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For these local entrepreneurs with millions of dollars invested and dozens of workers employed, the news is dire and they called on the government to intervene and protect them. This morning the Prime Minister said he would try and help, but at the same time, he can't say no to progress. The PM first outlined what Carnival told him in a letter.

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize
"Well according to Carnival, first of all it is not true that the tendering is being given to a foreigner. They say it's to Tino Castillo. Whether he is partnering with a foreigner I don't know. They say this is a Belizean company; they give the name of the company."

"Carnival is saying - look what we are doing is to ask that larger tenders be used but that doesn't necessarily mean less business for the pool of tender operators - that the larger tenders will in fact be able to ferry additional passengers who now can't come off because when you go with the smaller tenders - the time constraint is too much. They do say that the new arrangements will mean more business overall for all tender operators because Tino Castillo will continue to sub-contract among the pool of tender operators."

"What they do say though is that there is a minimum carrying capacity that they want to insist be used and I believe that is 150."

Jules Vasquez
"Well you know that exceeds all available local....."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize
"That is what I did not know and that is what I am saying we clearly have to discuss."

Jules Vasquez
"So will you use your good offices to try to lean on Carnival which has earnings bigger than your GDP?"

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize
"Well exactly, ultimately any tender to operate must get some kind of license from the Port Authority so there is always the last resort. The thing is that while we have to be concerned about the elimination of small tender operators who no doubt have loans to service and that sort of thing, ultimately you don't want to give the impression that you are anti-progress either. Carnival says that people get wet in the small tenders, it's not safe and you are not efficient because you are not bringing on shore to increase your business for Belizeans as many passengers as you could, so, it's dynamic, it's fluid, I don't think we can take a black and white position. Government will do its best to try to have all parties arrive at a solution that will not stop progress but that will not be oblivious to the concerns of the small tender operators."

There's been a major development since that interview. After meetings between the tender operators and the Ministry of Tourism this evening - it has been agreed that on Friday the Prime Minister, the Minister of Tourism Manuel Herredia and the director Of Tourism Seleni Matu will travel to Miami to meet with executives from Carnival and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. They will ask both cruise lines to devise a plan that ensures the continued involvement of local tender operators. In the meantime - and this is the important part - it will be business as usual tomorrow, meaning all local tenders will operate as normal. Carnival has agreed to suspend the implementation of this new policy that wants to seek higher capacity boats. So, again, the breakthrough is that tomorrow will see business as usual for tender operators working for Carnival cruise lines.

And while that's a happy ending for the time being - to add to the mix, today the members of the Belize Shipping Agents Association issued a statement saying they, quote: "stand in solidarity with Belizean tender operators and owners in their objection to the apparent hijacking of the cruise passenger tender business by a foreign interest."