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The Southside State of Emergency, which saw more than one hundred individuals incarcerated on July eight and was extended for two more months, comes to an end tomorrow, October sixth. However, in the last week or so, reports are that the around thirty gang members were being slowly released from prison back into society. At […]
Written on October 5, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Southside State of Emergency Comes to an End
The Cybercrime Bill 2020 was approved by the Senate on Wednesday. The new law combats cyber crimes such as cyber bullying, harassment and extortion through technology. The bill is a product of extensive consultations and cooperation from several bodies including the Office of the Special Envoy for Women and Children, the Attorney General office and the Ministry […]
Written on October 1, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on C.E.O. Says Cyber Crime Bill Is Necessary
The government decided not to table the controversial Equal Opportunities Bill after churchgoers, particularly the National Evangelical Association of Belize, began making their discontent with the bill known. The Cabinet said that the bill is overdue and was prepared to support it in its entirety. The bill was spearheaded by the National Aids Commission in partnership […]
Written on October 1, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on What’s the Future of the Equal Opportunities Bill?
With the reopening of the P.G.I.A. on Thursday, at the start of a new month, there is a general belief that additional measures to accommodate the arrival of visitors to Belize will be introduced. That school of thought has led many to believe that bars, nightclubs and gyms will also be allowed to reopen. If […]
Written on September 30, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Slight Relaxation Come October First
Last week, the matter of the controversial S.I. 134 caused consternation with the Ministry of Heath because it criminalizes the DHS if he does not provide confidential information on COVID patients to the Minister of National Security. There was overwhelming response that such information should not land in police hands. But Minister Anthony Martinez says […]
Written on September 28, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Minister Martinez Says National Security Minister Should Have List of COVID-19 Patients
Less than fifty percent of the persons who applied under Phase Two of the COVID-19 Unemployment Relief Programme have been approved. The government received sixty-four thousand two hundred and fifty two applications out of which thirty thousand five hundred and forty-four were approved. Thirteen thousand persons have been rejected, while more than three thousand applicants […]
Written on September 28, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Update on Unemployment Relief Programme
Gym owners, managers and trainers have come together in a united front to request that their facilities be allowed to open. It has been more than a month since they have had to shutter down and there has been no word on their re-opening. Well, today two of those experts called the press to share […]
Written on September 28, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Health & Fitness Experts Call for the Reopening of Gyms
As of Wednesday night, Belize registered one thousand seven hundred and nine cases of COVID-19. Six hundred and sixty five cases remain active but so far one thousand and nineteen persons have recovered. Every day there are new cases and every day persons recover. And in the past few days, the number of recovered persons […]
Written on September 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Medical Professionals Speak Out Against Recent Statutory Instrument
Also speaking out against the S.I. is attorney Audrey Matura. According to Matura, Statutory Instrument one-thirty-four has to be taken to the National Assembly to be affirmed and since that has not been done, it cannot be enforced. Matura also says that the S.I. is in contravention to the Belize constitutions which makes provisions for […]
Written on September 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Attorney Says S.I. 134 Goes Against Belize Constitution
At the start of the pandemic, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told the media that he would attempt to get the names of persons who have tested positive for COVID-19 as away to prevent the spread of the virus. Today, we asked him for his view on the controversial S.I. 134. Williams says he supports […]
Written on September 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on ComPol Williams Supports the Need for a COVID-19 Patient List
The argument of confidentiality and privacy, says ComPol Williams, is valid to a certain extent, but the constitution does have limitations where public health, public interest and national security are concerned. As far as stigma, the Commissioner of Police also stated that more people have come forward with their COVID-19 status than persons infected with […]
Written on September 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Chester Takes on Confidentiality and Stigma Regarding COVID-19
The new statutory instrument took effect on Tuesday, but as the government said today, alternative recommendations will be made. Now, serious concerns were raised at the level of the National Oversight Committee regarding the responsibility of the Director of Health Services to surrender the names of all COVID-19 patients to the Minister of National Security. […]
Written on September 23, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Statutory Instrument 134 is Broken Down
The S.I. legally compels the Director of Health Services to hand over the names of all COVID-19 patients across the country giving rise to the question of doctor/patient confidentiality. According to the Attorney General, the decision to make the list compulsory came from the National Oversight Committee and Cabinet in a recent meeting. And cabinet, […]
Written on September 23, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Is Confidentiality being Broken with Mandatory COVID List?
With a limit of only ten patrons or congregants, restaurants and churches can once again reopen, however, there are clear rules that speak to licenses in order to operate such businesses in the case of restaurants. As far as churches, the AG says that a celebrant and his acolytes are allowed along with ten parishioners, […]
Written on September 23, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Restaurants and Churches Reopen to Limited Customers and Congregants
Notwithstanding the mortality rate associated with COVID-19, we asked the Attorney General this morning about the rationale behind limiting restaurants and churches to ten persons while allowing buses and other forms of public transportation to carry more than ten passengers within proximity of each other. Here’s how he responded to that comparison. Michael Peyrefitte, […]
Written on September 23, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Why Only Ten for Churches and Restaurants but More for Buses?
The People’s United Party is also gearing up elections and has been launching policy documents on a number of areas. On Saturday night, the P.U.P. launched its policy for family and rolled out its Women’s Agenda as a part of their Plan Belize Manifesto. The P.U.P. says that the plan was formulated around four central […]
Written on September 23, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on P.U.P. Launches Women and Family Agenda
The launch included the input of P.U.P. women across the country, as well as standard bearers and area representatives. Caribbean Shores area rep Kareem Musa committed to championing three main areas of the plan in his constituency. Kareem Musa, Area Rep, Caribbean Shores “Three key areas of the seven point plan that I will […]
Written on September 23, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Kareem Musa Commits to Three Targets of the Women’s Agenda for Caribbean Shores!
The Quarantine Regulations have been further amended now that the number of COVID cases appears to be decelerating. The new regulations allow for a soft re-opening of the certain businesses. Beginning today, in house dining in restaurants is allowed for not more than ten persons at a given time. This also applies to salons, diners […]
Written on September 22, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Quarantine Regulations Further Amended
The Commissioner of Police has a message for those of you who are still hosting parties with persons outside of their household. ComPol Williams says that he has instructed his officers to arrest and charge those law breakers. Today, he says that cops saw a number of parties happening over the Independence Day weekend, but […]
Written on September 22, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Police to Crack Down on Social Gatherings
The controversial Equal Opportunities Bill was not tabled in the House of Representatives on Wednesday as planned. That decision was reportedly taken to avoid any political upheaval from churchgoers, particularly the National Evangelical Association of Belize, who were already making their discontent known. According to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, Cabinet felt that the bill is […]
Written on September 17, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Chair of the NAC Reacts to Withdrawal of Equal Opportunities Bill
Tucker-Longsworth accepts that the Bill needs tweaking and is willing to work with partners, but that does not include NEAB. She says that NEAB is hell-bent in removing the LGBT community as one of the groups that the Bill seeks to protect. Tucker-Longsworth also reacted to the release from the Roman Catholic Church. The church […]
Written on September 17, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on NAC Chair Says Catholic Church’s Release on E.O.B. is a Tragedy
The controversial Equal Opportunities Bill has been removed from the table. As we reported on Tuesday, Cabinet decided not to proceed with the motion, despite majority of its members agreeing on the proposed legislation. This afternoon, PM Barrow told the media that government rescinded following a last-minute call from Bishop Philip Wright, head of the […]
Written on September 16, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on PM Barrow Explains Why Equal Opportunity Bill was Rescinded
The Roman Catholic Church of Belize has issued a statement on its position on the Equal Opportunities Bill. The Bill was scheduled to be introduced in the House of Representatives today but was withdrawn following Tuesday’s cabinet meeting. The Bill seeks to protect nineteen different groups from discrimination including the LGBT community. The Church says […]
Written on September 16, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Catholic Church Rejects Equal Opportunities Bill
The Equal Opportunities Bill was scheduled to be tabled in the House of Representatives this Wednesday, but it has now been shelved. Late this evening, the government confirmed that cabinet decided not to proceed with the bill at this time and to withdraw it. The government says that while for some there might have been […]
Written on September 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Equal Opportunities Bill Pulled
Ahead of cabinet meeting today, as the sun began to rise, tires were set on fire on two major highways. The vehicle tires were set ablaze near mile thirty-eight on the George Price Highway. Police and firefighters were called to the scene where the fire was doused and the highway cleared for traffic. The same […]
Written on September 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Tires Set Ablaze in Protest of Equal Opportunities Bill
