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Prime Minister Musa Meets With Belize Mayors Association
Belmopan, August 19, 2006...A special meeting was held at the Central Bank of Belize
conference room between Prime Minister Said Musa and members of the
Belize Mayors’ Association, to discuss the financial state of municipal
governments, and several issues of pertinence were raised and explored.
Attorney General and Minister of Education Hon. Francis Fonseca, and
Minister of Foreign Trade, Hon. Eamon Courtenay, acting for Minister of
Local Government, Hon. Jose Coye attended. The Association’s
chairperson Mayor Elsa Paz of San Pedro Town, and the mayors of
Belmopan, Belize City, Corozal, Orange Walk, Benque Viejo del Carmen,
Dangriga and Punta Gorda, along with the Deputy Mayor of San Ignacio
attended.
The Mayors Association proposed that arrangements be made for
revenue sharing from the Environmental Tax, urban traffic management by
councils, duty-free fuel for councils, and for the introduction of a
subvention formula to create horizontal equity distribution.
The Government of Belize advised that in order for consideration
of these or any other proposals, comprehensive study and analysis would
be a pre-requisite for decision-making. Such study and analysis would
be undertaken to determine the cost to manage municipalities, current
and potential revenues, and the level of assistance necessary to
provide the required services.
The Mayors admitted that their current revenue base, particularly
property taxes and garbage fees, were not performing well, and they
agreed to undertake the studies and analyses.
Prime Minister Hon. Said Musa said that both central and municipal
governments were facing financial challenges and expressed his
government’s strong willingness to support the cause for better
municipal management.
“The emphasis,” he concluded, “must be on service to the people.”
Source: Belize GIS
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