And the minister this morning attended a handing over ceremony for the Strengthening Medical Imaging Systems project. The donation was made by the Embassy of Taiwan at the Northern Health Region in Orange Walk Town. Minister Bernard explained that these donations will benefit hospitals across the country.
September Murals Unveiled
In the lead-up to Independence Day, two brand new murals were unveiled today: one in Orange Walk and the other in Belize City.
Orange Walk is unique in its collaborative spirit because the city invited townspeople, visitors from other districts, and even tourists to paint their messages on the wall. Here's a look at the completed result:
And while that mural had the mark of many artists, its twin in Belize City was painted by just one man, Artist Alex Sanker.
Today he told the press that in order to paint this mural, a mural dedicated to learning, he had to inhabit the mind of a child.
Both Murals are on display in public places Belize City's on the walls of Rodgers stadium and Orange Walk's
Boat Explosion Trial Update
Last night, we brought you extensive coverage of the ongoing Magistrate's Court trial connected to the May 2019 boat explosion that killed the two sisters, 10 year old Yamiri and 8-year-old Kimberly Guy.
Chief Magistrate Sharon Frazer is presiding over a full trial in which the Belize Port Authority is attempting to prove that the boat company, San Pedro Water Jets, and boat captain Ernesto Delgado are criminally liable for that explosion that resulted in the death of these two girls.
Yesterday, one of the BPA's experts shared his professional opinions on the cause of the explosion. He told the court that the vessel's bilge pump was not built to interact with gasoline. So, when fuel ended up in the water that the pump was trying to evacuate from the vessel, the flammable substance came in contact with sparks, which ignited.
Well, back in May, the Magistrate's Court heard from the Belize Port Authority's first expert witness. We understand that this witness told the court that from their investigation, the boat captain and his crew had only just refueled the vessel. The boat did not have a working fuel gauge, and some of the fuel was believed to have spilled into the vessel. The BPA's investigation team concluded that the captain, who is ultimately responsible for all safety matters aboard, did not make the necessary checks. Additionally, we understand that the witness told the court that they found other evidence that the bilge pump area was persistently exposed to fuel, which should not have happened due to safety concerns.
Darrell Bradley, the attorney prosecuting the case on behalf of the BPA, was due to call his final witness, who is supposed to testify via teleconference. But that testimony couldn't take place today due to logistical reasons. The case is currently adjournment until next month.
Captain Ernesto Delgado may soon become the subject of a bench warrant due to his recent non-appearances for this trial.
Kareem On Police Problems In Patchakhan
Earlier in the news, you saw Home Affairs Minister Kareem Musa discussing several topics of national interests. We also asked him about the stand-off in Patchakan, Corozal. Last night, you heard Area Rep. Hugo Patt warning the public that if the authority of the village council is not respected - there could be a clash this weekend.
As we told you, supporters of the two mass parties are in dispute over Patchakan's public facilities, which fall under the sole control of the village council. The two sides are pointing fingers alleging preferential access to those facilities, and they both have events scheduled for this weekend.
So, we asked Musa about that dispute and the concerns that a confrontation could play out this Saturday over those village facilities. Here's what he had to say:
New Curriculum Coming?
Back in August, we asked the Ministry of Education for an update on the New National curriculum. Back then, the buzz was that teachers still didn't have it one week before the start of school and 5 months before its mandatory implementation.
Back then the Chief Education Officer said that it was being uploaded on a schedule and that principals were responsible for sharing that schedule with their teachers.
Well, today, a few days after the start of school, we asked the Minister whether teachers had yet gotten their hands on those curriculum units. Here's how he answered that:
MSME Road Show Rolling
The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Roadshow is a chance for small businesses owners from every district to learn more about being an entrepreneur and how to grow their respective businesses. It's a mobile initiative between the government and Beltraide and today, they were in Belize City. The roadshow lasts for three days, beginning with a boot camp that was held at the ITVET. The director of Public Private Dialogue in the Office of the Prime Minister spoke more about what each day will be like.
And the Manager of Export Belize at Beltraide added that the goal is to eventually create a directory where the public will be able to browse and find products from small businesses anywhere in the country.
After Belize City, the roadshow will be heading to Punta Gorda Town.
