Community and Society
SSB Provides Update on the 2022 Contribution Rate Increase
The Social Security Board informs of Cabinet’s decision to defer Phase III of the reforms which commenced in 2019 from the previously announced date of January 3, 2022 to Monday April 4, 2022.
Government
Ministers Lead Discussions on Agriculture, Trade and Development
Hon. Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration, and Hon. Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, and their respective teams met on December 20, 2021, to discuss greater cooperation and collaboration between the two ministries, with a view to further develop the country’s agenda for trade and investment with Guatemala and Mexico.
Government
CCCCC Board of Governors Statement on the Outcomes of the Twenty-Six Conference of Parties (COP26)
In the first meeting of the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) held on December 16-18, 2021, following the conclusion of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties (COP26), the Board, inter alia, discussed the implications of the outcome of the COP26 for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Government
Ministry of Health & Wellness Receives Donation from Republic of China (Taiwan) for Improvement of Medical Imaging
The Ministry of Health & Wellness received an additional financial donation of US$460,000 from the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) during a ceremony held on December 18, 2021.
Government
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise Signs MOU with Japan International Cooperation Agency
On December 16, 2021, Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, signed a memorandum of understanding with Mrs. Michiyo Hashiguchi, resident coordinator for Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), on the Development of Agriculture Cooperatives and the Improvement of Management Capacity.
Government
Registration Ceremony Held for Toledo Coconut Growers Co-operative Society Limited
The Department of Co-operatives held a registration ceremony for the Toledo Coconut Growers Co-operative Society Limited on December 16, 2021. This new co-operative has transitioned from an ad hoc farmers’ group to a formal enterprise under the oversight of the department. Its new status gives it access to auditing, conflict resolution services, and entrepreneurial development programs, among others.
Government
Belize Selected for Five-Year U.S. Grant to Help Alleviate Poverty
On December 14, the U.S. Government-funded Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) selected Belize for a five-year grant to fund local programs aimed at reducing poverty and stimulating economic growth. As one of MCC’s two newest partner countries, Belize will develop and lead its own projects’ design and implementation based on self-identified economic priorities.
Government
BRS Area Representative supports amnesty program
A campaign promise, an amnesty program designed to legalize undocumented immigrants in Belize, is expected to start in 2022. An estimated 40,000 irregular immigrants (men, women, and children) will benefit from this program. In the constituency of Belize Rural South (BRS), Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker Area Representative Honourable Andre Perez supports this initiative and advised those living on the islands with irregular immigration status to stay tuned for updates on this upcoming program.