It's called a head tax - and every cruise visitor that comes to Belize must pay US$7. But it's not really a tax, as $4 is kicked back to the cruise lines, and what's left is shared up between the BTB and PACT. Now city hall wants a piece of that piece. Of course, this isn't the first time the Hall had made this request, but this time Mayor Moya says, "they're serious." The City Council is facing a rain ravaged city that's in tatters, and confronting an acute cash crunch, and with all that - Moya took to the media today to say GOB must let off on some of that head tax, or else.
Zenaida Moya, Mayor of Belize City
"Even though we are not getting any portion of the head tax we have had to be ensuring that the services that go to the cruise ship passengers continue at the expense of the city residents. We are talking about additional persons that come into the city and produce more garbage and produce more wear and tear to our streets. When the buses drive along and everything that has to do with the cruise ships, they do their thing, it is only you and I that continue to pay for this.
There is no reason for the Prime Minister or his government to deny the residents of Belize City what is due to them. The central government, had they had the will, they could have already ensured that the Belize City receives U$1 from it. They were doing so before. When we came in to office, the former PUP City Council, we found out that the former PUP City Council was already receiving US$1.
We have streets like Neal's Pen Road that for a long time the residents wanted that street paved. We have of course Central American Boulevard, Jane Usher Boulevard, Freetown Road - all of these different areas. Had we had this extra $4 million, a lot could be done. Residents need to understand that this council is still grappling with the injustices but we will not sit on our laurels and take it. We will ensure that this campaign, at the end of the day, is successful."
Jules Vasquez,
If I am the government of Belize, I would simply say no, it is not happening. So what do you do after that?
Zenaida Moya,
"Jules I will tell you something, that could be the easiest thing they do and rest assured I am sure they would want to do so. But I am sure they would not like the repercussions. If they continue to take that stance, they surely will not like the repercussions."
Jules Vasquez,
You are not a unionist any more, you are a public figure with a responsibility. What repercussions are you talking about?
Zenaida Moya,
"Jules I am still a unionist. I am still a paying union member, I am still a unionist at heart, that will not change. It is still in me, it cannot come out. We are going to go the route Jules, we are hoping that they will listen to us. I know I am elected official. As much as I am an elected official though, it is difficult for me to just standby, it is not in me to just give up and just take it. I am not going to just take the abuse from the central government and our council will not just take the abuse and I don't believe the residents of Belize City expect us to take the injustice being levied by this central government. We are not going to take it."
This evening, the BTB issued a politically charged release saying that Moya's statements are erroneous and misleading. The BTB release says that it does not have the power to direct any portion of the head tax to the City Council. It also refers derisively to garbage, crumbling streets and dead dogs. And there's more woe and war between a municipal government and central government later on in the news as the Orange Walk Mayor says PM Musa has cut his town's subvention.
