Home » November, 2020
You are currently browsing entries posted in: November, 2020
The Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage, a consortium of environmental N.G.O.s, has written to Prime Minister John Briceño highlighting a number of environmental concerns with the proposed development. Chief among those issues is the lack of an adequate reason to justify the dumping of dredge material in the area just beyond the barrier […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on Environmentalists Say Dumping of Dredge Material will Threaten Barrier Reef
The public consultation held on Thursday night proceeded as scheduled, despite a Chief Executive Officer for Sustainable Development not having been appointed. According to the Coalition, the C.E.O. is also the chair of the National Environmental Appraisal Committee, NEAC, which is an integral part of the approval process. While Bood applauds the new government for […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on No C.E.O. for Sustainable Development Equals No NEAC Chairperson
The Belize Tourism Industry Association, from an industry perspective, has also raised concerns about the proposed development, and the possible environmental impact that it will have in the area of Port Loyola in Belize City and at sea, just outside of the barrier reef. The emphasis, according to Executive Director John Burgos, should be on […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on BTIA Says No to Dredging and Dumping
With three proposed cruise terminals to be constructed in the same geographic location within the vicinity of Belize City, namely: Port Coral, Port of Magical Belize and Port Loyola Cruise Port, B.T.I.A. is saying that Belize will not be able to handle the saturation of visitors disembarking on its shores. That says, Burgos, will not […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Environment,
Featured |
Comments Off on Four Cruise Terminals is too Much Says B.T.I.A.
The merger of the Belize Bank Limited and the Bank of Nova Scotia limited is a done deal. This was first confirmed via a cabinet press release two days ago. On Thursday, however, the Central Bank of Belize issued a press statement in which it states that the board was guided in its decision by […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Scotiabank to Operate as “Belize Bank Corporation Limited” During Transition Period
Former BTL Chairman Net Vasquez has reportedly begun paying his eight hundred and fifty-nine thousand one hundred and ninety-seven dollars and eighty-seven cents bill which he racked up while at the helm of the company. This includes more than six hundred thousand dollars in credit card expenses, mostly for personal use. His bill also includes […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
People & Places |
Comments Off on Belize Communications Workers Union Wants Net Vasquez to Repay Every Single Cent
Today the Belize Coast Guard is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary – and their new bosses in the Ministry of Defence and Border Security were there to celebrate with them. But before we get to that, we’ll tell you more on this Ministry and some of the areas that Minister Florencio Marin and Minister of State […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Defense |
Comments Off on The Ministry of Defence & Border Security
And so Ministers Marin and Mira are the two Government Ministers tasked with tackling the long standing and thorny border issues – especially as it relates to illegal entry. At the heart of this growing problem are Guatemalans who enter the country illegally through our very porous borders. Today, we asked Tapia what will be […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on Tackling Illegal Guats and Border Issues
And on the topic of border issues – the planned incursions and attacks in the Chiquibul are still a problem today. As we’ve shown you before, there are Guatemalans who are conducting cattle ranching in Belizean territory, as well as poaching wildlife and extracting other materials. The Friends for Conservation and Development who are co-managers […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on What’s the answer for Chiquibul Incursions?
And on the topic of defence and border security, we also asked C.E.O. Dario Tapia about the Sarstoon River and what role they will play in navigating the maritime issues encountered there with the Guatemalan Armed Forces, as well as the illegal Guatemalan fishers: Dario Tapia, C.E.O. , Ministry of Defence & Border Security […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Environment,
People & Places |
Comments Off on What about SARSTOON RIVER & ILLEGAL GUAT FISHERS?
So, there you heard Retired Brigadier General Dario Tapia, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Defence and Border Security. This week he was named C.E.O. in the Ministry, as was published by the Government Press Office. Today, he was asked about the process on how that appointment is made official. Reporter “I […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Politics |
Comments Off on C.E.O. Dario Tapia on official appointment
The COVID-19 figures continue on the rise across the country. More than five thousand cases have been confirmed positive, with more than two thousand, three hundred active cases scattered across the country. Almost every day the Ministry of Health and Wellness records at least two COVID-19 related deaths and the death toll keeps rising. The […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Health,
People & Places |
Comments Off on COVID-19 News: Corozal and Orange Walk Districts Cause for Concern
The Wildlife Conservation Society WCS Belize has finalized a ten-page report on the illegal wildlife trade in Belize. WCS is reporting that Belize has lost millions of dollars annually due to the illegal trade of wildlife. The report reveals that over the period 2012 to 2018 Belize lost more than sixty-one million dollars on the […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on Belize Losing Tens of Millions of Dollars Due to Illegal Trade of Wildlife
The Wildlife Conservation Society Belize has made several policy recommendations. W.C.S is recommending an amendment of all wildlife focused legislation to include the term ‘Illegal Wildlife Trade.” The environmental group is also seeking the enactment of the national Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to strengthen national implementation of the Convention. Kamille […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Environment |
Comments Off on W.C.S. Belize Makes Policy Recommendations to Address Illegal Trade of Wildlife
At the top of the newscast you heard from C.E.O. Dario Tapia when we met him at a celebration held at the Belize Coast Guard’s headquarters today. The press was invited to witness the symbolic cutting of the cake as the Belize Coast Guard commemorated its fifteen-year anniversary. Here’s a report on how that went: […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Defense,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Coast Guard @ 15!
On Thursday, we reported on the tragedy that was averted at sea when a vessel carrying two coast guard petty officers and three law enforcement officers capsized somewhere in the Belize Harbor and they were rescued by a fishing vessel. As we had shared, two of the officers were taken to the hospital. Today we […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
People & Places |
Comments Off on An update on officers involved in capsized skiff
Since the beginning of this week, Belizeans who participate in the artistic expression of dance have been engaged in various virtual dance workshops from their homes as Kongo Dance Belize is pushing full steam ahead with its mission. Its cofounders, Karen Vernon and Jamie Thompson, spearheaded Dance X, which would have been celebrating a decade […]
Written on November 27, 2020 | Posted in
Entertainment |
Comments Off on Kungo Dance Belize; Emboldening the Art of Movement
The Briceño Administration, fourteen days after taking office, has unveiled its strategy to control the further spread of COVID-19 in the country. The way forward includes a curfew which commences on Saturday. It will be from nine p.m. to five a.m. for an initial period of twenty-one days. What the new plan of action does […]
Written on November 26, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Health |
Comments Off on G.O.B. Announces Nationwide Curfew as Part of COVID-19 Strategy
The Ministry of Health also plans to hire additional human resources such as nurses, doctors, specialist, health staff, support staff for deployment to all regional and community hospitals. Health and Wellness Minister, Michel Chebat says that one of the key areas his ministry will focus on is the purchase of medical and pharmaceutical supplies such […]
Written on November 26, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Health |
Comments Off on US$15 Million Approved for Containment of COVID-19
The Ministry of Health and Wellness will immediately implement and scale up the use of rapid testing in all district hospitals for symptomatic patients and close contacts. Minister Chebat says that testing sites outside of the hospital will be established in urban communities. Two mobile swabbing teams for rural communities will be created to better […]
Written on November 26, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Health |
Comments Off on M.O.H.W. to Scale Up Rapid Testing Countrywide
According to Minister Chebat, under former Minister of Health Pablo Marin and Prime Minister Dean Barrow, there was no clear plan to address the COVID-19 pandemic. He says that there was no clear testing strategy, revealing that there is a backlog of more than two thousand samples waiting to be processed at the Central Medical […]
Written on November 26, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Health |
Comments Off on Minister Chebat Says Barrow Administration Had No Clear Plan to Address COVID-19
Minister Chebat made the revelations as Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero sat at the head table. Under the Barrow Administration, Doctor Manzanero was the expert leading the charge against COVID-19, but during today’s press briefing, he took a backseat. Doctor Manzanero, however, was asked about Chebat’s description of the former administration’s COVID-19 response. […]
Written on November 26, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Health |
Comments Off on Was M.O.H.’s Requests for Necessary Equipment Denied under the U.D.P.?
On Wednesday night, the Belize Medical and Dental Association met to discuss the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the healthcare system, in public and private facilities across the country. The situation is grave as the number of cases that require hospitalization and urgent medical attention is overwhelming the system. Doctor Fernando […]
Written on November 26, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Health |
Comments Off on Belize’s Healthcare System is Overwhelmed with COVID-19 Cases
With the healthcare system stretched to capacity, there is a real fear that with not enough spaces to accommodate COVID-19 victims, the mortality rate will continue to climb and deaths will be recorded outside of the facilities where people will be waiting to seek medical attention. Dr. Fernando Cuellar, Internist, Belize Medical Associates “There’s […]
Written on November 26, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Health |
Comments Off on Mortality Rate for COVID-19 is Expected to Increase
Police believe that taxi driver Lynroy Longsworth is a victim of the ongoing gang war in the Saint Martin’s area of Belize City. On Wednesday, Longsworth was operating his dollar van along Mahogany Street and while he dropped off a passenger, a gunman exited Periwinkle Street and opened fire at him. He was struck multiple […]
Written on November 26, 2020 | Posted in
Crime,
Featured |
Comments Off on Lynroy Longsworth, a Victim of Gang War in St. Martin’s
