The Orange Walk Town board is broke. That is the word coming from that municipality after the Belize Bank froze the accounts of the board for failing to service an overdraft facility. The amount owed by the Orange Walk Town council is reportedly 112,000 dollars and no payment was being made to bring it down. The Mayor or Orange Walk, Kevin Bernard, has wrongfully been claiming that Central Government had secured the overdraft.
At the meeting of the House of Representatives on Friday, September 27th, Prime Minister, Hon. Dean Barrow, clarified that the Orange Walk Town Council had been given clearance to open the overdraft facility but there was no guarantee given by government to pay it. It would appear now that through sheer incompetence the town council has been unable to service the overdraft. The town board closed its doors to services late last week and has reportedly had to take out a loan from a private individual in order to pay workers last week. Bernard claims to now be in negotiations with the Belize Bank to free up the accounts of the town council.
It is interesting to note that while Bernard was not making payments to service the overdraft, he has been closing down businesses in Orange Walk for monies owed in trade license. He has also increased the price that persons pay to sell vehicles at the central park and has also raised the price for stalls at the market. Revenue from the town’s traffic department is also up so it is a wonder why it is that they are unable to service their commitments. What is worse is that the town’s infrastructure, including the streets are deteriorating and there is no work being done on these. There is a great cry from the town’s residents to no avail as the Mayor and his councilors seem to not be bothered by it.
