Burns said that when he drove to the gate at the zone, he passed the security guards who were at the entrance of the gate at the zone as usual, and went to his business, located about ? mile inside.

Burns alleged that he was followed by two security guards who were at the gate. He was informed that he was not supposed to enter the compound with political stickers on his vehicle.

According to Burns, he and the security guards argued about the stickers. They wanted them removed and he did not want to remove them. Burns said that he was told that there was a law that states that it was an offense to use those sorts of stickers in the zone.

Burns said that a reporter who was around from Diario de Quintana Roo, a Mexican newspaper, interviewed him and was shocked by the guards? behavior.

Burns said that he stayed inside his business for an hour and he left.

Burns alleged that on the following day, Friday, one of his employees, Ronnie Romero, had the same problems when he and about six other employees showed up at the gate. According to Burns, the vehicle that they were traveling in that had on stickers with Vega, was not allowed to pass the gate. Romero told Burns that he and the other workers had to exit the vehicle, which was a work truck that was loaded with inventory for the business, and they walked to their workplace.

Burns said that the truck had to be left at the gate with all the goods, with traffic being backed up for about half and hour.

Three policemen went into Burns? business and threatened Romero that he was going to be arrested, that he should remove the truck from the side of the entrance near the gate, and ordered him to remove the stickers.

?The truck had to be parked between the two fences near the Princess Hotel and Casino. This is totally outside of the zone,? said Burns.

Burns said that Romero told him that the orders that the police got ?were straight from Belmopan.?

According to Burns, when he spoke to an official about the law concerning the stickers, which he claimed does not exist, the official told him that it was just the security guards acting up.

Burns said that those who want to, advertise PUP stickers in the zone.

?The other business owners that knew about what happened between me, my employees and the security guards, called me and applauded me for

standing up to management,? said Burns.

We spoke with Chief Executive Officer of the Zone, Joel E. Cervantes, who rebutted Burns? allegations. He told us that the vehicle did not have a pass and the driver, Romero, was arrogant and he left the truck at the gate.

A letter dated Tuesday, August 30, 2005, was faxed to us this evening by Joel Cervantes. The letter was from Ronnie Romero of L & S Limited, stating that the L & S vehicle bearing the stickers needed for use in the zone, had been sent for repairs. Romero was asking for temporary access for another vehicle, one with license plate OW A-3711.

Burns said that the authorities were being notified, through that letter, that the van with the pass that would normally be used, was not working, and they were already given permission to use the other vehicle to transport their employees and goods.

According to Burns, on Sunday, August 28, the day of the Orange Walk North UDP convention, Gaspar Vega sent his daughter to transport some voters in his vehicle that has an authorized zone sticker, since her father is also an investor in the zone.

Burns said that Vega?s daughter was ordered to remove the stickers with her father?s picture. That was the only way she would be given access to go inside the zone.

Burns told us that the other investors, who applauded him, told him that their employees were warned not to wear red shirts, due to political reasons.

Cervantes said that anyone is allowed to wear red shirts in the zone.