The Returnable Containers Bill wasn’t passed at Friday’s
House meeting. That is mainly because the bill which was tabled on August 24th
is still in the middle of a storm of controversy. As we reported last week,
the proposed bill would impose a 25 cent charge on beer bottles such as Red
Stripe and Heineken beers. That means that, just like Belikin you’d be
refunded 25 cents if you return the empty Heineken or Red Stripe beer bottles.
Bowen and Bowen, the bottlers of Belikin and Guinness, says it is only
right since they’ve been doing it for years. But the beer importers say
it will create chaos because there is no system in place to recycle the bottles.
So it is a battle over bottles and in the middle of it is the Chamber of Commerce
and Industry. Bowen and Bowen is a mighty member of theirs, and so you would
think the Chamber would be on its side. Well you’re wrong because today
the Chamber came out decisively against the bill. They made it known at a press
conference this morning. 7News was there.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Chamber President Amparo Masson made its opposition to the Bill official this
morning.
Amparo Masson, President – Chamber of Commerce
“In truth the environmental objectives of the Bill are not clear.
At the same time the measures that the Bill proposes will have some costly implications
to both distributors and producers.
The Chamber recognizes the need for a meaningful environmental bill and
proposes to take this opportunity to work with the environmental organizations
and government in order to develop such a bill. It is our belief that the Returnable
Containers Bill in its current draft does not go far enough. It does not make
mention of either plastic or recycling and therefore cannot possibly accomplish
the implied goals of cleaning up country’s landscape and waterways.
The Bill besides the environmental aspect of it is going to be costly to
the distributors. I said that in my statement. It has a lot of cost implications
that maybe we’re just overlooking simply because we want to get rid of
the bottles and get them off the street. But will it really get it off the street,
what will distributors do in terms of disposing of those bottles when you have
thousands of bottles.”
Israel Marin, 1st Vice President – Chamber of Commerce
“What we’re saying here is let’s stop a little bit, look
at what we’re doing and do it right. Why do piecemeal, why past a legislation
that afterwards you have to go and amend or put in plastics or put in Styrofoam,
why doesn’t everyone sit at the table, set up a legislation that works. 
This is nothing to do about Chamber and the Bowen Group. It is nothing to do
with that.”
But it apparently does have a lot to do with Bowen and Bowen because four of
the company’s top managers sat in on this morning’s press conference.
Hilly Martinez, Belize Brewing Company
“The Chamber has been just doing, as far as I am concerned, for one
section of the market or one section of its membership. We’re one of the
biggest members of the Chamber of Commerce and obviously, as it was made known
today, that they did not invite us to a meeting with the environmental group
and we’re the biggest player in it so why not invite us. Why do we have
to come to a press conference to find out that they had one and it is now that
they are inviting us. So that’s our position and we have to be firm with
it.”
But the opposition to the bill is equally firm. The chamber shared space at
the head table with the Audubon Society and APAMO.
Amanda Acosta, Advocacy Coordinator – BAS
“We are very interested in the Returnable Containers Bill. The Bill 
has a clear intent that we believe is good however it is limiting in nature.
We basically are saying that a more comprehensive document needs to be produced,
one that targets all major pollutants, not only beverage containers.”
Yvette Alonzo, APAMO
“The Association of Protected Areas Management Organizations considers
that the intent of an environmental bill is good but also recommends that the
proposed Returnable Containers Bill be strengthened to include other major offenders
to the environment such as plastics and possibly expand this to include Styrofoam
which we all know are a more serious threat to our environment. APAMO therefore
calls on the government to look at a more comprehensive bill, by bringing all
the stakeholders to the table to address the issue that affects all of us.”
Amparo Masson,
“What we’re doing here is asking the government to put a hold
on the Bill so that we can get together, get all the stakeholders together in
one room to really discuss and come up with a comprehensive environmental bill.
That is what we are asking for.”
The bill is still stuck in committee and there is no indication that
it will be withdrawn or radically amended to include plastic bottles and Styrofoam.
The latter is unlikely since it is a “beverage” container bill.
Both Bowen and Bowen in addition to the chamber and the environmentalists have
agreed that there should be consultations about the bill.
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