Is the BTIA changing the Water Taxis?
Article by Wendy Auxillou
In 1994, a group of nine ex-Caye Caulker fishermen, each owning his own
boat, decided to band together to test the waters of the water taxi
business. Back then, the water taxi business, a new phenomenon in this
country, was haphazard and cut throat, and the public image was terrible.
There was no Marine Terminal. The then Texaco gas station which was located
across the street from the Holy Redeemer School on North Front Street was
the embarkation / disembarkation spot for the boats. Water taxis were
converted fishing boats and these were mostly small crafts measuring
anywhere between twenty five and twenty eight feet in length. Each boat
could only hold twenty four or so passengers per boat, but this was
sufficient for the level of business at that time. Taking a beating
individually image and business wise from the more organized Rainbow Runner
fleet of boats, the nine enterprising boat owners united to form the Caye
Caulker Water Taxi Association. It was an excellent business decision.
In 1996 the BTIA (Belize Tourism Industry Association), a thriving
association of industry professionals, was also at the forefront of the
tourism industry nationally. Such high esteem was given to the BTIA back
then, its players were even involved with helping to mould and create
tourism policy at the national level. The BTIA, having been on the BTB's
(Belize Tourism Board's) radar screen for more than a decade prior to the
formation of the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association, enjoyed a very high
level of political influence. It was natural then, that in 1996 when the
BTIA approached the BTB with a plan to lease the old fire station and
convert it into a museum / water taxi terminal, that this proposal would be
received favorably. The museum was built and the Caye Caulker Water Taxi
was invited by the BTIA to relocate to and operate out of the new Marine
Terminal in exchange for a set commission on ticket sales. Not one to turn
down a business arrangement that would help them advance their operation,
the CCWTA agreed to the terms.
Today, more than a decade later, the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association
is a thriving business cooperative. With twenty two boats in its fleet (each
with a minimum size of thirty eight feet and some even up to forty eight
feet in length), coupled with an expanded route that now includes San Pedro,
the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association has become the leader in the water
taxi industry.
The BTIA in the meantime, has since gone on to file for bankruptcy and
its membership base has become eroded due to the formation of splinter
groups of niche industry professionals. Coupled with some bouts of really
bad leadership, the BTIA has evolved into an entity that is now struggling
to rebuild its financial soundness and fighting to regain its former image
as an industry powerhouse. With the heavy load of image re-building on the
weighted backs of the BTIA directorship, not much attention has been paid to
the administration of the Marine Terminal. Even though the passenger
traffic at the terminal has increased ten-fold since 1996, the BTIA has
spent very little money, if any, on repairing or renovating any of the
existing infrasctructure, much less planning for any new infrastructure.
During rainy days, the roof leaks. During hot days, there is no
ventilation. Even small necessary investments such as a public address
system to announce departures are non-existent. The museum has since
closed.
In 2004, a decade after it was first formed, the CCWTA successfully
negotiated a new MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the BTIA
leaseholders. Having been unable to efficiently manage the terminal, and
thanks to a hefty montly stipend offered by the CCWTA, the BTIA finally
agreed to relinquish the administration to its CCWTA counterparts. With its
current role as lease broker only, of a property belonging to the Ministry
of Natural Resources and its CCWTA tennants, the BTIA has in essence become
a financial parasite feeding off the trough of success of the CCWTA.
In June 2006, the lease between the BTB and the BTIA will end. The BTIA
is campaigning to have the lease renewed in its name, so it can continue to
sublease to the CCWTA and thereby fund its struggling organization on the
backs of the successful CCWTA. The CCWTA, in the meantime, would prefer not
to have to pay the BTIA the hefty stipend it is currently paying simply for
having that organization broker a deal they are quite capable of brokering
themselves. The Ministry of Natural Resources with the endorsement of the
BTB has announced in a press release that the new lease will be issued to
the CCWTA and not the BTIA. For obvious reasons, this is a bitter pill for
the BTIA to swallow.
The BTIA has had ten years to get its act together as it relates to the
Marine Terminal, and it has failed miserably. Methinks it's time for the
BTIA to step back gracefully and let the young stars shine. There is
absolutely no good reason for an entity to place a chokehold on a leading
industry professional simply because that entity itself is drowning. The
BTIA is a service organization created to be the voice of the industy it has
pledged to serve and not a profiteering organization. It should be back to
basics for the BTIA with the focus being on improving their relationship
with all industry professionals and striving to expand their membership
base. That is the BTIA's strength.
Questions or comments? Please write to me at
[email protected].
Thanks for reading!