Home » 2020-05-14
You are currently browsing entries tagged with the keywoard: 2020-05-14
It is a big day of news. So we start with the negotiations between the Prime Minister, the Public Service Union, and the Belize National Teachers Union. That matter is back to square one and the unions are consulting on a position before the deal can be sealed. Union leaders met with the Prime Minister […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured,
People & Places |
Comments Off on War of Words – PM, P.S.U. and B.N.T.U. Disagree on “Forego”
According to the Prime Minister, foregoing increments are required and if the unions continue to reject the proposal, the next step would be to proceed to amend the Public Service Regulations to allow the minister to alter salaries, emoluments, and allowances. This is viewed as a threat by the P.S.U., which says that while the […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured,
People & Places |
Comments Off on If Unions Don’t Agree, PM Will Amend Public Service Regulations
With a burgeoning deficit of over three hundred million dollars, Prime Minister Dean Barrow says that the time has come to trim emoluments and pensions which stand at a whopping six hundred and eighty-eight million dollars. The international financial institutions have been advising his government to do so for quite some time now, but the […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on G.O.B. Maxed Out Commercial Borrowing
Back in March, the Prime Minister announced that he had secured financial aid from international financial institutions for government’s COVID-19 response. He said that it would come from international institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank, and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration. The funds would total roughly a hundred and forty million […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on No Monies from IFIs As Yet
The tourism industry is practically on life support. It accounts for about forty percent of the gross domestic product and is a huge foreign exchange earner. And while domestic tourism is back in play, it can never meet the millions of dollars in revenue from international tourists. There has been talk in the private sector […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured |
Comments Off on Foreign Reserve Below Three-Month Import Cover
Turning to the state of emergency…the national curfew remains in place tonight as the country relaxes some of the restrictions in place since April first. And if you expect the five to eight curfew hours for adults to end very soon, Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte says this is very likely to go for another six […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on National Curfew Remains in Place!
As Belize records another day without an active case of COVID-19, the public gets a relief on some of the restrictions. One of the big changes is the allowance of district to district movement. The Attorney General, who spoke at length this afternoon, explains the relaxation of this restriction and what is expected of you […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Featured,
Travel |
Comments Off on You Can Now Travel Outside of Your District!
The tourism industry is at a standstill and Belize is one of three countries in the region to become the biggest casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, further measures were announced to spur internal tourism going forward. But the Phillip Goldson International Airport is NOT to reopen before July first for international visitors. Tourism is […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Economy,
Featured,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Rebounding the Economy – a Matter of Priority
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge negative impact on health and the economy. Lord Ashcroft admits it is not an easy choice when balancing the two sectors, but he asserts that it is one that politicians are entrusted to make. Lord Michael Ashcroft “Life is not about the best of choices, life is […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Balancing Impact of COVID-19 on Health and Economy
A mega project in the tourism industry has been on the drawing board for years. Waterloo Investment Holdings is proposing to invest two hundred million dollars to expand the Port of Belize so that much bigger cargo ships can come in through a deeper channel. But the investment has been languishing for some time going […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Time is Running Out for Proposed Port of Belize Expansion
National elections are scheduled for this year, but the date is anyone’s guess. COVID-19 has put a wrench in most things; the U.D.P. is yet to elect a new leader and the war chest of the political parties may not be overflowing for a general elections. With the pandemic ravishing the country, is there an […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places,
Politics |
Comments Off on Will General Elections Soon Be Called?
International travel has come to a halt with the closing of the international airport and borders in almost every country. Here in Belize, ports of entries remain close, only cargo is allowed and only citizens from other countries are allowed to travel out of Belize. This week, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines announced that international flights to the region […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Travel |
Comments Off on Multimillion-Dollar Question: When Will the P.G.I.A. Recommence Operations?
Dozens of Belizean students remained stuck in different parts of the world when the state of emergency was imposed. They have been unable to return because of the closure of borders and the new laws prohibit everyone, including Belizeans, from entering the country. Since there is containment of COVID-19 in Belize, students and other Belizeans, […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Belizean Students Can Come Home
Three Mexican fishermen have been arrested for illegal fishing in Belize. The Belize Coast Guard’s Maritime Law Enforcement Team busted the Mexican trio in the Bacalar Chico area around three-thirty this morning. The Coast Guard’s report says that the vessel tried to evade the patrol team and in the process, they dumped their products and […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Crime |
Comments Off on Illegal Mexican Fishermen Detained in Belize!
Where is Guillermo Foreman tonight? The Belmopan resident, who was stuck at the Santa Elena border in the north for days and not allowed entry into Belize, remains in police custody, pending charges. Today, Prime Minister Dean Barrow referred to Belizean border jumpers during his virtual press conference, saying that after quarantine, these persons who […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Guillermo Foreman to be Charged with Illegal Entry into Belize
Late on Wednesday night, the long awaited prices for LPG were released. If you have been following the LPG war, the prices is a thorny issue for the ex-importers of liquefied petroleum gas. The National Gas Company, is now the sole supplier but the five former importers believe they can import LPG at prices lower […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Economy,
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Butane Cost Increases with New Price Structure
Back to the ease of restrictions….When it comes to churches and other religious and faith-based groups, there is a small bit of good news tonight – a ten-person per service good news. That’s what the Attorney General announced today on the ‘Ask the Experts’ webcast. Church service can now resume, but the maximum number of […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on 10 People Only Per Church Service!
Shifting to some of the restrictions that have been relaxed for restaurants… Those open air restaurants will be allowed to accommodate diners. But those persons will be limited to ten per table and must be on reservation basis only. All other restaurants must continue to operate with take-out and delivery service. And if you are […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Casinos, Bars, Rum Shops Will Not Open!
You can also now beat the heat in the pool or river or the sea. AG Peyrefitte says you are now allowed to go swimming but with some limitations to socializing on the poolside or the seaside. And for those divers and snorkelers, you are also allowed to engage in some recreation, but you cannot […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Swimming is Now Allowed!
And there is a little relief for those who exercise. You are now allowed to run, jog, walk, or cycle without a mask. But again, you are to do these activities during the hours of five to eight in the mornings only. Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General “The exercise hours will remain from five a.m. […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on You Can Now Exercise without a Mask!
On Sunday afternoon near the outskirts of Hattieville, twenty-nine-year-old Blaine Caliz came face to face with a team of officers who trained their weapons on him as he exited what they believed was a runaway ambulance. Police intelligence had informed them that the driver of a Southern Emergency Services vehicle was being held at gunpoint […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Blaine, the Ambulance Driver, in His Own Words
Earlier this week, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams demanded an apology from Caliz for his behaviour during the incident and said that if an apology was not forthcoming, charges would be brought against the emergency medical technician. Caliz says that he does not know what he would be apologizing for since he was only carrying […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Miscellaneous,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Blaine Caliz – “Sorry for What?”
On Tuesday, we reported the death of a five-month-old baby from Bella Vista Village. The report reaching our newsroom was that the child was administered a vaccine at the Independence Polyclinic. But the baby girl, Kynslee Jasmin Caal, died four to five days later after she got ill, showing signs of respiratory problem and a […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Health,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Five-month-old Didn’t Die from Vaccine
It’s been over four weeks since the last confirmed case of COVID-19 in Belize. Now that the first wave has been contained it has led to some easing of movement restrictions and opening of more businesses. But, if you’re a fitness buff, we’re sorry to report that there’s still no gym access. So tonight in […]
Written on May 14, 2020 | Posted in
Health |
Comments Off on Healthy Living Looks at Exercise Routines during Quarantine
