Dispute over golf cart strands tourists in Belize

It may not be classified as a crime but two U.S. tourists were prevented from leaving the country for the last two days. Their story, while not very flattering to Belize’s reputation for hospitality, points up the need for a better way to resolve disputes involving visitors to our shores. News Five’s Janelle Chanona explains.

Sandra Warren, Sued for Golf Cart
“We never in a million years expected such questionable business practices, never.”

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Like many visitors to Ambergris Caye, when American tourists Sandra and Norman Warren arrived in San Pedro Town on September twenty-third, they decided to rent a golf cart. The couple signed a week-long contract with Island Tour Rental Limited, but four days later the vehicle crashed.

Janelle Chanona
“Tell me about this accident, did you roll over, did you…

Norman Warren, Crashed Golf Cart
“It just tipped over. I veered like this because a dog was going to bite my feet and I lifted my feet and turned and I turned into the fence a little and there was a little embankment and the golf cart just tipped over.”

Witnesses helped turn the vehicle right side up, but the Warrens say when they reported the incident to the golf cart company everything went downhill. The couple say they were willing to pay but when employees told them the repairs would cost twelve thousand dollars, the tourists were shocked. They decided to get a separate estimate from a local mechanic, who put the bill at eleven hundred bucks. A subsequent traffic police report assessed the cost at “no more than two thousand dollars.” But Island Rentals wasn’t budging and on Saturday night, Sandra Warren was served with an injunction, barring her from travelling home the next day.

Sandra Warren
“This is just, I wish they would have just settled, we were ready and willing to pay for everything last Wednesday, but they tried some intimidation tactics and trickery, serving us the night before we leave thinking that we’re just going to pull the money out of our pocket, it’s not fair.”

“We tried to negotiate with her. We told her we’d be more than happy to pay for what is really wrong with the cart. We’ll give you a thousand dollars. No. So then she served us with the papers and that day they already wanted to negotiate. They were willing to take four thousand five hundred U.S. dollars and we said no, that’s not the price of what’s wrong.”

Unable to go home, the Warrens were forced to retain attorney Anthony Sylvester to present their case in the Supreme Court this afternoon. And in court today, Aldo Reyes, representing Island Tour Rentals actually asked the court to imprison Warren. That request was denied, but Reyes says his clients are simply trying to recover their costs, which now amounts to fifteen thousand dollars.

Aldo Reyes, Attorney for Island Tour Rentals
“Mrs. Sandra Warren is a tourist to Belize and she was scheduled to leave on Sunday so if she would have left, our client would have been left without any type of recourse to proceed her in the States, there are no reciprocal enforcements arrangements with the States.”

“Liability has been admitted, it’s just now the quantum of the repairs, the quantum of the damages. We have our estimates that are claiming one amount and their estimates are claiming an amount, so it’s just to come to figure that’s agreeable to all parties.”

Today the court ruled that the Warrens could go home until the substantive case is heard.

Anthony Sylvester, Attorney for Warrens
“It is really shocking and in a sense frustrating and distressing to the defendants, but the good news is that this won’t deter them, they will still come back to Belize.”

Janelle Chanona
“Now, they get to go home today right?”

Anthony Sylvester
“Yes.”

Janelle Chanona
“Now they do have to come back [for court]?”

Anthony Sylvester
“They will have to come back for the trial proper, but in addition to that they still want to visit Belize on vacation.”

Janelle Chanona
“As for as a message to golf cart renters, what do you think this sends?”

Aldo Reyes
“Well just be very careful of the terms of golf cart rental, read them, and be very careful when you drive your golf cart.”

Advice the Warrens say they will definitely take the next time they’re in Belize. No date has been set for the golf cart trial. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.

The San Pedro Business Association has agreed to provide eight thousand dollars as security for the Warrens in their case against Island Tour Rentals. The couple hails from Phoenix, Arizona and it was their first visit to Belize. Despite their troubles, they say they will vacation here again as they thoroughly enjoyed the rest of their experience.