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Daniel Ortiz has that story:

From FECTAB's perspective, the Stake Bank/Port Coral Cruise Port, which is currently under construction, represents the best business opportunity for their membership.

They say that their members have a 25-year signed agreement for exclusive access to all of the tourists who would visit the Stake Bank Cruise Port.

They insist that for the very first time, Belizean independent tour operators will get a fair share of the cruise tourism pie, something they assert is not available at the Fort Point Tourism Village, where - according to them - preferential treatment for connected persons is the norm.

David Almendarez - President, FECTAB
"Exclusive access to the prime cut, prime cut."

Tom Greenwood Sr. - President Emeritus, FECTAB
"No more scraping meat off the bones."

David Almendarez
"This is how it works right now at the FSTV. When those people get off that ship, those who have booked tours go and do their booked tours. Those of us who have not booked anything - which I would say is about 25%-30%, depending on the season - walk around to book tours. Those people who have good connections are inside of the village, and they get the prime cut. For the most part, FECTAB members are left outside. Sometimes, when the people are in the tender boats - and this is how our members have been very resilient. The tender boatmen have learned to do a very excellent show in that 30-minute or 25-minute presentation from the ship to the shore. And sometimes, they get people to the shore, and they alright, you know somebody outside who could give - and they give them a little call. That has been the crumb-snatching way we have done business, ever since. For the first time ever, we are getting an organization where we will be on the front page, where we will not have to deal with the crumb-snatching. This was done without one placard, without one fight, without one aggressive call. For the first time ever, and we are supposed to fight that? How will that be bad for our people?"

"This is our FECTAB, these are the people who will be affected if this government has its way. Take a good look, Mr. Briceno. Take a good look, Mr. Coye, Mr. Unelected Courtenay. Take a good look at it. Belizeans, who you are impeding."

"Real people, this isn't a photocopy. It's not photoshopped. You ask us who are our members, who do we represent? These are our members."

These sponsored supporters of the Port Coral development say that for this project to be a success, the proposed causeways are a major element.

Tom Greenwood Sr.
"An appointed minister of Government passed a document to the Cabinet. That document was erroneous. It contained erroneous things. It said that the North Drowned Caye extension of Port Coral is just a real estate deal. Why bother with a causeway - knowing fully well that the causeway is the lifeblood of this operation."

"The accusation is that the causeways are not a vital component and North Drowned Caye is not a vital component of Port Coral. It is THE most vital component of Port Coral."

The biggest question that remains unanswered is whether the Feinstein Group has valid approval from the Department of the Environment and NEAC to build these causeways. The FECTAB reps. forcefully insisted that this permission, which came by way of an Environmental Compliance Plan.

Reporter
"Sir, obviously, it would be in the best interest of FECTAB to know that the Feinstein Group does have this ECP in their hands."

David Almendarez
"I have been informed that they have all paperwork that they need."

And the more we pressed for details on that ECP and the details contained within, the more adversarial President Almendarez became.

Reporter
"Nobody has produced the ECP document. Have you seen that document?"

David Almendarez
"Who produces an ECP document?"

Reporter
"The Department of the Environment."

David Almendarez "Who is in charge of the Department of Environment?"

Reporter
"We've challenged that gentleman."

David Almendarez
"Who is in charge of the Department of Environment?"

Reporter
"Martin Allegria."

David Almendarez
"So, why don't you question him?"

Reporter
"We've asked for it."

David Almendarez
"Whenever you find it from him, you come to show me."

Reporter
"But, have you seen..."

David Almendarez
"Who is in charge of the Department of Environment? Please forward that question to Mr. Allegria."

Been there, done that, and we're STILL waiting for Martin Allegria to produce that ECP and the minutes of the meeting where the causeways were approved by the NEAC.

But in the meantime, FECTAB wants the public to accept - without full documentary proof - that all is in order with the Port Coral project, and that these causeway concerns are distractions to discredit a home-grown investment that will benefit Belize and Belizeans.

David Almendarez
"We are in support of the causeway. We've always been - you see, what happens is devil's advocate is a funny thing you know. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. First of all, before this press conference. Nobody knew about a day when they had the EIA meeting. Now, Mr. Channel 7 gets technical and wants David Almendarez to produce a paper that has nothing to do with me. When you go on a plane, you ask Delta Airlines to show me the records of how you repair a plane? When you go to Li Chee, do you ask, show me your stuff to make sure that you aren't doing that? You don't. So, don't get technical."

Unfortunately, the matter which FECTAB has come out to show support for the Feinstein Group is based on technicalities related to environmental protection. So, the unanswered question persists.

From FECTAB's perspective, the developers have all their necessary environmental approvals, and they say that past government officials even spoke on that causeway that is now a subject of controversy.

Courtesy: Love News
February 10, 2014
Hon. Godwin Hulse - Former Leader of Govt. Business
"And whereas the promoters are Belizeans, Mr. Mike Feinstein. And whereas they intend to develop an island off the coast of Belize, known as Stake Bank, and build a causeway from Sakebank to another island called [North] Drowned Caye, and from there to Belize City. All the environmental studies have been done that show that the causeways are fine. It will serve as a cruise ship docking facility."

After that tit-for-tat with the FECTAB president, he was able to provide us with a picture of the Feinsteins Group's Environmental Compliance Plan. This one says September 2013.

It looks mighty different from the one which Martin Allegria showed the press a few weeks ago. That one was dated 2019.

In a timeline of their own, the conservation groups have tried to track all the approvals connected to the Stake Bank project. Their notes say that in 2013, the Causeways were approved with 1-year validity.

Their tracking says that new ECPs were approved in 2017 for specific activities, and in that one, the causeways were not included.

We understand that ECP documents are only valid for a limited amount of time.

In fact, this particular document indicates that in 2013, Stake Bank Enterprise Limited acknowledged that, quote, "if this project does not commence within one year from the date of signing this ECP, this document will be null and void. Should this happen, Stake Bank Enterprises Limited will need to re-apply for Environmental Clearance and a new EIA prepared.

Seen here, Michael Feinstein signed as a Director of Stake Bank,

And as viewers are aware, construction for this project began in 2019 and completion is slated for next year.

Informed sources tell us that the Feinstein Groups 2017 ECP indicated that it superseded all previous ECP's. If correct, that would mean that this 2013 document, which was shared with us after the FECTAB press conference, has no bearing on what environmental approvals the developers currently have. This - we are sure - will be a matter for abundant debate.