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FECTAB’s demand for equity in the distribution of tourism relief is in the interest of small and independent tour operators who they say are constantly overlooked by government and industry regulators. While there are requirements to access financial assistance, representatives of the federation are adamant that the monies should not be disbursed by those persons […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Health,
People & Places,
Travel |
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Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin has retired from the Judiciary, having reached the mandatory retirement age of sixty-five years on Thursday. This leaves the post vacant. When News Five contacted Attorney General Mike Peyrefitte today, he said that there has been no interim appointment, but that Justice Michelle Arana is a likely candidate as “the most […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
People & Places |
Comments Off on CJ Kenneth Benjamin Retires; Who Takes Up the Post?
At the headquarters of the Organization of American States in Washington today, the anticipated elections took place for Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General of the O.A.S. Secretary General Luis Almagro from Uruguay was re-elected with twenty-three of the thirty votes casted, easily defeating Maria Fernanda Espinosa from Ecuador. Assistant Secretary General Nestor Mendez had […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Foreign Affairs,
People & Places,
Regional / International |
Comments Off on Luis Almagro & Nestor Mendez are Re-elected as Sec. Gen. & Asst. Sec. Gen. of the O.A.S.
While some cases of the novel coronavirus are mild, there are some underlying conditions which make people more likely to catch it or suffer a more severe infection. The high risk group includes the elderly, as well as those with weakened immune systems. We also note that another vulnerable group to COVID-19 ranges from those with asthma […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Health |
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Tonight we bring you more information on how to prepare and protect yourself in light of the novel corona virus. Earlier this week we spoke with critical care doctor and internist Doctor Jorge Hidalgo who shared his knowledge about the disease. He tells us more about what you can do if you use public transportation […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on COVID-19 Tips
False information has been spreading as fast as the virus elsewhere in the world and fact checking has become even more critical as is the reliance on official information. Today, a video in circulation on social media about cargo vessels caused panic. It was quickly rejected by the company mentioned and followed up by a […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Belize Port Authority Sets the Record Straight: Cargo Ships Continue Calls to Belize
The Ministry of Health has been preparing for COVID-19 since January of this year when the first cases were being reported in China. It has acquired additional testing kits and has ramped up testing. So what happens when a case is identified in Belize? It all depends on where the case is determined. That person […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on K.H.M.H.’s C.E.O. on COVID-19 Preparedness
In respect of the Central Health Region, several institutions have been identified and will be equipped and converted for various levels of care that will be needed in the event of a large number of COVID-19 cases. Melinda Guerra, Manager, Central Health Region “What we are going to be doing is to support Karl Heusner, given the […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on Central Health Region Plans for COVID-19
During Thursday’s Ask the Experts session, Director of Health Services Doctor Marvin Manzanero also shared that new screening points are now in place around the country. He says that they have been preparing to identify and isolate patients who test positive for the virus. Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services “We are preparing […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on Ministry of Health Screening Points
A police corporal, who allegedly shot and killed a teacher as he drove in a vehicle in downtown Belize City last July, was today committed to stand trial in the June session of the Belize City Supreme Court. Corporal Kent Martinez is accused of the shooting death of Allison Major, who was struck to the […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Trials |
Comments Off on Corporal Kent Martinez is Committed to Stand Trial for Manslaughter
A man, who is charged with a murder that occurred in 2017 and for whom a preliminary inquiry has still not been completed, was denied bail today in the Supreme Court. Crown Counsel Reese Cattouse explained that George Bull has still not been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court because there was a […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Trials |
Comments Off on Bail Denied for Accused Murderer George Bull
A woman, who claims she is a chef in San Pedro, was today arrested and charged with possession of an illegal firearm and sixteen rounds of ammunition. Ana Herrera, represented by attorney Kathleen Lewis, appeared before Justice Francis Cumberbatch and was granted bail in the sum of ten thousand dollars plus two sureties of the […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Trials |
Comments Off on Female Chef Charged With Illegal Gun Possession
We’ve been reporting on the latest reports on the B.D.F.’s fatal helicopter crash. The Honduran Air Force conducted the first investigation and has shared their findings. The Civil Aviation Department and the BELL Company published theirs on Wednesday. But the investigation is still ongoing with some final reports to be published in the coming weeks, […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Internal Investigation Ongoing into Fatal B.D.F. Helicopter Incident
As you heard just now, the team is still carrying out the internal investigation. But one other point that stuck out during at Wednesday’s press conference relates to the autopsy. While there were speculations about what may have killed the B.D.F. officers, the Civil Aviation Department’s cites the cause of death as blunt force trauma […]
Written on March 20, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on The Tale of the B.D.F. Heli Crash and the Postmortem
In Belmopan this morning, the Leader of the Opposition John Briceño responded to the budget for the new financial year. There was no debate since the threat of COVID-19 is affecting just about every sector, including the House of Representatives where the rule of social distancing is being observed. The gallery was also devoid of […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on The 2020 Budget Debate That Wasn’t, Thanks to COVID-19
Following today’s sitting of the House of Representatives, opposition leader John Briceño explained why other elected members of his party collectively abstained from debating the budget. Not for the glaring missteps they maintain the Barrow administration has made in its twelve years of office, but because a unified front during this time of national threat […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on Johnny B Explains His Solo Performance in Parliament
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
Featured,
Health,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Travel |
Comments Off on Setting the Record Straight on Guatemalan Transit
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
Featured,
Health,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Trials |
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
Featured,
Health,
People & Places,
Travel |
Comments Off on Immigration Dept. Cracks Down on Illegal Border Crossings Due to COVID-19
Estrada also spoke on the official and legal border points. She notes that only two ports of entry remain open for Belize, those are the Philip Goldson International Airport and the northern border. Estrada says the ban on persons coming from China, Iran, South Korea, Japan and all of Europe, as well as the United […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Health,
Travel |
Comments Off on An Update on Border Closures as a Result of COVID-19
On the issue of visitors and entry points, Director of Health Services Doctor Marvin Manzanero says that traffic through the P.G.I.A. is already significantly reduced and expected to dwindle further. He says that multiple airlines are suspending service to the country and more may follow. Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services “I just […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Health,
Travel |
Comments Off on Airlines are Suspending Flights to Belize
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
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
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
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Religion |
Comments Off on COVID-19 Disrupts Church Service
The recent spike in gun violence in the Old Capital claimed the lives of two innocent children in two separate incidents. Five-year-old Kia Herbert was fatally shot on Tuesday as she was sleeping at her home on Pitter Street. On Sunday, four-year-old Dominic Rhamdas was fast asleep at his King’s Park area home when the gunman released […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
Crime,
Religion |
Comments Off on Anglican Bishop Speaks on Crime Situation
Also speaking on the topic was Minister of Education, Youth, and Sport Patrick Faber. Kia Herbert was a constituent in the Collet Division which is, Faber’s constituency. The Minister says that the murder of the two innocent children touched home. He says it is the responsibility of the wider population to take care of and […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Minister Faber Speaks on Spate of Crimes
