And while Dr Manzanero's serves out his 5 day administrative leave, and waits to see what the Ministry's next move will be, there is currently no one sitting in the DHS's office.
Acting DHS, Dr Melissa Diaz, returned to her substantive post on Monday, and since Dr Manzanero is still on administrative leave, there is a vacant chair at the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
This was confirmed by Minister of Home Affairs, and Dr Diaz's brother-in-law, Kareem Musa on last night's edition of UnCut. He explained the timeline that eventually led to Belize having no Director of Health Services.
Hon. Kareem Musa - Minister of Home Affairs
"Dr Melissa Diaz Musa is the deputy manager of the central region, so she was never the DHS."
Jules Vasquez
"She was the acting DHS."
Hon. Kareem Musa
"We've been making a lot of fuss over the past two and a half months over this appointment when in fact it was always that she was acting DHS. If you recall back in December. I think it was December 7th of 2020, Dr Manza who was or is the DHS was going on leave. And Dr Melissa was asked to hold over during that time of leave to serve as the acting DHS. As you know the DHS recently returned to work, about a week ago, incidentally around the very same time, I think it was December 8th, Dr Marvin Manzanero caught COVID and so he was out suffering with COVID and returned to work, I believe, last week. At that point in time the transition was that Dr Diaz would then return to her substantive post, that's where she is now. Deputy regional manager of the central region."
Later in the news, we'll hear more from Minister Musa about why the PUP were disappointed in Dr Manzanero.
