Tonight a Belize Transit Services bus is impounded at the Belize City Council's mile four compound - and it might not come out anytime soon.
That's because the City Council says Belize Transit has been defying its authority by running busses in the Belama area - which is already licensed out to Haylock's bus service.
But Transit Services says it has a license for the area - and an exclusive one at that - dating back to 1979. We're not sure Belama even existed then, but the license was affirmed in 1999 - and they're sticking to their guns.
And so, every morning the transit service bus sets out to the Belama area - and every morning traffic officers force them to park their bus.
Today - they called police to impound the bus and we spoke to the driver:..
Alexander Cardinez, Belize Transit bus driver in Belama
"When I reach at the Pound Yard at 7:30 one of the officers told me not to run because they will impound the bus."
Jules Vasquez
"You still did run?"
Alexander Cardinez
"I still run yes because I have a permit to run. From last week they came every morning to stop me, they don't want me to run. I have a loan at the bank to pay for that bus; I don't know how I will pay the bank for that bus. I need to pay my house mortgage also."
Jules Vasquez
"You will get back the bus this evening and what will you do tomorrow?"
Alexander Cardinez
"I don't know if I will get it back this evening. They impound it here now. I don't know what I will do tomorrow, I need a job."
Jules Vasquez
"Are you informed of an offence?"
Phillip Jones, CEO - Belize Transit Service
"Verbally only they are saying that I have no permits or rights to run Belama but I have showed my permit to the council and according to the council they say that's not valid. My attorney had pursue the matter at the department of transport in Belmopan and they say that we have an SI and they need to investigate the final - if it's valid."
"So far I have not received anything in writing that I am to decease and desist in running Belama for we have been providing that service for over 20 plus years before there were streets in Belama."
"We are the only one in the city that has a permit. Mr. Haylock or no one had has a permit."
Jules Vasquez
"The permit is from 1999."
Phillip Jones
"Yes, but it's an exclusive permit and it has not been cancelled as yet. I have not received any letter from the traffic department in Belmopan that this permit is no longer valid."
"It really touches me personally now because we have fought so much and now we have something to call ours and we are still going through the same problem. I would just like to appeal to the department or the city - for the Mayor to please intervene and find out what it going on. These are livelihoods that are being affected."
The city council's position is that their exclusive permit is no longer valid.
The bus has not been released at this hour.
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