Editor Amandala
Sir,
Stewart Krohn is saying, in a letter to the editor, that our government needs fortitude and resolution in dealing with the demand of Carnival Cruise management that the boat tenders which offload passengers from their ships, have a minimum capacity of 150 persons. This would put our present fleet of boat tenders out of business.
Mr. Krohn used another word to say that Government should not allow Carnival Cruise to walk all over us, and, he advocates overnight tourism as a better way to earn tourist dollars. As a nationalist I have to support him.
I know that overnight tourism is more eco-friendly than cruise tourism. The ships do not always obey our laws governing the environment. Carnival should not be allowed to dictate to us in regard to the size of boat tenders, by suggesting that their ships will bypass Belize if we don’t jump when they require it or, they will go further. What are we going to do if they say they will not comply with our environmental regulations?
Larger boat tenders will suit the company and the passengers. The passengers will get ashore quicker and can spend more time on land but, it should be a matter for negotiation, not demand.
Yours sincerely,
C. B. Hyde