And while there are talks about a timeline for the reopening of the tourism industry, have there been similar discussions within the Ministry of Education for the reopening of schools countrywide?

For almost 2 months now, the nation's schoolchildren have been at a big disadvantage in their studies, and the school year is rapidly coming to a close. Officials in the United Kingdom are considering reopening schools in that country on June 1st. Mexico is in the process of a partial re-opening, while France has already re-opened. So, when we caught up with Education Minister Patrick Faber at another event today, we asked if Belize has made any progress on that front.

Faber told us the school system is not yet ready for the new normal, where social distancing and the mandatory use of face masks are a requirement to help keep Belize COVID free:

Hon. Patrick Faber - Minister of Education
"You've heard me say that all is not lost in terms of this school year just yet - at least, we not ready to make that pronouncement just yet. It is looking unlikely. That is as far as I will take it, and the simple reason for that is that while we are relatively okay in terms of the situation with COVID-19, what we're not ready for yet, is the new normal, and how it is we're going to return to the classroom. And that will take some kind of planning and proper coordination. We are in the process, as we speak, of engaging with regional bodies, such as CARPHA and even our local health authorities to decide on what that new normal is going to be. How is it that we're going to have the kids return to class? Is it that they are going to be wearing masks? What is going to be the new protocol for sanitizing the school? How is it that they're going to sit in the classroom? Are they going to be respecting a 6-feet or 3-feet level of social distancing - physical distancing? All of these are questions that would have to be solved. We have to have a proper protocol if we are to return. And getting everybody prepared for that, before the end of the school year is looking very unlikely at this time. I'm very cautious, you know, because you see, we have a tendency in our country to believe that when things like this happen, that we can just sit back. And that's really what I am trying to deter. I would want everybody to still remain very focused, even though we were - take the CXC and CAPE for instance. There were some media houses who were saying that the exams were canceled, and we said profusely, they are not canceled, and that people still need to be ready. So, when I hear entities saying we're not ready, it means, to me then, that people slept at the wheel while we were supposed to be keeping seriously at our task of being prepared, and being ready, despite the fact that we were not in the classroom."

Channel 7