Longsworth mentioned that Belize Tax Services personnel will revisit several stores where issues were raised about the tax waivers. She also noted that returns for the GST-free weekends won’t be submitted until mid-January 2025.
Michelle Longsworth, Director General, Belize Tax Services
“As of today, we are sending back out our officers. We had some who worked on Saturday and Sunday, so they know the stores or the businesses that require further assistance. We are sending back out our officers to these businesses to just have that dialog with them, for them to clearly understand the issues that were brought to us. So, we have the names of the stores, we have the issues that were reported by consumers, so these are the things that we’re going to address with them. And again, this is countrywide, so we have persons going countrywide because it has to be, I think one of the big ones was not accepting payment by credit or debit card. And, as I explained over the weekend to several businesses, we can’t expect consumers to be walking around with a load of cash these days. So it is expected that they will use their credit or debit cards and that was a big one and we fixed that quite easily. Sales made this month, in December, businesses will not file until January fifteenth. So, it is at that time when they submit their returns, their GST returns for December, in January, we’ll be able to look at how the GST collections decreased and how the business tax revenue increased because, remember, there’s an increase in spending because more people went out to buy. And so you have to look at [the fact that] we projected earlier that based on our calculation in a given December weekend, we would project on those two days $2.5 million [dollars] in collections in revenue for GST.”
Another GST-free weekend comes up this Saturday and Sunday.
Residents on the north side of Caye Caulker are up in arms over a proposed petroleum station and bulk fuel storage facility in their neighborhood. Earlier today, several property owners voiced strong objections, arguing that the facility would harm the small village, impacting their properties, personal and tourist safety, the fragile ecosystem, and their ability to get property and structure insurance within three hundred feet of the site. Peggy McDonald, a property owner, expressed her concerns about the proposed development by Petrol Alliance Group Holding Company. She stated, “A neighbor’s choice of business should never make the homes on the adjoining properties unable to be insured against disaster or infringe on their rights to enjoyment of their property. The adjoining neighbors will no longer have the full enjoyment of their property. There will be toxic fumes coming into our yards and homes. We will no longer be able to safely swim behind our properties because of pollution and increased boat traffic. This service station will also increase the traffic on the street in front of our properties, on what is already a very busy street for not only vehicles but also foot traffic, leading to the potential for accidents and noise”. The residents are clearly worried about the potential negative impacts on their community and are calling for a reconsideration of the project. News Five attempted to reach out to Caye Caulker Village Chairperson Seleny Villanueva-Pott, but our attempts were fruitless.
On Friday, the village of San Jose Succotz in the Cayo District celebrated the grand opening of its newly renovated welcome center. As the gateway to the Xunantunich Archaeological Site, this building is strategically designed to be a central hub for visitors and tour guides. It will facilitate organized tours and provide access to cultural and archaeological information, helping to promote Belize’s rich cultural heritage. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
San Jose Succotz, one of Belize’s most popular Mayan communities, serves as the gateway to the Xunantunich Archaeological Site. The village is vibrant with locals who keep the culture alive. On Friday, the community celebrated the grand opening of a new welcome center, designed to help visitors learn more about the area and its rich heritage.
Jorge Espat
Jorge Espat, Area Rep., Cayo West
“ This facility is being built here in San Jose Succotz, but it’s going to assist many Belizeans. And the way that I say this is because we have two guides, not only from San Jose Succotz, We have tour guides from Benque Viejo, San Ignacio. Belize is a diverse country. Full of culture. Full of opportunities. And we are not here, myself is not here to stop that growth. I am here to assist, to help, to continue the growth. For the betterment of the future of those coming behind.”
This project came to life thanks to the combined efforts of Cayo West Area Representative Jorge Espat, Minister of Tourism Anthony Mahler, and the Belize Tourism Board. Nicole Usher-Solano, CEO in the Ministry of Tourism, explains how the new welcome center will help forge stronger connections between visitors and locals.
Nicole Usher-Solano
Nicole Usher-Solano, C.E.O., Ministry of Tourism & Diaspora Relations
“Cayo is one of the most important destinations for tourism in Belize. People come here all the time. People come to visit Xunantunich, but do they come to just visit Mayan temples? No, they come here to connect with the people. They want to come in here. I know that a lot of people are coming in. There are some beautiful restaurants in the area and they want to come in and they want to not only meet you, but they want to share in the beautiful culture of this community. And this space is created so that we can share that with our visitors.”
The center is perfectly situated to welcome tourists, while also deeply rooted in the village’s rich history.
Francisco Torres
Francisco Torres, Succotz Resident
“I am certain, and there is no doubt about it, that the villagers of Succotz are proud to have an exceptional center. This center is located in the plaza of the village, where it was known to be the Alcalde’s court justice, the jail, the British flag, the old time Catholic church, and the primary schools. In this same place, the dance of the morals, The Mestizadas dance and the comedies took place. The history of San Jose’s Succotz has its origin from the Mayas. Hence, we can say that this village was the cradle of our ancestors.”
As a token of appreciation, local tour guide Rosario Vasquez presented Jorge Espat with a hand-carved sculpture depicting Belize’s national symbols.
Rosario Vasquez
Rosario Vasquez, Tour Guide
“I am happy, guys, with everybody, BTB, and mister Milin, and all the workers who did this, he put everything what he got here. I am offering this beautiful present for this welcome center is the national symbol of Belize, made from slate or sedimentary rock. So we find it here in Black Rock. But this is my gift to mister Milin Espat because he appreciates everything what he brought, what he give to him,”
Great news for long-distance travelers! E-buses are now available for inter-district travel, thanks to the success of the E-Mobility Pilot Project launched in Belize City this past July. These new buses offer eco-friendly and disability-accessible transportation, complete with air conditioning, charging ports, and on-board Wi-Fi. The Government of Belize has received three new e-buses, with two already unveiled in Belmopan. These buses will operate routes from Belize City to the north and west. This initiative is a collaborative effort involving several government ministries, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the European Union, and the Belize City Council, all working together to provide a more sustainable and accessible transportation option across the country.
Prime Minister John Briceño shared that the GST waiver for the two weekends before Christmas was the government’s way of giving shoppers a break from the high cost of living this holiday season. After his presentation in the House, we asked him how much the government expects to lose in GST revenue due to the waiver and what plans are in place to recover those funds.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“We decided to find an innovative way how we can keep our people, give them a chance, give them an ease, and at the same time to be able to help them to stay and spend their monies in Belize. And this is how we came up with that idea. We are giving a tax – a GST holiday for Saturday and Sunday of this week. And next weekend, Saturday and Sunday again. So that people can save at least twelve-point-five percent on their purchases. And once we lose on the revenues to us it’s not only about the money. As a government we need the money, but we want to make people happy and that will make people spend the money here and when they spend money here, they spend it in Belizean-owned businesses and they hire people and then eventually we’ll be able to collect the taxes but we’ll still make it up at the day.”
Marion Ali
“The GST waivers that so many people are thankful for, how will the government recover those necessary taxes that you would have collected had you not given this offer? And how much can you say it works out to?”
Prime Minister John Briceno
“It is estimated it’s going to be a minimum of five million dollars that we’re going to be foregoing but we believe that by Belizeans not going to Chetumal, that they could keep their money here, we can make up for a portion of the losses. We believe that by Belizeans, quite likely since they’re saving twelve and a half percent, most of them are going to spend more. to help us to be able to capture that. But also there’s something that you can’t put monetary value. And that is the joy of families and the joy of the children and saying, okay, I could get a gift, you know, or spend a better, happier Christmas than before. There’s no monetary value for that. So, it is something that we, we, we fully recognize and know that, um, we could do with the money. But, at the end of the day, it is about serving people and making them feel good about themselves. When you look at Belize City, the, the, um, when they lit the Christmas tree, it was two weeks ago, you see. I mean, thousands of people are out there. The Mopan had a wonderful one. Tonight we’re going to do one in Orange Walk Town in Las, in Las Banquitas, out there. You can’t put a monetary value on that.”
The Belize Government Lotteries Limited took over the lottery and Boledo in August 2023, and it’s been a year since they revamped the games. To celebrate this anniversary, they’re raffling off a million dollars just in time for Christmas! Prime Minister John Briceño shared that since the first revamped sale in November 2023, the government has raked in over five million dollars in profits, with total sales surpassing a hundred million dollars. He mentioned that these profits will go towards supporting sports and helping needy families.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“The balance sheet, and we are going to be making it public to everybody. The balance sheet is very strong with total assets of six point seven million dollars, made up of several assets, including equipment and software development. Please note that B.G.L. was funded through the Ministry of Investment with monies provided by the government of Belize. So all of us, all taxpayers, made an investment in this company. The Profit and Loss Statement reveals a total net income of five point eight million, which is as follows. The revenues between November and March were thirty-six point nine million. The cost of sales, the winnings were thirty-point-six percent. These are the winnings and commissions. Administrative expenses were five hundred thousand, which generated a net profit of five-point-eight percent. The financial audited statements, or the financial audit reveal a very healthy cash flow position at the end of March of 2024, with cash and cash equivalent balance of five million, five hundred and eighty-nine thousand, one hundred and fifteen dollars. The first audited financials of B.G.L represents a healthy statement of accounts of the government’s institution that now manages the government’s lotteries for and on behalf of all Belizeans. For the first time in history, we can report that for the first four months of sales, we believe Boledo is already benefiting the Belizean people with 5. 8 billion dollars. million dollars. Madam Speaker, the board or the management of B.G.L decided to do an unaudited financial report for twelve months. So, you could see how much we, how much we can make in a full year of operations for, from December 1st of 2023 through November 30th of 2024. And this report was presented to the management to the board of the government lunches limited BGL for the period of November. Well, when we, the first seal was on November 21st, 2023, right up to November 30th, 2024. BGL recorded a series of a hundred and eleven million, one hundred and sixty-four thousand, five hundred and eighty plus eighteen cents, which was for Boledo and lottery sales only.”
Earlier this week, it was revealed that the Government of Belize has enlisted senior counsels Eamon Courtenay and Godfrey Smith to handle a case filed by the Belize Peace Movement. The case, which is before the High Court, concerns the long overdue redistricting exercise. When we caught up with the Prime Minister outside today’s House meeting, we asked him about these high-profile appointments.
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“We’re not going after them, we’re just defending ourselves. We did not go after them, they are coming after us as a government and we have to defend ourselves. This has been a long-drawn-out process, and we all recognize that something has to be done. Unfortunately, the report that was given to us and it has been tabled in the house, it’s still in the house committee. It would seem that they can’t come to an agreement and we can’t force them to do whatever it is that needs to be done, but we are waiting for that, but at the same time we have to defend ourselves. In many instances we don’t give it attention and by the time we put in the proper attention it’s already too late. So we want to ensure that we defend ourselves and to show to the Belizean people that we are trying as best as we possibly can to follow the law. I must also remind you that the redistricting is not in the hands of the government, it’s in the hands of the Elections and Boundaries Commission.”
Later today, San Ignacio will celebrate the inauguration of a brand-new boardwalk and public space. You might remember that the groundbreaking took place just before the March 6th municipal elections. Since then, Area Representative Orlando Habet and the Belize Tourism Board have worked together to complete the project. However, Mayor Earl Trapp has voiced some concerns, noting that Town Hall was left out of the planning and execution process for the boardwalk and the adjoining marketplace.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo Northeast
“I think it’s very disingenuous coming from the mayor, to say something like that because way back in February, we did inform him and he was against it. Matter of fact he went in the media and said that he was not informed and eventually he went back and said he had a meeting with minister Mahler saying that minister Mahler was supporting him. Something to that effect. Well after that we decided that we wanted to speak to him and he went out there with his architect and we looked at the area, we showed him the design. And he said fine, it looks good. Let’s do it. I think part of the problem that the mayor has is that he wants to be involved in the collection of the monies for the rent of the four little kiosk that we have but the rental of the kiosks will be put into a fund for the maintenance of the kiosks because the boardwalk is made out of lumbar and lumbar needs constant maintenance. Another thing is I think that he was hoping, and many of his followers were hoping that floods would have taken the boardwalk. Well it has now withstood maybe the second of the largest flood events that we have experienced in the last twenty-five or thirty years. And it is still there, it was covered many many feet above the roof. It is still there, it has been washed, it has been prepared, it is ready for inauguration. Again, very disingenuous because yesterday morning at about eight thirty, the mayor called me and told me that he wanted to speak to me about the management if the boardwalk. I said listen, I’m going to a meeting but as soon as I get out of it, in the afternoon or tomorrow, which is today, I will call you to explain to you what we are doing.”
Residents and business owners on Faber’s Road in Belize City are up in arms over the recent redlining of a section of the road. The new no-parking zone, stretching from Central American Boulevard to the Faber’s Road Police substation, has caused quite a stir. Business owners are worried that the inconvenience will drive away customers, while homeowners are left scrambling for parking spots. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
Parking on Faber’s Road has become a nightmare for residents and business owners. Since last month, the stretch from Central American Boulevard to the police substation has been redlined, and those who used to park there are now getting ticketed. This change has left everyone scrambling for parking spots and feeling frustrated.
Allessia Santiago
Allessia Santiago, Resident
“My daughter bring the vehicle every night when she come from work and she park ova soh and then da mawnin, she left. Police mi come last night and ih put ah ticket and like fifteen minutes afta dat, she mi di look weh fi move the vehicle cause she noh know weh paat fi move di vehicle. So ney come back and start ro halla atta ney and tell ney wa bring the vehicle fi haul it. Fi move it. Well my daughter no want that happened so we di try figure out weh fi do.”
Earlier this year, Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner announced plans to redline the entire stretch up to Rio Grande Crescent. This move aims to tackle the issue of derelict vehicles cluttering the area.
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City (File: June 25th, 2024)
“We are looking through our traffic committee and are putting together some sort of recommendation, where we will look at really redlining that entire stretch up to, I think Rio Grande Crescent. But we will – we have done a study for all the residential homes along the Faber’s Road and in that study, our city planner found that there are spaces for people to park on the area that is owned by the city for most of the homes. So we are looking to pass a required S.I after the consultations with the residents in that area in the Faber’s Road area. But we are looking to redline that entire stretch right from the Boulevard.
Residents point to the wide sidewalk as one of the problems. A few years ago, the road was reconstructed, limiting the amount of road space.
Voice of Faber’s Road Resident
Voice of Faber’s Road Resident
“I think the problem started when we spent eight million on a street so thin, when we actually have enough space that we could have made this road much wider. And even the sidewalk to see the sidewalks is so wide that three people who can walk abreast. Having the sidewalks a foot thinner would have alleviate a lot of the problem that we’re having with vehicle passing each other. ”
Business owners are feeling the pinch, worried that the lack of parking will scare away their customers. One resident suggested a potential solution: allowing parking during specific time windows.
Voice of Faber’s Road Resident
“I da understand wa six to six but weh da si sense ah yo come give people ticet akl ten eleven da night. When people inna ney bed. Got big siren on di blow. Mek lotta npise the come knows pan your door fi give yo ticket.”
Faber’s Road was originally designed to ensure smooth movement for cargo trucks coming from the Port of Belize. However, with so many vehicles parked for long periods, it became increasingly hazardous for these trucks to navigate. The congestion also slowed down traffic flow. City Councilor Eluide Miller explained that, based on recommendations from the Traffic and Planning Departments, banning parking on the road was deemed the best solution to address these issues.
Eluide Miller
Eluide Miller, Traffic Management, Belize City Council
“I think we went as far as taking one of the residents to court because he was conducting a business of some sort along the stretch, which was causing issues. And the court delivered a judgment that he was failing to abate a public nuisance, right? And he was required to move those vehicles. He proceeded to move some of the vehicles. Months later, the vehicles came back, right? And so it’s not for a lack of efforts on the council’s end. We’ve tried everything in our power to not have to get to this point, but we have come to the realization that this is the only thing that will have them act in a way that is not inconveniencing the public. Our residents and all those who traverse the area on a daily basis. We have to prioritize your safety. We can’t sacrifice the masses for the sake of a few residents who insist on being inconsiderate and not abide by the law.”
The City Planning Unit carried out a study to assess how the redlining would affect residents and business owners. They meticulously analyzed each parcel to evaluate parking availability and impact.
Carla Patnett
Carla Patnett, City Planner
“Each one of the parcels were not a hundred percent, have a hundred percent occupancy, meaning that there is space on the private property for residents to park. Also along Faber’s Road, there is public reserve in front of each one of the parcels. In different sectors of the stretch of Faber’s Road, there are different widths, but there is also space if the resident has more than one vehicle to park in their property and there’s an overflow, there’s public space where there’s there is that capacity. And so we took photos from the front, from the side in order to, to evidence that there is sufficient parking and the residents are able to park inside the property.”
To address concerns from businesses about losing customers, the council has agreed to permit brief parking periods throughout the day. They also emphasized that any residents with additional concerns are welcome to reach out and discuss ways to improve the parking situation. Britney Gordon for News Five.
The Belize Government Lotteries raked in nearly six million dollars in profit from December first, 2023, to March thirty-first, 2024. This comes from an independent audit by Moore Belize LLP. The auditors aimed to ensure the financial statements were accurate and free from significant errors or fraud, and to provide their professional opinion in a report. So far in 2024, lottery sales have hit a whopping thirty-six point one million dollars. On the flip side, the company has shelled out twenty-five million, three hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars in prize winnings.
