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Earlier today, word spread like wildfire that Guatemalan nationals were traversing Belize from the Philip Goldson International Airport to the western border and that their transit through the country was facilitated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. While it may have been true that they were traveling cross country to enter Guatemala from Melchor, the […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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According to Elrington, a statutory instrument would have to be instituted in order to effect a travel ban for passengers entering the country via the P.G.I.A. In that case, he says, all travelers would be barred from arriving in Belize, no matter their country of origin. Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs “Unless […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Sedi on Closing Down the P.G.I.A.
As you may know by now, Nicaragua and El Salvador recorded their first cases of the novel coronavirus late Wednesday evening. As it stands now, Belize is the only country in the mainland Americas where there is not yet a confirmed case. And today, during the Ministry of Health’s third episode of the ‘Ask The […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Immigration Dept. Cracks Down on Illegal Border Crossings Due to COVID-19
Aside from cancelations of events and activities, a number of government departments have been downsizing. News Five has confirmed that this afternoon the Director of the Belize Tourism Board met with staff around three p.m. and shared that about fifty percent of them will be terminated. The cut, we are told, will take place on […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Half of B.T.B. Staff to be Terminated; Lands Department Closing Offices
Churches across the globe are having to suspend services and alter practices during mass to avoid the spread of the corona virus. Locally, this coming Sunday, masses have been called off in the Anglican Diocese and at Catholic parishes and worshippers are encouraged to attend mass via the internet. Easter Services are up in the […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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The courts are not immune to the corona virus threat. The Court of Appeal was the first to make a change in the judiciary and has suspended its sitting. On Tuesday, Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser, the Director of the Family Court, the Deputy Registrar and executive members of the Bar Association […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Secondary Legislation Drafted to Forward Court Proceedings in Wake of COVID-19 Threat
It has been established that the arraignment of persons for criminal acts continues as normal, even as a secondary procedure will be instituted at the courts for civil and criminal matters. Executive Committee Member of the Bar Association, Gavin Courtenay says that through the use of technology, bail applications will be heard via video link. […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Social distancing is a major recommendation as a preventative measure to halt the spread of COVID-19. The judiciary is taking no risks and has since postponed trials with jury until further notice. Gavin Courtenay, Executive Member, Bar Association of Belize “Even prior to the meeting, certain matters—particularly in the criminal court—the Chief Justice had […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Precautionary Measures at the Court; Trials with Jury Postponed
Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, via the passage of the Supreme Court of Judicature Amendment Bill, will now be empowered to make decisions on occasions when there are matters of public interest and national security, as in the case of the coronavirus threat. This morning in the House of Representatives, that piece of legislation was introduced […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Supreme Court Empowered to Make Decisions in Times of National Emergency
As we promised, the following story looks at the two reports of the B.D.F. helicopter accident that were released late Wednesday evening. The reports are produced by the Civil Aviation Department and the BELL Company. One report looks specifically at the aircraft itself, with an analysis of the wreckage recovered from the site; while the […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on A Look at the Latest Reports into the B.D.F. Helicopter Accident
Several pieces of proposed legislation were introduced in parliament today, notwithstanding the primary focus of the sitting being an aborted budget debate. Before we get to those bills, the Prime Minister announced that all government ministers have decided to forego a month’s salary to be contributed towards funds to combat the COVID-19 threat. Prime Minister […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on New Bills Introduced in the House of Representatives
Even as Belize remains free of a laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19, the entire country is bracing for the inevitability. There is already an economic downturn in the tourism sector, one of the biggest revenue generators. Tour operators have shut down and many businesses and hotels are closing their doors. The B.T.B., we are told, […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Caye Caulker Preparing for COVID-19
But the convention will have to wait since, according to Faber, during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, it was decided that the leadership convention be postponed indefinitely as the country deals with the COVID-19 threat. Faber welcomes the postponement of the convention since he says he can focus on preparing his division to take preventative […]
Written on March 18, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on U.D.P. Suspends Leadership Convention
Late this evening, the Ministry of National Security held a press conference about the investigation into the fatal helicopter incident. The press was informed that the reports, one from Belize Civil Aviation Department and one from BELL, the manufacturers of the UH1H helicopter, have been completed. The report wasn’t shared at the briefing; instead, it […]
Written on March 18, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Ministry of National Security Releases Latest Reports into Fatal Chopper Incident
Before the press conference, the ministry met with the families of the deceased B.D.F. soldiers. Following that meeting, attorney for Mendez, Choco and Baizar families, Audrey Matura, spoke with reporters to share some of the takeaways from the Honduran report. Audrey Matura, Attorney “The key things are that we were looking at is still […]
Written on March 18, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Attorney Says Honduran Report More Critical of the B.D.F. Procedures
Attorney Audrey Matura also shared more information on the matter of compensation. She says that the Minister of National Security has made a commitment to pay each of the affected families an ex-gratia payment of one hundred thousand dollars. Matura explains how that will work. Audrey Matura, Attorney “We had been asking for the family […]
Written on March 18, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Each Family of Deceased B.D.F. Soldier to Get 100K in Ex-Gratia Payment
Belize’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism so that the looming COVID-19 is presenting major shocks to the industry. The Philip Goldson International Airport remains open, but the number of flights and passengers are dwindling. Hotel cancellations are fast and furious and cruise ships are not calling on port. Businesses all over are scaling down […]
Written on March 18, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Caye Caulker a Ghost Town; the Economic Impact of COVID-19 on the Tourism Destination
Health officials have warned that it is not a matter of if; it is a matter of when the novel coronavirus gets here. The government has introduced some preventative and containment measures for the country. While Belize remains one of three countries in the region where there are no confirmed cases, some one hundred and […]
Written on March 18, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Tips to Help you Prepare During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The novel coronavirus is particularly deadly to the older population, many whose health conditions are worsened by pre-existing conditions. HelpAge Belize manages two institutions with a concentration of folks who are most at-risk of the virus. So how are they preparing the elderly for COVID-19? News Five’s Hipolito Novelo has the following report. Hipolito […]
Written on March 18, 2020 | Posted in
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A demonstration that was scheduled to take place today in front of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital was canceled. The demonstration was planned by the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Workers Union, but its plan crumbled when the union was denied a permit to demonstrate by the Belize Police Department. The union was contemplating action because […]
Written on March 17, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on K.H.M.H. Workers Union Demonstration Cancelled
The union has decided to petition the staff if they want the isolation unit at the K.H.M.H. When we spoke to its leaders, two hundred and fifty signatures were collected against having the isolation unit inside the hospital. That petition, according to President Lidia Alpuche-Blake will be sent to the COVID-19 National Oversight Committee for determination. […]
Written on March 17, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on K.H.M.H. Workers Union Prepares Letter to Send to Prime Minister Dean Barrow
The United Democratic Party is gearing up for yet another clash of the titans as it goes into a second contested convention to choose a new leader. It promises to be a repeat of the February ninth showdown, during which former Deputy Party Leader Patrick Faber faced Belmopan Area Representative John Saldivar and suffered a […]
Written on March 17, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Faber and Saldivar to Lock Horns for Leadership Again
Today, the Ministry of Health held a sensitization webcast session on COVID-19. The session, as we’ve reported, is for the public to ask questions directly to health officials in an effort to raise awareness of local efforts and stamp out myths and rumours. In today’s video cast, Director of Health Services Doctor Marvin Manzanero reported […]
Written on March 17, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on No COVID-19 in Belize; MOH to Acquire More Testing Kits
There are no confirmed cases of the virus in Belize, so should you go ahead and make travel plans? Not so fast, says the Director of Health Services. Doctor Marvin Manzanero is asking Belizeans not to make any plans for this Easter holiday. He also spoke on the issue of gatherings for religious services. Doctor […]
Written on March 17, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on DHS Says COVID-19 Situation is Fluid; a Detection Could See New Measures!
Belize remains coronavirus free tonight and measures are being put in place to strengthen the health system as the virus threat hovers over the country. Government has already banned events of more than one hundred persons to minimize the risks of the virus, including the closure of schools up until the Easter Holidays. Today, News […]
Written on March 17, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Prison Prepares for COVID-19
