Port Loyola Cruise Port Debated in Belmopan

Mike Espat

There is new interest in revisiting an ill-fated and never realized project in Belize, the Carnival Cruise Ship Terminal in Port Loyola. The news came two weeks ago from Prime Minister Dean Barrow. He told News Five that he would be more than willing to meet with two parties who had expressed interest. That matter also came up in the House, brought up by Toledo East Area Representative Mike Espat. Espat is the brother of Luke Espat, the developer behind the failed Carnival project and also the man who lost the Port of Belize Limited to receivership.

Mike Espat, Area Representative, Toledo East

“The Prime Minister had a big fight with Michael Ashcroft with investment, took away B.T.L., had to pay millions of dollars that the Belizean people have to pay back, and now I understand the Prime Minister in his speech said they will now go back and they will study the Port of Belize project, the Port of Belize project along with who…with Michael Ashcroft. So what kind of game is going on here with the government and Michael Ashcroft? We know the study that was done at the Port of Belize, and the advice that they got. They are saying that this project is not feasible for that area, and yet we are going back again to study the same thing all over again.”

Dean Barrow

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“I don’t know which study the member is speaking of. He says that that study, unknown to me, concluded that it was not feasible to put a cruise port at Port Loyola? That’s not my understanding. My understanding was that the study commissioned by Carnival Cruise Lines concluded just the opposite. The reason the port never got built was because of your fine brother, wasn’t it. You talk about making sure we give advantage to Belizeans? No greater advantage could have been given to a Belizean than was given by your government to your brother. With respect to the Port Loyola cruise port…as usual he cocked up and chased Carnival away.”