In mid - June we brought you the story of a series of proposed property developments that were being openly opposed by Punta Gorda residents, one of them a gas station set to be built on sea front property has caused major environmental and community based concern. And at one point It was even issued a stop order.
But the community continues to raise its concerns expressing that while they want development they want to be consulted. Today, via zoom video conference, Cherisse Halsall spoke to three members of the Toledo First movement in Punta Gorda:
The Toledo first Movement believes that as a community they have the right to information, even information concerning private land.
And in pursuit of this right have put together a petition and collected over 1,000 signatures from like minded residents against what they call pressing irregularities.
The Gold Book On Tourism
And while Punta Gorda residents grapple with their building codes, the Tourism Industry is dipping its toes back into marketing efforts with the launch of Mcnab Visual's "The Belize Gold Book: The gold standard for Belizean travel."
It's not just a dreamy picture book for travellers, but an in-depth guide of health and safety measures for the new COVID-19 reality. We heard more from Creative director Tanya Mcnab via zoom this afternoon.
Tanya Mcnab, Creative Director, Mcnab Visual "So the Belize Gold book as you know we've been trying to put together since the start of COVID, we obviously had to make quite a shift in the direction of the publication and I think one of the most important things for people to know is that it's not just a ---- guide for Belize anymore it's also an extremely informational publication that has everything that the BTB has been putting out, everything that government has been putting out, you know what are the new rules, what are the new regulations, what is the visitor's process, what are the traveler classifications, you know what are the processes through the safe corridors, what you have to do to apply to come, you know, once travel opens you know everything you should expect on your next tour to the changes you would have seen in the airport. While we've seen so much of that information all around I think if you're actually hunting for it it may become difficult to find it in one place and so mainly if you start basically at page 9 which would include everything from you know if you do come here and you were to get ill or something were to happen you know it has the emergency contact information as well as you know from page 9 through 2022 Just everything you need to know, traveler classifications, the whole just everything in one place."
Cherisse Halsall: "In the last two weeks the situation has completely shifted numbers are spiking so how's that going to affect the perception of Belize and the traveler that wants to come here?"
Tanya Mcnab, Creative Director, Mcnab Visual "I think that every country has seen a first wave and a second wave and I think that Belize is currently in the process of managing the situation and the second wave so I don't think that Belize is standing out different than anywhere else because we're all learning to deal with this virus in our own way and so I don't think that it is in any way turning people away. They just realize that you know what August 15th really wasn't the right date to re-open and their standing by to find out when it is. I do think people are just watching it very closely and as soon as it gets under control people will be ready to travel again."
You can check out the digital publication of the Belize Gold book at Caribbean Lifestlye.com
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And while Punta Gorda residents grapple with their building codes, the Tourism Industry is dipping its toes back into marketing efforts with the launch of Mcnab Visual's "The Belize Gold Book: The gold standard for Belizean travel."
Cherisse Halsall: