Belize outraged as entrepreneur jailed over $172K tax dispute, #JusticeForMunnings trends online

Belize: A young entrepreneur and funeral director Andrew Munnings has sparked outrage in Belize after he was jailed for failing to pay the monthly sums which were ordered by the court in a disputed tax matter totaling $172,000.

According to the lawyer, Orson Elrington, the Tax Service Department of Belize did not count the amount correctly, the assessment was incorrect, and the pressure they were putting on Munnings was unrelenting.

Munnings, who is the owner of Munnings Funeral Services, issued a statement in which he said, the discussions with the tax office are ongoing, but he could not keep up with the required $2,000 monthly payments to pay off the debt, which resulted in his detention after appearing in court on Monday following which he was taken to the Belize Central Prison.

He further said that the court ordered him to pay $85,000 immediately and he doesn’t have this much amount right now to pay the government. Along with this, he also said that the tax bill does not reflect his actual earnings.

Related to this matter, opposition leader Tracey Panton also supported Munnings while accusing the government of having double standards in tax enforcement. Along with this, she also pointed out the case of the Prime Minister’s sister who allegedly owed millions of unpaid taxes but still was appointed to the Social Security Board in 2021.

Tracey also questioned the fairness system of the government as she said "How is it that someone like Andrew Munnings, working hard to build his business, is sent to prison, while those with political connections face no consequences?"

She further concluded his statement by saying “Enough is enough, the people of Belize deserve one standard of justice, not one for the well-connected and another for hardworking citizens.”

The community is also showing their anger towards the government as they started a hashtag #JusticeforMunnings and #FreeAndrewMunnings to support Munnings, and this hashtag has gained a super success on social media as people are demanding answers and justice from the government.

The people of Belize are also calling out the unfairness of the government while demanding equal rights and treatment under the law. Some people are saying that “we failed Andrew Munnings”.

“Free Andrew Munnings”: Social media users demand release

A growing number of Belizeans are taking to social media to call for the release of Andrew Munnings who was recently remanded in connection with outstanding tax payments.

Dozens of posts have described Munnings as a pillar in the community and are highlighting his support for students, homeless individuals, fire victims, and hurricane survivors. “It’s unfortunate to see a trying black man in handcuffs for something that could’ve been resolved,” one user wrote. Another added, “Our system is just designed to hold you down. The big rich get the breaks, but the small man gets squeezed.”