MAYOR OF BELIZE CITY VOTES "NO"

The battle of the newcomer, Belize Water Taxi Association versus the long established Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association is only just beginning. The newcomers started operating on Saturday from their office which is right beside the Caye Caulker Water Taxi. It has been tense and tough, and tonight there are two important developments. First the City Council reviewed the application for a trade license from Belize Water Taxi. Though the Port Authority has given the new group a permit – the City Council had not given its stamp of approval. And after hearing representation from both sides the Belize City Trade Licensing Board voted three to one in favour of granting a license for the Belize Water Taxi Terminal to operate from its location right next to the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Terminal on North Front Street.
The Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association maintains that it welcomes the competition but insists that it must operate from a different location because of the congestion that it will create. And it was because of that concern that the Mayor of Belize City Zenaida Moya says she is the one vote dissenting. She says she could not agree to granting the license. She differed with two other councillors Leila Peyrefitte and Calvert Quilter who sit on the Licensing Board. Today she told us why she could not vote in favour of the Belize Water Taxi Terminal.

Zenaida Moya, Mayor of Belize City, “The decision made was for a license to be granted to the new entity, I think it is the Belize Water Taxi Terminal to operate at the location which is right next to the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association.”

Jacqueline Godwin, "I understand that you vehemently objected to this license being granted. Why?"

Zenaida Moya,“Yes I objected to it, the license being granted for the carrying out of business at that location. I have no problem with that new business operating within Belize City but just not right next to the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association’s location. Why? Because one we already have to deal with a traffic congestion right there at that location, it is a huge problem. I believe anybody who travels along that way in the morning, in the afternoon, whenever, they will see that it is a huge problem. We have to really put out extra manpower there, it costs the council a lot of money so definitely the traffic congestion there is a problem, that is on land.
On sea I also see it as a huge problem having more vessels there operating in an already congested area. I see that as another problem, safety concerns for the customers. I also see another concern in the fact that we’re dealing with a group, in this case it is the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association’s whose very livelihood is dependent on definitely the tourism industry, and we are already trying to control that area when it comes to traffic congestion, but they have a lot at stake. These are not wealthy persons, I don’t know of any of them that are hugely wealthy, but they have put all their monies on line into this particular business and I feel very concerned that their whole livelihood and the money that they have invested could be deeply jeopardized.
I won’t support it and as the Chairman of the board I don’t support it and as Mayor of Belize City I don’t support it operating there, being given a license to operate right next to the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association. I have to also understand that the board is made up of other individuals and if those other individuals supported it I have to understand but it is something that I certainly don’t support, even in terms of signing off on the license. I will not sign off on that license, I guess the deputy chair will have to sign off on that license.”

While licenses are usually granted for one year, in this case the Belize Water Taxi Terminal service license was initially given for six months. At the end of that period the permit will be reviewed.