In our last segment we told you all about the personal restrictions on movement during the state of emergency which went into effect at midnight.
Well, the National State of Emergency also comes with some regulation of commercial activity, but unlike the first national SOE, the Government isn't forcing the closure of all private sector enterprises this time around. The only places where an almost complete shutdown is being enforced are those 4 communities of San Pedro, Santa Marta, Guinea Grass, and Shipyard.
But, there will still be some closures that will be required under the SOE, and the Attorney General gave the public the breakdown last night:
Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Attorney General "Within these 4 lockdown areas. From 7 in the morning until 6 at night - remember, at 5 o'clock the curfew ends, and you can be out at 5. But from 7 to 6 at night, fuel stations, fuel depots, LPG suppliers, LPG depots and LPG distributors, Agro-processors, food manufacturers and factories, agricultural and aquaculture farms, fishing for livelihood and sustenance, but not including sport fishing and leisure fishing, Essential Services, and by essential services we mean medical and auxiliary services including veterinary services, services by private medical institutions, ambulance, private security, public utility, social workers, sanitation worker, people who produce water, fire service, Belize Electricity Limited, [Belize] Water Services Limited, Belize Telemedia, Speednet."
"Markets, bakeries and tortilla factories, pharmacies, convenience stores, food stores, shops, supermarkets, and the like, banks, you will be allowed to operate in the lockdown areas. From 7 in the morning, until 7 at night, you can purchase from a restaurant that is a drive-thru, for taking out and delivery only. No dining in a restaurant in those lockdown areas."
"If you do any activity that doesn't involve accomplishing any of those essential services, and the list of things I just read, you can't do it. Restrict your movement. Stay home as much as possible and off the street. Wear your masks, and social distance, in these areas especially."
"No construction for the next 14 days in these areas, none. You just simply can't do it. If you have a hotel, for example, that has to close. If you want people to go there for simple maintenance, keep the place clean, fix a light bulb, or run a wire to make sure everything is working, that's perfectly fine. But hotels, gyms, everywhere that is not what I mentioned cannot open in these lockdown areas."
Face Mask Rules Still Apply
And once again, the government is doubling down on the rules about wearing face masks and practicing proper social distancing. Earlier this week, before this massive spike in the number of coronavirus cases, were confirmed, Police Commissioner Chester Williams made it clear that police were returning to strict enforcement. Last night, the Attorney General reiterated that point, and he said that there will be zero tolerance for law-breakers:
Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Attorney General "For the rest of the country, you're not required to wear a face mask if you're at a private residence, if you're exercising if you're engaging in any sporting activity - so sporting activities are allowed outside of the lockdown areas - if you're swimming, if you're driving alone or driving with immediate family members, riding a motorcycle or a bike, the priest, pastor, member of the choir, or other person conducting a service or sermon of a church or other place of worship, or at a restaurant where dining in is allowed because if you're eating, you can't wear the mask."
"Every person shall practice social distancing, and the following persons need not practice social distancing, same parties swimming, the person in the sporting activity - you're playing basketball, volleyball, or whatever - if you're attending church, if you're seated together at a restaurant, employees at a business or office who are allowed to operate, provided that all such employees shall wear a face mask."
"For the purpose of containing and suppressing this disease, every business and office allowed to operate, including government, shall abide by social distancing protocols if the square footage of that business or office allows for persons to maintain a distance of 6 feet. Now, as a business, you are to ensure that all customers and staff maintain physical distancing of no less than 6 feet inside. Determine the number of persons that may be permitted in the establishment, you are to place markers, and you to make sure that certain things are in place. Restaurants, the tables have to be 6 feet apart. You have to ensure that customers maintain the physical distancing, and we have the BPO regulation that remains from the last time."
"A proprietor of a business, and you have obligations, such as maintaining certain distances or making sure that people wear masks. You will also be charged under this if you allow a person to come in your shop without a mask, so you run a shop, and you allow somebody to come in without a mask, you will be charged. So now, everybody has to bear a responsibility to ensure that we're protecting ourselves from each other. If you're on the bus, if you're in a tax, if you're on the boat, if people aren't wearing masks on those water taxies like what was on the social media, the bus owner, conductor, drivers, they will be charged."
"Seating capacity only for these boats, planes, and automobiles. If you have more than seating capacity, you will be charged as the proprietor."
US Issues Travel Advisory for Belize
It may be a case of the pot calling the kettle black, but the United States has issued a level 4 travel advisory for Belize. In other words, "do not travel".
It's a response to the spike in coronavirus cases this week, and the advisory says "Do not travel to Belize due to COVID-19. Exercise increased caution in Belize due to crime…Travelers to Belize may experience border closures, airport closures, travel prohibitions, stay at home orders, business closures, and other emergency conditions within Belize due to COVID-19."
The Dominican Republic, which has the highest COVID-19 infection rate among Caribbean countries, is the largest of six Caribbean destinations to receive a Level 4 designation. Belize, another growing Caribbean destination, and Cuba were also tagged with Level 4 destinations.
Level 4 status was also assigned to Haiti, Guyana and Honduras, each of which had significant pre-COVID tourism activity, albeit a fraction of the largest Caribbean destinations.
Level 3 advisories were issued for Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Curacao, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Maarten, St. Lucia, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Turks & Caicos, and Trinidad and Tobago.
"Within these 4 lockdown areas. From 7 in the morning until 6 at night - remember, at 5 o'clock the curfew ends, and you can be out at 5. But from 7 to 6 at night, fuel stations, fuel depots, LPG suppliers, LPG depots and LPG distributors, Agro-processors, food manufacturers and factories, agricultural and aquaculture farms, fishing for livelihood and sustenance, but not including sport fishing and leisure fishing, Essential Services, and by essential services we mean medical and auxiliary services including veterinary services, services by private medical institutions, ambulance, private security, public utility, social workers, sanitation worker, people who produce water, fire service, Belize Electricity Limited, [Belize] Water Services Limited, Belize Telemedia, Speednet."