Belmopan City Hall Clears Trade License Confusion

Tonight, Belmopan Mayor Pablo Cawich is clearing the air on the recent jump in trade license fees, saying the changes aren’t part of the new system just yet, and that any extra payments businesses already made won’t go to waste. He says those funds can be rolled over as credit or applied to other fees, and the council will be sending out updated letters to make everything clear moving forward.

 

Pablo Cawich, Mayor, Belmopan

“So what everyone has gotten so far is the new rate that was calculated. Based on the reassessment. Now, after those letters went out, I was contacted by, central government and the Ministry of Local Government, and we I was, I was, guided to ensure that no business passes the ten percent limit or the ten ceiling or floor that is mandated in the new law. Now because we are not applying or implementing the new law, the Trade Board was of the belief that we didn’t have to adhere to the ten percent fee. So this is where the disconnect happened. And snice that new rate has been relayed to the businesses and further discussions have happened we have now reassessed our analysis to ensure nobody passes that ten percent ceiling or floor.”

 

Sherlette Neal

“So some of those business owners will be getting new letters?”

 

Pablo Cawich

“Yes. Yes. Every business will be getting a new letter. Even if you were, you were not affected.”

 

Reporter

“And so trade license was due at the beginning of this year, so what will that be used as? Will it be a credit or will you return the money to the businesses.”

 

Pablo Cawich

“The plan is to use it as a credit to next year’s, next year’s fees, or if they would want to apply it to some other type of fee. That is also a possibility.”