2025-06-24 - Greater Belize Media

Belize Tax Services Calls Them Out, Business Owner Claps Back

The Belize Tax Service is turning up the heat, naming and shaming more than a dozen businesses for unpaid taxes in a bold public notice. But while the government is calling out defaulters, at least one business owner is calling foul. Andrew Munnings of Munnings Funeral Home says he’s already in court, making payments, and doing his part. So, why is he still being singled out? And beyond that, a bigger question is emerging: while the tax office demands what it’s owed, what about the refunds it owes to everyday Belizeans? Tonight, we take a closer look at the growing tension between taxpayers and tax collectors and ask, is the system fair for everyone? Here’s Paul Lopez with the following story.

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The Belize Tax Service has issued a public notice, putting more than a dozen businesses on blast for failing to pay their business taxes and GST. Among the biggest defaulters? Northern Fishermen Cooperative Society, Plexar Capital LLC, and Eco-Friendly Solutions Limited. According to Director General Michelle Longsworth, this isn’t just a warning, it’s the final call for those who’ve stayed silent on their tax debts. So, what happens next? And how serious is the crackdown?

Michelle Longsworth, Director General, Belize Tax Services

“What we are saying here is because all efforts have gone unresponsive by these tax payers. We have done everything to try and collect from them. It is important to know that none of these defaulters listed just received a bill out of nowhere with no warning. We tried working with them and we still continue to try but they refuse to engage in meaningful discourse. So, each one of them was afforded the rights all tax payers receive, audit reviews, payment arrangements, disputes if they wanted to dispute any of the assessment. They were engaged.”

Andrew Munnings, owner of Munnings Funeral Home, is firing back after his business appeared on the government’s tax defaulters list. The Belize Tax Service claims he owes one hundred and eighty-two thousand dollars in unpaid business tax and GST. But Munnings says he’s been in court over the issue and is making regular payments. In a social media post, he called the system unfair and said small businesses like his are being unfairly targeted.

On the Phone: Andrew Munnings, Founder, Munnings Funeral Home

“I have seen the inside of a courtroom more than P Diddy. When the director says these are business that are noncompliant that they will take to the court, I am like, what have I not been through with you all. I have an agreed court statement, where I am paying court fee and business tax and GST and back tax. I am paying them two thousand monthly. So what do you want. I have made it clear it is our duty to pay taxes. But let us clear, a five-year business with two hundred thousand dollars in back taxes is ridiculous to me.”

Director General Michelle Longsworth says the tax system relies on businesses to report their own earnings. She explained that under the law, it’s a system based on voluntary compliance, meaning the responsibility starts with the business, not the tax office.

Michelle Longsworth

“Remember for business taxes there are different rates, one point seven five percent, three percent, six percent, it depends on the sector that you are in, the type of business you own. For GST it is twelve percent across the board and that is different, because remember the confusion here at times is that GST is not a tax on business, it is consumer tax. Also, business tax is paid on your gross not your profit. There is this misconception that business tax is paid on your profit. That is so very wrong. It is on your gross. What we do when we do audits or validation, we validate that what you submit to us is correct.”

Andrew Munnings says when he first tried to register his business with the Belize Tax Service in 2021, he was told he didn’t meet the threshold. But after officially registering in 2023, he was hit with a large tax bill. Now, he’s challenging how that amount was calculated, arguing it doesn’t reflect how his business actually operates.

Andrew Munnings

“I am not saying we should not pay tax. That is our duty and responsibility. Nobody never told tax services we never want pay tax. It is how we go about doing stuff. The last time went to court they took me to court for the closure of my business for thirty days. I told them please close it down permanently, I am absolutely tired. I am not at a stretch point anymore with it, because I can see clearly that my business is not the only business going through all this. But, what I am trying to say if we give tax breaks to big people, people with big fancy names, why we cant give it to young, small, born Belizean people. My thing is that my name is on that list and I don’t feel ashamed about it, because I work hard for what I have and what I try give. I don’t want anybody to feel sorry for me. I don’t want nobody to fell sorry for me. I will pay my tax, whatever they say I owe. They are getting their two thousand monthly.”

The tax debate isn’t over just yet. Andrew Munnings, owner of Munnings Funeral Home, says he’ll keep paying the Belize Tax Service two thousand dollars a month, as ordered by the court, until his debt is cleared. But while his case continues, a new conversation is surfacing: what about the tax refunds the government owes to everyday Belizeans? That’s right, while some are being called out for what they owe, others are still waiting on what they’re owed.

Michelle Longsworth

“What I will say here is that I think that some people are being mischievous because we have a team of persons monitoring these comments on social media and then they try to contact them to get the information of their employment, they put out there we owe them from 2019, 2021 an when we try to contact these persons they get no response or they just block you because at the end of the day they have been mischievous. I can tell you that we have helped quite a few person who have genuinely posted out there and when we contact them they give their information and they can attest to the fact that they have been immediately paid their refund.”

Longsworth says a similar list of tax defaulters was published in 2023. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.

The Law Mandates Paying Tax on Income Earned from Side Hustle

Now here’s something that might surprise a few folks, especially if you’ve got a side hustle going. Whether you’re mowing lawns on weekends or catering events after hours, every dollar you earn needs to be declared to the Belize Tax Service. That’s right, even those extra gigs count. While your main job might handle your income tax automatically, Director General Michelle Longsworth is reminding everyone that undeclared income, no matter how small, is still a legal issue. So, are you reporting all your earnings, or are you unknowingly breaking the law?

Michelle Longsworth, Director General, Belize Tax Service

“One of the things we would also like to say is that taxes are on your total emoluments. We know in this day and age many employees work multiple jobs. And I like to use the call center as an example, many employees work at multiple call centers. It does not mean that you submit one from a call center that you think you may get a refund. Because of electronic data, we receive from all employers and when it is combined you may not be due a refund, thinking you should. It is not when it was paper based you submit from one employer to get a refund but you did not submit from the other employer because you did not want to pay your taxes. It is now real time data and it is important that people are honest, honest in submitting their total emoluments. And I can tell you we have a lot of compliant tax payers, because we have many employees who for example have a catering business, maybe they cater food after, those compliant tax payers register for business tax, because while they are paying their employee income tax that their employer take out of their salary without them even seeing it, they are compliant because they have a side business. They register for business tax and pay for what they are making on their small business. So it is not everyone, we do have a large percentage of compliant tax payers.”

Paul Lopez

“That is to say you should be paying taxes on everything you make.”

Michelle Longsworth

“Correct, on everything you make you should be paying your taxes.”

Paul Lopez

“A frivolous example, but if I go and cut a yard as a reporter and I am cutting two three yards for the weekend and I make fifty bucks a yard, I should be paying income tax on that.”

Michelle Longsworth

“You should be reporting that also.”

Forty Staff Call In Sick—Protest or Pandemic?

Something unusual happened at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital today, forty staff members, mostly from the dialysis unit, called in sick. Now, was this just a bad flu going around, or are we looking at a coordinated sick-out? That’s the big question tonight. Tensions are clearly high after hospital management released details of its latest pension proposal, leaving union members fuming. We spoke with K.H.M.H. Workers Union President Andrew Baird, who says when employees feel unheard and undervalued, it doesn’t just affect morale, it affects their health too.

On the Phone: Andrew Baird, President, KHMH Workers Union

“The first thing is we are entitled to be sick. I called in sick this morning and I was made to understand that there were some other staff who also were sick. I don’t know what their condition is, but we are entitled to be sick, and we visited our physician and our physician believes we deserve bed rest or time off from work to recover. That is the way it is. I am sorry I find out that other people are also out sick. I don’t know if it affects the institution’s daily services but that is what it is.”

Paul Lopez

“Would that letter from the hospital yesterday, would that have contributed to the sort of illness, be it physically or mentally that staff members are experiencing?”

On the Phone: Andrew Baird

“In most cases, people chose not to disclose their sickness. It is a confidentiality thing. But certainly when you have disgruntled people it does affect them mentally and physically when you have certain conditions that is not in the best interest of the staff.”

Paul Lopez

“When a group of people is out sick at one institution, business, operation, it kind of affects that business’s ability or that institution’s ability to operate. Are you concerned with that?”

On the Phone: Andrew Baird

“That is a concern for management at this time. Maybe some bacteria is going around at the hospital at this time. Management needs to figure that out.”

Chief Executive Officer Chandra Cansino told News Five that services went uninterrupted, despite the sickout. She also noted that the hospital’s management remains open to dialogue at the negotiation table. The K.H.M.H. Workers Union also issued a release late this evening, in which it doubled down on voicing its disappointment with the latest proposal. The release says the union outrightly rejected it but remains committed to good-faith dialogue.

Belize’s Big Bus Plan Under Fire: Vision Without a Viable Roadmap?

The Belize Bus Owners Association is raising a red flag over the government’s push for a new National Bus Company. They say the idea sounds great—modern buses, digital tickets, upgraded terminals, but there’s one big problem: there’s no plan to back it up. In a bold statement, the BBA, which represents thirty-one licensed bus operators, accused the Ministry of Transport of selling a dream without showing the math. No feasibility study. No financial model. No clear idea of how much it will cost, or who will pay for it. The Ministry claims that sixteen operators are already on board. But the BBA says none of them have seen the details, like what kind of buses will be used, how fares will be set, or what kind of return investors can expect. And here’s where it gets even more interesting: the government says the plan will work thanks to “economies of scale.” But the BBA points out that Belize has fewer than three hundred buses, compared to over eight thousand in Mexico’s ADO system, which still charges higher fares. Bus operators say they’re not against improving public transport. But they say it must be done right—with real data, real planning, and real transparency. So, here’s the question: Is the government rushing to sell a vision before doing the homework? And if so, who ends up paying the price—commuters, investors, or both?

Zabaneh Drops Supporter List Amid Transit Shake-Up

On Monday’s Open Your Eyes morning show, Transport Minister Dr. Louis Zabaneh sat down to discuss the government’s big plans to overhaul public transportation. But the conversation quickly turned to a key question: Was anyone actually consulted before rolling out this bold new vision? Dr. Zabaneh didn’t just say yes, he went a step further, naming several bus operators he claims are already backing the idea of a National Bus Company.

Opposition Senator Faber in Hot Seat Over Police Confrontation

Former Collet Area Representative Patrick Faber is headed to trial. He’s facing charges of obstruction and aggravated assault against a police officer, charges that stem from an early morning traffic stop back in April. Faber appeared in court today with attorney OJ Elrington, where he received full disclosure in the case, including twenty-three pages and a CD of evidence. The trial is set for September sixteenth. But what exactly happened that night? According to police, it started with a routine checkpoint and ended with a confrontation that’s now landed a former government minister in legal hot water.

Is Mike Peyrefitte the Answer to the UDP’s Troubles?

Mike Peyrefitte is back at the helm of the United Democratic Party, stepping once again into the role of chairman. But his return raises more questions than answers. Just a few months ago, Peyrefitte resigned—only six days after the U.D.P. suffered a crushing defeat in the March twelfth general elections. His departure didn’t calm the storm within the party. In fact, tensions have only worsened, with last weekend’s failed National Party Council meeting marking a new low. So why is he back? According to Peyrefitte, both sides of the divided party reached out to him, urging him to return. They believe he might be the one to help heal the rift and guide the party toward unity and strong leadership. Initially hesitant, Peyrefitte says he ultimately felt a duty to return for the sake of the party he loves.

Mike Peyrefitte, Returning Chairman, U.D.P.

“Well on March eighteenth, I resigned as chairman. I thought that my absence would be in the best interest of the party going forward, at that point. And since events that took place recently, and before. Both factions, if you could call it that, within the party, reached out to me and indicated to me that they would like for me to rescind my resignation because they believe that at this point I could be of some assistance to have the party proceed in a way to have us heal, to have us have definitive leadership and for us to move forward. Naturally, I initially resisted, but in the best interest of the party that I love and I want to see move forward, I think it was important that if my colleagues were asking me to return, then I was obligated, as a service to the party, to come back and see if I can help with that process. So I agreed. I’ve presented to the parties involved that I have a certain vision and a way that I think we can resolve the issues of the party going forward. We are in discussions with those and we will see where it goes and I am fully prepared to take charge of the party, so to speak, up until the point where we have a national convention and the people of the party can vote on who they want to be their substantive leader, first deputy, second deputy, chairman and vice chairman, at the very least.”

Support Secured, Exit Still Possible: Peyrefitte’s Balancing Act

Mike Peyrefitte says he’s back as U.D.P. chairman with the full support of the party’s top brass. He’s spoken to all three key figures, though he stops short of saying they urged him to return. Still, he insists their backing is clear. But what does that really mean? Peyrefitte paints a hopeful picture. He says there’s been a wave of positivity and that discussions are underway to chart a new path forward. He’s optimistic that the party can resolve its internal strife soon. Yet, he’s also leaving the door open—if things don’t go as promised, he says he won’t hesitate to walk away again.

Mike Peyrefitte, Returning Chairman, U.D.P.

“I can tell you that all three of them fully support me coming back as chairman. I spoke to all of them yesterday and again today. And all three of them, I won’t go as far as to say that I was encouraged by them to come back to help with this process. But that, to me, is just a matter of details. We are in current discussions about how we go forward. I think there was a lot of positivity that was expressed to me yesterday and today and I look forward to us solving this in the very, very near future. And hey, if it doesn’t work out, I can always resign again because if I believe that we’re not moving in a direction that I’ve been promised we would be moving, then I reserve the right to say well I thought I was coming into an environment where we all accepted that we all grow where each of us grow and we all are to be blamed for whatever is wrong with the party. Just like we are all to be given credit with what’s right about the party. It’s a collective responsibility. When I to UDP people, people who genuinely care for this party, none of them give a damn, you know, about who wants to call themselves whatever. What they want is to see their party heal. I will not entertain the media by giving some sort of soundbite that could lead to some mischief. We don’t need that anymore in the UDP. We have an NPC, the NPC will make decisions and sure enough, it is my hope and expectation that in just a few short months we will know exactly who the UDP leader will be because we will go on a course that everybody will be onboard with and everybody will pledge to accept the result of.”

Peyrefitte’s Plea: Can Love for Party and Country Heal the UDP?

Mike Peyrefitte is calling for unity, but not necessarily harmony, within the United Democratic Party. In his words, the U.D.P. doesn’t need to “hold hands and sing kumbaya,” but it does need to get serious about its role as the opposition. He’s urging party members to put aside personal and petty differences for the greater good of Belize. But here’s the catch: Peyrefitte admits that everyone, himself included, may have played a part in the party’s current struggles. His message is clear, if the U.D.P. wants to move forward, it must first look inward. When asked whether his return as chairman might lead to a Senate seat, Peyrefitte shut that down quickly.

Mike Peyrefitte, Returning Chairman, U.D.P.

“We have to be much better and the love of our party knowing that a viable UDP is in the best interest of Belize, those two things override any issues, whether personal or petty that anybody may have with each other. We don’t have to hold hands and sing kumbaya, but we have to understand the importance of the role of the opposition. And we have to understand that we may have all been at fault in terms of where the UDP is now. But we have to move forward and we have to check ourselves, all of us, and decide that if we want to move forward, this is how it’ll have to be.”

Reporter

“Since it’s all hands on deck and all the best hands are on deck, you are skilled as a debater in the parliament, should you be rewarded with a senatorial post to return to the senate?”

Mike Peyrefitte

“We don’t play games with the, at least, I don’t play games with the post that are serious like this, that’s serious business. Discussing parliamentary business is serious business and that discussion has not come up.”

Reporter

“But you do it well.”

Mike Peyrefitte

“I do a lot of things well. I did not come back as chairman as some quid pro quo in any way. I came back out of the love of the United Democratic Party and I am telling you this, I will say this to you, I came back very reluctantly. I come back very reluctantly, but they know my weakness, and my weakness is the United Democratic Party and the love of my country.”

After hearing from Peyrefitte this afternoon, here are a few important questions: Is Peyrefitte’s return a real turning point, or just a temporary patch? Can the U.D.P. truly move forward if its leadership remains uncertain and conditional? And what does it say about the party’s stability if its chairman is already talking about resigning, again?

New Study Shows Belize’s Economy Hasn’t Progressed in 20 Years

This morning, the University of Belize turned the spotlight on the nation’s economy—past, present, and future. At a special policy research seminar, renowned economics professor Victor Bulmer-Thomas unveiled a thought-provoking paper titled ‘The Belizean Economy in the Twenty-First Century: When and Why Belize Fell Behind and What to Do About It.’ The study dives deep into Belize’s economic journey and lays out bold, long-term strategies for turning things around. So, where did we go off track and how do we get back on it? News Five’s Britney Gordon has the story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Belize’s economy may be bouncing back, but is it really catching up? In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought tourism to a standstill and sent the economy into a sharp decline. Fast forward five years, and the government is celebrating an impressive 8.2% GDP growth in 2024, second highest in the region. But a new study is raising eyebrows. Economist Victor Bulmer-Thomas says that despite the recovery, Belize still ranks as the third poorest country in the region. His message? The numbers may look good, but they’re hiding a much deeper problem.

Victor Bulmer-Thomas, Honorary Professor

“I then asked the question of why? What has happened that might have brought that about? And I focused on three things in particular. One is exports. Which are really not high enough for a country that like Belize and which aspires to have a higher standard of living. The second was the low investment ratio, particularly by the private domestic investors who face all sorts of difficulties in trying to compete with the foreign investors, for example. And the third thing was the issue of government. Government spending in terms of education, health, all those sorts of things, which are needed to bring the standard of living home. But to increase government spending, there has to be an increase in government revenue.”

Using data from the Statistical Institute of Belize and the Central Bank, economist Victor Bulmer-Thomas found that Belize’s income per capita in 2024 is nearly the same as it was in 2007—meaning living standards haven’t really improved. He suggests the government could boost revenue by cracking down on tax evasion instead of raising taxes. Dr. Dylan Vernon from the Belize Policy Research Institute says the country still faces major economic challenges.

Dr. Dylan Vernon, Executive Director, Belize Policy Research Institute

“There has been a decrease in living standards and indicates that we are comparatively in decline of that matrix. So the paper basically highlighted that it told us why, which is basically the fact that we have low investment we have an export situation where we’re not exporting enough, importing too much and so that, that contributes to the issue.”

According to the study, Belize’s position has also declined in Central America over the past few decades.

Victor Bulmer-Thomas

“I’m not going to single out any country in particular, but given that there are thirty-four countries in the Caribbean, if you include all the non-independent ones, sixteen independent and eighteen non-independent. All of them trying to export services like Belize. There are many examples of successful service experts, not just tourism, which Belize could look to try and diversify its economy and raise its standard of living.”

Could a data-driven strategy be the key to unlocking Belize’s economic potential? A new study thinks so. It recommends that Belize start using something called the input-output matrix—a tool that tracks how goods and services move between industries.

Dr. Dylan Vernon

“We will be making , in fact, we are making this the paper that was presented accessible free of cost downloadable on the website of the University of Belize on the page for free. And also we’ve done a couple flyers that break down the information for wider access. But the most important thing that BELPRI will be doing now is to advocate for use of this input output approach as a policy making tool for Belize.”

BELPRI hopes to share this information with relevant stakeholders and the public to fuel the mission for a more robust and sustainable economy. Britney Gordon for News Five.

The study is free to download on the University of Belize’s website.