Last week we broke the story about the controversy in King’s Park over plans to open a Creole Waggans Store on E Street. Some residents are opposed to the popular discount store opening in their neighbourhood because they claim it would disturb their peaceful residential community. And while you’ve heard from the city council and from one resident representing the group which opposes the plan – the owners have declined to go on camera to defend their store. That is until today when the store’s owner Greg Reyes spoke out in support of his enterprise and against what he calls an attempt at segregation. For context, we begin with the concerns voiced by King’s Park resident Maria Elena Sylvestre on Friday.
[February 13th, 2009]
Maria Elena Sylvester, King’s Park Resident
“But we all have the same desire; that when we come home there isn’t a huge container blocking our driveway, that when our children are walking home from school there are not put in danger of being run over by trucks and the preservation of our environment is what we have petitioned for. “
But if those are the reasons she doesn’t want this Creole Waggans to open in her neighbourhood – Greg Reyes says Maria Elena Sylvester has nothing to worry about.
Greg Reyes, Owner - Creole Waggans
“Definitely we have no congestions with big trucks and noise pollution or anything of that sort. It is a very quiet store. We play soft low music, the store has been placed fifty feet inside from off the street. So it is very private, very covered up.
It is a store, a new store in the area. It will bring its own clientele
and stuff like that but that is why we have already explained to the Trade License Board that we will have someone who will be in attendance just for parking to see that all the parking is done properly, that no one’s gate is being blocked up and stuff like that.
I have already made it clear to everyone who is in this neighbourhood that we are here to listen to them. We don’t know what people will feel like later on in the year about the business but we are sure if they have a problem and if they voice it to us, we will try to correct it immediately.”
Keith Swift,
What can you tell your neighbours to assure them that it won’t be that bad?
Greg Reyes,
“Well what I can definitely tell you Keith is that this thing about destroying the neighbourhood and everything is just a farce. It is a cover up for the real reason.”
And Reyes says the real reason is discrimination.
Greg Reyes,
“It is just a little bunch of people who for some reason or the other have something with discrimination and why I say that is because it is not the entire neighbourhood that is against us. A lot of people in this neighbourhood have come to us in support, to apologize about even signing something they weren’t even clear about.
I cannot stand for discrimination, segregation and our constitution makes it clear, you cannot stop anyone from coming into your store. There are some ground rules that yes you will put up there about behaviour and stuff like that
but you can’t stop people from coming. You have to accept every person from every walk of live, every Belizean or foreigner to come into your store. We have to defend that and that is the worse case scenario right now, that our constitutional rights are being affected and that is my worst case scenario.”
The decision rests largely in the hands of Mayor Zenaida Moya who disputes making any commitment to Maria Elena Sylvester or any King’s Park resident.
[February 13th, 2009]
Maria Elena Sylvester, King’s Park Resident
“We had numerous meetings with the mayor, the town planner, the city councillors, and we requested that this neighbourhood be preserved.”
Keith Swift,
We’ve talked to Miss Sylvester and she says she is blaming you for the whole situation in King’s Park because you were working with her on the SI or she had told you about the SI. So she is laying it squarely on your lap. What do you have to say in response?
Zenaida Moya, Mayor of Belize City
“I’ve never spoken to Miss Sylvester until I think we had a Trade Licensing meeting recently with the, I think Mr. Rodriquez (Reyes) or somebody that owns Waggans. That is the first time I ever spoke with that person. So I am not sure if she was speaking with personnel at the Belize City Council but simply saying she spoke to the Mayor. Rest assured that whatever SI goes there, I believe it is a zoning SI she is speaking about, we have a councillor responsible, Mr. Gilroy Middleton, who along with the planning department, Mr. Harry Smith, our city planner, and our legal assistant Mr. Ramclam – those would be the individuals that would be following up on the matter. So all she has to do is continue following up on the matter with those individuals and the respective departments that are in charge.”
Keith Swift,
What about Mr. Reyes, he has already borrowed $500,000 to build a store and now he may not get a trade license?
Zenaida Moya,
“Ultimately the people will decide and hence the reason why the Trade License Board reserved its decision for after the consultation. We felt it only fair to ensure that we go to the exact location and we hear the concerns of the residents just like what we did with the West Landivar situation. We heard what they had to say. We have to be fair and listen to both sides.”
It is expected that there will be a showdown on Thursday evening at that public consultation. It starts at 7 pm at the Lopez Mateo Park. We should note that 7News has obtained a copy of the proposed statutory instrument drafted by residents and dated January 16th 2008. It was attached to a letter sent by residents to Mayor Zenaida Moya in January of 2008.
