There is a new policy at Bowen and Bowen Company Limited that we were just informed of today when a disgruntled customer came to our news centre to express his frustration and disappointment when he went to the Distribution Centre in Belize City to exchange a 5-gallon water bottle for cash. It is not something new to him as prior to today, he would have been given twenty five dollars cash for the Crystal water bottle�.but today when he went there in anticipation of the usual transaction, he was given only fifteen dollars cash and a ten dollar voucher which he can redeem at any Bowen and Bowen distributor or delivery truck for products from Bowen and Bowen Limited. Dennis, who wished to remain off-camera, says that he does not have a regular job and that when given the opportunity to clean yards, he merely collects bottles that he can redeem for money as an additional income for him.

DENNIS

"Well I must say, I am a self-employed; I do yard cleaning and whatever I can get my hands to do so I pick up bottles when I go chopping and things and I bring it across to the company and sell it but I noticed from Tuesday when I come across and bring a five gallon container, when they used to pay $25 cash for they now look at you and give you $15 and a piece of paper. When I noticed and I asked the man what was up with the piece of paper, he told me I could buy with that piece of paper. So I asked him what I could buy with this piece of paper. He told me I can buy what they have. I told him I don't need anything that they have, I need to buy rice, sugar, flour and those kinds of things for me to live. I don't need soft drink, water or juice. I will use my orange and grapefruit and I have pipe water. So now I want to find out what I will do with this piece of paper that I have because the young lady in the office told me that I cannot change it and I want my cash and I need my money to pay my tides and give my collection and when they strap me like this�my cash I get in my hand, I can't put it in my tide because I need to continue live. So now I have my money tied up right now with the percentage I have to take to give my collection and my tide too and this is what hurts me because I am not the only one that they are stealing from, they are stealing from the Creator and he needs his share." Love News contacted Bowen and Bowen for confirmation on this policy but all we got was a flier emailed to us which in fact, confirms that the new policy became effective yesterday, September 23 and will continue up until the end of the year. While it will be a disadvantage to those who vend the bottles for money, it is a plus for consumers as the deposit on 5-gallon water bottles has been reduced from the regular $25.00 to only fifteen dollars. As to the reason behind the change, we are yet to find out.

LOVEFM