Belmopan Vendor Enraged Over Lack of Council’s Consultation
A well-known Belmopan vendor who has been operating in Mae Gordon Park for the past fifteen years is tonight up in arms. Guadalupe Gabourel, the owner of G2 Barbeque, claims that her business is being treated unfairly by the Belmopan City Council. She says that she has applied for permission to expand her stall and her request has gone unacknowledged. To add insult to injury, Gabourel says this morning when her husband went to open up shop, he was met by a construction team erecting a building in the park. It was later learnt that the Belmopan City Council has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with Western Dairies to lease a portion of the park and construct a building. According to an official council release, the venture will add to the city’s recreational options and stimulate a higher level of activity and engagement. But, Gabourel says none of the small businesses in the park were consulted about this development. And, as it turns out, this was not a unanimous council decision. Several city councilors have come out to say that a majority of their colleagues voted against the proposal when it was brought up for the discussion, but the motion was still passed by Mayor Sheran Palacio. We spoke with Gabourel.
Guadalupe Gabourel
Guadalupe Gabourel, Owner, G2 Barbeque
“This morning, I wasn’t at my business. I got a phone call from my husband stating that there was a business being set up in front of our business here at Mae Gordon Park. That was the first red flag for me I had no idea what was going on. I came and I saw what was happening and I took it to social media on my Facebook page and I found out that it was a Western Dairies business being set up here on the park. What alarmed me is because I had applied already for an extension of my business and nothing was sent back to me in writing about approval that I could go ahead and do this to my business. I felt totally disrespected. I have been a business out here for the past fifteen years, for the past fifteen years I have been at this park. No consultation with us being out here for so long, was done. Through that I found out about the press release, through the press release that this business was granted lease on the park, I mean I have been out here for the pass fifteen years why not approach us and give us this opportunity to lease?”
Paul Lopez
“How do you respond to the criticism that man this is development you don’t want to see development happen?”
Guadalupe Gabourel
“Like I told you I have built my business out here, I have been consistent out here. I don’t mind contributing, but I can’t go to Spanish Lookout and do something like this. I can’t go to one of their parks and do something like this and because this business is coming in all the rules are dropped because of that. There was a meeting scheduled today for four-thirty but nobody showed up. They halted the construction but I saw a press release from the Belmopan City Council and it seems it will continue. If I have to carry out a petition I will. I have gained the support from my community. I have been flooded with messages in support of this petition. The community was not consulted, me being a business out here was not consulted.”