Tuesday, February 2, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 1 NO. 3434 BELIZE CITY, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 (20 PAGES) $1.00 Narco plane busted with over 2000 pounds of cocaine Nine men has since been arrested and charged. One of the men is the driver for the BDF BDF Commander’s Commander, Brigadier General Steven Ortega. driver arrested for drug plane landing LADYVILLE, Fri. Jan. 29, 2021 One of the lawmen arrested and charged in connection to the drug plane bust which took place early Friday morning was the driver of Brigadier General Steven Ortega. During an interview with the media on Friday, the BDF’s commander BELIZE DISTRICT, Fri. Jan. 29, 2021 Mexican air asset, intercepted a narco confirmed reports of the arrest On Friday morning at around 3:30 plane that departed from South America and shared that he was a.m., the Belize Police Department, with a little before 10:00 p.m. on Thursday distraught by the news. His the help of the Joint Intelligence driver, identified as Lance Operation Center (JIOC) and a Please turn to Page 19 Corporal Steve Rowland was the only BDF soldier arrested Belmopan 16-year-old Please turn toPage 3 community charged with grocer murdered murder of Curfew extended to Kenrick Drysdale 10:00 p.m. for adults BELMOPAN, Fri. Jan. 29, 2021 Late Friday afternoon, 53-year-old DANGRIGA, Stann Creek District, Belmopan resident Abel Baldarez was Thurs. Jan. 28, 2021 BELIZE CITY, Fri. Jan. 29, 2021 however, will remain unchanged, from murdered during a robbery that took On Thursday morning, January 28, The Ministry of Health and Wellness 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. This new announced a modification of the curfew restriction will remain in effect for 30 Please turn to Page 18 Please turn to Page 18 regulations during a press conference days. that it held on Friday, January 29, 2021. On December 15, the Government Effective February 1, 2021, the curfew of Belize implemented a set of stricter in place for adults will run from 10:00 measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 Update p.m. to 5:00 a.m., a two-hour reduction COVID-19 virus in the country. One of the curfew period that was put in of these was the curfew, which seemed (See story on page 17) place by the previous SI 175 of 2020. The curfew in place for children, Please turn toPage 19 Page 2 AMANDALABelize Tuesday, February 2, 2021 A new PUP Team 11 by Kory Leslie (freelance writer) seeking re-election. These four are the team in the elections from among twenty- The other candidates who were deputy mayor, Michael “Chips” Norales, two hopefuls. On Saturday, January 30, chosen by the delegates to be on the BELIZE CITY, Sun. Jan 31, 2021 and councilors Oscar Arnold, Candice all delegates were made to report to the PUP team are Kaya Cattouse, with a total The face of the PUP City Council Pitts and Ryan Elijio. Belize Elementary School gymnasium, of 547 votes; Edmund Kwan, with 416 team that will be seeking to be selected Following these announcements, there where they were able to cast their votes votes; Deannie Requeña with a total of by Belize City residents in the upcoming were a series of individual campaigns electronically. The results were tallied on 401 votes; Natasha Pipersburgh with 382 Municipal Elections come March 3 has launched (mainly through social media) Saturday, and by evening, the new votes, Michael Novelo with 362 votes undergone a bit of a change, following a by persons aspiring to be candidates on candidates had been announced. and Stephanne Hamilton with 324 votes. virtual convention held over the weekend. the team to represent the PUP in the The candidate who received the Mayor Wagner will also be heading this Four councilors from the previous team municipal elections. As a result, the party highest number of votes is returning new team of councilors and made the of 10 headed by Mayor Bernard Wagner hosted a convention at which delegates councilor, Allan Pollard, Jr., who got a announcement two weeks prior to the made announcements over the course had to choose the persons who they total of 630 votes. Notably, Pollard also convention that he would be seeking of this month that they would not be wanted to fill the ten seats on the PUP vied against Dianne “Sister B” Finnegan reelection because he has “unfinished in the Queen’s Square Division in the business” at the Belize City Council. past general elections, in which he almost Two candidates who were hoping to clinched a victory for the PUP. In serve for a second term were councilors You will be ticketed addition, councilor Micah Goodin, who Aisha Gentle and Delthrude Hylton, who received 550 votes, will also be seeking received 257 votes and 258 votes reelection, as well as councilors Javier respectively. As it turns out, these two According to Minister Musa, Castellanos, who got a total of 504 votes, aspirants were unsuccessful at making this ticketing system is also and Albert Vaughan, who received 377 the team of ten to represent the PUP on expected to bring much-needed votes. March 3. revenue into the country while acting as an effective deterrent. “On the last occasion of the 48-year-old Eli Chan found House of Representatives, we had proposed the issuing of violation tickets. As you know, dead in the Maya Mopan Area under the previous quarantine regulations, members of the that they saw signs of injury when his public were subjected to being body was retrieved. He shared that the detained, if they were not area where Chan was found is a remote wearing their masks, or if they location. were breaching other parts of Despite these claims, according to the regulation. They were taken Commissioner of Police Chester to the police station, they were Williams, initial reports that the body was processed, they were told to found with extensive signs of foul play return to the court the following are false. He said that police viewed no day, and that resulted in an signs of violence on Chan’s body and BELIZE CITY, Fri. Jan. 29, 2021 overcrowding, not just of the police that an autopsy is scheduled to be During a press conference hosted by station, but also of the courthouse. And performed on Monday, February 1. For the Ministry of Health and Wellness last so, we saw where that in itself could be now, the police are treating the matter as Friday, Hon. Kareem Musa, Minister of a potential super spreader, and hence a death investigation. Home Affairs and New Growth the reason we decided to move in the “On Thursday last, sometime in the Industries, announced that violators of direction of tickets for offenses, and so late evening, police were informed of a COVID-19 protocols would be these new regulations under the Public by Dayne Guy body in the Maya Mopan area, where, subjected to tickets that will result in Health Safety Act, provide for the upon arrival, they observed the apparently $500 fines. The Minister shared that this issuance of violation tickets,” Minister MAYA MOPAN BELMOPAN, Thur. motionless body of Eli Chan, face down approach will limit interaction between Musa said. Jan 28, 2021 on the ground. As a result, the scene was the police and the general public. He noted that these tickets will be The body of 48-year-old Eli Chan was processed and the body was removed. In recent months, hundreds of issued to persons who are found outside found face down on a farm in the Maya An inspection of the body revealed that Belizeans have been arrested and charged during the curfew hours, those found Mopan area of Belmopan last Thursday there were no visible signs of injuries. The for breach of the various COVID-19 not wearing a face mask properly, and evening. body was removed, where a postmortem regulations. The personal contact with persons found in breach of social Chan was last seen leaving his house is scheduled either for today or tomorrow, violators that was necessary for police distancing protocols. Also, if persons on Wednesday, and had reportedly told which will determine the cause of death”, officers to make those arrests contributed are found playing any contact sport, his family that he was going to a friend’s stated Assistant Commissioner of Police, to the infection of hundreds of police they will also be ticketed. farm. According to the family, Chan Joseph Myvett, who is the head of the officers since the start of the pandemic. Minister Musa shared that persons reportedly frequented the farm with his Crime Investigation Branch (CIB). The mass arrests for violations also entering the country through the Philip friends, but suspicions were raised when He added, “We also know that the imposed additional strain on the courts, Goldson International Airport must also he didn’t return home that day. deceased was an alcoholic and would which are already bogged down with adhere to these regulations put in place In speaking to local media, the brother- consume alcoholic beverages daily, and enormous caseloads and limited judicial by the Ministry or be subjected to being in-law of Chan said that the family he has been frequently in the area where personnel. ticketed as well. believes that Chan was murdered and he was found.” The investigation into this case is ongoing. Tuesday, February 2, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 3 All land borders will remain closed BELIZE CITY, Fri. Jan. 29, 2021 of Health and Wellness Michel Chebat Minister Chebat shared that public health see where we are with this particular The Corozal Free Zone (CFZ) has emphasized.