Belize City Council to Host Trade License Reform Meeting Tomorrow

The Belize City Council (CITCO) will be hosting a trade license reform meeting tomorrow night at the House of Culture.  The gathering caters to all businesses who engage in commerce in the city ranging from street side vendors to big businesses.  According to the council’s Revenue Manager, Troy Smith, since 2012 a revaluation was done which saw a stark increase in prices.  He noted, however, that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry asked for a moratorium on the increases with a view that a new regime be drafted.  Mayor Bernard Wagner noted that with the absence of standards in how trade licenses are issued and a disparity in prices across the nine municipalities, this reform would provide for set rates and a transparent process.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City: “Many of the town councils, various city councils, there were no standards in place. And so there was a lot of subjectivity in determining trade license rates and that sort of thing. Different councils charged different rates. And so there was this sort of around the business community that it’s not a good way for doing business and so they wanted something predictable. With the new regime it speaks about the different zones whereas business operates in a so you’ve got the developed zone, you have developing, you have emerging and you have underdeveloped, right? So a business that is  operating in say in you got a barbershop and you’re operating in an emerging zone I mean you don’t have much infrastructure, you don’t have much of the utilities and you don’t have much foot traffic and so you immediately can’t have a flat rate because how would you be comparing a barber shop on say Albert Street, charging the same rate with a barber shop in the Gungulung area. So this regime is fair. It speaks to fairness that if you are operating in one of the emerging zones then your rate,  how you reach to your eventual rate will be less than if you’re operating in a developed zone. And then we also have the economic zones. What sort of business activity your business engage in and so all of these components contribute to the final matrix. And then you’re reaching the square footage, and then you’re reaching productive space. Coming out of the new regime we had to define economic activities and we used the United Nations International Classification of Business.”

Love News understands that the new regime will look at the location of the business but it will be more standardized than before.  According to Troy Smith, the Valuation Manager, any person submitting false information will be penalized.

Troy Smith, Belize City Valuation Manager: “Presently in the law once you provide a service you are required by law to get a trade license. So under the previous law it was certain like 10 different type of business. In 2000, it was amended to use it from goods and services to services. So once you’re making an income and provide a service you’re required by law a trade license.”

Host: Now I noticed you said that there were 10  types of services, with the new regime has that increased? 

Troy Smith, Belize City Valuation Manager: “Well it’s across the board now. It creates a better wide gap because type of activity within and as the city is expanding and the commercial activity is being broadened the law has to look at the present situation so yes it’s an across the board license. But we’d also like to add to it though because in the new law the return each business will have to apply now for their trade license on the 15th of November and like the mayor said there must be a time frame because all business must apply, renew their existing trade license by the 15th of November and in that the applicant, the business owner will now determine their productive footprint and send into the board their measurement.  But I must also underscore that the applicant must ensure that it be fair, because the law is there if you give wrong information there’s an offense and so that’s why we need to understand how you arrive at your billing footprint , it’s basic but you must be honest and fair because there’s a charge, there’s a fee for not being fair.”

The Belize City Council will hold its town hall meeting tomorrow night at the House of Culture