By Brianna Bennett

Copyright greaterbelize

Andrew Munnings Goes From Budding Funeral Services to Court

Five years ago, Andrew Munnings was a success story, a young entrepreneur who launched a funeral service during the pandemic and turned it into a household name. Today, he’s making headlines for a very different reason, a tax debt of almost two hundred thousand dollars. How did he accrue such a massive debt? He says the system is unfair and doesn’t reflect his real earnings. But here’s the bigger question, how does a thriving business owner end up behind bars over unpaid taxes? And what does this case say about the challenges small businesses face in Belize? Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with the following story.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Five years ago, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, businessman Andrew Munnings took a bold leap of faith. He launched his own funeral service, a move that not only made a name for him but also helped support his family and employees. Fast forward to today, Munnings Funeral Services is a household name. But now, Andrew Munnings is making headlines for a very different reason. Earlier this year, Belize Tax Services published a list of major tax defaulters, and his name was on it. The amount? A staggering one hundred and eighty-three thousand, two hundred and nine dollars and ninety-one cents in unpaid business tax and GST. From success story to tax trouble, what happened?

Orson “OJ” Elrington, Attorney-at-law

“Mister Munnings had a settlement agreement with the tax department and he was unable to and or equally thought that after having received certain advice that the outstanding sum would have been adjusted and that how there would have been some adjustment in the payment plan. Regrettably, as he accepted and agreed, ignorance of the law is no excuse. And so, as I had explained to him, the proper thing to have done was there would have been a need for there to be a written communication between him and the tax department and to the court, most importantly, that there is some adjustment to what would be the outstanding sum, or the payment plan, or whatever it may be.”

Back in June, Andrew Munnings took to social media to defend his business. He didn’t mince words, calling the tax system unfair and a heavy burden on small businesses. Munnings also revealed he’s fighting the bill in court. His argument is that more than ninety percent of the work his funeral service handles is outsourced to other providers, so he says the tax debt doesn’t reflect his actual earnings.

Orson “OJ” Elrington

“Yesterday, he was detained and obviously, we attempted, we used our best efforts, best legal arguments to try to ask that there be some leniency exercised and although the tax department initially… so there was some leniency exercised, in the sense that they wanted the full sum which was some one hundred and seventy-two thousand dollars. However, there was a willingness to accept half of that sum; but, of course, that is still a gargantuan sum to be able to pay for most of us, and especially a young businessman like Andrew.”

When Munnings failed to pay the eighty-something thousand dollars that the BTS demanded, he was escorted to the lower court where he appeared before a magistrate. He would later be remanded to the Belize Central Prison for a period of six weeks in the first instance.

Orson “OJ” Elrington

“I got a call from Mr. Munnings on his way to the court and so, I did not have all of the information available. It was just at that point in time to try to be able to pacify the situation as best and to try to see if we could have prevented exactly what happened yesterday which was to have him incarcerated and separated from his family, even if just for a few hours.”

Since his detention, support has been pouring in for Andrew Munnings. Family, friends, and even loyal customers have rallied around him, coming together to raise money to help clear that massive tax debt.

Orson “OJ” Elrington

“The minister, having gotten the information before him, I must commend him and the Director of the Belize Tax Service for exercising their discretion and allowing Mr. Munnings to today get a soft landing spot. That is that they have agreed that he would have to pay, which was the offer yesterday, that they agreed to accept the sum of two thousand dollars to have him removed from the prison.”

Isani Cayetano for News Five.