Will There Be a New Water Taxi Terminal in San Pedro?

More than eight hundred and thirty people have signed an online petition to call on San Pedro officials to put a stop to a proposed water taxi terminal in downtown San Pedro.  The San Pedro Belize Express Water Taxi, the biggest operator on the island, acquired the Ruby’s Hotel property. That property, it is being reported, will be transformed into a water taxi terminal for this operator. But many residents have opposed the proposed project.  Four years ago, the almost seven million dollar San Pedro Sunset Boardwalk and Water Taxi Terminal was completed, yet local water taxi operators are not using the terminal. This latest proposed facility by San Pedro Belize Express has angered many residents who have been voicing their concerns over the past couple days. San Pedro resident and businessman, Peter Lawrence created the online petition to galvanize support to put a stop to the proposed development. On Saturday morning, Lawrence discussed this project on Reef TV.

Peter Lawrence

Peter Lawrence, Hotelier

“The San Pedro Express moving to the Ruby’s Dock or a new dock or whatever they are going to do but they are going to move to Ruby’s. I have been informed by a number of senior politicians that it has been given the green light. We can all say – according to the area representative, whose nephew, you have to remember, owns part of the company, because he got given, I don’t know how he got given the permit to run the ferry service. And obviously it is very, very profitable. The Minister came in and he didn’t say his nephew but he did say we owe them huge thanks for helping over the corona virus. Well, I don’t know, all I know is that they were closed. That probably helped and that was probably what he meant – they closed down and didn’t bring anybody to the island, even though I think people were banned from coming to the island. But what do I know? Is he thanking them for following the law? Possibly. The other thing – if they do move, it is going to be an absolute living disaster for the town. Now, the mayor told me years ago when it first came up and they bought Ruby’s, that this was their idea and he would never ever let it happen. And all we need is the mayor to tell us it will never, ever happen. And then we should all be happy and then we can all force them back to the marina which is at the back and what it was built for.”