In 2019, one of San Pedro Town's oldest beachside hotels, Ruby's, was sold to the owners of San Pedro Belize Express. Fast Forward four years later, and they're expanding that hotel. And while that may not seem like anything newsworthy, their expansion has crept onto the beach, and into the space of one craftswoman who's been there for years.
Bernice Ramirez is an artisan selling her wooden trinkets and decor right along the beach near the hotel. And she says that the Asian owners have destroyed her property because she refuses to move.
She spoke out about this ongoing problem today, and Courtney Menzies has this story.
Bernice Ramirez has been selling her beachside crafts at this table for years, but now the expansion being done on this hotel is dwarfing her little stall and pushing her out.
Ramirez stood her ground and refused to relocate. But today she explained that she left her table unattended for a little while, and returned to it having been vandalized.
Bernice Ramirez, Craftswoman
"I experienced this problem from the Chinese, they want to move me from the beach, which is not right, I am on this beach for a period of years, long time, and everyone knows that I am on this beach. I don't really like what this Chinese really want to do. He wants me to break down my things and move my things from here, I went to the village to tend to medical and when I get a phone call and came here, I found my box like this, facing one another, the table on top and the Chinese already blocked off half of my area and some of my arts, the broke it up. I need pay from the Chinese or I need to do court action."
And Ramirez's friend also defended her, saying that this is the only way that this craftswoman can put food on her table.
Friend of: Bernice Ramirez
"All I want is for my friend to stay here on this spot because for years she's been selling at this spot and it's not fair for someone to come just because they want to build on the beach."
Reporter:
"And you can't build on the beach, right? By law."
Bernice Ramirez, Craftswoman
"No it's true, you can't build on the beach, everyone says it."
Friend of: Bernice Ramirez
"So all I want is for my friend to stay here and sell because this her only way of income and she needs to make a living, she need to survive, I think everybody has a right to survive here in Belize. But I mean, I think they're being selfish."
So now, with this hotel's construction crowding her crafts table, Ramirez must repair her work and figure out her next move.
As of news time, the San Pedro Town Council's Building Unit has issued a stop order, since the hotel is expanding onto the beach itself. They are now investigating the situation since the development requires permits from the Physical Planning Unit and approval from the Building Unit.
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