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Today we visited Waste Controls' headquarters on the Northern Highway to find out more:...

Jules Vasquez reporting
Today, most of the trucks in the Belize Waste Control yard remained parked. Only two of 9 trucks were out collecting garbage - because the company says that it can't go anymore. Why? The City Council owes it more than three quarter million dollars:

George Lamb, General Manager - Belize Waste Control
"I believe that we are at the end of our line. I am not quite certain if we are able to continue for another week or as a matter of fact if we might see the end of this week. To be truthful with you there is little or no funds there. I am hoping that we could make payroll this week."

Jules Vasquez
"How many people are currently employed right now whose jobs are hanging in the balance really?"

George Lamb, General Manager - Belize Waste Control
"It's close to about 60 or a little bit over we have at the company. On the trucks out there, it's around 45."

Jules Vasquez
"It's Christmas. No one can afford to be laid off, but you say you can no longer afford to pay them. What is the next resort for your workers?"

George Lamb, General Manager - Belize Waste Control
"It's difficult for me to even think about what my workers will be going through this Christmas."

These documents provided to us by Waste Control show that the last time the City Council paid was on November 29th. That's just a week ago, but they were paying for arrears as far back as August. Now with 15 weeks of arrears, Waste Control says this is the most extreme it's ever been:

Anthony Griffith, Owner - Belize Waste Control
"We've never had this problem before ever."

Jules Vasquez
"How would you respond to the interpretation Mr. Griffith, that you all are just playing hard ball, you are just trying to hold the city hostage because you can afford to bridge these dry times, because you know when the city gets money it will pay."

Anthony Griffith, Owner - Belize Waste Control
"We have to borrow money at an interest rate. The city doesn't pay the interest. We can't borrow anymore. Would you work for 4 months and don't get paid? Anybody would? Tell me."

"As I said, they expect us to keep working forever with no payment plan, just keep on working and working - find the money somewhere and keep doing the job. We can't do that. Nobody can."

"He can't run City Hall without collecting taxes right? And if you are late, what does he do to you? He is the mayor and he can do anything he wants. He is above the law, we are not."

So what should southside residents expect tomorrow when most of these trucks are again expected.

George Lamb, General Manager - Belize Waste Control
"We will do our best to have our trucks out there. I am not certain if we will be able to complete the entire Southside tomorrow. For us to ignore or to neglect garbage collection out there, the impact would be significant and so I think that City Council cannot take this likely. We must give attention to the collection of garbage, more so in the month of December."

Lamb says that during the Christmas time, the volume of garbage they pick up increases from 105 tonnes per day to 125 tonnes per day, 20% more.

And what's City Hall doing about it? City councilor with responsibility for sanitation Dion Leslie told us that their sanitation inspectors today confirmed that they only saw Waste Control picking up commercial garbage, not residential garbage. And so, the council mobilized and started picking up northside garbage after 11:00 this morning. He says they have four trucks out right now working a double shift to pick up all the garbage on northside. Tomorrow, they will resume on the southside.

He says the council has been making weekly payments and is surprised that Waste Control went on strike. Waste Control says the mayor promised to give them a payment plan over a month ago and he has not. The precise figure owed at this time is 776 thousand, 139 dollars and 23 cents.

And while there is finger pointing on both sides, no one can argue with hungry belly, and the Waste Control workers who have picketed City Hall in the past, may choose to do so again - and soon, we are told.