GST-Free Commissary Opens at Price Barracks for Security Forces

The country’s security forces now have access to GST-free goods at a newly opened commissary at Price Barracks in Ladyville, Belize District. This month, the tax-free store that will provide soldiers with access to reasonably priced goods on base. It is an initiative aimed at enhancing morale and securing the welfare of the security forces.  The establishment of such a facility mirrors a system that is common in militaries around the world. Today, our newsroom had exclusive access to the base and spoke to Future Plans and Policy Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Jermaine Burns about the store that has been causing major buzz on the base.

Lt. Col. Jermaine Burns, Future Plans and Policy Officer, BDF: “When it comes to morale and welfare for the soldiers our government is very big on uplifting that morale and welfare, especially in these times where, you know, living expenses are  going up and that sort of thing. The idea came from visiting other countries and seeing, for the most part, the officers and the senior NCOs that get to visit other countries for training mostly.  You see other soldiers in these countries enjoying commissaries and you may ask what that is. It’s simply a shop that their governments use to incentivize the soldier to retain the soldier and to increase morale  to do what is otherwise a very difficult job, soldiering.  And so,  what we’ve done here on camp is a small version of that, which we expect to grow to the other camps but for now it’s only restricted to Price Barracks.  Our proprietor got into the business of providing for us a number of goods. And you’ll see that when you actually visit there, ranging from the basic grocery items to snacks and spirits.  These items are given to the soldier at a GST free rate. It’s not  your normal rate that you would get out in the local shops. Maybe you’d see prices like these in Chetumal if you’re that way inclined to shopping.  And so the soldier doesn’t have to travel to enjoy that luxury. The soldier will do his 14 to 21 days in the jungle, come in on base and a part of resettling before he goes home to his family  would be the opportunity to do his shopping right here at a one-stop shop.”

Lieutenant Colonel Burns noted that while only BDF soldiers currently have access to the store, members of the country’s other security forces will soon be able to stop-in and shop. 

Lt. Col. Jermaine Burns, Future Plans and Policy Officer, BDF: “This is not only for the BDF, it’s for the police and the Coast Guard and they have the opportunity to come in and shop $350 worth of groceries and that’s a lot because when it opened I went in there with 50 bucks and I came up to it two bags and that’s $350 worth of groceries and $150 worth of spirits. But if as the soldier you don’t want spirits then you go your full 500 for the month of groceries, which is, we believe, way more than enough for the average soldier to satisfy himself and his family. And so the soldier is benefiting. The second order of effect is that the family is benefiting and when we think about man you have those that would say “but this thing is not so good because the family how does the family benefit?” Well, the solar takes home his groceries to his family, one, but also in terms of being able to purchase something maybe for mommy or daddy or extended family you’re not restricted to do that. The only restriction is you get only $500 a month and you’re able to capitalize on that the preceding month if you didn’t buy what you wanted in there in the first month. I have a very large family and  I did well with the first month of the $500 spending. Everybody got something, right? And so this initiative we hope to raise morale. It’s definitely the buzz of the camp of recent weeks and we hope that it is something that we can grow across the other establishments, military establishments.”

The commissary will soon be opened to all members of the country’s security forces.