A: No, whoever told you that all piers are public access is right. Principal Planner Carren Williams spoke to The San Pedro Sun and stated that this issue as well as the issue of the proliferation of piers in Ambergris Caye is a concern shared by various agencies and individuals.

    Williams stated that with this realization, the Land and Survey Department through its Physical Planning Section have been making some efforts to address the situations presented. As such, they have pledged to work alongside the Ambergris Caye Local Building Authority (ACLBA) to monitor and manage the situation and have recently developed a formal application form that will request recommendation from ACLBA. All applications will be submitted to the Principal Planner, Physical Planning Section, Ministry of Natural Resources.

    There are many conditions that may be stipulated in your approval application. Some of these may include: [This] is only a privilege to erect structures on National Lands and does not confer ownership nor an interest in the Land (seabed); no gates or barrier structure shall be placed on the pier; proper lighting should be put in place to prevent navigational hazards; the public shall have access to the pier from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and at all reasonable times; if any dredging, mangrove clearance or any other environmental activities are required, proper authorization should be obtained from the specific permitting agencies.

    So, to answer your question, no the pier gates should not be locked and all piers are public.