If you are a canadian going to Belize soon, you might want to check with the closest Belize consulte or embassy... the following was published yesterdat by Channel 5 :

"...Visitors from six countries banned due to SARS
SARS, the acronym for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, has finally made a direct impact on Belize. No, there have not been any reported instances of the deadly disease here...but to make sure things stay that way the Minister of Home Affairs, Ralph Fonseca, has ordered a temporary ban on the entry of citizens into Belize from six specific places: The People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, India and Canada.
...."

Oops, as usual, Lan was faster than I was !...

Yesterday Minister Ralph Fonseca explained the travel ban on the radio - the way he explained it, the ban is not as absolute as most people seem to think.

Specifically dealing with the Canadian travelers he said "Anybody from Canada requiring a travel visa (that means a resident of Canada who holds a passport from a country that normally needs a pre-issued visa to enter Belize - Pakistan for instance) will be temporarily denied that visa.

BUT for instance, if you are a from any of the "visa banned" countries, and hold Belize residency or a work permit, you are a person who does not need to apply for a visa, and the ban does not prohibit you from travel to Belize. People falling in this category will be interviewed by a health official at immigration to see if they are sick, but that is all.

He also said that if you are a Canadian holding a ticket and reservations for a trip, you should plan on coming - the only change in procedure will be a "health interview" at Belize International - so if you have a hacking cough and or high fever you have a problem. If you are healthy, you will be admitted.

Summary as it affects Canadian citizens and non-citizen residents of Canada - If your passport is from a country where you can normally arrive in Belize without a pre-issued visa, you can still come to Belize - "but" if you are from Canada you will be interviewed by a health officer before entry to the country.

If your passport is issued by a country on the SARS-alert list, and under normal circumstances, your nationality requires you to apply for a visa from a Belize Embassy - The Belize embassy will tell you that there is a temporary ban on issuance of such visas.

I hope this is helpful? Sure wish these regulations were easier to articulate.

Yes, it is a problem, isn't it? Along comes a Canadian, that caught the plane out of Houston filled with Americans and some returning Belizean nationals. The Canadian gets hauled over for medical questioning. The Canadian has a fever and a cough and so is not allowed into the country, sent packing back on the next plane out.

Meanwhile all of the Americans and Belizeans that had contact with the Canadian are enjoying themselves in the Belizean sun . . .until 7 or 10 days later when they too begin to cough . . .and so on and so on and so on.

My point, in case anyone missed it, is that it is rather like closing the barn door after the horse is gone. What is the sense in denying entry to the sick person but letting in all those that have been in contact with the sick person?

Good point. Probably if everybody in the whole world would stay home for about 10 days the whole thing would stop. Of course the result we would be an economic crisis, and a baby boom 9 months down the road ....... it's always something!