Today's Belize News: August 26, 2020

Print Thread

Today's Belize News: August 26, 2020 #544466 08/26/20 06:21 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 Less testing for COVID-19 being done on the island A total of 215 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in San Pedro Town, of which only one has officially been reported as 'recovered'. The latest updates on the island are showing a significant decline in positive cases compared to weeks ago. This raises the question of whether the Ministry of Health is testing island residents. The MOH clarified that concern, stating that swabbing for samples continues to take place, but not as many as before. Various Belizean Sources Caye Caulker Soup Kitchen day Location The Soup Kitchen is happy to announce Pasta Per Caso will be serving tomorrow's meal! Thank you Anna and Armando for all your support of the CCSK. They have made in kind donations and donated a percentage of sales to the Soup Kitchen and now will donate their kitchen and time to provide tomorrow's meal! Wednesday, August 26th. Meal Pick ups: Location: PASTA PER CASO. Times: Village: 11:00-11:45. Bahia: 11:45-12:30. Scholarship Opportunity for Early Childhood Development and Family Studies There is a scholarship opportunity for an online program in Early Childhood Development and Family Studies at the UWI Open Campus. Deadline for application is August 31, 2020. Before applying for admission, students are encouraged to read the program description, and ensure that the study area fulfills their expectations and interests. Opening Hours, Contact numbers for Health Clinics Central Health Region adds more emergency lines to cover Belize City, villages in Belize District and the Cayes. Call us for any Covid-19 health issue. Statistical Institute of Belize Press Conference August 26th, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. BELIZE CONSTITUTION (EMERGENCY POWERS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 2020 - STATUTORY INSTRUMENT NO. 122 OF 2020 This comes into effect on August 26, 2020. At 12:01 a.m. the special lock down for the villages of Guinea Grass, Santa Martha, and Shipyard will expire and they will now be governed by the regulations that apply to the rest of Belize. Special regulations remain in effect for Ambergris Caye. Under this new amendment, there is a penalty of one year imprisonment for any individual found to be bribing any member of the security forces. Furthermore, any member of the security forces found to be extorting an individual under the guise of their office is liable to one year imprisonment. Quarantine Center Cooks The Ministry of Human Development expresses sincere gratitude to the volunteers countrywide who have selflessly given of their time and skills to assist in providing meals for those detained in the quarantine centers. COVID-19 UPDATE This is our data for today. A total of 129 samples were processed with 17 new positive cases. The breakdown is as follows: Corozal District - 9 Orange Walk District - 4 Belize City - 2 Cayo District - 2 We have 3 recovered cases: Chan Chen, Corozal; Belmopan, Cayo and one from Orange Walk. Monthly Weather Summary, July 2020 July, on average, is the second wettest month of the year for the country of Belize. Systems that affect the country during this month normally include tropical waves, tropical upper tropospheric troughs (TUTTs) and occasionally tropical cyclones. Relatively moist and unstable conditions prevailed at the beginning of July 2020 as a tropical wave approached on the 1st and crossed the country during the morning of the 2nd. Isolated showers and thunderstorms affected inland and some central areas during the daytime on the 1st then a few showers and thunderstorms occurred over most areas during the night and persisted through to the 2nd morning. WILDTRACKS BELIZE UPDATE ON COVID-19 SITUATION "We are very relieved to be able to report that everyone at Wildtracks has tested negative for Covid-19. Since discovering that Marvin was positive, we have isolated Wildtracks to keep Sarteneja safe, with strict protocols for food and water deliveries to avoid risk to anyone in the community. We have all been following the recommendations on self-distancing, masks and hand washing, protecting each other from infection....and it has worked. We have one more test later this week to confirm the all clear before we complete quarantine. Belize Water Services Prequalification of Bidders Belize Water Services Limited (BWS) intends to pre-qualify eligible contractors to facilitate bidding for its required works and services. Projects or works may be in any district location. Contractors are requested to indicate which district or districts they prefer. Below are the categories for work: Gold Standard approved Tour Operators As the industry prepares for when travel resumes, the list of Tourism Gold Standard approved Tour Operators are now available. Click the link below for the list that is being updated daily as the BTB continues to process applications. View list here: https://bit.ly/3gAxbWo Oceana's CEO Andy Sharpless on Gillnet Decision With the recently signed agreement between the Government of Belize, the Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries, and Oceana to support gillnet fishers to transition to alternative means, Oceana's CEO, Andy Sharpless, shared his thoughts on this historic decision. Deep Dive Talks THIS Thursday, as Deep Dive Talks brings in another past Ocean Hero! We are excited to announce that our next guest will be Miguel Alamilla, a long-time lover of the sea who has dedicated over two decades of his life to conservation and country. Join us as our host, Analee Chuc, chats with Mr. Miguel about life, his long-time dedication to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and where his journey has led him today. Catch the chat on our Instagram Live this Thursday, August 27th at 12:30PM CST to catch the discussion. Channel 7 Sanker Saves the Day It was the highlight of the morning, a viral video of a Belize City artist on a social media live rant after driving off a pair of violent thugs who had robbed and beaten the neighborhood tamales man. Our team was on the scene shortly after to get the full story from the artist who swung at robbers with wood from an old easel. Cherisse Halsall has the story. Well, known painter, Alex Sanker went live on Facebook this morning just after he'd chased off a pair of robbers who had thrown a man to the ground in front of his house. WPC Delivers Baby On Substation Porch And while Sanker was today's hero, we take a look now at two unsung heroes from early Saturday morning. They are WPC Nazira Abdullah and Corporal Lawrence Jones, the officers who delivered a baby on the porch of a police substation while waiting for an ambulance. Here are their recollections of their quick actions to safeguard the life of a mother and her child. Lawrence Jones, Corporal : "Coming to Saturday morning like about 10 minutes to three a gentleman arrived at the station, he said officer, officer I need assistance. My wife is going into labor. I just asked where is your wife? He said she's coming on the street so then I tried to call the control room, we tried to get the mobile-first then I got to the control room then they asked if we wanted B.E.R.T. I told them yes." Cop Charged For Extorting Man Without Mask And while those are two feel good stories for police - the next one is bad news for the cops, but good news for the community. A police officer has been charged for extorting an American man for not using a mask. It's a new pattern of corruption that we blew the whistle on weeks ago - where cops try to make a quick come up on persons who forgot to wear their mask and really don't want to face that five thousand dollar fine. The Commissioner got wise to it this weekend when an American man complained that a Cop shook him down for $300 at the Tower Hill checkpoint in Orange Walk. Cop Who Allegedly Smuggled Border Jumper Was Also Charged For Stolen Police Weapon And, in other news of allegedly corrupt cops - yesterday, in discussing the case of constable Johnathan Cal - accused of smuggling a pregnant border jumper into Belize - the Commissioner alluded to, quote, "other allegations where that police officer is concerned." 7News has learned that those allegations centre over this pistol - assigned to the Anti Drug unit in Belmopan, but recovered by Punta Gorda Police from a known criminal. A Thief In the Temple Of Hardware Reports reaching 7News tonight is that a 49-year-old Pastor from the Cayo District has been charged for theft after he was detained by a team of police officers from Spanish Lookout. Roberto Armando Ruiz is facing multiple counts of theft after the pastor is being accused of stealing tools from Farmers Trading Center in Spanish Lookout. Gifts For Guinea Grass From COMPOL Last week on the news, you saw Guinea Grass villagers protesting at their village boundary - which is a now a police checkpoint. Their village is under COVID lockdown and they were there making impassioned pleas for food assistance, especially for the community's children. Well, the Commissioner of Police heard their cry and today visited the Guinea Grass Village police checkpoint, where he met the Chairman, Benito Uck, and another resident. He then handed over several boxes of groceries, which the department is donating to this community in need. He told our colleagues from CTV3 News about this gesture from the department: Cops Found 37 Pounds of Weed Today, Police found a huge stash of weed, a total of 37 pounds of marijuana, hidden in an empty lot on Linda Vista Street in the Martin's area of Belize City. A team of police officers searched the lot and came up with a plastic bag, which contained 18 parcels of suspected cannabis. When they took it to be weighted, the 18 parcels had a combined weight of 17.055 kilos, or 37.6 pounds. Aug. 25th: 672 Active COVID Cases, Up 2750% From Aug. 01 The latest COVID numbers realised this afternoon show that Belize has 730 total confirmed COVID cases, with 672 active cases. The 129 samples tested yesterday returned 17 new positive cases: 9 in the Corozal District, 4 in the Orange Walk District, 2 in Belize City, and 2 in the Cayo district. San Pedro Town Has Most COVID Cases, Ow Highest Among Districts Numbers released last night by the Ministry of Health show that the number of COVID cases in the Orange Walk district are on a path to surpass San Pedro Town. Those figures show that district has 204 positive cases since March, and 187 active cases presently. San Pedro Town still leads the entire country, with 216 cases confirmed and 213 active cases. COVID 19, Often Spread By Aerosol Transmission And, what's the best way to make sure that you don't become one of those statistics? Well, the latest science says six feet of social distance and wearing a mask anytime you're around anyone else talking, coughing, sneezing or even breathing. That's because of what is known as aerosol or airborne transmission. It's one of the main ways that the CORONA virus spreads. Contact tracing has found that much COVID-19 transmission occurs in close proximity, such as when people talk to each other at close range. COVID, the Toll It Takes On Mental Health And while those are for your physical health, right now, Belizeans are under a lot of stress and strain as they try to survive the health and financial consequences of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. These struggles can be very taxing to your mental health, and that's why the Mental Health Unit hosted today's edition of the Ask the Experts Webcast. One of the mental health coordinators was very detailed about what you can do to look after your own mental health. Here's an excerpt of her presentation in which she described what forms the COVID-19 stress may take: Cop Gets Bail After One Night On Remand Last night we told you about Elton Eligio, the police Corporal who over the weekend was arrested and charged for possession of a firearm without a license and whilst under the influence of alcohol, among other offenses. As we told you he spent an overnight on remand at the Central Prison. But, tonight, he's out on bail. This morning, his attorney Dickie Bradley got a special bail hearing before Justice Antoinette Moore in Belize City,. Cayo Police Getting Ready To Charge Taxi Robber A man has been detained for robbing and shooting a Cayo taxi driver. 21-year-old Jerison Ramirez, a taximan of Santa Elena town was shot to the legs and upper back on Saturday night by a gunman posing as a fare. It happened at about 8:15 when Ramirez and his wife were flagged down on the Bullet Tree Road by a man who asked to be taken to Santa Elena. They turned at the junction of Branch Mouth Road in an effort to get change for the passenger's fifty dollar bill. That's where his passenger held him at gunpoint - and shot were fired in a struggle that ensued. We got more details on the incident yesterday from ACP Joseph Myvette. San Pedro Cabbies Struggling To Put Food On The Table And while that cab driver was robbed and shot, for cabbies on the Caye, life without tourism has robbed them of their main source of income. One island cabbie today told the San Pedro Sun that with the current lockdown, it's a struggle to keep food on his family's table: Food Assistance For San Pedro And while that cab driver says he is waiting for assistance from the Unemployment Relief Program, others in San Pedro are getting helped by the Food Assistance Programs targeting lockdown areas. It's led by the Ministry Of Human Development which says that up to last week it had delivered well over 1,500 such packages to the town. Months Later, FFB President Chuc Discusses Controversial PLB Elections Last night, we showed you our teleconference interview which Sergio Chuc, the re-elected President of the Football Federation of Belize. We asked him about the controversy which played out at the congress held by the Premier League of Belize. Insiders tell us that on Saturday, June 20th, 2020, the constituents of the PLB showed up to the Marion Jones Sporting Complex for an election of a new executive to manage the league. We are informed that there was some sort of disagreement between the FFB's Electoral Committee, which was to supervise the elections, and the incumbent PLB President about who should or shouldn't be allowed to vote. Growing Football From the Youth Roots So, while that's but one of the administrative challenges at upper levels of the sport, Chuc says that he and his administration are placing a lot of focus and priority on the younger generation of footballers. They are currently executing development programs aimed at producing stronger, adult athletes, who can then help Belize's National A-Team to perform better in international tournaments, such as the Gold Cup, and the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Here's what Chuc had to say about how his re-election helps him and his administration to follow through with that development strategy: E & B Tells Peace Movement Reports Non-existent The Elections and Boundaries Commission has responded to the Belize Peace Movement which wrote on August 3rd requesting annual reports from the Elections & Boundaries Commission for the years 2016 to 2019. These are legally mandated annual reports. Ashcroft Fund Donates To Zoo Yesterday, the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund Michael Ashcroft made two donations, valued at a total of $155,600 We report first on his donation of $20,000 to the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center. Lyndon Guiseppi, the Chairman of the Fund, handed over the cheque yesterday to Celso Poot, the Zoo's Operations Manager. Poot expressed gratitude to the donors on behalf of the Belize Zoo, and he explained that the funds will go directly into the care, nutrition, and quality of life of over 200 animals in the zoo's care, which represent 45 native species of Belizean wildlife. Police Will Get A Gym From Ashcroft Fund The Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund also donated $135,600 to the police department to cover the costs of retrofitting the Police Fitness Center. You'll remember this as one of the welfare improvements that the Police Commissioner wants to provide to his officers. Lyndon Guiseppi, the Lord Ashcroft Relief Fund's Chairman, handed over officially the cheque to COMPOL Chester Williams yesterday. The Commissioner was accompanied by Sergeant Jermaine Hyde, and Inspector Jane Usher, who was elected in June as the Chairman of the Police Association. The funds will be used to acquire "state-of-the-art" gym equipment and materials for the renovation of the fitness center. Channel 5 Teresita "Tely" Cruz Dies Days after Exhibiting COVID-19 Symptoms We start our newscast tonight with the death of another San Felipe resident in the Orange Walk District, where the number of COVID cases is increasing. She is fifty-year-old Teresita [...] Tely Cruz Experienced Extreme Fatigue Leading Up to her Death - was it COVID-19? So, at this time, the family doesn't know if Teresita Cruz's death is due to COVID-19 as the results are being processed. Eldon Cruz reports that the family members who [...] 17 New COVID-19 Cases There are seventeen new COVID-19 cases.� Those results were released earlier this afternoon.� This batch of tests shows majority of the cases are for Corozal, with a few for Orange [...] Increase in COVID-19 Cases in 3 Northern Communities At this time, the Ministry of Health has a team of officers working in the north where there is an uptick in COVID-19 cases.� The ministry is keeping its eyes [...] Suspect Cases at Dorothy Menzies Childcare Centre Test Negative A fear of spread has been dispelled at a child care facility in Belize City. News Five has confirmed that eight resident minors at the Dorothy Menzies Childcare Centre have [...] Overwhelming Poultry Demand to be Satisfied by Weekend The poultry industry has not been left untouched by the coronavirus. A few weeks ago, there was a shortage of chicken and this week, one of the biggest producers, Caribbean [...] DHS Speaks on COVID-19 at Caribbean Chicken Processing Plant On the matter of Caribbean Chicken in Blue Creek, Doctor Marvin Manzanero says that the ministry has been in contact with the poultry producer.� The company, he says, has committed [...] San Felipe Residents Fearful; Asking for COVID-19 Tests! Today we spoke with village Chairman Margarito Andrades who shared that since the death of Teresita Cruz, residents are scared and clamouring to be tested simply because they are workers [...] Artist4Life Comes to Aid of Vendor Who is Attacked and Robbed There was a brazen broad daylight robbery and beat down of a tamales vendor in Belize City this morning and it all went viral on social media, posted by the [...] Will Robbers Come After Alex Sanker? Police were quick to detain the two suspects, but one escaped. But did the good deed by Alex Sanker cast a shadow of fear on his life? The artist told [...] Policeman Reginald Diego Arraigned on Extortion Charge A police officer, Reginald Diego from the Corozal District, has been arrested and charged for the crime of extortion, following an incident over the weekend in which he allegedly coerced [...] Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 Relief Fund Hands Over Cheque to the Belize Zoo The best little zoo in world is located at mile twenty-nine on the George Price Highway. It is home to two hundred animals of forty-five species of Belizean wildlife.� Over [...] ComPol Comes Up Big for Guinea Grass! For the past week and half we have been reporting on the Guinea Grass villagers' appeal for assistance with the Village Council going so far as to write to the [...] Positive Cases Linked to San Pedro are Showing Up in the North and West DHS Marvin Manzanero says that the Ministry's contact tracing and swabbing exercise continues to capture patients connected to San Pedro. Manzanero notes that although some test results may not include [...] San Pedro Becomes Ghost Town; Residents Getting Support from Food Assistance Programme As you know by now, Ambergris Caye is at the top of the list with the number of COVID cases and residents on San Pedro have been experiencing hard times [...] Food for San Pedro a Success! There is another initiative, a fundraising drive, which has been started by attorney Audrey Matura to assist those whose lives have been devastated by a second lockdown. Residents, many who [...] Miss Universe Belize Scholarship Initiative Pre-primary and primary schools are to reopen on September seventh, but for distance learning only, meanwhile high school classes resume in October. But given the dire economic times, families are [...] A New Tourism Organization Comes on Board There's a new tourism organization in town and its scope covers everyone in the industry, including hair braiders and small tour operators.� Its advent, however, comes at a time when [...] BLAST is Here to Fill the Void BLAST is entering a local landscape that is, for all intents and purposes, the domain of FECTAB.� The Federation of Cruise Tourism Associations of Belize has been experiencing some turbulence [...] Sergio Nal Junior Needs Your Help! The family of forty-seven-year-old Sergio Nal Junior is asking for the public's help tonight. Nal was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis and is in urgent need of a surgery. Today, his [...] COVID-19 and Its Mental Effects COVID-19's effects on people differ in many ways. There are the physical, emotional and mental impacts that the global pandemic is having as it is ravages economies worldwide.� And as [...] Coping with COVID-19 According to Quintanilla, there are several coping mechanisms that can be practiced to cope with the mental effects of COVID-19. Quintanilla says that people are naturally concerned for their own [...] Mental Health Expert Speaks on Dealing with COVID-19 Related Deaths The loss of a loved one is painful and the grieving process takes time, but dying to the novel coronavirus makes the grieving process even more difficult due to the [...] Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners Trained to Mentally Deal with COVID-19 The trauma related to COVID-19 patients and victims does not only affect families, but it extends to frontline workers such as nurses and doctors.� So who is there when these [...] Health Expert Shares Numbers for Mental Health Clinics Mental health officials are encouraging people to seek help if COVID-19 is consuming their well being. �Clinics in every district are open with mental health experts there to provide counseling [...] Amandala COVID-19 cases ballooning - now at 713 The number of COVID-19 cases is ballooning in the country. This afternoon, Monday, the Ministry of Health issued a press release in which it informed the public that the number of COVID-19 cases now stands at 713, a 27-case jump over the tally of cases on Sunday, which was 686 - an 18-case jump over that of Saturday, when the total number of cases was 668. The Health Ministry's press release today stated, "A further 181 samples were processed, of which 27 were positive. 10 COVID-19 related deaths recorded Over the past few weeks, the number of cases of COVID-19 has been rapidly increasing within Belize, and within that short time, 8 new coronavirus-related deaths have been confirmed. To date, a total of 713 confirmed cases of the virus have been identified by the Ministry of Health's epidemiological Unit. Today, during the Ask The Experts webinar, the Director of Health Services, Dr. Marvin Manzanero, provided details on the most recent COVID-19-related deaths. A female patient with a severe liver condition was transferred from San Pedro to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH). Her condition deteriorated quickly and she was swabbed before she passed away. Wanted robber shot dead while robbing businessman A wanted poster had been issued in January, 2020, for the arrest of Dennis Lamb, 19, of Holy Emmanuel Street, for robbery, burglary and escaping from lawful custody. At about 9:30 tonight, however, Dennis Lamb was shot dead during another robbery. His body is now in the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital morgue. The attempted robbery and shooting incident occurred in front of a yard on Eleanor Usher Street in the Gungulung area of Lake Independence. Potential hurricane, TD14, has Belize on alert We are headed into the teeth of the hurricane season, and while everyone is keeping their guard up to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes COVID-19, our attention has expanded to include a bad weather system in the Caribbean that is headed in our direction. The National Meteorological Service of Belize (NMSB), in its report at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, said the weather system, Tropical Depression #14 (TD14), "was centered near latitude 15.1N, longitude 79.7W, or about 235 miles east of Cabo Gracias A Dios on the Nicaragua/Honduras border" and it "was moving to the West at 21 mph with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph." Cop sneaked pregnant Guat border-jumper into PG A policeman was caught smuggling a border-jumper from Guatemala, who was pregnant, into the country. The woman gave birth at the Punta Gorda Hospital yesterday, and the birth went well, according to reports. The woman and her baby, however, will be placed in quarantine and at the end of the quarantine, she will be charged for border-jumping. Child at Dorothy Menzies Child Center has COVID-19 A case of COVID-19 has been discovered at the Dorothy Menzies Child Center on St. Thomas Street, where 23 children live. One child has tested positive and eight others who are displaying symptoms of the illness have been placed in quarantine. The remainder of children, along with staff members of the center, have been tested, and are awaiting the test results. Justin Teck, 25, dies 9 months after being shot This morning, Justin Steven Teck, 25, a security guard of a Hunter's Lane address, passed away at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital due to complications from gunshot injuries he had suffered on the night of November 23, 2019. He was shot in the abdomen, head and back by an unknown gunman while he was walking on New Road, as he headed towards the Queen Street Police Station. Gun malfunction saves Twin security guard's life At about 7:30 this morning, a man went into Twin Superstore on St. Thomas Street, and quickly took out a gun, which he pointed at the security guard who was on duty at the store. The security guard struggled with the robber to disarm him, but during the struggle, the robber was able to pull the trigger of the gun twice. Twice, however, the gun misfired, saving the life of the guard. Guinea Grass residents protest against lockdown of the village Guinea Grass is one of three villages that were placed under complete lockdown by the Ministry of Health in an effort to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus from that village. The village was put under lockdown on August 6 because of the discovery of a cluster of COVID-19 cases - believed to be the result of border-jumping activities by Guinea Grass residents- in the village. Steps were then taken to isolate the village to try to stop the spread of the virus. Punta Gorda man escapes from police custody Police of Punta Gorda were on the hunt to recapture escaped detainee Kareem Chun, 25, a resident of Punta Gorda. Police said that Chun was being returned to the police station after he had appeared in court. Chun, however, suddenly sprinted away, and the police were not able to catch him. Editorial: The effort to sell Patrick At the last press conference hosted by Prime Minister Barrow, on Friday, August 21, the Prime Minister said, after the Minister of Education and leader-elect of the UDP, Hon. Patrick Faber, had outlined his ministry's new plans for getting Belizean students back into the education system after a 5-month hiatus, that he didn't want to sound like he was gushing when he described the efforts of the man whom his party had chosen after two tries to lead them in the next general election. Additional safety measures under the SOE In a press conference on Friday, Prime Minister Dean Barrow; UDP Leader-Elect and Minister of Education, Patrick Faber; and Director of Health Services, Dr. Marvin Manzanero, informed the public of further measures that would be taken in light of the consistent rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Belize over the past two weeks. The press conference began with an update from Dr. Manzanero, in which he indicated some promising findings for the first time in nearly three weeks. While the curve which traces the increase in COVID-19 cases has yet to flatten, there was a minor decrease in the number of new positive cases near the end of the week. KHMH's COVID-19 isolation unit full to capacity! On Saturday, August 22, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) initiated its COVID-19 Surge Plan after announcing that the designated COVID-19 isolation unit has reached its full capacity. The national referral hospital has thus activated an Alternate Emergency Area located at the Special Outpatient Clinic. New suspected and confirmed cases will therefore be managed at the Accident and Emergency Unit. A total of 16 ventilators are currently at the KHMH, where 4 ventilated COVID-19 patients and 5 confirmed non-ventilated patients are presently being treated. MOE is ready for the new school year At a press conference on Friday, the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Hon. Patrick Faber, presented a comprehensive plan for the delivery of coursework and lessons in the upcoming school year. This plan makes accommodations for the reopening of pre-schools and primary schools (as well as the provision of lessons for students approved for homeschooling) through distance education platforms by the proposed date of September 7, 2020, while classes for secondary schools are proposed to resume on October 5, 2020. Tertiary level institutions, on the other hand, have already been given approval to commence their online sessions. From the Publisher I don't feel any sense of envy with respect to those of my contemporaries who have become personally wealthy over the last three, four, five decades. Of course I wish I possessed their material assets, but life was what it was, and it is what it is. They worked hard. The purpose of this column is to take a look back at the socio-political process in Belize involving the decision to submit the Guatemalan claim to Belize to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for arbitration and judgment. Off the top of my head, I can't recall any wealthy Belizean who campaigned against the ICJ move. The money people ("Friends of Belize") abroad and the money people at home, were of a similar mind. FFB sidesteps State of Emergency; holds Elective Congress outdoors There is "politics" in every area of human endeavor, but if there was ever any doubt, the events of the past weekend would definitely indicate that where the sport of football is concerned, electoral politics takes precedence. Football games and related events have been postponed in the past due to various reasons - weather, protests or appeals, etc. And the State of Emergency declared last week by Government was quite explicit - no gathering of more than ten individuals. Steering Council meeting held towards first ever Belize Football Players' Association A couple Saturdays ago, on August 8, a historic meeting of twelve committed football individuals, including one female, took place from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the VIP Lounge of the Isidoro Beaton Stadium in Belmopan; historic because those twelve individuals comprised the Steering Council towards what they intend to become - The Belize Football Players' Association (BFPA). Not long after the first ever semipro football league was inaugurated in Belize back in 1991, veteran football stalwart Charles "Jim Baxter" Bennett commented to yours truly that what we needed now was a Players Association. Don't fight him, Juan Manuel I think it is criminal to not give a man the chance to avenge a loss. When I was a little boy I was a total hound after a football. There were three younger boys, each two years my junior, in my yard - my younger brother, Ronald; my cousin Dave di Dude, who lived in Lindo's Alley but spent all his free time in our yard at West Canal, and Francis Acosta, whose family lived in the lower flat of my dad's two-storey house. Apr�s Nous, Le D�luge Apr�s Nous, Le D�luge is a French saying that, when translated, means "after us, the flood". It is a French expression, attributed to Madame de Pompadour, the lover of King Louis XV of France. King Louis XV is said to have modified this saying to "Apr�s moi, le d�luge", which, when translated, means, "After me, the flood". This saying is believed to date back to the 18th century after the Battle of Rossbach in 1757, which was a disastrous time for the French. Our flag's ship Dear Editor, Our Coat of Arms, which is incorporated into the national flag, includes "�a sailing ship proper." There's no guidance as to what kind of sailing vessel was intended, but one frequently hears the word "schooner" applied to the image appearing in the Unity Flag that is now being standardized. Strong words from Russell Czarnecki Dear Editor, I was heartened by your recent editorial and its logical recommendations for a path forward. Now whether or not the omnipresent oligarchs can be pushed aside - and this only through the will of the people - remains to be seen. LOVE FM Past covid-19 patient discusses mental stress associated with virus The general population has had to deal with sudden changes in the fight against Covid-19. It is not an easy task to adjust to the new norm but it is even much harder to deal with the situation if you are tested positive for Covid-19. FCD discusses manning the borders during a pandemic The issue of border jumpers has become the primary focus for security agencies in Belize in recent months. This is because the security forces are trying to prevent persons from bringing SARS/COVID2 or Covid-19 into the country. Sister of covid-19 positive patient passes away A woman of San Felipe Village, Orange Walk District passed away last night after testing positive for Covid-19. 50-year-old Teresita 'Tely' Cruz Wicab passed away after complaining of difficulties breathing. Previously poached scarlet macaws almost ready for release A little over two months ago, a Guatemalan poacher was caught with several young Scarlet Macaws in the Chiquibul Forest by rangers at Friends for Conservation and Development. The poacher, 36-year-old Porfilio Ramirez de Quiroz was shot and arrested while the macaws were taken to the Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic. Artist defends vendor from robbers Alex Sanker was dubbed a hero on social media today as he singlehandedly attacked to robbers who were assaulting a tamales vendor this morning. Elderly woman dies a week after being attacked An elderly woman was pronounced dead just before nine o'clock yesterday morning after she endured a brutal attack inside her home. 59-year-old Rosa Delia Chinchilla has been hospitalized since August 17 when she was cut to the throat by a man, she refused to lend money to. Are citizens abiding by regulations inside buses? Stringent measures for travelling on public transportation have been put in place to mitigate the spread of covid-19. Still, many Belizeans are not abiding by these regulations. Breaking Belize News Two charged in the US for securities violation connected to Placencia airport scam The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has arrested and charged two US brokers [�] Africa eliminates wild polio; lessons for COVID-19, says Pan American Health Organization The continent of Africa is officially free of the wild strain of poliomyelitis (polio for [�] ComPol commends brave artist who saved tamales vendor from robbery Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, publicly commended artist, Alex Sanker, for his heroic effort today [�] Pan American Health Organization asks countries to reinforce contact tracing and data systems as region reopens The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has overseen a doubling of COVID-19 infections in the [�] U.S. National Science Foundation applies grant to study Maya settlement at El Pilar US $289,806 (BZ$579,612) has been awarded from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to a research [�] Health officials monitor 672 active cases of COVID-19 Health officials in Belize are currently monitoring 672 active cases of COVID-19 The country has [�] COVID-19 has claimed the life of 10 victims in Belize The COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim lives around the world. As medical professionals grapple [�] Olympic Gold medalist Usain Bolt tests positive for COVID-19 after hosting birthday party Eight-time Olympic gold medalist and Jamaican athletics icon Usain Bolt tested positive for COVID-19 after [�] Ministry of Health confirms 17 new cases of COVID-19 The latest update from the Ministry of Health (MOH) says that 17 newly diagnosed cases [�] Popular artist saves vendor from being robbed Earlier today, popular Belizean artist Alex Sanker reportedly saved a tamales vendor who was being [�] Positive COVID cases in Belize above 650 now, deaths at 10 Belize has confirmed 713 cases of Covid-19. Of the 713 cases, there are 658 active [�] World Tourism Organization: "The safe restart of tourism is possible" The World Tourism Organization (WTO), an organ of the United Nations, insists that governments must [�] "Healthy body helps for healthy mind," says Ministry of Health Belizeans are encouraged to look after their physical health as a means of coping with [�] Ministry of Health says focus on things that can be controlled to help fight pandemic-related stress Among its many recommendations to fight COVID-19-related stress, the Ministry of Health is encouraging Belizeans [�] "Continuous exposure to COVID-19 news is bad for your mental health," says Ministry of Health The Ministry of Health (MOH) is advising Belizeans to be mindful of how much time [�] Ministry of Health addresses mental health on today's Ask The Experts Today's episode of Ask the Experts features a session on caring for your mental health, [�] Patrick Faber expresses condolences to teacher who died of COVID-19 Minister of Education, Patrick Faber has extended condolences to the family and friends of teacher [�] Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 relief fund donates over $135,000 to Police Department for fitness center Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams presented a proposal to the Lord Ashcroft COVID-19 relief fund [�] Shots fired near All Saint's primary school, no injuries BBN has confirmed reports that multiple shots were fired near All Saints primary school in [�] Blogs Dipping Your Toe into Travel? How About Belize's AMAZING Jungle Lodges International travel might be all you are thinking of right now�or it might be on the backburner for a while�but either way, have I got a great spot for you. But not the Belize I'm talking about 98% of the time� I know that many of you thinking of beaches and snorkeling and sun when you think of Belize�but "the interior". But what about if your beach is at the base of a waterfall (like Gaia Resort)? And your tours are private - just you and your very small group - to a site spot that also just might be you and your very small group! There are so many beautiful inland areas of Belize - filled with crazy beautiful birds and animals, rivers and caves, hill and mountains, Maya villages, Maya sites, and the friendliest people in the world. THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO! What to Expect at Belize's International Airport (BZE) at Reopening As global economies gradually begin to open, what air travelers can expect are heightened levels of health screening at airports as questions multiply of how to safely restart air travel. The Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (PGIA) which closed late March to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, reopens ahead of land borders and cruise tourism as Phase 3 of Belize's Travel Reopening Plan. The PGIA handles more than 385,000 passengers annually; numerous changes have been done during its near 6-month closure: awareness signage, floor markings, and two-meter physical distancing precautions. As the travel industry rethinks design around pedestrian flow, here's what to expect in Belize's international airport the next time you travel. International Sources Belize Great Blue Hole Seen From ISS As Scientists Explore Mystery Submarine Sinkhole The Great Blue Hole off the coast of Belize has been photographed from space, with an astronaut onboard the International Space Station taking an image of it and the Lighthouse Reef atoll it sits in. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 62 crew as the ISS flew over the Caribbean Sea in March. It was released by NASA as its Earth Observatory Image of the Day. 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). Videos Tuesday's "Ask the Experts", 36min. Representatives from the Mental Health Unit in the Ministry of Health joined us. Most Dangerous Bridge in Belize, UnBelZeable, 2.5min. During the dry season in Belize we go out for adventure with the family. I could not belief that there were people living at the end of this road. To our knowledge this is the most dangerous bridge in entire country of Belize. Reconstruction and Upgrade of Belize City House of Culture Compound, 2min. As part of the Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project executed by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, the House of Culture Compound was reconstructed and upgraded. Alex Sanker on Robbery, 13min. We are living in a society where if it doesn't affect you directly we don't give a f*** I did not get up this morning to get into no problem but when problem come to your door and when one of your fellow belizean Brothers getting beat down n getting robbed of his money then Alex will do what come natural and that is 2 help a fallen brother this country is in Crisis I have countless paintings that depict what's going on until we choose to look out for one another things just going to get worse I had no regret what just happened I had always leave my life trusting in God's hand and I'll continue to do so unite belizean no or never COVID-19 Update - Maternal Health & COVID-19, 43min. Dr. Natalia Beer - Technical Advisor for Maternal & Child Health, Ministry of Health Book Launch - Writing For Our Children, 16min. Writing For Our Children 1 is the latest book from literary and expressive art expert, Leroy Green. The book is intended to be a resource for teachers to learn how to write original material to incorporate into their lessons. We spoke with him about the process of creating the book and how it should be used for professional development. The National Student Union of Belize - advocate for the rights of the tertiary level students, 26min. The National Student Union of Belize (NSUB) continues to position itself to advocate for the rights of the tertiary level students of Belize. NSUB is now an official member of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB). We spoke with their executives about this, education issues and the national response to COVID-19. Seidy Gomez - Co-Founder, NSUB. Ashley Longford - Communications Director, NSUB. Jenny Lovell, Mental Health Therapist - tested positive for COVID-19, 46min. To date over five hundred persons have tested positive for COVID-19. With so much uncertainty about the virus it can be a difficult diagnosis to process. Mental Health Therapist, Jenny Lovell, has revealed that she has contracted the virus. Today we talked with her about how she is coping with her diagnosis and handling the anxiety and fear that accompanies this experience. The New KIA Seltos to the Belize market, 27min. Can you see your self in this beauty? The folks at Belize Estate & Company Limited hope you do! They are introducing the new KIA Seltos to the Belize market. The model offers great features that will make driving more stylish and affordable. We talked with the team about the utility of the features and Marleni also took it for a spin to test drive its performance on the road. David Vasquez - Sales Manager/Assistant General Manager, BEC Ltd. Troy Gabb Jr. - Sales Representative, BEC Ltd. Ellis Sanchez - Marketing Manager, BEC Ltd. Cellular World - The new Samsung Galaxy Note 20, 33min. Samsung has introduced the new Galaxy Note 20 which boasts many new features in a sleek design. Cellular World, the official dealer for all Samsung products in Belize, were our guests to have an official unboxing. They walked us through the functions and features. You can purchase the device at any of the branches countrywide. It retails for $2200 and $2700 for the Note 20 Ultra. Justin Ysaguirre - Software Technician/Social Media Manager Lawrence Chow - Head Technician Avril Eiley - Sales & Business Development Manager Digital Music Platforms, 20min. The current situation has made it challenging for musicians to earn a living as most events and activities are cancelled because of COVID-19. We sought out two music producers who have experience with digital music platforms. They were our guests to explain how to market your music internationally and make money from digital sales and royalties. Kendoyll Simpson - Music Producer Dane Lenarez - Music Producer ReefKeeper Belize - UnderSea Belize TV, 17min. Feeding Kids in COVID-19 / Planning Super Market Trips, 22min. Miss Universe Belize Scholarship Initiative, 3min. Pre-primary and primary schools are to reopen on September seventh, but for distance learning only, meanwhile high school classes resume in October. But given the dire economic times, families are finding it hard to cover school expenses for virtual classes. Well, Miss Universe Belize Destinee Arnold announced this morning that eighteen students from across Belize will be the lucky recipients of a one thousand-dollar scholarship each from her to be used for their tuition fees, books or supplies needed for the school year. News Five spoke with the beauty ambassador about this initiative, which she says is one of several activities that she has done to assist her village in Roaring Creek and the country. Snorkeling at Hol Chan, Belize 2016, 4min. Here we are snorkeling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize. We booked our trip through Richland Adventures, and they took us to Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley. It was our first time snorkeling, and we had a blast. However, there are a few things you should know when you go here. If you are not an advanced swimmer, I would wear a life jacket or just stay close to the boat and others. I say this because at the beginning of the trip you are in shallow water (for how far out in the sea you are). When you first hop in the water it is about 6-8 foot deep. There are plenty of fun fish and coral to see. We even got to see an eel and hold a sea urchin. A week of work in Belize - 2016 - Miss Blease, 6.5min. Linda Blease dj, actress, host, video director traveling around Belize for a week and a half. Deejaying in her home island, Caye Caulker, featuring in a movie " the heritage" (available on amazon prime), Visiting the institute of performing arts, deejaying on the radio. Beautiful Belize Catholicism in San Pedro, The History of San Pedro's Church, 20min. In this week's feature story, we take a look at the history of the community of San Pedro that deeply intertwined with the Catholic faith as the name itself suggests in its translation... the town of St. Peter, Vicar of Christ. We sat down with multiple residents of San Pedro and these were their stories.