A recent article in the San Pedro Sun informed all Boat Captian license holders that all current licenses would expire on September 30, 2009. New licenses are to be issued in order to add security features. At present, there is no plan to send port Authority personell to San Pedro to handle the applications. Please write the Port Authority at bzportauth@btl.net and request that they send a group out here to take the applications. Otherwise, we can all go to Belize City to get it done.

what if not back to San Pedro before end of Sept?

What I was told today is you have to go to Belize City and re-apply. You will get a credit for the year or years you paid for so there shouldn't be any fees involved but it will be another trip to the city to get it done.

A recent article in the San Pedro Sun informed all Boat Captian license holders that all current licenses would expire on September 30, 2009. New licenses are to be issued in order to add security features.

Along with this notice there have been several rumors and concerns that needed to be addressed.

I have spoken to Ms. Cynthia Longsworth of the Belize Port Authority for clarification:

1- This notice is referring to an "Amnesty Program.- Ms. Longsworth discussed an "amnesty program" that allows Belizeans and Permanent Residents to go to Justice of the Peace to verify identity and 10 years of boat experience, which then be used to acquire a Captain's License. I did not get a complete understanding of this program or its purpose other than to let Belizeans that cannot read or write be able to have a Captain's License.

2- Existing Captain Licenses have not changed, and the Port Authority will be scheduling their regular annual visit to San Pedro to renew as usual. Those licenses that were purchased for up to three years are still valid to the date of their expiration.

3- I was told that only Belizeans and Permanent Residents will be allowed to apply for Captain's Licenses under the "Amnesty Program", but that with proof of property ownership you can apply for a regular Captain's License.

5- That new licenses are being developed to add security measures and will be issued for 2010.

I hope this clears up any concerns or rumors that are circulating.


Tom Vidrine
Ambergris Caye Chamber of Commerce

Bravo and thanks to Tom and Elbert !

I thought it would be interesting to post my experience with renewing my captains license. I got my 3 year license about a year ago and from all I have read here I thought it was going to be invalid effective 9/30 and that I would need to renew it. Yesterday I called the Port Authority and got basically that message, Today I boarded the water taxi and headed off to Belize City. When I got to the Port Authority I was told by the first lady at the desk that I had to come back after 9/30 to get the new license, but another lady there looked at my license and said that I didn't need to renew it at all, that it would still be valid until the expiration date. I left and returned to San Pedro hoping that it will indeed remain valid, but still a little confused.

It should really be interesting when you get stopped by the Coast Guard and given a ticket for not having a valid license. It would seem that two people in the same office could give the same answer. Why is this so difficult?

A friend of mine got his Captains license about 2 years ago from a guy out here in Sanpedro, when he went in to Belize City the other day to renew it he was arrested and charged with falsifying gov't docs, after a night in jail he was taken to court where his bail was set at 5000 bz, he then had to spread out over 1800 bz in various different payoffs. SO BEWARE..don't take any shortcuts.

Because it is Belize! One of the many charms actually. Guess what, if there were five people in the same office you would have five different answers.

And as to papashines friend being arrested, just remember there was most likely a different party or committee in power at the time.