Tuesday, May 11, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 1 NO. 3459 BELIZE CITY, TUESDAY, MAY 11, 2021 (16 PAGES) $1.00 Bondholders and GoB, no deal yet BELIZE CITY. Mon. May 10, 2021 Last week, a meeting scheduled between holders of Belize’s Super- GOB tables new bond and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Chris Coye, was proposals to unions canceled after the Creditor Committee’s representatives BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 10, 2021 indicated that the meeting would be A meeting between the Joint fruitless if Belize refuses to sign on Unions Negotiating Team and the to an IMF support plan. Government of Belize officials ended Please turn toPage 15 Please turn toPage 15 Abusive relationship ends in fatal arson by Dayne Guy St. Matthews Village, Cayo District, Mon, May 10, 2021 A mother and her 3-year-old son were reportedly burned to death in the village of St. Matthews when their home was set on fire. Her ex- common law husband is the prime suspect. According to police reports, this heinous act of arson-turned-murder occurred sometime before 11:00 o’clock on Friday night. The house of 36-year-old Kendra Middleton PM gets the jab was burnt to the ground, while she and her three-year-old child, Aiden Perez, were inside. They both perished. Unions rally at Memorial Park When firefighters arrived at the scene, the blaze had already Please turn toPage 14 Former George Street boss’s son murdered BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 10, 2021 organized resistance to salary cuts in by Dayne Guy On Friday, May 7, the members of the public sector. They gathered at a the Joint Unions came out in their Bullet Tree Falls, Cayo District, Fri. largest numbers since the start of their Please turn toPage 15 May 7, 2021 The Prime Minister, John Briceño joined the almost 50,000 persons in Belize who have been vaccinated Four elders shot, two through the inoculation program of the Ministry of Health and Wellness. dead on George Street Prime Minister Briceño, for a long (See story on page 14) (See story on page 14) Please turn toPage 14 Page 2 AMANDALABelize Tuesday, May 11, 2021 Public Service Ministry gets new CEO BELMOPAN, Sun. May 9, 2021 a doctorate in economics with a focus The Government of Belize on poverty and social development. announced a realignment of the CEOs With the government determined to in the Ministry of the Public Service balance economic recovery and the and the Ministry of Economic nation’s development in Development. Dr. Osmond Martinez, unprecedented times.” who had been serving as CEO in the Rolando Zetina will be the new Public Service Ministry, has now CEO in the Ministry of Public been appointed as the CEO in the Service. Zetina served almost 20 Ministry of Economic Development. years on the Social Security Board In a press release issued on Friday, and acted as CEO for a period. May 7, the government stated that Dr. The GOB release stated, “He holds Martinez, who holds a doctorate in degrees in business administration economics “would better save the and accounting, and his background nation in the Ministry of Economic in decision-making and fiscal Development”. discipline will be critical to the The release stated, “Dr. Martinez reforms which are an integral part of served as CEO in the Ministry of the the Ministry’s mandate.” Public Service, Constitutional and This transfer comes after public Regulations. The then CEO in the breach and against the Public Political Reform in the months after service union representatives made Ministry, Dr. Martinez, had signed off Service Regulations, kindly bring the 2020 general election. He holds public allegations of victimization on these transfers. that forward. We will also be against a number of their union During an interview on Thursday, requesting a thorough review and a members. Many of these persons the PSU’s 1st vice president, Dean full review of every single transfer reportedly received letters of transfer, Flowers, stated, “I want to reassure in the public service under the CEO, Bars must contrary to the Public Service my public officers that if you have who I understand demits office on been victimized and you have Friday for transfer to another remain closed received a transfer letter that is in ministry.” Electricity rates might MOHW retrofits Bullet Tree go down health centre by Dayne Guy BELIZE CITY, Sun. May 9, 2021 The Government of Belize has been progressively lifting some of the restrictions that have been in place under the current COVID-19 protocols. Casinos are now opened, sports training is now allowed with by Dayne Guy The Prime Minister, Hon. John certain provisions, and the start of the BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 10, 2021 Briceño, who was present at the curfew has been pushed backward to The Public Utilities Commission Bullet Tree Falls Village, Cayo reopening, commented, “What Micho midnight on weekends. However, the (PUC) released its 2021 Annual District, Fri. May 7, 2021 and his team are doing here today is restrictions which prohibit the Review Proceedings Initial Decision The Government of Belize and the just a small step towards what we opening of bars and clubs remain in on April 30, 2021. The commission Ministry of Health and Wellness want to do with the health system — place. reassessed the Mean Electricity Rate (MOHW) officially reopened the making sure that everybody can have In a recent interview, Hon. Kareem (MER) for the Full Tariff Period of recently retrofitted Luisa Manzanero access.” Hon. Briceño received the Musa, the Minister of Home Affairs July 1, 2020 to June 3, 2024 at Health Centre in the village of Bullet first dose of the Astrazeneca jab that and New Growth Industries, warned $0.3999, which is lower than the Tree Falls this Friday, May 7, 2021. was issued at the newly reopened bar owners who are selling liquor current rates and could thus result in The reopened facility is expected health center. unaccompanied by food. In his a reduction in the rates payable by to provide access to healthcare Hon. Briceño also commented on remarks, he said, “I want to advise consumers. services to over 6,000 residents of the state of the country’s finances. all bars that this statutory instrument While this rate is not finalized, the Bullet Tree and surrounding areas. “We knew that there were going to has not been changed in relation to reassessed MER represents a The Minister of Health and be problems, that there were going bars. What is in place, again, and this decrease of $0.0019 from the Wellness stated at the reopening to be challenges, but trust me, I didn’t is worth repeating every time we previously approved rate of $0.4018. ceremony, “This is in keeping with know it was going to be that bad. I speak to the media, is that only Interested parties are expected to my promise as your area rep to said, ‘Lord, I knew it was going to restaurants are allowed to open at this submit comments on the PUC’s improve the lives of our residents in be bad, but not that bad’,” he said. time. So if it is that a bar is open and review by the end of the day on May Cayo North, and it is a part of the The newly retrofitted health center not serving food with alcohol, they 10, 2021, but the Commission has commitment made to the Belizean will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 are in direct breach of the statutory already approved the tariffs for the people in our PlanBelize manifesto, p.m. The facility will provide a range instrument. So, I want to encourage period of July 1, 2021, to June 30, where we promised to retrofit of outpatient services such as general bar owners to please pay attention to 2022. existing healthcare facilities and build checkups, pediatric services, the statutory instrument and what you We attempted to reach out to Belize more community health clinics. This dressings, vaccinations and Pap are allowed to do under the law.” Electricity Limited for comments, but is a dream that has finally come true smears, among other necessary Musa further stated that the were unsuccessful. for the villagers of Bullet Tree.” services. regulations that are in place will be revisited as progress is made, and the current restrictions will at the right time be lifted. AMANDALA is cream! Tuesday, May 11, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 3 PM disappointed in Unions BELIZE CITY, Fri. May 7, 2021 He noted that it seems the strike has have the money.” PM Briceno During an interview with the not had a major impact on the said. director of the Government Press economy, despite public officers and He added that even with the Office on Thursday, May 6, 2021, teachers being out of their place of 10% salary cuts and the Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño work for almost two weeks now. adjustments made in the commented that while the meetings “Well, fortunately it seems that it is budget for this fiscal year, the with the unions are reported to be not having a major impact. I believe Government will still be short cordial, he is disappointed that those that, generally, Belizeans understand of $100 million to pay sessions have yielded no agreement. what we are doing. Belizeans salaries. He remarked that while the understand that we are not acting out “[With] the 10% cut that government respects the rights of the of malice, Belizeans understand that we have already done, unions, the administration has a greater there is a financial crisis, Belizeans because the budget has responsibility to the rest of the nation.