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For weeks, trouble has been brewing in the Belize Harbor after the Port Authority licensed a new water taxi service to operate from headquarters right beside the long established provider. It was a recipe for disaster and yesterday Minister with responsibility for ports Melvin Hulse made it clear that there had been an error: the two water taxi operators were never meant to share space in one narrow strip of the Belize Harbour. Now the San Pedro Belize Express also known as the Belize Water Waxi has to live with the consequence of that costly mistake. We went to the area today to find out how the sudden change is affecting business and to find out who’s really to blame.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
It may have looked like business as usual outside of the Belize Water Taxi Terminal but as of today San Pedro – Belize Express was told that their permit granted on July eighteenth to operate from its office on North Front Street has been cancelled. Minister of Transport Melvin Hulse said it was all a big mistake.

Hon. Melvin Hulse, Minister of Transport
“It is in an error in the wording and so that what you call it permit for berthing at the office has been cancelled, repealed noh.”

The letter of approval should have stated that SBE should berth at Brown Sugar Market Place that’s about a quarter mile east of 81 North Front Street. Sounds straightforward but the so-called mistake did create 6 days of turmoil and unease in the water taxi industry, culminating in a demonstration. But amidst all the uproar, armed with its permit, SBE continued to operate from the location.

Despite all the widely publicized commotion, it took six days for the Port Authority Board to realize their error. The letter giving them the erroneous permission to operate was signed by the Ports Commissioner and secretary to the board Major Lloyd Jones.

Jacqueline Godwin,
How could that mistake be made?

Major Lloyd Jones, Ports Commissioner
“Well I don’t know exactly how it could have been made. The fact is that a letter was sent to them saying they could operate and after a review of that decision, the board consequently said that that is not the ideal location and that was an error to have included that in the letter and since then they’ve corrected it. They’ve sent them another letter saying that they need to relocate.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
You don’t know how this mistake could have been made?

Major Lloyd Jones,
“Well the board had its deliberations, I take instructions from the board and once they’ve made that decision I don’t think it is appropriate for me as the Commissioner to question their decision. Their the board and all things considered they’ve made a decision, I’ve implemented it, they’ve since revisited that decision and my duty is to carry that out.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
But putting your name on that piece of paper though holds you to some level or degree responsible.

Major Lloyd Jones,
“No I think if you understand how boards work then you will understand I am the secretary of the board and I take my instructions from the board. If the board says to do something, as long as it is not unlawful, I am duty bound to follow that instruction.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
So right now it is illegal for them to be operating from 81 North Front Street?

Major Lloyd Jones,
“Yes. I spoke with, I believe it is Myron Marin this morning and I explained to him what the new decision of the board and he has been informed that can no longer operate from that area and so we will be monitoring, I think in fairness to him, we have to give him some time to adjust his operations but that is the decision of the board – he will not be allowed to operate from there.”

Ramon Reyes Jr., President – Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association
“Well let me just put it this way: they don’t have a permit so how can they operate. That is all I have to say to that.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
How much time has been given to SBE?

Major Lloyd Jones,
“I have not gone into any great details with it quite honestly. I gave him a quick call this morning, we had a discussion about it, he was made to understand what is the decision of the board and he will now have to go back and quickly as possible move that operation.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
Do you see them holding the Port Authority responsible for whatever investments they made based on this letter of approval that was given to them? What are the legal ramifications here?

Major Lloyd Jones,
“I can’t speak to what Mr. Marin and his investors are thinking. We do know that the investment in terms of the infrastructure was made before we granted them approval. So it is not like we granted them approval and then on the basis of that approval they went on and invested. They had already invested in the terminal before that approval was given by the board.”

According to Major Jones the water taxi operation is not the same as the bus services; there is no requirement for an equivalent to a road service permit, so what Port Authority has now done is to establish a control zone in the Haulover Creek.

Major Lloyd Jones,
“Within that area we will now be paying particular attention to any vessel that berths or operates in that area. They are free to conduct their business anywhere outside of that control zone and as long as they are outside of the control zone the board will not have a problem.”

7NEWS did try several times to get comment from SBE management but was told that the principals were meeting with their attorney and would return our call. And while the Port Authority has directed that SBE must relocate to the Brown Sugar Market Place, they haven’t moved yet. One person who will be happy to see them leave from his area is president of Caye Caulker Water Taxi Ramon Reyes Jr.

Ramon Reyes Jr.,
“I think it is a matter that the Port Authority dealt with and if it was an error then I’m glad they are fixing it. That is what we are happy about, that they are fixing it and it is not for us to speak about whether it was an error or not – they can answer that and I believe that the Minister made it quite clear that they won’t be able to operate from there and it was his belief from the beginning he said and we accept that and we’re good that they looked at it. We are glad they looked at the issue and they made the right decision now.

We have a plan and we are still waiting on our lease from the government. We’ve been promised it is in the pipeline, it is promised to us and we can do renovations. We also plan to put some money into the parking lot, we’re going to speak to the Mayor and to the City Council to discuss the future of the parking lot to alleviate the problem. As of today I’ve already given instructions for them to clear out the parking lot so the buses will be going in there and you won’t have that congestion of buses out here and the land taxis will also be using only limited space so there is going to be clearance out there. This has been a plan from the beginning and we said we cannot do this if you’re going to put more congestion.”

Jacqueline Godwin for 7NEWS.

Though we waited for the principals of the San Pedro Belize Express to call, they never did. As we said they are taking legal advice. And right that they should, because the so called error of the Port Authority seems enormous. We note first that the Minister yesterday said it was something like a clerical mistake, that the wishes of the board were never properly written down. But today Ports Commissioner Jones referred to what he called a “new decision” made by the board. That tells us that the current position is a revision, not a correction. Whatever the case, Commissioner Jones’ and Minister Hulse’s public statements do not reconcile. And while it’s sweet sailing ahead for the Caye Caulker Association in the city, there are rough seas awaiting in San Pedro.

According to the San Pedro Sun, today, owner of the Blue Tang Inn Kurt Fisher along with residents of the Sandpiper Street area called a neighborhood meeting to discuss the congestion being caused by the taxi drivers who park on Sandpiper Street to wait for passengers coming off the Caye Caulker Water Taxi. The water taxi used to dock at the Tackle Box Pier but guess who owns that? Giovanni Marin the owner of the San Pedro Belize Express, and when he got into the water taxi business, the Caye Caulker group moved to the Wet Willy’s Pier, right in front of Blue Tang Inn. That conflict is now being considered by the San Pedro Town Council.