Belizeans reminded not to shop in free zone
As Christmas approaches some of us may feel tempted to try and shop in the Commercial Free Zone, but Cabinet this week issued a reminder that local shopping is prohibited. The Customs Department is cracking down on the increase number of illegal purchases in the zone since these items enter Belize without paying the necessary import duties. Earlier this month News Five spoke with Prime Minister Said Musa about why government needs to discourage Belizeans from filling their shopping carts at the C.F.Z.
Said Musa, Prime Minister
“You must understand the whole purpose of the free zone is not really for the country itself, it’s to create business for re-exports and to develop processing industries, manufacturers and so on. And that is the direction that we want to go.
The problem is that we don’t have the proper infrastructure in place to monitor goods bought in the free zone that would enter into the custom territory of Belize. As a result we cannot allow retail purchases to take place in the free zone for goods that will enter into Belize. Until we have proper customs facilities in place where people can pay their duty as they leave the zone, just as they do when they enter the country they declare their goods, I think that will be sometime yet before we can consider that.”
In other news from Cabinet, the Trade and Investment Promotion Service, TIPS, will be undergoing some changes. For one thing it will be renamed the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service, BELTRAIDE. The legislation providing for the change will be tabled at the next House of Representatives meeting and allows the Ministry of Trade to replace the Executive Director of TIPS with an Executive Chairman. A General Manager will also be appointed. BELTRAIDE will handle development concessions and supply investors with information and advice on investment procedures and monitor investments. Public servants will also see some changes in their ministry, primarily in terms of the authority given to permanent secretaries, or CEOs. Under the reform package approved by the Cabinet, CEOs will have more say concerning transfers and postings within their departments, be able to fill temporary and permanent vacancies, identify training needs and select employees for training opportunities. The senior managers will also review public service regulations to simplify procedures and update job specifications and requirements. The reforms are being introduced by Minister Jose Coye after consultations with public servants throughout Belize.
