Will G.O.B. Bail CitCo Out of Garbage Woes?

The Belize City Council has faced this issue many times before, struggling to pay its garbage collection fees. It seems the problem has resurfaced, and the central government might need to step in. Today, Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde explained that City Hall experiences peak and slow seasons for collections, and as it enters a slow season, it is having trouble meeting its commitments. However, he does not support introducing a garbage tax on residents to cover the shortfall.

 

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

“There’s a time of the year when they collect a lot of money, and there’s a time of the year when they don’t. And then usually, they have problems meeting their bills in the times when they don’t, but if you’ve had the contract for as long as you’ve had the contract and there’s no other business in town., there’s no other game in town. Then you have to be able to sit down and reason and work through these things. Like, you shouldn’t get here. And then, I mean, the city’s dirty as it is. Even with the garbage being picked up on a regular basis. So, something’s gonna have to give. So, I think central government is going to have to sit with local government and find out exactly what is the situation and see what we can do from here.”

 

Reporter

“Will you advocate or suggest a garbage tax?”

 

Cordel Hyde

“We’re not there. We’ve not been there for the last six years. I don’t see why we would have to go there now. We just have to figure out how to pay our bills and make sure that we’re consistent with that. I mean, they’ve been doing it for the last six years. I see no reason why they shouldn’t, why they can’t continue to do that. So, I am not advocating for the garbage tax at all.”