"Crisis at the Belize Free Zone", that's the headline from an article published in yesterday's edition of the Panorama, a Mexican newspaper. The article reports that the situation at the Zone is gloomy and discouraging as sagging sales during one of the Zone's busiest times of the year is causing concern amongst many merchants. The Panorama quotes Carlos Parra Jimenez, the former President of the Free Zone Chamber of Commerce as saying : (quote) "This is definitely not what we were expecting with the arrival of the summer holidays. The reality is that sales have not rebounded significantly."
Well, we spoke today with the Chairman of the Free Zone, David Akierman who says nothing could be further from the truth! 2011 he says, just happens to be one of the best in the last four years, and the latest sales figures are enough proof to debunk Jimenez' claims.
David Akierman, Chairman - Corozal Free Zone
"In reference to what "Panorama" has, first of all I just want to make something clear to the Belizean public is that there is a group of anti-freezone in Mexico, this is one of the problem we have been fighting for over the years. As for what is happening for the year 2011 - 2011 has been reflecting as one of the better years since I have come to work at the freezone in 2008. Imports are up
from January to the month of June, imports has increase - has duplicated imports from 2010. Right now this is one of the high seasons and I haven't seen a summer that busy since 2008. We have an average visits from Monday to Friday approximately 1200 visiting us. We get as much as 15-6 busses coming in on a single day from Mexico right now and over the weekend visits increase as much as 1500-1600 visits - that is only the people that are coming on vehicular traffic. What about the people who are coming in taxis?"
Jim McFadzean
"How does the figures from last year compare to this same time?"
David Akierman, Chairman - Corozal Free Zone
"In January 2010 the Freezone fell short about 3 million US dollars and in 2011 it was 6.7 million dollars."
Jim McFadzean
"So sales have almost doubled?"
David Akierman, Chairman - Corozal Free Zone
"Exactly, I will use the last figure as of March. June of 2010 is was 3.5 and in 2011 it was 4.7. The imports - goods coming into the freezone for the same period June 2010 was like 21 million and in 2011 its 48 million dollars."
Akierman says the Panorama's article is loaded with inaccuracies including the reference to Carlos Parra Jimenez as the President of the Free Zone's Chamber of Commerce. He says Jimenez is an importer of Mexican beer at the Free Zone and a member of the 'old guard' as he puts it. The current President of the Zone's Chamber of Commerce is
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