7 News Belize

Belize Takes A Cruise Bruise With Yahoo List
posted (December 9, 2014)
Yahoo Travel today published a list of "The Worst Caribbean Ports of Call for Cruises" and Belize City was right there, third on the list behind the Nassau Bahamas and Montego Bay and Ocho Rios Jamaica. It is described as dreary and having no beach.

Proponents of the Stake Bank project point to this as one more reason to put governmental impetus behind that project. Of course, it's not that simple. The situation is fraught with legal implications, suits, counter suits and cross suits. And right in the middle of it is a pair of agreements signed by the Musa Administration making certain assurances to the Fort Street Tourism Village - assurances where government would compensate them for passenger shortfalls. The Barrow administration doesn't want to be left holding that bag - and thus the reason things are at standstill. On Sunday, we asked the Leader of the Opposition for his position on it:..

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"So, it's a complex issue, but it's certainly an issue that needs to be address very urgently in the interest of the tourism sector."

Jules Vasquez
"Is it something you all are unable to touch with clean hands or to address with clean hands being that the real problem is an agreement which was signed your former Prime Minister Said Musa?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"No, we are not afraid to touch it, but it's an issue that has to be resolved between these principals and the government. The Prime Minister spoke about it, in terms of wanting an indemnity from Mr. Feinstein and him not wanting to give that indemnity. That seems to be the sticking point right now and I think they have to find a way to resolve that."

Jules Vasquez
"But it's an indemnity against the enforcement of agreement which your government signed."

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"There are many other layers to that issue that can be resolved if the government is serious about getting it solved."

The Stake Banks Cruise Docking Facility Development Bill got bi-partisan support in the house, one of the few pieces of legislation to do so.

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7 News Belize