Belizean buses blocked at Western border

And from the south we go to the west, where new regulations imposed late last month on foreign bus companies traversing the Jewel are now affecting local tour operators. Guatemalan buses are under a number of restrictions when coming into Belize, and are now only allowed to drop off passengers at the Phillip Goldson International Airport and the Marine Terminal. So now the Guatemalans are reciprocating by blocking Belizean buses at the western border. The first incident involved a Chaa Creek tour group heading to Guatemala’s Camino Real and was stopped at the connecting bridge last Wednesday. Chaa Creek was eventually forced to hire a Guatemalan owned mini-van operator to transport the tourists to their hotel. But it is not a one-sided story and Chaa Creek Lodge has since been in contact with Guatemalan tour guide, Alex Morales, who claims that he was denied entry into Belize based on the new regulations. Morales also said he had to employ the services of a local vehicle to transport his guests into Belize, which prompted the blockage at the bridge. This situation threatens to spill over to other local tour operators who take tourists into Guatemala. Lascelle Tillett of S&L Travel and Tours came to our studios today and told us about his concerns with the new bus regulations.

Lascelle Tillett, Owner/Director, S&L Travel and Tours
“If I have a group to be dropped off in San Ignacio and they’re coming from Guatemala, they would have to come to Belize and then we would have to drive them all the way back if one of us do not pick them up at the border. The other problem is the in transit. The in transit would not be able to come into Belize City to go into a restaurant or even stop along the way to use a rest room. And that’s a big problem. Also, because of this problem, the Cayo operators and the Belize City operators like us are not able to take people into Tikal anymore because the operators are blocking the only bridge out of Melchor because they are having the same problem to drop people off in San Ignacio.”

Delahnie Bain
“Have any of your buses been stopped as yet?”

Lascelle Tillett
“Not yet because luckily, while they’re stopping, we don’t have anything going over until the third week in May. I have a group of thirty to drop off in a Hotel in Camino Real.”

Delahnie Bain
“And your concern is that this will affect you when your buses try to cross?”

Lascelle Tillett
“Yes, it surely will.”

The new regulations were implemented on April twentieth.

http://www.channel5belize.com/archive_detail_story.php?story_id=23985

On April 20th 2009, new Permit Requirements were implemented for all Foreign Bus Companies and Tour Operators coming into Belize. A copy of the new regulations was circulated to members.

Over the last few days, BTIA has been receiving reports that Belize tour vans en route to Tikal via the western border are not being allowed to cross the bridge in Guatemala. In one case, Belize drivers ended up taking guests out of their vans and allowed them to board Guatemalan vans to go to Tikal. Guatemalan operators have indicated unofficially that the reason for this is that Belize has denied entry to Guatemalan tour vans.

We are told, however, by the Ministry of Tourism that both the Ministries of Transport and Foreign Affairs confirmed that no Guatemalan operator was ever denied entry, which would be in contradiction to the new Transport Rules that were recently circulated. This matter has still not been resolved, and it is in our best interest, and the best interest of our guests, to review these types of situations in order to clear up misunderstandings as soon as possible.

Also of importance is ascertaining the details of a Mundo Maya agreement (that would have dated back some 10 years) that provides for the crossing of buses from Guatemala and Mexico, and the reciprocal arrangements of this that would allow Belize buses to do the same. This information is currently being sought.

Please advise if this border issue is affecting your business, as BTIA is currently reviewing its position on this matter. Your feedback would prove valuable in our efforts to determine the private sector's point of view on this matter.