Dear Editor,
Your article last week illustrated the ongoing misappropriation of public assets into private hands.
During the twenties the Barracks was large enough to land an airplane, demonstrated by Charles Lindbergh, founder of Pan Am Airways, once celebrated by a small palapa bar decorated with photos of the event, which was witnessed by crowds of excited citizens.
Since then we have seen, first the Ramada Princess, then Marina Towers, both in contravention of the 66 ft. reserve for public access to the foreshore, and now more recently the newly built form of the refurbished BTL Park, which continues to impede public access to the natural heritage of the sea.
Once, when I first arrived in Belize, the classic wooden-built sand lighters would come alongside to shovel out up to 8 tons of prime sea sand at the Barracks wharf.. No more, even the fishermen are pushed off to one side.
Sailors in the annual Baron Bliss Harbour Regattta, the oldest sporting competition in Belize, can no longer launch their centerboard boats over the high sea wall on the sea front of the refurbished BTL Park. Even the proposed commercial jet ski rental will have a hard time safely embarking his riders from the pier, which is a good 4 ft. above sea level.
How much more can we lose ?
John Oliver