prime minister announces price freeze on all goods

BELMOPAN, 20th August 2007, 4:00 PM - NEMO hereby informs the public that hurricane shelters in the Corozal District, Orange Walk District, Belize District and Cayo District have been opened since noon today.

NEMO will continue to provide transport for those who are unable to afford to move. People are strongly urged to move out of low lying, coastal and valley areas to higher ground or begin to seek shelter as soon as possible.

NEMO reminds those businesses still open that there should be no increase of prices for goods and services. The Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Said Musa has announced a price freeze on all goods and services.

NEMO also wishes to remind the public of the curfew from 8:00 pm tonight to 9:00 am tomorrow. In the Corozal District, Orange Walk District and Belize District, including Belize City, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker.

At 3:00 p.m. local time, the center of Hurricane Dean continues to move west ward near 21 mph. Hurricane Dean was located near latitude 18.2 N�.84.2 W or about 267 miles east by North of Belize City, 247 miles east of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and 275 miles east of Corozal Town. On this track, Dean is expected to make land fall north of Chetumal between midnight and 3 a.m. That will place the southern eye-wall over extreme northern Belize. Dean could become a Category 5 hurricane later today. The Government of Belize has extended the hurricane warning to the entire coast of Belize.

Weather conditions will gradually deteriorate as the day progresses. North to northwesterly winds will increase to 30-40 knots this afternoon or evening to hurricane strength in the north tonight. Seas will become rough with large swells this afternoon becoming very rough tonight. Wave height will be 6-9 ft. This will increase to 9-14 ft tonight. By this time, boats should be in safe harbour. Showers and thunderstorms will also increase. Tonight, we will get continuous rain with several outbreaks of showers and thunderstorms. Rains could cause flash floods and flooding.