Bullet Tree Falls Chairman Proposes Toll for Cattle Trade
Every sector is being affected by this novel coronavirus and it includes the productive sector. The exportation of livestock to Guatemala via Bullet Tree Falls is an informal industry that has been established for many years, generating approximately fifty million Belize dollars in revenue on an annual basis. For the past four weeks, the movement of cattle and swine through that western community has ground to a halt, as village chairman Sabino Pinelo has raised several concerns regarding the transportation of farm animals within the vicinity. In a meeting facilitated by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, IICA, on Wednesday, not only did Pinelo broach the issue of road damage, he also proposed a fee to be paid by farmers traversing the area with livestock. While that suggested payment is tantamount to a toll, we note that the Tower Hill Bridge is the only location in the country where such a charge is applied. But Pinelo insists that the community has to benefit from commercial traffic and the Bullet Tree Falls Village Council is yet to determine a fee. The prohibition comes at a time when the agro-productive sector is also reeling from the economic impact of COVID-19 and every dollar earned in foreign exchange is much needed. The loss of revenue in the past month alone is estimated between four to five million dollars. But is the village council chairman acting outside of his legal powers or authority? Here’s an excerpt from that virtual meeting which included Chairman Pinelo, Belarmino Esquivel from the Ministry of Agriculture, Elston Wade and Orange Walk South Area Representative Jose Abelardo Mai who is a member of the COVID-19 Taskforce for Agriculture.
Voice of: Jose Abelardo Mai, Member, COVID-19 Task Force on Agriculture
“I would like to hear from the chairman and his council and his advisers what is their position regarding cattle. I mean, I understand that there are some concerns on behalf of the village council, justifiably so. I would like to hear what are their concerns. Cattle has been going through that area for many, many, many years, now what is their concern about the export of cattle going through Bullet Tree Falls?”
Voice of: Belarmino Esquivel, Representative, Ministry of Agriculture
“I didn’t give you the name of the head, Honorable [Mai], we would like to hear from them indeed. I was coming to that because that will be dependent on, to hear their positions so that then we can discuss…”
Voice of: Jose Abelardo Mai
“Alright, okay. Sure.”
Voice of: Belarmino Esquivel
“Indeed, yes, we would like to hear from the chairman on what is their position as it relates to the continuity or not, what is their position as it relates to the opening or not to trade. Thank you, Honorable [Mai].”
Voice of: Sabino Pinelo, Chairman, Bullet Tree Falls
“Good morning gentlemen, thanks for having us involved in this is. As I mentioned, my name is Sabino and I am the chairman of this community. Our main objective gentlemen, for many years this cattle thing has come through our community and our most important point is, my most important point is, as I explained to you, I was elected by the people of Bullet Tree to represent them, right and the major concern was those cattle trucks passing through the community. And then the most important thing is that we the villagers are not benefiting from those payments, right. As I explained to you, I had to take legal action about three weeks ago because they didn’t want to respect the authority in which here in the community the authority is the village council and as I explained to you, we had a group of people that wanted to [bypass] us and we had to stand up because we said no, this cannot happen. Because, as I explained to you, we are the authorities, the local authorities here in the community and what we want is to try to get a benefit from those cattle trucks coming through the community, gentlemen. That is my major point, that is my most concern about it.”
