The island's main dock, situated on the windward side of Caye Caulker, has deteriorated and is in dire need of repairs. According to Mr. Villanueva, the pier's last renovation was done some ten years ago, so the Village Council decided to completely demolish the pier and build a new one. The new pier will be rebuilt to its original 300 foot length but its width will increase from seven to twelve feet. Upon its completion, the main dock will also house a tourist information center and Caye Caulker Water Taxi Terminal and office. The Caye Caulker Village Council is also looking into the cost of lights for the pier, equivalent to Port Authority standards.

    The estimated cost of this project is $70,000BZ and financing has been received as follows: Ministry of Finance - $27,171, Ministry of Tourism and the Belize Tourism Board - $27,171, and Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association - $15,000. Aside from their cash donation, the Caye Caulker Water Taxi Association will pay for the construction of its office on the pier.

    The dismantling of the pier is expected to commence on Monday, October 27^th. Following this, the first phase of the pier should take four weeks, followed by a second phase which will include construction of a canopy over a portion of the dock, that is expected to take two weeks.

   "We saw the need for the reconstruction of a new pier due to the increase in tourism and the amount of water traffic over the last five years," Caye Caulker Village Chairman Alberto Villanueva told The San Pedro Sun. "The Village Council is advocating for many improvements to the island so that our visitors can enjoy the beauty of 'La Isla Cariñosa'," he ended.