Councillors explain new garbage collection fee
That was in Punta Gorda, but in Belize City this issue is garbage. This has dominated the news for some time, and mostly because of the lack of collection or the back and forth in Court with the disposal companies. And while residents want a resolution to this hot button issue, a new system now in place to deal with the old capitol’s garbage problems—at least garbage produced by businesses—is causing concern because of a new collection fee. The system is already in effect but the bills have just landed at the desk of city businesses. Today Mayor Zenaida Moya Flowers, along with Councillor responsible for this portfolio, Phillip Willoughby, and the Council’s Valuation Manager, Troy Smith, held a news briefing to explain the details. Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
It’s one of the most unsightly realities of Belize City – garbage. And it seems to be everywhere; on streets, in drains and canals, even in open lots, places commonly referred to as “hot spots”. And the Belize City Council believes it is the direct result of the way businesses dispose of trash. So CITCO is implementing the new law that governs the method used in the disposal of garbage produced by business establishments.
The trash will be picked up by the Belize Waste Control, who recently won a court ruling for a ten-year renewal of their contract to pick up household and commercial garbage. Belize City Mayor Zenaida Moya Flowers says the seventy-two hot spots are costing the Council over seven hundred thousand dollars annually, a bill which they can no longer afford to foot from the property taxes collected.
Zenaida Moya Flowers, Belize City Mayor
“The Council cannot continue to take the funds that otherwise should be going towards the maintenance of streets, the beautification of parks, traffic management and so forth and continue to subsidise the collection of commercial garbage. As it is, we are the only municipality that does not charge any household garbage.”
But while businesses may be reluctant to face the music, Moya says the new charges can actually turn out cheaper than the previous system.
Zenaida Moya Flowers
“The weekly, for example, the mom and pop’s will be two dollars and fifty cents. This we believe is very good because as it is right now, if you pay somebody to move away your garbage, you pay two dollars per bag to move away your garbage and let’s say you move away your garbage two times per week and you are a small business, that is four dollars, when in fact weekly now you’ll be paying two dollars and fifty cents.”
Moya explained that in 2008 the Council paid out over one point six million dollars to Belize Waste Control cart away garbage from hot spots. This was separate from the five point five million dollars the council paid for household garbage collection. What raised alarm among the business community was the receipt of bills which state that they are already in arrears.
Troy Smith, Valuation Manager, Belize City Council
“The bill is per quarter. Yes, it was an oversight by us in administration to put the word “arrears” but it is not really arrears. It is forthcoming for the month so it should have stated June July and August. We already know how much garbage more or less your business is accumulating. So you fall into a classification, whether mom and pop’s, micro, small, medium, large and so on.”
Meanwhile, Councillor Willoughby revealed proof of the names of some big corporate companies who are guilty of dumping garbage outside of Belize City. While those cases will be going before the court, Willoughby says that he is prepared to offer rewards to informants.
Philip Willoughby, Councillor Responsible for Garbage Collection
“And we would have expected that they would have been good corporate citizens, respecting our environment and not going up there to dispose of their garbage and burning it and disposing it the way they are. So I’m disappointed in them. And Councillor Willoughby will take this position. I will issue a reward; if di go eena your community or your neighbourhood di goh dispose ah deh garbage I will personally deal with a reward for those individuals, if dehn could bring the license plate, the make of the vehicle, bring wah lee picture or something and wi ker dehn dah court, wi win Councillor Willoughby will be right there to issue a reward to you good people.”
Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.
The new system is divided into six classifications to match the types of businesses and the quantity of garbage they produce each week and will be charged accordingly. While the bills are made out in advance, business owners will have to go in to the council’s office on North Front Street by the tenth of the following month to pay. And just in case you were thinking of postponing your payment for this month, well, there’s a late fee added on to the collection fee.
