Owner of the Manzanero Complex in Santa Elena San Ignacio, business man Oscar Manzanero staged a one man protest in front of the SI SE Town Council Hall on Monday. He claims that after a building inspection was conducted at the complex, it was found that he was in violation of a number of building codes, and as a result they would not be able to issue him his trade license until the contraventions have been corrected. Manzanero says he is protesting because in losing his tenants at the complex he also loses income, and many of these tenants, one of them being a call center, needs the space:
Oscar Manzanero, Business Man
"I am here in front of the town hall to take measures against what the town council has taken to close down my business enterprise along with over 20 odd clients being refused of their licenses and so some of the tenants are already pulling out as one commented that level up is going out and another tenant which is a call center has been offered a space right at the San Ignacio town board which as a consequence of them writing and instigating all of this basically closing me down completely. People are not be able to open their businesses and there are 20 establishments which I believe they support well over 100 people including family members and employees. Again I believe this is a draconian step taken by the, a drastic and draconian step taken by the municipality since I have not been given 
any prior reason none of my tenants have reviewed any prior reasons for taking such on other successful years they have all gotten their license and all of a sudden now the building is unfit for use because we are in contravention of certain codes. One of those to bed displaced is an engineering firm which includes international engineers and craftsmen. Since there are no building codes here in Belize we publicly expressed that and they can provide that to me in writing. What has been legislated is a building act but that building app does not specify any codes so they are telling me I am in contravention of certain codes but there are no codes in existence."
The mayor didn't want to get into a back and forth but did furnish us with pictures showing the violations and apprise us of the fact that Manzanero has substantial trade license arrears.
Email
Print