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Father Leslie, in remembering Bishop Wright, admits that the most challenging time in his leadership of the Catholic Church in Belize was when he was faced with the gender issue. Despite the position that he took and the support he received from other denominations, Wright was going up against the Government of Belize. Aside from […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Remembering Bishop Dorick Wright
Shifting to the agro-productive sector…while food producers are allowed to operate within the regulations, the poultry sector in Spanish Lookout is still feeling the hit of COVID-19 and they anticipate that it may worsen if things continue the way they are. Quality Poultry Products, one of the largest poultry producers, is reporting a drop of […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Poultry Sales Down by 50%; Chicken Producers Feeling the COVID-19 Hit!
So with a surplus on their hands, Quality Poultry Products is holding special discounts to encourage the sale of chicken because they also stand to face storage issues. Managing Director Raymond Barkman says that they are doing the buy two get one free promo which will help to cut some losses in the industry because, […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Buy 2 Get 1 Free; Quality Poultry Products Working
Recent reports on the international media suggest that social distancing is an effective tool in fighting the spread of the COVID-19. Locally, the practice was among the first measures imposed to keep the number of cases on the low side. But a visit at different locations today shows that it is not being enforced. Persons […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Social Distancing is a Challenge in Mid-April
At the top of the newscast, you heard about the new curfew for those under the age of sixteen, which will come into effect on Friday. But that’s only a part of the new measures that will be implemented. Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte announced during today’s Ask the Experts webcast that medical doctors in the […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on New Restriction Coming for Doctors!
Also starting Friday, Michael Peyrefitte says that utility companies will be allowed to operate their cashier service only for persons to pay bills. In addition to that, opening hours for financial institutions will be adjusted, meaning that they will be closed to the public earlier in the day. Here’s how it will work. Michael […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on New Measures for Utilities and Banking Institutions
The Attorney General also outlined the list of businesses that are allowed to operate during different schedules. As you’ll recall, food mills, sugar, citrus and port operations as well as utilities are allowed to operate for twenty-four hours, but employees of these sectors are not allowed to be in public during curfew hours. Here’s a […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on List of Businesses Allowed to Operate from Monday to Saturday
When it comes to Sunday, the restrictions are tighter. As was announced over the weekend, about ninety-percent of the country goes into lockdown on Sundays. Most businesses are closed to the public, including supermarkets. If you are not too clear on which services remain operational on Sundays during non-curfew hours, today the Attorney General outlined […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Sunday Restrictions Outlined; AG Warns of Similar Measures If COVID-19 Continues to Spread
Economic hardship during the coronavirus crisis is affecting virtually all Belizeans as the unemployment lines continue to grow. As of this afternoon, as many as sixty thousand persons have filed for relief. In Dangriga today, customers became irate when they could not access funds that were wired via Money Gram from the United States. While […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Money Woes in Griga Dang
In Punta Gorda this morning, residents faced a similar dilemma when they showed up at a local Western Union branch at eight-thirty and the proprietor did not open on the scheduled time. They too were incensed about being unable to access monies sent to them from abroad and called for police intervention. Here’s what our […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
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People & Places |
Comments Off on Peini Residents Up in Arms Over Western Union Monies
Belize Healthcare Partners Limited admitted and treated a patient who has now died from COVID-19. As you know, Conrad Everett was first hospitalized there and tested negative for the virus and upon transfer to the K.H.M.H., he tested positive. Of note is that at both facilities, persons who came in contact with him have tested […]
Written on April 15, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Healthcare Partners Back in Operation after COVID-19 Scare
Late this evening, Chairman of the S.S.B. Doug Singh stepped down from the post. The consummate U.D.P. insider also resigned as the chairman of the Elections and Boundaries commission and as a director of B.T.L. His letter of resignation is addressed to Prime Minister Dean Barrow, thanking him for offering the opportunity to serve. Now, […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Doug Singh Resigns as S.S.B. Chair, from Other Boards
The number of persons infected by COVID 19 doubled over the Easter weekend. As of this afternoon, six hundred and twenty-nine persons have been tested; of that amount eighteen persons are positive. Notably so far, the Orange Walk, Stann Creek and Toledo Districts have not reported any confirmed case but the Belize District accounts for […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on COVID-19 Cases Double Over Easter Weekend; Another Casualty is Reported
The burial of Conrad Everett took place over the weekend in line with protocols established with the World Health Organization. Now, the cluster of persons that also tested positive includes family members who worked at different establishments. The Belize Health care Partners where he was first hospitalized closed and is to re-open on Wednesday. In […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on More Businesses are Looking Fumigation to Kill Coronavirus
This afternoon, Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero provided an update on the positive cases of COVID-19. Speaking on Ask the Experts, Doctor Manzanero says that so far, there are two clusters each involving the two casualties, Everett as well as Hubert Pipersburgh, who died a week ago. In the case of Everett, the […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Out of Eighteen Cases – Two in Hospital – Fourteen in Home Isolation
The economy is coming to a grinding halt and being the largest employer in the country, the Government of Belize is looking to cut down on spending. With tens of millions dollars in revenue being lost as the weeks go by, the government is struggling to find funds to pay public officers. Government ministries, offices, […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on GOB Loses Millions in Revenue
Financial Secretary Joseph Waight told President Smith that the government is seeking to identify and implement potential cost savings measures. One of those measures includes the proposed freezing of salary increments for public officers including teachers and members of the security forces. Waight says that the government is also proposing to temporarily discontinue the monthly […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on G.O.B. Proposes Freezing of Annual Salary Increment
Just after he made those unsavory comments on who gets funds under the COVID Relief programme, Doug Singh spoke in a much saner tone to News Five. Now, one of the big issues coming out of the handling of the COVID-19 response is the unemployment relief programme; that programme is managed by the Economic Oversight […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Additional 5000 Approved for COVID-19 Relief
Some of the concerns raised about the access to the COVID-19 unemployment relief programme are the lack of bank accounts and social security number. Some groups, mostly underprivileged homes, feel that system doesn’t capture them as a result of this. We asked Singh about those persons and how they fit in. He explains why those […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Concerns About Accessing Unemployment Relief
Late last week, the Director of Health Services said the country and in fact the region is running low on viral swabs used in testing for COVID-19. This afternoon, the office of the Prime Minister informed that test kits can be obtained from the Cayman Islands where there is an excess of these kits. According […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on Test Kits Update!
The leaders of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority Workers Union on Monday met with Prime Minister Dean Barrow, who is now out of isolation. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the union has been having issues with the Ministry of Health, claiming it is not well-prepared to equip staff members who are being exposed to […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on K.H.M.H.A. Workers Union Meets with Prime Minister Dean Barrow
The Ministry of Health of Health over the weekend said that personnel at the K.H.M.H. who were exposed to patient ten have tested negative for COVID-19. But the K.H.M.H.A. Workers Union is condemning the manner in which the K.H.M.H. Administration has compromised the safety and well-being of the frontline workers. The Union says certain areas […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on K.H.M.H.A. Workers Union Demand Investigation for “Breach of Protocols’
Revenue to government coffers has been shrinking due to COVID-19 and the state of emergency. So is the government broke? That is the question we asked Financial Secretary Joseph Waight today. According to Waight, large departments like the Belize Tax Services and the Customs Department collecting up to thirty million dollars in revenue a month […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Is the Government Broke?
World oil prices continue to fall, dipping below thirty dollars a barrel. But despite falling world oil prices, here in Belize, consumers are paying more than ten dollars a gallon. Premium gasoline sells at ten dollars and ninety-two cents while regular and diesel are currently being sold at ten dollars and twenty-three cents and eight […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
Economy |
Comments Off on Fuel Prices to Decrease This Week
Back to today’s Ask the Experts Session. Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero was asked about the possibility of Belize using rapid tests, as well as those that test for antibodies. Here’s what he shared about using those tests to test for COVID-19 in country: Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services “Has […]
Written on April 14, 2020 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on DHS Speaks on Future Testing Possibilities
