And while the disputes over framework for global trade continues to cause chaos in Hong Kong, in Belize City today, a model of those global trade opportunities was officially opened. It's not everyday that we cover the opening of a store, but then again, it's not everyday that the prime minister opens a store. But he did that favor for the trendy Mirage Store on Albert Street today and we asked him why.
Jules Vasquez,
Why open a store? Everything in here is imported. It is just a balance of trade nightmare because all you're doing here is aggrandizing the growing equality in our trade imbalance.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"Jules if you had asked me to open yours I would have done it too."
Jules Vasquez,
You're available.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"I'm available. The thing is we want to encourage business opportunities and business development in downtown Belize City. I think this is very healthy. This is a very upscale department store, as you can see. I think it's very good for Belize."
Jules Vasquez,
What makes, in your mind, Mirage worthy of the Prime Ministerial blessing for its opening?
Arun Hotchandani, Mirage
"I think Jules first of all the Mirage group of companies is well established in the Free Zone and we decided to come to Belize City. The Prime Minister has visited the Free Zone stores and we have convinced our board of directors to open a store with top quality prices that will definitely attract the Belizean consumer and moreover the quality of products that we represent, that we would like to offer, I think as a businessman it gave me great pleasure that the Prime Minister has come. It shows that we have great confidence in the economy and he returns it back by showing up personally so I think it's a give and take relationship."
Jules Vasquez,
Your store has gained a lot of recognition very earlier on because it's a name brand store and I'll ask you this very straightforwardly: whenever many people see name brands they have apprehension that it is in fact fake name brands imported from the free zone in Panama and these are the real things. How would you respond to that?
Arun Hotchandani,
"I must say that all our agents, which is the Tommy Hilfiger people, the Polo Ralph Lauren, they have the central distribution facility for Central America and they are stationed in Panama due to the free zone. So not necessarily because you buy from Panama it is fake. Its just like if you buy something from Miami. For example our Nike distributor is in Panama but the Panama distributor sells to Central America and to South America. Miami, for example, cannot buy from Panama. As much as Panama would like to sell to Miami, because it's a bigger North American market, every franchise has their own region and Belize falls under Central America and we buy our stuff from there. Formerly we were known as Footlocker and we gained a lot of confidence from the Belizean consumers, and our Belizean brothers and sisters, and I don't think that I would in anyway want to take a chance of trying to deny them of quality products and prices. It is my firm commitment that what we have here is all genuine stuff, it is all original stuff, and we're giving them the prices that anyone can afford."
The Mirage Group has three department stores in the Free Zone, three in the districts and this flagship store in the city.
