Mayor Wagner: Garbage Bill Still an Unresolved Issue

In 2021, garbage woes came to a head, with the City Hall owing Belize Waste Control millions of dollars for garbage collection services. It’s a perennial issue that has been a torn for consecutive administrations. During the last instance there was intervention from Central Government which managed to kick the can down the road, but Mayor Wagner says they need a permanent solution to the unsustainable garbage bill.

Bernard Wagner

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor

“I continue to preach to the area reps and my fellow councillors, we are putting something down the road that will eventually rear its ugly head again. The garbage fee will not go away. The situation with the un-sustainability of paying for garbage, three point eight million [dollars] annually, is unsustainable. Mayors before me have come and gone and are saying the same thing. I am saying the same thing, we need to do a permanent fix for garbage collection. It held us over coming into the high season and so the high season cures that for the time being, but when you reach July, August, September again, it will be knocking on your door again. And so we have to become more innovative. I have spoken to several area reps and they are saying why not look at creating a fund. What you call a green fund to have businesses and entities and our diaspora brothers and sisters contribute to the fund to keep our city clean. That is a wonderful idea, but will it work. That’s the reality that we face.”

Annually, the City Council spends three point eight million dollars on garbage collection services.