And while the fires are subsiding, there's a raging controversy in San Pedro. It's over the increase in visitor fees at the HoL Chan which were proposed to be increased by 100%.
No less than the PUP Mayor has weighed in against it - and a group of tour guides have demanded answers.
But, today the area rep was dismissive. He said that the increased fees are to improve security measures out at the Hol Chan Marine reserve. He said the guides complaining are in a minority.
Andre Perez, Area Representative of Belize Rural South
"I want to clarify that it's not the tour guides. Let's clarify that it's not the tour guides. It's basically a very small group of tour operators that are not happy about it rightfully so. I heard that they said they were not consulted but as far as I am concerned consultation was done with the different stakeholders and they were all in agreement. And they have been informed from last year sometime around October November that changes are coming. The increase look $10US to go to Hol Chan, Shark ray and now including the Marine reserves in Caye Caulker, Mexico Rocks, very soon Bacalar Chico and as you can see the patrols of Hol Chan Marine reserve have expanded greatly with many more vessels and machinery's hiring more people so that the community of San Pedro and Caye caulker know that Hol Chan is a thriving organization that when we inherited back in 2020 it was in a mess and now it is financially sound and the contributions that the stakeholders are making it belongs to them we are just the custodians to see that it runs correct it's being invested back into them so I would disagree with you that the community accepts there needs to be a raise. And when you go to any place you visit a park or something we even talk about Mexico in the US as well $10 US man even the tourists come in and say you sure it's only $10 US? So 100% sounds like a scare but $10 US or $20? What's the difference? It's going for a good cause."
We should note that the executive Director of Hol Chan is the Minister's brother in law.
