Government has had to put an importation permit for ten thousand cases of Corona beer on hold. According to our sources, that's after a powerful pushback from Bowen and Bowen, the mega corporation which produces Belikin Beer.
Well, the other much smaller beer company, Caribbean International Brewery has issued its own statement on the permit. They say the approval was, quote, "very worrisome as it seeks to set a very dangerous precedent where Mexican beer is concerned for the beer market in Belize. ….Who will control the importation of Corona? We know that due to our porous borders we can have thousands of cases brought in illegally through the parallel market."
The company's public relations officer Fortunato Noble told us more via phone:
Voice of: Fortunato Noble, PR Caribbean International Brewery
"If you grant a permit to anybody to import Mexican beers, it is setting a very dangerous... The reason is this. There, we don't have the capacity to police or to control the influx of Mexican beers into Belizean territory."
"So yes, you will be giving or granting a permit for 10,000 beers, but who will monitor and who will control the influx of Mexican beers into Belize because yeah, you will pay the tariffs for 10,000 cases, but then you can bring 5, 10, whatever amount of containers full of Corona beers into the country."
"So basically what they're doing is they're legalizing the contraband of Corona into the country. People will purchase beers, Corona, okay, it's a recognized brand. We agree that people will purchase Corona."
"I'm sure the Belizean public would be interested in seeing Corona beers in the market. But how does that help the economy? How does that help the person that is employed at Barry Bowen, the person that is employed at Caribbean international?"
"How does that help that person and their family? You understand?"
The release closes by, quote, "applauding the immediate actions taken by Hon. Abelardo Mai and his policy of supporting and protecting our local industries."
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