Corozal resident and Belize’s COVID-19 patient #8, Mr. Ramsley Gillett, has issued a public statement through his sister’s Facebook profile. He shares his situation with the nation and urges Belizeans to support his family and follow the advice of the authorities, stay at home and practice social distancing. Below is his statement delivered by his sister Krishna Gillett:
Fellow Belizeans,
It has now been confirmed that my brother, Ramsley Gillett, is COVID-19 Patient 8 in our beloved country of Belize. I ask your prayers for him and all our family as we go through this very difficult time. My brother has asked me to share with you the following statement on his behalf:
“As the latest person to contract the COVID-19 virus in Belize, I want to share my situation with the nation. I am Ramsley Gillett, a 50 year old Belizean working as a Land Inspector with the Ministry of Natural Resources. I am a resident of Corozal, where my wife, two children and I reside.
It is my belief that I contracted the coronavirus while regularly engaged in my duties as a public servant. I have decided to make this public declaration with the hope of ending the stigma and discrimination that I’ve seen displayed against other COVID-19 patients and their families.
My request to all my fellow citizens is for you to give my family and I your support during this very difficult time. We are a God-fearing family and we ask you to join your prayers with ours at this time. Please pray especially for my beautiful wife and two children.
I am currently in the care of the Healthcare system of Belize and my plea is that the government does all that is in its power to care for and provide the best medical services to those like myself who are affected by this deadly virus. Please ensure that there is wider-spread testing and that the parameters for determining when somebody will be tested is now widened to include those who may not have a travel history outside Belize. Please afford prompt and courteous service to all who make an outreach and attempt to engage the public health services of our country. My experience in the aforementioned could certainly have been different.
I beg all Belizeans to follow the advice of the authorities, stay at home and practice social distancing. Do not come out if you do not have to. Please let us all do our part to protect ourselves, families and the communities in which we live. Finally, I request of all once more, the support and respect for my family and I as we go through this very difficult time.”