Belize Purchasing South Korean Testing Kits from Cayman, but Did Not Accept Donation through SICA

According to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, in a recorded statement, Belize is acquiring testing kits from the Cayman Islands.  The Cayman Islands has found itself with a surplus of the kits and is also selling to Barbados and Bermuda.  But here is the situation. Media reports from the Cayman Islands say that the testing kits are from South Korea. According to one report, “The Cayman Islands Government has sold the outstanding shipment of thirty-five thousand COVID-19 test kits to Bermuda after receiving a consignment last week of one hundred and sixty-five thousand from South Korea, which is more than enough for the public health authorities to ramp up testing here to the levels needed.” Another reported that the Government of Barbados has also purchased twenty thousand test kits from the Cayman Islands. Prime Minister Mia Mottley made the announcement during her April eleventh address to the nation. Now, as you know, Belize was the only country in Central America that rejected a donation of testing kits from South Korea. We were told they are incompatible and technicians were not trained to use the kits. Instead, we were using kits approved by the C.D.C.  But it seems that we are now paying for kits from South Korea, which we rejected and were getting free through a donation to SICA.