San Pedro is Belize's number one tourist destination, complete with luxury resorts, upscale dining, nightlife, and countless touring and recreation activities. But for all it has in abundance, one things San Pedro is short of is great beach-front swimming areas. In most places the beaches are covered with seaweed, and the sea areas near the beaches are also blanketed by sea grass. But one great for swimming area where none of this applies is known as 'mar-de-tumbo.' But we don't know how much longer that will be true because the Ministry of Natural Resources, never shy to make a real estate deal, has sold the road leading to this prized swimming spot.
It's caused quite an uproar on the island, where locals complain that they're seeing a piece of paradise lost, in this case to the highest bidder. Our associates in San Pedro at the San Pedro Sun were the first to report the story and Kainie Manuel reports.
Kainie Manuel Reporting, From San Pedro for [San Pedro Sun]
As the center of Belize's tourism industry, property in San Pedro Town seems to be a wise business investment. While lots of private property is sold every day, now even the Government of Belize is getting into the real estate market, selling off Government of Belize property.
Last week it was discovered that two parcels of government land on Ambergris Caye was sold to private entities. The most prominent piece is this section of road that leads to a very popular swimming area on the beach.
Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr., Belize Rural South Area Rep.
"It is a very sad thing today to learn that what was once a public access to a bathing area, today it has been privatized. (Its) a policy that probably is government's agenda countrywide but this particular one I said (is) sad because a previous town council members fought vigorously to have this access for the people of the island so that they can access and their kids can go bathing and so forth, only to learn Monday from the Ministry of Natural Resources it had been sold. The sad part about it is that local authorities were never consulted by Government or the Minister of Natural Resources. I feel that as elected representatives of the people of Belize, government should have a little more respect to our local authorities."
Kainie Manuel,
What do you believe about this road being sold? Do you think that was the right thing for the government to do?
Miguel Alamilla, San Pedro Resident
"Well I guess my best response is with another question. What's going to be next? Are we going to sell the sea adjacent to it or the reef, what's going to be next. We need support from the government, we don't need land being sold, regardless of who buys it. There is a lot of potential with the properties being sold in San Pedro and I guess the people are the ones who are losing."
Mayor Elsa Paz,
"In the community of San Pedro, the families they come here together like every weekend and spend time on this public beach and that is one of the biggest reasons why we denied this recommendation; we didn't agree on selling this access of road because its used a lot by the citizens of this community. We heard it was being sold we went all the way to Belmopan and had a meeting with Hon. Johnny Briceno who is the Minister of Natural Resources and he confirmed to us that it has been sold. So it was very sad to hear this news and again I think that government should have more respect for local authorities."
The San Pedro Town had already begun improving this road, by adding lighting, when they were surprised to learn that the land was sold out from under them.
The second piece of property sold is adjacent to Ambergris Stadium. This property was going to be a recreation area and soccer practice field for local youths.
Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr.,
"Where are our kids going to play? San Pedro has just in the elementary school 800 students and if you put all the kids together there are more than 1500 over here. We only have one small field by the center of San Pedro and we have to be begging on private areas so that they can park. That is why we are seeing an increase in the use of drugs and the use of alcohol, because there are not sufficient facilities to accommodate them."
Mayor Else Paz,
"I don't believe that government should be selling the little little properties that we have that are government properties because the island is developing and the more it develops, the more things we need for the youths so its sad, its sad to hear that."
We repeatedly tried to contact Minister Briceno at his Ministry of Natural Resources on Friday but he was unavailable for comment. The Town Council is now considering their options. Reporting for the San Pedro Sun in San Pedro, Kainie Manuel, Channel 7 News.
Our attempts to get comment from the Ministry were also unsuccessful.
