FECTAB Renews Assault on Government

FECTAB is back in the news tonight after an extended hiatus from the media spotlight.  This time it is joined by COLA and both organizations are rallying around a common cause, that government has forsaken the Belizean people.  The cruise tourism industry, since the opening of Harvest Caye in November, has seen a significant loss of revenue for local tour operators who make their money from visitors onboard Norwegian Cruise Lines.  Those stakeholders are represented by FECTAB and today they convened a press conference during which they went on an all-out assault on government on everything from Puerto Azul to Harvest Caye and Stake Bank.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano has the following story.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The state of the cruise tourism industry, from the perspective of a handful of stakeholders, is dire.  It has been the hue and cry of the Federation of Cruise Tourism Associations of Belize for quite some time.  What FECTAB has done, however, is to join forces with another grassroots organization to reflect on the past two years of developments within the travel industry.  According to FECTAB’s President, Tom Greenwood, the dire situation they are all facing began with the elected officials.

Tom Greenwood

Tom Greenwood, President, FECTAB

“People who are elected do the things we are talking about.  They allow an Alcatraz to happen.  They allow a Ponzi Puerto Azul to happen.  They allow things to take place that are against the grain and against the very existence, capability of people breaking their backs on a daily basis simply to feed their families, simply to pay their bills, simply to get their kids into school.”

Despite the many hurdles FECTAB has had to overcome during the past few years, its membership has seemingly kept an anti-government position.  That outspokenness has landed Yhony Rosado in hot water on a number of occasions, the most recent being a letter sent to him from the National Institute of Culture and History.

Yhony Rosado

Yhony Rosado, Proprietor, Cavetubing.com

“I have a letter in my hand from NICH that because I have a big mouth, because I am a fighter, because I am a what-you-call-it troublemaker they have been giving me credit for the past fifteen or sixteen years, they will no longer give me credit anymore, pay cash.  They sent me another one; in fact, cash will work.  For as long as you owe me a penny you won’t be able to come to Nohoch Che’en.  This is what happens to Belizeans that open their mouths.”

But, is FECTAB really being victimized or is it just crying that the sky is falling?

Yhony Rosado

“The minister is not helping us.  B.T.B. is not helping us.  We need help.  If it’s not from our government we can only ask God to help us but we need help.  We are going down fast, down the drain.  We are selling out our properties, we are selling out our business and to whom?  To the same guys you are selling visas and passports to. We cannot compete.”

With developments and setbacks within the sector, particularly the launch of Harvest Caye and the subsequent void in Belize City that was left in the wake of Norwegian’s departure, there’s a thin line between progress and problem.

Geovannie Brackett

Geovannie Brackett, President, COLA

“We seem to have a government that is playing with the livelihoods of every Belizean.  And soon, whether you are rich or poor, as seen on the news, when you go down it’s the same police truck back that all of us go into and the same burying ground and proverbially it’s the same economic situation that all of us will be in and that’s a sad day for Belize.”

And this, according to Moses Sulph, of the Belize Leaders for Social Justice, is the result of government’s disregard for the Belizean people.

Moses Sulph

Moses Sulph, President, Belize Leaders for Social Justice

“FECTAB is saying here that you are neglecting the Belizean people.  The Belize Teachers Union have told you, you are neglecting the Belizean people.  The Belize Leaders for Social Justice are also saying that you have neglected the Belizean people.  Mr. Barrow, you and your cabinet, if you cannot govern three hundred and sixty thousand people then it is in your best interest to take your cabinet and leave the House of Representatives.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.