3 weeks ago, the then PUP Mayoral candidate Bernard Wagner sided with the local tour operators, handicraft vendors and guides who hustle outside the gates of the Fort Street Tourism Village.
Whether or not the Mayor was pandering for votes, the reality is that the presence outside the compound of the tourism village has been an ongoing industry dispute.
And, the consultations to resolve this issue haven't exactly been going well, since the ideas of putting them near the Memorial Park, and the Marion Jones Stadium were rejected by the locals. Their position is that they're already scrambling for the crumbs from cruise tourism in Belize City, and putting them that far is sort of like out of sight, out of mind.
Well today, several of the tour operators called a press conference to demand that the Government and the regulators of the industry give them a better seat at the table. They are calling for a sharp policy change to allow only Belizean tour operators into the Nohoch Che'en site. This also happens to be Belize's #1 site for cruise visitors.
The local tour operators want that changed so that if these outside tour companies want to take their guests there, they would have to hire a local operator to conduct the tour.
Here's how the FECTAB firebrand, David Almendarez, explained it:
David Almendarez, Local Tour Operator
"This is why we are having a press conference today. This is what our government and our leaders are allowing to have the city and have the country lose every day. I have a very quick fix to our money problems that our leaders cannot fix and I am asking my country to support us in the upcoming movements that's going to happen, because we want changes happen. We want the government to not have certain sites to cruise ships. We want the government to lock off Nohoch Che'en to Carnival direct tours. I am proposing that we only allow hundred percent Belizean tour operators to conduct tours in the Nohoch Che'en Archaeological site."
And the local tour operators are hoping to generate a groundswell of grassroots support for this big change. They interpret the outcome of the municipal elections in Belize City, as a major reason why they've not been forcefully moved from the FSTV area. The main speakers made the point today that they need this local's only policy to keep surviving and doing business:
Yohnny Rosado
"For me it's very important to be here as part of an organization to thank the people of Belize, especially the city people. Because of them they are not moving us to Marion Jones anymore from outside terminal 1, 2, 3 and 4. So I thank the Belizean people. We are now making it from the streets. Hustler men and the local tour operator men we are not making it and its high season."
Perry "Stix" Smith, Activist
"Why I came out here to support these brothers and sisters is because of these brothers and sisters on a monthly basis that I go to and I have them know a "days of healing" is happening and these brothers and sisters gives me a dollar or two dollars to go into a community to spread a message of love and unity - it's getting harder and harder for these brothers to make a dollar."
Leroy Smith, Handicraft Artisan
"It's only Chinese stiff that are selling. I the artist and the vendors them - the little things that we are making - we are fighting to sell these things."
Luis Guerra, Tour Guide - Nohoch Che'en
"Years ago we were making monies, but now we are not making the money and we have bills to pay. Now we cannot pay those bills, because we are not making the money. We cannot send our children to high school."
David Almendarez, Local Tour Operator
"Negotiate with us, bring this to reality and if the government of the day does not want to do, its up to you the Opposition to meet with us if you are serious about change."
FECTAB President Tom Greenwood suggested that the CAYO TOUR GUIDES ONLY arrangement at the ATM Caves is a model for what they are demanding. We spoke with Dr. John Morris, the Director of the Institute of Archaeology, which manages these archaeological sites. He explained to us that there is no "local's only" policy at the ATM caves. He told us that it only seems that way because the ATM tour guides need specialized licenses to conduct tours there. The training to become qualified to host tours at the ATM caves was offered only to locals from the Cayo District, so that they could enjoy direct benefit.
Email
Print