Corozal Free Zone Prepares to Reopen Before Christmas

After nine months of dormancy, the Corozal Free Zone is set to reopen just in time for the Christmas shopping season.  On Wednesday, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, Jose Abelardo Mai, along with representatives from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, met with the Chamber of Commerce for the Corozal Free Zone.  While a definitive date has not been set, the Government of Belize has given assurances that it will look after the best interest of all investors, as well as safeguard public health.  This is in light of the fact that country is still trying to rebound from the devastating economic effects of COVID-19.  Earlier today, News Five spoke with Agriculture Minister Jose Mai.

Jose Abelardo Mai

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security & Enterprise

“We had a meeting yesterday with the free zone administrative staff and the chamber, the board of the chamber in the free zone.  The board represents all the business enterprises in the free zone.  We had a meeting with them.  The Corozal Free Zone admin staff presented a proposal on the reopening of the free zone and what are the measures that they will need to implement if the zone was to reopen.  The plan that was presented, in my view, in my judgment it would seem that it was widely accepted.  Of course there were some concerns but the plan includes the fumigation of vehicles.  The plan includes walking through a fumigation tunnel, it will include temperature reading and it will include checks in the free zone.  So if you’re a Mexican coming in a vehicle, you would have to pass through the OIRSA checkpoint.  You know we have an establishment at OIRSA and they already have the structure in place, all they would do is bring in the tunnel, the chamber and you walk through it.  They will do the spraying of the vehicles, they will provide all the necessary materials for that and then before you enter the free zone they would be doing temperature checks.”