Chinese grocery stores and supermarkets are the most dominant retail force in Belize - open long hours and weekends and feeling everything from toiletries to sausages to beers and booze.
But, reports tell us that one new grocery in the Belama Phase 3 area won't be selling a staple of so many Chinese supermarkets.
Reports to our newsroom say that the store, which doesn't carry a name yet was not considered for a liquor license - at the very strong insistence of the Freetown Area Representative Francis Fonseca - whose political officer is also the City Administrator.
Two weeks ago, the mayor told us they did get the license, but with restrictions:
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize City
"To the best of my knowledge, that application was sent to the liquor licensing board. I know for a fact that the area representative had some issues given the fact that there is a NHI facility in the close vicinity as well as the church and in consideration of all of those components I believe the board granted the license but with certain conditions that the sale of liquor is not sold where people consume on the premises."