Access-channel depth aside (and that is a big item to put aside, for sure) -------
As a customer, a resident, and a NEMO volunteer, I am all in favour of the concept of our major water-taxi terminal being in the back. I'll list a few reasons below:
1. Calmer water means easier docking, less damage to boats.
2. Easier as a customer to see that one particular boat is overloaded (which they can shamelessly be) and easily go over to the "competition" to check out options for a safer ride on the next boat out.
As it is now, you can't easily do that, and the taxi operators know it. This is one reason they don't want to dock in the same place.
3. Customs, immigration and police have one port of entry to monitor, making it more efficient for all concerned.
4. A while back, there was big push from a sector of the community to limit the number/congestion of docks in the front of the town. This lagoon-side water taxi terminal would take the pressure off, and allow us to develop a beach in front rather than just a harbour. Further, despite channel depth issue, the water in the terminal itself is sufficiently deep that one doesn't need 200 feet of dock to moor a boat. This is less debris in a storm, less cost to maintain. Remember the collapsing docks in Caye Caulker?
5. In times of evacuation the present water-taxi loading system is a totally chaotic mess. No other way to describe it. Dangerous, disorganized, prone to panic and meltdowns. One point of departure allows for manifests (so you know the evacuation destination of your kin) of evacuees, oversight of crowds, and can prevent overloading. The water in the front is 90% more likely to be rough than in back, and when it is very rough as it will be with an impending storm, just getting onto a boat is a dangerous exercise. Safer in back by a long shot.
6. Traffic congestion/taxis - the front street congestion when a water taxi arrives is ridiculous. The area in back appears a lot more user-friendly in this regard, and it would also free up parking space for residents and tourist golf carts on Front Street.
The water taxis serve some tourists, but mostly they are public transport. As they are now operating, it is very difficult for authorities to oversee these vessels and to maintain minimum standards for passenger safety. And IMHO, the fewer "buses" we have running up and down the front of the island, the safer those waters will be for kayakers, swimmers, windsurfers .....