B.T.I.A. turns 20

Belizeans who have grown up in an era when tourism is the country’s number one industry will have a hard time imagining what it was like when tourists were as scarce as rain in April. But believe it or not, Belizean tourism is even younger than an independent Belize… and today the organisation that represents all those hotels and tour operations took stock of the last twelve months. Karla Heusner reports from the Biltmore.

Karla Heusner, Reporting
The Belize Tourism Industry Association is celebrating its twentieth anniversary, but looking at this morning?s annual general meeting it is clear that 2005 will be remembered as the year the B.T.I.A. went from being a quiet coalition of those in the hospitality business, to a vocal force for advocacy.

Lucy Fleming, B.T.I.A. President
?At our last A.G.M. when Steve Schulte stepped down, that is when he blew the cover on the secret Carnival contract. So I was kind of handed that ball and it was a fiery one. We ran with it, as well we should have done.?

While the judicial review of that contract appears to be languishing in the courts, the B.T.I.A. tackled other issues more successfully, countering a proposal to lease certain portions of the reef, and arguing against a hike in fees for marine parks. And while B.T.I.A. district branches seem alive and well, the relationship with the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association has deteriorated significantly?to the point where the water taxi operators have now been granted a lease for the Belize City Marine Terminal?formerly the exclusive preserve of the Tourist Association.

Ramon Reyes Jr., Pres., Caye Caulker Water Taxi Assn.
?In the beginning it was supposed to be a joint venture as we understood it, and then B.T.I.A. sent in a proposal. We heard, through the City Council that they sent in a proposal on their own, without water taxi. So we believed that the playing field was level, so we sent in our proposal as well, which was approved by Cabinet and government. So therefore we were the ones who got it. That wasn?t our decision, but it was supposed to be a joint venture.?

Karla Heusner
?Where do you think the breakdown was??

Ramon Reyes Jr.
?I believe it?s in communication. I believe we weren?t communicated to the right way and there was just…maybe the executives did not feel that we needed to be as involved as we were. I guess it?s just communication.?

?Our goal is to secure our members. We have a lot of boats, millions of dollars invested in those boats. Our members have loans to the banks and they need to be secure that they will have a job. And that was our goal from the beginning, that?s why we were pressuring B.T.I.A. to let?s do something about it, let?s try to secure our future. I mean, two years, one year left on the lease is not secure.?

However, Fleming contends that her organisation has yet to be informed of any change in the status of their lease and only heard about it from the media.

Lucy Fleming, President BTIA
?I feel very strongly that this is one of the B.T.I.A. assets, certainly with our memorandum of understanding with the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association. We have also have had their interests at heart the entire time and we will continue to have their interests at heart. So we have to see how this thing plays out. I was just as confused as everybody else when we turned on the radio one morning and heard our lease has been given away. But as far as I am concerned, we still have it, until someone tells us that we don?t.?

Today many of the B.T.I.A. members voiced their hope that the situation can be amicably resolved and that a critical source of revenue for the organisation can be saved. In the meantime, the membership moved the B.T.I.A. forward by electing a new board. Lucy Fleming returns as President, Rosella Zabaneh is also back for a second run as First Vice President. She is joined by Martha Williams as Second Vice President, Dionne Chamberlain-Miranda as Secretary, and Pedro Perez as Treasurer.

Karla Heusner reporting for News Five.

Among the B.T.I.A. programmes slated to begin in 2006 is an internship and job placement agency in collaboration with the University of Belize. One point five million dollars in funding has also been received from the I.D.B. for a micro and small entrepreneur programme.