There is no confirmed information at this point, but reports to our newsroom say that Cabinet met today and gave the green light to a port license for Mike Feinstein's Stake Bank Cruise Terminal Project. As we understand it, the Cabinet decision is that all cruise terminal developers will be placed on a level playing field - meaning all will be given the same permits, concessions and incentives.
That's bad news for Luke Espat's Belize Cruise Terminal Limited because the feeling of that developer is that he had an exclusive and preferential relationship which government has contractually committed to. And while Espat will likely file another lawsuit for breach of exclusivity - it's apparent from this decision that government has decided to put its eggs in the Feinstein basket.
The major cruise lines have indicated that by 2009, Belize must have a cruise terminal where their ships can dock.