And while the Chamber complains that it has, quote, "witnessed one government granting secret accommodations and concessions to one investor, followed by another government spending the majority of its time in office in costly litigation with that investor. Meanwhile, the private sector, the average Belizean worker and consumers, continue to pay the resulting awards while struggling to survive in a stagnant economy." End quote.
But former chamber president now UDP Senator Godwin Hulse today reminded the Chamber of the very very hard line it took in 2007 when the UHS scandal was brewing:..
Hon. Godwin Hulse
"The chamber held a meeting in this very room on the 23 of May. So the resolution says, and I'll read it quickly, 'Now, therefore be it resolved that the Prime Minister insists on moving forward with the motion as read in the House of Representatives on Friday, May 18th, without making any statement before Friday that he intends to discontinue the motion, then the membership of the Chamber, as business owners, will close all businesses on the said Friday in protest of the intransigence of the PM on this matter.' And then there was a second resolution the same evening. It said 'Resolution to delay payment of business and sales tax to the government: Now therefore be it resolved that if the Prime Minister insists on moving forward with the motion as read in the House of Representatives on Friday, May 18th, without making any statement beforehand, that he intends to discontinue the action, then the membership of the Chamber, as business owners, will delay 30 days the payment of all sales tax withheld and all business tax payable to the government of Belize. This is in protest of government's insistence, despite objections of an overwhelming number of Belizeans, to use taxpayers' money to settle the debt of the UHS.'"
Email
Print