Belize Times April 12, 2020- More Arrested Than Tested

APP

The Belize Times

Established 1957

The Truth Shall Make You Free

12 APRIL 2020 | ISSUE NO: 5193

www.belizetimes.biz | $1.00

More Arrested Than Tested

Hustling in the Time of Corona?

Thursday, 09 April 2020 The Belize Times has learned that the Government of Belize turned down a donation of approximately 25,000 COVID-19 test kits, donated by South Korea to be distributed in the countries of Central America – free of cost. According to the memo from SICA, the regional body of which Belize is a part, the tests are 99% effective and are used by all SICA member countries, apparently with the exception of Belize, which ‘declined the donation.’

Why would the Government of Belize, through its Ministry of Health, decline a donation of 25,000 COVID-19 test kits at such a critical time? The nation heard, just this week, as Director of Health Services Dr. Marvin Manzanero explained that they are running short on materials used for testing. He was unsure when Belize

would be able to source this material. Maybe next week, he said.

“We do have test kits and enzymes to run at least 700 tests but I do have to state that just like in the regions we are running low on the viral swabs which is the little specific lab equipment that you use to be able to take a viral swab and we’re trying to outsource that. We thought we could have gotten a batch next week,” said the DHS. Yet, at a time when the top health experts in the world are saying that the only ways to control the virus is by TESTING, TESTING TESTING…and staying home, the Government of Belize sees it fit to turn down 25,000 testing kits, donated free of cost. Why?

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BELIZE REJECT APPROXIMATELY 25,000 TESTING KITS: WHY? Pg. 7 PUP Press Release

WE MUST ACT FOR THE PEOPLE Pg. 8

Pipersburgh’s Wife Revelations Esteemed family and friends and general public, I am sharing my story, so you know of our experience and not by rumors spread around by third parties. This is my declaration.

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NURSES ASSOCIATION AND BMDA CONCERNED

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BE SAFE: Do NOT Leave Home Unnecessarily

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12 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

More Arrested Than Tested

Continued from page 1 Belizeans are well aware of the outside activities of Minister of Health

Pablo Marin, who has made a name for himself in the pharmaceutical industry. Sources also say that for any project to be green-lighted in the Ministry of Health, the proper amount of ‘grease’ must be applied.

The entire country is also well aware of the hustling mentality of the Cabinet Cartel. That is no secret. We have all heard about the bloated infrastructure contracts, the kickbacks, and the payoffs. But at a time like this? Could it be that there is money to be made from inflating costs of medical equipment being sourced? Could it be that certain persons high up in the Ministry of Health are getting rich off bringing in cheap medical equipment to fight COVID-19?

While the Prime Minister has boasted about the millions and millions and millions in the coffers to purchase needed equipment – so much so that he bragged that our problem in the days ahead would be an oversupply of materials and equipment – frontline personnel have complained bitterly that they are not being given the proper equipment or materials to deal with COVID-19. Doctors and nurses have stated publicly that NONE of Belize’s health facilities are adequate. Nurses and doctors have spoken about the cheap, substandard Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) that they are being given. Is somebody getting rich off bringing in this cheap, inadequate equipment at grossly inflated costs?

The Belizean people have no faith in the Government of Belize nor in its Ministry of Health, and with good reason. Those in the upper echelons of power are greedy, corrupt and incompetent. At every press conference, the public is given numbers – numbers of tests, numbers of ventilators in the country, amount of money available – and at every press conference those numbers are different. We hear about ventilators coming in today, then tomorrow, then next week. We hear four ventilators, then six, then ten. We are told at the beginning of one week that a shipment of 1000 tests are due in today, then the day after we are told that there are only 700 test kits left, but we are running out of swabs.

If we are in this together, as Mr. Barrow loves to say, then WE MUST KNOW THE TRUTH. And if any government Minister or crony would hustle and fill his pockets at a time like this, we believe that he would be guilty of no less than TREASON. Time will tell!

The Belize Times

Established 1957

14 APR 2013

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ISSUE NO: 4840

The Truth Shall Make You Free

www.belizetimes.bz

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$1.00

serving Belize since 1957 as the longest continuous newspaper.

Founder: Rt. Hon. George Cadle Price, People’s United Party Leader Emeritus OFFICE MANAGER

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LAYOUT/GRAPHIC ARTIST

Chris Williams

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12 APR

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

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EDITORIAL

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Keep Belize Safe!

his week’s news has been filled with the shortcomings at the Ministry of Health, the deficiencies of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the shortage of supplies in general within the health system. Both the Belize Medical and Dental Association (BMDA) and the Nurses Association of Belize (NAB) have issued press releases addressing their concerns. The truth is that these and many other issues have plagued Belize’s health system for well over the last decade. There have been innumerable difficulties, but we will reminisce on those that are the most extraordinary. Who can forget the thirteen babies that died in less than a month back in May 2013? PAHO was called in to investigate and in their report they concluded that there were weaknesses throughout the KHMH. These included inadequacies in sterile areas, lack of equipment, space, supplies and even soap. Since 2012 the health system has had problems with morgue facilities, from North to South and even at the KHMH. In March 2018, the operations capacity of the KHMH was reduced to fifty percent because parts of the ceiling in various parts of the building were falling. These were due to lack of maintenance on the country’s only referral hospital. Who can forget the rat in the incubator that bit a premature baby on the toe or the snake in the hospital at the Western Regional Hospital? More recently, a raccoon fell on a patient’s head at the ER. Even after a Commission of Inquiry exonerated the staff at the KHMH of any wrong doing, the PM asked the Auditor General to look into their shady procurement practices which resulted in excess expenditure.

Likewise, there was the embezzlement of over three hundred and fifty thousand dollars from the Southern Regional Hospital in 2013. Belizeans have complained these last twelve years about the sub-par service they receive and the inferior quality of the medication when they are fortunate enough to obtain it. The health system has long been famous for shortages in the most basic of supplies…PAHO tells no lies…says that even soap is sometimes a scarce commodity.

We are sure that there are many more examples of the gross negligence and Red Tape that stifles the Belize’s Health System. The BMDA takes issue with the PPE, and we agree that they are of poor quality, ill-fitting and certainly reusing these does not seem a good idea. We agree that increased testing, not just for frontline staff but to the general population, is advisable. We find it deplorable that AFI swabbing is done in the place of COVID-19 testing to appease frontline staff. It is reprehensible that valid concerns for welfare and testing are met with reprimands of medical practitioners. We agree that a compensation package must be designed for both doctors and nursing staff that includes hazard pay. Belizeans, however, do not understand why the BMDA or the NAB chooses to voice their discontent now, precisely in the midst of the most deadly pandemic in generations.

The BMDA proclaims in its code of ethics “The health and wellbeing of the sick is above all other consideration.” It has then broken its own code by remaining silent until now on any number of obvious deficiencies of the health system where many of its members work and have firsthand experiences of those weaknesses.

It is precisely your silence and inaction that have helped to bring us to the current level of disorder and disorganization. Belize hovers at the point of no return, we either sink or swim all together, right here and now.

This is not the time for sick outs, or strikes. Leave your egos on the shelf.

Let us work together, the bureaucrats must stop micromanaging and allow those on the frontline reasonable access to the equipment and supplies they need. Doctors and nurses must continue their work, to leave now would be a callous and cowardly act. If indeed “the ultimate objective…is the best care and outcome for our people,” and assuming those people is inclusive of the broader Belizean populace not just doctors, then we must figure out a way to continue the work together, to flatten the curve and keep Belize safe!

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THE BELIZE TIMES

EDITORIAL

2020

en Español

Mantengamos a Belice a Salvo

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12 APR

as noticias de esta semana están llenas de las deficiencias en el Ministerio de Salud, las deficiencias del Equipo de Protección Personal (PPE por sus siglas en ingles) y la escasez de suministros en general dentro del sistema de salud. Tanto la Asociación Médica y Dental de Belice (BMDA por sus siglas en inglés) como la Asociación de Enfermeras de Belice (NAB por sus siglas en inglés) han emitido comunicados de prensa sobre sus preocupaciones. La verdad es que esas y muchas otras cuestiones han plagado el sistema de salud de Belice durante la última década.

Ha habido innumerables dificultades, pero recordaremos las más extraordinarias. ¿Quién puede olvidar a los trece bebés que murieron en menos de un mes en mayo del 2013? La OPS (Organización Panamericana de Salud) fue llamada a investigar y en su informe concluyeron que había debilidades en todo el hospital Karl Heusner (KHMH por sus siglas en ingles). Entre ellas se cuentan las deficiencias en las zonas estériles, la falta de equipo, espacio, suministros e incluso jabón. Desde 2012 el sistema de salud ha tenido problemas con instalaciones de morgue, del norte a sur e incluso en el KHMH. En marzo de 2018, la capacidad de operación de la KHMH se redujo a cincuenta por ciento porque las partes del techo en varias partes del edificio se estaban cayendo. Esto se debió a la falta de mantenimiento en el único hospital de referencia del país. ¿Quién puede olvidar la rata en la incubadora que mordió un bebé prematuro en el dedo del pie o la serpiente en el hospital del Hospital Regional Occidental? Más recientemente, un mapache cayó sobre la cabeza de un paciente en la Sala de Urgencias en el KHMH. Incluso después de que una Comisión de Investigación exonerara al personal del KHMH de cualquier acto erróneo, el Primer Ministro pidió al Auditor General que investigara sus turbias prácticas de contratación que daban lugar a un exceso de gastos. Asimismo, en 2013 se produjo la malversación de más de trescientos cincuenta mil dólares del Hospital Regional del Sur. Los beliceños se han quejado en estos últimos doce años del servicio de calidad inferior que reciben y de la calidad inferior de los medicamentos cuando tienen la suerte de obtenerlos. El sistema de salud ha sido durante mucho tiempo famoso por la escasez de los suministros más básicos…La OPS no dice mentiras...dice que hasta el jabón es a veces un producto escaso.

Estamos seguros de que hay muchos más ejemplos de la negligencia grave y la burocracia que sofoca el sistema de salud de Belice. El BMDA está en desacuerdo con el PPE y estamos de acuerdo en que son de mala calidad, mal ajustados y, desde luego, la reutilización no parece una buena idea. Estamos de acuerdo en que es aconsejable aumentar las pruebas, no sólo para el personal de primera línea pero para la población en general. Nos parece deplorable que frotes AFI se hacen en lugar de las pruebas COVID-19 para apaciguar al personal de primera línea. Es censurable que preocupaciones válidas para el bienestar y las pruebas, sean respondidas con amonestaciones a los médicos. Estamos de acuerdo en que debe diseñarse un paquete de compensación tanto para los médicos como para el personal de enfermería que incluyera la prestación por condiciones de vida peligrosas.

Sin embargo, los beliceños no entienden por qué el BMDA o el NAB eligen expresar su descontento ahora, precisamente en medio de la pandemia más mortífera en generaciones. El BMDA proclama en su código de ética “La salud y el bienestar de los enfermos está por encima de cualquier otra consideración”. Ha roto entonces su propio código al permanecer en silencio hasta ahora sobre cualquier número de deficiencias obvias del sistema de salud donde muchos de sus miembros trabajan y tienen experiencias de primera mano de esas debilidades. Es precisamente su silencio y su inacción los que nos han ayudado a alcanzar el nivel actual de desorden y desorganización. Belice flota en el punto de no retorno, o nos hundimos o nadamos todos juntos, aquí y ahora. Este no es el momento para “ausencias por enfermedad”, o huelgas. Dejen sus egos en el estante.

Trabajemos juntos, los burócratas deben dejar de micro gestionar y permitir a que los que están en primera línea tengan un acceso razonable a los equipos y suministros que necesitan. Médicos y enfermeras deben continuar su trabajo, dejar sus puestos ahora sería un acto cruel y cobarde. Si de hecho “el objetivo final… es el mejor cuidado y resultado para nuestra gente”, y asumiendo que esa gente incluye a la población beliceña en general, no sólo a los médicos, ¡entonces debemos encontrar una manera de continuar el trabajo juntos, para aplanar la curva y mantener a Belice a salvo!

12 APR

2020

THE BELIZE TIMES

BELLY of the

BEAST

Hubert The Belize Times extends our sincerest condolences to our brother Hubert, the first person to die from COVID-19 in Belize. He was an activist, a patriot, an outspoken and passionate advocate for this country. We at the Belize Times remember this warrior with particular affection because many years ago he was a columnist in our paper, penning visionary ideas for the economic and social development of the country. He will be missed. We believe that his death was not necessary, and we believe that the story of Hubert Pipersburgh has not ended. His family deserves justice, and they will get it.

Cop Out Mr. Barrow did what he does best in a video statement in the wake of Hubert’s death. He dodged, in eloquent fashion. The family has laid out in detail the days leading up to Hubert’s death, and the story told is one of negligence and a serious breakdown in anything resembling a plan to deal with patients showing symptoms of COVID-19. We believe that if Dr. Manzanero had acted when he reportedly received that call asking that Hubert be tested, our friend would still be alive today. But this week Mr. Barrow stated that he won’t be answering their complaints – get this – out of respect for the grief of those making the complaints. Ain’t no way that’s going to fly, Mr. Barrow. The family deserves answers, and the truth is – if the Ministry of Health isn’t prepared to deal with its first critical case of COVID-19, then we sure as hell need to fix things in the event there is a real outbreak in Belize, God forbid.

Mr. Bombastic We’re all in this thing together, and as always we give thanks to the honourable John Briceño and his team for jumping on board for the good of the nation.

It gives us a sense of relief to know that there is some measure of competence and integrity in this whole process. God knows we have no reason to trust Mr. Barrow and his circus clown electrician turned minister Pablo. What a stupid guy Pablo is. Anyway, we hope that our good, good leader manages to shake some sense into Dean Oliver and slap some of that silly and arrogance out of him. We said it weeks ago – what the hell was Dean Oliver thinking when he sat in front of the nation and so smugly stated that if we would have any issues in the fight against COVID-19, it would be because we are overly prepared and oversupplied with material and equipment? Foolish, arrogant man that he is, Dean must have wanted to sink into the ground when frontline personnel on the ground keep pointing out that they don’t have what they need to even begin to fight COVID-19. Dean says we are oversupplied, and the nurses and frontline professionals say NONE of our facilities are adequate and the equipment they have gotten is of the worst possible quality and will never work. We believe them. We’re seen pictures of suits coming apart. Leave the arrogance at home, Dean, and since you obviously aren’t up to the task at hand, best if you sit down and let John and his team do what needs to be done.

Vile The Belize Times has seen a video which is circulating. From the information we’ve gotten, it appears that Police caught two persons during curfew hours in Belize City and forced them to have sex while they recorded it. We don’t even feel inclined to comment too much on this. All we’ll say is that there are evil people in this country, and a lot of them are wearing Police uniforms.

Mr. Commissioner of Police, we expect you to do the right thing. This is not a matter for any tribunal, or any suspension. This is not a matter for a slap on the wrist or a fine of $100. These officers should be removed from the force immediately, and criminal charges should be brought against them. For us to survive this COVID-19 thing as a people and a nation, the Police will play a key role. We need to be able to trust them. Deal with these animals ‘one time’, Commissioner. They’re sick.

Kudos Even as we have to deal with those animals in Police uniforms who forced those people to have sex, as we always do, we take time to give thanks to those frontline personnel who have put their lives at risk for us. Those in the medical and social services fields, and those in law enforcement and others who are preparing for a fight we can’t even begin to imagine. COVID-19 is a deadly killer. We salute those who are doing their jobs with dedication, integrity and selflessness. We don’t mean those idiots like Pablo Marin who is profiling on Facebook in his bright red shirt and thick gold chain like a narco-bubu. When all this is said and done, the real heroes won’t be the rich politicians pontificating from the safety of their mansions – yes Dean, like you. The heroes will be those who are keeping the peace and treating the sick, risking their lives for all of us.

God bless you all, and God bless Belize.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

COVID QUESTIONS

1. Will someone from the COVID Team please tell Belizeans the truth about the amount of tests available in Belize and will they also say why more Belizeans are not getting tested?

2.Will the COVID Team please explain to Belizeans why not one dollar has been sent out to people who have been laid off for weeks now, this after the PM keeps talking about the many millions available in economic assistance?

3.Will the Minister of Health please tell the Belizean people who is the person in charge of the national hospital systems across the country and why after saying they will have ventilators in all regional hospitals why patients are still being sent to the KHMH? 4.Will the UDP representatives who are going about giving away food packages please let the nation know where the money for the UDP food hampers is coming from, since they are only available to UDP representatives and given only to UDP Cronies?

5.Stay Safe Belize – Stay at home, if you must go out practice social distance and please remember to practice good hygiene.

12 APR

2020

12 APR

2020

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THE BELIZE TIMES

BELIZE REJECT APPROXIMATELY 25,000 TESTING KITS: WHY?

To test or not to test? Two experts explain COVID-19 testing

By Gayle Markowitz, Editor World Economic Forum • Policy on testing differs from country to country, region to region and even city to city – it depends on what stage that community has reached in the pandemic curve and the level of preparedness in the specific context. • There are tests for the virus itself, but also blood tests showing immunity or antibodies. • A new rapid test offers results in minutes rather than hours or days, but deployment is yet to be defined.

Different countries are pursuing very different strategies when it comes to testing for COVID-19. The WHO supports a policy of widespread testing. But policies around the world vary and there seem to be arguments in support of the different approaches – largely due to supplies, shortages and priorities.

Testing is important because asking people with mild symptoms just to stay home will lead to more infections in the household and community. If tested and positive, people can either be isolated in a facility (like in China/Vietnam) or put on strict home isolation (which they are more likely to adhere to if they know they have the virus for sure). When resources are limited and when the healthcare system is overloaded, however, you don’t want a lot of non-sick people coming to health facilities and risking contagion.

Here, David Duong, MD, MPH Instructor in Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Medical School Direc-

Obituary

Sandra Castillo nee Burns

The People’s United Party, Party Leader John Briceùo, the PUP National Executive and the rest of the PUP Family extends it most heartfelt condolences to the Family of Sandra Castillo nee Burns. May his soul rest in peace and rise in eternal glory.

tor of Global Primary Care and Social Change, as well as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Health and Healthcare - and his colleague Todd Pollack, MD - Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Country Director for the Partnership for Health Advancement in Vietnam, a Harvard Medical School Global Program - explain some of what we know about testing for COVID-19.

What criteria are governments using to test for COVID-19?

Pollack: You see a number of different strategies that depend on a few things. First is the state of the epidemic in the country or community.

Second is the availability of testing resources - both the test kits themselves (or the swabs) and personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers, who are required to wear these in order to take the sample from patients.

Duong: In the US, different states and different cities have different criteria. Some states are testing health care workers who have been in contact with known exposures (people who have tested positive) or who are symptomatic. Or patients with known exposure and symptoms, or people who are immune-compromised and symptomatic.

The guidelines evolve very quickly depending on the availability of testing equipment and supplies of PPE. For example, in New York City, due to supply issues, they have said that as of the 20 March, COVID-19 testing is performed only for hospitalized patients. So they are not doing community testing. Where I practice in Boston, we are still testing non-hospitalized patients, however, you still need approval to get a test. Patients cannot just request a test.

At the beginning of the epidemic, the majority of tests were sent to the CDC for testing.

Now, the tests are carried out by the Departments of Health, state laboratories, and in some places, such as at my healthcare organization, we can run our own test, and therefore, increase the amount of testing we can do, and decrease the time patients have to wait for the results.

How do the tests work?

Duong: Most governments and most tests deploy the strategy of what we call real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. This method is the same as how we test for other infections. It compares

DNA samples from the suspected person with the DNA sample from the virus. So you need to make sure that you get enough DNA sample to make the comparison.

The preferred way is a swab. The samples are transferred, usually by a health worker to the lab, and the lab runs the tests. Usually multiple tests are run at the same time, which can cause a time delay. So for example, when we were testing at my hospital at the drive-up testing site, we would have people come in and drive up. We’ll perform a nasopharyngeal swab of the patient while they are in the car, then the sample goes into a vial. The vial then gets transported to the central lab in the hospital for testing. (For the complete analysis go to weforum.org) Belize Rejects Approximately 25k COVID Testing Kits due to Incompatibility We can all make juxtapositions to the story above to what we hear in press conferences, releases, Meet the Experts, local opinions and other readings. One aspect that is very clear is that our process followed for testing may not be adequate. Patients and/or their families have voiced very clear dissatisfaction with how they were treated when they approached the Ministry of Health for potential testing. The exact truth is yet to be clarified but the problem is definitely there. Up to this point, COVID-19 can probably be classified as manageable and that may be a product

of our geography and population density. To compare the swiftness that other countries are approaching their own ‘peaks’ might be erroneous for dear Belize. The latter is the hope of many.

Nevertheless, Belize needs to be prepared for an onslaught such as we are seeing in the worst case scenarios in New York, Lombardy, and others and not make the same basic mistakes.

The experts above volleyed testing and this novel virus may have its own plans. So when Belize represented by Hugo Patt at an end of March Sistema de la IntegraciĂłn Centroamericana(SICA) meeting and rejected approximately 25thousand donated test kits we have to cry bloody foul.

How can another Corozal dunce follow his fellow CorozaleĂąo Health minister and reject such an offering?

How? In the week of April 6, all 7 other SICA nations (including the Dominican Republic) were receiving 1/7 of the South Korean offering of approximately 182 thousand kits. It should have been divided into 8. Belize officially rejected the kits since it wasn’t compatible.

Belize awaits the answer to what was the incompatibility? Did Hon. Pablo Marin not find it in his business sense compatible enough?

This sound like another and the highest version of UDP Infamy. Not at this time UDP, our lives are at stake.

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

For Immediate Release

SWORE TO PROTECT‌ NOT TO EXPLOIT

Â? –Š‹• –‹Â?‡ ‘ˆ njͳ͝ ™Š‡Â? –Š‡ …‘—Â?–”› ‹• —Â?†‡” Ž‘…Â?†‘™Â? ƒÂ?† …‹–‹œ‡Â?• —Â?…‡”–ƒ‹Â? ƒÂ?† ˆ‡ƒ”ˆ—Ž ‹Â? –Š‡ ˆƒ…‡ ‘ˆ ÂŠÂ‡ÂƒÂŽÂ–ÂŠÇĄ •‘…‹ƒŽ ƒÂ?† ‡…‘Â?‘Â?‹… Â…ÂŠÂƒÂ‘Â•ÇĄ ‘—” •‡…—”‹–› ‘ˆˆ‹…‡”• Šƒ˜‡ „‡‡Â? ‰‹˜‡Â? ƒŽÂ?‘•– —Â?’”‡…‡†‡Â?–‡† ’‘™‡”•ǥ ™Š‹…Š •Š‘—Ž† „‡ —•‡† ‹Â? ‡Â?•—”‹Â?‰ –Šƒ– …‹–‹œ‡Â?• ‘„‡› –Š‡ ÂŽÂƒÂ™ÇĄ ™‹–Š ƒ ˜‹‡™ –‘ ‡Â?•—”‡ ‘—” ’”‘–‡…–‹‘Â?Ǥ ‡ ƒ”‡ ˆ‘”…‡† –‘ –”—•– –Šƒ– –Š‡ ‘Ž‹…‡ ™‹ŽŽ †‘ –Š‡‹” ™‘”Â? ™‹–Š †‹Ž‹‰‡Â?…‡ ƒÂ?† ‹Â?–‡‰”‹–›Ǥ ‡ ƒ”‡ ĥÂ?‡† –‘ Â…Â‘Â‘Â’Â‡Â”ÂƒÂ–Â‡ÇĄ ƒÂ?† Â?‘•– ‘ˆ —• †‘ •‘ ™‹ŽŽ‹Â?‰Ž›ǥ „‡…ƒ—•‡ ™‡ Â?Â?‘™ –Šƒ– ‹Â? –Š‡•‡ –‹Â?‡•ǥ –Š‡”‡ Â?—•– „‡ ƒ†Š‡”‡Â?…‡ –‘ •–”—…–—”‡ ƒÂ?† …‘Â?Â?—Â?‹–› …‘‘’‡”ƒ–‹‘Â?Ǥ

‡ –Š‡”‡ˆ‘”‡ Šƒ˜‡ ˆ‡™ ™‘”†• •—ˆˆ‹…‹‡Â?– –‘ †‡•…”‹„‡ ‘—” ”‡˜—Ž•‹‘Â? ƒÂ?† ‘—–”ƒ‰‡ ƒ– ƒ ˜‹†‡‘ ™Š‹…Š Šƒ• ‰‘Â?‡ ˜‹”ƒŽǤ Š‡ ˜‹†‡‘ •Š‘™• –™‘ ’‡”•‘Â?• ‡Â?‰ƒ‰‡† ‹Â? •‡š – •‡š ™Š‹…Š ‹• „‡‹Â?‰ ‹Â?Â•Â–Â‹Â‰ÂƒÂ–Â‡Â†ÇĄ †‹”‡…–‡† ƒÂ?† ˆ‹ŽÂ?‡† „› ’‡”•‘Â?• „‡Ž‹‡˜‡† –‘ „‡ ‘Ž‹…‡ ˆˆ‹…‡”•Ǥ ”‡Ž‹Â?‹Â?ƒ”› ‹Â?˜‡•–‹‰ƒ–‹‘Â?• ”‡˜‡ƒŽ‡† –Šƒ– –Š‡ ™‘Â?ƒÂ? ‹Â? –Š‡ ˜‹†‡‘ ‹• Â?‡Â?–ƒŽŽ› …ŠƒŽŽ‡Â?‰‡†ǥ ƒÂ?† ™‡ ƒ”‡ –‘Ž† –Šƒ– –Š‡ ’ƒ‹” ™‡”‡ ’‹…Â?‡† —’ „› ‘Ž‹…‡ †—”‹Â?‰ …—”ˆ‡™ Š‘—”• ‘˜‡” –Š‡ ™‡‡Â?‡Â?† ƒÂ?† ˆ‘”…‡† –‘ ƒ…– ƒ– –Š‡ „‡Š‡•– ‘ˆ –Š‡ ˆˆ‹…‡”•Ǥ

—…Š ƒ„—•‡ ‘ˆ …‹–‹œ‡Â?• ™‹ŽŽ Â?‡˜‡” „‡ –‘Ž‡”ƒ–‡†Ǥ Š‡ ’‡”•‘Â?• ‹Â?˜‘Ž˜‡† †‘ Â?‘– †‡•‡”˜‡ –‘ ™‡ƒ” –Š‡ —Â?‹ˆ‘”Â? ‘ˆ –Š‘•‡ •™‘”Â? –‘ ’”‘–‡…– ƒÂ?† •‡”˜‡ …‹–‹œ‡Â?•Ǥ ‡ †‡Â?ƒÂ?† –Šƒ– ƒÂ? ‹Â?˜‡•–‹‰ƒ–‹‘Â? „‡ †‘Â?‡ ƒÂ?† –Šƒ– –Š‡› „‡ ”‡Â?‘˜‡† ˆ”‘Â? †—–› and ˆ”‘Â? –Š‡ ‡’ƒ”–Â?‡Â?– ‹Â?Â?‡†‹ƒ–‡Ž›Ǥ ‡ …ƒŽŽ ‘Â? –Š‡ ‹Â?‹•–‡” ‘ˆ ƒ–‹‘Â?ƒŽ ‡…—”‹–› ƒÂ?† –Š‡ ‘Â?Â?‹••‹‘Â?‡” ‘ˆ ‘Ž‹…‡ –‘ ƒ…– •™‹ˆ–Ž› –‘ ”‘‘– ‘—– –Š‡•‡ •‹…Â?ÇĄ †‡˜‹ƒÂ?– ‹Â?†‹˜‹†—ƒŽ• ƒÂ?† –‘ †‡–‡”Â?‹Â?‡ ‹ˆ …”‹Â?‹Â?ƒŽ …Šƒ”‰‡• …ƒÂ? „‡ ˆ‹Ž‡† ƒ‰ƒ‹Â?•– –Š‡Â?Ǥ

– ƒ –‹Â?‡ ™Š‡Â? ‘—” Â?ƒ–‹‘Â? Â?‡‡†• ƒ ”‡–—”Â? –‘ Š—Â?ƒÂ?‹–› ƒÂ?† —Â?‹–›ǥ –Š‡”‡ ‹• Â?‘ ”‘‘Â? ˆ‘” –Š‡•‡ ƒ…–‹‘Â?•Ǥ ‡ ‡š’‡…– ‹Â?Â?‡†‹ƒ–‡ ƒ…–‹‘Â?Ǥ

--ENDS-

‘Â?Â–ÂƒÂ…Â–ÇŁ ‹Â?•ˆ‘”† ƒ•–‹ŽŽ‘ ‡…”‡–ƒ”› ‡Â?‡”ƒŽ ÇŚÂ?ÂƒÂ‹ÂŽÇŁ •‡…‰‡Â?’—’̡‰Â?ƒ‹ŽǤ…‘Â?

8 08 8

12 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

No time to celebrate World Health Day Only to save lives By the Senator Hon. Isabel Bennett The World Health Organization celebrated its 72th birthday having been established on April 7, 1948 according to WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The day is celebrated as WORLD HEALTH DAY. This day would have normally been highly celebrated worldwide, but I am most certain that most world leaders and their citizenry, did not remember the significant of this Wednesday April 7th because of the COVID 19 pandemic that we are now experiencing. But if the WHO was not birthed with all the expertise after all these decades, today in this COVID 19 crisis, we would not have information at our finger tips to understand disease trends, use of advance technology in the health care industry, techniques to save lives and so much more. So even though the crisis is lurking over the world and here at home in Belize, we still must be thankful for the work this organization is doing as the people behind all the researches are experts in the health care industry who risk their lives for humanity.

In addition to being thankful that WHO exists, what made me extremely happy about reading that history nugget of the birthing of the WHO in 1948 and what warmed my heart is the fact that the Nurses’ Association of Belize –N.A.B, was established in 1955. Our Belizean nurse leaders at the time had a vision like so many of its sisters’ associations in the Caribbean e.g. Nurses Association of Jamaica, Nurses Association of Barbados, and the list goes on.

So this year 2020, the nurses and midwives of this nation would have been celebrating our 65th Anniversary as a professional organization and the fact that the United Nation had declared 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife,

Obituary Hubert Pipersburgh

The People’s United Party, Party Leader John Briceùo, the PUP National Executive and the rest of the PUP Family extends it most heartfelt condolences to the Family of Hubert Pipersburgh. May his soul rest in peace and rise in eternal glory.

would have been an even better reason to have a year-long celebration with signature events countrywide recognizing the great contribution of all nurses in Belize, including student nurses.

But it is with mixed feelings that I am now forced to reflect on my nursing colleagues and other health care personnel in the health care system as there is no time to plan that special signature event to celebrate their unselfish dedication to the building of this nation.

It is with a heavy heart that I reflect on the fact that we have always worked with bear minimum equipment to save a life or educate a student nurse and the public doesn’t know. It is with a heavy heart that I reflect back yet again on the 2019/2020 Ministry of Health budget and see ZERO dollars allocated to the ministry which has the persons who are most at risk in any of our health institutions. And now it’s even more clear that

the neglect of this ministry is having a double impact on our most important resources in health – our health care workers – our nurses, our doctors, our domestic workers, our attendants, our pharmacists to name a few.

It is quite clear, that if COVID 19 did not show up, we would all still have ZERO dollars allotted to the Ministry of Health budget for 2019/2020. We certainly can never be thankful to this pandemic for what we “hear� now is being spent on medical equipment, as its causing way too much stress, isolation from love ones, fatigue, suicide,... and loss of lives. What I do hope and pray is that those responsible for the implementation of any plans relating to COVID 19, will be transparent and accountable to the people of this nation and that they will do their endeavour best to focus all efforts to save lives and not play petty politics at the expense of our love

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

ones.

A nurse is in most cases is the first touch a baby feels at birth and a nurse’s hand is often the last felt in death and dying. So it is imperative that our health care workers be provide with that they need to protect themselves. A hazmat suit can always be purchased but the life of a health care worker can never be replaced. They are serving unselfishly for long works leaving their families to care for your families during this time of crisis. So I, like any other law abiding citizen, make one request, STAY AT HOME, WASH YOUR HANDS AND DO SOCIAL DISTANCING if you need to be away from home; and while you are there in the comfort of your homes and with your love ones, focus on publicly thanking a nurse or doctor or pharmacist or attendant by name on any social medium you use. Your kind words could be just the push they need to go on during the long hours of uncertainty away from their families.

And I dare say, for the record, that should any minister or public officer who “come up� as a result of COVID 19, should be jailed without parole.

For Immediate Release WE MUST ACT FOR THE PEOPLE

• –Š‹• ’”‡•• ”‡Ž‡ƒ•‡ ‹• „‡‹Â?‰ •‡Â?– ‘—–ǥ –Š‡ ‡…‘Â?‘Â?› ‘ˆ ‡Ž‹œ‡ Šƒ• ƒŽŽ „—– ‰”‘—Â?† –‘ ƒ ŠƒŽ–Ǥ Š‡ –‘—”‹•Â? ‹Â?†—•–”› ‹• Â†Â‡ÂƒÂ†ÇĄ Â?‹ŽŽ‡† „› –Š‡ †‡ƒ†Ž› njͳ͝Ǥ Š‡ –”ƒÂ?•’‘”–ƒ–‹‘Â? ‹Â?†—•–”› ‹• ‰”‹Â?†‹Â?‰ –‘ ƒ ŠƒŽ– †—‡ –‘ –Š‡ Ž‘…Â?†‘™Â?Ǥ Š‘—•ƒÂ?†• ‘ˆ ‡Ž‹œ‡ƒÂ?• Šƒ˜‡ Ž‘•– –Š‡‹” ‘Â?Ž› Â?‡ƒÂ?• ‘ˆ Ž‹˜‡Ž‹Š‘‘†Ǥ —•‹Â?‡••‡• Šƒ˜‡ „‡‡Â? ˆ‘”…‡† –‘ …Ž‘•‡ †‘™Â?ÇĄ ‡Â?’Ž‘›‡‡• Šƒ˜‡ „‡‡Â? •‡Â?– Š‘Â?‡ ™‹–Š Ž‹––Ž‡ ‘” Â?‘–Š‹Â?‰ǥ ƒÂ?† ™‡ —Â?†‡”•–ƒÂ?† –Šƒ– –Š‡”‡ ƒ”‡ Â?—…Š †ƒ”Â?‡” †ƒ›• ƒŠ‡ƒ†Ǥ ‡ ƒŽŽ Â?—•– —Â?†‡”•–ƒÂ?† ƒŽ•‘ –Šƒ– –Š‹• —Â?…‡”–ƒ‹Â? ƒÂ?† †‡ƒ†Ž› –‹Â?‡ „”‹Â?‰• ™‹–Š ‹– ÂŠÂ‡ÂƒÂŽÂ–ÂŠÇĄ •‘…‹ƒŽ ƒÂ?† ‡…‘Â?‘Â?‹… †‡˜ƒ•–ƒ–‹‘Â?ÇĄ ’‡”Šƒ’• „‡›‘Â?† ƒÂ?›–Š‹Â?‰ –Šƒ– ™‡ …ƒÂ? ›‡– …‘Â?’”‡Š‡Â?†Ǥ ‡ —Â?†‡”•–ƒÂ?† ƒŽŽ Â–ÂŠÂƒÂ–ÇĄ „‡…ƒ—•‡ ™‡ ƒ”‡ ‹Â? –Š‹• –‘‰‡–Š‡”Ǥ

Šƒ– ™‡ ƒ„•‘Ž—–‡Ž› …ƒ��‘– —�†‡”•–ƒ�† ‹• Š‘™ –Š‹• ‰‘˜‡”��‡�– ™‹ŽŽ ƒ––ƒ…� –Š‡ „—–ƒ�‡ wholesalers they have referred to as a ‘Cartel,’ and will threaten to seize their equipment and ’”‘†—…– ƒ�† ‡˜‡� Œƒ‹Ž –Š‡� – •‹�’Ž› „‡…ƒ—•‡ –Š‡•‡ ‡�–‹–‹‡• Šƒ˜‡ �ƒ†‡ –Š‡ †‡…‹•‹‘� –‘ •Žƒ•Š –Š‡ ’”‹…‡ ‘ˆ „—–ƒ�‡ –‘ ‡Ž‹œ‡ƒ�• †—”‹�‰ –Š‡•‡ –‹�‡• ‘ˆ ‡…‘�‘�‹… Šƒ”†•Š‹’Ǥ Š‹• �‘˜‡ „› –Š‡ ƒ””‘™ ƒ†�‹�‹•–”ƒ–‹‘� †‡ˆ‹‡• Ž‘‰‹…Ǥ

‡ ”‡ƒŽ‹œ‡ –Šƒ– –Š‡”‡ ƒ”‡ ’‘Ž‹–‹…ƒŽ ”ƒÂ?‹ˆ‹…ƒ–‹‘Â?•ǥ „‡…ƒ—•‡ –Š‡ ‰‘˜‡”Â?Â?‡Â?– ‹• †‡•’‡”ƒ–‡Ž› –”›‹Â?‰ –‘ ’”‘–‡…– ‹–• ›‡– —Â?”‡ƒŽ‹œ‡† Â?ƒ–‹‘Â?ƒŽ ‰ƒ• …‘Â?’ƒÂ?›Ǥ ‘•– ‡Ž‹œ‡ƒÂ?• Â?Â?‘™ –Šƒ–

‘˜‡”��‡�– Šƒ• Ž‡‰‹•Žƒ–‡† ˆ‘” –Š‡•‡ „—–ƒ�‡ ‡�–‹–‹‡• –‘ „‡ —�ƒ„Ž‡ –‘ •‡ŽŽ „—–ƒ�‡ …Š‡ƒ’ „‡…ƒ—•‡ –Šƒ– ™‘—Ž† ƒˆˆ‡…– –Š‡ „‘––‘� Ž‹�‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡ �ƒ–‹‘�ƒŽ ‰ƒ• …‘�’ƒ�› ™Š‡� ‹– …‘�‡• ‹�–‘ „‡‹�‰Ǥ

ÂŽÂŽ –Šƒ– Â?ƒ––‡”• Ž‹––Ž‡ ‹Â? –Š‡ ˆƒ…‡ ‘ˆ ™Šƒ– ‡Ž‹œ‡ƒÂ?• ƒ”‡ ˆƒ…‹Â?‰ –‘†ƒ› – ƒÂ?† Â–Â‘Â†ÂƒÂ›ÇĄ ƒÂ?› •ƒ˜‹Â?‰• ‘Â? ƒÂ? ‹Â?˜ƒŽ—ƒ„Ž‡ …‘Â?Â?‘†‹–› Ž‹Â?‡ „—–ƒÂ?‡ …ƒÂ? Ž‹–‡”ƒŽŽ› Â?‡ƒÂ? –Š‡ †‹ˆˆ‡”‡Â?…‡ „‡–™‡‡Â? ƒ ˆƒÂ?‹Ž› ‡ƒ–‹Â?‰ǥ ‘” Â?‘–Ǥ ‡ †‡Â?ƒÂ?† –Šƒ– ‘˜‡”Â?Â?‡Â?– ”‡Žƒš ‹–• •–”ƒÂ?‰Ž‡Š‘Ž† ‘Â? –Š‡•‡ „—–ƒÂ?‡ ‡Â?–‹–‹‡•ǥ ‹Â? –Š‡•‡ –”›‹Â?‰ –‹Â?‡•ǥ –‘ ƒŽŽ‘™ ‡Ž‹œ‡ƒÂ?• –‘ ‡Â?Œ‘› –Š‡ „‡Â?‡ˆ‹– ‘ˆ ’”‹…‡ …—–• ‹Â? „—–ƒÂ?‡Ǥ

Â? –Š‡•‡ –‹Â?‡• ‘ˆ njͳ͝ǥ –Š‡”‡ ‹• Â?‘ ”‘‘Â? ˆ‘” ’‘Ž‹–‹…ƒŽ Â?ƒ…Š‹Â?ƒ–‹‘Â?• ƒÂ?† Â?ƒÂ?‹’—Žƒ–‹‘Â?Ǥ ƒÂ?› ‘ˆ ‘—” ’‡‘’Ž‡ ƒ”‡ Š—Â?‰”› ƒÂ?† †‡•’‡”ƒ–‡Ǥ ‡ Ž‘‘Â? ‘—– ˆ‘” –Š‡Â? ÂˆÂ‹Â”Â•Â–ÇĄ „‡ˆ‘”‡ ™‡ Ž‘‘Â? –‘ …ƒ–‡” –‘ •’‡…‹ƒŽ ‹Â?–‡”‡•–•Ǥ ‡ ‡š’‡…– –Š‡ ‘˜‡”Â?Â?‡Â?– –‘ …‘Â?‡ –‘ ‹–• •‡Â?•‡• ™Š‡”‡ „—–ƒÂ?‡ ‹• …‘Â?…‡”Â?‡†ǥ ƒÂ?† –‘ ƒ…– ƒ……‘”†‹Â?‰Ž›Ǥ

‘Â?Â–ÂƒÂ…Â–ÇŁ ‹Â?•ˆ‘”† ƒ•–‹ŽŽ‘ ‡…”‡–ƒ”› ‡Â?‡”ƒŽ ÇŚÂ?ÂƒÂ‹ÂŽÇŁ •‡…‰‡Â?’—’̡‰Â?ƒ‹ŽǤ…‘Â?

--ENDS--

12 APR

2020

099

THE BELIZE TIMES

THE BELIZE MEDICAL AND DENTAL ASSOCIATION COVID DECLARATION 452020

BMDA has been in close contact with medical practitioners who along with nurses are in the frontline in providing care for the COVID-19 patients. BMDA protects and represents the interests of the public at large especially in this time of great suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic. BMDA shares the following concerns in this regard in the interest of the medical practitioner of Belize.

Requests for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be made available to frontline healthcare providers have been made to the relevant authorities, including the highest ranks of command. Health Region Managers and Chief Pharmacists who are responsible for supplying the PPE must release the needed equipment in a timely manner.

Medical practitioners note there is time-wasting in providing the PPE to doctors at the time of procedures. As the respiratory clinics open throughout the nation as will happen this Monday in the south, the need for more PPEs increases triggering more concern for size quality and number of PPE kits available. Moreover, relevant stakeholders must cooperate with BMDA to educate the medical practitioners on

the available action plan that includes standards for management of healthcare workers exposed to COVID positive patients. Testing for COVID-19 should be expanded to samples sent by all medical practitioners.

Here are some of the complaints sent by medical practitioners: - Doctors in the health regions have to complain to attract attention on the need to supply the PPE. - PPE don’t fit, few available, poor quality, re-using is being recommended, poor quality and poor conditions.

- Testing for staff for COVID-19 not readily done, instead AFI swabbing is done to calm the mind forgetting that co-infection might be NURSES ASSOCIATION OF BELIZE present.

JUANA NOGUERA HOUSE BMDA has noted that feedback PRINCESS MARGARET DRIVE & COR. ST. JOSEPH STREET going back to MOH authorities P O BOX 1573 including complaints often ends BELIZE CITY, BELIZE up with reprimand of the medical nabbelize@yahoo.com practitioner to say the least. BMDA demands authorities to refrain April 6th , 2020 from doing so. Be it known that the ultimate objective for us all is the The Nurses Association of Belize through this medium, informs the public that the nurses are not satisfied with the materials and equipment being provided to them by the Ministry of Health as it best care and outcome for our peorelates to the current Covid-19 crisis. We have done a countrywide tour of the different health ple. BMDA ready to support the facilities. A report on the condition of the various facilities and the concerns of the nurses was submitted to the Deputy Director of Health Services/Chief Nursing Officer on March 26, 2020. doctors who will not work without We have not seen significant redress of our concerns to date. adequate PPE. We will never forThe health facilities of Belize are not prepared to protect their staff and patients. The association give ourselves if a Colleague dies hereby presents a list of 6 key areas for redress and urges the Ministry of Health to address them because of inadequate PPE. urgently. It is echoed at every opportunity that the nurse is the backbone of the health system but BMDA demands that KHMH the actions of the department speak nothing to that statement. and GOB and Social Security Board There are several significant concerns that are consistent throughout the country that must be addressed immediately: design a compensation package for hazardous work since the health1. Full biohazard PPEs for the entire first contact staff and those working anywhere in the designated COVID-19 areas. care workers risk health and life in 2. Proper areas for quarantine of the staff that are exposed and proper areas for all staff who line of duty. cannot afford to self-isolate, and works in the COVID-19 areas and have a family.

BMDA Executive to urgently re3. Allowances as promised, to frontline staff to be prepaid so that they can make the quest a meeting with DHS to place necessary arrangements with their families, as was expressed to be the justification for our grave concerns and to let him this allowance. know our position. We stand be4. Replace outside tents currently set up as flu clinics at the different hospitals, with more hind our colleagues. secure buildings or retrofit with adequate ventilations and cooling systems. A tent, though acceptable in a dire emergency, is no place for rendering high quality of service. The conditions that the staff are expected to work under are deplorable and in some instances like in Dangriga, San Ignacio and Punta Gorda are inhumane. Working in the heat under the tent is unbearable and further compromises safety as PPEs get soiled by perspiration.

5. Provide transport for all staff that cannot afford their own transportation, given that the national transport services are not running at full schedule. (Private and public transport operators are hesitant to allow nurses on their vehicles for fear of contracting the virus.)

6. The Nurses Association of Belize is the organization representing the broader nursing body in this beautiful country, currently working under the Ministry of Health. We demand that we be treated with greater respect and dignity.

The Nurses Association of Belize has sent an email requesting an audience with the Minister of Health and with his CEO and to date that request has not even been acknowledged.

We hereby call on our nurses to report to work in their nurse’s T-shirts starting tomorrow until we see that changes are being effected as per our request. Additional measures that will not affect our services will be arranged if needed.

The Nurses Association of Belize wishes to thank our nurses countrywide, along with all other frontline healthcare workers, and other public officers for their diligence and service to our country of Belize. We also extend our thanks to the media for the airtime and hereby request understanding and support in these demands of the Government of Belize, from our fellow unions and from the public. ………ENDS………..

10

THE BELIZE TIMES

MAYOR RIGO VELLOS AND THE COROZAL TOWN COUNCIL

They are working together with the Chinese Community to assist the needy and poor in these difficult times. Join us in extending a heartfelt thank you for donations received by our Chinese Business Community. Due to Social Distancing Measures, the CTC will be delivering packages to the respective homes.

Even as the country goes into quarantine and state of Emergency there is a need to be fed and the Corozal Town Council is stepping up.

We have seen the bakeries in San Pe-

dro and Belize City doing their part. As everyone waits for the government to release the funds and the food program to come on stream these programs will keep us going.

The Belize Times thanks all those that are helping to feed the hungry.

This is now one of the most basic of humanitarian calls to every person on earth. This call is now SHOUTED out to everyone especially those who lead.

But of course, do it as safely and as hygienically as possible.

Stay Home otherwise.

12 APR

2020

12 APR

THE BELIZE TIMES

2020

11

CONTROLLED PRICES FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS The government has found it in their cold soul to call on the present importers of butane gas to NOT lower their prices. It is a no-brainer but not to the UDP. People need to stretch every bit of dollar that they have. Everyone is in dire straits in this time of COVID-19 and having fear for their lives.

Basically the government refuses to budge and threatens the importers to raise their price or else. Christmas was one thing but now… it is Easter and at

the fight for our very existence.

The UDP has to go.

Now is the perfect time… your UDP government isn’t functioning anyway.

Just call it off. PUP is ready.

Ahead is a Press Release the GOB calls a PUBLIC Service Announcement. Can they insult the Belizean people anymore?

Power Lane, Belmopan, Belize, C.A. P.O. Box 430 Tel: (501)-822-0446/47 Fax: (501)-822-2571 Hotline: 0-800-2-TELL-US (0-800-283-5587) Email: bbs@btl.net

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: CONTROLLED PRICES FOR LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS Further to the statement to the press dated April 8, 2020, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce, through the Supplies Control Unit (SCU) of the Belize Bureau of Standards, seeks to clarify the following.

The Supplies Control Unit (SCU), under the authority of the Minister responsible for Supplies Control, is legally mandated to establish price controls as follows: Section 3 (1) Subsection (b) of Chapter 293 of the Supplies Control Act states the following: The Minister may make regulations ( b) “for regulating or prohibiting the production, treatment, keeping, storage, movement, transport, distribution, exportation, importation, sale, purchase, use or consumption of articles or goods of any description and, in particular, for controlling the prices at which such articles may be sold;” No sole proprietor or body corporate can unilaterally act contrary to the established Laws of Belize governing price-controlled commodities. The SCU informs that the controlled price for liquified petroleum gas (LPG) is based on an established and agreed pricing formula which has been applied to the market for over two decades.

The SCU informs that neither of the three major importers which purported to effect price changes, whether individually or collectively, made representation to the Government of Belize on lower acquisition prices for the SCU to review, substantiate, and confirm.

It is important to note that the main importers of LPG had agreed with the Government of Belize to be subject to the LPG pricing regime based on periodic reviews. The purpose of the reviews are to take stock of the existing world market prices with a view to incorporating any adjustments that may be necessary for the upcoming year.

The review has now been completed. With immediate effect today, April 9, 2020, the new legislated prices for LPG are as follows.

The Government of Belize remains acutely aware of the current economic challenges being faced by households and businesses and is committed to ensuring that lower prices are passed on to consumers when market conditions so warrant. Consumers are hereby reminded that any violation on the part of LPG suppliers of the legislated controlled prices can be reported to the SCU of the Belize Bueau of Standards at telephone number: 0800-283-5587. All violations will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law.

Mr. José E. Trejo Controller of Supplies April 9th, 2020

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Posted on Social Media by Maria Estrella Recinos, Hubert Pipersburgh’s Widow Esteemed family and friends and general public, I am sharing my story, so you know of our experience and not by rumors spread around by third parties. This is my declaration.

March 21st: My husband showed the first symptoms with sore throat and dry cough. He was like that in the days to follow with highs and lows but stable.

March 26th: He started to get high fevers with 103 degrees and with problems breathing, pain and cough.

March 27th: Seeing that the symptoms did not improve, I decided to call Dr. Manzanero since I know him personally and asked for him to please do a test on him.

After asking me various questions, Dr. Manzanero told me that Hubert did no qualify to have tests done.

I was surprised as the symptoms pointed to this not being a simple infection.

March 29th: I took him to La Loma Luz and was seen by Dr. Camal and was only given medication for fever and respiratory issues.

March 30th: I took him to Godoy’s Clinic for another opinion since the fever and the respiratory problems continued. After some exams we were home.

March 31st: We went back to the same clinic to get more test.

At the parking lot Hubert was in a crisis, he could not breathe, and I thought he was having a heart attack. The doctor recommended that we take him to Belmopan to get some X-rays done on his lungs.

He arrived at Belmopan with pneumonia and there was no one to attend to us or who was willing too since he was already a suspected case of Convid-19. During the night he finally got the test for Convid-19. We were told that the test was going to be given the next day.

He was placed in an area outside the hospital that is there for emergencies and given IV fluids and oxygen due to difficulties in breathing.

It does not even have a bathroom.

Imagine a patient with pneumonia that has to walk outside at 3:00 a.m. to search for a toilet.

April 1st: We spent the day in the same situation, without anyone telling us what was happening and

THE BELIZE TIMES without proper care.

April 2nd: I started to really become anxious and upset since the results were not ready and no one was telling me what was happening. I had to call various politicians to see who helped me. Minister Pablo Marin reached Thursday and I complaint to him about the results and he promised that at seven in the night, these would be ready. The results never came.

April 3rd: At 1:30 a.m. I received a call from Dr. Manzanero informing me that the results of the Coronavirus test that was given to Hubert was positive. From that moment forward, throughout the entire morning we were treated with great indifference and little care by the personnel of the hospital, they saw us as delinquents and my husband stopped receiving any attention with relation to his sickness. That entire morning no one did anything for the health of my husband. I pressured my contacts for him to be transferred to Belize City and thanks to Dr. Hidalgo he was finally moved to intensive care at KHMH and he arrived already in a critical state.

- Saturday 4th of April, my husband fights for his life and his prog-

nostic is not good.

- Sunday 5th of April, my husband passes away.

What if Dr. Manzanero had conceded for a test to be done on him on Friday the 27th? Maybe he would have received treatment and would be safe. How can he make such a decision when someone has the majority of the symptoms.

Just because he had not been in touch with other patients? Because he had not travelled recently? The questions asked were more about who he had been with and not how he is doing, what were the symptoms. He can’t be so naive to deal with the situation as per contact of the first three cases, we do not know exactly how many of us are walking around without symptoms as yet.

We said HERE WE ARE, HE IS SICK and no one paid us mind. We asked for test and they refused, why? To hide that the virus is spreading? Do we have little test?

Why did they not close the boarders earlier? Why wait until we had the first case?

Western Regional is not ready to handle any incoming patients, their staff is not ready!!

They ask me how did he get in-

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fected, if he had no contact with the first patients? Well let me tell you when the first case was announced, a lot of people left the island in the precise moment it was being announced as people were scared. When they closed it was too late.

Now my husband is no longer with us and we ask for respect as we grief. I make this public since the people that are supposedly handling this pandemic in Belize, have demonstrated to being incapable to do so. They have to act with urgency and none was shown, that is the difference between people surviving this virus or not. He was the first serious case and could not get the attention he required. God forbid it gets out of hand but how will they react when they have 5, 10, 15, 100 people in need of care; will they also need to call to get them transferred to KHMH? They have already shown that we are not ready.

I also want to express through this medium that my son Karl and Micheal and myself have all been tested and results were negative.

BT Editor: The previous was published without any editing.

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Dear Editor,

We have tried to keep the politics out of this Coronavirus situation our country is currently facing but for this piece I do need to put a few things into historical and factual perspective. In 2000 under the then PUP Administration the Belize Health Sector Reform Project was launched.

One of the major accomplishments of the reform project included the establishment of four health regions (northern, central, western, and southern health region) designated to provide health services to distinct geographical areas across Belize. All four health regions offer primary care and secondary care services. Only the Central Health Region, which serves the largest population in Belize, offers tertiary care services. In addition, some progress was made in terms of the organization and management of the health system.

Then in 2007 the National Health Plan was introduced which focused on specific goals. Key among them were: • N o n - c o m m u n i c a b l e diseases and lifestyle related problems • HIV/AIDS • Prevention and management of violence (domestic violence and child abuse) • Health promotion • Sexual and reproductive health • Maternal and Child health (Maternal and Infant mortality, EPI) • Epidemiology • Health Information System • Health sector reform • Environmental health • Disaster preparedness and management In 2014 Hon Pablo Marin and other health officials presented a 70 page 2014-2024 Belize Health Sector Strategic plan but somehow left out Disaster Preparedness and Management even though the world had been warned of the high possibility of global pandemics such as the Spanish flu (1918 -1920), H1N1 Swine Flu (2009 -2010).

Even as transparency and accountability was heavily featured in the 2014 Health plan, Belizeans like myself have experienced the total opposite of what is written therein. The Ministry has become just another one of the Barrow Administration hustle. Procurement of medicine and supplies has been tightly controlled by a few hustlers within the Ministry. No plan was in place and no policy written to deal with a pandemic. It was business as usual. How much can I get rich at the expense of the people????

On March 23rd, 2016 at the 69th Session of the World Health Assembly in which Belize was in attendance, Dr. Margaret Chan delivered a stern warning to the entire gathering emphasizing the fact that the world was not prepared for another global pandemic. Here are a few extracts from her speech: “For infectious diseases, you cannot trust the past when planning for the future,” she warned. She went on to say.. “Changes in the way humanity inhabits the planet have given the volatile microbial world multiple new opportunities to exploit.” “There will always be surprises.”

She went on to speak about Zika, Ebola, and Yellow Fever.

Her warning was dire…the countries in attendance needed to prepare.

What did Belize do? Nothing? We made no preparation.

Even today as the number of cases of the COVID-19 increases in the country, we are stuck with only Central Medical Laboratory (CML) doing all the confirmation testing. God forbid this virus incidence increases substantially, there will be no way for CML to keep up with the volume of tests that will need to be conducted. We need better planning and that has not been the case.

We have done little or nothing to address the lack of proper protocols and operational manuals. Since taking office in 2008, what has this UDP Administration done to further and improve Health Care in Belize? This UDP Administration dropped the ball.

Now we face this crisis unprepared…God help us all…Reality is…only HE can.

Thanks for the space, God will help us, the UDP won’t.

Signed Knowledgable

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Dear Editor

Allow me space to ask a few questions in regards to testing for COVID-19. Dr. Manzanero has gone on record to state that he has kits and enzymes to run at least 700 tests. He then went on to say that the problem is that they do not have enough swabs to get the samples to run the tests. My first question is then, what kind of pappy show they running up in the Ministry of Health? Who does that? Even for a basic kid’s party you have… you know that if you make cheese dip for twenty people you got to have plates and tortilla enough for twenty. How can we have material for 700 tests and we do not have swabs for the same amount? Who is in charge of that gross error? Is this the reason that more testing

is not being done? Why do we not have enough swabs or is it that the staff does not know how to get the samples correctly and they have to use more than one swab per person that they test?

Then another thing, how come we turned down 25,000 tests being donated to us…yes people 25,000 free tests!!!!

They didn’t meet our requirements, which ones they didn’t meet? These tests are now in Honduras and we are running out of swabs! Just when I thought we were finally doing something right and had some faith at least in Dr. Manzanero, he is just another puppet. Guess no money kiant mek affa free thing. My last question…is this the real reason Ministry of Health the play hard fu test people? Dangerous games to be playing with people life out ya. Belize wake up! Thank you for the space Editor, God be with Belize cause fu sure government no gat we back.

Sincerely, Eloida Trejeque Belmopan Resident

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THE BELIZE TIMES

STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY OF BELIZE (UPDATED April 6th) Given the COVID cases that were confirmed in the Cayo District the Prime Minister announced the following: Bus transportation out of the Cayo District will cease for at least 14 days for non-essential (as of April 7 8pm) construction and constructions sites, private and commercial. They must now be closed in accordance with the decision taken today by the national oversight committee. They must now be closed for the next 14 days in the first instance, bakeries and tortilla factories - always those were businesses that naturally that had to be allowed to remain open.

Their opening hours though will now change. They will go from 5am - 4pm and then they initially were on the list business that could open from 5am-7pm. … possible to reduce the movement and the flow of traffic of persons.” that previously were allowed to open from 8am-7pm, convenient stores, food stores, supermarkets, meat shops, butchers, distributors and factories of carbonated and other beverages, including spirits and excluding potable water and food will now only be open from 8am-4pm.”

“So financial institutions: commercial banks, credit unions, money lending institutions, money transfer institutions and so on - they will only be able to operate between the hours of 8am and 12noon.

Markets that retail agricultural produced, fish and meat - they will be able to start opening a little earlier from 6am, but they too must close by 4pm each day.

Mechanic shops, garages and other auto parts places from 8am until 4pm.

Hardware stores for delivery services only - between 8am and 4pm.”

Below are some details that didn’t change 1. Some Belizeans have still not been taking social distancing seriously.

2. NATIONWIDE State of Emergency effective midnight this past April 1, to curtail COVID-19 spread in Belize.

3. People should stay at home during daylight hours to get FOOD, FUEL, FINANCES and MEDICINES 4. You can only move during the day (5am - 8pm) to

purchase essential needs, to get medical attention, or if you are an essential worker (Security Guards, Agriculture or Factory Workers, for example) 5. Cargo will continue to come into Belize as normal(with COVID-19 screening) 6. PM reaffirms that Belize’s food supply is secure and that health supplies are also well stocked 7. Disbursements start as early as possible for Belizeans who will be receiving economic aid 8. Food Assistance Program to be expanded to rural areas via the Ministry of Human Development 9. CURFEW: From 8pm

- 5am, EVERYTHING will be closed, NO ONE can be on the streets 10. No loitering, wandering, assembling or moving at any public place or on any public roads 11. If you are found moving, police can stop and question you. If you lack a good justification (to be listed below), you can be arrested and charged 12. Essential Workers who can work during curfew and daytime hours: Government workers, medical, public utilities, social workers, sanitation workers, productive sectors (agriculture and potable water), Statutory bodies, Staterun bodies)

15 13. Businesses that can operate from 5am - 7pm: Public transportation, Fuel stations, bakeries and tortilla factories, milling factories, port operations, farm operations, restaurants (takeout only), meat shops, 14. Businesses that can operate from 8am - 4pm financial institutions, markets, wholesalers and retailers, hotels(not for clients), mechanic shops, hardware stores, pharmacies. If you are not one of those businesses, you CANNOT OPEN AT ALL DURING THE STATE OF EMERGENCY 15. All Ports of Entries remain CLOSED even to Belizeans At the present time, this is literally life and death being grappled with. People need to heed to the overall: STAY at HOME as much as possible.

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2020

APRIL 7th

Theme: Support for Nurses and Midwives

Local Vexillology

The People’s United Party, Party Leader John Briceño, the PUP National Executive and the rest of the PUP Family

Congratulates and Give Thanks To the Nurses and Midwives of Belize. for always being there, before, and today, in Belize’s greatest time of need.

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2020

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The People’s United Party, Party Leader John Briceño, the PUP National Executive and the rest of the PUP Family

Greets ALL Belizeans On this

2020 Let’s take the time to be with our families and experience the meaning of Easter as we Stay Home as we keep Belize and our loved ones Safe

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THE BELIZE TIMES

THINK ABOUT IT

ROLL THE FOOD & THE MONEY As of Wednesday 8th April not a single soul has received a dollar of refried money. Neither a package of food stuff.

This is unacceptable. Many people are suffering. We are in a war. A war against an invisible virus. A virus, a.k.a Miss corona, which will attack our bodies, make us sick and kill a few of us. To fight against Miss Corona, the people need food and money. The Prime Minister has been talking but no food and no money has been released to the people who need it most.

There are nearly Four hundred thousand Belizeans. Half of them live in poverty. Carla Barnett and Social Security Board are the wrong choices to be involved in relief to poor and needy persons.

Miss Barnett has sat in the government and become an apologist for a corrupt government that has squandered hundreds of millions of dollars, for which bloated contracts and crookedness abound.

She is not the type of person that cares for the ordinary people.

Suffering is not her concerns. She has been Minister of Lands and Minister of Labour. No new farm lands were given out, no changes to the labor law to better the conditions of laborers. She is just like her Prime Minister talk, talk and nothing gets done.

As to S.S.B they are trained to say no. They slavishly follow crawl law that despise workers of medical, injuries and other benefits. A mechanic who has been paying for 19 years was denied nine hundred dollars for a hernia operation. Imagine working and paying Social for 19 years and can’t get a measly nine hundred dollars for a surgery at KHMH. It is therefore no surprise that the suffering people are being treated so cold and uncaring.

Pay the people their relief money.

And start giving out the foodstuff bought by their tax dollars.

DESPICABLE We have herd of and seen many disgraceful behavior by the Police, but this one takes the cake.

The Belize Times has seen a video tape in which a man, a mentally dazed woman are seemingly having sex while standing up.

Some is instructing them on what to do and telling the lady to bend way down.

Someone is filming the whole dirty, sordid episode.

The faces of the woman and the man can be seen clearly by some. The woman receives a horrendous beating from her boyfriend. The man goes into hiding as his face is on every phone.

The woman tells the people that three policeman freed her into a sex act. She can be heard in the video answering yes sir, to the voice instructing her to bend over.

The man tells everyone who wish to listen that three Police officers in uniform came out a Police marked vehicle and forced him and the woman into a sex act while one of them videos it with his phone.

This happened after 6:00am on Monday 6th April at an abandoned downstairs on Central American Boulevard.

The family of the woman, on seeing the disgusting video, immediately reported it to the police. Nothing was done. The whole Tuesday 7th April, nothing was done by Police. On Tuesday evening, Krem TV and Channel 5 reported on the sex video and related the story of the two victims that three uniformed Police forced them.

Swift action by the Commissioner of Police Chester Williams followed. He interviewed the two victims, obtained statements issued instructions and Eureka! The three police will be charged.

The People’s United Party, as soon as it verified the basic information, was the only entity to issue a strong condemnation in a Press Release.

The PUP secretariat denounced the video and shameful action of the three Police who have brought the whole Police department into dispute.

When it comes to the rights of Belizeans, the People’s United Party will stand up for the people of Belize.

COMBAT COVID 19 Keep a safe distance.

Wear a mask wash hands regularly, Don’t go out of your house unless it is …in the day.

We will defeat the virus.

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2020

THINKING OUT LOUD

BY MAYOR KEVIN BERNARD, STANDARD BEARER OF ORANGE WALK EAST

God Bless Belize

Today, in our community and in this nation – and across the entire world – we are facing a game changing virus which has been responsible for the deaths of many thousands of persons across the globe. Every single day there are thousands more deaths recorded as a result of COVID-19. We have seen the horrifying images of bodies piled up, of coffins lined up as far as the eyes can see.

We have heard the stories of loss and disbelief, of grief and pain and death. Honestly, it is hard to comprehend some of the stories and images we have seen. We can’t imagine that such devastation could come to our little Belize, this land we all love. But it can. In fact, it has.

As I write this, COVID-19 has already claimed one life, and the Ministry of Health has announced its 8th positive case.

I take some time here to pay tribute to Hubert Pipersburgh. He was a PUP soldier, yes, but for him it wasn’t ever about Party – it was always country first. Hubert was vocal in his advocacy for the land he loved. He made no secret of it.

He was a Belizean-American, but for him it was Belize always.

His passion and patriotism will be missed, and I send sincere condolences to his loved ones.

Rest in Peace, my brother.

My friends, like you I am worried. I’m worried about my family. I am worried about you and your families. I am worried about our community, our businesses. I am worried about the toll COVID-19 will take on all of us, and on the development of Orange Walk and our nation. But even as I am worried, and even as I watch the empty streets and businesses shut down, I have an underlying faith in our people who can never be broken. I feel that we are still in the ‘calm before the storm’ period when

it comes to this virus, but I also know that whatever it brings, we will rebound because we are a resilient people. We are workers, and we are survivors.

As we have been advised by health experts worldwide, and our own Ministry of Health, there are things we can do to protect ourselves and our families. We MUST practice good hygiene. We must wash our hands frequently. We MUST practice social distancing – preferably staying six feet from other persons at all times. We MUST stay at home. I understand that many of us do not have the money to stock up on groceries for a month or two and so must come out from time to time. But please, keep it minimal, and only come out when it is absolutely essential. Countries who have practiced social distancing and who have gone into lockdown immediately are those that have beaten COVID-19 and are showing signs of rebounding. If we listen and adhere to the rules, we will be okay.

I recognize those members of our business community who classify as essential services and thank you for staying open to serve our people. We must, as a community, also recognize those men and women who have left their families at home and have put their lives on the line to serve us during this uncertain time. Our Police officers have done a stellar job in ensuring that citizens adhere to the regulations, and our frontline persons in the health field are preparing for the worst.

We thank you for keeping us all safe.

I ask my people to stay strong. Find strength in each other, and in God. Being on lockdown is not easy. Trust me I know this. But for the good of the nation we must do it. We will get through this together.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Exposed

By Gilroy Usher, Sr. “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when we first practice to deceive.” – Sr. Walter Scott.

Belize is in a virtual lock down to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

This necessary measure has negatively affected domestic workers, street vendors, construction workers, persons who detail vehicles, and both traditional and regular unemployed workers, who generally have no savings.

This frightening situation materialized when Belize suffered a major blow to tourism and the economy on a whole little over a month ago. That occurred when the spread of the coronavirus resulted in a steep decline in revenue and with the loss of hundreds of jobs as the cruise ship, international airlines, and overland tour companies began cancelling calls to the country.

It is therefore shocking to know that when the P.M. spoke of millions and millions of dollars for COVID-19 assistance at his frequent press conferences, none of those funds were intended to ease the financial hardship of the most vulnerable people in our society, those at the bottom of the pyramid, the very people the ministers need the most to get elected to office.

The law governing this stimulus package basically states “Only Belizeans, who became unemployed in this year (2020) and proven by Social Security contributions made on the applicants behalf can qualify for financial assistance with COVID-19.” Exposed.

In layman words that means Belizeans who were not employed for anytime in 2019 or earlier, do not qualify for any coronavirus assistance from the government.

Only the criteria for the third category of assistance was left vague and open to different person’s interpretation. To many persons the meaning of “unemployed before COVID-19” could range from being unemployed for a month to 2 years or longer before COVID-19 began undermining the economy from around the latter part of February this year.

The conditions to qualify for financial assistance in category three was purposely not explained to the masses. Such vital information was kept secret, because the government was really only interested in assisting the stake holders in the tourism industry as was initially stated at the onset of the coronavirus.

Belize has been in recession from around the middle of last year. At that time unemployment was 10% and scores of Belizeans, who are eager to work were unable to realize that dream. It’s therefore wrong and unfair for the government to exclude all persons, who were unemployed throughout any part of 2019 from any financial assistance with COVID-19 on the grounds that all such persons are

not interested in finding jobs. When this administration was elected to office in 2008 the unemployment rate was a low 8% in line with the regional average. Under its watch it has increased by 2% due to the economic crisis the following year.

Only a very deceptive administration would allow close to 50,000 Belizeans

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to file application forms for financial assistance due to hardship caused by COVID-19 knowing fully well that the virtually unknown requirements for the financial aid would result in most of the applications especially those from the base being rejected. They have already rejected many applications for COVID-19 assistance, and very few persons have received any funds so far. .

In its second term the administration had tremendous cash through Petro Caribe and other revenue streams ; unfortunately being self-centered as they were at the time those millions were squandered on bloated contracts and sweetheart deals as if there was no tomorrow.

In their time of plenty the administration should have been practicing transparency and accountability. Had it done so, Belize would be a country today with greatly improved infrastructure across its land, and with sufficient funds to assist Belizeans financially with their hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

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2020

AN OVERVIEW

Ricardo Moguel Rosado We are on the threshold of an immediate crisis. Insidious Covid-19 has defied scientists and behaves like the pathogen of the century. It mutates thus the difficulty in finding a vaccine quickly against it. In the 70’s we were worried about Herpes, Legionaries disease, then later AIDS, Ebola, HINI influenza and SARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome. We found a way to deal with all this.

Today the world as we know it has evolved before our very eyes. Human population worldwide is threatened and disrupted by the most contagious disease known to us, COVID-19. Without firing a shot, world economies surrendered before a tiny virus.

All economies in all countries have shut down. Very little revenue is generated among the population. The Municipal bodies still have to provide services without generating income.

We are urged to stockpile food and essential commodities without anyone helping with the bills. Government needs to remove killer GST which is killing more Belizeans than the COVID -19. The prices of goods have dramatically risen because of the crisis. In the market a lime costs 50 cents now. Our cities and towns are empty. Very little economic activity is performed. All concerns are on acquiring food. The blood vessels of Belize are clogged.

The government’s handling of the crisis has produced a national disillusionment. Cruise ship arrivals were never officially interrupted until it was too late. People arriving from infected areas were allowed to roam free in the homeland and thus infect more people. Our borders remained open longer than it should. The first COVID-19 death shows how ill prepared we are to cope with immediate response to the pandemic. We need to improve the way we respond to outbreaks and the affected individuals or the virus will overwhelm us. This is part of a learning curve for us to be prepared on how to save our lives, and the professionals to learn to deal with the situation and contain the spread of the virus.

As deadly, disruptive and dangerous that this pandemic is, we are at much greater risk of exaggerated fears and misplaced priorities. COVID-19 can kill healthy adults and the most susceptible victims are the elderly with pre-existing health problems.

Recent analysis also suggest that it kills more people in poor communities and some reports show that most of the US victims have been African Americans. The young millennials who

thought they were invincible suddenly realize that they can be victims to. The case fatality risk is about 1 percent. This virus is transmitted quite efficiently with speed and severity. According to Robert Redfield, director of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 percent of people infected with the coronavirus don’t present any symptoms or fall ill but can still transmit the illness to others.

Other pandemics like SARS, the virus could only be transmitted by symptomatic carriers. This means that healthy appearance can infect many and thus the need for social distancing, 6 feet.

The responsibility of our leaders is to solve the immediate problem. The solution is not only to save lives, improve the way we respond to the outbreak but also to deal with the collateral ancillary necessities this pandemic generates. An unemployed healthy population that a few weeks ago were generating enough income to live a respectable and acceptable life style is now victim of his life style. With accumulated life enhancing items like refrigerator, fans, television, internet, washing machine and so on, the bills need to be paid. These items consume energy and water usage. The subsidiary aid government suggest to provide in electricity and water will not reach this middle income population. The aid for the 7,000 consumers are mostly the unemployed before the crisis. The aid is not helping the affected working person. Prices of goods are affecting all.

Coronavirus does not only kill it also imposes economic pain. Supply chains have been disrupted, stockpiled foods are running low, and work suspension without pay has dwindled our personal economic resource. Inhabitants are running out of money.

We are going to survive this crisis.

Our resilience is great and we are still a caring people. We must do our part.

By wearing a face mask we avoid being contaminated especially from asymptomatic carriers or MOSTLY avoid us contaminating someone. Saliva is a vector. In most contaminated places it is the law to wear the face mask. In China one is fined for not using one.

We must follow the established protocol for dealing with the crisis. Hands need to be washed with soap constantly.

People’s lock in is changing our social interaction. A good result of all this is that crime has gone down. There are less traffic accidents thus less demand for hospital beds. Our hospitals can now give full attention to the pandemic and treat people who really need it.

The sun rises every day giving us

hope. Nature is talking to us loud and clear. All over people are learning to help each other survive. The best antidote to survive the crisis is to stay home. Our leaders need to lead and be statesmen not politicians. Resources need to be allocated to all and not a select few. Our small business operators, street vendors, vegetable vendors

21 and most Belizeans need easy access to survival funds and not go through a bureaucratic labyrinth to access said funds. All Belizeans are suffering the impact, a lot are in panic and indifference will make it worse. We as citizens of Belize need to do our part not only for Belize but to save our lives, STAY HOME. This may save your life.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

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COVID-19 HOW DO WE FLATTEN THE FEAR?

The Situation: • Belize recorded its first positive case of COVID-19, on 23rd March 2020. Belize to date tested 334 persons. 295 have reported to be negative, 31 cases are in question, 8 cases have confirmed to be positive and 1 death.

• Prime Minister Dean Barrow (PM) closed all schools on March 20 and it is anticipated that schools will resume in early May if our efforts to contain the virus is realized.

The Oversight Committee has banned all public gathering of more than 10 people and closed all borders. The International Airport is closed to Commercial Airlines. Only cargo planes, trucks and ships are allowed into the country. Belizeans are not allowed to return to Belize with the exception of those returning from seeking medical attention or due to an emergency. They are however, subject to a 14-day quarantine in a specified location.

Residents are not allowed to leave the country unless it is an emergency.

• The Ministry of Health has asked that anyone having flu-like symptoms to please remain at home, self-isolate, and call the hotline at 0-800-MOH-CARE for further guidance.

• Since April 1st 2020, a state of emergency is in effect across the country, as well as a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Additional “lockdown” has been issued for the entire Cayo District with modified hours of operating for stores and businesses, inclusive of “no entry and exit” for the entire district, ONLY for essential personnel, effective 8 p.m. 7th April, 2020.

Action On The Ground • GOB has established laws in order to enhance the practicing of social distancing. Business and most of the GOB’s offices have limited work hours and/or are closed to the public. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Belizeans are now at home away from work and school.

• The MOH has laid out its plan in order to help combat the disease and treat those affected by it. They have also begun mass campaigning geared at emphasizing and educating the public in reference to the lethal aspect of the disease. YET, o Nurses’ Association, Belize Medical and Dental Association (BMDA), the military service men; have all been actively voicing their concerns as it pertains to the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to continue provide “frontline services “to the nation of Belize. o GOB, via the PM, has tried to nullify by citing that PPE will be provided and issued to every frontline worker as well as hazard payments. o All those laid-off and/or unemployed, less members from BTB, are able to access funds. o Remote villages and communities have been pushed around in reference to their nearest means to access these “humanitarian services”. Not much in place for the Rural Communities.

The Issues and possible “way forward” with the THE PLAN • Communication o

There are numerous “hotlines” numbers to call; however • Numbers are too long (alphabets are a challenge “MOH CARE, harder to follow than if it would be like a 3 digit or 4 digit , 9-1-1 or even 5-0-1) • Call credits are needed; regional numbers are post-paid and/or pre-paid, majority of the population not working so not sure how they would be able to cover calling cost, short TOLL FREE numbers would be more applicable. More hotspots in the populated centers will also assist in getting information out on a timely basis. In these times purchasing data will be secondary to purchasing food.

• Administration o MOH needs to be warned that NOT EVERYONE has social media, and there are many who do not have access to the internet, newspaper, television or radio. Would advocate to more mass texting via both SMART and BTL along with more direct communication with village leaders in remote villages. o MOH needs to liaise with Nurses’ and Medical Associations so that PUBLIC RELEASES can be tabled prior to placing on mainstream media.

• Regardless of the flaws and/or deficits, short-comings by the MOH and Task Force, the releases made by both the Nurses’ Association and the BMDA seems to have created further FEAR and increasing doubts within the nation as to how effective the action plan may be.

• Medical professionals need to be held to that standard. They need to realize that NO ONE will come and save us! We have to save ourselves!

They need to be reminded of their DUTY TO ACT along with MORAL AND ETHICAL standards!

• What can be done, since all are citing concerns about personal health? It is of vital importance that those who have predisposing conditions including obesity be removed as frontline workers, along with their benefits and be placed as non-essential workers, so that able bodies can be paid and/or facilitated to provide the much needed services. Having any level of doubt at this phase is NOT NEEDED! • Belize has two private facilities that most would argue are our BEST OF THE BEST, both have served the country for years and likewise have profited from the nation. However, one has chosen to close its doors to the nation, why? Only they can answer to such. Yet…some of their senior medical professionals can be seen doing media rounds and very often, contradicting what MOH is trying to accomplish. In doing so, they have increased the FEAR within the listening audiences. THIS needs to be addressed by MOH or GOB ASAP! IN THIS SITUATION YOU ARE LITERALLY EITHER PART OF THE SOLUTION OR PART OF THE PROBLEM! • Operational

o Across the Globe PPEs are like water in the dessert. As a result of such and also in an effort to minimize exposure and limit movements by contaminated potential patients, while reducing exposure to medical professionals, treatment zones should be established and strict adherence be taken. NO ROOM FOR ERRORS! • Active and aggressive campaigns need to be focused more on having those with signs and symptoms of COVID, utilize the hotlines.

• Where applicable have medical personals visit these patients at home!

This response currently is too slow and must be done with more urgency. Having a patient leaving his isolation and having to head over to a clinic/center/hospital increases the aspect of community transmission.

• NHI and MOH needs to amalgamate service professionals, if you take a look for example in Belize City, there needs to be ONE clinic where ALL cough and cold can be seen, triage and thus treated on a case by case basis. What we need to learn from case #4 is that multiple clinicians got exposed, because of not having a proper protocol and channel in place. If say a patient was to report to Integral and gets screen there, then if they found out such a patient matches the scale for COVID-19 testing, which means he would then need to head over to the flu clinic, in doing so, this case would now have Integral exposed and as well those at the flu clinic.

Correct measures can be having such patient utilize hotline and if needs be head directly to flu clinic, regardless of his infection depth, the goal is to centralize all cough and cold cases.

• ALL clinicians need to understand how to establish and maintain a STERILE environment. This includes from the parking lot to treatment table.

• Medical officers and nurses should NOT be moving around outside of their sterile environment with gowns and medical attire that they utilize when seeing patients! They run the risk of cross-contaminating the masses! o Action that needs to be taken when ANYONE has contracted the virus: • Because of increase FEAR, most believe that its terminal.

• MOH should be able to provide policy geared on advising once positive confirmation is made: These are to include but not limited to: • Self-isolation • Work place/Home isolation • Work zone/Home zone isolation • Work building being evacuated and decontaminated.

• How to sterilized home/work.

• Welfare o PPEs should be sorted out, sized and durability examined prior to issuing out to frontline workers • Damaged PPEs are like a Band-Aid covering a gunshot wound.

• Frontline workers should be thought and assessed on how to “done-up” PPEs. Police men and BDF have been seen using gloves and masks inappropriately. o Streets and public parking lots should be washed daily o Make-shift triage stations and tents should be standardized so that they can maintain the much needed sterile environment. o Treatment protocols of contaminated patients should be standardized. o Service and/or delivery vehicles needs to be sterilized daily. o Checks needs to be made daily at all establishments, to include restaurants, public and private businesses to ensure that they are being sterilized and/or decontaminated with approved solutions. o Military and police barracks and vehicles needs to be sterilized daily and per shift as well. o All frontline and essential workers needs to be checked upon entering and leaving shifts to ensure that status have not been changed.

CONCLUSION • COVID-19 is the new way of life. We ALL need to realize that there is NO vaccine but certain treatment at this phase have shown to be working. The world is affected, so NO ONE will come and save us! We need to find solutions ASAP and quit complaining!

• While social distancing is a way to slow down the transmission, we still need to establish sterile and/or decontaminated zones, areas both privately and publicly, individually and as groups.

• Personal physical activities and as best a healthy lifestyle are key to combatting non-communicable diseases, which are some of the main predisposing factors.

• GOB should realize that the Police have shown that they cannot or are not mature enough to provide the necessary security needed, body cams and more recording equipment are needed. The Compol is micro-managing and will burn out.

• Mental awareness and health is now needed more than ever and as such whilst GOB have cracked-down on those publicly posting false information, so too should GOB establish a task force to monitor the radio and television hosts, especially when they have panelist who are very controversial and often speak without facts. We do have freedom of speech, but not when free speech can cause mutiny and social duress. Yes!!... Very slippery and ice thin area, but times like these are masses over personal agenda!! Lives are in danger!

• As professionals all should be held accountable to both moral and ethical standards.

BT Editor: The above is an article which combines information from official press releases, gathered opinions, and own opinions of the author. It must be read as such.

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THE BELIZE TIMES

Transportation and Our Essential Citizens

Even before the Prime Minister of Belize could fathom a quarantine or a state of emergency or curfew, Belize’s transport system imposed the three unto itself with life-loving swiftness.

As ALL the UDP Ministers, Clearthe-Land Castro was like ‘clear the way’ as he shirked his duties in the transport and NEMO arenas. Does anyone know if the UDP is still in government? We see a Prime Minister now and again but as we know he is not the leader of the UDP anymore.

This past weekend, there was to be a convention that was postponed indefinitely by COVID-19 and fate. At last count, everyone in the UDP was vying for leadership including Boots Martinez who at last check was retiring into his socks. But to be fair, the UDP cannot elect a leader since these are not borne of elections. They missed the lesson that leaders of countries rise.

Sort of like John Briceño nudging our Prime Minister along.

But I digress…the transportation system was in shambles before the COVID-19 emergency and now it is non-existent. Can Castro be the minister of nothing?

If the transportation system was up to par with the times it should have been able to easily handle social distancing and hygiene. But not the sys-

tem that Castro allowed our most essential of workers to commute in. It is of note, that when closures were mandated by the state of emergencies, except for our teachers who were in virtual classrooms, the most ill-treated people by the UDP government were and still are at the front lines faring for the existence of Belize. The ICJ brouhaha is nothing besides COVID-19 which at the last minute of 2019 took over. When the bus systems quit, the real essential of workers of Belize still had to find how to get to work.

The BDF and Police who are still fighting to be included in the Social

Security scheme are at the very front of keeping people in order. Yes, there are some policemen that need to be sifted out as criminals but the majority need to be commended for placing their lives out for us. Please use you mask. Keep your hands clean and washed; and do not touch your face.

The Medical personnel who celebrates World Health Day this week will be those that will make Belize a new country. They will. They HAD TO be brought in and given accommodations since these workers usually work in towns and cities where they do not live. They need all the help they can get in terms of resources: testing

12 APR

2020

kits, work sites, Personal Protective Equipment and patience. A video showed that they need clean-up responsible people too who will similarly be protected from COVID-19.

Our farmers, they similarly are of utmost need to the country today. There is some help coming but like the relief fund it is not automatic. The Prime Minister said that we have enough food. What he did not say is for how long. Our large scale farmers, cane and citrus, in particular need to trudge on for us to pick up whatever exports allow. Our small scale farmers are those that need the economic impetus today. They will be the ones that will provide us with the chickens, vegetables and the specific foodstuff. Imported food will most likely be more expensive and should not be countenanced by Belizeans. Let us give our Belizean farmers work. Eat what they grow.

Become a farmer if you are unemployed. Entrepreneurs should look into innovation in the agricultural field. Partner with a farmer and plant food for Belize.

AS we rise out of the new imposed reality, we might be asked to live a cleaner life along with this virus. The faster we can accommodate to a prolonged social distancing and very hygiene life style the easier we will return to a semblance of a new suitable sense of Belizean society. We should be able to do this swifter than the rest of the world; even faster than our buses dropped off the highway.

12 APR 12

2020

18 JAN

THE THEBELIZE BELIZETIMES TIMES 2015

ESPAÑOL

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Tomate, sandía y papa están más baratos en las ferias del agricultor CONTRA EL CORONAVIRUS, COVID-19

Centroamérica, 8 de abril de 2020. El Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana (SICA) está comprometido en mantener una actualización permanente de los casos confirmados de COVID-19 en los países miembros, así como de las medidas de prevención, sanitarias, migratorias y económicas abordadas, por lo cual presenta un informe sobre esta situación.

El Informe N° 17 del 7 de abril, actualizado a las 7:55 p.m manifiesta que se han presentado en la región 5, 171 casos confirmados, un total de 190 fallecidos y 106 recuperados; en el caso de toda América, han surgido 384, 242 casos confirmados y en total 11, 097 muertes, según la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS).

En el marco del Plan de Contingencia Regional del SICA, los países miembros recibieron entre lunes y martes 182 mil pruebas para detectar el COVID-19, donadas por el Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica (BCIE). Cada uno de los países de la región recibió 26 mil pruebas, las cuales fueron entregadas con el apoyo de la Presidencia Pro Tempore del SICA, que para este semestre le corresponde a Honduras, a través de Juan Orlando Hernández.

La compra de los kits de pruebas de COVID-19 ha contado con el acompañamiento técnico del Consejo de Ministros de Salud de Centroamérica y República Dominicana (COMISCA), bajo las especificaciones propicias y compatibles a las necesidades de cada uno de los países.

Además, esta donación contó con el apoyo del Consejo de Ministros de Hacienda o Finanzas de Centroamérica, Panamá y República Dominicana (COSEFIN), liderado este semestre por Honduras, a través de la Secretaría de Estado en el Despacho de Finanzas, representada por Rocío Tábora Morales.

Es así como, la Administración Aduanera de Honduras, la Secretaría de Salud de Honduras y el BCIE han coordinado y facilitado el operativo para la entrega de las donaciones. Éstas han sido entregadas a los países con el apoyo de la Fuerza Aérea Hondureña.

Salvadoreños Ignoran Cuarentena en busca de apoyo económico ofrecido por el gobierno

Por Merlin Delcid, CNN Español El presidente de El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, se vio obligado a ordenar este lunes el cierre de las oficinas de los Centros de Atención por Demanda (Cenade) del Ministerio de Economía, debido a que cientos de salvadoreños se concentraron desde la madrugada para presentar su reclamo porque no fueron favorecidos con los fondos ofrecidos por el gobierno a los afectados por la cuarentena domiciliar que les ha impedido trabajar.

En busca de ser incluidos en los

listados de los beneficiados, las personas ignoraron la cuarentena domiciliar obligatoria, vigente por 30 días desde el 21 de marzo, como medida para cortar la cadena de transmisión del coronavirus.

El gobierno entrega desde el sábado 300 dólares de apoyo a las familias que no han podido trabajar durante la cuarentena domiciliar obligatoria y no poseen un empleo formal.

“Los Cenade están demasiado llenos, las aglomeraciones son un riesgo de contagio para usted, su vida y la de su familia”, tuiteó Bukele al ordenar el

Por Marvin Barquero, Nacion.com Los valores del tomate, la papa y la sandía bajaron esa semana con respecto a la anterior, en las ferias del agricultor, de acuerdo con la lista de precios sugeridos para esos mercados, que prepara el Consejo Nacional de Producción (CNP) ce Costa Rica.

Según esa fuente, el kilo de tomate bajó ¢250 con respecto a la semana anterior y le costará, entonces, ¢1.150. En lo relativo a la papa blanca, la caída del precio es de ¢50 y el kilo se ubica, con ello, en ¢875.

El kilo de sandía, por otro lado, vale para este semana ¢450, luego de una baja de ¢100 por esa unidad.

Del lado de las alzas se resaltan las de apio verde, que subió ¢200 por mata y llegó a ¢1.200, así como la de la vainica, con un precio de ¢750 el kilo, luego de un aumento semanal cierre de todas las oficinas a nivel nacional.

Bukele, quien ya había pedido disculpas el domingo por los problemas en el portal para que las personas consultaran si eran beneficiadas o no, prometió habilitar un número de teléfono gratuito este lunes para hacer el reclamo sin necesidad de salir

de ¢150.

El Ministerio de Salud mantuvo la autorización para realizar las 87 ferias del agricultor oficialmente registradas ante la Junta Nacional que conforme con una ley al respecto las coordina.

Pero se pidió extremar las medidas de higiene y control, pues a esos mercados abiertos llegan cada semana unos 200.000 compradores y 9.000 agricultores a ofrecer frutas, verduras, legumbres y oros productos frescos.

Por esa razón, la circulación de las personas se hace en un solo sentido, con una entrada y una salida, se deben lavar la manos antes de ingresar y usar alcohol en gel. Cada puesto de venta, igualmente, debe contar con jabón antibacterial y alcohol.

Aquí la lista de precios sugeridos por el CNP. de la casa. “El reclamo puede hacerlo en línea desde cualquier celular con internet, incluso si es prestado”, agregó en otro tuit el mandatario.

Otro numeroso grupo de salvadoreños, a quienes ya les fue depositado el dinero en sus cuentas bancarias, hacía fila en los diferentes bancos para retirar el dinero.

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THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES

city or state where the seizure took place. But reports of such seizures made news as recently as Friday in New York, where Governor Andrew Cuomo vowed to seize unused ventilators from private entities through an executive order in the hard-hit city.

It is still unclear how Barbadian authorities will respond, but at least for now, the 48 ventilators on island that are currently at government’s disposal appear to be more than enough with only three of the country’s 56 COVID-19 patients in need of ventilators.

“So it is absurd for anyone to say, suggest, imply or insinuate that there is a shortage or could in the foreseeable future be an acute shortage of ventilators on the island,” the Lieutenant Colonel declared.

“We have an adequate amount of ventilators at this point and ventilators have been arriving almost daily over the past two weeks or so. But up to this point, we have only had to use three ventilators,” Bostic added.

On Saturday, Democratic Labour Party President, Verla DePeiza questioned whether enough ventilators are on the island and demanded to know when more would arrive.

The Health Minister, however, disclosed that over 150 ventilators had been ordered and paid for from more than five different sources through five different sources and stressed that Prime Minister Mottley had made an “open cheque” available for the purchase of such critical supplies. (KS)

DAY OF CHAOS

CROWDS BUMRUSH STORES, ABANDON ‘SOCIAL DISTANCING’

By Anesta Henry, Barbados Today April, 3, 2020 Confusion and disorder reigned at supermarkets, minimarts and shops across the island today as thousands risked exposure to community spread of the COVID-19 virus for last-minute shopping ahead of a 24-hour shutdown. The shutdown, to last until midnight April 15, came into effect at 8 p.m.

With Barbadians being told on Wednesday that they would be expected to stay indoors as health authorities seek to halt the spread of the virus, massive crowds rushed to the stores from early morning, as prevention plans backfired and Police had to be called in at several stores to restore order.

Though many were in lines as early as 6 a.m. several of the throngs became uncontrollable, especially after those who came after the early birds shoved themselves into queues, openly disre-

2020 2020

Free CSEC, CAPE and primary school content online FLOW LAUNCHES VIRTUAL LEARNING PORTAL

Ventilators destined for Barbados seized

by U.S.

By Kareem Smith, Barbados Today April 5, 2020 The seizure of 20 ventilators destined for Barbados appears to have thrust the Mia Mottley administration into a growing global battle for critical supplies to fight the outbreak of COVID-19.

But Minister of Health and Wellness, Lieutenant Col Jeffrey Bostic on Sunday morning assured there is no shortage of the critical supplies, dismissing such suggestions as “absurd”. During a press conference at Ilaro Court, Bostic revealed that the ventilators donated to the Barbados Government as an act of philanthropy were barred from exportation.

“They were seized in the United States. Paid for, but seized, so we are trying to see exactly what is going to transpire there,” Minister Bostic disclosed.

“But I remind you that ventilators are one of the most in-demand items in the world today and Barbados is merely wrestling with the other 203 countries and territories around the world seeking to secure as many of these pieces of equipment as possible,” he added.

While initially indicating they were part of the $1.4 million in assistance pledged by Barbados-born international pop star Rihanna, he later corrected this and added that five of the ventilators sent by Rihanna would soon reach the country.

The Health Minister did not disclose the U.S.

12APR APR 12

garding guidelines requiring social distance.

At one supermarket, after security guards failed to manage crowds who blatantly defied their orders, members of the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) special security unit, commonly referred to as the task force, were called in to quell a near-riot.

Around 8 a.m. the crowd settled, then after a while, angry outbursts and confusion resumed.

Last night, it was announced that several local supermarkets partnered with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to offer special opening hours today for healthcare workers on the frontline of the fight against COVID-19 in Barbados.

Massy Stores at Worthing, Sky Mall, Warrens and Holetown and Popular Discount Branches at Kendall Hill and Spooners Hill were set to open their doors from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. to accommodate the healthcare workers.

Emerald City Supermarket provided a similar

service from 6 a.m.

At Popular Supermarket on Spooner’s Hill, several healthcare workers told Barbados TODAY that while they gladly welcomed an initiative that showed that there were some who had their best interests at heart, they believed the process could have been better organized. Several of the healthcare workers said the lines should have been better managed.

Shopper Mary Burke, a nurse, who witnessed the unruly and uncaring behaviour of some shoppers, said it gave her a headache.

She told Barbados TODAY: “Now they say over here for the healthcare workers but people still pushing and want to get to the front of the line. I was here since 6:15 a.m. this morning and people that now come trying to get in front of me and it is not fair.

And the guard whom I am not blaming for what going on know that I was here from early but he can’t do anything about it. Then the people out there fighting with each other because somebody wants to get in front of somebody.

“I just cannot understand this craziness this morning. The Police, managers of the supermarket and guards should have had this line under control since the first customer get here this morning. More police officers should be out here because the people ain’t listening to the guards.”

But one enraged woman shouted: “We been here ever since in this line and these healthcare workers now taking them time coming in.

“They should be made to join the normal line. Only deal with the ones that was here early, let the rest get to the back of the line.

This is unfair. When all of them

Over 130,000 primary and secondary school students across the Caribbean will benefit from the Flow Study program FREE of charge between now and June 15th. The Cable and Wireless Charitable Foundation (CWCF) in partnership with Flow and One-On-One Educational Services Limited will provide access to the comprehensive virtual education platform, which offers a wide array of educational content enabling students to continue their studies at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Flow Study is available to all students across the Caribbean, regardless of their network operator.

“During these times of crisis we must join forces to ensure that our children, families and communities are supported.

Given that parents are now faced with the reality of homeschooling their kids, we wanted to find a way to support them regardless which network they subscribe to,” said Inge Smidts, Chief Executive Officer of C&W Communications, operator of the Flow brand, and Chairperson of the CWCF. “Our primary concern is to ensure that students across the region continue to have access to the education they deserve and that there is minimal disruption to their learning.”

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The ability to continue with classes is even more critical for students who are preparing for CSEC and CAPE. For instructions on how to sign up, click here.

Flow Study offers: · Over 500 video lessons spanning the CSEC curriculum. · Access to digital courses for the K–8 curriculum. · Question bank and solutions with over 40, 000 exam style questions and solutions for 35 subjects. · Ten years of past paper solutions for over 17 subjects. · Digital encyclopaedia with over 9,500 digital animations and simulations for four subject areas. · Virtual science labs with more than 500 digital laboratory simulations for science subjects and skills gap testing for over 30 subjects.

“Education is a right and not a privilege. This is an important and strategic partnership for One-On-One and we are happy that the CWCF has stepped up once again to provide the funds needed to ensure that our students can continue to have access to their education,” said Ricardo Allen, Chief Executive Officer of One-On- One. “This is a platform developed by some of the best Caribbean teachers for Caribbean nationals. Our platform has the capacity to facilitate all students to learn at their own pace, anytime, anywhere and from any device. It is in times like these that we are reminded of the importance of having choices for access to education and the value of e-learning,” Allen added. (PR) healthcare workers will finish for us to go in and start shopping.”

Some shoppers, frustrated by the swelling crowds, decided that it would be best for them to find somewhere else to shop. One man, while standing in a supermarket car park, said there was no way he was not standing at the back of a line with hundreds ahead of him.

The young man, who gave his name as Jason, said: “I can’t handle that crowd. I going to a minimart of something where I could stand at my distance and get through quicker. I may got to spend a little more money but it will all work out for me in the end. I gone from here. I going somewhere else and get my groceries.”

But a number of supermarkets opened their doors later than initially announced while management and Police struggled to control shoppers. One woman was even carried away from a supermarket by police. The fiasco is almost certain to have resulted in the spread of the severe respiratory disease to more people, likely throwing public health officials’ efforts to control its spread into disarray.

The two-week shutdown occurred on the day the number of recorded cases of the virus rose to 51. Acting Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw announced that after consultation with the Attorney General Dale Marshall, senior civil servants and merchants, Cabinet decided to move the curfew time from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. as a result of shopping chaos.

Marshall said the extension was to give supermarkets, which were to close at 5 p.m. the time to allow staff to make their way home before the adjusted curfew time of 8 p.m. anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb

JUN 12 APR

2020

THE BELIZE THETIMES BELIZE TIMES

A choir decided to go ahead with rehearsal. Now dozens of members have COVID-19 and two are dead

By Richard Read, Los Angeles Times(excerpt) MOUNT VERNON, Wash.

— With the coronavirus quickly spreading in Washington state in early March, leaders of the Skagit Valley Chorale debated whether to go ahead with weekly rehearsal. The virus was already killing people in the Seattle area, about an hour’s drive to the south. The world is battling the COVID-19 outbreak that the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, which has claimed more than 33,000 lives and infected more than 710,000 people around the world. But Skagit County hadn’t reported any cases, schools and business remained open, and prohibitions on large gatherings had yet to be announced. On March 6, Adam Burdick, the choir’s conductor, informed the 121 members in an email that amid the “stress and strain of concerns about the virus,” practice would proceed as scheduled at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church.

“I’m planning on being there this Tuesday March 10, and hoping many of you will be, too,” he wrote.

Sixty singers showed up. A greeter offered hand sanitizer at the door, and members refrained from the usual hugs and handshakes.

“It seemed like a normal rehearsal, except that choirs are huggy places,” Burdick recalled.

“We were making music and trying to keep a certain distance between each other.”

After 2 1/2 hours, the singers parted ways at 9 p.m.

Nearly three weeks later, 45 have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or ill with the symptoms, at least three have been hospitalized, and two are dead.

The outbreak has stunned county health officials, who have concluded that the virus was almost certainly transmitted through the air from one or more people without symptoms.

“That’s all we can think of right now,” said Polly Dubbel, a county communicable disease and environmental health manager.

In interviews with the Los Angeles Times, eight people who were at the rehearsal said that nobody there was coughing or sneezing or appeared ill. Everybody came with their own sheet music and avoided direct physical contact. Some members helped set up or remove folding

chairs. A few helped themselves to mandarins that had been put out on a table in back.

Experts said the choir outbreak is consistent with a growing body of evidence that the virus can be transmitted through aerosols — particles smaller than 5 micrometers that can float in the air for minutes or longer.

The World Health Organization has downplayed the possibility of transmission in aerosols, stressing that the virus is spread through much larger “respiratory droplets,” which are emitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes and quickly fall to a surface. But a study published March 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine found that when the virus was suspended in a mist under laboratory conditions it remained “viable and infectious” for three hours — though researchers have said that time period would probably be no more than a halfhour in real-world conditions.

One of the authors of that study, Jamie Lloyd-Smith, a University of California, Los Angeles infectious disease researcher, said it’s possible that the forceful breathing action of singing dispersed viral particles in the church room that were widely inhaled.

“One could imagine that really trying to project your voice would also project more droplets and aerosols,” he said.

With three-quarters of the choir members testing positive for the virus or showing symptoms of infection, the outbreak would be considered a “super-spreading event,” he said.

Linsey Marr, an environmental engineer at Virginia Tech and an expert on airborne transmission of viruses, said some people happen to be especially good at exhaling fine material, producing 1,000 times more than others.

Marr said that the choir outbreak should be seen as a powerful warning to the public.

The youngest of those sickened was 31, but they averaged 67, according to the health department.

“It’s just normal random people doing things that they love to do, and all of a sudden some people are dead,” she said. “It’s very sobering.”

The USA is projected to have probably 100K deaths.

BT Editor: For the complete story visit the www.latimes.com

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL

NEWS

27

Panama’s coronavirus lockdown means separating men and women

By Patrick Oppmann, CNN Panama is taking a new -- if somewhat unorthodox — measure to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus: separation of the sexes. Starting on Wednesday, only women will be able to leave their homes to buy necessities on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Men in Panama will be allowed to venture outside to run errands on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Everyone will have to stay home on Sundays. The restrictions will last for at least 15 days, according to government officials.

The additional measures to the already-announced national quarantine in theory will make it easier for police in the Central American nation to limit the number of people going out in public.

“The great quantity of people circulating outside their homes, despite the obligatory national quarantine, has led the national government to take more severe measures,” said a statement by Panamanian President Laurentino “Nito” Cortizo on Twitter.

Earlier, Panamanian officials had

ordered all citizens to stay inside except for emergencies and to buy food. But alarmed by the number of people still going out, Panamanian officials decided to divide the week by sex to further limit how much of the public is outside their homes at one time.

Even on their designated days both men and women will only have two hours to do their shopping, according to the Panamanian government release. Panama has (on April 2) 1075 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 27 deaths, according to health officials, and has already taken some of the toughest measures in the region to stop the spread of the illness.

The country has banned all domestic and international travel. It has shut down airports and -- after a March 22 deadline -- prevented even Panamanian citizens from traveling to the country.

A nightly curfew had already kept Panamanians from leaving their homes between 9pm and 5am each day. Under the new, more stringent measures, the curfew will now begin at 5pm.

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THE BELIZE THE BELIZE TIMESTIMES

12APR APR 12

2020 2020

The Queen Addressed the UK for the 5th time EVER

The four other times the Queen has addressed the nation

By Margaret Ryan, BBC The Queen’s televised address to the nation on Sunday night April 5, 2020, in response to the coronavirus crisis, is only the fifth time the monarch has given such a speech in her 68-year reign.

While her Christmas Day message is an annual event, only rarely has she made rallying speeches at key moments in the life of the nation - predominantly at times of crisis and grief.

Now at a time when the UK faces what the prime minister has described as the ‘’worst public health crisis for a generation”, the Queen is addressing the nation again. So when were the four times the Queen previously addressed the nation in this way, and why?

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee message, June 2012 The Queen’s televised speech at the time of her Diamond Jubilee marked a moment of celebration. In the speech, which was broadcast around the world, she said she was “deeply touched” to see so many people celebrating the 60th anniversary of her accession to the throne. She said then that she hoped memories of the happy events that took place across the UK to mark the occasion would “brighten lives for many years to come”.

On the death of the Queen Mother, April 2002

A decade before, the Queen had chosen to specially address the nation on the eve of her mother’s funeral in 2002.

She said she had been deeply moved by the outpouring of affection, following the death of her “beloved mother” at the age of 101. In her speech, the Queen said she hoped the funeral would be a chance for thanksgiving, not just of her mother’s life, but the times she had lived in. She described it as “a century for this country and the Commonwealth, not without its trials and sorrow, but also one of extraordinary progress, full of examples of courage and service, as well as fun and laughter”.

On the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, September 1997

The Queen also addressed the nation on the eve of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. While other special addresses have been pre-recorded, this was broadcast live to the nation from the balcony at Buckingham Palace. Outside and clearly visible behind the Queen were crowds of thousands who had gathered outside the palace gates to lay flowers and pay tribute.

The Queen’s broadcast came after she returned to London from Balmoral, in Scotland, where she had been with her grandsons, William and Harry, after the sudden death of their mother in a car crash in Paris.

The language the Queen used in the broadcast was deeply personal. She said she was speaking “from the heart” as “your Queen and as a grandmother”.

She paid a personal tribute to Diana, saying she had been an “exceptional and gifted human being” and that she “admired and respected her for her energy and commitment to others and especially for her devotion to her two boys”.

Her speech reflected on the “extraordinary and moving reaction” to Diana’s death which saw many thousands of people pay their respects, laying flowers and tributes. The Queen said the funeral was an opportunity to express grief over Diana’s death and gratitude for her life, while also providing an opportunity to “show to the whole world the British nation united in grief and respect”.

At the time of the first Gulf War, February 1991

The Queen made a statement at the beginning of the land war in Iraq on 24 February 1991. She spoke then of the nation’s pride in its armed forces and her hope that the nation would unite and pray for a “swift” success. She said she hoped this could be achieved with “as small a cost in human life and suffering as possible,” adding that “then may the true reward of their courage be granted, a just and lasting peace.”

In making her addresses to the nation she has followed in the footsteps of her father King George VI, who took to the wireless on 3 September 1939 to make his historic speech to those listening at home and abroad at the start of World War Two. Speaking about the necessity of war, he said: “For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear and of the world order and peace, it is unthinkable that we should refuse to meet the challenge.”

She warned that the task would be hard and that there would be “dark days ahead”, adding that war could “no longer be confined to the battlefield.”

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