Belize: UDP says government's decision of reopening borders is "immature"

United Democratic Party has shown concerns about the government's decision of reopening borders of Belize amid the coronavirus crisis. Party member Tracy Taegar-Panton issued a media release on Thursday. Panton stated that as per the government's press release, the administration is planning to open Belize's land borders in the North, West, South and in San Pedro to facilitate foreign tourists who wish to visit Belize for recreation and vacation purposes from May 31st, 2021 onwards. She questioned the government's plan of reopening the borders. She asked the Belize Tourism Board to elaborate on the process of how the reopening would be managed in a systematic way. UDP's Tracy Taegar-Panton stated that the land borders are already very porous, and the law enforcement officials have had great difficulty in trying to curtail border jumpers in our efforts to curtail the spread of the virus.

Furthermore, she asked the government to ensure the safety of citizens who would be disclosed to the tourists coming from across the world. Panton said she believes in advocating sustainable growth and development of the Tourism Sector.

"I am also acutely aware that thousands of tourism stakeholders who lost their livelihoods as a result of the COVID 19 Pandemic need to get back to work," stated Tracy Taegar-Panton.

Asking the government to reconsider the decision of reopening borders, she insisted that a wider population must be vaccinated before allowing tourists to enter the shores of Belize.

She called the government's decision immature as only 10 percent of the country's population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"According to BTB Statistics, 75 % of overnight tourists arrivals come via the Phillip Goldson International Airport and, maybe more importantly to note, is that most of our Central American neighbours have had limited access to vaccines." Tracy Taegar-Panton

Nevertheless, Tracy Taegar-Panton also asked the government to give details of spending a $30 million stimulus package for tourism the t sector.