And while the UDP is leading on that Commission, their Punta Gorda Mayor, Ashton Mackenzie is still facing major backlash over an under-construction gas station on Prime SeaFront Real Estate.
The project had been given a stop order over the summer, but it seems that too was overcome and, today, construction continues. But the community isn't backing down. PGTV captured it today and Cherisse Halsall's has a review:
It's been several months since we've heard from the people of Punta Gorda but they haven't stopped rallying against the construction of that gas station on the plot of land referred to as "The Y."
And this morning another protest was staged again as a crowd assembled to voice their abiding discontent.
Kamela Palma - Concerned Resident "We the people were asleep for so many years while this land, and paid for its upkeep through our taxes, because the owner did not pay his taxes and the town board became responsible and took over from years ago, now all of a sudden they will now find a way to sell it, which is good but he sells it for the wrong purpose as far as I'm concerned and the building has started as you can see here we know that the plans have not been followed properly, we know that there are issues with this. So we are here because we want it stopped and we want. This piece of land to become the lounge of Punta Gorda town."
And while most people share that sentiment and deeply regret that the seafront public space will be lost, they're also upset about the land's proposed purpose.
Mr. P - Concerned Resident "Four gas stations, four gas stations we have in PG we don't need another one, the population is too small to have all of these gas stations."
Among the crowd was community activist Will Maheia who once again raised the town's environmental concerns.
Wil Maheia - Concerned Resident "Right here you could see it look at the hole right here, right there the hole that they are digging to put a tank less than 10 feet and it's already full of water. It cannot be environmentally sound, cannot be environmentally sound It's crazy and everybody's standing up out here. We are not against development, we are against unsustainable development."
Another resident told us that the project has already started to affect the children of Punta Gorda.
Allan Hines - Concerned Resident "Those guys were spraying the bushes and the kids they couldn't take it mein, they gotta hold their nose and run inside and say what's going on, what's going on. We had to come out and let them know what's going on, you know, don't do that."
And while the children may be at risk this youth was incensed. We got this scathing message from one firebrand who had a message about regulatory measures for his fellow townspeople and for the masses.
Glen Logan - Concerned Resident "The government's failure to sign such conventions are what put us in this situation so for me it's more than stopping this situation that's happening here at the Y it's about the entire country we need to get the ILO convention 169 signed and we also need to get UNCAC on its way. We need to stop the corruption and stop this disregard of the people. The people are the power. I just want Belizeans to understand that we are the ones that elects the government, they are our representatives and we are the power."
