Mr. Wilmot Simons
Chairman
Belize City Liquor Licensing Board
Belize City
November 23, 2009
Dear Mr. Simons
Subject: License to Iguana Paradise Restaurant
Further to our telephone conversation earlier this morning on the above subject. As I mentioned to you I also spoke with Councilor Willoughby prior to talking with you.
I am writing to formally express my deep concern about the re-opening of the Iguana Paradise Restaurant on Friday November 20, 2009 subsequent to its closure some 2-3 months ago.
The Restaurant/Bar was opened from around 9:00 p.m. until around 2:20 a.m. Saturday morning and was similarly open for the same time on Saturday Nov 21, 2009 and Sunday November 23, 2009.
It has been brought to my attention following my conversation with you this morning and with Mr. Troy Smith from the Belize City Council, prior to our conversation, that (1) a liquor license has not been issued to the Proprietor(s) of Iguana Paradise Restaurant; and (2) a Trade License has not been issued to the Proprietor(s) of Iguana Paradise Restaurant.
It would seem then that this “restaurant” is operating without being legally licensed to do so. I would appreciate if this illegal operation would be stopped immediately in order to restore the peace and quiet in our neighbourhood.
I am once again taking this opportunity to express my strong objection to the establishment of a “bar” and or “nightclub” in this area of Queen Square, a residential area. I first did so in 2006. At the time a license was issued on the basis that the establishment would have been a restaurant.
Unfortunately, that license morphed into a license of a different kind. The noise from live music and disco, in addition to patrons who frequented the “restaurant” has been an inconvenience that the immediate neighbourhood has had to endure on a nightly basis prior to its closure; even as we repeatedly tried to have the “restaurant” license terminated prior to the closure of the ‘restaurant/bar/nightclub’ earlier this year.
Would you kindly bring to the attention of the Belize City Liquor licensing Board, at your next meeting, the concerns I have expressed. The expression of those concerns it is hope will help to guide the Board in its deliberations, to not issue a license for a “bar and/or nightclub” at this location.
I am writing on behalf of two other residents who live in the immediate surroundings to the “Iguana Paradise Restaurant”, Mr. Raymond Mozziah (22 Iguana Street, and Ms Jonelle Felix (7 Welch Street).
Attached is a copy of the letter that was sent to Mayor Zenaida Moya in April 2007 on the above subject.
Sincerely,
Henry G. Gordon
CC: Mayor Belize City: Zenaida Moya Flowers
Officer-in-charge Eastern Division: Mr. David Henderson
Raymond Mozziah: Iguana Street