Jules also asked the Tourism Minister for his views on the Prime Minister's proposal to build a Belize-Mexico bridge that spans the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, which is a World Heritage Site. According to conservationists, it's not a good look, and so, what does Mahler think? Well, he didn't give a straight answer last night:
Jules Vasquez
"Minister, will you support - will you incorporate it into your ministry's plans the Prime Minister's idea for a bridge between Mexico and Belize, one that goes over a World Heritage Site, as the case maybe?"
Hon. Anthony Mahler - Minister of Tourism & Diaspora Relations
"(Smiles) You have to look at the feasibility. I don't think that this is guaranteed. An assessment will be done, a feasibility study will be done, and whatever major build-out is necessary to improve the quality of the product on North Ambergris we'll seriously look at it. I think that area gives us an opportunity to do things right. Even though Ambergris Caye is the number 1 destination for Belize, I think the infrastructure is lagging behind, and Minister Perez, the Area Rep. for that area would attest to that, and the people who have been in tourism for a long time will attest to that. The bridge there needs to be improved. You need a quality hospital. You need a fire station. You need better roads. You need a sewer system. You need better electricity. All these things have to be improved for us to be truly considered a top-tier destination."
Jules Vasquez
"But a bridge across a World Heritage Site -"
Hon. Anthony Mahler
"I have no information on that."
Jules Vasquez
"But, it's your Prime Minister who said it. He didn't bring it up in Cabinet?"
Hon. Anthony Mahler
"I have no information on it as yet."
Jules Vasquez
"So, he didn't bring it to Cabinet. He just said it in an interview."
Hon. Anthony Mahler
"He said they're looking at it, I believe. But, I have no information on-"
Jules Vasquez
"Pick sense out of nonsense, my good friend."
Hon. Anthony Mahler
"I have no information on the bridge."
Jules Vasquez
"But, at some point you can say, that doesn't make any sense."
Hon. Anthony Mahler
"Well, I don't know if it makes sense or not."
Jules Vasquez
"Okay, but you know economics, and you know the Mexicans. They will only be sending. That's gonna be a 1-way bridge because Mexico doesn't take visitors from Belize. They send their visitors to Belize. You know that."
Hon. Anthony Mahler
"I believe that we can get a lot more - well, we get hundreds of thousands of Mexicans in the Free Zone every year. And I believe that we can grow the numbers from Mexico exponentially. So, right now, I think our efforts have been horrendous. We only get about 7,000 Mexicans coming into Belize overnight. The processing at the border isn't one that is welcoming. And then, the air routes are kind of difficult."
Jules Vasquez
"But you know that we cannot engage in an on-par, equitable tourism relationship with Mexico because Mexico is too big for us."
Hon. Anthony Mahler
"Well, I think we can carve niches out."
