And today we asked the PM if he would entertain any intercessions on Munnings' behalf. He stated that he doesn't get involved in the work of the BTS, but that the department has lamented their frustration with Munnings.
But in the outrage that has exploded on social media, posters have made the comparison between Munnings and Briceno's sister, who had owed 11 million dollars in tax in 2021. We asked him about that too, and here's what he told us.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I think, I don't know all the details. When I visited the BTS office probably about 2 months ago and we discussed several issues and one of them was their frustration with Mr Munnings, they're saying Mr Munnings refuses to pay his taxes and all citizens are required to pay their taxes. I was unaware that he was arrested yesterday, it wasn't until last night when I was on my way and I started reading in Cabinet where everybody was outraged about that. So that is something we have to take a look at and we have to walk that very carefully because if we were to tell Andrew Munnings, okay don't pay your taxes, you can go home, then many others are going to do the same. Belizeans need to pay their taxes and Mr Munnings has been refusing to do so. He may have a good argument as why he has not done so far but from what I've known, what has been given to me that this has been sanctioned not by BTS but by the courts because he refused to meet up to a court order. I'm told that in May he was to start paying $500 a week, he made two payments and then he stopped and despite that he has been asked repeatedly, he refuses to pay. If Mr Munnings was serious about paying, I am sure he could have gone to BTS and spoke to them and said, listen, I can't afford $500 but this is what I can afford and they would have done it. Or they could have come to us, I am available to everybody. He could have sent me a message and I would do whatever I can but I need to quickly add, I do not interfere in the affairs of the Belize Tax Service, the BTS is supposed to be independent and they need to be able to serve all Belizeans equally."
Courtney Menzies:
"His argument is that he's being taxed on monies that he does not collect because he outsources a lot of the work, and the persons who get that work, they're also being taxed so it's being taxed twice. Is there any… look at reform?"
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"No, I don't think it's an issue of reform, it's how he has structured his business. He need to be able to structure his business to say, I only hire services but what he does from what I understand and I don't know all his business and I don't want to be in a back and forth please, from what I've been told, he collects $7,000 per funeral service, he collects that, then he goes and outsources the work and then he stays with an amount but he doesn't not even report what stays, which is supposed to be taxed and so he needs to restructure his business to say he outsources his work, he does not provide the services so I think if he had a good accountant they could have explained that to him and I would have hope the BTS people would have been able to explain that to him but I feel for him, I feel for his family, he's a young entrepreneur and we need to be able to support our entrepreneurs as best as we can and I'm hoping that something can be resolved today so he can go home with his family and continue to work. We need everybody to work to be able to develop this country."
Courtney Menzies:
"What do you make of the comparisons between him and your sister Vanessa Briceno who has once owed 11 million dollars?"
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I think that's the very same thing. let me start off, I never interfered in Vanessa Briceno's case. I never called anyone, I never asked anybody to be able to interfere. She went in there, she negotiated, and she paid her tax. But if you want details you need to speak with Vanessa, I'm not getting in between. That's her and BTS."
