The Chief Justice gave the order on Friday and government complied yesterday at 1 pm when it turned over all 17 pages of its contract with Print Belize limited to the Printers Association.
As we first reported last night, on Friday evening Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh said he saw no reason why the contract should not be turned over. And less than a day after the contract was disclosed, those who have seen it say the document confirms what they long suspected. While the Print Association has yet to issue an official position on the now disclosed contract, General Manager of the Angelus Press Amparo Noble, who heads the association, today gave us her impression of the controversial document.
Amparo Noble, President Printers Association
“I think what we would want to do is perhaps give an official statement by the Printers Association. But the one thing I have noticed is, and I don’t think you have to look too keenly on the contract to really see, what Print Belize has been getting. But what I can confirm to you personally is that the contract certainly underscores what we have been maintaining all along that the printing services contract granted by government covers full operational costs of Print Belize. And whatever jobs they get out there from the public is just gravy. That is basically what it boils down to.”
Keith Swift,
Anything that immediately jumps out at you, I realize you still need to digest it, but initially what stands out?
Amparo Noble,
“There are many things that stand out. But as I mention I prefer to get together with my colleagues and do an official report from the association.”
Noble says that meeting with the 6 print houses should come later this week after which they will issue a public statement.
7NEWS has obtained a copy of the contract and there seems to be much for the printers to speak on, mainly that Print Belize is guaranteed earnings form government for at least 5 years. First the government contracts the private Print Belize as "the government printer" and hires them to print 9 types of documents including ballot papers, gazettes, Boledo tickets and law reports. For these services, government pays $2.5 million a year, in quarterly payments, which must be made in advance.
More than that, the contract orders that that 2.5 million dollars will grow at the rate of 5% every year. This is followed by a list of lavish concessions, including duty exemption and exemption from stamp duty on the sale of the asset. The Printers was privatized for $2.5 million. The court has also ordered the release of the inventory which the Printers are also calculating to see if it was sold for fair market value.
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