The Belmopan City Council faces mounting opposition from local enterprises following a comprehensive audit that triggered widespread recalculation of trade license fees. Municipal authorities defend the reassessments as necessary corrections to address inconsistent record-keeping and outdated calculation methods discovered during a year-long review process.
Mayor Pablo Cawich maintains that the initiative represents an administrative correction rather than the implementation of new fee structures. However, Khalid Belisle, the United Democratic Party’s caretaker representative for Belmopan, contends the council acted prematurely. Belisle asserts that the amended trade license legislation was formally deferred in December, yet businesses continued receiving updated assessments throughout the capital.
The controversy extends beyond licensing fees to include significant increases in garbage collection charges. Belisle cited a specific case where a small business owner experienced a 400% rate hike over four to five years, with charges jumping from $150 to $600. Belmopan operates under unique legislation that permits separate residential and commercial garbage collection fees, though the justification for consecutive increases remains unclear.
The situation remains unresolved as municipal officials defend their audit methodology while business owners grapple with unexpected financial burdens. Critics argue the reassessments create unnecessary economic pressure despite the council’s claims of merely rectifying historical inconsistencies.