Businessman Andrew Munnings of Munnings Funeral Service is in jail tonight - the big one, in Hattieville. And that's because he owes the Belize Tax Service big money. How big? Try 172 thousand dollars. Now, he's been going back and forth with the tax office for many months - and after they published his name in the paper, he got an accountant and an attorney to re-assess his case. He says that in the intervening months he's been back and forth with the tax office - challenging their assessment of his arrears. And in that time it seems he wasn't paying his agreed monthly sum of two thousand dollars to settle his arrears.
So, they came to his office today - which is 100 feet from our studio - to serve a committal warrant. Based on that he's in jail tonight. It's a shocking reversal for a young businessman who has no criminal record. We spoke to him while he was at court waiting to go up.
Voice of: Andrew Munnings, Munnings Funeral Home
"They came in while I was with a family, while I was with a family and they insisted we come to court after 2:30 today. No problem I comply."
"I came to the court and everything and they're saying that they either want half or the full thing or I go up to prison for six weeks and everything. So that's where we are at the moment and that is the judgement."
Jules Vasquez
"How much money are we talking about?"
Voice of: Andrew Munnings, Munnings Funeral Home
"We are talking um close to $100,000 they want right now."
Jules Vasquez
"Which is half."
Voice of: Andrew Munnings, Munnings Funeral Home
"Which is half and we are talking about - my lawyers have made it clear that I don't owe these things."
"They are taxing me wrong and everything but we are at this place now where I don't understand why we have to reach this place. I thought the communication with them for the past two three months is, me doing my part and everything. So it seems now that that's null."
Jules Vasquez
"So but, yeah in that in that period you never was paying because in your mind you are negotiating."
Voice of: Andrew Munnings, Munnings Funeral Home
"Yes I am negotiating and everything. I am already in custody. I will be placed in cell block and everything and and then I am going up to Hattieville prison as we speak."
"If it is that I had $100.000 to make this go away, I would have easily just pay that off. I have my daughter that I have to deal with and everything, I mean come on."
"The crazy thing we have a funeral tomorrow that won't be able to happen. That's where we are now. This is the first time I never thought owning a business would have allowed me to reach at this point, Jules. I don't know what comes next and everything. I just have to have faith and see."
To get free, Munnings would have had to pay 85 thousand dollars today. He says he would advise any young business owner just starting up to get their tax foundation right before opening up.
