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Dozens of taxi cab drivers attended a training seminar provided by the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) under the guidance of James (Jim) Scott. The seminar was quickly arranged by Belize Rural South Area Representative (BRS) and Minister of Tourism Honorable Manuel Heredia Jr and the BTB to extend standardized safety protocol training for everyone involved in the tourism industry. These measures are being implemented in anticipation of the October 1st re-opening of the Philip Goldson International Airport after being shut down since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taxi drivers gathered at the Ambergris Stadium on the morning of Tuesday, September 29th, where Scott walked them through the various safety protocols being normalized as part of the package offered to guests. The correct methods of wearing masks, sanitizing the cab interiors, the proper use/disposal of gloves during cleansing, and protective barriers between driver and guest were all highlighted. Limiting who is in the cab during pickup and drop off was also discussed. As front-line personnel in the tourism industry, taxi drivers are often some of the first faces tourists meet as they are transported from their airline/boat terminal to their resort. Belize is only in Phase Three of its reopening plan; however, many of the taxi drivers won't actually come in contact with tourists at all.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the San Pedro Sun