Chairlady Seleny Villanueva-Pott

The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) presented five garbage compactor trucks to five municipalities on Thursday, September 12th, in the Capital City of Belmopan. San Pedro Town, Belmopan City, Caye Caulker Village, Hopkins Village, and Placencia Village were recipients. The assets help improve trash collection efforts in these popular tourism destinations.

The island municipalities of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, and Caye Caulker were acknowledged and honored by the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labor, and Local Government for their outstanding contributions from 2023-2024. In a ceremony held on July 19th, the San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) was the only town administration awarded for its exemplary achievements in championing digital advancement, demonstrating financial stewardship, promoting transparency, and empowering community engagement. The Caye Caulker Village Council was recognized for its extraordinary governance, community stewardship, and steadfast dedication to fostering growth, transparency, and prosperity, which have significantly impacted the local community.

Residents and visitors of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker are one step closer to having reliable healthcare services. More than a year after the official announcement of the San Pedro and Caye Caulker General Hospital, the Government of Belize hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, March 1st, to mark the start of construction. This $33 million project is made possible through a grant from the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan).

In November 2022, Caye Caulker inaugurated a new polyclinic to improve medical services on La Isla Cariñosa. This infrastructure was more than welcomed but did not solve the Hicaqueños problems with medical emergencies. On Sunday, November 5th, Chairlady Seleny Villanueva-Pott reported that her team struggled to help transport patients to Belize City via private boats. As such, they hope the central government will assist the village council with additional resources to cope with the challenges related to such medical emergencies.

Chairlady Seleny Villanueva-Pott and her team were awarded by the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government for their achievements in key areas and development in their village. The recognition is part of a program from the Ministry honoring villages and water boards nationwide.

Police have formally arrested and charged 26-year-old John Elwin Hyde Jr. with Murder following the shooting death of Caye Caulker resident, Floyd Samuels, 45. On the night of Saturday, June 3rd, Samuels was shot dead at his residence on Avenida Mangle. According to a police report, two male persons reportedly went to his home to purchase tobacco leaves (‘fonto’) from him. Afterward, neighbors reported that they heard gunshots in the area.

Starting early in May, the Belize Airports Authority (BAA) announced that the Caye Caulker Airport would be closed for six weeks for a much-needed runway upgrade.

The tourism season is underway in Belize, and the demand for goods and other services increases with constant tourists to the cayes (Caye Caulker...