Area rep. challenges GOB over Carnival contract
As copies of the controversial Carnival contract continue to circulate throughout the country, tourism investors, average businessmen and the woman on the street are all voicing their opinions of the signed document. While one industry insider calls the agreement “frightening”, at least one Member of Parliament says based on what he’s read, he is proceeding cautiously. Port Loyola Area Representative, Anthony “Boots” Martinez says the Carnival Corporation promised him the project would be highly beneficial to Belize and Belizeans, especially his constituents. Now, Martinez says he’s not so sure.
Anthony ?Boots? Martinez, Port Loyola Area Representative
?I met with Mr. Giora Israel in Miami, in April and in terms of our discussion is that the spin off is thousands of jobs not only in the Port Loyola constituency, but that will benefit Southside residents. So that is one clarity that we need to clarify. But by saying it to me and having a document saying something else, I think the Prime Minister ought to wake up and clarify this thing.?
?There is no country in the world that any contract supersedes the law of the land. So definitely that I don?t think that nobody will support anything that supersedes the law of the land. I think the Carnival people, the Government, and the Belize Port Limited is very sensible to those kinds those of things. So that we need to make sure that at the end of the day we get clarity for that because I think that at the end of the day all Belizean people want is the opportunity. But at the end of the day like what I said, I still support the project. I still support the project in principle. I think the three areas need to be thoroughly revisited; needs to be renegotiated and I think at the end of the day, the project will be a good project for the country.?
When News 5 contacted Minister of Tourism Mark Espat this afternoon, we were made to understand that based on the fact that renegotiations over the contract in question are still ongoing, no official comment would be made at this time. In previous interviews, Espat has maintained that he is not satisfied with the contract agreed to by the Government of Belize and the Carnival Corporation and told News 5 that the points being renegotiated include the clauses on cruise policy, the licensing process, the maximum number of passengers entering the country and the opportunity for Belizeans to get their share of the business generated by the project. We also attempted to contact Prime Minister Said Musa for his comments on the disclosed document however, we understand that he is out of the country until the weekend.
