Mada Fyah

Belize is racing toward protecting 30% of its ocean by 2026—but what does that look like on the water?

This latest investigation delves into the daily reality of marine rangers: 4 a.m. patrols, dangerous encounters, rescues of trapped wildlife, and long weeks away from their families.

From drones and 360° camera towers to the expanding risks of transboundary fishing, the story reveals the pressure—and passion—behind safeguarding Belize's seas.

The work of the country's rangers shows what it really takes to turn global commitments into everyday protection.

To view photos, images and videos from this story, visit: https://climatespotlight.com/marine-protected-areas-are-everybodys-business/

• (01:02) Intro 
• (03:13) 30% x 2026
• (05:32) The Story of the Blue Bond
• (09:13) The Work of a Ranger Part 1
• (14:51) The Work of a Ranger Part 2
• (20:17) New Challenges and Increased Risks at Sea
• (23:31) The Push for International Collaboration
• (26:11)  Measuring Efficacy of MPA Strategy
• (29:19) Support So Far
• (33:02) Closing Credits
  Credits

Investigation by André Habet

Additional reporting by Marco Lopez.

This story was published with support from Internews’ Earth Journalism Network.

The opening theme song is by Alexander Evans, and the closing theme is by Michael Pacheco 

What’s really happening on Belize’s buses? From near-disasters on the highway to overcrowding, breakdowns, and a struggling industry weighed down by high fuel costs and low fares, this in-depth investigation reveals the daily realities of commuters and the uphill battle of operators.

Journalist André Habet takes you inside the stories of passengers, drivers, and bus owners to uncover the risks, frustrations, and potential solutions for public transportation in Belize.

✦ Why are bus operators struggling to survive?

✦ How do safety lapses put thousands of Belizeans at risk?

✦ Can the government’s proposed National Bus Company fix a broken system—or is it “Novelo’s 2.0”?

This is the story of an industry that affects everyone in Belize, whether you ride the bus every day or rely on the people who do.

Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(01:07) GC's Story

(04:30) Bargain Travel, Unknown Risks

(10:06) "Not that Bad, Not that Good, but It Can Be Better"

(14:12) Two Weeks in the Lives of Commuters

(16:48) The [Brief] Reign and Fall of Novelo's

(19:05) High Interest Rates, High Operational Costs: A Cutthroat Business

(26:04) Novelo's 2.0 and Other Solutions

(35:26) Uncertain Near Future

👉 View images, videos, and links related to the full investigation at ClimateSpotlight.com/bus

👉 Follow André Habet at andrehabet on TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more reporting.

In this episode of Mada Fyah, André Habet and guest Yaya Marin Coleman continue their conversation on the proposed cruise terminal and cargo expansion project at Port of Belize following the September 1 public consultation about the revised Environmental Impact Assessment. They discuss how the consultation went, the difference between a hearing and a consultation, and how environmental regulation has changed through revisions to legislation.

On the first episode of Mada Fyah after our extended hiatus, André Habet talks to returning guests and comrade YaYa Marin Coleman about the Escazú Agreement,  an international treaty signed by 25 Latin American and Caribbean nations concerning the rights of access to information about the environment, public participation in environmental decision-making, environmental justice, and a healthy and sustainable environment for current and future generations.

If you'd like your organization added to the list of contacts for the Escazú Agreement's awareness campaign, please visit this Google Doc and add your org's name and a URL or contact number/email.

For more on the Escaú Agreement, check out Krem Sunday Review's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/krem.sundayreview) for upcoming conversations with community leaders and experts from across the Caribbean and the rest of the world.

On this episode of Mada Fyah, Andre talks to Dassia Regada and Jonathan Tremillo of the Crocodile Research Coalition regarding their efforts to relocate crocodiles and teach people about the significance of crocodiles to Belize as biological indicators. 

Crocodile Research Coalition FB page

https://www.facebook.com/MadaFyah/

On this episode, André Habet talks to Tom Hines, a videographer with Feste Films and the creator of several videos chronicling the effects of climate change on Dangigra and the surrounding area. André spoke to Tom about what made him decide to develop these videos and how they align with his goal of increasing awareness of the effects climate change is already having on Belize. 

For this episode, host André Habet spoke to Jolie Pollard, founder, formulator, and manager of the haircare brand Ikooma. Ikooma is a seaweed-based line of haircare products that Pollard created over years of trial and error. Now two years into selling her products, Pollard spoke to me about her journalism past, her formulation process and her work with Placencia seaweed farmers whose labor forms the basis of her product. It was a great conversation with a few fun tangents. Hope you enjoy it.

Ikooma

https://ikoomahair.com/

In this episode of Mada Fyah André talks to Belizean youth climate activist Kiefer Mes. Kiefer is the president of the Southern Youth Development Organization and was recently selected to

Kiefer talks to André about his perspective on the climate crisis as a young activist in light of a survey report released the week of September 13 by Oxford University, showing that young folks across ten countries are overwhelmingly scared for their future in light of the impacts of global warming. He also discusses his early environmental education, his interest in mangrove planting, and his hopes for what the national government can do to mitigate the worse of the climate crisis.

'Young People's Voices on Climate Anxiety, Government Betrayal and Moral Injury: A Global Phenomenon' by Elizabeth Marks et al

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3918955

In this episode, I’m sharing an interview with Yaya Marin Coleman, a community organizer and grassroots journalist currently investigating Port Loyola constituent’s familiarity with the Port of Belize Expansion project in Belize City. She shares with me her start in community work from an early age, her thoughts on how organizing can be made most effective, and her take on how Belizeans might proceed from here in reconstructing existing government systems to better serve more Belizeans.

Escazu Agreement Visual Explainer

In this episode, André Habet talks to Allie Johnstone who both independently and as a part of Caye Caulker Strong has dedicated much of the past two decades towards mangrove restoration projects on and around Caye Caulker. André and Allie discuss the origins of her interest in mangroves, her early days of guerilla planting on the island, and Caye Caulker Strong's efforts to shift people's views of mangroves as the essential wonders they are.