Today's Belize News: August 19, 2020

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Today's Belize News: August 19, 2020 #544312 08/19/20 06:48 AM
Joined: Oct 1999 Posts: 84,404 oregon, spr Marty OP
OP Marty	FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report. Specials and Events Last night's TV news on Channel 7, Channel 5, LOVETV, PGTV, Reef TV, KREM, and CTV 3. Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, Belize Now, Talk Ah Di Town, and other specials. The San Pedro Sun Offenders fined $55K+ for possession of illegal marine product at Hol Chan Marine Reserve Six persons were caught with undersized and out-of-season marine product in Zone B of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve on August 9th. With the assistance of the San Pedro Police Formation, Arquel Johnson, Geovanni Reyes, Brian Espat, Mark Anthony Espat, Delmar Rodriguez and Kevan Rodriguez were intercepted, apprehended, prosecuted and given fines totalling $55,200. Tour Guide protest demands solutions from local island leaders on the way forward amidst lockdown On Tuesday, August 18th, led by tour guide Oscar Iboy, a handful of island residents stood in front of the San Pedro Town Council building to register a peaceful protest demanding local authorities and Central Government to formulate a plan to move the island forward. Iboy spoke on behalf of thousands of islanders that have severely been affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic. With an extended lockdown, many continue to struggle to feed their families, paying bills (rent and utilities). As such, he asks those in power for an urgent plan for the islands, while asking Belizeans to come together and stand up for their rights. The Green Climate Fund Approves Project Preparation Facility to Build the Adaptive Capacity of Sugarcane Farmers in Northern Belize The National Designated Authority (NDA) of Belize to the GCF under the Ministry of Economic Development and Petroleum, and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), has been engaged with the Belize Sugar Industries (BSI) to design a proposed project "Building the Adaptive Capacity of Sugarcane Farmers in Northern Belize." This project will help to facilitate the behavioral change necessary to sustain the livelihood of approximately 5,200 northern farmers, in addition to building resilience to the impacts of climate change through the development of knowledge and capacity within the farming community. Various Belizean Sources Caye Caulker Soup Kitchen day Location Wednesday, August 19th, Meal Pick ups: Location: SPORTS BAR. Times: Village: 11:00-11:45. Bahia: 11:45-12:30. Ministry of Human Development office in Orange Walk Town is closed NOTICE: The general public is advised that the Ministry of Human Development office in Orange Walk Town is temporarily closed. For urgent food assistance applications, please call our intake officer at 615-7307. For urgent matters related to any form of child abuse, domestic violence or minors in conflict with the law, please contact our social worker at 615-9668. We apologize for any inconvenience caused. 8,000 testing kits were handed over to the Ministry of Health Belize As COVID19 cases rise in Belize, 8,000 testing kits were handed over to the Ministry of Health Belize. These will be distributed to labs so that more people can be tested and more lives can be saved. Thank you to the generous support of Fundaci�n Probitas and donors who contributed to the UNICEF Humanitarian Fund for COVID-19. St. Ignatius Virtual Orientation St. Ignatius is having their virtual orientation on Friday. ALL NEW AND RETURNING ADULT EDUCATION STUDENTS , KINDLY TAKE NOTE! COVID-19 UPDATE This is our data for today. We had shared some of this data earlier today but the final tally for today is as follows: A record number of samples were processed today with, a total of 311 samples. We identified 78 new cases with the preliminary breakdown as follows: Stann Creek District - 1 Corozal District - 7 Cayo District - 15 (at least 8 are in Belmopan) Belize District - 55 (30 in San Pedro)... Closure of the Ministry of Immigration In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become necessary for the Ministry of Immigration to sanitize its offices for the protection and safety of staff and the public. The Ministry, therefore, informs the public of the temporary closure of its offices as follows: � Refugees Department effective Wednesday, August 19th, 2020 until further notice � Department of Border Management and Immigration Services effective Friday, August 21st, 2020... PUBLIC NOTICE from the Ministry of Natural Resources With the rise of positive cases of the COVID-19, the Ministry of Natural Resources informs the public that the Orange Walk District Lands and Surveys office will have limited access to the public. Access will be granted for cashier transactions ONLY. For the safety of all we strongly encourage use of the available online platforms to conduct transactions (apply online, check account status, make payment etc.) https://naturalresources.gov.bz/ Change in Pump Price of Fuel Products The Ministry of Finance announces that effective Wednesday, August 19th, 2020, the pump price of two fuel products will change. The prices for regular gasoline will register a decrease and diesel will register an increase as follows: Regular gasoline will decrease by 14 cents from $8.76 to $8.62 per gallon; diesel will increase by 19 cents from $8.21 to $8.40 per gallon. The prices for premium gasoline and kerosene will remain unchanged at $9.36 and $5.43 per gallon, respectively. Distribution of Covid-19 Cases by Age Group The attached photo gives a breakdown in terms of numbers and percentages with the majority of cases in those 20-34 years. Morbidity and mortality as we would note, is more than likely to be in the older age groups or those with chronic conditions such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, hypertension and obesity. BTIA Webinar: Building resilience for your business during COVID19 In an effort to assist our stakeholders to improve their abilities to survive, adopt and overcome the negative economic impacts of the pandemic we will be offering the following webinar: Building resilience for your business during COVID19. To register contact us at membership@btia.org. DYS football tournament As we know, all good things must come to an end. Today DYS Santa Elena, concluded this year's U - 20 football Tournament. The main purpose of this tournament was to keep at risk youth engaged to alleviate stress during this pandemic. The Department of Youth Services and Santa Elena Fire Service would like to thank all teams for their ongoing discipline and dedication throughout the four weeks of the U-20 Football Tournament. Our young people are incredible. We must continue to do our part in providing safe spaces for them to connect and grow. Channel 7 Confirmed COVID Cases Climb By 57 (And Counting) in 24 Hours Belize now has over 500 confirmed COVID cases, and more than 450 of those are active, while 6 persons are hospitalized, and, four persons are determined to have died from COVID 19. That 500 total cases was confirmed an hour ago on Ask The Experts when the Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero announced today's most up-to-date numbers - which continue to show San Pedro as the epicentre: 23 Positive Cases Last Night And while those are the partial numbers for today, last night's most updated figures included the results from 164 samples. There were 23 positives from that group and Dr. Manzanero gave the breakdown: "The total of 164 samples it included 3 of our contact tracing team at the Western Regional Hospital we said that from the Sunday, I know there was some concern whether patients would be exposed through that mechanism these are not persons who are seeing patients or who are routinely inside the hospital setting..." OW Man Who Died Of Heart Attack Classified As COVID Death By our count, Belize City now has 64 active cases. And that includes death #3, the 52 year old technician Luis Romero. Death #4 comes from Orange Walk, 63 year old Carlos Peralta - who died of a heart attack at a private clinic in Belize City. He has now officially been added to the COVID count, as death #4. Dr. Manzanero explained why today: Patients Still On Ventilators And, in view of this many complications that can arise, it's also important to know how many are hospitalised, how many on ventilators, and how many getting out of the ICU at the KHMH. Here are the numbers:... "Hospitalized cases 6 patients hospitalized at Karl Heusner, 3 are intubated, the 3 are females, 3 are with different levels of respiratory distress but the notes I got from the CEO at Karl Heusner earlier is that if they continue with that positive evolution then they should be able to be discharged throughout the course of the week and one person was being discharged today." Medical Staff Overwhelmed With COVID Numbers And while the discharged persons are getting some reprieve from COVID 19, for front-line health staff, whether at the clinics in the hospitals or in the labs, there is no break. Manzanero said the staff is overwhelmed, and explained why you may not be getting the kind of detailed breakdown in numbers that you would like to see: Persons 20 - 34 Make Up Near Majority of COVID Cases And the Director of Health Services has also provided a breakdown of the number of coronavirus cases based on the different age groups. Interestingly, persons aged 20 - 34 are showing the highest number of infections, for a total of 216 - almost half of all cases. And, add to that another, 59, or 13% of infected persons between the ages of 35 to 39, and persons aged 20 - 39 comprise almost two thirds of all cases. Border Jumper Says His Rights Being Denied With Too Long Quarantine The border jumper, by now he or she has been ingrained in the national conscious as the ultimate COVID 19 bogeyman and superspreader. Well, tonight, one of those accused border jumpers is speaking out publicly, and he is alleging that the authorities are mistreating him and other quarantine detainees being held at the facility in Orange Walk. He's 56-year-old Alfred Usher, a resident of Belize City. He was arrested in Orange Walk 18 days ago for being in possession of 4 cartons of Sunny cigarettes, which are contraband items. Strong Words From UB Admin To Staff Tonight tensions at the University of Belize have escalated to a breaking point. We've told you about the University's faculty and staff union's collective and defiant decision to refrain from teaching until course assignments and issues of management were finalized. And, yesterday, with the learning platform moodle not working, faculty and staff stuck to their guns indicating that no formal instruction would begin until after the resolution of management issues. But that didn't sit well with the Administration which last night in a scathing rebuke of the union's position said quote: " there seems to be a misunderstanding of the role the Union plays vs. The role of the employer i.e. U.B. Under normal circumstances, if employees dictated to their bosses that they WILL NOT do the work they are being paid for... " First COVID Case At City Council Traffic Dept Forces Shutdown Turning back now to news about the coronavirus, the Belize City Council's Traffic Department was temporarily shuttered today because one of the Department's employees tested positive for COVID-19. A press release from City Hall says that they received official confirmation this morning, and since then, they've been working with the Ministry of Health to provide support for the contact tracing process relating to this employee. At this time, the Council does not think that the worker became infected at the workplace, or while on the job. City's Business Center Throttling Slowly Along And while the traffic department is closed, the traffic in Belize City around midday today was still fair to moderate in terms of volume. We did a scan of downtown to get a sense of of how business activity was without a lockdown, but with a very present COVID scare. No Street Signs for Northern Politician, COVID Matters More Turning now to Orange Walk - we go to the east of that district where two villages, Santa Marta and San Jose Palmar have COVID cases. San Marta is fully quarantined as they are determined to have community spread, and Palmar is just reporting its first cases. The UDP area rep is under pressure to keep Santa Marta fed and connected to supply chains, and he may have to do the same in Palmar. Today he told us that in view of the COVID reality on the ground, he's going to depart from the political script, and he will not be spending money on any elaborate political signage or flags - the kind that usually drop lampposts in election season. Via Zoom, he told us why: UNICEF Donates 8k Tests UNICEF yesterday donated 8,000 COVID-19 testing kits to the Ministry of Health. Michel Guinand, the officer in charge of UNICEF Belize, presented them to the Ministry of Health Officials in a small handing-over ceremony in Belmopan. Guinand is quoted as saying, "UNICEF continues to bring critical supplies to Belize to support the response efforts and protect children and their communities against the pandemic This is especially vital and timely when the country is seeing a rapid increase in confirmed cases." Heat Check At Court There are new COVID-19 measures being implemented at the Magistrate's Court and the Supreme Court in Belize City. As of yesterday, if you want to visit the precincts of the court, you'll have to abide by the new rules. As part of those new rules, the security guards will have to take your temperature, using thermometers that were distributed to the security staff today. Only Licensed Fishing Permitted On Pedro In San Pedro, hundreds, if not thousands have lost their jobs in the tourism industry. And, with the island in a full shutdown, for many getting a daily meal is proving difficult to impossible. That's why for many residents, the island is returning to its roots as a fishing village. They are fishing for sustenance, to eat a daily meal. But, on Saturday, that was put into question when the attorney general said this on Ask The Experts: SP Tour Guide Asks: "How Will We Eat" Indeed, times are hard on the once prosperous island town. And this evening, three former tour guides stood in front of the island's town council to complain about the anti-fishing law and the entire state of lockdown. They may not have had the numbers, but they had a strong message: asking how the government expects them to be able to feed their families with the state of their livelihood, tourism, in complete freefall. Guns Around Town Belize City police a found 2 illegal handguns in Belize City yesterday. At around 1:30 p.m., a team of officers searched an abandoned house on Wagners Lane. After combing through the location, the officers found a black 9mm pistol which had a magazine containing 8 live rounds of ammunition. Portrait of a Patriot Tonight, COVID victim Luis Romero's family remains in both quarantine and mourning after he became the third Belizean to die of the COVID-19 virus. But back in 2018, he rose to notoriety for a completely different reason: he made himself into a human billboard for a defiant message of patriotism in the face of Guatemala. That image - with a graphic term included - was immortalised in paint by artist Alex Sanker. Cherisse Halsall viewed it today and gained an insight into Romero's passionate political life. COVID Victim Peralta Presented With Chest Pain Romero was one of two men cremated this weekend. Carlos Peralta was the other. As we told you earlier, the Orange Walk resident died of a heart attack but his death has been listed as COVID related. He died at a private facility in Belize City after being transferred from Northern Medical Specialist Plaza, a private facility in Orange Walk. Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez who runs that facility says he didn't appear with COVID symptoms, but presenting chest pain: Doc Manza Dodges on Belize's COVID Per Capita Rate? Today on Ask The Experts, the Director Of Health Services discussed Belize's soaring number of cases. By the end of tonight we will have well over 500 cases, and by the end of the week, who knows how many. That puts Belize at fourth in the Caribbean and climbing fast. Today, in a desultory digression Dr. Manzanero downplayed the comparison: Toledo First Movement Seeks Traction In mid - June we brought you the story of a series of proposed property developments that were being openly opposed by Punta Gorda residents, one of them a gas station set to be built on sea front property has caused major environmental and community based concern. And at one point It was even issued a stop order. But the community continues to raise its concerns expressing that while they want development they want to be consulted. Today, via zoom video conference, Cherisse Halsall spoke to three members of the Toledo First movement in Punta Gorda: The Gold Book On Tourism And while Punta Gorda residents grapple with their building codes, the Tourism Industry is dipping its toes back into marketing efforts with the launch of Mcnab Visual's "The Belize Gold Book: The gold standard for Belizean travel." It's not just a dreamy picture book for travellers, but an in-depth guide of health and safety measures for the new COVID-19 reality. We heard more from Creative director Tanya Mcnab via zoom this afternoon. Channel 5 Out of the 34 New COVID-19 Cases, 29 are in San Pedro The number of persons infected by the coronavirus keeps soaring; there are thirty-four new positive COVID-19 cases in the country tonight. Those results were processed today and released late this [...] Update on COVID-19 Cases; 6 Hospitalized As you may know by now, those thirty-four new cases were preceded by another twenty-three cases on Monday. �Those results show that fourteen cases were recorded in the Belize District, [...] Taking a Closer Look at the COVID-19 Data Today, the Ministry of Health released a breakdown on the number of the COVID-19 cases in Belize. These numbers are segmented by genders and age groups. The numbers show that [...] To Date 20 Healthcare Workers Have Tested Positive for COVID-19 There are now more than five hundred cases of the virus recorded in Belize. There is an increase in the number of healthcare workers who have tested positive for COVID-19. [...] Are People Lying to the COVID-19 Surveillance Teams? There is also a call on the public to provide accurate and timely information to the contact tracing teams. �Doctor Marvin Manzanero says that the teams have been encountering persons [...] The Classification of COVID-19 as a Contributing Factor And also in COVID-19 related news, Dr. Marvin Manzanero explains the classification of COVID-19 related deaths. He says that while persons may have COVID-19 and other conditions, their death certificate [...] How is Biohazardous COVID-19 Waste Being Handled in Belize? The coronavirus pandemic is bringing pressure to bear on many aspects of the health system and as the virus continues to spread so does its impact on healthcare. One area [...] Five Tugboat Sailors to be Charged Upon Recovery from COVID-19 The full force of the law is coming down on five sailors who tested positive for COVID-19 upon their return to Belize from Roatan, Honduras. The men will face criminal [...] What Will Tugboat Sailors be Charged With? The Commissioner of Police also says that the employers are being investigated for any possible breach of the law. But it has already been determined that the five men are [...] Police Officers Reprimanded for Not Wearing Face Masks The use of face masks by members of the Belize Police Department is mandatory and, to enforce its compulsory usage, the department has wasted no time reprimanding officers who are [...] Alfred Usher Says He Did Not Contraband Cigarettes As you know, border jumpers are being held responsible in large part for the spread of the corona virus and the law is coming down heavy on them.� Fifty-six-year-old Alfred [...] Scenes of Crime Technician Furious with M.O.H. Scenes of crime technician, Angela Wiltshire is furious with the Ministry of Health.� Wiltshire has been pleading with health officials to be tested after one of her colleagues tested positive [...] Angela Wiltshire Demands to be Tested Wiltshire says she is not happy with not being tested and it has left her uneasy. She is now demanding to be tested. Angela Wiltshire, Scenes of Crime Technician [...] Belize City Traffic Officer Tests Positive for COVID-19 The Belize City Council today confirmed that one of their own tested positive for COVID-19 and so it is closing the traffic department.� The patient is a male traffic officer [...] Traffic Department Office Close for Sanitization The Belize City Council says that the safety and wellbeing of its staff and residents remain a priority. Consequently, the council closed the Traffic Department office with immediate effect so [...] Update on the Rapid Testing Capabilities If you thought that rapid testing would increase the number of persons tested in a timelier manner locally, that won't happen.� Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero says that [...] Evolving COVID-19 Guidelines One more matter tonight from the Ministry of Health. It says that they are guided by science and established standards of practice, with specific guidelines from the World Health Organization. [...] A Small Protest in San Pedro; Tour Guide Sends a Message to Leaders The state of emergency is limiting the size of gatherings, but it did not stop a four-man protest staged today in front of the San Pedro Town Council on Ambergris [...] UB Board of Trustees Threatens U.B.F.S.U. with Terminations! The situation at the University of Belize continues to deteriorate and so will its faculty members and staff be made redundant? �That's what it may come down to, according to [...] U.B.F.S.U. Outlines Issues at the University So, there you heard from the position of the Board of Trustees at the University of Belize.� As we reported on Monday, the U.B.F.S.U.'s members were not engaging in formal [...] Active Learning Outside the Classroom during COVID-19 Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted all aspects of life for students and parents. Schools remain closed so parents are having to adapt to home based learning and online education to [...] San Marcos Villagers Receive Opposition from 'Dump' Residents A week ago we told you about the initiative by residents of San Marcos Village in the south.� Residents have begun clearing a portion of the land along the highway, [...] G.C.F. Approves Project Preparation Facility to Build Adaptive Capacity of Sugarcane Farmers The sugar industry was impacted by drought conditions which led to a late start of the sugar crop this year.� It put cane farmers out of pocket, but tonight there [...] Amandala Marriage licensing goes online amidst COVID-19 concerns Most of Belize's governance services have traditionally been conducted face-to-face and have required persons to travel to the capital, Belmopan, to get the services done. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, our government has been forced into an online space for the provision of key services, which now include marriage licensing. The office of the Attorney General, on Friday, August 14, issued a press release which states that, "For the purposes of preventing, controlling, containing and suppressing the spread of the infectious disease COVID-19, the Attorney General's Ministry hereby informs the public of the following changes in respect of the following services: Marriage Registry - Belmopan Office. House reinstates 8 o'clock curfew On Friday, August 14, the members of the House of Representatives convened once more at the National Assembly Building, where a number of items were discussed, most of which related to the spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. The Minister of Health started the session by providing a breakdown of the number of cases of the virus, which has managed to make its way into every district in the country in the matter of one week. The result was an announcement that yet another Statutory Instrument would be published which would reinstate the dreaded eight o'clock curfew countrywide, extend the State of Emergency (SOE) for those clustered villages in the Orange Walk District as well as on Ambergris Caye (Caye Caulker and San Pedro) in the Belize District; and reduce the number of persons allowed to gather socially. Belize records 4th COVID-19-related death Late Friday evening, the Office of the Director of Health Services announced the third COVID-19-related death in Belize. That person has since been identified as 52-year-old Luis Romero, Sr. Avid social media users would recall a photo of Romero that went viral during the time of the ICJ campaign. In that photo, he was on the street during that year's September 10 parade and was wearing an umbrella hat and a pair of cartoonish sunshades that bore the colors of the Belizean flag, along with a Belizean flag that was draped around his shoulders like a cape and a homemade T-shirt that was imprinted with an expletive, followed by the word "Guatemala". He stood in that photo with defiance and swagger. "The Tugboat 5" brought cargo and the COVID virus Among the clusters identified is a group of five Belizean employees who are said to have contracted the virus while on duty outside the country. These individuals had been working on a tug-boat operated by the Big Creek Group, which was sent to transfer cargo from Honduras to Belize earlier this month. Many Belizeans were outraged by this, given that the country's borders have been closed for months in an effort to limit the infiltration of COVID-19 into the country. More COVID-19 restrictions Adjustments to the COVID-19 Emergency Regulations were announced by Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte on Saturday night. A nationwide curfew came into effect on Sunday, August 16, to limit the movement of persons in hopes of containing the intensifying wave of the coronavirus in Belize. These new regulations will affect the entire country, except for the four areas which are currently under total lockdown - Ambergis Caye, Santa Martha, Shipyard and Guinea Grass. Guatemalan MS13 member charged for vandalizing Belmopan Nazarene Church An investigation into an incident of vandalism, in which a wall of the Belmopan Nazarene Church building and benches in the nearby park, as well as other structures in Belmopan, were spray-painted with gang insignia, led police to a member of the MS13 gang. Police arrested a Guatemalan, Hector Teul Gutierrez, 20, a laborer of Salvapan, Belmopan, and charged him with damage to property and using identifying signs to promote gang-related activities. Border jumpers' canoes impounded Today, an operation was carried out by police in Douglas, Santa Cruz and San Victor - three villages along the Mexico-Belize border in the Orange Walk District, and 23 canoes believed to be used to facilitate contraband running and border-jumping, were impounded and taken to the Orange Walk Police Station - thus denying the contraband runners and the border-jumpers the use of their boats to conduct their illegal activities. A number of residents of the Orange Walk community lined the streets to see the spectacle as the canoes were pulled on wheeled platforms through the streets and sirens blared. Many of them appeared to be pleased with the bold actions of the police. Man found dead in apartment on Rivero Street A man was found dead in his apartment at about 9:30 yesterday morning. Philip Bernard Gillett, 65, an unemployed Rivero Street resident, was found lying motionless on his bed in his apartment by his cousin, Charles Lodge, 62, also of Rivero Street. Lodge told police that not only was Gillett motionless and lying face-up when he found him, but he was also bleeding from his ear and nose, and he was already dead. Autopsy shows that woman found in shallow grave died of "blunt force trauma" A post-mortem exam conducted on the decomposed body of Julia Timotea Millian Moran, 39, a Guatemalan national of Santa Cruz who was found buried in a shallow grave in Steadfast, Stann Creek District, at about 5:30 Saturday evening, has revealed that her death was caused by traumatic bronchial asphyxiation and blunt force head trauma. At the time the corpse was found in the shallow grave, police said that signs of violence were not seen on the body. Aubrey Brown, 55, stabbed on Johnson Street Aubrey Brown, 55, a laborer of Johnson Street, is presently admitted at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) in a serious condition, with a stab wound in his chest. Police say that Brown was stabbed by a man with whom he had become involved in an altercation at about 1:30 this morning on Johnson Street, in front of his house. Police said that they found Brown lying on the roadside in front of his house with stab wounds in the right side of his chest. He was rushed to the KHMH. Editorial: Waiting for tourism, while farm-based industries languish Our country is going through a particularly bad period with COVID-19, with cases of the disease climbing at a pace that, if not abruptly arrested, will certainly overwhelm our health system. Some say that we shouldn't be frightened by the disease because the mortality rate is not that high; however, in small countries like ours, every person counts. We lost a popular Belizean to the disease last week, and we are so few in number, it touched everyone. Some scientists, call them doomsayers if you will, say that there are worse diseases than COVID-19 lurking out there, diseases that will impact human beings in the decades just ahead of us. If such predictions come true, our environmentalists and serious agriculturists will be among those who are the least surprised. 68 more COVID-19 cases discovered over weekend An additional 68 positive cases of COVID-19 were detected by the Ministry of Health over this past weekend. This brings the total number of cases in the country to 456 as of August 16, 2020. On Saturday, August 15, 257 samples were processed and a total of 64 cases were identified, and on Sunday, August 16, 4 new cases were found. According to data shared for Friday, August 14, 32 new cases were found in 172 samples that day. 188 arrested for violations of COVID-19 Regulations Commissioner of Police Chester Williams announced that 188 persons were arrested over the weekend countrywide for various violations of the Emergency Powers Regulations that were put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Williams said that 128 persons were arrested for failing to wear a cloth mask or some other face (mouth) covering whilst in public, while 52 were charged for breach of curfew and 8 were charged for failing to practice social distancing. Compol Williams clarifies the new SI At midnight last night, a new Statutory Instrument - SI 119/ 2020 - became effective countrywide, altering the curfew hours and adding new rules under the State of Emergency that has been put in place to curb the sudden and alarming spread of the COVID-19 virus within the country. In his explanation of the new SI, Compol Williams said that curfew hours for the rest of the country, with the exception of the hotspots in San Pedro and some villages in the Orange Walk and Corozal Districts, which are subject to more stringent measures, are now as follows: Sunday to Thursday: 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., and 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The CXC 2020 grading approach As promised, the Caribbean Examination Council rolled out their CSEC and CAPE exams in July of this year, despite the interruptions of classes that had been caused by COVID-19. On Wednesday, the Registrar and CEO of the Council, Dr. Wayne Wesley, issued a virtual address thanking all Ministries of Education, local registrars, teachers, invigilators, and center staff for their assistance in the successful administration of these exams. Due to the new social restrictions caused by the pandemic, the Council was tasked with finding a new strategy to facilitate all students of the Caribbean in advancing to a higher level of education, despite the various academic hardships that they were facing since March, when the pandemic hit the Caribbean. Doctor with COVID-19 seen in public A Belize City doctor, who tested positive for COVID-19 and was instructed to self-isolate in his home, was seen in public yesterday, and there are apparently images that were captured by security cameras that prove the doctor was out and about - disregarding the danger his outing posed to others in the community. He was not wearing a mask. After the doctor was spotted in the public and images of the masked doctor were circulated, the Ministry of Health and police were alerted. Week 3 update on Freetown Basketball Tournament Competitive sports are once again on hold, since the new measures announced over the weekend with the latest State of Emergency, following the huge spike in Covid-19 cases across the country. Information was slow in coming in, but here are the results from the last two weeks of competition in the Freetown Basketball Tournament 2020, which got under way on Tuesday, July 21, at the Belama Phase 2 Basketball Court, and is being sponsored by area representative, Hon. Francis Fonseca. From "di lee Coro" to "The General"; Plaza football legend, Gilroy "Coro" Usher I've been delaying the start of this story for a long time. It's a challenge to try and be impartial and completely objective, when you have been up close and directly involved with the subject of our discussion in so many situations over the years. But I'll try. Because I must give maximum respect and recognition to one undoubtedly bound for Belize's Football Hall of Fame while he still engages in a three-week battle for his life on a hospital bed in New Jersey, where he has resided for the last two plus decades. Redistricting After the painful defeat the "No to the ICJ" crowd suffered in the Referendum (Sedi Elrington's greatest moment), the General Secretary of the VIP, Brother Paul Morgan, still smarting over what he considers a betrayal of our country, turned his attention back to redistricting (a requirement of the constitution I get the sense his party's leaders feel must be respected before they contest elections in Belize again). If you notice, the VIP has not been contesting elections of recent. They have probably realized what UBAD found out in one election - that the dice in Belize is loaded for red and blue. The Reporter City Hall has closed its Traffic Department With immediate effect for prompt sanitizing to take place after test results confirmed this morning that one of its traffic officers has contracted the deadly COVID-19 virus. City Hall, through a press release issued this afternoon, informed that it was working closely with the Ministry of Health, which is now carrying out contact tracing. LOVE FM Woman urges MoH to test her for COVID-19 A woman employed at the Scenes of Crime Unit of the Belize Police Department is outraged after her request to be tested for Covid-19 was denied. According to Angela Wiltshire, she had come in contact with a man who tested positive for Covid-19, and because of her diabetes, she has grown very concerned over her exposure. BPM calls for for annual reports from Elections and Boundaries Commission The Belize Peace Movement (BPM) has called for annual reports to be presented from the Elections & Boundaries Commission. On August 3, the BPM wrote to the Elections and Boundaries Commission through registered mail, seeking access to the Commission's annual reports for the period 2016-2019. Is the lockdown effective for mapping and tracing? The lockdown for Ambergris Caye and the three villages in the north, Santa Marta, Shipyard, and Guinea Grass was extended for another two weeks. With Belize currently experiencing a Covid-19 curve, it is the hope of health officials that the lockdown and other regulations will flatten the curve. Our newsroom asked Dr Manzanero how he feels the lockdown will contribute to the decrease in cases when every district has now registered positive cases. Belize City Traffic Department shuts down after personnel tested positive The Belize City Council Traffic Department is temporarily closed down after one of its personnel tested positive for Covid-19. The Belize City resident began experiencing a fever about ten days ago and has been on sick leave since then. Love News spoke with the City Manager, Stephanie Lindo-Garbutt who gave us a timeline of events. COVID-19 cases on the Rise Almost two dozen healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19. These workers are from both private and public healthcare facilities. In a recent presentation via Ask the Expert, the Director of Health Services, Dr Marvin Manzanero spoke on the twenty-three new cases reported last night and thirty-four additional cases coming out of samples finalized today. NSUB weighs in on the impasse at UB The National Student Union of Belize (NSUB) has announced that they are in full support of the University of Belize Faculty and Staff Union (UBSFU) in postponing the date for classes to resume. According to the union, a survey was conducted among their membership including faculty and students. The results of the survey showed that the majority of the union members are of the opinion that the University of Belize is not prepared to begin administering online classes. President of the NSUB, Kevin Chen outlined three major factors that contributed to the opinions in the survey. Impasse between the UBFSU and the UB Board of Trustees No one is getting fired from the University of Belize! At least not yet. A meeting recently concluded between the Board of Trustees and members of the University of Belize Faculty and Students Union. The discussion surrounded several issues primarily the reopening of the new academic year. Breaking Belize News University of Belize in crisis: Board, staff union at loggerheads over financial and academic issues The Board of Trustees of the University of Belize (UB), headed by Harrison Pilgrim, has [�] 78 new cases of COVID-19 detected today, 55 are in the Belize district A total of 78 new cases of COVID-19 was detected in Belize today according to [�] Ministry of Natural Resources informs that Orange Walk office to have limited access to public The Ministry of Natural Resources informed that with the rise of positive cases of COVID-19, [�] Ministry of Health warns against providing unreliable information during contact tracing The Ministry of Health notes that on several occasions people being interviewed during contact tracing [�] Thirty-four new positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed, mostly in San Pedro The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported another 34 cases of COVID-19 today, the bulk of [�] Only symptomatic patients are now being tested for COVID-19 in Belize The Ministry of Health says that it is swamped with repeated requests from various individuals [�] PCR tests for people trying to leave the country will only be done once a week," says Ministry of Health Director of Health Services, Dr. Marvin Manzanero said today that the Central Medical Laboratory will [�] Procedures for handling bodies of persons who died of COVID-19 being reviewed The Ministry of Health is reviewing the procedures for handling the bodies of persons who [�] New gas prices at midnight: regular down, diesel up The Ministry of Finance announced that effective Wednesday, August 19, 2020, the pump price of [�] The case for a managed passport program in Belize for investors By Carlos Rivera: In life and in business you always look at best practice and try to follow examples that lead to success. [�] Belize Peace Movement calls for annual reports from the Elections & Boundaries Commission The Belize Peace Movement (BPM) informs that on August 3, it wrote to the Elections [�] National Hurricane Center monitors broad area of low pressure in the Atlantic The National Hurricane Center is closely monitoring a broad area of low pressure located about [�] Trapped in a bad relationship? (for Belizeans Only) By Bernard Bulwer Trapped in bad relationships ... You never know what you're missing until you know what you shouLd be getting. [�] Global COVID-19 cases now at over 22 million The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect people around the world. Worldometer reports that as of [�] Health officials monitoring 433 active cases of COVID-19 Health officials are now monitoring 433 active cases of COVID-19. Of the active cases, 264 [�] International Sources Caribbean indigenous people return to roots as COVID-19 shrinks tourism Indigenous cultures in the Caribbean, struggling as their tourism-dependent economies are ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, are returning to traditional farming and fishing roots for their livelihoods, local experts said on Tuesday. Being forced to look to older, more organic ways of survival can be a silver lining within the devastation of the pandemic, connecting communities with their history, they said in an online meeting held by the Organization of American States (OAS). Caribbean nations, so economically dependent on tourism, have seen a plunge in visitors due to lockdowns, closed borders and airport shutdowns throughout the region. Videos Saturday's "Ask the Experts", 80min. The Attorney General Hon. Michael Peyrefitte joined us to discuss the updated regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The quarantine/lockdown has been extended 2 more weeks. Until Sept 3. WHO Media briefing on COVID-19 \| 18 August 2020, min. WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 18 August 2020 Tuesday's "Ask the Experts, 63min. Update on COVID-19 from Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services. COCID-19 Plan of action, 1min. Please prepare with an easy plan of action in the event that you or a member of your household becomes directly impacted by COVID19. Last Standing Deportee Life After Deportation, 10min. 2020 Street Art Fest Belize City, 2.5min. It's UnBeliZeable Street Art Fest, in Belize City. During the month of February you are looking something to do with the family. Lots to see, you can chose if you love painting, food or culture. The festival is designed to showcase Belizean artists in giving them an intimate setting with the Belizean public by creating an environment to honor and celebrate our diverse culture. The Festival takes place on Albert Street in downtown Belize City. Enjoy to see little of Belize. The Mennonites - a trip back in time \| DW Documentary, 42min. A documentary on the German-speaking Mennonites of Little Belize. Mass Butterfly action, 10sec. I tried giving these lethargic butterflies some cocaine. You won't believe what happened next! Mass Butterfly action in Slow Motion, 10sec. Prophit - Keep Yo Distance (Prod by Elusive), 3min. New Belizean COVID-19 song by Prophit. PMO Boss Prophit and Firestorm Studio Producer Elusive brings social awareness to the global covid 19 pandemic in a way people can enjoy! How to Draw: Belize Flag, 10min. In this episode I will draw the flag of Belize