rivers of our caves for over 30 years that wild heart has been beating in front of a sense held by 2 extraordinary people Carol and Richard Foster. To many of you the name Foster is synonymous with those breathtaking images that make us pause and realize just how lucky we are to call this land home."

The project features 6 original short films and 20 curated photographs, all digitized and cataloged to preserve their integrity.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education, Culture, Science and Technology
"But WILD501 is more than just an exhibition or a gallery of pretty pictures; it is a living, breathing archive. It is a monumental effort to catalog, digitize and preserve a cinematic history that belongs to all of us. The Foster's did not just come here to film Belize they chose to be Belize they made this wild landscape their home and their lifestyle mission as award winning film makers for giants like the BBC and National geographic they acted as our global ambassadors through their eyes the rest of the world caught it's first glimpse of our hidden stories the intricate, delicate and often fierce reality of our ecosystems. And let us not forget their impact was not just on the screen the fosters were the foundational catalysts for the Belize zoo they ensured that the creatures they documented wouldn't just be flickering shadows on a television set but living beings with a voice and a sanctuary for generations to come."

And that's exactly what Foster had in mind when she embarked on this project with MOECST and NICH: to ensure that the future generations will be able to access these historical resources and extraordinary pieces of work that you cant find in a textbook.

Carol Farneti Foster, Wildlife Documentary Filmmaker
"I was so happy because my intentions were to get it to the department of education and to give it to them and I needed some money to help me hire somebody to help me do this so that was my intention, to get it to schools and so I cut short pieces of wildlife that we filmed and so it worked out but it was time consuming. We got it we got it."

Reporter
"So are you satisfied with the outcome of this project?"

Carol Farneti Foster, Wildlife Documentary Filmmaker
"Oh my god this is the first time I saw it I didn't see it before and it is amazing they did a great job, they did a real great job. I just don't know how to express myself but iIm not going to cry though."

Reporter
"Does it make you feel nostalgic to see all these pictures?"

Carol Farneti Foster, Wildlife Documentary Filmmaker
"Oh yes, well these some of these were film so I had to scanned them and that's how I got them up so."

The videos are available now on the 510 Academy Hub.

Stem U Students Return From Welding Program In The US

Two weeks ago, we told you that students from St Ignatius High School in San Ignacio were headed to the US as part of the Stem U Foundation's global exchange. These students were all a part of a welding program and this cohort included mostly girls. Well, today, they returned to Belize with big goals for their future. Courtney Menzies met them at the airport and has this story.

7 St Ignatius High School students jetted off to North Carolina on March 9th as a part of Stem U Foundation's global exchange. These students - who include 6 girls and 1 boy - are part of the welding program and today, they returned to Belize energized and encouraged to keep pursuing their dreams.

Bettina Myers, 4th Form Student, St Ignatius High School
"This experience has been very enlightening and empowering because when we went there we saw a lot of women that are specialists in their field and it encouraged me more to continue this study and maybe own my own business."

Courtney Menzies
"What inspired you to get involved with StemU in the first place?"

Bettina Myers, 4th Form Student, St Ignatius High School
"When I was in second form, they just put in the new welding and so when I saw them doing their open day presentations I got really inspired to do it as well. I learned how to work together as a team because if I didn't work together as a team I wouldn't be here with my classmates and how to fix my welds and make sure they are good enough because if I want to do a business, they have to be well enough to sell them. One of the highlights was when we went to like an open day with all the different companies and colleges and universities that do welding, NDT and the whole STEM program. We met a lot of new people, a lot of different kinds of people, everyone thinks different, you learn how to think from different people's perspectives."

Courtney Menzies
"Do you see yourself one day attending one of these universities?"

Bettina Myers, 4th Form Student, St Ignatius High School
"Yes I was actually looking at multiple universities and I think I'm going to apply."

Jacey Moro, 4th Form Student, St Ignatius High School
"It encouraged us to know that we as women, as young girls can contribute to the society as a welder."

Reporter
"What made you interested in becoming a welder, in welding?"

Jacey Moro, 4th Form Student, St Ignatius High School
"I didn't really know what I was getting into welding, I just saw it and took it as an opportunity. it's very interesting, I love the time, the patience and techniques you can use as a welder. There's many opportunities in the world for a welder, especially the girls."

Courtney Menzies
"What was your favorite part of the trip?"

Jacey Moro, 4th Form Student, St Ignatius High School
"Visiting the welding sites and also going to the PSA, the PSA is the American airline company."

This is the second time Stem U has collaborated with St Ignatius High School, and the trip was about more than just schooling. She added that this now paves the way for other Belizean students and principals.

Jeaneane Neal, Principal, St Ignatius High School
"We were also privy to meet our ambassador in Washington DC who allowed the students and us to visit the OAS, the World Bank and he also, Ambassador Nestor this is, who we all know, very fond of education and quite impressed with the amount of girls that went and saying we need more in our country so our educational field trip as I call, their experience is not just for St Ignatius High School, it's for the country of Belize, all my colleagues, all the high schools, I represent all the principals, and as the chair of BAPS, I will in turn deliver my experience. Vocational studies as well as academics is very important in our country. Having them being disciplined in this field, for me, was a great experience. Seeing what they do, doing their own little competition with the other students from other colleges was quite impressive and I must give thanks to especially Stem U foundation and their team."

"Too Fat" For The Force?

Tonight, some recruits have been sent home from the Belize Defence Force Training even after passing their entrance exam. Why you may ask? Their fitness level is not up to par and neither is their body mass index.

Simply put, they are overweight and not able to handle the tough training.

One mother contacted our newsroom saying she was disappointed as her son was ready to serve the country.

Well one's readiness must also be shown in their fitness level and the Brigadier General Anthony Velasquez said it's all about raising the bar of the soldiers:

Brig. Gen. Anthony Velasquez, Commander - BDF
"Everyone who applied and they showed up for the assessment at the various locations throughout the country were subject to a physical assessment, medical screening and a psychological screening. Also, they took an aptitude test, they had to bring a mobile device, they took an aptitude test which tested their academic ability but also potential skills they have that are needed in the Defense Force."

"Some applicants that were selected on the selection day may not because of the in depth nature of the assessment now they may not qualify. When we recruit people, we're asking for 150 recruits in total, however due to the demanding nature of the training, these young individuals, everyday we lose a certain amount of people for various reasons, mental or physical, they cannot keep up with the training and they willingly decide to leave or because of our in depth assessment we deem them not physically or not mentally able too continue trending and also there's a moral aspect as well because once these individuals if they have a police record or some record of involvement with the law then again they're denied entry so and we are just enhancing what has been in place before and we are re-enforcing those rules and regulations."

But the silver lining is that if the recruits fit the criteria by the next intake, they will be automatically accepted again. The Brigadier General says that they are doing it for their best interest:

Brig. Gen. Anthony Velasquez, Commander - BDF
"All of them who were sent home had BMI which were high pass the standard so these individuals were sent home, taken out of training and sent home and the aim of that is to protect the organization and them because people who are overweight have a higher tendency to be injured and so they have a high risk of of being injured and like I mentioned the training is very very arduous and very physically demanding. We do not want to put these people at risk, these young people so they get injured, so it was decided that they should be released from training however they have the option of returning. Our next intake is sometime scheduled for later this year maybe October thereabout and they have the option of returning. Their space is guaranteed in the next intake should they go back home and then get in shape and they have the option of returning and their space is guaranteed."

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