$1 Port Fee Attached to Water Taxi Trips is Not a New Tax

Since late 2024, word has been going around that the Belize Port Authority would bring back the one-dollar one-way tax they had previously removed from water taxi travelers’ expenses to and from San Pedro and Caye Caulker. This dollar was part of a three-dollar fee that’s been around for years, covering the Port Authority’s inspections of the vessels. During the height of COVID, the government cut it down to two dollars. Now that things are back to normal, they’ve reinstated the dollar charge as part of the overall fees. This change took effect on New Year’s Day. While most travelers haven’t made a fuss when buying their tickets, there’s been some confusion, with some thinking it’s a new tax. Today, News Five’s Marion Ali spoke with the relevant parties and filed this report.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

It’s peak tourism season in Belize, and the Caribbean Sprinters Water Terminal at the foot of the Swing Bridge was buzzing with activity today. Since New Year’s Day, everyone taking a commercial water taxi to or from Caye Caulker, San Pedro, or Belize City has noticed a dollar increase in their ticket prices compared to last week. But don’t worry, this isn’t a new tax—it’s just bringing the fee back to its original three-dollar rate. Andre Perez, the Area Representative for Belize Rural South, which includes San Pedro and Caye Caulker, assured everyone that this extra dollar isn’t an arbitrary price hike.

 

On the Phone, Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South

“It’s not an increase in ticket fees. That’s not true, alright. They – while the taxis are still charging a fee, they have not increased, you know. There is a rider fee or a port fee for every person that that boards the ports, and that is what they’re charging, but before it used to be three dollars, but during the COVID, it went down to two dollars. So now that we’re coming into the new year, and I think they made a press release on the 15th of December stating that it is only going to revert back. It’s not an increase. It’s just reverting back to what was the original fee, the rider fee, if you want to call it the passenger fee of three dollars. So, it’s only going back to what is normal. So that’s not an increase.”

 

The fee is only collected from passengers on these specific routes because they fall within the taxable price range of ten to a hundred dollars. The money goes to the Belize Port Authority, which uses it to conduct inspections at the departure and arrival points. Acting Ports Commissioner Kaylon Young told News Five that the three dollars collected are reinvested into services to ensure passenger safety.

 

Kaylon Young, Acting Ports Commissioner

“It’s ideal that we do this because of the plans we have for the maritime sector and services that we offer. Um, the inspection of vessels. We do want to do the inspection for waterways and do some surveying and do some Check the routes make sure roads are safe. Make sure we have adequate lights Adequate markers in the in the area and do some community outreach in the special areas like San Pedro and Caye Caulker. We must ensure that the water taxis are not overloaded with – that they are not taking, for example, cargo and passengers are not supposed to be on these boats. These boats are either registered for commercial cargo or commercial passengers, to ensure that they have proper life jackets, have first aid kits, have all of the safety equipment that would be needed in the case of an emergency.”

 

Young mentioned that inspection officers are dispatched to the terminals daily to carry out inspections. Additionally, the authority conducts random sea patrols and enforces regulations. Despite the reinstated dollar fee, Joel Ah, the Cargo Agent for Caribbean Sprinters Water Taxi, reported no complaints or slowdown in business.

 

Joel Ah, Cargo Agent, Caribbean Sprinters Water Taxi

“We have a lot of customers traveling at this moment.”

 

Marion Ali

“Are they questioning what’s this added dollar?”

 

Joel Ah

“No, they’re not questioning, they’re just paying what it is, yeah.”

 

Marion Ali

“Okay, so now to travel to San Pedro would cost how much?”

 

Joel Ah

“It is forty-four dollars.”

 

Marion Ali

“It is 43?”

 

Joel Ah

“Yeah.”

 

Acting Ports Commissioner Young explained that other commercial ferries, like those running between Placencia and Independence in southern Belize, charge less than ten dollars for the lagoon crossing, so no taxes are added to those fares. However, Young assured that the Port still conducts inspections and patrols at those locations too. Marion Ali for News Five.