Last Tuesday, the Placencia Tour Operators Association joined the voices of those in opposition to mass cruise tourism in Southern Belize, in general, and specifically, to the Norwegian Cruise Line’s proposed port at Harvest Caye. The cruise line’s ships carry a minimum of 2,500 passengers, and opponents say that’s too much traffic for Placencia.
However, Amandala got confirmation today from Minister of Labour, Local Government, Rural Development and National Emergency Management and Immigration and Nationality Godwin Hulse, head of the Cabinet subcommittee for investments, that Cabinet last week gave the green light for the Norwegian project.
Hulse told us that Cabinet has vetted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which says that Norwegian has the green light to proceed, subject to a proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The tax concessions are not yet agreed, said Hulse, indicating that those would be embodied in a subsequent concession agreement.
Asked what the scope of the MoU is, the Minister told us that it looks at the five major parameters that Cabinet has outlined for investments:
Those are: (1) Any investment must be socially and economically viable and acceptable, and legally doable; (2) it must bring some revenue to Government; (3) it must also bring meaningful jobs to the country, not basic minimum wage jobs, but jobs for persons such as accountants and managers; (4) it must bring in foreign exchange; and (5) it must maintain the environment—but preferably enhance it.
In expressing their opposition, the Placencia Peninsula tour operators said mass cruise ship tourism will cause significant degradation of fragile marine and inland environments such as coral reefs and fish and bird habitats.
Hulse said that the MoU means that if those 5 specific parameters are met, Government is prepared to support cruise port development.
The MoU is to be signed by the Minister of Trade, Investment Promotion, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection Erwin Contreras, he told us.
Hulse indicated that the green light has not yet been granted for the Puerto Azul project on Northern II Caye; but that proposal will be looked at in more detail shortly.