FECTAB says only selected few will benefit from NCL project

David Almendarez

According to David Almendarez, despite strong objection from all corners of the tourism industry and from conservationists alike, the government intends to proceed with the proposal to develop Harvest Caye.  The only ones benefiting, he says, are a select few.

David Almendarez, Executive Member, FECTAB

“You’re going to turn one of your number one natural attractions into a marketplace.  Everybody says this is wrong, only the government and a few critics agree.  It’s for a few dollars more.  They are selling us out for a few dollars more.  They are enslaving us for a few dollars more.  Like my friend Yhonni says, our business has been shrinking.  Probably for us at the top of the hill we can eat a little bit more stew beans so we shouldn’t be making this amount of noise.  But as some media house has called us prophetic because every time we come to you we come with the real situation.  This Norwegian thing, we’ve been shouting this from the beginning of this year and when they changed from one caye we told you they’re going to change it from one caye and they’re going to take it to another caye because it’s some few, well connected Belizeans enslaving the masses of us for a few dollars more.  It’s incredible when they held that “closed” press conference.  You know, if you have something clean and very well and welcoming, as you say pretty, you don’t close it, you open it because you want everybody to know the good works you’re doing.  Your political party is going to seek election soon.  This give me the action that you’re just trying to gobble up because you’re worried about the next political outcome.”

Tom Greenwood, President, FECTAB

Tom Greenwood

“We need to ask the Government of Belize to rethink about what is happening, to consult.  The B.T.B. is there, use the B.T.B. to consult with us.  Please don’t start a war with the Belize Tourism Industry Association because hear what dat dah wah war you wahn lose.  Yoh wahn lose it.  These people have got mega-billions of dollars involved in the tourism industry over the whole of Belize, employing thousands of Belizeans.”

Isani Cayetano

“Why is it that FECTAB is only now joining this particular outcry?”

Tom Greenwood

“Well, we were waiting for word from down south because we don’t want to just push our noses in, who knows, they might be saying yes.  And when the B.T.I.A.’s southern chapter said now this is what’s happening blah blah then, at their invitation, we went south to both address them and discuss all the issues.  Had the Government of Belize consulted with us or, let’s say the bigger picture, consulted with B.T.I.A., I think we would have hardly been necessary down there.  Consultation is what it’s all about.  But this is an unholy mixture of thought and action.”

On Monday, the National Garifuna Council issued a release condemning the use of the so-called Dugu dance as entertainment on the island.  Of note is that the Dugu is a sacred ritual performed by Garinagu to appease the spirits of their ancestors.