Carnival’s Two Cents on Stake Bank Development

Dean Barrow

During the meeting with the Carnival executive, several benefits, including distance and safety, were also outlined from use of the proposed Stake Bank project.  The issue of a causeway connecting the island to Belize City is also not a factor for the cruise line.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“Carnival quite frankly, is not concerned about who builds the cruise port.  Carnival makes clear that if the cruise port doesn’t get built that does not mean that they will stop coming.  If the cruise port gets built and so there is not the tendering, the tender experience, or tendering experience that passengers who want to come on shore now must go through, that is a contributor to an improved experience in terms of the destination.  And so from that point of view they encourage the building but it’s not a… for them.  Also they said that if the cruise port at Stake Bank does get built there is no absolute requirement that there be a causeway from Stake Bank to the mainland.  Again, within the context of visitor experience that might make it easier, in terms of access to the mainland.  But even without that, because there will be facilities on Stake Bank that might encourage some people to simply enjoy that experience.  That’s a factor to be considered.  Also, for those who still want to come to the mainland and we want them to come because we want this thing to be spread out and we want people on the mainland to enjoy the benefits.  They are saying without the causeway there are still too major advantages over the current situation.  The length of the trip from Stake Bank to the mainland is far shorter than the length of the trip now from where the vessels have to anchor in the harbor to the mainland.”