The Belize City Council appears to be rapidly backtracking on a proposed fee increase to be paid by the 76 market vendors at the temporary compound at Pound Yard on Cemetery Road, which it had said last week was necessary to help pay the rent to Hotchandani Holdings Limited (HHL), owner of the property.
The turnaround comes after a check of the books found that monies paid in between 2006 and 2010 were all accounted for, but that $174,000 in arrears owed by vendors in the system used before 2006, while documented, would be difficult to recover and so would likely have to be written off.
However, new arrears of some $59,000 owed since the changeover from the Queen’s Square Market to Pound Yard will be vigorously pursued, Councilor responsible for markets, Kevin Singh, told Amandala this evening.
In a closed caucus meeting today, the Council heard from HHL proprietor Arun Hotchandani, who presented two new proposals for an extension to the contract on which the vendors are staying at Pound Yard and which expired in April.
Councilor Singh told us that he was barred from disclosing dollar amounts, but confirmed that one of the two proposals, in which Hotchandani would cede collection of fees for bus parking (occurring on that section of the compound not occupied by the temporary market) and collect less money, but still insisted on a portion to be written-off), “looks feasible,” but that the matter of the write-off would have to go to Central Government – the Ministries of Local Government and Finance.
Under this proposal, the Council would be collecting enough to pay for the six-month extension without having to raise the fees, which vendors are adamantly against.
The accounts are available for public viewing at the office of Council accountant, Anthony Castillo at City Hall.
Adding to the problem, according to Councilor Singh, is that vendors keep losing their receipts, making it difficult to tell whether they paid, and how much. Also, some vendors who take up space on a day-to-day basis are expecting the same treatment as the vendors who have fixed stalls.
There were a total of 58 vendors who moved over from Queen’s Square to the temporary market.
With the announced start date of June 1 for phase 2 of the Michael Finnegan Market, Councilor Singh told us that CitCo would be going after those delinquent vendors, some of whom may not get to see the new market when and if it is completed in September.
Contractor Selvin Jones is being closely monitored by a team from the Council, including architect Anthony Thurton, on a monthly basis.
Councilor Singh says that he will be breathing easier only after he gets the extension and when he sees the work begin on June 1.
(For more see story, “New market by September, SIF promises vendors,” appearing elsewhere in this issue.)