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Very contentious issues - with resentment roiling for two decades - but, surprisingly, at the end of the meeting - everyone seemed to be optimistic and on the same page.

Thomas Shaw- Belize Bus Association
"This is a meeting that has been long awaited for and on the 30th we held a meeting with the Minister of Transport concerning the foreign buses coming in from the West. The sentiments from our operators were that these buses were allowed to come into the country going to the terminal. They are selling tickets for all the districts within our country. They were actually going to the Forestreet area on the Water Taxi and our buses were not allowed to go in to Guatemala. So, I told my operators that I am tired of the fighting. It is time for us to do things not in a problematic way but we believe in diplomacy, I believe in dialoguing. I then set up a meeting with the Minister and he said he will support our decision but he needs to have a follow up meeting with the Minister of Tourism, which is today. I must say that I can see the way foreward."

Hon. Manuel Heredia- Minister of Tourism
"There are burning issues that have been arrising in the past and today we have compromised over here to make sure that we work together and that we can address these issues that have been facing the industry. I will be meeting and trying to make contact with the tourism minister in Guatemala and then minister Castro will likewise. Then we'll come together and see if we need to amend or we need to adjust or we need to do new agreements. According to them there is an S. I. that needs to be looked into. That was done long ago but supposedly it is not in the best interest of the industry and I am sure that with the legal advise of our attorney general something can be done."

Hon. Edmond Castro- Minister of Transport
"We might have to revisit the one that was signed back in 1997 that had given Guatemalan buses the right to go through Melchor the Benque border to the Belize Water Taxi. The industry has developed in such a way that the Belizean bus operators and taxi operatoors feel like they are at a disadvantage. So, unlike the situation with ADO and Mexico, Mexico still allows somewhat the bus operators to go in to Mexico. The Mexicans are not saying that we cannot go there. Unlike the situation that was signed with that MOU with Guatemala that we should have had equal access to both of our countries. Belizeans going to Tikal and Guatemalans coming here. But that situation has never worked. So, I think it is time for us to now to take a second look at it and see how best we can operate from both sides of our borders."

Jules Vasquez- Reporter
"But shouldn't that lack of reciprocity with the Guatemalans have been taken into account when you signed an agreement with this bus line out of Guatemala authorizing them to park at the National Terminal at Novelo's?"

Hon. Edmond Castro
"Yes, sir. What I try to do as the minister responsible for transportation is to try and see how we could best manage the transportation system- the flow. So, we had signed an agreement, and this happens all the time, for the Gray hound type buses, similar to that of the ADO, coming in to Belize from Melchor, through the Benque border instead of going to the Water Taxi to go into the terminal so we could have a better understanding and a better grip- we would be able to check the manifest as they leave the terminal. However, we did not agree for the busitos to be running through the terminal, hence the reason why we stopped that right away."

Jules Vasquez
"Belizeans who are strongling are seeing international operators come and eat bread in Belize. Eat their bread. That is how they feel. I understand all the technical considerations you are saying but what they want to know is are all genuinely working in the interest of the taxi operators and the bus operators to give them a fair share of that bread? Or is it that you all are working in consort with these international interests for whatever reasons you may have?"

Hon. Edmond Castro
"Sir, I believe the reason why we are here is that we are first and foremost Belizeans and we are here to look after our brothers and sisters who need to make a little dollar."

Hon. Manuel Heredia
"Every single one today has agreed that it was a wonderful and amicable and peaceful meeting and that what we discussed today we will immediately be working into the points that we need to address. I believe that the dialogue that we had today has not happened in the past. We have been hearing cries from individual groups but not as a whole body. I always believe that if we get together, today it was a big group, but we are saying that once this is established then we can sit down in a smaller group to address where we are going. Probably things have been leading astray for a while but I believe it is not late. We can still make progress, we can still assist our brothers over here to make sure that that dollar that has been missing can come back to them again."

Shaw says he will wait and see what action follows the positive talk coming out of today's meeting.