Friday, April 16, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 1 NO. 3452 BELIZE CITY, FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021 (36 PAGES) $1.50 Commissioner calls fire sale inquiry “a mockery” Press Office pulls plug on fire sale inquiry after PSU rep. drops bombshell Nurses ready for BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Apr. 15, 2021 Anthony “Boots” Martinez was to This morning the Government Press appear before the commission, to industrial action Office chopped the scheduled broadcast answer questions regarding his of today’s session of the Commission purchase of an F-150 pickup from the of Inquiry into the fire sale of Government. Before he could start his government assets after PSU testimony, Commissioner Luke representative, Luke Martinez, Martinez requested the permission of delivered a stunner of a statement. the Chairman of the committee, Andrew “The PSU wishes to express its Marshalleck, to make the statement, outright disappointment in the which he was allowed to deliver in its Government of Belize for what we entirety. respectfully consider a mockery of the However, the live-streaming video Commission of Inquiry, as we continue on the Government of Belize’s to witness the fire sale of public assets Facebook page was cut and deleted whilst this process is ongoing,” BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Apr. 15, 2021 Martinez said. Please turn toPage 4 The Nurses Association of Belize (NAB) released a statement yesterday, on April 14, informing the Government PSU commences Ivorr Realty of Belize that they will stand in support of the Joint Unions Negotiation Team awarded $5.6 in rejection of the proposed 3-year industrial action salary cuts for public workers. million by court The association further advised the Government of Belize that they Please turn toPage 35 GoB sends unions proposed pay cut plan BELIZE CITY, Tues. Apr. 13, 2021 and the wider public of an existing BELIZE CITY, Tues. Apr. 13, 2021 The Public Service Union (PSU) trade dispute between the union and The Government of Belize has released a letter dated April 12, 2021 Please turn to Page 35 informing its general membership Please turn toPage 35 Casinos opened New Covid-19 regulations already (See story on page 3) BNTU members agree to industrial action (See story on page 30) BELIZE CITY, Wed. Apr. 14, 2021 In a letter dated April 13, 2021, the Ministry of the Public Service officially gave the Public Service COVID-19 Union its proposed schedule for the salary cuts and increment freezes that BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Apr. 15, 2021 Wednesday night. SI No. 43 of 2021 will be implemented. update The Government of Belize updated (See story on page 33) the COVID-19 regulations late Please turn toPage 4 Please turn toPage 34 Page 2 AMANDALABelize Friday, April 16, 2021 Grocery Bag Program PM visits new COVID-19 unit spending to be cut deep appreciation and gratitude to the doctors and the nurses and the entire staff by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.” BELIZE CITY, Wed. Apr. 14, 2021 When asked if he thinks Last week the Prime Minister, the KHMH’s unit can now Hon. John Briceño, presented the withstand another wave of 2021-2022 budget in the House of the virus if necessary, the Representatives. In addition to Prime Minister made informing the public of the mention of a number of fixes government’s highly controversial that occurred and expressed decision to cut the wages of public his satisfaction with the officers, he also listed in his modifications: presentation the amount of funding that “God forbid we don’t would be allocated for various have another wave, and we government initiatives, and many took are doing everything note that there is going to be a possible to be able to reduction of spending on the ongoing contain that with the testing grocery bag food assistance program. and the vaccines, and I take The GOB has allocated $3 million the opportunity to encourage to the program in the 2021-2022 by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) more people to please go and take budget, which means that the usual She further explained, “Now, it your vaccination. But I believe that $95 that was allotted for the items in will have to be reduced in terms of BELIZE CITY, Wed. Apr. 14, 2021 they are pretty much ready. God one grocery bag will be cut to about the clients that we can reach. Because On Wednesday, the Prime Minister, forbid, if there’s a second wave, they $75. it really cannot be a free-for-all. And Hon. John Briceño, accompanied have fixed what needed to be fixed The Minister of Human this is one of the difficulties that we Minister of Health and Wellness, and they were having problems in Development and Families, Hon. have had. I have acknowledged Hon. Michel Chebat, on a visit to the the I.C.U. with oxygen and the Dolores Balderamos Garcia, spoke publicly that the vetting process for Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for electrical and all of that. All of that with members of the media regarding the B.C.C.A.T. has been flawed. But a tour of the hospital’s recently has been done, and they have done the cut, and she said she believes that since it is a World Bank project, we retrofitted COVID-19 unit. PM some further retrofitting and $3 million is not much, but is a start: do have to carry it on up to July or Briceño mentioned that he received reorganizing and restructuring the “First, we realize in these very lean August. And after that we will be an invitation from the CEO of the hospital. So, I am pretty confident times we can’t just yank the food focusing on the food assistance. And Health Ministry to take a look at the that should there be another wave assistance program. We will not be I believe that will be able to take us work that has been done at the KHMH that they would be able to assist as able to have as much, but we do have on to December. Beyond that we in order to provide better treatment best as we possibly can and to give a three million there that we can start cannot speak.” to those battling with the virus, and necessary service to the Belizean with. And also, we may be able to “I am hoping, gentlemen and ladies he gladly accepted the invitation. people,” he said. move some money from other line of the media, that by then we will be Following his tour of the new The Prime Minister further stated, items in Cap 2, so that, for example, able to put more of our people to unit, Hon. Briceño told the media, “We are fully committed. We had a we may be able to add in another two work. Giving out groceries, yes, to “I got an invitation from the CEO short meeting with the C.E.O. and hundred and fifty thousand and some our most vulnerable is a good thing, and the Minister of Health to come also with Mrs. Lydia Blake, who is more money from Cap 3 if we are but really when you look at it, it is in and to take a firsthand look at the the president of the workers union, able to access it. But it will depend unsustainable. So, our goal has to be work that they’re doing in the and I am very pleased with what I on the availability of the cash,” she putting Belizeans back to work,” KHMH, and it’s incredible work. I heard from her, because she was said. Balderamos Garcia said. am stunned to see the level of work saying that they are committed and and commitment from the staff and determined employees of the employees at Karl Heusner. I think hospital, recognizing that services it’s an untold story that people must go on.” PM on Reopening Borders should know how they pretty much Hon. Briceño also shared that the retrofitted a hospital within a GOB has allocated $25 million of hospital. There was no blueprint. the national budget to health and the by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) hundreds of people, and so we felt Everyone was learning about national COVID-19 response as a as a Cabinet that it is time to allow COVID. And I want to express my part of Capital Expenditure 2. BELIZE CITY, Wed. Apr. 14, 2021 them to open under strict safety While being interviewed by the guidelines and standards. Social media following his tour of the distancing, the mask- wearing, and newly modified COVID-19 Unit at everything that goes along with that. the Karl Heusner Memorial So, we have done that. As to Hospital, the Prime Minister, Hon. opening up the borders, it’s not only John Briceño, was also asked about about opening up borders, but we the possibility of the borders being also have to see what is happening reopened. So far, only the on the other side of the border. commercial free zones at the Mexico continues to have a borders have been allowed to challenge with COVID. They have operate, and on Wednesday, the not taken it on as seriously as we Ministry of Health and Wellness have in Belize. And also, announced that casinos and Guatemala also has its problems.” gambling establishments will be The Prime Minister went on to allowed to reopen as of Friday, remark, “Fortunately, we have put April 16. These were Hon. in the necessary attention and taken Briceño’s remarks on the reopening the drastic decision to be able to try of borders: to control COVID.