Reliable information to 7News is that NCL has approached GOB with a proposal to build a cruise port to call in Placencia. Part of the plan is to purchase Crawl Caye, which is a few miles away from mainland Placencia, to operate marine tours. Crawl Caye is a privately owned island currently on sale on the internet for 6 million US dollars.

One of the major concerns about this development is that Crawl Caye sits inside the South Water Marine Reserve, which is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site. Environmentalists have contacted our newsroom so provide us with the opinion that all the major development to accommodate this cruise port will have major environmental impacts because of the close proximity to the Barrier Reef, which the website advertisement proudly boasts of as a perk to owning the island.

Another concern is that an extensive consultation done by the BTB indicates that cruise tourism may be a detriment to the country if it is opened up to the south, particularly because it would threaten the ecotourism model currently employed in that area. Those we've spoken to are particularly disturbed that the proposal is even being entertained as it would be in direct contravention to the recommendations made in those reports.

Finally, members of the local tourism sector based in Belize City are particularly threatened because they believe that the possibility exists that NCL will be given rights – which they can exercise if they so choose – to route other cruise lines to the south. Those stakeholders are of the opinion that this could destabilize cruise tourism in Belize City.

Things came to a head today when news went out that government officials would be meeting with executives from Norwegian Cruise Line at the BTB office in Belize City. 7News attempted to speak with Mike Singh, CEO of the Ministry of Trade, as he was about to enter that meeting.