Today's Belize News: August 28, 2020

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Today's Belize News: August 28, 2020 #544523 08/28/20 06:20 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 Health plans for Belize Rural South unveiled by Leader of the Opposition Ahead of the general elections in November, the Opposition People's United Party (PUP) presented its plans to address the health issues in Belize, particularly as the country battles to contain the current COVID-19 pandemic. The plan calls for the building of health facilities in several municipalities, including San Pedro Town. On Thursday, August 27th, PUP Leader Honourable John Brice�o spoke to island residents, discussing his intentions to deliver adequate health services on La Isla Bonita and Caye Caulker. 2020 September Celebrations Theme Chosen The winning theme was submitted by Precious Martinez, a 13-year old student of Sacred Heart College in San Ignacio Town. It reads: Overcoming Adversity, Creating Opportunity, Belizeans: Unite for Prosperity! Rejected Payments for Unemployment Relief Program due to Wrong Bank Information Payments under Phase Two of the Unemployment Relief Program began on August 24, 2020. Payments are already being rejected by commercial banks because the applicant's banking information is incorrect or the account is inactive. BERT Air Ambulance transfers two island residents with respiratory complications to Belize City Two elderly patients (male and female) with respiratory complications were airlifted to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) on Wednesday, August 26th. Both patients were swabbed for COVID-19 and then transferred via an air ambulance from the Belize Emergency Response Team (BERT). The aircraft had to make two separate trips between the island and Belize City, as it did not have enough space for two patients. The medical personnel at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez San Pedro Polyclinic II saw the need for their transfer to the KHMH, where they have better resources to help them with their respiratory problems. The symptoms are highly suspected to be caused by COVID-19, but that can only be known after their samples have been processed for the deadly virus. Ambergris Today Mexico To Donate Ventilators To Belize And Other Caribbean Countries During a ceremony held today at the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon announced the donation of ventilators manufactured in Mexico to eight Caribbean countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Saint Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Ebrard Casaubon reflected on how, in a few months, Mexico went from lacking ventilators to attend to COVID-19 patients, to producing its on supply of ventilators. This gave Mexico the opportunity to stand in solidarity with nations that are where Mexico once stood. Various Belizean Sources Caye Caulker Soup Kitchen day Location Friday, August 28th, Meal Pick ups: Location: SPORTS BAR. Times: Village: 11:00-11:45, Bahia: 11:45-12:30. Rejected Payments for Unemployment Relief Program due to Wrong Bank Information Payments under Phase Two of the Unemployment Relief Program began on August 24, 2020. Payments are already being rejected by commercial banks because the applicant's banking information is incorrect or the account is inactive. Text messages will be sent to each applicant whose payment was rejected stating the following: "Your bank rejected your URP payment. Pls ask the bank for correct banking information and send that info to corrected.unemployment@covid19.bz" Caye Caulker Covid stats Total # of Positive Cases: 20 Total # of Negative Cases: 25 Total # of recovered patients: 2 Total # of active cases: 18 The SAVE the MACAL RIVER in Belize group planted 30 saplings at the Macal River Park The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. CORE planted 30 seedlings at the Macal Park. The Youth Connection Band will be performing on Saturday evening Let's Enjoy Together another VIRTUAL SHOW.. Music can help us forget everything or remember everything. Let's keep our spirit in optimism. List of Objections and Appeals from the Elections and Boundaries Department Kindly click the link to access a List of Objections and Appeals from the Elections and Boundaries Department. COVID -19 UPDATE This is our data for today: A total of 255 samples processed with 58 new positive cases to report. The preliminary breakdown is as follows: Corozal District - 9 (Corozal Town, Buena Vista, Patchakan) Cayo District - 2 (Roaring Creek and San Ignacio) Belize District - 18 (16 in San Pedro and 2 in Belize City) Orange Walk District - 29 (Orange Walk Town, August Pine Ridge, Guinea Grass, Trial Farm, San Estevan, San Pablo, Trinidad) We are also able to confirm a death in a person diagnosed with SARS-CoV2 at a private institution, the diagnosis was done post mortem. Public Notice - Land Registry Department The Ministry of Natural Resources informs the public that effective Monday, August 31, 2020, the Land Registry Department, in compliance with the Ministry of Health guidelines, will be providing services for the pick up of completed documents and submission of original documents services by appointment only. Land Registry Department services guidelines: 1. Certified/uncertified copies of Register, Deeds and other land documents must be requested online via the Ministry's website and payment must be confirmed prior to booking an appointment. .. Public Notice - National Estate Section The Ministry of Natural Resources hereby informs the public that the National Estate Section remains open to the public. However, as a COVID-19 preventative measure, effective Tuesday, September 1st, 2020, land documents, with the exception of Grant Fiats and Land Certificates in respect to national lands, will be made available for pick up at district offices. � Please note that the approvals are issued in the district where the land is located. UB Library Closed Until Further Notice Disenchanted, the employee said verbatim "I'm an employee of the University of Belize, Library Department. Our department was told by our supervisor that the entire library staff at UB will be made redundant because, almost effective immediately, the library will be dismantled/closed down. How can a university operate without a library of any form? It's baffling, and to add to that, they even charge their students a library fee of $20.00 per semester. Imagine an approximate 4,000 students paying $20.00 per student for a service the institution won't make available to them. That's an approximate $80,000. COVID-19 POSITIVE CASES REPORTED AT BELIZE SUGAR INDUSTRIES (BSI) Belize Sugar Industries Ltd. (BSI) learned today that two of our employees have tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19. We have acted decisively and quickly in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to conduct our risk assessment and contact tracing for all other employees possibly exposed to these individuals. Additionally we have responded according to our strict protocols to ensure our employees' health and safety. All employees identified as having close contact with these individuals have been informed and placed on self-isolation. The Corozal Town Council has carried out upliftment work at our historic Soldier's Park With the support of the business community, we carried out some renovation of the park benches, adding a new design utilising concrete and hardwood. Of course, the image of the bench with the unfinished work is simply to show a before-and-after picture. BELIZEAN IS WEST AFRICA'S REGIONAL SCIENCE COORDINATION LEAD WITH NASA EARTH APPLIED SCIENCES PROGRAM The Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institue in Belize (CZMAI) highlighted Dr. Emil Cherrington, a Belizean scientist and former employee of CZMAI. Dr. Cherrington previously worked at CZMAI back in 2005 as the Data Analyst for the organization. He was responsible for managing the largest national holdings of geospatial data on Belize's coastal & marine resources as well as the implementation and collaboration of projects between CZMAI and UNDP as well as a host of other activities. This all changed one day when he got a call from Dan Irwin, global program manager for SERVIR, who asked him to work for NASA's SERVIR program. Intermittent road closures at the entrance to Cristo Rey Road on the George Price Highway The public is advised of intermittent road closures at the entrance to Cristo Rey Road on the George Price Highway in Santa Elena Cayo during the months of September and October 2020. These closures shall be on weekdays only and between the hours of 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM. These closures are necessary to upgrade water mains and to construct concrete drains on this road related to the upgrading of the Cristo Rey Road. Alternative routes to access the Cristo Rey Road are recommended at the street coming off the George Price Highway opposite the former location of Allen's Hardware and at the road adjacent to Highway Supermarket near the Hawksworth Bridge on the George Price Highway. Rescuing Belize Botanic Gardens, organized by Judy DuPlooy Belize Botanic Gardens , due to the Covid-19, Pandemic, has been without its main sources of income since March 2020 when the country closed to tourism. Our borders and airport continue to be closed with no definite opening date. We need your help! Our operating income is derived mainly from entrance fees and guided walks for visitors and hosting international students to overnight here and study native flora. We offer gardeners' training and host thousands of local school children from all levels. Together we support this precious environment! Chiquibul jungles flash floods Rains are here and in the Chiquibul jungles flash floods have been recurrent. On this instance, the Karst Management Unit set up a small camp at Resumidero; five days later it was absorbed by the rising Chiquibul River. Resumidero is one of the main entrances of the Chiquibul River into the Chiquibul Caverns. Channel 7 Another COVID Death from Orange Walk, Total Now 12 There has been one more COVID death - and this patient - a male - died at a private clinic. We are told he is a patient from Orange Walk and was taken to a COVID ward at a private facility in Belize City. His diagnosis was done posthumously - and no details on his age have not been provided. So that brings the total number of deaths to 12, of 818 confirmed cases, which is a mortality rate of about 1.5%. Smugglers Blues At Santa Cruz The contraband and border jumping laws have been changed so that they are now severe - all in the hopes of stopping smugglers from bringing the Coronavirus into Orange Walk. But the border hustle continues - and last night, the police border patrol team caught one contrabandist. Last night after 7:00 police saw three men unloading goods from a canoe that came across the Rio Hondo from Botes Mexico to Santa Cruz, Orange Walk. Guat Border Surfers Caught Coming Into Stann Creek A pair of Guatemalans caught on the waters of the STANN CREEK District may also be among the first to face penalties under those strict, new contraband laws. On Tuesday morning police from the Intermediate Southern Formation received information of 2 vessels coming across from Guatemala with un customed goods, headed for the Old Forest Dock near Mango Creek. A police surveillance team saw the vessels arriving at daybreak, and the cops sped to the dock where they found 2 Guatemalans on board, 42-year-old Alfredo Colon, and 38-year-old Junior Espinosa. A search of the 2 boats yielded a pair of cartons Of Ultra cigarettes and several other loose food items that did not originate in Belize. Sanker Beat Alleged Robbers; The Judge Sent Them to Jail Tonight two men form the Pickstock area, 23-year old Raheem Vernon and 19-year-old Kirk Antonio Broaster, are on remand at the Belize Central Prison. They are accused of the broad daylight robbery of a Tamales vendor. You'll remember that on Tuesday the duo were thwarted from the Rayburn's Alley beatdown of 27-year-old Candelario Gonzalez when local artist Alex Sanker came to his rescue armed with the broken support of an easel. Prada's Proud Papa And while there's no doubt about Sanker's bonafides as a community hero, there may be some doubt cast on the actions of the police officers, who on Saturday were said to have delivered a woman's baby. The couple in question visited our Channel 7 studios this morning, their precious bundle in tow, to tell us what really happened in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Cherisse Halsall has the story. Prada Haylock is 5 days and while she may look like your typical new-born her birth was anything but typical. That's because she was born on a sidewalk. PC Diego Does It Again Last night we told you about the case of Constable Reginald Diego, who was charged for extorting an American man for not wearing a mask. Well, now he has been charged for making off without payment. In New Education Paradigm Parents Become Co-Teachers Primary school starts in ten days - but, of course, it won't be anything like regular school, since there will be no in person instruction. That means parents will have to become co-teachers for these young students. It's a sharp change in roles, telling of the trying times were living in under COVID. And today on Ask The Experts, the Chief Education Officer outlined the changing role for parents - who first have to find a place at home for their students to set up: PSE On Pause And while it will surely be a trying time for the parents of these 100,000 students who have been out of school since March, one thing they won't have to worry about is the PSE for standard six students. The Chief Education Officer kinds confirmed that the PSE is on pause: "The PSE will not be...it did, it wasn't administered last year, and we doubt very much that it will be administered next year because we are working under not so normal circumstances, right..." SBA's & C-SEC For High Schoolers A Bridge Too Far And those parents of high schoolers entering fourth form most likely won't have to worry about those difficult SBA's and C-SEC examinations. The Chief wouldn't commit to calling them off altogether, but clearly suggested that they may be a bridge too far: "Well most of the SBA's were completed for last year. For this coming school year, we're not sure. These are the things that we need to re-visit and discuss and decide how we will move forward because remember that secondary schools will not officially start until the 5th of October..." Print Materials Are Primary Source For Primary Schoolers And while those big end of year hurdles are out of the way - for most parents and teachers the stress is the start of the year. How the heck do you give young students meaningful instruction at home? Well, for Primary school students there will be guidance for distance learning in the form of printed material. Here's how the Chief Education officer explained it: "Our primary medium that we are suggesting, we are asking schools to get that information out, is through print resources because that is the way we know it will reach to all corners of Belize but where there are cases where they can engage them in using some means of technology, that can be used to compliment the print material that they have." Secondary School Solution And, for secondary schools, distance learning will be done by computer tablets. Here's a broad outline for that program which starts on October fifth: "Distance education will be a little bit different at the secondary level. It will be done primarily online. The Ministry of Education will also be distributing very shortly, digital learning devices and eBooks to all secondary schools who do not have access to these resources..." Funds For Farmer's The Barrow Administration currently has the Unemployment Relief and the Food Assistance programs running to aid poor Belizeans who lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic. They also in the process of assessing business owners who applied for help under the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises program. And now, they've launched a government aid program to help the nation's farmers who continue to be devastated by the pandemic. It's called the Farmer Assistance program, and with 8 million US dollars from the World Bank, the government is hoping to help more than 8,700 agricultural households in the country. This money was part of another loan from the Bank, but it has now been re-allocated to fund the Farmer Assistance Program. Relief for Farmers Who Lost Due To COVID Hulse and his team made sure to carefully explain that the farmers will get government aid, based on which adverse circumstances caused them to lose business. One of the criteria that a farmer might qualify under is the loss of revenue due to the COVID-induced shrinking of the markets they supply. Hulse explained how the program aids these types of farmers: "The way this will be divided is as follows. For market contraction - and that is exactly what it says. Because we reduced sales due to no tourists coming, in many cases reduced exports..." Dollars For Drought Damages A major consideration is also being given to farmers whose crops were devastated by the droughts from last year or this year. Hon. Godwin Hulse - Ministry of Agriculture: "For drought, as I told you before, while tourism suffered from COVID-19 principally, Agriculture got 3 hits: market contraction due to COVID, drought, which came before, and in some cases flood, which came afterword. Those are the sensitivity within the production, but this leg keeps standing and has to remain standing..." Cash For Some Farmers There is an element of the Farmer Assistance Program which resembles the Unemployment relief program, in which qualified farmers will be given cash transfers of $500 each. The Minister made it clear that this is the only part of the program where cash will be given directly to the farmers. He explained why: "Then there is financial support. As you know Government gave out to all and sundry, let's say, people who are unemployed as a result of COVID..." Bittersweet News for Sugarcane Farmers The sugarcane farmers of the north will also receive a little less than 3 million dollars in relief funding under this program, and it will complement the 2 million dollars they will get access to under the CDB Enhancing Sugarcane Famers Resilience to Natural Hazard Events Loan motion, which parliament passed last month. You'll remember how the Opposition criticized the government saying that this drought relief program is not nearly enough to ease the suffering of the farmers in the Corozal and Orange Walk Districts. Well, Hulse said this Farmer Assistance Program will bolster that CDB-funded program with more money: Hope on The Horizon For Irrigation Systems The Agriculture Minister also announced that the Government is in negotiations with the World Bank for a 50-million dollar climate resilience program for farmers. The hope is that if this initiative gets the green light from the Bank, farmers will start to implement irrigation systems at their farms, to mitigate against future droughts that might hit the country. Hulse said that he is hoping that he'll be able to launch that one before the Barrow Government's Administration ends later this year: Caribbean Chicken In Talks to Re-Open On Monday's newscast, we told you how the Caribbean Chicken processing plant in Blue Creek Village in the Orange Walk district was forced to shut down for sanitation. That's after Natalio Wicab, one of their employees from San Felipe Village, passed away due to COVID-19. A few days later, Wicab's sister passed away, also a victim of the coronavirus. It's a pair of losses that are beyond devastating for that family, and it has also forced the temporary closure of Caribbean Chicken. Cattle Exports Went Down, But Not Production Hulse also took today's opportunity to address the cattle industry's diminished performance, which the Statistical Institute of Belize identified yesterday. You'll remember that according to the SIB, cattle production was down by 69% in the second quarter of this year. Well, the Agriculture Minister said that it is not the production that's down. According to him, it's the illegal, cross-border trade of cattle that came to a standstill. Here's how he spun it: Western Region Doctor Intubated Frontline workers continue to be disproportionally affected by COVID infections, and tonight it is hitting home for the western health region. 7News has been reliably informed that a Doctor from that region is tonight intubated at the KHMH. He is a male in his 40's. Reports say he was brought in from San Ignacio earlier today. We'll keep following this story. NASA Scientist: From Kelly Street to Future Fairy Tale He's an Earth Observer with NASA who's recently had a hand in taking Belize's barrier reef off of UNESCO's list of endangered heritage sites. That's a move in the right direction proving that when it comes to conservation awareness, the government is keeping its promises. But Emil Cherrington started out as just another civil servant right here in Belize. Cherisse Halsall spoke to him via zoom today for an update on his latest projects and a dose of inspiration. CPI Showed Marginal Increase in July Institute of Belize. You saw the experts discussion that GDP contraction and the import/export picture. But, they also presented on the Consumer Price Index for July. That's the statistic used to indicate how prices for a basket of goods go up or down over time. And, for this July, the Belizean food basket went up by...point 1 percent (.1%). It's not much at all and here's why: The Basket is Obsolete And if those very marginal year to year increases don't jive with your reality when you go to the grocery store or supermarket, it could be because the shopping cart that the SIB uses is out of date. This is supposed to be updated, but, Blame it one COVID: Jules Vasquez: "Is there any attempt to update the shopping cart to make it perhaps more reflective of what consumers go through?" Channel 5 A Twelfth Person Dies from COVID-19; 58 New Cases Identified A twelfth person dies from COVID-19 in Belize. The most recent data released from the Office of the Director of Health Services confirmed late this evening that another person who [...] Central Lab Working to Clear Backlog of Samples So the new number of cases is fifty-eight.� The Belize Central Medical Lab has been churning out COVID-19 test results every day.� And despite their best efforts, the samples have [...] COVID-19 Testing in the Private Sector - Can It Happen? The Central Lab is admittedly limited in resources, so is COVID-19 testing a possibility in private sector? It can be, according to Doctor Marvin Manzanero. Presently, the private medical facilities [...] Well Known Food Vendor Robbed at Gunpoint; 1 of the Robbers Escapes Police Custody Earlier this week a food vendor was brutally beaten and robbed by two thieves and fortunately for him, painter Alex Sanker, bravely fought off the duo. Another food vendor, Alva [...] Santa Cruz Contrabandista Caught; Will Face Full Extent of the Law The cops have been in pursuit of border jumpers and contrabandistas to minimize the risk of COVID-19. �As you know, government has amended the law to impose a prison term [...] Belize Formalizes Cattle Trade with Guatemala Cross-border cattle trade with Guatemala was formalized several months after the illegal export of livestock was suspended due to concerns of COVID-19.� Despite its informal nature, the business of transporting [...] Godwin Hulse Disputes S.I.B.'s Figures on Cattle Production Hulse's announcement this morning came hard on the heels of the latest figures released by the Statistical Institute of Belize for the second quarter of 2020.� During a presentation on [...] Farmers to Receive COVID Relief in the Agriculture Sector The agro-productive sector is getting some much needed COVID relief from the Ministry of Agriculture.� A sum of sixteen million dollars will be made available by the end of September [...] Financial Assistance is Never too Late for Farmers Minister Hulse breaks down how the funds will be disbursed based on the constriction of the agriculture sector due to COVID-19.� The Belize Agriculture Information Management System is the database [...] Distance Learning - Start by Setting Up a Learning Space for Your Child Students have been out of the classrooms for about five months since the COVID-19 pandemic began destroying all sectors of society.� The Ministry of Education has announced that preschools and [...] M.O.E. Learning Packages to be Distributed to Students The ministry's learning packages are currently being prepared and expected to be distributed to the students by next week, in time for September seventh. According to Doctor Carol Babb lessons [...] Free Textbooks for Students for Distance Learning September is being considered as a trial month for distance learning by the Ministry of Education and so teachers are advised not to grade the work that students hand in, [...] P.S.E. Not Likely to Happen Next Year With five months of class sessions missed, it is not expected that students will be able to successfully sit the Primary Schools Examinations and CSEC Examinations next year.� In fact, [...] Increasing Utility Bills on Ambergris Caye You met him last week when he organized a four-man protest in front of the San Pedro Town Council Office on Ambergris Caye clamouring for assistance from the mayor and [...] Complaints of Bribes to Transfer Votes The transfer of voters closes at the end of this month which means there is a rush at Elections and Boundaries offices to get voters in the rolls to be [...] Airline Industry Continues to Reel from Airport Closure With a deep drop in tourism arrivals due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the local airline industry has been devastated.� According to the latest figures from the Statistical Industry of Belize, [...] The Stress of COVID-19 on Income; G.O.B. Economic Response The economy contracted as much as twenty-three percent between April and June due to COVID-19.� Most sectors felt the devastating effects of the pandemic rending thousands of Belizeans jobless.� Today, [...] Sixth Meeting of FOPREL's Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Education & Health Speaker of the House, Laura Tucker-Longsworth chaired a virtual meeting today for the Inter-parliamentary Committee on Education and Health�of the Forum of Presidents and Presidents of the Legislative Powers of [...] The Belize Education Experience During the Pandemic The FOPREL meeting is to define strategic actions to ensure that educational systems are strengthened to guarantee safe and inclusive access for all students. So, as a part of the [...] Meet the Delegates of the National Queen of the Bay Pageant 2020 The traditional Queen of the Bay Pageant, held annually in August as part of the national celebrations, is on and running for its seventy-fifth year. Having reached that milestone, organizers [...] Healthy Living: Mask Efficacy Are you using the right face mask? The type you choose could make a big difference. When it comes to slowing the spread of COVID-19, not all masks are equally [...] LOVE FM Farmers affected by covid-19 receive assistance The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Immigration have launched their Farmer Assistance Program to assist farmers across the country that were affected by COVID-19. Relief for Sugar cane farmers on the way For over one year now the sugar cane farmers have been waiting for the relief that the Government had announced amid last year's drought. Ministry of Education gives advice for students learning at home Learning from home is not always easy, especially when there is no teacher to monitor a student's performance or when students are not disciplined enough to carry out their class work. Belize register its 12th covid related death and fifty eight new cases A man from the Orange Walk District has died after being tested positive for Covid-19. This patient makes twelve deaths reported to date under the Covid-19 data. According to the Director of Health Services, Dr Marvin Manzanero, the patient passed away at a private facility in Belize City. COVID-19 testing policy revised In recent weeks the Ministry of Health has come under serious public scrutiny when it comes to Covid-19 testing. Many are of the opinion that the Government should allow for testing to be conducted on every person who has had contact with a positive patient. The revised policy on testing indicates that only those who exhibit symptoms will be tested. Police report on several issues The police department's border patrol team intercepted a man in the Santa Cruz area in Orange Walk District with an assortment of contraband items. Queen of the Bay to be held virtually this year The seventy-fifth Queen of the Bay National Pageant will be like no other as it will be held virtually for the first time. It is important for the pageant's committee as they will get more participation from the Belizean public and they will not break the annual tradition since 1946. Ministry of Education will procure devices to assist students Teachers, students, and parents have had to maneuver through this pandemic between traditional teaching and distance learning. With this second wave of Covid-19 in full swing the Ministry of Education has had to step up their game and is now working on equipping some students with electronic devices that will allow them to participate in the online lessons. A nurse loses her fight to Lupus While Covid-19 is the primary focus for the country there are other diseases that are affecting many. Recently, a nurse from the Toledo District lost her fight against an autoimmune disease. Ongoing risk in the agricultural sector The agriculture sector in the region is heading to some turbulence due to the excess produce on hand in various countries. According to the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Godwin Hulse, it is a concern that Belize should brace itself for in the coming months as the competition will be fierce. SIB gives latest statistics for Belize The statistical institute of Belize (SIB) has released their number for the month of July. Their report revealed that the inflation rate increase by 0.1% when compared to July 2019. According to Daysi Montero, Statistician for SIB, the cost of living went up marginally last month and this was as a result of higher prices on a variety of food items and on home rental costs. Breaking Belize News Belizean contrabandista busted Belizean Walter Morales, 39, was busted by the border patrol team in the Santa Cruz [�] Orange Walk resident is COVID-19's 12th victim An Orange Walk resident whose name was not released is the 12th person in Belize [�] Health officials monitor 752 active cases of COVID-19 Health officials in Belize are currently monitoring 752 active cases of COVID-19. The country has [�] Land Registry Department announces amended procedures due to COVID-19 regulations The Land Registry Department (LRD) of the Ministry of Natural Resources, announced today that there [�] Family brawl ends in stabbing A fight between cousins in Belize City this afternoon ended in one man being stabbed [�] House fire reported in Punta Gorda Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Punta Gorda. Around 2 p.m. [�] Two Belize Sugar Industries employees test positive for COVID-19 The American Sugar Refineries Groups' Belize Sugar Industries (ASR/BSI) reported today that two of its [�] Ministry of Health confirms 12th death associated to COVID-19 The Ministry of Health today confirmed that another person in Belize that was diagnosed with [�] Ministry of Health: 58 new cases of COVID-19 identified The Ministry of Health informed that of the 255 samples processed, 58 new cases of [�] Santa Elena man charged for aggravated assault Santa Elena resident, Bryan Guzman, 20, has been charged with dangerous harm, use of deadly [�] 11 thousand secondary students projected to receive learning devices for school A survey by the Ministry of Education has revealed that approximately half of all secondary [�] "Doubtful" PSE returns next year; no grades in first month The Primary School Examination (PSE) was not administered this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [�] Teachers planning curriculum for in-person and virtual classes in school re-opening Schools are closing in on completing their Learning Continuity Plans, establishing how they plan to [�] Caribbean countries record a collective 1,000 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday News Americas Now is reporting that 16 Caribbean countries reported a collective 1,000 positive COVID-19 [�] Secondary education for some schools can reopen after Independence Day While secondary schools generally can reopen on October 5, some may reopen earlier. Chief Education Officer [�] Ask The Experts: Education chiefs call on parents to support children's learning Chief Education Officer Dr Carol Babb and her deputy Cecilia Smith are guests this afternoon's [�] How UNICEF is supporting children in Belize during the COVID-19 pandemic As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect Belize and the rest of the world, the [�] Belizean scientist, Emil Cherrington and research project featured by NASA Pictures courtesy: NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently featured Belizean scientist Emil [�] Health professionals receive medals of appreciation Nurses and doctors of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), Belize Emergency Response Team (BERT) [�] Global COVID-19 infections now over 24 million The COVID-19 pandemic has not shown any signs of slowing down, with global infections owning [�] COVID-relief payments rejected by banks due to wrong bank info, says Government The Government of Belize informed today that some payments under Phase Two of the Unemployment [�] Showdown at Elections and Boundaries registration office Reports filtered in from Tuesday of an altercation between a worker for United Democratic Party [�] Showdown at Elections and Boundaries registration office Reports filtered in from Tuesday of an altercation between a worker for United Democratic Party [�] Moving to Belize Could Be the Best Decision You'll Ever Make If you have been contemplating a move to Belize, either as a tourist or to [�] Japan issues travel advisory against 13 countries including Belize The news outlet NHK World-Japan is reporting that the Japanese government has issued travel advisories [�] Agriculture sector suffers during second quarter 2020 The latest data from the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB) says that revenues from the [�] "Exports down by over 37 percent for July," says Statistical Institute of Belize Belize's revenues from domestic exports fell by 37.7 percent for the month of July 2020 [�] Blogs Top Locations for Spotting Wildlife in Belize Belize's sparse human population and history of relatively low-key human impact have yielded a vast diversity of wildlife. Not to mention, the country has an admirable conservation agenda, pursued by governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Central America's pocket of paradise is blessed with boisterous wildlife; from majestic whale sharks and emerald-hued iguanas to towering jabiru storks. Here's how to experience the best of Belize's wildlife, where an experience awaits everyone. Why the Port Honduras Marine Reserve is a Must-See in Belize Punta Gorda's coastline may not be classed as a beach, but just offshore from Toledo lie some of the most pristine cayes in the entire country. Specifically, the Port Honduras Marine Reserve's marine life boasts incredible snorkeling, as well as trolling, bottom fishing, and fly-fishing in these world-class waters. While in Belize, be sure to add Port Honduras Marine Reserve as a must-see spot. Belize in September! Here's How Belizeans Celebrate According to early history, Belize was once under Spanish rule before British settlers were allowed into the area. However, during the week-long battle of St. Georges Caye in September 1798, the British fought the Spanish and eventually gained control over the territory. Belize, formerly called British Honduras, gained self-governance in 1964 and became fully independent on September 21st, 1981. Why Work From Home When You Can Work From Belize The world was hit hard by Covid-19 in 2020. While this was stressful for many people, there has been a silver lining. Many workers have discovered how easy it is to do their job from home. While the technology was there prior to the pandemic, many companies were not open remote work. Now, however, thanks to the coronavirus, corporations have been forced to upgrade their policies. This has been a boon to workers in fields from high-tech to the arts. As more highly skilled professionals find themselves working from home, they may wonder - why are they staying in their current location? They don't like the traffic jams, the winter weather, or the stressful lifestyle. Plus the cost of living just keeps going up. Working Remotely From Belize Isn't Just Possible - It's Probable! If the Covid-19 pandemic has taught the world a long list of lessons, one of the best may be that remote work schedules not only work for businesses but offer myriad advantages for workers, too. According to Fox Business News, "Around 40-percent of Facebook's employees were interested in permanent remote work, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in May. Three quarters� said they might move to another place." Plenty of these careerists are thinking out of the box and considering relocating beyond the boundaries of the U.S. and Canada. A growing number of the 398,728 people currently living in Belize, according to World Population Review's 2020 estimate, are ex-pats from the U.S. who love the fact that they can escape seasonal bad weather, pay astonishingly low real estate taxes, enjoy unlimited access to Caribbean water sports and live like royalty on around $2,000 USD monthly. International Sources World Bank provides millions to strengthen agriculture and food security in Belize Belize will strengthen its response to the socioeconomic hardship caused by COVID-19 with a US$8 million reallocation of funds from the World Bank to support the country's agricultural sector and improve food security in the context of the pandemic. The programme will benefit more than 8,700 agricultural households in the country. "Agriculture is essential to support lives and livelihoods in Belize, particularly during this challenging period. This financing will assist farmers who have been affected by COVID-19 and drought and increase farmers' ability to provide food for the nation," said Tahseen Sayed, World Bank country director for the Caribbean. Videos Thursday's "Ask the Experts", min. Dr. Carol Babb, Chief Education Officer, and Mrs. Cecilia Smith, Deputy Chief Education Officer, were the guests on today's session of Ask the Experts. Launch of Farmer Assistance Program, 1hr40min. Do you know about the loan component of the MSME Support Program?, 1min. Learn more here Ministry of Education Update, 3.5min. While this pandemic has disrupted lives, businesses, and even the public sector, our Government of Belize continues to do everything imaginable to ensure that the education of our country's students can continue with the least disruption possible. In that light, the Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Patrick Faber, announces the following: WEBINAR: "Risky Business": Risk Planning and Financial Recovery Post Covid-19, min. Join Dr. Carla Barnett, Dr. Leroy Almendarez of Beltraide, DFC and QSSI as we discuss the financial road to recovery for the Hospitality & Tourism sector. Explore the plans, support systems and facilities in place to help navigate these challenging times. Old Commercial, Blades Fountain truck and the palatas guy!, .5min. In 1989 I created my own production company in Belize City and made a bunch of commercials and other video productions. Here's another of my favorites that survived the times. This was made around 1990-91. Not sure if any of you all remember the Blades Fountain truck and the palatas guy! Enjoy. Cultural Survival Webinar, 1hr13min. Indigenous Peoples are heavily represented among migrant farmworkers in the United States, and they are highly impacted by COVID-19, due to the exclusion of undocumented people from most benefits, as well as other structural inequities in access to health and other resources that affect both documented and undocumented people. Watch this panel held by Cultural Survival in partnership with International Funders for Indigenous Peoples. Mental Health Coordinator & The Ministry of Health, 34min. Have you experienced irritability and restlessness lately? These are some of the signs that you are experiencing stress and need to do a mental health check-in. We decided to keep this conversation going as many are struggling with the challenges resulting from a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and the economic and relational impact. Iveth Quintanilla, Mental Health Coordinator with the Ministry of Health talked to us about how they are helping. She reminds us that families can get help through the psychiatric nurses and psychiatrists available through the Mental Health Unit. Belize Red Cross Society - Disaster Preparedness, 24min. We cannot say it enough - we have to stay prepared in the event there is a hurricane threat. Fred Hunter, Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Officer with the Belize Red Cross Society shared a timely reminder on how to stock up on your hurricane emergency supplies. 100th episode - "What Yuh Know", 20min. Daniel Loveless returned to our show to talk about his one hour special airing on August 31st at 3:00pm. The show is his 100th episode and is a compilation of the best of his interviews across the region. He talked with us about what to expect and how he has been adjusting to the new normal. Standard Bearer of the People's United Party and Leader of the Opposition Addressing the pressing issues, 1hr23min. Dialogue with the Diaspora (Episode 4), 66min. Belize's Diaspora is expansive and is an invaluable lifeline for Belize! An engaged Diaspora strenghtens Belize and is the key to accelerated development. Dialogue with the Diapora connects decision makers at home with Belizeans abroad to discuss topics important to the diaspora! Tonight we speak of the next generation of Belizeans abroad. Gas Tomza protocols for buying butane during Covid-19, 1min. Deep Water Snapper/Placencia Belize, 9min. We struggle with bait but still caught some deep water snapper. Champagne, Black Wing and Yellow eyes Snappers. Thunderstorms in Paslow Falls, Belize, 15sec. There was a storm cell hovering over the area of Paslow Falls, Cayo, Belize, which is a small community about a half mile East of the Guatemala Belize border Queen of the Bay BELIZE 2019, 3hr43min.