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As we reported before the Easter break – travelers were “bex” with the service being offered by Caye Caulker Water Taxi and San Pedro Belize Express. They complained that prices had suddenly gone up right in the middle of Easter week which sees the most traveling to the cayes. And, more than that, the two operators had changed up their schedules to complement each other, making it clear to consumers that they were colluding. And that collusion, most inevitably concluded, was the product of a buyout – that both companies had come under the same ownership. Area Representative for San Pedro and Caye Caulker Manuel Junior Heredia was not deaf to these complaints. In fact, he got them in heaping servings and today he told us that Government is warning the company or companies to tighten up, or else.

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Area Representative- Belize Rural South
“People are crying. There is now not an express route to either San Pedro or Caye Caulker. Students are having a difficulty going to college, people that have to work are having a difficulty and the salaries are not going up. So I have approached them and the matter has been brought to Cabinet like I said and it was discussed and said that between Port Authority and ourselves we will talk to them. I know for a fact that the Minister of Transport has spoken to them and they have agreed on a time frame that they have to go back to the original $55 which was highest they could have gone. If they want to go higher they have to request it from the Port Authority and if they can justify it but until then they will have to go back. And if services are not provided the way it was in the past then it is our responsibility to make sure that we invite somebody else to get into the business and offer the best quality of service that our deserve. But until then let us see what will happen and then we move forward.”

Jules Vasquez,
“Now Minister you have a family relation on San Pedro Belize Express and a lot of people feel that you are playing favorites with San Pedro Belize Express.”

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr.,
“Jules everybody knows me including yourself that when it comes to dealing with issues I am always fair to whatever is best for the people. If for some reason my nephew is in that business and he has not offering a good service or is not offering the right services and somebody else wants to do it then my responsibility is to speak to them first and give them the first option to do what is best. If that doesn’t happen then I together with the Minister of Transport will approach them and tell them look, these are the conditions and if you all cannot meet these conditions, we have to do what we have to do.”

Jules Vasquez,
“In your opinion does San Pedro Belize Express now owns or controls Caye Caulker Water Taxi which we know is heavily indebted for over $1 million?”

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr.,
“Well I don’t know the details or the specifics about what is really happening. I know that yes for a fact they have agreed to semi-merge and try to control the market they want to. I feel personally that is not in the best interest of the commuters. Anything that will dictate what commuters have to do or you would force them to do what the companies want them to do then I feel I will not be part of something like that.”

Jules Vasquez,
“If these do companies will merge and decide to have their way with commuters, shouldn’t then the Ministry of Transport come in and dictate that the government is the regulator and you will do what we say and not what you choose to do to manipulate the marketplace?”

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr.,
“Yes I agree with you that whenever it comes to the services rendered to commuters then we are supposed to put our hands on it and make sure that they get the best service that they need to be getting.”

Jules Vasquez,
“So government is going about doing that, to reign in these companies which are now not serving commuters the way they want to be served?”

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr.,
“Well I said clearly at the press conference that our job is to make sure that our job is to ensure that commuters get the best services and if it is not done then we need to do what we need to do.”

The best we have been able to gather form unofficial sources is that with the facilitation of a third party – the heavily indebted Caye Caulker Water Taxi is now in harness to San Pedro Belize Express. That is – we stress unofficial – but there has been no official word from the two companies who have been inexplicably mute – even as their customers publicly complained about the fall off in service.