BROOKLYN, NY–The Belize government goes to Parliament later on Friday with legislation that allows for fines of up to BDZ$3,000 (One Belize dollar=US$=0.49 cents) for circulating fake news during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
A statement issued following the Cabinet meeting said that the government would be introducing the amendment to the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act Chapter 98 of the Substantive Laws of Belize to increase the penalty for the offense of spreading or publishing false news.
According to the statement, the penalty will move from BDZ$300 or imprisonment of up to six months to BDZ$3000 or imprisonment of up to six months in the first instance.
Cabinet also said that for the health and wellness of Belizeans, it has directed that all persons wishing to enter Belize through the land borders must be tested for COVID-19 at the points of entry.
The government said that at the end of last month, 167,596 persons, or 38.9 percent of the population, had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and that 69,924 persons or 16.2 percent of the population have been fully vaccinated.
It said that since the rollout of the Pfizer vaccines, 10,638 Belizeans between the ages of 12 to 17 had received their first shot of the vaccine.
The latest figures issued by health authorities here show that 362 people have died 16, 612 testing positive since the first case was detected in Match last year. There are 1 146 active cases.
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