The mission of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) is to promote economic vitality and a high quality of life in Belize.  One of the many ways the BCCI accomplishes this is through partnerships with like-minded ‘agents of change’ whose product or service will have a short, medium and long-term positive impact on individuals, the business community and the country.  The Credit Master Systems is one such ‘agent of change’ and the partnership between BCCI and CMS is in relation to the Complaint Information System (CIS).

The CIS is a database that was built in 1993 and now houses information on tens of thousands of consumers’ payment histories and debt profiles.

In practical terms a business that wants to learn of a potential customer’s payment history will pay a fee of BZ$3.00 in return for information on whether the individual has accrued any debt over time, has developed a pattern of payment or is debt free.

Wrapped within the function of the CIS is the reason for BCCI’s partnership with CMS. CIS functions as an adviser to businesses and as a voice of caution to customers. In essence, it has the potential to shape a more mature and robust Belizean economy. Many businesses within Belize have had to suffer bankruptcy for numerous reasons; among them, the inability to collect payments from customers whose credit profile were unknown. Although the statute of limitation may have passed for the debtors, thereby, relieving them of any legal obligation to pay, the business would have had no way of recovering the funds from those debtors. Information gained from the CIS would help the business in making informed decisions about whether to extend credit.  From the perspective of the customer, awareness of the CIS and of how it can affect one’s access to credit would create within customers an appreciation for maintaining a positive credit profile marked by consistent payment of one’s debts.

The short-term impact of utilizing the CIS is sound decision making. The medium-term impact is a strengthened infrastructure that encourages disciplined financial habits. The long-term impact is risk mitigation for existing and future businesses.  It is for the reasons outlined above that the BCCI has forged a partnership with the CMS and also encourages you and your business to reach out to the CMS and learn more about the services they provide beyond that of the Complaint Information System.