This morning businessman Archie Lee was arraigned in Magistrate’s Court for common assault. He is accused of pulling the shirt of special constable Andy Hamilton yesterday afternoon when a team of special constables, backed up by armed policemen, descended on Archie Lee’s Restaurant and Supermarket on the Boulevard. They claim Archie was selling liquor and beer without a valid license but today Chairman of the Liquor Licensing Board Danny Madrid weighed in on what has become a dispute with distinctly political overtones. Madrid was decisively on the side of Archie Lee. Keith Swift has more.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Chairman of the Liquor Licensing Board Danny Madrid says these certificates – dated yesterday - are proof that both Archie Lee’s supermarket and restaurant have valid licenses. All that’s missing are signatures – which is why Madrid says there was no reason for the City Council to confiscate Archie Lee’s liquor.
Danny Madrid, Chairman – Liquor Licensing Board (Belize District)
“At no time did I nor the board say to the Belize City Council Special Constables to go and shut down Mr. Archie Lee because Mr. Archie Lee does have a liquor license for his establishment. What’s happening is that the local authority does not have the certificates ready, when I saw ready, I mean ready with signatures.”
Certificates which Madrid says his board approved in mid-January – but like the two for Archie Lee – have not been signed by the Mayor.
Danny Madrid,
“We met the 14th, 15th, and 16th and by the 31st of January, I personally had signed all my 4,500 certificates. It was sent to City Hal and it is somewhere in City Hall in a corner sitting down, waiting for the Mayor to sign. The Mayor as we know travels a lot, she is not in Belize, she is in California right now, so people are going to City Hall for their certificates and they cannot give it to them because the Mayor has not signed these certificates and we don’t know when she will sign them, when she will come back. So that is the reason why people don’t have their certificates. So when they went to Archie’s place, he could not produce a certificate because the certificates are at City Hall.”
Keith Swift,
Do you feel that they are targeting Mr. Archie Lee?
Danny Madrid,
“I really don’t know. The only thing I can suspect and I believe it is a political thing because they have taken Mr. Lee to court, I think from the since the UDP City Council took office, I think it is like 40 times or so many times and every time they go to court they lose the case. The Magistrate told them to don’t come back here with this man again because you are not doing your homework, you are doing the wrong things and they have to start all over again. So thy are going to throw it out again, Mr. Archie Lee will lose revenue from the sales of alcohol.”
And while Madrid’s board approved Archie’s license – they denied the license for Putt Putt. Madrid says that’s where the City Council should focus.
Danny Madrid,
“Our reason for not giving Putt Putt a license has nothing to do with the shooting that went on there. Even before that we had decided that we must look at Putt Putt further because we cannot continue to allow Putt Putt to be playing loud music and that is our situation, that is our reason why we haven’t granted Putt Putt a license. We are not saying we won’t give Putt Putt a license, we are not saying that, but he was not granted a license because we are reviewing his license.”
Keith Swift,
But they are still operating, I know they were open last weekend.
Danny Madrid,
“They are operating, they are operating illegally and I don’t know why the local authorities, who is the Belize City Council, who is very aware of it, who are used to doing it, are used to going shutting down people whenever it is time to close down, why they are not going to Putt Putt and closing them down. That is something that only the City Council can answer.”
A representative from the City Council says that Archie Lee paid for his licenses yesterday. And as for Madrid’s claim that the licenses were already printed and waiting at City Council to be signed, the City Council says that’s just not true. But whatever the case – the license has been signed and either earlier this evening or tomorrow – Archie Lee will be able to sell liquor. He won’t be getting back the liquor seized though because those will be held as evidence until – or if – the City Council decides to charge him for selling liquor without a license. For the common assault, Archie Lee pleaded not guilty and was released on bail of $300. His attorney Dickie Bradley has asked for early disclosure.
And as to the question about Putt Putt, the City Council says that’s a unique case because while the Liquor Licensing Board says it has not granted the bar a license, an extension was granted. Madrid maintains he granted Orson Elrington a special license. Madrid has served on the Liquor Licensing Board for 18 years. These are his last days because the new government has already indicated to him that they will form a new board.
