I am wondering how everyone in South beach is going to like airplanes flying overhead all day long.

thanks, simon.

"The point was made that this project will create jobs. The fact that most of the jobs are not being filled by Belizeans has a long term affect."

these were the points i wanted to make, but i'm uninvolved, don't live there, and do not have the facts.

i assume they come, then some do not go back. the jobs are then gone. so they are non-residents residing on AC who have no work...and people wonder why theft is on the increase.

and i suppose if they were to find work, that means a resident did not get that job.

am i close?

Generally, construction workers come from mainland Belize, leaving their families behind, to work here where the pay is double what it was at home. They manage to make trips back home to visit occasionally but when working they live in one room "apartments" and struggle to send as much of their pay as possible back to their families. When the job is over, or they get burnt out they go back home. They do not take work from San Pedro residents.

I find it interesting how an individual’s viewpoint on social issues can change so much depending on geography: if I or many others who contribute (?) had written Jessie’s last post, and only 2 words were changed, I feel sure that many on one side of this issue would be suddenly on the other?

Change Belize to Mexico, and San Pedro (ok, so its 3 words) to Phoenix (or Dallas or San Antonio etc) and the emotions shift!

Does anyone blame the non local labor market for trying to earn more, and send money home to their families? Are the developers at fault for seeking profitability? Or the new owners for wanting to buy in a beautiful country?

Constructive ideas on any side of a volatile issue are welcomed by all reasonable people, but the glaring and obvious problem is that local government is under funded, and cannot provide social and civil services as the population base expands, be it from imported workers and their families, or new residents.

If the GOB does not provide for local revenues collected to stay within the district, then the Chamber and Local Government representatives may wish to consider lobbying for legislation that would provide for a portion (50%, 75%? I don’t know, not being a local economist)of property taxes collected to stay within the region they are collected in for the specific purpose of infrastructure improvements?

Is there any other reasonable and feasible solution to the under funding problem other than levying fair and appropriate property taxes?

Right now we keep 100% of the property taxes collected.

"Generally, construction workers come from mainland Belize" I would disagree with that, the majority seem to come from Honduras and Guatemala. This while unemployment runs high in Belize City and the Southern districts. Personally I respect the Belizeans that come from the mainland and work their butts off on the island. I do not believe that mainland Belizeans take jobs from San Pedro residents.

If pugwash is trying to compare US immigration to Belize they're way off base. US unemployment rate is 4.9%.

P.S. My commentary is about the short-sighted immigration policies of the government. If they spent some funds on training programs in the construction industry it would go a long way towards reducing unemployment. Instead they look outwards for workers instead of inwards. Youth unemployment is 24%. Wouldn't it make sense to do something for them to get them off the streets? There's plenty of infrastructure jobs to be had/created and there will always be construction going on (hopefully well planned.)

So how do they escape the immigration raids on jobsites? They may have come from other countries but they are legal residents of Belize...and most have families on the mainland.

I’m not disagreeing with either Simon or Jesse, my point was that debate on an emotional issue is likely to spawn emotional responses.

I was advised earlier in either this post or a similar one last week that the GOB “took” all tax monies. If as Jesse states any taxes levied remain within the taxing area, this is a further reason for a revision of the property tax rates currently charged?