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Friday, March 26, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 1 NO. 3448 BELIZE CITY, FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021 (36 PAGES) $1.50 Suspected Belizean pirates arrested in Honduras BELIZE CITY, Tues. Mar. 23, 2021 A joint operation called “Alto Impacto”, which was led by the Millions owed, no Honduran INTERPOL Unit, resulted in the detention of six Belizeans and two Hondurans who are believed to money trail, says have been involved in the theft of six boat engines, that were allegedly to Belmopan mayor be used for drug trafficking. The arrest took place in Puerto Cortes, Honduras. The detained men reportedly have extended criminal records and are facing immigration charges for illegally entering Honduras. Reports indicate that the arresting unit is Please turn toPage 34 Back to school Jaguars humbled by in 3 weeks! regional power, Haiti Belize played gallantly, but lost 2-nil to Haiti BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 25, National “A” Team, the Jaguars by Dayne Guy 2021 gave their all for ninety minutes What more can we ask? This at the Sylvio Cator Stadium in BELMOPAN, Thurs. Mar. 25, 2021 afternoon, Belizean football fans Port Au Prince, Haiti, against On Wednesday, the newly elected mayor of at home watched, perhaps with Please turn to Page 35 Belmopan, Hon. Sharon Palacio, delivered a unfair expectations, as our speech in which she outlined the state of the Belmopan City Council’s finances and charted a roadmap for the development of the capital city. US Govt. donates counter narcotics Palacio said that when she examined the financial equipment to Belize Coast Guard records of the Belmopan City Council, she was perturbed by the degree of local Please turn to Page 4 BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 25, 2021 The United States Embassy Update from Cabinet by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) today donated by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) $400,000 BELIZE CITY, Wed. Mar. 24, 2021 worth of BELIZE CITY, Wed. Mar. 24, 2021 After a year during which Belize’s maritime and The Cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss students were taught almost entirely tactical urgent challenges facing the country. through online schooling platforms, equipment to Possibly the most urgent of these matters the Ministry of Education, Culture, the Belize Coast Guard. The donation included six outboard involves the ongoing discussion between the Science, and Technology (MoECST) engines, navigational equipment, Please turn to Page 35 government of has called for the phased re-opening maintenance tools, and fifteen sets Belize and the Please turn to Page 2 of schools in less than three weeks, and Cabinet has given the plans for an April reopening the green light. The LPG prices go up Covid-19 update (See story on page 4) Please turn toPage 35 (See story on page 4) Page 2 AMANDALABelize Friday, March 26, 2021 10 metric tons of cacao exported to the US TOLEDO DISTRICT, Wed. Mar. 24, 2021 A total of 10 metric tons of cacao beans will be exported to the United States after being loaded into containers this past week by the Toledo Cacao Growers Association. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise announced that over 200 farmers produced cacao beans in the southern districts of Belize, achieving an annual yield of around 50 tons. Farmers who belong to the Toledo Cacao Growers Association are divided into 55 different communities engaged in cacao production and have been equipped with the skills needed to cultivate, ferment, and dry cacao beans to make them ready for the market. Hon. Eamon Update from Cabinet Courtenay attends Continued from Page 1 “place Belize’s tourism sector back on path with pre-pandemic growth Council Meeting of Joint Union Negotiation Team trends, and motivate the sector to regarding the proposed salary cuts for embrace a more market-centric, public officers and teachers that is digitally inclined and resilient Foreign Ministers expected to be included in the national future.” budget for the upcoming fiscal year.. The Cabinet also heard from the According to the Cabinet brief Ministry of the Blue Economy and posted by the Government of Belize Civil Aviation regarding the planned Press Office on Wednesday, the modernization of Belize’s Aviation government’s budget consultation Safety and Security Oversight team updated Cabinet on their most System. Approval was given for the recent response to the union’s latest Ministry’s recommendations, which correspondence and their intention to include modernizing the oversight continue those discussions in good system to address the current faith. problems in the system, considering Further, the Cabinet also tabled future hiring of more aviation and approved a plan presented by the professionals that will allow for Ministry of Education which would management of future growth in the allow for the “phased return of face- aviation industry, putting measures to-face instruction of schools at all in place to allow for revenue by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) stressed the significant impact that these levels and sectors across the country collection from aviation activities, groups have had on the development beginning April 12, 2021.” This gives and seeking funding for the continued BELMOPAN, Wed. Mar. 24, 2021 of the Central American region and educators just over two weeks to implementation of the modernization This week, the Minister of Foreign appealed for the respect of their human prepare to meet with students for the of Belize’s aviation safety and Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration, rights and dignity and their equitable first time in over a year. oversight system. Hon. Eamon Courtenay, participated in inclusion in the aforementioned The Ministry of Finance, Finally, the Cabinet also heard the 83rd Meeting of the Council of vaccination and empowerment Economic Development and Industry from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Ministers of SICA under the initiatives. was also an area of focus, as the Foreign Trade and Immigration, leadership of Costa Rica, the current Additionally, the Foreign Cabinet took note of their efforts to Hon. Eamon Courtenay, regarding a Presidency Pro-tempore of SICA. Ministers received a report from the improve investor confidence, boost successful meeting between the This year’s virtual meeting of the Director for Latin America and the competitiveness and modernize the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of council featured discussions about the Caribbean, Ms. Jolita Butkeviciene, sector altogether. This is reportedly Belize and the Republic of Regional Plan of Action for the of the Office of the Director General being achieved through the Guatemala, during which both Comprehensive Management of for International Cooperation and consolidation and modernization of ministers expressed a desire to Migration in the Central American Development in the European the law framework for companies in improve the bilateral relationship, Region, the distribution of COVID-19 Commission, who “highlighted the Belize. especially in the areas of trade, as vaccines within Afro-descendant EU Cooperation for the SICA Cabinet also approved the well as the importance of communities, and the importance of Region”, in light of the EU’s role as Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora maintaining dialogue and empowering afro-women and youths SICA’s largest partner. Relations’ National Tourism implementation of the 2005 through the provision of access to A government press release states Recovery Plan, which is intended to Confidence Building Measures. educational scholarships, which were that “Ministers were also briefed on all presented and emphasized by the management and implantation of Minister Courtenay. SICA’s regional cooperation and Hon. Courtenay also highlighted the contributions from SICA donor ongoing migration crisis in our region partners.” The Minister of Foreign Wear a mask. as well as the urgent need for an integral Affairs was also joined by Chief response that would serve to protect Executive Officer of the Ministry, the human rights of migrants. Regarding Amalia Mai, and foreign service Save lives. the region’s inhabitants who are of officers Emil Waight and Jenina African descent, Minister Courtenay Urbina. Wear a mask Clean your hands AMANDALA - The best there is! Keep a safe distance Friday, March 26, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 3 H.E. David Chien named Ambassador of Taiwan to Belize by Dayne Guy Taiwan’s new ambassador to Turks and the Caicos Islands. In diplomatic ties since 1989. Belize has Belize, H.E. David Kuan-Chou addition, he oversaw consular remained diplomatic allies with BELIZE CITY, Belize. Mon. Mar. 22, Chien, served as the Director services in the Dominican Republic. Taiwan, even as many countries have 2021 General of the Taipei Economic and In his letter of credence, Chien cut ties in favor of the People’s Today, Monday, March 22, His Cultural Office in Miami. He headed conveyed greetings on behalf of the Republic of China. Belize has Excellency Sir Colville Young, the diplomatic, consular and president of Taiwan, Her Excellency consistently supported Taiwan on Governor General, received letters economic development headquarters Tsai Ing-wen, and pledged to rally numerous occasions, including in of credence from the newly appointed of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in for the interests of both countries and international platforms like the Ambassador of the Republic of China Florida, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin to strengthen the existing relationship United Nations. Most recently, the two (Taiwan) to Belize. Islands, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the between Belize and Taiwan. countries co-signed