Business Senator Says Investor Confidence is Shaken by Amendment

Mark Lizarraga

Senator Lizarraga points out that the business community is nervous about this move by government because it goes beyond tour operators since it blurs the line between the separation of powers of the judiciary and the executive. He also notes investor confidence is shaken when the government resorts to parliament to bypass a court ruling.

Mark Lizarraga, Senator for Business Community

“We believe that this case has set precedence so to speak and many others can now jump on the bandwagon and say look, you’ve collected taxes from me in an illegal manner, taxes that have not been paid. But the biggest thing here is the message that it sends to investors—that a judgment can come in your favour or against you way down the road against government and now the government has the right or the government certainly feels it has the right or ability with the stroke of a pen to wipe away a judgment that took you years to get against them. So how will people feel now when they do business in Belize or when they do business with government? Bwai well if government owe, they just have to sign something send it to government and no pay. It sends that bad signal to investors that we do not have separation of powers. The courts have made a ruling, the courts have said you need to pay; you need to return the money—monies that you collected in error—and government is saying, “No I don’t have the money so I’ll pass a law and I don’t pay.”