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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
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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
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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
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The courts are not immune to the corona virus threat. The Court of Appeal was the first to make a change in the judiciary and has suspended its sitting. On Tuesday, Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser, the Director of the Family Court, the Deputy Registrar and executive members of the Bar Association […]
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Comments Off on Secondary Legislation Drafted to Forward Court Proceedings in Wake of COVID-19 Threat
It has been established that the arraignment of persons for criminal acts continues as normal, even as a secondary procedure will be instituted at the courts for civil and criminal matters. Executive Committee Member of the Bar Association, Gavin Courtenay says that through the use of technology, bail applications will be heard via video link. […]
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Social distancing is a major recommendation as a preventative measure to halt the spread of COVID-19. The judiciary is taking no risks and has since postponed trials with jury until further notice. Gavin Courtenay, Executive Member, Bar Association of Belize “Even prior to the meeting, certain matters—particularly in the criminal court—the Chief Justice had […]
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Comments Off on Precautionary Measures at the Court; Trials with Jury Postponed
Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, via the passage of the Supreme Court of Judicature Amendment Bill, will now be empowered to make decisions on occasions when there are matters of public interest and national security, as in the case of the coronavirus threat. This morning in the House of Representatives, that piece of legislation was introduced […]
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Comments Off on Supreme Court Empowered to Make Decisions in Times of National Emergency
As we promised, the following story looks at the two reports of the B.D.F. helicopter accident that were released late Wednesday evening. The reports are produced by the Civil Aviation Department and the BELL Company. One report looks specifically at the aircraft itself, with an analysis of the wreckage recovered from the site; while the […]
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Comments Off on A Look at the Latest Reports into the B.D.F. Helicopter Accident
Several pieces of proposed legislation were introduced in parliament today, notwithstanding the primary focus of the sitting being an aborted budget debate. Before we get to those bills, the Prime Minister announced that all government ministers have decided to forego a month’s salary to be contributed towards funds to combat the COVID-19 threat. Prime Minister […]
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Comments Off on New Bills Introduced in the House of Representatives
At the top of the newscast, we told you about the measures that the Department of Immigration is taking to prevent transmission of the novel coronavirus via the Ministry of Health’s live webcast called ‘Ask the Experts.’ And while surveillance is being beefed up at our border points, the Ministry of Health is ramping up […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Ministry of Health to Increase Testing for COVID-19
During the sessions, health officials also spoke about the issue of self-isolation. Manzanero appealed to the persons who have been asked to go into self-isolation to take it seriously. Kathleen Azueta-Cho of HECOPAB outlines steps that you should know in the event you are to self-quarantine. Kathleen Azueta-Cho, Technical Advisor, HECOPAB “One of the […]
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During the live question and answer webcast, Director of Health Services was asked about vulnerable groups to the novel coronavirus. These are sections of the population that are more susceptible to the serious symptoms of the virus. Doctor Manzanero explains that while researchers and health officials have seen that trend, there are some countries that […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Who Are Most Affected by the Transmission of COVID-19?
Even as Belize remains free of a laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19, the entire country is bracing for the inevitability. There is already an economic downturn in the tourism sector, one of the biggest revenue generators. Tour operators have shut down and many businesses and hotels are closing their doors. The B.T.B., we are told, […]
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Comments Off on Caye Caulker Preparing for COVID-19
National Hand Washing Day was celebrated today; to mark the occasion hand washing stations were set up across the country where residents were exposed to proper techniques to keep your hands free of germs and bacteria and even viruses. In Belize City, three schools were visited by the Ministry of Education where the children practiced […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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Comments Off on National Hand Washing Day; Clean Hands Save Lives
As the only country in Central America with no confirmed cases of COVID-19, Belize remains on high alert for suspected cases of the new virus. Tonight in Healthy Living, we look at some of the symptoms that are associated with the virus and what you should be on the lookout for. Marleni Cuellar, Reporting As […]
Written on March 19, 2020 | Posted in
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