A whole lot has been said about Portico - while the company proposing the richest cruise investment in Belize's history has said very little. But, tonight, developer David Gegg has issued a rare statement.
First, he says Portico "offers no objection to the granting of licenses and permits to Stakebank Enterprises Ltd and to Waterloo Investment Holdings Limited…., quote, "We wish those entities well. We seek no adversity, NOR DO WE NEED TO PURSUE ANY." End quote.
The statement also adds that Portico has complied fully with its Terms of Reference and the Environmental Compliance Plan issued by the Department of the Environment. Gegg says that Portico has "paid three hundred thousand dollars to the DOE in Environmental Monitoring Fees, representing 2 years of payments."
So, what's next? Well, the statement says Portico, quote, "anticipates the passage of an Act in Parliament in the near term which is intended to imbue confidence in our financial partners that Belize is capable of providing an acceptable regulatory framework to facilitate investments of this scale, as would be expected from other jurisdictions."
They add, quote, "In the very near future we anticipate employment of 500 persons to fill construction related jobs. Within 30 months thereafter, the Port of Magical Belize will be opened to the Cruise Industry and some 5000 Belizean stakeholders will be engaged to provide various services and other forms of entertainment to the 1.2 million passengers anticipated in our first full year of operations." End quote.
And as a final small swipe at its competitors, Portico says, quote, "the Markets (have) determined that Magical Belize is the location of their choice for the industry."
Gegg asks for all processes to be quote, "fast tracked..." And ends by saying, "The time to build is now."
