As Espat pointed out, a big difference this time around was consultation with stakeholders through the re-negotiation. Today we spoke to one of those stakeholders, the resident of the Belize Cruise Industry Association, Tom Greenwood.
Tom Greenwood, President BCIA
"We are very happy that an enforceable international agreement has seen the better side of Carnival, I'd like to think the better side of a huge corporation like that because they have come full way enough and actually change most of the areas that we are concerned with. As far as we are concerned, the BCIA is at the moment is very pleased at this moment. The two areas of concern of course were that the Belize Tourism Board was part and parcel of this agreement and therefore its regulations come into play. And the greater part of that was of course that section that said Carnival did not have to hire Belizean individuals, entities, agencies, and so on which is switched around completely. Carnival now agrees to hire Belizean individuals, entities, agencies, and so on. So we are in essence quite pleased with the changes that have taken place."
Keith Swift,
You mentioned to me earlier you are 90% satisfied with the new contract.
Tom Greenwood,
"Well they say only God is perfect. We believe that there are one or two areas that we are concerned about but this does not really concern Carnival or the government of Belize. This is going to be an operation within a duty free port. Our members are now concerned what role we are going to play within that duty free port and that is being clarified by the Ministry of Tourism. We seem to be on the same road so again we are not unhappy."
The BTIA will meet tomorrow to decide if it will proceed with its judicial challenge which was base don the first contract. The Belize Hotel Association's Maria Otero said she could not comment.