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Joined: Dec 2000
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Unfortunatly that ship sailed long ago.


R.B. Mernitz
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Everything you say has validity, unfortunately not much reality. I have watched this island evolve over 45 years and the path it has taken is growth without providing adequate infrastructure. I commend anyone who endeavors to change that, but those who do are greatly outnumbered by those who desire more people and more development. And unfortunately many of those promoting the growth are Belizean, and it is their country.
Call me a defeatist if you will, but I see no chance of that changing. Greed has far exceeded the term often used, but never implemented, "sustainable development".
To those in power that means "sustain development and damn the consequences".

Last edited by bywarren; 05/06/14 10:15 AM.
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Guess which one I am. (And they forgot, solve world hunger too!) wink

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Joined: Nov 2000
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A little history thrown in:
After living here for one year I learned about the Chamber of Commerce meetings at noon each Thursday. I became an active member. When I moved into my condo which is now called Bermuda Palms the 'cart path' came through our back yard. You can look at some old Google Earth or other maps and see that this was a rambling, ever changing egress.

After Reef Village ripped out the mangroves from the lagoon they created access along the lagoon and we were able to block off the traffic through our place. This is now considered the 'road.' The architectural drawings showed a divided road with an island of palm trees down the middle. What a joke!

At the chamber meetings much discussion took place about a "road" up north. We were told repeatedly "THERE IS NO ROAD UP NORTH".

There was a pull ferry and only golf carts paid to cross. We could get a monthly pass for $150 BZ per month. The 'official' toll takers left at 8:00 at night and returned early in the morning. During these hours scabs worked the ferry and charged $10 BZ each way.
Then - against protests from the individual home owners - (not the reports) the pull ferry was replaced by the bridge.

Politicians came to the chamber meeting and PROMISED that nothing larger than a golf cart would be allowed to cross the bridge.

Again we asked to have some repair work done. Some intense investigation showed that although a proposal had been presented to the government it was never acted upon (gazetted). We learned that BEL had a right-a-way under their power lines.

Before the bridge all building materials were barged north (or delivered by boat) and the resorts supplied their private boats to ferry guests and workers from town to their property and back.

Then around Easter one year we had a string of taxis racing by.
The SPTB said 'yes' they had given the taxis permission (no public notice)to cross the bridge but would see to it that they slowed down. They did for a while.

Now the resorts , being tired of the high prices for fuel, saw that they could make their guests pay (?) the taxi fare and save themselves a lot of time and money.

Then someone managed to convince the town board to let them pay a higher fee to let their trucks come across the bridge. And come they did. Bob Cats, Dump trucks, front loaders, flat beds loaded with cement blocks, etc.

Suddenly our sand strip (call it what you will) had big tire marks turning the small pot holes (which we hated) into big sumps that filled with water when ever it rained. For one rainy season the stretch from the corner by Anna Hanna's house to the Maya House was underwater. I had to drive to a neighbor's house on the beach, park and walk to my house. (That was before a certain relator who is no longer here had the beach closed to golf carts).

I learned long ago that you can't unscramble an egg. Yes, there are going to be changes but some of us would like them to be orderly, sustainable and publically announced. The paving of the cart path/road may meet these necessities; the widening that took place last year did not.

An aside: When I built Birdland the power lines were across the road. BEL made me erect an expensive tall cement permanent power pole and told me where to put it. About a year later they came through and put up new - higher -high powered lines on my side of the road. BTW - the workmen were very nice and communicated well. They did not want to have to cut down my Mahogany or sapodilla trees and did a decent job of cutting them back. HOWEVER, the tower they made me build is directly under their lines and it would have been better placed if they had planned ahead.

Now you all can sling mud as much as you want and each of you have some truth/history of your side. We can all claim it is for the betterment of the island but the bottom line is it is about money and a way of life.

One of my writing teachers ponded into me "always ask who is your audience." We may say we need this or that for the tourists but what kind of tourist are we trying to attract?[/u]


Harriette
Take only pictures leave only bubbles
Joined: Feb 2009
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So, any updates to the northern road construction?


Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to a lack of alcohol
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 1,191
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Champion, only that it is inevitable and (from my point of view anyway) most welcome when it happens.

Mayahouse, OF COURSE your objections are all about your personal peace and quiet at your home being interrupted/ruined by the ever increasing traffic. Just come clean and admit it, no shame in that at all.

It has been a few weeks since I've done so, but I drive my electric Polaris at about 10mph past your house, if it's any consolation. That's the speed I drive past most people's houses. Sorry yours was built far too close to the road.

As long as the island economy demands tourism growth then development and more development will occur and the authorities in Belize will always ensure that Ambergris Caye's infrastructure will evolve about 10-20 years behind every step of the way.






Joined: Nov 2002
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Any up-date on when the work on the track up north is going to start? Someone at Lobsterfest told me the end of June so it must be true although they didn't say which year!

Joined: Feb 2009
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Originally Posted by Nick Barton
Any up-date on when the work on the track up north is going to start? Someone at Lobsterfest told me the end of June so it must be true although they didn't say which year!

A better question might be, "Has any permanent street work been started north of the bridge?"

Last edited by champion; 06/24/14 01:12 PM.

Reality is only an illusion that occurs due to a lack of alcohol
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Well I can answer that one - based upon a couple of days ago - none!

Joined: Oct 1999
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Marty Offline OP
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After a break from the rains, the San Pedro Town Council finally managed to begin with the rehabilitation of the streets.

We have currently graded the main road to San Pedrito, the new road that connects San Pedrito to San Pablo, the main street in San Marcos Area leading to San Pablo, and the main street on Escalante Sub Division. We are currently in the DFC area working on the street leading to the Marina.

We would like to thank Salt Life Belize for assisting us with the machinery to carry out this rehabilitation as well as with some needed fill material.

Work has just begun, we ask for your patience as we will get to your area.

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