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#16574 04/26/03 05:27 PM
Joined: Sep 2000
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As anyone who is not brain dead (which may exclude certain pols) must know, there is ZERO logical relationship between where one holds citizenship and the risk that you are a carrier of SARS. The issue is not where you hold citizenship but where you have recently lived and/or traveled.
Canada is a huge country. The SARS outbreak there is directly linked to a group of people who traveled from Asia and landed in Toronto. Everyone who has gotten sick is either one of those travelers, a health care provider, or a family member or close associate of one of those travelers (or of one of the foregoing.)
Only one person has been diagnosed with SARS in India (and I believe that was a presumptive diagnosis, not clear that it was ever confirmed.)
There is no logic in banning tourists with Canadian or Indian passports. None.


Susan Guberman-Garcia, Attorney at Law. Phone: 510-792-2639
Fax/Voicemail:: 510-405-2016 Email: [email protected]
#16575 04/27/03 08:30 PM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 190
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I know that people in Belize are more concerned about SARS than about AIDS. I was working with a volunteer Red Cross group who requested that I get them info on SARS so that they could be informed since they FEEL that they are at great risk for an outbreak. I have not really paid much attention to SARS as of yet but I know my sister lives just across the boarder (in the US) outside of Toronto and everyone there is on high alert with concern. I guess prevention is good but I dont know about banning whole countries.

#16576 05/01/03 10:45 AM
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By all reliable accounts, Belize is suffering from serious epidemics of severe injury and death by traffic accident, street violence and domestic violence. The reported incidents of these occurrences are so great that if they were a virus, we would be speaking of plague.
Yet I do not see any signs of a mobilization to defeat these public health menaces. I guess its because these are REAl dangers, right here, right now, and they are things that something CAN be done to at least alleviate if not completely "cure."
It is so much easier to look like you are "doing something" to fix that which is not broken than to actually start fixing that which is....
(Needless to say, Belize is by no means unique either as to the above public health issues or its failure to deal with them with them...but you get the point.....)


Susan Guberman-Garcia, Attorney at Law. Phone: 510-792-2639
Fax/Voicemail:: 510-405-2016 Email: [email protected]
#16577 05/03/03 01:13 AM
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 2,537
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C'mon, the scary thing is that the disease spreads like a flew, and there is no vaccin. It's good to take measures or at least think about it.

You can avoid AIDS by having safe sex, and the other Belize epidemics of Susangg by staying out of trouble.... did you know that probably most people in Belize die in bed? - avoid the bed too!


Live and let live
#16578 05/03/03 11:00 AM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 498
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Susan,

I find myself totally in agreement. I live in Toronto and we don't walk around with masks on unless we are in a hospital. We carry on normal living. Most people die in hospitals.

Ralph Fonseca made a stupid call on banning all Canadians from Belize. It was overkill which could only be called grandstanding, and nothing else.

If you haven't all heard the WHO has reversed their decision to ban travel to Toronto (not Canada as there never was one). This occurred 2 days ago. I find that the pronouncement by Fonseca is nothing short of tourism suicide.

Hey Ralph, the hospital just called. Your br...

Jim


**Jim
#16579 05/05/03 01:15 PM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,267
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Just FYI - to Sandcrab - Fonseca did NOT ban all Canadians from Belize !!!

Canadians don't need visas to come to Belize.

Fonseca temporarily suspended issuing VISAs to several categories of people. One category was individuals who reside in Canada, who hold a passport from a country that NORMALLY needs a visa to enter Belize (which means they are NOT Canadians). Those who apply for a NEW visa will be told that issuance of new visas is temporarily suspended. Old visas are being honored.

This post is not intended to express an opinion for or against the policy itself, but merely to correct a major misunderstanding of the current circumstances for Canadian nationals traveling to Belize.

#16580 05/06/03 04:32 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 498
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Diane,

I have followed your endeavours in Belize with much interest and admiration for your ability to succeed in everything you try. I have read many an article written by you as guidance for the tyro who enters the world of Belize business and especially real estate investment. In other words I am an admirer and that is why I am going to try to answer the problem with the way the "ban" was instituted.

Thank you for pointing out the visa issue, but I was totally aware that it did not involve every one in Canada, not Canadian citizens, but landed immigrants living in Canada. What irritates every Canadian who read that original ban is that RF banned any Canadian who was a landed immigrant and would have originally come from a country which required a visa, and lived anywhere in Canada.

What in heavens name would he ban visas for landed immigrants who live in Edmonton, Winnepeg, Calgary, Vancouver, Halifax, Montreal, Regina, Inuvik, etc., when there was no mention of anywhere in Canada by the WHO advisory other than the City of Toronto.

In any case, the security and health checks that were instituted at Toronto International Airport were so severe that anyone with even the slightest chance of showing any symptom of the SARS disease was stopped dead in his tracks and refused boarding of any aircraft.

I'm afraid Diane, that it was not well thought out and may cause a great many Canadians to review their travel plans because it was poorly thought out.

Jim


**Jim
#16581 05/07/03 11:00 AM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,267
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Hi Sandcrab - Thanks for the nice words.

My e-mail to you was about one thing only - it was to correct your statement about "Fonseca .......banning ALL Candians". My comment was not about the wisdom or folly of such a decision, but rather to clarify what in fact the decision was. I think we have done that now ......

Lastly .......... the ban on issuing visas to individuals with Indian passports and/or Indians with Canadian residency has been cancelled.

Pack your bags and come down for a day in the sun !

#16582 05/07/03 11:05 AM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 498
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Thanks Diane,

I have been thinking of doing just that for some time now.

Jim


**Jim
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