What unfolded during the course of the day was a constant stream of administrative correspondences between Belitur Limited and Novelo?s Bus Line, revealed to the media, each trying to plead its case to the public. Both companies allege that the other deliberately created confusion in order to tarnish its reputation.

The paper trail shows that in a Belitur letter to Novelo?s, dated Wednesday, July 21, 2004, Belitur requested 60 tour buses and stated that each should be equipped with a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit, as per Carnival Cruise Line stipulations. A statement was only meant as a reminder, said Belitur?s Public Relations officer, Ismael ?Miley? Garcia.

In response to Belitur?s letter, Novelo?s (which is to say, general manager Robert Garcia, the former BDF general) informed them in writing that they could only provide 45 tour buses, none of which are equipped with a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit?conditions that were previously allowed by Belitur.

Novelo?s letter went on to state that they would be unable to supply any tour bus that meets all of Belitur?s requirements. The letter concluded with the directive, ?Please advise.?

The miscommunication may lie in whether or not Belitur confirmed their request following Novelo?s last correspondence. Novelo?s asserts that Belitur never responded to their last correspondence, not confirming, therefore, whether they would retain Novelo?s services.

Belitur, in return, argued that their advance payment to Novelo?s for the requested buses served as sufficient confirmation of their request.

While there was no response forthcoming from Belitur at the close of business yesterday, Novelo?s went ahead and made the necessary preparations as per Belitur?s request, on the premise that there would be written confirmation by early morning, allowing them to dispatch the requested fleet. And according to Novelo?s receiver, Kevin Castillo (more famous as an auctioneer), the buses were only dispatched because of appeals made from ?some people in the financial industry,? who agreed to use the buses ?as they are.?

None of the ?people? were from Belitur.

In compliance with these appeals, the first 25 buses were dispatched by mid-morning, but by the time the busses arrived at the Tourist Village, the cruise ship, Elation, had already left port.

The end result of this miscommunication is that Belize?s cruise ship industry was dealt a severe blow. Since the tour buses for the Carnival passengers in port became available late in the day, only a minimal number of inland tours were conducted.

The Belizeans who sustained the financial loss from the Novelo?s-Belitur miscommunication include 148 tour guides directly employed with Belitur, boat operators at the Tourist Village, and food vendors at the tour destinations.

Belitur claims that its loss is in the six-figure range, while Novelo?s, who will still be charging a $200 dispatch fee for each bus that was deployed today, seems to be getting the better part of the mishap.

Of interest, Novelo?s recently reported that they were meeting their debt payments since the company entered into receivership in March of this year. They anticipate that at least 50 of their tour buses will be equipped with fire extinguishers and first aid kits by next week Tuesday.

The former managers of Novelo?s Bus Line, the Novelo brothers, manage Belitur.