Tuesday, May 18, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 1 NO. 3461 BELIZE CITY, TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2021 (16 PAGES) $1.00 Teachers reject PM’s “last” offer Members of the BNTU staged a series of blockades on bridges and roads across the country. PSU votes to continue strike BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 17, 2021 Today the Public Service Union (PSU) released a video that informed all its members and other public officers that the union has received a mandate BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 17, 2021 how to proceed following their from its membership to continue Over the weekend the leadership receipt of the Prime Minister’s “last, its industrial action. of the Belize National Teachers Union best offer.” The announcement was made sought feedback from its membership after a weekend gathering and an in an effort to obtain a mandate on Please turn toPage 15 effort by union leaders to survey members of the union to determine their collective Another narco jet lands in position on the most recent proposals made by the Government Please turn toPage 14 northern Belize 21 COVID-19 cases Woman dies at Princess Casino in tragic RTA BLUE CREEK, Orange Walk later be seen, in air asset surveillance District, Fri. May 14, 2021 footage, is the swarming of the plane In the late hours of Thursday night, by a group of armed persons — at by Dayne Guy a luxury business jet carrying least 60 persons, reportedly— who suspected cocaine landed in Blue George Price Highway, Cayo Creek, in northern Belize. What could Please turn toPage 14 by Dayne Guy District, Fri. May 14, 2021 A traffic accident on the BELIZE CITY, Belize. Sun. May 16, 2021 George Price Highway on On Saturday, May 15, 82 members of the staff Friday, May 14, left one PM optimistic about of the Princess Casino were tested for COVID- woman dead and several other 19, and 21 of those persons were found to be people injured. infected with the virus. The outbreak has According to police bond restructuring surfaced just a few weeks after the government reports, officers were notified (See story on page 13) decided to allow the gambling Please turn toPage 15 Please turn toPage 14 Land borders remain closed (See story on page 3) Page 2 AMANDALABelize Tuesday, May 18, 2021 BPAHM pushes for food Iris Salguero represents security in Belize Belize in the 69th Miss Universe pageant BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 17, 2021 The current Miss Universe Belize, Iris Salguero, has been in Hollywood, Florida, for the past week representing Belize at the 69th edition of the Miss Universe pageant. She is the 31st beauty queen to represent Belize in this international competition. Salguero is a 24- year-old San Pedro local who ran on a domestic violence awareness platform inspired by her own experiences during a past abusive relationship. by Dayne Guy efforts of countries in the region She financed her own high toward meeting Sustainable school education and BELIZE CITY, Fri. May 14, 2021 Development Goal #2, which is graduated as salutatorian, and On Thursday, members of the focused on ending hunger, achieving she now plans to further her House of Representatives and the food security, and improving studies with a Bachelor’s Senate met at the House of Culture nutrition and food security degree in digital marketing. in Belize City for the first working worldwide. FAO believes Salguero and 73 other delegates competition in 2018. meeting of the Belize Parliamentary eradicating hunger and malnutrition participated in the National Costume Although Miss Mexico Universe Alliance Against Hunger and by 2030 requires strategies, public Competition as well as competition Andrea Meza took the title of Miss Malnutrition (BPAHM). At the policies, national laws, and in other preliminary categories, Universe 2021 on coronation night, meeting, the technical working programs that ensure equitable which all culminated with the final Salguero took to social media to committee of the alliance provided access to food and improved diets. Miss Universe coronation night on express her gratitude for the support an update on the progress of the In 2019, Belize joined 19 other May 16, 2021 at the Seminole Hard of the Belizean people, saying, initiative, and they expressed their countries in this coordinated fight Rock Hotel and Casino. Salguero’s “Thank you for the love and support commitment to advocate for needed against food insecurity and national costume was inspired by the that you guys have been showing me.” policies, legislation, activities and malnutrition. Baron Bliss Lighthouse, and during She went on to say, “I am more than awareness campaigns that can The BPAHM is currently the evening gown competition she satisfied with the fact that you guys minimize hunger and malnutrition. spearheaded by the Speaker of the wore a dress designed by Filipino are proud and that you’re satisfied. I The Parliamentary Alliance House of the Representatives, Hon. fashion designer Jian Lasala. am grateful for this experience and Against Hunger and Malnutrition for Valerie Woods. Members of both the Salguero is no stranger to the I’ve met wonderful women, and I Latin America and the Caribbean current government and the international pageant scene, as she know that I left my heart on that was first established in 2009 by the Opposition have voiced their represented Belize at the Miss World stage.” Miss Belize Universe also Food and Agriculture Organization support for the initiative. In Pageant in 2016, at the Miss Earth expressed her belief in “divine (FAO) with the aim of steering the acknowledgement of that bipartisan pageant in 2017, and in the Miss timing” and wished all the best to support, Woods commented, “It is an America Latina del Mundo Miss Universe 2021. example that with inter-ministerial collaboration, bi-partisan support Fuel prices and joint alliances between the House of Representatives and the Curfew to continue, Senate, there are sound rise again parliamentary institutions and says COMPOL initiatives that carry over with new parliaments for the wider benefit of BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 17, the population.” 2021 The alliance comes at a needed Over the weekend, on time. Woods noted, “Belize’s health Saturday, May 15, the 30-day statistics, particularly in relation to curfew period that had been food insecurity, under-nutrition, established by Statutory obesity and non-communicable Instrument no. 51 came to an diseases, further demonstrate the end. critical need for the country to have However, the Commissioner a serious long-term commitment to of Police, Chester Williams, BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 17, 2021 promote healthy eating and a published a Facebook post Over the weekend, on Saturday, healthier lifestyle, with a particular which informed the public that the 5:00 a.m. the following morning on May 15, the pump prices of two types focus in our schools. BPAHM brings curfew period has been extended. Fridays and Saturdays. of fuel increased. this commitment from the highest Many in the public were outraged by The curfew for children will The Government of Belize issued level of decision making.” the use of such an informal medium remain the same — from 6 p.m. to 6 a release late on Friday evening to So far, the alliance has engaged to make this type of announcement. a.m. each day, with children being inform the nation of increases in the in the promotion of family gardening, He later posted a copy of SI no. 52 allowed out with a parent beyond prices of premium and regular school feeding programs and school of 2021. their curfew time. gasoline, effective May 15, 2021. gardens. Under the new SI, which was Under the previous UDP Premium gas, which previously At the meeting on Friday, gazetted on May 14, 2021, an administration, which had been was being sold for $11.26 per gallon, members of the working committee additional 30-day curfew period, tasked with tackling the pandemic in now costs $11.54 per gallon, after a further exchanged suggestions and which started on May 15, 2021, was its early stages, the former Attorney 28-cent increase. The price of regular ideas for new interventions and put in place, on the heels of the end General, Michael Peyrefitte, usually gas has been increased by 26 cents, activities. These, in turn, will guide of the previous curfew period. The presented to the public, the details of from $10:69 to $10.95 cents per the initiative for the remainder of the hours at which the curfew for adults a new SI before it was legislated — gallon year, 2021, and will also be a source starts and ends will continue to be and many members of the public now The prices of other fuel products of insight when an official work plan 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. from Sundays view that approach as the proper remain unchanged. for 2022 is drafted. to Thursdays and from midnight to protocol for the passing of such laws. Tuesday, May 18, 2021 AMANDALABelize Page 3 Land borders PSU members mulling remain closed over GOB’s offer (From page 1) BELIZE CITY, Sat. May 15, 2021 On Friday, the 1st vice president of the Public Service Union (PSU), Dean Flowers, told local media that when approximately 200 members of the union were surveyed immediately after the last meeting between the government and the Joint Unions Negotiating Team, the initial response of the majority of those 200 members to government’s last BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 17, 2021 and use the protocols that we have at proposal was favorable. The land borders of Belize have been the airport to be able to put it in place Over the weekend the union rolled closed since the outbreak of the Covid- at the land, and basically the important out a national survey of its members 19 pandemic.