As we noted, the book was launched today at the new Belize City offices of Print Belize Limited. With a city branch, Print Belize is spreading its company's wings but the Printers Association argues that it should not have flown in the first place and was only given wing by what was essentially a corrupt government transaction. Today, the CEO and substantial owner of Print Belize, Lawrence Nicholas says deflected that criticism and said he is not the enemy.
Lawrence Nicholas, CEO Print Belize
“As far as the Printer’s Association, I think that they need to work with us. We are a Belizean company. And I think that whilst they focus on Print Belize the threat is not Print Belize, there is a bigger threat out there. We are looking in January for the introduction of the CARICOM single market. We have free movement of skilled persons whereby people from throughout the Caribbean will be able to come to Belize and Belizeans will be able go to the rest of the Caribbean. I think we need to work together so that we could control this market, we can produce in the Belizean market. We have to compete with Trinidad. Trinidad is a major exporter of exercise books and we need to move away from importation.”
When the CARICOM single market comes into effect, Nicholas says he plans to sell blanks produced in Belize in Trinidad. As for the legal challenge to the Print Belize privatization, that matter is still before the courts.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited for the internet by Keith Swift