Just before the commercial break, we showed you what Opposition Leader Patrick Faber had to say about the Government's progress in their COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
Well, one of the communities that the Government is struggling to convince is the Mennonite Community in Spanish Lookout. That's a part of the Cayo Northeast political constituency, which is also the PUP's "Landy" Habet won that seat in the last general elections.
But, it appears that he has fallen out of favor with the residents of Spanish Lookout, who were among his supporters for the election. That's because, as we've shown you, they are strenuously rejecting the COVID regulations for public health.
And they see him as part of the government that is oppressing them. Jules Vasquez asked him about that last night on Uncut, and here's what he had to say:
Jules Vasquez
"Spanish Lookout has been the center of the push back against the COVID regulations and they are not happy with you minister because they voted and they feel you represent the state that they say is taking away their personal liberties."
Hon. Orlando Habet - Minister of Sustainable Development
"That is true, but we have had meetings though, as a matter of fact, there was an occasion where I had to take the minister of police, the commissioner and most of the high rank police officers to have a meeting with them. We spoke to them, they were not satisfied with the way the police were conducting their work, especially in regards to the implementation of the regulations of wearing of the mask and I told them I had to be fair with them, if it's something that I see is really unfair, I would be on their side, if not, then it's not. On that occasion they brought up 2 incidences, there was one lady who according to them was an asthmatic was given a 500 dollar ticket, she was in the big store and all indications are that you will find 100, 150 persons in that store, so I said she deserved to get it if there is a regulation. If she's asthmatic then maybe she shouldn't be in there maybe she should get a family member, her husband, her child to go to the store. The other person was a Mennonite farmer who was unloading about 200 bags of beans in the hot sun at 2 o'clock in the evening with the mask hanging from his ear, I said of course and I spoke to the police, this is ridiculous, you have to use your discretion, how will he be in the sun by himself 96 degrees in the shade and having to wear the mask, so that one I don't agree with, so I had to be fair with them, where blame is to fall then you have to go there. I think after that meeting we saw a lot less problems but eventually it started picking up and according to them, the police were there harassing."
Jules Vasquez
"That's how they see it, enforcement is harassment."
Hon. Orlando Habet
"Right, the problem we have though is the rest of the Belizeans in the rest of the country who feel we are giving them certain liberties which the rest are not getting because why don't you give these people a ticket but you ticket us with the 500 dollars ticket. I have just got off my motorbike taking off my helmet, putting on my mask and the police comes and gives me a ticket, that's what they say, things like that."
