On Tuesday, November 4th, the MSME Tax Amnesty Programme One-Stop Clinic was held at the SunBreeze Hotel Conference Room in San Pedro from 8AM to 3 PM. The Programme is organized by the Office of the Prime Minister, in partnership with BELTRAIDE, the Belize Companies and Corporate Affairs Registry (BCCAR), the Belize Tax Service (BTS), the Ministry of Rural Transformation, and other partner agencies. The event allowed micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to formalize their business status, resolve outstanding tax issues, and access special relief under the programme.
The MSME Tax Amnesty Programme enables qualifying businesses to receive a one-year business tax exemption from the date the Amnesty Certificate is issued, along with a waiver of accrued business tax interest and penalties. To be eligible, a business must meet at least two of three metrics in the Employees, Annual Sales, and Total Assets categories. For example, a micro-enterprise qualifies if it has fewer than 10 employees and annual sales and total assets of less than BZ$200,000. Some sectors, such as gaming and lotteries, large-scale real-estate rentals, petroleum import/wholesale, and most professional/consultancy services (except registered Global Digital Services companies), are excluded from the scheme.
Benefits under the programme include participation in Government of Belize procurement tenders, access to fiscal incentives, improved public-private collaboration, and eligibility for additional MSME initiatives.
At the clinic, attendees could complete several key steps in one place: company registration with BCCAR, application for a trade licence, registration with BTS, and submission of the MSME Tax Amnesty application. According to Paula Hender, Legal Counsel at the Office of the Prime Minister, “We are offering a one-time opportunity to those micro, small, and medium businesses that are not formalised. When you come in, BELTRAIDE will give you a client number and put you in their list of small businesses, and that means that whenever there are any opportunities for small businesses, BELTRAIDE will reach out to you and inform you of those opportunities.”
San Pedro Town Councillor Jose Castellanos emphasised the programme’s significance. “The process is here to guide people. Essentially, it provides them with a fresh start. This is a good opportunity for any business owners who have not registered. Take the initiative. Get the paperwork done. Get legit.”
Organisers noted that each agency provided on-site counselling, registration booths, and support to ensure attendees could complete multiple steps in a single visit, as is typical of the programme’s Roadshow model. The formalisation support is expected to enhance business stability and tax compliance in San Pedro’s economy.
The Roadshow continued the next day with a stop at Caye Caulker Community Centre. Interested business owners who were unable to attend the event are encouraged to apply online at https://beltraide.bz/msme-tax-amnesty-programme/ before December 31, 2025.
