7 News Belize

Credit Agent Complains About City Hall
posted (September 29, 2010)
For low income persons - micro credit agencies are a common and legitimate means of getting quick money and pay advances. So much so, that for the workers at the city Council, getting advances from one such agency has become standard practice. But, one agent says the city council is ripping him off. We got both sides of the story today:…

Jim McFadzean, Reporting
They are short term loans better known as 'quick loans' and the owner of First Stop located in the Commercial Center, Gilroy Usher, Jr. says the terms for repayment are usually over a one to three month period. The only requirement to get one is that you are employed by Citco for at least six months. More than one hundred Citco employees enjoy loans from as small as $100 to as large as a Thousand dollars. And according to Usher,the amount of money being loaned to city council employees on a monthly basis is not peanuts; hence is reason for concern over outstanding monies due. Citco he says, is not living up to its part of the bargain.

Gilroy Usher,Jr., Owner, First Stop Pawn Shop
"For each month we lend the Belize City Council workers something like $20 - $25,000 and the deduction should be made bi-weekly; 15 and the ending. For this particular month of September that has gone they had short the check by $4,500.00."

Phillip Willoughby, Deputy Mayor
"What is the problem as I understand it; is that 1; there was a change in the payroll system. 2; there was an attitude between the business owner and the payroll clerk."

Gilroy Usher,Jr., Owner, First Stop Pawn Shop
"The problem is a problem that have been occurring in the past but not to the tune of $4,000.00, not to the tune of $3,000.00, it was more to the tune of $1,000.00 sometimes $900.00, sometimes $1,500.00 and as times goes on the situation got worst and worst and why the situation got worse is because the pay mistress office at the Belize City Council is not being manage properly. It is being manage in a way that allows people at the Belize City Council to hustle, they hustle off the businesses, they hustle off the employees' like for instance if an employee salary can only handle two loan establishments, you can only borrow loan from two establishments. What they are doing there is signing loans for you for 5 loan establishments knowing full well that you can only handle two and why they do that is because if a person goes there that is committed to 2 loan place and wants another loan, they say well go ahead and sign it for me and hold this $50 or hold this $20 and that is what causing the problem."

Hustling at the City Council? Deputy Mayor Phillip Willoughby says Usher has got to be kidding!

Phillip Willoughby, Deputy Mayor
"For the record there is no corruption, no malfeasance, no hustling occurring at the Belize City Council for the record. I just want to set that clear and I stand behind that."

Jim McFadzean
"Mr. Usher what assurances do you have from City Council that they will make these deductions from the employees pay check so that you are assured of getting your money back?"

Gilroy Usher,Jr., Owner, First Stop Pawn Shop
"Clearly I have a clause and a contract right above where the pay mistress is suppose to sign which say; "If the person to whom this contract is concern cannot meet the financial terms of the contract, The contract should consider void and should not be sign. We therefore expect full payment within the appropriate time for each sign contract" so as long as the contract is sign then we expect the payment. Its right here if they cannot handle it don't sign it. Whenever we give these loans we give it under the understanding that the person is able to handle the loan. So if you come to me for $500 and your pay mistress signs and stamp it and say ok this person can handle it then of course we will disperse the money. If not like this person are not taking the necessary precautions."

Willoughby says, Usher will get all his monies due, but the relationship is over. Citco he says will no longer do business with the pawn shops.

Phillip Willoughby, Deputy Mayor
"The position is simply this from within the memo that if any council staff would like to incur any other obligation or indebtedness from any institution fine you can do so but proving that you pay over the counter. That is all we are simply saying."

Jim McFadzean
"When is that effective?"

Phillip Willoughby, Deputy Mayor
"It will be effective for the next pay period. There will be no new deduction coming into the council."

Jim McFadzean
"You are taking a risk coming to the media. Are you concern that City Council won't want to do business anymore?"

Gilroy Usher,Jr., Owner, First Stop Pawn Shop
"Yes, I am concern about that but its something that I put a lot of thought into and its something that I am willing to accept. I cannot continue on this road with the Belize City Council because definitely the business will close."

The more than four thousand dollars owed to usher is reflected in monies not deducted from more than 20 city council employees..

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize