Minister of Transport Speaks On Return of ADO and Fuente Del Norte

Last night, we told you that the A.D.O. buses from Mexico are coming back to Belize. As we reported, Cabinet has also approved the return of Fuente del Norte and A.D.O. bus services.  A.D.O. buses will provide runs from Belize City to Merida and Cancun, starting May first. Fuente del Norte will provide services from Belize City to Flores and Guatemala City starting April twenty-first. We caught up with Rodwell Ferguson, the Minister of Transport earlier today.

Rodwell Ferguson

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport 

“Those buses were active in Belize before COVID. After COVID the borders were closed so they could come back to Belize. And, ever since I became the Minister of Transportation they are trying to come back. But, I was trying to figure out how it can be reciprocal where it can be where we go and they come. But, essentially the Minister of Tourism is sayong the country is being affected country wide, hotel wise because these buses are not brining in the European tourist. So, Cabinet made a decision and said let us go ahead and let them in for the benefit of the tourism industry.”

Paul Lopez

“Is this a reciprocal decision?”

Rodwell Ferguson

“To a certain extent, because when we came back from Mexico about a month ago they are saying that their policy is that we can only go about twenty kilometers into their country at this point in time. So our buses can go to Chetumal and beyond twenty kilometers. They can’t go beyond that.”

Paul Lopez

“But they can come to the entirety of our country.”

Rodwell Ferguson

“Well we are the smallest among the countries. We have less than five hundred thousand people. Mexico is about a hundred and forty million, Guatemala is about sixty million. But, we need what can benefit our country and get this economy going.”