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Belize’s economic performance in light of the existing crisis is very poor and it will take months for the country to rebound from the doldrums of COVID-19. Gross domestic product, or GDP, will undoubtedly plummet as a result of the massive economic shock. Exacerbating an already dismal situation is the fact that many in the […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on $150 Bi-weekly for Laid-off Tourism Workers
Lord Michael Ashcroft, who has been in Belize for two weeks, made a significant announcement today as the country braces for the spread of COVID-19. Lord Ashcroft is making a very generous donation for the benefit of Belizeans. He is contributing ten million dollars to be used towards the combat of the virus. From what […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on PM Barrow Acknowledges $10 Million Donation by Lord Michael Ashcroft
During his presentation today, PM Barrow also spoke about the contributions made by the utility companies. On Tuesday, B.E.L. said its hands are tied when it comes to cancellation of bills or reduced rates for everyone in Belize. The company committed to reviewing case by case for those directly affected by the threat of COVID-19. […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Contributions by Utility Companies
The Leader of the Opposition who is the co-chair of the Oversight Committee joined the Prime Minister at a press conference this afternoon. There have been numerous reports of property-owners evicting tenants during this worrying time. Many have lost their jobs as the economy continues to reel from the COVID-19 catastrophe. Opposition Leader John Briceño […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Landlords Summarily Evicting Tenants is Unlawful
Government is stepping up efforts to raise public funds to aid Belizeans, and while it is now looking at an initial one hundred and twenty-five million dollars in financial relief, co-chair of the National Oversight Committee, John Briceno, says it is still only a drop in the bucket. John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Despite Additional Funds, Financial Relief is Still Only a Drop in the Bucket
With prices for crude oil dropping on the international market, kerosene prices will go down at the pump at midnight tonight. The Ministry of Finance says the price for kerosene will decrease by one dollar and nineteen cents to now retail at five dollars and forty-three cents per gallon. Diesel went down this week to […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Kerosene Price Goes Down
Reports surfaced this morning that the Michael Finnegan Market was closing down. The information online suggested that vendors were all leaving at midday because the market would be shutting down. Well, the long and short of it is that the market is not being closed but many vendors are closing their stalls and going home. […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Is the Michael Finnegan Market Closing its Gates? Not So Says CitCo!
A Special Sitting of the Senate took place today in Belmopan for senators on both sides of the aisle to approve the General Appropriations Bill 2020-2021. When it went to the House, there was no debate and the budget was expeditiously passed. Included in the billion-dollar budget for the new fiscal year is twenty-five million […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Senate Approves 2020-2021 Budget with $25M COVID-19 Assistance Package
Social partner senators Mark Lizarraga and Elena Smith, along with U.D.P. Senator Doctor Carla Barnett, also shared their views on certain sections of the Prime Minister’s budget. Senators are calling for a complete redo of the budget in light of COVID-19. Mark Lizarraga, Senator for Private Sector “Let’s talk a little bit about the […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Senate Debates Budget 2020-2021
Late this evening, a chartered flight arrived from Havana, Cuba landed at the Philip Goldson International Airport. On board was a team of Cuban medical professionals, who will be here for an extended period working along the health personnel from the Ministry of Health. All around the globe, the Cuban government is assisting with the […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on First Cohort of Cuban Medical Professionals Touch Down in Belize
Cuba has had a medical brigade deployed in Belize comprising doctors and nurses for years now. At the press conference earlier today, Prime Minister Dean Barrow spoke about how important the frontline medical personnel are to the healthcare system to combat the deadly COVID-19. Aside from being equipped with personal protective equipment, there is also […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Frontline Health Personnel to be Given Augmented Compensation Packages
The United Democratic Party postponed its national leadership convention amidst the COVID-19 situation that has been plaguing the world. The deadline for applications is set for March twenty-sixth and at the eleventh hour, two new applications were submitted. As you know, Patrick Faber and John Saldivar are back in the ring, along with Omar Figueroa. […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on 5 Persons, Including Wilfred Elrington, Vying for Leadership of the U.D.P.
Darrell Bradley is currently the President of the Senate. He ran as the U.D.P. standard bearer for Caribbean Shores in 2015, but was defeated by the P.U.P.’s Kareem Musa. Bradley is not a standard-bearer and does not represent any constituency, but the U.D.P. constitution allows anyone from the National Assembly to be eligible for the […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Darrell Bradley for U.D.P. Leader
Albert area representative Tracy Panton has come under fire from the People’s United Party after it came to their attention that relief being offered to constituents appeared to be blatant politicking. The P.U.P. says it is shameful propagandizing during a time of national crisis. Since Monday, Tracy Panton and her Albert Care Team have been […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Tracy’s Relief Aid Comes Under P.U.P. Fire
The issue of food security in a case of national emergency is paramount. While he alluded to the fact that government is doing everything in its means to ensure that there is sufficient food to go around, Prime Minister Barrow expanded on the matter when pressed about existing initiatives such as the Pantry and BOOST […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Food Security During National Emergency
Last week, the Belize Tourism Board laid off a majority of its employees and provided them with compensation packages that should cover the next four months. But would they still be eligible to receive relief funds since they also qualify as unemployed stakeholders in the deflated tourism industry? Prime Minister Dean Barrow “The B.T.B. […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Can Laid Off B.T.B. Employees Double Dip in Relief Funds?
Prime Minister Dean Barrow during a press conference today confirmed to the country and frontline healthcare workers that the isolation unit will remain inside the walls of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. The K.H.M.H.A. Workers Union expressed concerns that having the isolation at the national referral hospital is not only putting frontline healthcare workers at […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on COVID-19 Patient Isolation Unit Will Remain at K.H.M.H.
A private medical facility has plans not to accept COVID-19 cases. The folks at Belize Medical Associate say they cannot accommodate COVID-19 patients because the facility is not properly equipped to so do. Instead, it is prepared to take on patients with other illnesses, as well as emergency services. Here is Duane Moody with a […]
Written on March 25, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Belize Medical Associates Will Not Accept Suspected COVID-19 Patients
The Ministry of Health has concluded its first preliminary exercise on San Pedro related to the positive COVID-19 case. According to Director of Health Services Doctor Marvin Manzanero, some thirty-four San Pedro residents have been tested for the COVID-19 disease. The results of the tests are expected on Wednesday and so far, Belize remains with […]
Written on March 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Belize Remains with Only One Confirmed COVID-19 Case
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye remains on lockdown tonight. La Isla Bonita was placed on quarantine on Monday for seventy-two hours after a resident of the San Pedrito Area tested positive for the deadly COVID-19 disease. But what was Belize’s top tourist destination is now a dead zone as residents stay indoors and the streets are […]
Written on March 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on La Isla Bonita Remains on Lockdown
To ensure that everything remains peaceful on Ambergris Caye, Superintendent Christopher Noble and his team are advising all resident to remain home. Noble is advising all businesses that alcohol must not be sold during these times. Supt. Christopher Noble, O.C., San Pedro “My idea was to shut down the island to not have people […]
Written on March 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on San Pedro Police Keeping the Peace on Ambergris Caye
Amid the crushing economic impact of the coronavirus crisis many, including the opposition, are calling on government to have its majority-owned utility companies waive their respective bills for the next few months. In fact, that request resounds across several private sector and non-government organizations, given the magnitude of financial losses thus far. Belize Electricity Limited […]
Written on March 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on B.E.L. Says No Light Bill Waiver Amid COVID-19 Crisis
Despite the coronavirus emergency, B.E.L. says it continues to defray the monthly expenses of some three thousand senior citizens across the country. The representative of the company reiterated, however, that a plan has been put in place to work with customers who legitimately cannot meet their payments, to see how best they can arrive at […]
Written on March 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on B.E.L. Implements Plan of Action to Help Customers Amid Corona Hardship
Among the first to feel the implications of COVID-19 are the thousands of persons, primarily from the tourism industry, who have been sent home without pay or placed on holiday. It means that their source of income has dried up and there is uncertainty about the next pay check as businesses shutter down. It is […]
Written on March 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on A Statutory Instrument for Laid off Workers to Claim S.S.B. Benefits
The S.I. is only to last for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. The S.S.B. is working closely with the Ministry of Labour and the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry to acquire a list of persons who have been terminated or lost employment as a result of the virus. But as we’ve reported, there […]
Written on March 24, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Despite Economic Burden of Pandemic, Can Employers Afford to Pay Staff at Lower Salary?
