Today a Hattieville man went crazy on BEL. He blockaded the power company’s main entrance at its corporate headquarters and demanded that they pay him back for a refrigerator that they blew out. Call it civil disobedience, corporate counter–terrorism, or a momentary lapse of reason, but Andrew Baird went all the way. Our Jacqueline Godwin was there.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
When 7NEWS arrived at BEL headquarters just after eleven this morning, we saw Andrew Baird a resident of Hattieville Village and a nurse at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital with his refrigerator strapped onto the roof of his car. He then positioned his car to block the entrance and that prevented other vehicles from getting into the compound.
Baird told 7NEWS that for over one month he has been trying to get the electricity company to replace his refrigerator. He claims it was damaged as the result of a power outage. But he says it has been an uphill struggle trying to get what he strongly believes he deserves and that is a brand new appliance. But instead of being offered the one thousand and ninety five dollars he says he paid for his refrigerator, BEL wants to only pay him the depreciated value, which is $500.
Andrew Baird, Furious at BEL
“I refuse to accept $500 for my refrigerator. I had an excellent refrigerator that was working prior to BEL damaging my product.”
As soon as Baird finished the interview, he told us BEL had promised that once he removes his vehicle they would meet to discuss the matter with him. So Baird moved his car and parked it inside the compound. But two hours later things escalated to the point where Belize City police had to respond. Dissatisfied with what transpired at the hour long meeting, Baird once again used his car to block BEL’s entrance. This time however he was in no rush to move.
Andrew Baird,
“It brought back nothing to me but they still stand at the same $500
even though they have talked about oh they understand my inconvenience and they understand all the money they have paid for transportation, gas, and everything coming back and forth to BEL. But yet they want to still give me only $500 for my product. I refuse to take $500. I want nothing more, I want nothing less. All I want is for them to give me back a refrigerator in working condition. That is all I am asking BEL.
They have accept that they are responsible for damaging the refrigerator via a power outage when a transformer was not earthed and due to that, the surge was transported to my home causing damage to my refrigerator. It has been over a month now and being back and forth and they refuse to compensate me. Actually they tell me to go and fix the refrigerator and I took it to the technician and the technician said there is nothing I could do with this refrigerator because you need parts and all of that. I went all around the city, all around the country trying to find the part and the part is not available in Belize.”
BEL customer’s had no choice but park their vehicles along the Northern Highway, outside of the compound.
Jacqueline Godwin,
How long will you continue to block the entrance because now other customers are being prevented from entering BEL’s compound?
Andrew Baird,
“Well basically that is the idea and I am asking and urging any other customer that shares the same sentiment like me with BEL to come out and do the same thing. These billion dollar companies always want to chance the one dollar man like me and you. It is time for this to stop. If they are saying they are at fault then take on the responsibility. Get me back my refrigerator, that’s all they have to do and this thing will be solved a long time ago. Now they call the police and all kind of thing. I guess the police will come back and arrest me. I am going to be arrested for my rights. I will stand up for my rights.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
If they accepted responsibility for your refrigerator, why is it they are only going to pay half the cost of it?
Andrew Baird,
“They are talking about a depreciated value because I had the refrigerator over a period of time. Like the old saying says, the more you have something the more it values to you. Weather I have it five years or ten years ago, the point is that it was working perfectly until BEL destroyed it and old bring new, that is what we know.”
Half an hour into this afternoon’s protest the police arrived in full force as we understand to ease tension and restore the free flow of traffic. But it would not be that easy. Baird refused to remove his car and then locked himself inside. Even KHMH public relations officer Gary Ayuso got into the car to try and speak with the hospital employee. We are not sure what was discussed but it seems like the hostility had eased somewhat when the police then spoke
to Baird through his car glass window and asked him to move the vehicle. Andrew Baird then agreed to move his car which he parked once again in the compound and then once again met with BEL.
Baird claims it is not the first time that an appliance has been damaged by an irregular electricity supply and he claims the company is aware that there is a problem.
Andrew Baird,
“Prior to my refrigerator in April, the same power outage has destroyed two TVs and a computer for me. Yes they have fixed it back. I came in and I said to Mr. Ferguson that they have a transformer with an unearthed wire and you need to go and fix it or you will have the same occurrence. Two weeks later I came in here and the same thing happened again and the refrigerator was destroyed. From the 30th of June the refrigerator was destroyed. I came in here the following week and I made my claim. From since then I have been back and forth, back and forth, and being pushed around by this company and they refuse to give me back a refrigerator.”
BEL’s Corporate Communications Manager Dawn Sampson would not go into specifics because it is not certain if the matter will have to be resolved in a courtroom but she says BEL is willing to only pay the five hundred dollars which is the depreciated value of the refrigerator.
Dawn Sampson, Manager – Corporate Communications at BEL
“We understand what we is going through, he may not believe it, but really and truly we do. We have made him an offer. In line with our policy we offered to compensate him for the value of his refrigerator which is like you rightly said is $500. His position is he believes BEL should compensate him for the value of a new refrigerator. We’ve had several conversations with him this morning, we are trying to explain to him what the company’s policy is and hopefully he accepts our offer.”
Andrew Baird,
“I don’t see why this company can’t let off a couple hundred dollars just to get back my refrigerator when they want to raise the light, they want to do all kinds of things – come on.”
But it seems like Andrew Baird have more than an electrical problem on his hands, when police did a closer inspection of his car, they discovered the vehicle’s license and insurance were both expired and he does not have a valid driver’s license. Jacqueline Godwin reporting for 7NEWS.
Baird says his driver’s license is valid but he left it at home. He maintains that it is not settled and negotiations continue. BEL says it has made its best officer of $500 and will not move from that figure.
