7 News Belize

GOB Will Make More Money Available
posted (March 13, 2020)

We also asked the Prime Minister about funds for responding to the Coronavirus. Initially government had earmarked $900,000 at the request of the Ministry of Health. But, the budget for response will soar well above that. The PM said yesterday thatchy will have to find the money:..

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"We are perfectly prepared to make supplementary allocations to try to cover all corona related needs. The original ask from the Ministry was for slightly less than a million dollars. We understand that is, as it were, the first tranche. Whatever it takes, within obvious limits, government will find the resources. We have already explored the possibility of funding assistance from external sources and there is a component within a particular project funded by the World Bank, the climate resilient infrastructure project. We can trigger that immediately for a million US dollars. There is also a facility that the World Bank has generally chartered. You don't access that until you have your first case and even then the concentration is on the poorest of the poor countries, not countries that have graduated beyond a certain point. But while we clearly are going to take all the help we can possibly get while we are actively going to seek out that help, I am here to reiterate that locally, government will find the resources needed to properly equip the Ministry of Health team and to do whatever is necessary."

And, finally tonight, we urge you only to listen to reliable information on the COVID-19 pandemic from trusted sources. The panic spreading and rumour mongering has really multiplied, and even the police department has something to say about it.

They sent out a release this evening saying that it is an offence to spread false rumours. A release says, quote, "Some people are using the social media platform to spread such rumours; therefore, creating a sense of fear and panic in our citizenry. It is with this, that we are asking all to refrain from the spreading of such rumour, until or unless the Ministry of Health has confirmed the presence of any such case in Belize. To do otherwise is an offence. A person who, quote,maliciously fabricated or knowingly spreads abroad or publishes, whether by writing or by word of mouth or otherwise, any false news or false report tending to create or foster public alarm or to produce public detriment;
Is guilty of a misdemeanour. And for a second or subsequent offence - fine not exceeding 600 or imprisonment not exceeding one year." End quote.

So, please don't spread rumours. When a case does appear - and it will - the Ministry of Health will issue a public notice, and we will as well.




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