Municipalities Losing Revenues with New Cycle Regulations

If you’re a new motorcycle rider in Belize City, here’s what you need to know: getting that license will cost you one hundred and twenty dollars. Half of that goes toward your application and testing fees before you can hit the road legally. With new cycling regulations set to change how riders are trained and licensed, some municipalities have raised concerns about losing revenue. However, CEO Chester Williams says that’s beside the point. According to Williams, the Transport Department is mandated to set national standards, and the regulations are about saving lives, not generating funds.

 

Chester Williams, CEO, Ministry of Transport

“The municipalities are a part of what we’re doing. And may I say that these are national laws. These are not municipal laws, they’re national laws. And so when we do have national laws, it is managed by the national body, Ministry of Transport. And once the law is passed and enacted, then the municipal bodies just have to follow.”

 

Shane Williams

“Well, there is a concern, um, from the municipal bodies in terms of the portion of the application fee that goes to training, theory and the drivers testing that they’ll lose revenue from that.”

 

Chester Williams

“That is their business. If they lose revenue for the greater good of people, then so shall it be. I don’t think this should be, this should be about making revenue. It should be about saving lives. So if they’re going to lose revenue and we’ll save lives, it’s a very good thing. It’s a fair exchange.”