Special COVID Exemptions Do Need to Be Gazetted

Kareem Musa

Also related to COVID-19 regulations, News Five asked Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa about the decision made by his colleague, Minister of Health and Wellness Michel Chebat, to offer special exemptions for a wedding at the Belize Biltmore Plaza.  We wanted to find out too if there is any consequence for failing to gazette such an exemption as stipulated by the law.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“As I understand the S.I., the regulations do give the Minister the authority to issue these exemptions. And, I am aware that time and time again we have issued these over the past couple of months, for smaller functions of course, including the queen of the bay pageants, Dr. Manuel Esquivel’s book launch was one of them. So, there are several different exemptions that he is allowed to give under the law so I don’t see where you are going with that question. I would have to check the S.I. to see if there is a consequence for that, but I am sure that moving forward, he will gazette them.”