These documents show that the Hormel Griddlemaster Bacon valued at three thousand nine hundred US dollars was sold to Southside on April fifth along with boneless pork tenderloin. BAHA gave the permit for the tenderloin in March, but gave none for the bacon. Apparently, BAHA says it has a restriction on bacon, which can only be imported in bulk slabs and not already processed or sliced.

So, the bacon arrived in Belize on April 15th and has been sitting at customs since – waiting for a ruling from BAHA. The ruling was that Southside had until today to re-export the bacon or it would be confiscated by BAHA for distribution to needy organizations.

And, it seems that's just what's happened: the bacon has been forfeited and, pending customs approval, will be distributed for free to those needy organizations.

This evening Southside meats sent out a release saying that it duly applied to BAHA to have the permit granted and had the, quote, "reasonable expectation that the permit would have been approved as has always happened." End quote. The shipment arrived, duty was paid, but the permit never came. Southside says, quote, "we have still not been formally notified that the application has not been approved."

And so while that business house loses eight thousand Belize dollars on that forfeiture, the background to it is that Business Senator Mark Lizarraga is one of the owners of Southside meats – and today the UDP Newspaper, The Guardian launched an ugly attack on him – caricaturing him on the front page as "The Bacon Boy." The paper claims that this is not the first time Southside has imported bacon without a permit, and goes on to suggest that the business senator is a part of a larger problem facing the business sector with unchecked importation of restricted goods.

The release from Southside says that claim is "absolutely untrue" and it "is prepared to make ALL permits available for inspection."