The Belize Bus Owners Association (BBA) is calling on the Ministry of Transport to halt its promotional campaign for a proposed National Bus Company. BBA warned that the plan lacks essential data and financial backing and criticised the government for “guesswork” and misleading the public with uncosted promises of modern coach buses, digital ticketing, and terminal upgrades.
The association, which represents 31 licensed private operators, said in a statement, “The concept is being promoted first and studied after. That is not planning. That is guesswork.”
BBA added, “The Minister claims that 16 of the 31 licensed bus operators have agreed to participate in the NBC. However, none of these operators have made public statements or been presented with the kind of details necessary to make an informed business decision.”
The BBA said that no feasibility studies, financial models, or fare projections have been released. “Commuters… are now being promised a first-class, digital, modern transport experience. It sounds wonderful. But where is the math?”
The association also dismissed comparisons to Mexico’s ADO, and warned that Belize’s smaller fleet cannot achieve similar efficiencies. “To deliver the kind of nationwide transformation the minister is promising – brand-new buses, upgraded terminals, digital ticketing systems, fares in Belize would likely need to at least double to cover its cost.”
The Belize Tax Service is taking a hard stance on delinquent taxpayers. The department published a list of defaulting businesses with outstanding tax arrears totalling millions of dollars.
Director General Michelle Longsworth says the move is supported by law and comes only after all attempts at collection have failed. “The legal basis is fully grounded in the law, Section 64A of the Tax Administration and Procedure Act (TAPA). This empowers the Director General to publish a notice… This notice really serves as a final call to those who have remained delinquent in paying their taxes,” Longsworth told News 5.
According to Longsworth, the named businesses were given ample time and opportunities to dispute, negotiate, or arrange their tax payments.
“We’ve done everything trying to collect from them. “It’s important to know that none of these defaulters listed ‘just received a bill out of nowhere with no warning,'” she said. “We tried working with them, and we still continue to try working with but they refuse to engage in meaningful discourse. So, each one of them was afforded the rights all taxpayers receive: audit reviews, payment arrangements, dispute if they wanted to dispute any of the assessments they were engaged in.”
Longsworth added, “The publication of this specifically is where it’s a reminder to the public that taxes are not optional, and they don’t just go away; taxes must be paid. It’s unfair to pressure those who pay their taxes and leave those who don’t pay their taxes.”
The public list includes companies from across the country and nearly every sector and names well-known businesses along with their total tax owed.
Andrew Munnings, owner of Munnings Funeral Services, is defending his business after it appeared on the Belize Tax Service Department’s latest list of tax defaulters. According to the published notice, Munnings Funeral Services owes $183,209.91 in outstanding taxes.
In a social media post, Munnings described what he called an unfair system burdening small businesses. He said he has been in ongoing court proceedings with the department and currently pays $2,000 monthly without default.
“The legal stress and financial blockage I had to went through to try and fight you all to make you understand, and still you refuse to is no joke,” he said.
Munnings also criticised the Belize Tax Service for delays in issuing refunds to taxpayers who have filed and are owed returns, stating, “Belize Tax Service posting who owes them taxes, but I don’t see their name on the list… How many people haven’t received their payment from you all?”
According to Munnings, his five-year-old business outsources over “90% of its products and services,” and he argued that the $200,000 tax bill does not reflect his actual earnings.
“ALL BUSINESS MUST PAY TAX, AGREED! But don’t take advantage of businesses who are willing to work with you,” he stated. “I cannot pay $200,000 in back-tax… tax that I haven’t collected.”
“You have threatened jail time and the closure of my business…. It is a sad system without any motivation to own or build in this country,” Munnings added. “When we charge a family $5,000, please understand that $5,000 is not Andrew Munnings’ profit. I make my profit from consulting, directing and executing.”
Several other well-known entities were named in the list, including Black Pearl Restaurant in San Pedro ($477,925.82), Bosco Supermarket ($260,669.01), The Reporter Press ($127,384.35), Elrington & Company Limited ($100,508.90), J & B’s Security Service ($462,348.71), amongst others.
The outstanding amounts range from just over $1,600 to several million dollars and, in many instances, include unpaid Business Tax, General Sales Tax (GST), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), and employee income tax.
The union says the proposal is a significant step back from earlier commitments.
The union said, “The membership of the KHMHAWU has overwhelmingly and decisively rejected this latest proposal, as it fails to adequately recognize the dedication, loyalty, and service of staff over the years in question.”
KHMHAWU also criticized what it described as a “misleading” public statement issued by the hospital authority and government.
It said, “The claim that staff “enjoy a great deal” at the institution is misleading. The so-called “incentives” and “benefits” cited in their release — including medical care, staff clinic access, and allowances — are basic rights that have been earned by staff through their hard work and commitment, not favors graciously bestowed by the employer.”
The union accused the hospital of divide and conquer tactics. “We view this attempt to characterize fundamental employment entitlements as extraordinary privileges as a divide and conquer tactic designed to shift focus from the real issue: the long-overdue and just recognition of staff’s service through fair and meaningful compensation. We condemn this approach and cry Shame! Shame! Shame!”
The union called on the government to return to the table in good faith.
U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at both Israel and Iran on Tuesday, accusing them of violating a fragile ceasefire he attempted to broker. His remarks, made in characteristic blunt style as he departed the White House for a NATO summit in The Hague, included a profane rebuke of both nations.
“I gotta get Israel to calm down now,” Trump told reporters, according to Reuters. “Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before.”
“We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f*** they’re doing,” Trump added.
On the economic front, Trump signalled a softening in Washington’s stance on sanctions against Iran. “China can now continue to purchase oil from Iran. Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the U.S. also,” he posted.
Meanwhile, in Israel, pressure is mounting on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from both political opposition and hostage families. Following news of a ceasefire with Iran, opposition leader Yair Lapid called for a similar resolution in Gaza.
“It’s time to finish it there too. Bring back the hostages, end the war,” Lapid wrote on X.
Two and a half million dollars a year, that’s what the Government of Belize is spending just to rent office space. It’s a number that’s hard to ignore, especially when it’s coming straight from taxpayers’ pockets. But here’s the real question: who’s getting paid? Are these rental deals fair market value, or are they quietly benefiting a well-connected few? From five-figure monthly rents to buildings once owned by the government itself, tonight we dig into the details. News Five’s Paul Lopez sits down with Minister of Public Service Henry Charles Usher to get answers, and to find out if the public is really getting its money’s worth. Here’s that report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
It’s a question that’s got a lot of people talking, how does the Government of Belize justify spending two and a half million dollars a year just on rent? Every month, over two hundred thousand dollars is being paid out across fifteen ministries to house public officers. That’s a hefty bill coming straight from taxpayers’ pockets. These rental deals are signed off by the Ministry of Public Service, led by Minister Henry Charles Usher. So, is this money well spent, or could it be better used elsewhere?
Henry Charles Usher
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service
“We are trying our best to make sure those contracts are kept within what you can find commercially. When the government of Belize rents from a landlord for a commercial space. They are competing with other tenants. One of the highest paying commercial tenants are the BPOs. So, they drive up the cost of these office buildings. I wish there was a government rate that the landlords provide to government. There is not but we want to make sure the offices are good.”
Here’s something that’s raising even more eyebrows, did you know the Government of Belize is paying rent to the same landlord for not one, but two major ministries in Belize City? That’s right. The Immigration and Nationality office on the Northern Highway and the Central Health Region office on Coney Drive are both housed in buildings owned by the late H.D. Thompson. And get this, the government is shelling out eighteen thousand dollars a month just to rent five floors for the Central Health Region alone. What’s more surprising? That office used to sit on government-owned land right next to KHMH.
Henry Charles Usher
“The reason why the ministry of health moves is that the building was condemned. So, now that we have moved them out, we need to do the renovations on that building so that we can put them back in their, or if KHMH has been expanded to be able to use. Again it is about making sure that the offices the public servants are in that they don’t, it is not something that is making them sick that it has all the proper amenities need to get the job done.”
Paul Lopez
“It is not the case that this family is being favored?”
Henry Charles Usher
“It is a case of availability, what is needed for this department of ministry and that is the primary choice.”
And then there is the Ministry of Blue Economy’s office on Seashore Drive. The government is paying fourteen thousand dollars monthly to rent that property.
Paul Lopez
“We understand the owner of that to be one Stanley Hoy. Do you justify entering into an agreement with him and paying fourteen thousand dollars for that?”
Henry Charles Usher
“I believe we looked at the cost for square footage to ensure it fell within the parameters the government has set. We found it was conducive to what the Ministry of Blue Economy needed.”
Paul Lopez
“That was only five years ago being rented for forty-five hundred dollars. How do you justify the jump?”
Henry Charles Usher
“At the time I believe it was residential. You have to look at the difference between residential before, now you have to look at the difference between residential and commercial property. When it was being rented for that price is was at a residential rate, which is less. Nobody is going to pay above a certain amount to live in a house, no matter if it on the seas side, beach side. For an office space the rent is different. It is based on square footage. Once it falls within the parameters of the square footage that government has set then it is justified.”
In Belmopan, the government is paying twenty-two thousand dollars to an unnamed Asian national to rent office space for the Immigration and Nationality Department.
Paul Lopez
“Who are we paying twenty-two thousand dollars to the Ministry of Immigration. My understanding is that it is an Asian National. Who is that person?”
Henry Charles
“I don’t know the name of the landlord in that case. But, again we have to look at the square footage to see how much of the building is being rented and what is the price per square foot.”
Paul Lopez
“Is it not in your ministry’s interest to know who these people are?”
Henry Charles Usher
“Of course and we do, we have all the files for everybody. I am just saying off the top of my head I cant say who that would be.”
We challenged Minister Usher to release the names of every landlord the government rents from.
Henry Charles Usher
“Of course there are contractual obligations on certain things, but once the attorney general’s ministry says it is ok then I don’t have a problem. It is the people’s money and not something already known.”
We will hold the Minister of Public Service Henry Charles Usher to his commitment. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
Here’s a thought—what if, instead of pouring millions into rent every year, the government actually built its own office complex? That’s the suggestion from PSU President Dean Flowers, who last week challenged the government to stop renting and start investing in public infrastructure. He’s also calling on the Auditor General to step in and find out—are Belizeans really getting value for money when it comes to these rental deals?
Dean Flowers
Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union
“If we were to only invest in our office complexes, we would save the tax payers a whole lot of money in the millions. I can say to you that a careful analysis in rentals for some years will show as much as six million dollars in only rent. If you are to do a proper analysis on rental on a five year period it would amount to sixteen million Belize dollars. We can build a beautiful office complex for ten million dollars. So the government needs to stop giving away the land and instead acquire or withhold a peace of land and address these ridiculous rental prices, which we all know are inflated and I challenge the auditor general to review these numbers and to check in on these building to determine whether we are getting value for money. The contractor general, we are also paying a contractor general who needs to ascertain these things.”
So, we put the question directly to Minister Henry Charles Usher, what’s stopping the government from building its own office complex and ending the cycle of costly rentals? It’s not a new conversation, and according to the Minister, the idea has been on the table for a while. In fact, there were plans for a public-private partnership to build government campuses on Lake Independence Boulevard and in Belmopan. But those proposals hit some serious roadblocks. So, where does that leave us now? Is the vision still alive—or has it been shelved indefinitely?
Paul Lopez
“Members of the public are asking why not take that two point five million and invest it in that same government office complex, is that not doable?”
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service
“Of course, it is and that is what we want to do, but it has to be done in a way that is sustainable. You can’t just, it is not only one building you are building, it is an entire campus. So, it will cost more than the two point five million that you mentioned. Whereas the government can come up with two hundred thousand plus monthly, upfront it might not be able to come up with the full amount to build the campus. That is why the PPP office approached Social Security to look at investing in the campus in Belize City, also looking at different entities to invest in the campus in Belmopan. Now, let us look at what it cost to build an office building in this economy, it cost about three million dollars and that is really a bare facility. There are very few entities that can finance a three million dollars project so they have to either go to a bank or credit union. The best rate they can probably get is around six percent. A three-million-dollar loan at a six percent annual interest is a fifteen thousand dollars monthly. That is what you will be paying monthly in interest, no principal payment. So which landlord will be renting for fifteen thousand dollars a month if you cant cover their interest payments?”
Tonight, we’re asking the tough questions about accountability and fairness in Belize’s tax system. Over sixteen million dollars in unpaid taxes—yes, sixteen million—is still sitting on the books, uncollected by the Government of Belize. And it’s not just any business. Among the top defaulters is the Northern Fishermen Cooperative Society, which recently had to be bailed out by the Holy Redeemer Credit Union. It still owes more than eight million dollars. The Belize Tax Service has now published a list of tax defaulters, including names like Plexar Capital, Eco Friendly Solutions Limited, and Marine & Service Limited. So, here’s the question: why are these debts still unpaid and what message does this send to everyday Belizeans who do pay their taxes? When the Holy Redeemer Credit Union held its annual general meeting a few weeks ago, the spotlight briefly turned to the Northern Fishermen Cooperative, a group recently bailed out by HRCU after facing serious financial trouble. But while the President of the Board addressed the situation, one major detail was left out: the Cooperative’s staggering eight-million-dollar tax debt to the Government of Belize.
Wendy Castillo
Wendy Castillo, President, Board of Directors, HRCU
“With the Northern Fishermen [Cooperative Society’s] loan, like we explained to you earlier, Northern Fishermen had a facility with the Belize Bank. They also had a facility, meaning a loan, with HRCU. When the bank foreclosed or decided that will no longer give those privileges to Northern Fishermen, Northern Fishermen Cooperative, a sister cooperative to HRCU, approached us. What members must realize is that Northern Fishermen has been a member of HRCU. All the fishermen, most of them, have membership with us. They have never been delinquent with us, HRCU; they remain meeting their obligation to this day, so they approached HRCU to buy over those facilities. They are highly collateralized, meaning that they have a lot of assets more than what, combining the loan with the one they have at HRCU, would amount to. So, for us, the board, as by regulation, reached out to the registrar, who is the Central Bank, to say we want to take over the loan from Belize Bank and bring it to HRCU with the present loan they have. We consolidate it, bring it together, and so the registrar said, we will allow HRCU to do that but because of the portfolio, the amount, we want you to provision for it in full.”
Imagine handing over sixteen thousand dollars for land you thought was yours, only to find out it never was. That’s the reality for a San Pedro businesswoman who says she and her husband were scammed in what’s now being investigated as a land fraud scheme. The couple says they trusted Valeriano Vasquez, who claimed to be selling two parcels of land north of San Pedro. But after wiring the money, the land never changed hands—and worse, it turns out it was already owned by someone else. Now, with no refund in sight, police are stepping in. ASP Stacy Smith has the details.
ASP Stacy Smith, Staff Officer
“On Friday twentieth June, Dolores Teul, a business owner of San Pedrito area of the San Pedro town reported to police that on thirtieth December, 2023, Valeriano Vasquez, also known as Jimbo, offered to sell her two parcels of land located in North San Pedro between thirtieth. December, 2023 entered January, 2024, Teul reported that she paid over a total of sixteen thousand dollars, which was the price quoted for the parcels off lands, and she was issued a receipt. Teul also stated that on ninth May, she made checks at the Lands Department, Belmopan, where she learned at both parcels of land, which were the subject of the transaction, were registered to different individuals. Teul far stated that her efforts to recover the sums paid over to Mr. Vasquez has proven fruitless. As a consequence of this report, police are presently seeking Valeriano Pedro Vasquez, a Belizean justice of the peace of the Eli subdivision of San Pedro twon for the crime of obtaining property by deception.”
