City Council starts 2010 with payments to garbage companies

The Belize City Council has been unable to balance its accounts in 2009. There were several protests staged by workers of the garbage companies in front of City Hall after the council fell behind on regular payments. In February of 2009, the council’s overall outstanding debt to Belize Maintenance Limited (BML) alone was estimated at one point nine million dollars. It’s been a tough year and collections from taxes have been low due to the recession. But Dion Leslie, the deputy mayor, hopes that 2010 will bring more funds into the council’s coffers. In fact, Leslie says that recently they have been making full payments to the garbage companies.
Dion Leslie, Deputy Mayor, Belize City
“The high season really kicks into effect, probably the last two weeks of 2009 in December. The beginning of this month the high season has really kicked in; our collections have increased tremendously. I know for the sanitation company, they have been getting their full payments for the past couple weeks have been getting their full payments, not partial payments. We even are looking to give them some of the back pay for the bills that we ran up with them in the slow season of 2009. I know BML is supposed to get a check soon, we are taking care of Waste Control and we are just trying to work out the best possible thing. We are just trying to save too, keep some money in the bank because we know that the slow season will come around again this year and we’re just trying to work out everything and spend money as wisely and try to be as fiscally responsible with the money that we have right now.”
Jose Sanchez
“Concerning the pay cuts that the prime minister mentioned, has the council met and discussed it?”

Dion Leslie
“Oh, not as yet; we haven’t met. We have a council meeting on Monday and I’m sure that will be brought up again. We look at it and as I said before we would want to meet with the Prime Minister or interested parties and see how we can move forward from there because we are interested in working and we’ll do what we have to do as the city council to give the best service to Belize City. If it means doing what the Prime Minister had suggested, then we go down that route then we try to do the best.”