Water taxis evacuate island tourists, residents
If you are a resident of San Pedro or Caye Caulker and have not yet left those islands, it’s too late; we can only wish you the best. But hopefully those numbers are small as from early in the weekend people have been leaving in droves for the mainland. Before travelling to Belmopan, this morning News Five’s Marion Ali stopped by the Belize City Marine Terminal and found that passengers were travelling in one direction only.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The Water Taxi terminal was buzzing this morning as locals and tourists alike fled the wrath of Dean.
Jennifer Smith, Tourist
“I only came into Belize yesterday and had to meet my friends from Australia to make sure they’re ok and then we’ve come back again this morning.”
“It was mandatory. There was a big siren at about five something this morning. So we all packed up and left, yea.”
Marion Ali
“Where are you going now?”
Jennifer Smith
“Well, we were going to go to Flores again but we heard that the hurricane’s changed directions, so we’re still kinda making up our minds now.”
Dorla Bernard has been living in Caye Caulker for the past seventeen years.
Dorla Bernard, Caye Caulker resident
“We don’t take any chances. We learn the last time from Keith. We get trap out there so we all had to stay out there and shelter the weather so we don’t want to catch us again. What’s the mood of the people on the island? Well everybody is in a panic right now. Everybody is running, everybody is try getting off the island. That’s what’s happening right now.”
“Right now we have all the water taxi boats running. They’re bringing people off the island. Nobody is going back on the island.”
One man who’s heading back to the island is boat captain, Harrison Cadle.
Harrison Cadle, Boat Captain
“People are calm, moving slowly. You know, they’re just preparing themselves for safety and I don’t blame them. So I’m going back in a few minutes.”.
Marion Ali
“How many more trips do you have to make? Well, until NEMO give the word to stop, then we stop.”
Alberto Tobias is the man in charge of ensuring that passengers arrive and are dispersed safely to their inland destinations.
Alberto Tobias, Water Terminal security
“We’ve been doing it very quickly. Boats are going as soon as they coming in, they going back and, you know, we getting the people safely as fast as we can. And that’s what we’ve been doing since—I believe—yesterday. And some people have left voluntarily but yesterday it became more busy.”
Marion Ali
“Do you have a number or a count as to how many people have come off from Caye Caulker and San Pedro?”
Alberto Tobias, Water Terminal security
“No, we don’t have a number but it’s a been a big amount, fair amount, and we’re gonna be doing it today until twelve o’ clock. The buses are out there right now. Before, like yesterday, they had to take a taxi and go to the terminal. Now the buses came here, so as soon as they leave here—the Water Taxi Terminal— the buses are across the street. They are able to board as soon as possible. So we’ll be giving first priority to mothers and children and the senior citizens.”
This time the National Emergency Management Organization has commissioned National Transports Limited to transport people coming off the cayes further inland free of cost.
Linda Trejo, Executive Secretary, National Transports Limited
“The main destination that been put to us is Belmopan and Benque, the west side then, the west side. We as the biggest public transportation, we’ve been asked by government to assist them to take out the people out of the city. This is between NEMO and the company.
Marion Ali
“They pay you?”
Linda Trejo
“Yes, yes they do.”
Marion Ali
“Do you have the number of buses to accommodate for this crowd coming in?”
Linda Trejo
“Our company has a total of almost two hundred buses, two hundred buses, Blue Bird buses that could take out everything.”
Marion Ali
“Does this mean that you have to take off the regular runs to accommodate for this?”
Linda Trejo
“No ma’am, no. We still have our regular runs and apart we have these buses.”
Bus and boat operations were ended by early afternoon. Marion Ali for News Five.
