Tonight, there is tension in the Embarcadero area of San Pedro Town as a project by the Belize Tourism Board is being rejected by the residents who live and work in that area.

In 2016, the artisan market, near the Saca Chispas field was created. Now, eight years later, the Tourism Ministry, along with the area rep and the town council, is proposing that the artists relocate again. Except this time, they plan to build concrete structures where the town's fisherfolk keep their boats. And even the residents who enjoy the sea breeze and the view are rejecting this proposal.

Three groups of people will be affected if this project comes to fruition and today, they all gave us their sides of the story. Courtney Menzies went out to the island today and has this story.

The fishers and artisans of San Pedro Town have joined forces to protect their respective livelihoods. For decades this area, known as embarcadero, has been used by the fishers to dock their boats and build their traps. But now the Ministry of Tourism is planning to develop a new artisan market - forcing the artists to move from their current location. It's a lose-lose for both the fishers and the artisans and today they made it clear - they will not be moved.

Alice Gooding, Artisan
"Just like the people from Placencia that stood their ground and made their voices be heard, so shall we the San Pedranos shall put our foot down, and we the artisans will put our foot down and we will make our voices be heard the same way."

"The location that they plan to put us, this proposed location, is not feasible to us, the artisans. The space is small, the building that they have in place to put up will not accommodate all 29 vendors. It will only accommodate about ten vendors the most."

"They did not consult with the fisherfolk, they did not consult with the resident that it will be impacting nor did they have any consultation meeting with us the artisans."

Severo Guerrero Jr, Fisher
"When we got word of it, it was through word of mouth and we visited Minister Perez, my mom and myself, and he promised a consultation with the community and the stakeholders which are the residents of the area and the boat owners along with the tour guides because we use this area. He promised that to us and then we found out September 3rd, bam, they put up a sign, they're building immediately."

For the fishers, that sign marks the destruction of their safe harbor, and the last bit of history from when their town was just a fishing village.

Severo Guerrero Jr, Fisher
"Now where will the fishermen build their traps? There will be no area to build traps. What will they do? Where will they go? When a hurricane comes, where will the people pull up their boats?"

"this is the last stretch of our cultural patrimony. This is where people, San Pedro started as a fishing village, this is where people come, they would sell their fish, we're trying to preserve that as well."

Myreva Molina, Embarcadero Resident
"This is a unique place for us. It's the heritage of the history of the fishermen. Here, a lot of people who are gone made their living here so we're asking, pleading for the mayor or the area representative to please keep it like this."

And while that is the plea of the fisherfolk, the artisans say that if they're forced to move, it will severely affect their livelihoods.

Nelly Sanker, Artisan
"We don't want to move because it's flooding and secondly for tourists to find us back here, it would take a lot of years."

Reporter:
"So tourists don't come back here much?"

Nelly Sanker, Artisan
"Not really because when they moved us from the park and we came back here 2016 at the market, it took a time for tourists to find us, so if we come back here now, eventually it's going to take a long time for tourists to come and find us here. For instance tourists that came here already at the market, they go back and then they come back again, they already know where we are."

Ernesto Alvarez, Founder, Artisan Market
"From September 3rd they put up the sign over there, the new market will be transferred over here but when you look at it and you look at their plan, the plan is nothing like the amount of years from the horse track booth we got and we established ourselves and invested, we didn't go to any minister because we are self-employed, we try to be as independent as possible, and now they're taking this away from us and put us in this location."

And the fishers, artisans, and residents believe this decision by the ministry has less to do with their best interest, and more to go with enhancing the island's already booming tourism industry.

Maria Del Rosadio Guerrero, Embarcadero Resident
"They don't want to see hotels, they want to see what is San Pedro, what San Pedro has to offer, the beauty that is San Pedro. Not buildings, where they come from is buildings and buildings and buildings."

"I am fighting for the heritage of our island. This is the only part that is still what was our island because buildings have destroyed our island."

Wilfredo Luis Alamilla, Fisher
"The leaders are going more towards tourism. They have plans for tourism and tourism and tourism, everything for them. Tourism has opportunities in San Pedro all over the place, this is the only place that the local people keep and protect because it's where we park our boats, it's our harbor, this is where we do our jobs, we store our material for our jobs. And for them, they are saying that it's junk and they're going to throw it away, they're going to do a big clean up. Those things cost money to us."

Alice Gooding, Artisan
"And if you're so concerned about the structure that is built at the artisan market, that it's not up to par, then we have no problem with you breaking it down and rebuilding something better there."

And these San Pedranos - fishers who spend early mornings ensuring restaurants are stocked with seafood and artisans whose hands craft jewelry and sculptures - have one request:

Wilfredo Luis Alamilla, Fisher
"One thing I would like to tell these people, listen to your people, listen to what the people are asking for. It is not a fight, it is trying to be understood by our leaders."