Lobster season in Belize is like Christmas in the summertime. Every Belizean looks forward to the first day of the lobster season when they can enjoy the decadence of a garlic-butter or BBQ’d lobster tail.

The opening of the lobster season usually marks the beginning of a great celebration in Belize – the annual lobster fest! It’s held annually in Caye Caulker and Placencia and does not disappoint with the wide array of locally-inspired dishes you can choose from all with Lobster as the main ingredient!

Today marks the opening of the 2020 Lobster season in Belize, so we’d like you to remember a few things to help keep our spiny lobster around for a long time:

• the minimum acceptable shell length of fished lobster is 3 inches
• the minimum tail weight of the fished lobster is 4 ounces
• no person or establishment should currently have in its possession fillet or diced lobster tail
• it is illegal to catch any soft shell or female lobsters carrying eggs
• it is illegal to remove from any female lobster any eggs or spawn or the setae or fiber to which any eggs or spawn are or have been attached

Remember, an open season doesn’t mean it’s a free time for all, so fish responsibly and enjoy!

This is a summary of Statutory Instrument No. 85 of 2020 which comes into effect today, Friday, June 12, 2020.

In essence, the following now apply:

• curfew is still imposed and in effect for the entire country for BOTH Adults and Minors, 16 years and under from:
  • Sunday to Thursday from 10:00 p.m. to 4:59 a.m.
  • Friday to Saturday from 12:00 a.m. to 4:59 a.m.
• exercise is allowed at any time outside established curfew hours;
• all sporting activities are allowed EXCEPT for competitive sporting events;
• gyms and spas are now allowed to open;
• every business or service can operate EXCEPT:
  • Discos, bars, rum shops, and nightclubs.
  • Daycare centers, childcare centers, nurseries and other similar establishments or businesses.
• all public pools, beaches and rivers are OPEN to the public;
• a person CAN host or attend:
  • A private party of no more than 100 persons which can include persons living outside the household;
  • A recreational event of not more than 100 persons;
  • A wedding which has more than 100 persons;
  • A banquet or reception;
  • Any social event;
  • A funeral which has more than 100 persons;
  • A meeting of fraternal society, private or social club, or organization;
• every person traveling on public transportation MUST wear a face mask or nose and mouth covering for the duration of the journey;
• all ports of entry are and will remain closed for the purpose of travelling except for:
  • Cargo flights, cargo shipments and Commercial courier flights;
  • Emergency medical flights;
  • Emergency flights approved by the Minister of National Security;
• all ports of entry into and out of Belize remain CLOSED;

Visit the Belize Press Office website for the full breakdown of the Statutory Instrument.

With the last community transmission of COVID-19 occurring more than 50 days ago, Cabinet has supported recommendations for further relaxation of lockdown restrictions to take effect this Friday, June 12, 2020.

These new measures will allow for more persons to resume work and for more businesses, like spas and gymnasiums, to reopen lending a much-needed push to the Belizean economy. With so many Belizeans suffering from unemployment, many business owners will surely welcome these new changes.

The number of persons allowed for social gatherings will increase to 100 with continued social distancing measures. Private parties, weddings, funerals, and-the-like are now allowed as well. The use of parks and playgrounds are now allowed along with recreational contact sports. Curfew hours have been shortened to 10:00 p.m. to 4:59 a.m. from Sundays to Thursdays and midnight to 4:59 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The state of emergency will expire on June 30, 2020 and it is not expected to be extended.

As a part of routine testing carried out on persons entering the country illegally, the Ministry of Health has confirmed case #20, today, June 9, 2020. The person is a 22 year old female who is asymptomatic and was caught entering the country illegally on Sunday, June 7, 2020 along with a one-year-old child and a 63 year old female. All three persons were placed in mandatory quarantine in Punta Gorda.

Contact tracing has begun for anyone who may have come in contact with the infected individual. The Ministry of Health urges the public to continue to adhere to established protocols and to exercise prevention measures at all times.

With the 2019-2020 school year coming to a close at the end of June, a press conference was held today by the Ministry of Education to provide an update on the state of education in the country. The Minister of Education, Patrick Faber, assured the public that the preparation for the reopening of schools has begun.

Minister Faber went on to state that the Ministry is working tirelessly to address health concerns of Teachers, Parents, and Management alike to ensure that the reopening of schools is done in a way that will be conducive to guidelines set forth by the Ministry of Health and other regulatory bodies.

The Minister of Education pointed out the following during his presentation:

1. From June 15 to June 30 – Secondary schools teachers and Councillors will begin preparations for the C-SEC/CXC exams and pre-planning for the reopening of the new school year.
2. June 15 to June 30 – Students are to return to school to prepare for the CXC exams in Belize.
3. June 22 to June 31 – ITVET teachers and Councillors are to return to begin preparations for the start of the new school year.
4. July 13 to August 4 – CXC and CAPE exams to be administered.
5. August 3 to August 7 – All levels of teachers for primary and secondary schools to return and prepare for the new school year.
6. August 10, 2020 – School resumes for the 2020-2021 school year for the preschool, primary and secondary levels.
7. August 24, 2020 – School resumes for the 2020-2021 school year for ITVET.
8. The Belize Diagnostic Assessment Test (BDAT) will be administered upon the reopening of school, within the first few weeks, to determine where students are in relation to the primary level of education required.
9. Since the Primary School Examination (PSE) was not administered to the class of 2019-2010 Standard 6 students, it will be administered to all 1st form students upon the reopening of school in August, within the first few weeks, to determine learning needs and to conduct effective development programs.
10. All schools are expected to develop learning continuity plans in the event of another forced closure of schools.
11. The last Friday in June another home-based learning package will be made available at https://resource.moe.gov.bz/.

The Minister of Education assured the public that a set of guidelines on the use of face masks and face coverings will be determined upon the reopening of schools.

The Ministry urges parents or volunteers to make time to assist in their local schools with disinfecting, cleaning, purchasing of disinfectant material, and laying of social distancing markers in preparation for the reopening of schools in August. If you or someone you know are interested in providing assistance kindly contact the Ministry Officials at +501-615-7402 or +501-615-7599.

The Ministry of Education informed the public that they will be hosting the first National Virtual Graduation for Secondary School students where they will be honoring top scorers across the country. The ceremony will be broadcast on Channel 7, Love FM, Krem TV and Wave TV on Sunday, June 21, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.

The Ministry reminds the public that these dates can fluctuate as time progresses and the conditions under COVID-19 change. Stay up to date with the facts on the Ministry of Education‘s website and releases from the Belize Press Office.

More than fifty (50) days after the last reported case of COVID-19 in Belize, the Ministry of Health has confirmed our first new positive case. This case is that of a 27-year-old male who arrived in-country on Saturday, May 23, 2020 from a cruise ship as a part of the established repatriation process for Belizeans. Upon arrival, those persons all went into a mandatory quarantine at the Radisson. The male is asymptomatic for COVID-19 and was detected from among 10 persons that were swabbed from that first arriving group who were being tested prior to their release as per the established protocols. This set of tests produced one (1) reactive test with the other nine (9) being negative for SARS-CoV2. The contact tracing for this individual has started and the due process of informing the cruise ship and relevant counterparts has started.

From arrival up to today, the due protocols to minimize contact and exposure have been followed so this is being considered an isolated case which has been contained. The person remains asymptomatic and in isolation.

The Ministry of Health continues with its enhanced surveillance across the country and urges the public to continue to exercise the necessary prevention measures.

The Belize Press Office has issued a release which breaks down Statutory Instrument No. 78 of 2020 which came into effect on June 1, 2020, to make it easier and clearer for the general population to understand.

The hope is to dispel any concerns and relieve worry about the interpretation of the law.

Stay up-to-date with changes to the SI with the Belize Press Office.

With the start of the hurricane season, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) has provided a list of hurricane shelters countrywide for easy reference. As you already know, these shelters will be opened as needed in the event of flooding, hurricane, or major weather emergencies. This means that NEMO officials will declare respective shelters open in the event of an imminent storm.

Primary emergency shelters are most often located at public schools and Government-owned buildings. The public is advised to never go to a shelter unless officials have declared it open and ready for use.

We remind you that going to a shelter should be a last resort and that shelters are intended for residents in low-lying areas of the county who have nowhere else to go during a storm. If you’re planning to ride out a hurricane at a shelter, here’s what you need to bring:

• Cots or air mattresses and bedding– beds are not provided
• Clothing for at least three days and sturdy shoes
• Hygiene items
• A two week supply of all medications
• Enough food and water, per person, for at least three days
• Puzzles, games, books and other entertainment items

Keep in mind that not all shelters will have dependable electricity throughout the storm, so it’s a good idea to pack batteries and flashlights.

We encourage you to stay up-to-date with the local Meteorological Service on weather conditions in your area.