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24 December 2004

Holiday Bus and Boat Schedules (from the Placencia Tourist Center): 

• Christmas Day:

  • Placencia to Dangriga:   Southern Transport Bus 1:30PM  Only – This will connect with a bus leaving Dangriga @ 5pm going to Belmopan & on to Belize City but it will not meet connections via Belmopan to San Ignacio.

  •  Placencia to Mango Creek then North: Hokey Pokey from the Kingfisher Landing @ 6:45AM - This will connect with a bus leaving Mango Creek/Independence shortly after 7am and then with a bus leaving Dangriga @ 8:30am going to Belmopan & on to Belize City.  The 8:30am bus will then meet a bus leaving Belmopan to San Ignacio at 12:20, 1:30 & 3:30.

  • Placencia to Mango Creek then South:  Hokey Pokey from Shell Dock @4pm to meet a 5pm bus to Punta Gorda. – There is no connection from PG to Puerto Barrios Guatemala on Christmas Day.

  • Punta Gorda to Puerto Barrios:  no boats

• Boxing Day:

  • Placencia to Dangriga:  Southern Transport Bus 1:30PM  Only – This will connect with a bus leaving Dangriga @ 5pm going to Belmopan & on to Belize City but it will not meet connections via Belmopan to San Ignacio.

  • Placencia to Mango Creek then North: Regular schedule

  • Placencia to Mango Creek then South:  Regular schedule

  • Punta Gorda to Puerto Barrios:  9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

9 December 2004

Deaths.  Wednesday's Amandala reported that Wendy Chamberlain, a former resident of Placencia, was found dead in her home in Santa Elena in the Cayo District.  According to the Amandala, the last time Wendy was seen alive was 30 November 2004.  She was buried on 4 December in the San Ignacio area.

4 December 2004

Health.  Anthony Eiley is back home and perambulating around Placencia.  We understand that the doctors in Belize City advised a bypass.

Babies.  One 7+ pounder was born to Wyatt and Carina Cabral Friday morning around 1 a.m.  Anna is her name.  Carlie, the eldest son, is VERY jealous.

Gas Stations.  A new one opened in Placencia Village and the Placencia Lagoon.  It's owned by MNM Hardware.  No wonder Shell was so solicitous when I filled up on Thursday.  They even checked and filled the tires - presumably with air.  MNM Hardware is located just before the curve where Wallen's and the basketball court are -- pretty much where the old dump was.

1 December 2004

Communications.  BTL has managed to restore some functions to its system, such as international calls and email.  No Internet, and the email is VERY slow.  BTL says that email messages were only stored on the server for 3 days, so most emails were lost while the system were down.  (Some messages appeared to bounce right away, so not sure what the real story is here.)

What apparently happened to black out Belize from most communication with the outside world?

BTL:  About ten (10) days ago, a CRUISE SHIP off Cancun dragged its anchor over the Arcos-1 fiber optic cable that provides phone and data transmission services to Belize, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Curacao, plus parts of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Columbia.

The cruise ship really had no immediate effect because the Arcos-1 cable system is a circle, so everything was just re-routed the other way around the circle. However, this past Friday afternoon, a tanker dragged ITS anchor over the Arcos 1 cable off Colombia. 

Belize (and possibly Nicaragua) were the only Central American countries that suffered through almost a complete communications blackout. Why?  Because all the other Central American countries have redundant satellite and fibre optic links which allowed them to go on about business as usual.

BTL DID send Karen Bevans to Miami as soon as this occurred. (They had to, since they couldn't call anyone.) And, as you know, they have managed to re-route traffic some other way, probably via satellite.

However, had some of the money that has been taken out of BTL's exorbitant profits over the last 10 years been put into some redundancy, BTL wouldn't be jumping through hoops to try to fix this as soon as possible, and many of Belizean tourism operators and lodging owners wouldn't have lost hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars.

Starband.  A transponder failed Saturday (the day after BTL's cable caper) on Starband's T7 satellite which services consumers in the southern US and portions of the Caribbean and Central America, including Belize.  

Starband's GE-4 satellite serving businesses was not affected.

Starband will be launching a new satellite on 17 December, but it will be difficult to sight from Belize.  Therefore, we're not sure what will ultimately happen to most Starband customersin the country.

29 November 2004

Communications.  There is indeed a break in the Arcos fibre optic cable system serving a great portion of the Caribbean and Central America.  The break occurred in Columbia, and an Arcos representative estimated that it could take 8 days to restore phone and Internet service to Central America!  The Starband satellite system is still not functioning either, so the only communication Belize currently has with the outside world is the Direcway satellite system.  Let's hope nothing happens to it!  If you are trying to make reservations, and can't get through, please feel free to contact us at info@destinationsbelize.com and we'll try to relay messages to whoever you're trying to reach until this gets straightened out.

Antonio Eiley had a heart attack and was air lifted to Belize City this weekend.  No word today on his condition.

28 November 2004

Communications.  BTL remains out, both Internet AND international calls out of the country.  Apparently, the arcos cable was damaged between here and Miami and BTL has no backup - fancy that.  Conincidentally, Starband, the satellite system used by many hotels and resorts for Internet access is also out - something about a corrupted kernel.  Direcway is still up and running, otherwise, there would be no communications getting out of Belize at all.  No word yet on when anything will be repaired.

27 November 2004

BTL.  BTL Internet and email access have been down since yesterday afternoon.  International calls also cannot be made to or from Belize.  Supposedly a problem with a fiber-optic cable.  But please be patient if you are trying to reach someone in Belize, and can't get through.  We're as frustrated as you are.

25 November 2004

Cruise Ships.  Members of the Placencia BTIA (Belize Tourism Industry Association) yesterday signed a petition supporting the action for judicial review of the Carnival Cruise Line contract with the Government of Belize brought by the National BTIA on behalf of Belize BTIA members.  BTIA questions the constitutionality of the contract which exempts Carnival Cruise Lines from compliance with many of the nation's laws, grants tax and other revenue concessions and does not obligate the cruise line to employ any Belizeans unless "financially feasible."  (Hiring Belizeans apparently won't be financially feasible because of a contract Carnival has with a Mexican organization.)  Because the Government of Belize breached its exclusivity contract with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines when it entered into the Carnival contract, Belize will effectively get US$1 out of US$7 paid by every cruise ship passenger landed in Belize.  This US$1 will not cover the interest on the money borrowed by the Government of Belize (at a rate of 10% or more per annum) for street improvements in Belize City, much less improve infrastructure in Belize, and at sites such as Mayan ruins, which do not have adequate waste and sewage handling capacity now, much less with the addition of hundreds of thousands of cruise ship passengers per year.

Friends of Nature: 

• Gladden Split Reserve has a new fee structure of US$10 per non-resident of Belize for entry into the Reserve.  However, this fee may be reduced to US$5 by the end of 2004.  Friends of Nature did not know whether this fee will be included in the fee paid for whale shark interaction in the Reserve, or will be in addition to the interaction fee.
• The ranger station on Little Water Caye is almost complete.
• Seven (7) new students have received scholarships from the Bevier Foundation which grants the scholarships to needy students to help defray the cost of attending high school.  Students must have a demonstrated interest in the environment.
• Mapping of the Gladden Spit Reserve and the Placencia Lagoon is continuing.  Mapping of the Lagoon is necessary to be able to assess the impact of development (dredging and cutting of mangroves) on the Lagoon.
• Sea grass monitoring continues both in the Placencia Lagoon and at the cayes.  Several varieties of sea grasses not before believed to have been present in this area have been found in both locations.
• An environmental educational program involving propagation and planting of ornamental plants in Placencia Village kicked off two weeks ago. 
• A fly fishing guide training program will begin in early December 2004.
• Demarcation buoys have been placed to mark the Gladden Reserve Extraction Zones.
• Fisheries continues to arrest fishermen taking fish out of season and/or diving for lobster and conch using tanks.  While these practices have long been blamed on fishermen from Honduras and Guatemala, quite a few local fishermen have been arrested recently.

20 November 2004

Much apologies for the long hiatus in news.  There really wasn't much to report from the end of August through the end of September, it being the mauga season here. 

Then, I fell into computer hell, and am just emerging, two laptops later -- one new one that was purchased in a panic the day before I left the States to return to Belize after visiting family -- the other an IBM with a system board problem.

I hope I can remember everything . . .

Restaurants, Bars and Resorts

• Sugar Reef.  Sugar Reef burned to the ground last weekend.  Several cabanas were also destroyed.  Arson is suspected.  Hannah and Carol say they plan to rebuild, but the premises weren't insured (or so it's said), so who knows.
• La Dolce Vita (over Wallen's Grocery) probably won't re-open this season.  Rent went long unpaid, and food quality was very erratic, or so it's said.
• Luba Hati.  You may recall that Franco and Mariucca sold Luba Hati to a young couple from Colorado/New York/L.A.  The young couple took a hike earlier this year, just before a balloon payment became due.  Staff was left behind to manage the resort, and no notice was apparently given to Franco or Mariucca, who were in Italy at the time.  Finally, Scotia Bank figured out that something was up when mucho checks started bouncing.  Legal disputes apparently abound, and the restaurant at Luba Hati, nay, verily, the whole resort, is now closed.  However, the beach cabanas are being rented on a monthly basis, but without services.
• Jake's Purple Space Monkey.  Serious negotiations are taking place for the sale of this Placencia Village restaurant.  Owner, Jake Roberts, plan to relocate to Grenada, Nicaragua where he will purchase property and possibly open a bed and breakfast.
• Trattoria Placencia in Placencia Village has re-opened for the season.  Trattoria Placencia features fresh home-made pastas and other Italian dishes.
• Maya Beach Hotel has re-opened and expanded.  New owners, Ellen Larson and John Lee, are putting serious efforts into their new restaurant, Maya Beach Bistro, which offers a number of dishes, the likes of which have heretofore been unknown in the Placencia area, dishes such as grilled chicken on a bed of couscous, pine nuts and roasted red peppers.
• Tutti Frutti Ice Cream Parlor, makers of ice cream extraordinare (and we mean that), has re-opened for the season in Placencia Village near the docks.
• DeTatch Restaurant, located at Sea Spray Hotel in Placencia Village, has expanded its beachfront premises, featuring a brand new thatch and more seating.
• The Crow's Nest, a new restaurant and bar near The Moorings compound in the Bakader area of Placencia Village, is scheduled to open -- directly.  The restaurant will be owned and operated by Alvin and Maria Cabral, owners of Southwater Resort.
• Lee Nyhus, owner of The Secret Garden Guesthouse, is putting finishing touches on a new coffee house that will be located behind Wallen's Market in Placencia Village.
• Carissa Lizaragga is the new manager of Casa del Sol Villas at the northern end of Placencia Village.  Carissa is the wife of Ian Lizarraga, manager of Turtle Inn.  Carissa took over management of the Villas from Brian Yearwood.
• Nautical Inn is under the new management of Molly Leggio and Bill Kent

Development

• Plantation Development submitted its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Phase II to the Department of the Environment last month.  The EIA was found deficient in several areas and returned to Plantation for more work.
• Marbington Subdivision, a residential subdivision just south of Robert's Grove and Playa di Piratas on the Lagoon side of the Placencia has started dredging and cutting of mangroves. 
• Eric Winchester is developing 12 condominiums across the Lagoon from Soulshine Resort at the southern end of Placencia Village.  Sunset Pointe (have to have that "e" in there, don't we) is the name.
• Work on the Casa de la Siesta condominium development continues, and the dock has been completed.
• Probably lots more that nobody has told us about yet.

Banks

• Atlantic Bank has a huge new building on Placencia Road near the Wallen family property.  Not nearly as convenient as the dock for people in Placencia Village, but it does have its own parking lot.
• Central Bank published a legal notice in last week's Guardian notifying one and all that non-residents will no longer be able to have bank accounts in Belize.  Typically, no one at Central Bank notified any of the commercial banks in Belize, and no one has any information on whether this new policy will affect existing account owners, people with legal work permits who have not yet received residency, or non-resident property owners with rental property in Belize.  More information if and when any is forthcoming.

People

• Maija Priebe, daughter of Kitty Fox (owner of Kitty's Place Beach Resort), married Gilroy Haulze in a ceremony on 12 October 2004 at Kitty's Place.
• George Cabral, father of the 14 children of the Cabral clan (which includes fly fishing guides Daniel Cabral, Julian Cabral, Wyatt Cabral and Egbert Cabral), is seriously ill and requires weekly dialysis in Belize City.  Anyone interested in assisting the family with mounting medical expenses should contact Graham Cabral, manager of Wallen's Hardware, at 011-501-523-3316. 
• Ellsworth Eiley has petitioned for divorce from Margaret Eiley.
• Martha Tucker Eiley, wife of Placencia Village Council Chairman, Glen Eiley, is the new manager of the Tropic Air station in Placencia.  Martha took over the manager's job from Brian Yearwood.
• Carey Larson has opened Jungle Walk, a new tour business specializing in jungle and Mayan ruins tours. 

Community Organizations

• The Placencia Peninsula Art Association held its First Annual Outstanding Achievement Awards Dinner and Dance last Saturday, 13 October 2004.  Awards were presented to:
  • Mrs. Athelo Smith Cabral (Aunt Thelo) for her long and distinguished career of serving Placencia as a midwife and teacher.  Aunt Thelo opened the first school in Placencia in her home and delivered most of Placencia's babies from 1939 to the 1990s.
  • Graham Austin Cabral for his service to the Placencia community including his service on the Placencia Village Council (3 terms, currently Chairman of the Community Affairs Committee) and his leadership in developing the Village's basketball court and sports field.
  • Marilyn Young Beckstead, founder of The Iris Foundation for Education, which built and manages the Placencia Children's Library located next to St. John's School in Placencia Village.
  • Therese Sierra, founder of the Placencia women's group, "Women Making a Difference," which raises money to assist Placencia families who need a helping hand.
  • Wade Bevier, son of Corol and George Bevier, founders of Rum Point Inn, for his environmental work, including the creation of Laughing Bird National Park, the Belize Eco-Tourism Association (BETA), the local Placencia chapter of the Belize Audubon Society and the Bevier Scholarship Foundation.
  • Candy Power and Deb Vernon, founding members of the Placencia Chapter of the Belize Humane Society.
• The Placencia Humane Society
  • The 2004 Children's Halloween Parade and Costume Contest was held at the Placencia Village ball field after a parade beginning at the Placencia Village Community Center.  The Placencia Humane Society sponsors the Halloween Party to thank the Placencia community for its support of Humane Society programs. Pictures of this year's Halloween Party.  Woman Making a Difference sponsored a Halloween Dance in conjunction with the children's parade and costume contest.
  • A temporary dog shelter has been established in Placencia Village through the collaboration of the Humane Society and Shannon Romero, niece of Janice Romero Leslie, owner of Tradewinds Hotel at Placencia Point in Placencia Village.  Shannon has also opened a commercial dog kennel for temporary boarding of dogs, aptly named The Doggone Animal Shelter.

19 August 2004

Seine Bight.  Dave Ramirez of Seine Bight Village died Tuesday evening, 17 August 2004.  Cause of death is said to have been a stroke.  Mr. Ramirez was a past vice presiddnt of the Placencia Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association and owned and operated Wamasa Beyabu Watering Hole in Seien Bight. Dave will be missed for his great energy and willingness to speak out for positive change in his community.

Placencia Road Goes Nowhere.  Financial Secretary Hugh McSweeney stated in an interview reported on page 10 of the Wednesday, 18 August 2004 Amandala that the Placencia Road upgrade has been . . . "deferred."  The reason for the deferral stems from Belize's current fiscal crisis, believed by many to have been brought about by rampant corruption and gross financial mismanagement at high levels of the national Belize government.  No one on the Peninsula was much surprised by McSweeney's announcement, since mostly no one believed that a paved road would be built anyway, despite assertions to the contrary by highly placed government officials.

29 July 2004

Pier-less Placencia.  (Or should that be, Placencia without Pier?)  Public controversy erupted at last night's Placencia Village Council meeting over the Casa de la Siesta condominium development just north of Casa del Sol Villa on the northern edge of the Placencia Village proper. 

Central figures in last night's "spirited" meeting were Glen Eiley, Placencia Village Council Chairman, and Rodwell Ferguson, Stann Creek West Area Representative.  Mr. Ferguson, a member of the People's United Party (PUP), and Mr. Eiley, a member of the United Democratic Party (UDP), were opponents for the Area's Representative's seat in this year's national elections. 

Both Eiley and Ferguson denied public claims by Ms. Diane Bulman, developer of the Casa de la Siesta condominiums, that both Eiley and Ferguson had full knowledge of condominium development plans and approved them prior to commencement of condominium construction.

The aspect of the development that triggered last night's public controversy is Bulman's construction of a pier on the Caribbean shore in front of the condominium development.

Placencia Village residents are firmly opposed to any private docks on the Caribbean shore within Village municipal limits, as evidenced by a flat prohibition against any such piers in Bylaws passed by the Village Council and approved by Village residents in a public meeting on 18 November 2002. However, those Bylaws (or ordinances) do not yet have the effect of law because they require passage by the Belize National Assembly, which has so far refused to consider the Bylaws.  (See related story below.)

Ms. Bulman claims that Mr. Eiley, if not the Village Council, had full knowledge of condominium development plans, including the pier, in February 2004 when she presented the condominium development plans to the Village Council.  The Placencia Village Council denies any such presentation or knowledge, as does Mr. Eiley. 

None of the promotional materials for Casa de la Siesta depict a pier.  Further, the promotional materials specifically reference "access to main lagoon at rear of condos for boat lovers," possibly implying the presence of a dock in the Placencia Lagoon.

When specifically questioned about the sequence of events involving prior knowledge of the dock by the Placencia Village Council as a governing body, or Mr. Eiley, as its Chairman, Ms. Bulman alternated between statements that (1) the Council had seen plans of the development showing a dock in February 2004 and, (2) Mr. Eiley had to have known of the plans for a dock because of his friendship and co-ownership of a boat with Mr. Brian Yearwood, the real estate agent who sold to Bulman the property on which the condominiums are being developed.  (According to Martha Tucker Eiley, Yearwood purchased a boat outright from Eiley and that no partnership exists.)

According to Ms. Bulman and Aron Loewen, the development contractor, all permits for the development were issued by the national Belize government in February 2004 except the dock permit, which is dated 18 June 2004. 

Mrs. Malikah Cardona, Principal Planner for the Office of the Commissioner, Lands and Survey Department, granted the dock permit.  Mrs. Cardona claims that several letters sent to the Village Council concerning the dock were never answered.  The Village Council denies receiving any correspondence about the dock except for one letter received at the Village Council office on 8 June 2004.  Mr. Eiley claims that he responded to this letter with a phone call to Mrs. Cardona informing her that the Village was opposed to the issuance of the permit.  Mr. Eiley claims that the Council heard no more about the permit process until construction of the dock commenced, and Bulman produced the permit.

When questioned about Ms. Bulman's statement on LoveFM that Rodwell Ferguson supported the condominium development, including the dock, Mr. Ferguson again reiterated that he knew nothing of the development until LobsterFest (26-28 June 2004), and nothing of the dock controversy until receiving a letter dated 1 July 2004 from the Placencia Village Council protesting issuance of the permit. 

Mr. Ferguson explained that after receiving the letter he had visited Placencia specifically to see the development, which was then about half completed.  At that point he stated that he realized that no good purpose would be served by opposing the development and asking for it to be halted, so he formally gave his approval to it.

Feguson also stated that he has now requested that no development concessions be granted in the Stann Creek West District without his prior knowledge.

The conditions of the permit issued for the dock at Casa de la Siesta include:

• No gates or barrier structure shall be placed on the pier.
• Proper signage and lighting is to be provided to prevent navigational hazards.
• The public shall have access to the pier at all reasonable times.
• No dredging is allowed for construction of the pier.
• Activities which pollute or contaminate the water are not permitted.
• Any damages caused to the Environment by this activity shall be considered a contravention of the Environmental Protection Act and this Licence, and must be repaired at the expense of the licensee.
• The annual rental fee shall be $800.00 payable at the Lands and Survey Department, Dangriga Town, Stann Creek District.
• Non-compliance with any of the above conditions shall be grounds for revocation of this permit.

Opposition to piers on the Caribbean by Village residents stems from concerns about the effect of piers on marine vegetation, shoreline erosion, contamination of water resources and marine life by dock construction materials, effect of construction on marine life, public rights to the use of the beach, shoreline and Caribbean Sea and community aesthetics.

According to the letter to Ms. Cardona from the Placencia Village Council dated 1 July 2004, asking for revocation of the dock permit, the Placencia community also "objects to the uncontrolled and unplanned issuance of dock permits by the national government . . without consultation with the Placencia community.  The letter includes the computer simulation at left illustrating what the Placencia coastline might look like if dock permits continue to be issued.

The Casa de la Siesta development has also generated complaints from local residents regarding noise, air and land pollution, harassment of tourists on the beach by construction workers and uncontrolled litter and garbage stemming from construction activities.  Both Ms. Bulman and Mr. Loewen vigorously deny the legitimacy of these complaints.

In related dock issues, Mr. Ferguson stated that the dock permit obtained by his wife for the construction of a pier in the Bakader area of Placencia was issued before he ran for office and he had no role in the approval of the permit. 

Placencia residents object to the new Bakader dock for the same reasons as given for the Casa de la Siesta dock, and that the new dock will be less than 40 feet away from another dock, in violation of Belize law.  Mr. Ferguson stated at last night's meeting that Mrs. Ferguson obtained the permit legally prior to the construction of the existing dock which was built without proper authorization.  Therefore, the Lands and Survey Department told Mrs. Ferguson that she could construct her legal dock notwithstanding the existence of the illegal dock.  No mention was made of any action being taken against the owner of the illegal dock.

Placencia Village Bylaws.  As mentioned above, Placencia Village wrote and approved a set of Bylaws in November 2002.  Bylaws, or ordinances, for the governance of Belize villages were authorized by the Village Councils Act, Cap 88 in 2001.  As drafted, Placencia's bylaws address issues such as burning of garbage, building permits, animal control, docks and coastal management, business licensing, public health and safety requirements such as mandatory indoor plumbing in all residences and businesses, and rights of way. 

As of 29 July 2004, no action in connection with Placencia's proposed Bylaws has been taken by the national government.  The Bylaws have not been approved, disapproved, approved or disapproved in part.  According to the Placencia Village Council, the Village has received absolutely no contact at all concerning the Bylaws.

According to the Council, the Bylaws are desperately needed so that the Village has some say in the way development occurs, and would prevent situations such as the Casa de la Siesta dock approval without the knowledge of the Village. 

Also according to Glen Eiley, Council Chairman, and Harald Wallen, Council Vice Chairman, all attempts to meet with Solicitor General Elson Kaseke have been rebuffed.  Mr. Eiley stated that the last meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday, 28 June 2004 was abruptly cancelled by Mr. Kaseke after the arrival of Eiley and Wallen in Belmopan when Rodwell Ferguson was unable to attend due to an emergency.  According to Eiley, Kaseke cancelled the appointment because the important party, Ferguson, could not attend.  Eiley also stated that Kaseke claimed that he did not know that Eiley and Wallen had to travel to Belmopan to meet with him, despite the fact that he knew Placencia is, and never has been, near Belmopan.

At last night's Placencia Village Council meeting, Rodwell Ferguson brought up, and categorically denied, rumors that he has been instrumental in preventing passage of the Bylaws.  Ferguson stated that instead, he has been actively working to obtain the Bylaws' passage, citing the cancelled meeting with Solicitor General Kaseke as an example of his efforts. 

However, earlier in the day at the Seine Bight Village Council meeting, Ferguson stated that Placencia's Bylaws in their current form would not be passed because they tried to usurp the power of the national government.  He did go on to elaborate that some give and take between Placencia and the national government was needed to put the Bylaws in an acceptable form.

Eiley independently brought up this issue at last night's Placencia Village Council meeting, stating that Placencia had never expected that its Bylaws would be passed without any changes, but that it had expected some process with the national government at which a give and take could occur.

Ferguson requested that the Placencia Village Council formally request the urgent attention to the matter of the Bylaws in a letter to the Attorney General and the Prime Minister.  Ferguson then promised to follow-up on the formal request on behalf of the Council.

Ferguson also requested that no public protest by Placencia Village residents occur until the formal request by the Council was made.  Ferguson's request was a response to a call from a Village resident for a public protest in Belmopan by Placencia residents.

The Council agreed to Ferguson's request before considering other ways to bring national attention to the Bylaws, such as a public protest.

BTL Park.  BTL has commenced construction of a park in Placencia Village on property owned by BTL adjacent to Pickled Parrot and the Community Health Center.  BTL will have full responsibility for maintaining the park, but can put the land to other uses as its sole discretion after 3-months prior notice to the Placencia Village Council.

LobsterFest.  Placencia Village netted BZ$18,523.32 from LobsterFest 2004.

Seine Bight Village Council.  The Seine Bight Village Council held a special meeting yesterday, 28 July 2004, with area businesses to discuss the Council's 3-year plan for Seine Bight.,

According to Village Council Chairman Raymond Ogalez, the Seine Bight Council will focus on the following issues in the next 3 years:

• Cleanliness of Village.  Seine Bight currently owes BZ$21,000 to the contractor for garbage collection for Placencia and Seine Bight Villages.  The contractor has refused to pick up any garbage in Seine Bight until payment in full of this amount.  The Council is trying to negotiate a solution with the contractor since the Village only has financial resource of less than BZ$400.  Area Representative Rodwell Ferguson offered to help the Council arrange for the use of dump trucks from the Public Works Department until a solution could be reached. 
• Sewage.  A grant request for approximately US$130,000 has been submitted to the Social Investment Fund (SIF) for the construction of septic tanks for village residents without plumbing.
• Promotion of Garifuna Culture.  The Council hopes to bring economic development to Seine Bight Village as well as promote the Garifuna culture by assisting individuals in starting gift shops and other establishments that will attract tourist dollars. The Council's first project is sponsorship of the Seine Bight Days Culture Fest which will include booths for art and crafts, dance exhibitions and other cultural events.  This year's Fest will be held on 14 and 15 August 2004.  Seine Bight Days are traditionally held in August every year, and the Council hopes to build upon this event, both to promote Garifuna culture and as a Council fundraiser.
• Employment Training for Seine Bight Residents.  Seine Bight Village Council is working with the Placencia chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association and the Belize Tourism Board to offer low or no-cost basic employment training for Seine Bight residents to make them more employable by area businesses.

Placencia Airstrip. According to Rodwell Ferguson, the national government is considering a number of proposals to move the Placencia airstrip to a more suitable location.  (The airstrip is currently located about 1.5 miles north of Placencia Village in the middle of the Placencia Road.)  One proposal involves moving the airstrip to property owned by a private individual.  No information was given about who or where.

New Developments.  According to Bill Nidiver from the Plantation Development, no new commercial or multi-lot residential developments on the Peninsula are being approved by the national government without a incorporation of a package sewer plant, e.g., no more septic tanks.

25 June 2004 

LobsterFest 2004.  

Placencia's LobsterFest 2004 literally started off with a bang. 

Around 6 p.m. on Thursday, 24 June, a storm with gusting winds blew the main tent set up by Bowen and Bowen earlier that day into Mr. Bunny's house -- and the electric pole next to it.  The force of the tent hitting the pole broke it, and caused a power outage along the length of the Peninsula. 

BEL responded quickly and restored power to most areas of the Peninsula by around 1:30 a.m. -- everywhere but the Placencia docks, that is. 

Around 8 a.m. on Friday, 25 June, BEL emergency crews arrived to replace the broken pole and to restore power to the dock so that the Fisherman's Co-op would have power to produce ice for LobsterFest. 

Around 11:30 a.m., the BEL emergency crew began digging the hole for the new pole -- and struck the water main for the entire dock area, thus cutting off the source of water for the Co-op's ice house.

However, the main Beliken tent was completely destroyed, and no replacements available in the entire country.  (Bad time of the year with lots of graduations and special events.)

Power (and water) were completely restored by around 6 p.m., a number of small tents to replace the large tent were secured, and by 9 p.m., the band played on. 

As for the ice?  Well, only tomorrow will tell.  LobsterFest 2004 Pictures.

The Road.  A community meeting was held by Public Works Minister Jose Coye at Jake's Purple Space Monkey Internet Cafe on Tuesday, 22 June 2004.  According to Minister Coye, paving of the Placencia Road has been budgeted for the 2005 fiscal year.  Minister Coye suggested that tolls would be used to finance road maintenance.

29 May 2004

Placencia Village Council:  Village Council Officers are:

• Glen Eiley, Chair
• Harald Wallen, Vice Chair
• Cindy Linarez, Secretary
• Karen Young, Treasurer
• Graham Cabral, Assistant Secretary
• Arthur Vernon, Assistant Treasurer
• Sonny Vernon, Councillor

In an effort to improve its efficiency and responsiveness, the Village Council has also organized itself into committees, with a Council member as the Chair, and 3 appointed residents on each committee.  Placencia  Village residents should contact the appropriate committee with any issues or concerns.  The committee will then be responsible for for reporting to the Village Council and recommending solutions and resolutions for Village problems.  Committees are:

• Public Works:  responsible for roads, building inspection, docks and piers, utilities and other public works matters.  Chair of the Committee is Harald Wallen. Committee members are Dalton Eiley, Edwin Leslie and Alvin Cabral.
  • The first project of the Public Works Committee is rebuilding the community dock.  Materials have been purchased and volunteers will begin working on the dock on Thursday, 27 May 2004. (Pictures of Dock Rebuilding)
  • Public Works is also negotiating with a private contractor to provide quarterly septic tank pump-out services for Village residents at a reduced rate. Residents may sign up for pump-out service at the Village Council office.
  • Other Public Works projects include refurbishing the football field by adding topsoil and grading it, plus installing new goals and bleachers.  The Committee will also be investigating the cause of the low water pressure in the northern part of the Village.
  • The most important long range project of the Public Works Committee is a sewage system for the entire Peninsula.
• Security:  responsible for interfacing with the police, special constables, Belize Emergency Response Team, Placencia Emergency Response team and Placencia Taxi Association,  regulation of traffic (including traffic signs) and coordination of crime prevention programs such as Neighborhood Watch.  Chair is Sonny Vernon and Committee members are Jenny Wesby, George Westby and Salva Zabaneh.
  • The Placencia Taxi Association is in the process of adopting Bylaws to organize the Taxi Association.  In coordination with the Village Council, the Association will sponsor a workshop by Francis Castillo who issues taxi licenses from the Dangriga Motor Vehicle Office.
  • The Security Committee will select two traffic wardens who will have the authority to issue tickets for traffic offenders. 
  • The Security Committee, in coordination with the Community Affairs Commitee and the Tourism Committee, is also in charge of establishing a market place for vendors at the Placencia Village docks.
• Community Affairs:  responsible for coordination of community events and community charitable organizations, public relations, community relations and community outreach.  Chair is Graham Cabral and Committee members are Maria Cabral, Charles Leslie, Jr. and Marilyn Beckstead.
  • A complaint form has been developed by the Committee and is available at the Village Council office at the docks.
  • The Community Affairs Committee has recommended that the Village Council post a Website that includes notices of meetings, minutes of meetings, committee reports, financial reports and other Village information.  The Community Affairs Committee would be responsible for creating and maintaining the Website.
• Finance:  responsible for financial reports and monitoring Village funds.  Chair is Karen Young and Committee members are Barbara Andrews, Janet Parks and Yvette Guild.
• Sports and Education:  responsible for sports and educational programs for youth and adults plus job training programs for teenagers.  Chair is Arthur Vernon, Junior.  Committee members are Tanya Neal, Wendy Westby and Verly James. 
• Tourism: responsible for promoting and monitoring local tourism and coordination with tourism organizations such as the Placencia Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association.  Chairperson is Cindy Linarez and Committee members are David Vernon, Ellie Dial and Reina Eiley.
• Inter-governmental Affairs: responsible for coordination of campaign to pass Village Bylaws, develop administrative procedures for administration of Bylaws, inform  residents, organizations, businesses and national governmental agencies about the Bylaws, develop procedures for working with other governmental agencies, and establish legal boundaries of Placencia Village.  Chair is Glen Eiley.  Committee members are Kammie Westby, Percy Neal and Mary Toy.
  • The two main goals of the Inter-Governmental Affairs Committee are the passage and implementation of the Village By laws.  Sample letters urging passage to be sent to the Belize Solicitor General, Area Representative, Local Government Ministry and others have been completed and are awaiting Village Council approval.  Letters to real estate agents, developers and contractors informing them about the Village Bylaws are also waiting for Village Council approval.
  • Other goals include establishing legal boundaries for the Village and implementing procedures for Village Council review and comment on all Environmental Impact Assessments and other documents submitted to national government agencies for projects affecting the Village.

LobsterFest:  LobsterFest 2004 festivities will include:

• Two days and three nights of entertainment at the Placencia Village docks. 
  • Friday, 25 June 2004
    • 8 p.m:  Inner Vibrations and the Tropical Sensations, sponsored by MNM Hardware
  • Saturday, 26 June 2004
    • All Day:  All Star Steel Drum Band, sponsored by local Placencia businesses
    • 8 p.m:  New Creations and Inner Vibrations, sponsored by Turtle Inn and Yearwood Properties
  • Sunday, 27 June 2004
    • All Day:  The Rejects
    • 8 p.m:  Inner Vibrations
• Fishing Tournament:  Registration is Friday night at at 7 p.m. at the Placencia Village docks.  Boats may leave as early as desired on Saturday morning.  Prizes valued at BZ$6,000 in have been donated for the tournament.
• Fifty prizes have been donated for the LobsterFest Raffle, including a round-trip Continental Air ticket, a two-night bareboat charter from TMM, 2 nights at Chaa Creek and a day sail from the Moorings. 
• The Placencia Arts Association will have its own tent at LobsterFest and will display and sell works of Belizean artists.  Children's art activities will include face painting and finger painting.

Placencia Water Board and Lands Committee:  Area Representative Rodwell Ferguson wants to appoint two new members to each of the Placencia Water Board and the Lands Committee.  Reports are that the Board members who will be replaced on the Water Board are Louise Yearwood and Lydia Villanueva.  Some local residents believe that the appointment of new members is politically motivated.  Other local residents have complained about a proposal by national government to give a developer land in exchange for developing a new subdivision for area Belize citizens who do not own their own land.  Several local residents believe that any land not used for the subdivision can be sold at a favorable price and the part of the proceeds used to pay for the development, with the remainder going to other Village projects.  The national government has failed to provide any information on the status of the development project.

Police Station.  Work on the new police station for the Peninsula seems to be at a standstill.  The national government says it cannot provide information on when work can be expected to resume, or when the station will be completed.  (Fancy that.)

29 April 2004

Whale Sharks, Bull Sharks and Bioprospecting

• Whale Sharks:  Whale Shark Tourism Interaction Regulations adopted by Hopkins, Riversdale, Seine Bight, Placencia and Monkey River tour operators and tour guides require all boats to be OUT of the whale shark interaction zone by 5:30 pm.  According to information from dive masters and tour operators at a meeting at the Placencia Village Community Center, last night, 28 April 2004, several area dive operations are openly ignoring this regulation and bringing divers into the zone so late in the afternoon that it would be impossible to comply with the regulation and still allow divers to do any diving.
  
  The reason the regulation was enacted was to prevent interference with spawning Cubera snappers as much as possible.  The existence of the whale sharks in that area depends on the snappers, so it's not good to disturb them when they're trying to reproduce. Also, the spawning attracts sharks OTHER than whale sharks, such as Bull Sharks, Lemon Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Caribbean Reef Sharks, Nurse Sharks, etc., etc., etc. With the whale sharks and other sharks trying to feed and the snapper trying to spawn, there's too much going on out there for diving at that time to be completely safe.  Plus, diving at that time could interfere with the Cubera Snapper spawning, resulting in NO whale sharks.
  
  Park rangers are at Gladden Spit.  However, they are simply not equipped to deal with dive operators who won't voluntarily comply with what the park rangers are trying to get them to do.
  
  So, please, be a responsible diver. DON'T go with a shop that takes you out to dive late in the day.  And, if you inadvertently do, or see a dive operator who does, PLEASE report them IN WRITING to the Placencia Tourist Center.  Additional Belize whale shark interaction regulations and information.
  
  A number of tour guides and tour operators at the meeting also stated that they believed that the number of divers allowed into the whale shark interaction area needed to be further limited, and this issue will be addressed after the end of the whale shark interaction period in June of this year.
   
• Bull Sharks:  Rachel Graham, who has done much of the scientific research on whale sharks in this area has submitted a proposal to study bull sharks at Gladden Spit.  According to information provided by Rachel at last evening's meeting, almost as little is known about bull sharks as was known about whale sharks just 5 or 6 years ago.  The research will aim to determine the bull shark's migratory patterns, how it uses the Gladden Spit area, with what frequency and purpose and other information about its habits.  Bull sharks will be tagged with satellite and audio tags after being caught on baited long lines.  All sharks are released after tagging, and tagging will take place during whale shark season only from 5:30 p.m.  to 10 a.m. to avoid conflicts with divers and snorkelers within the whale shark interaction zone.
   
• Bioprospecting:  a public consultation about bioprospecting in Belize was held at Serenity Resort with are business owners, fishermen and other interested parties. 
  
  Information on bioprospecting and proposed legislation was presented by international consultants Marthinus Horak and Francois Joubert of CSIR Bio/Chemtek, Pretoria, South Africa,  and national consultants, Godsman Ellis and Cecil Ramirez. 
  
  Recommended is an independent Belize bioprospecting entity that would make decisions on the granting of bioprospecting permits to private entities and enter into, administer, monitor and enforce  bioprospecting agreements that set out the conditions of bioprospecting permits.
  
  Other recommendations include significant involvement of local impacted communities through Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) hat would allow local communities to negotiate financial remuneration for bioprospecting impacts and an independent trust fund that would administer funds available after payment of administrative expenses and payments under MOUs. 
  
  Potential financial benefits to local communities could be quite large if bioprospecting results in the discovery of a new pharmaceutical.  Local individuals attending the consultation strongly recommended as much independence as possible for the administering bioprospecting entity, penalties for non-compliance with the bioprospecting law and bioprospecting agreements that are significantly large enough to actually deter misconduct, and a stream-lined process for trust fund grants. 
  
  We understand that the impetus for the Belize government to push bioprospecting legislation is the existence of several requests for permits to bioprospect in Belize, both in terrestrial and marine environments.

31 March 2004

Looks like Belize be done bruk down: 

New fees and taxes recently announced:

• February (?) 2004:  Property taxes increased (but no one understands the new system yet - at least not anyone we've spoken to))
• 1 March 2004: Sales tax increased from 8% to  9%
• 1 April 2004: 
  • Departure "fee" increased from US$20 to US$35 per person from the International Airport
  • Archaeological Sites Entrance Fees Increase
    • US$5 for Lamanai, Altun Ha, Xunantunich, Cahal Pech, El Pilar and Nim Li Punit
    • US$7.50 for Caracol
• 1 November 2004: New marine park "fee" to be assessed (US$10-US$15 per person per day
• 1 April 2005:  Hotel tax to increase from 7% to 9%

Comments regarding the increase in the increase in the airport departure fee can be emailed to gm@btia.org.  Comments needed by Friday, 2 April 2004.

28 March 2004

Placencia Village Council Elections.

Glenford (Glen) Eiley was re-elected to his third term as Placencia Village Council Chair.  Glen defeated Fred Cabral by 57 votes (Glen - 192, Fred - 135).  (Pictures)

Glen won his re-election bid in Placencia Village's largest ever election turnout - 335 voters as the unofficial count.

Also re-elected to the Village Council were Karen Young, Graham Cabral and Harald Wallen.

Cindy (Tweety) Lopez, Arthur Vernon, Jr. and Levi (Sonny) Vernon are Placencia's newly elected first-term Council members.

Election results were as follows:

Placencia Village Council Chair:

Glen Eiley: Fred Cabral:

192 votes 135 votes

Placencia Village Council (top 6 elected to the Council)

Harald Wallen: Karen Young: Arthur Vernon, Jr: Graham Cabral Levi (Sonny) Vernon Cindy Lopez Charles Beresford Leslie, Jr: Verlee James: Tanya Neal: Tara (Kammie) Westby: Wendy Westby: Lydia Villanueva James Leslie

272 votes 213 votes 193 votes 156 votes 153 votes 149 votes 133 votes 129 votes 96 votes 92 votes 89 votes 78 votes 33 votes

16 March 2004

Local Government. 

Placencia Village Bylaws.  Placencia residents were stunned by the public admission of the Department of Local Government that the Placencia Village Bylaws were still on the desk of Mr. Palacio of that office.  Placencia's Bylaws were passed and submitted to the national government for review and approval in November 2002.  Among other things, the Bylaws would give Placencia Village the authority to collect liquor licensing fees,  impose business and other revenue-generating licensing fees and fines, regulate local building and require marinas to install pump-out stations.  Mr. Palacio could not say when the Placencia Bylaws review would be completed, when the Bylaws might become effective, or where the Bylaws were in the review process.

Municipal Elections.  Village council elections for Placencia and Seine Bight Villages are scheduled for 28 March 2004.  Fred Cabral and Percy Neal are running for Placencia Village Council Chair.  Village residents activity interested in Village Council positions include Harald Wallen, Graham Cabral, Tracy Eiley, Levi (Sonny) Vernon and Betty Neal.

Peninsula Development.  A number of local residents have seen a Plantation proposal that includes a cut of the Peninsula at Barry Bowen's pump station, a bridge over the cut, a marina, a causeway across the Placencia Lagoon to a golf course on the western side of the Lagoon, and a new road connecting with the Southern Highway.  The Belize Department of the Environment says it has not yet seen this latest Plantation proposal.

Placencia Water Board.  The Placencia Village Water Board issued a formal report on its activities since it was established in February 1996.  Included in the report:

• Customer Base:  250 customers in 1996.  Over 500 customers in 2004.
• Account Balance as s of 31 January 2004:  $56,523.63
• The Water Board's accomplishments in 8 years include:
  • St. John's Memorial School
    • Purchased land for a playground
    • Built and furnished four (4) restrooms
    • Purchased of two (2) satellite houses for additional classrooms
    • Paid salary for one year for a teaching assistant and a pre-school head teacher
    • Continuing donation of free water
  • Garbage Disposal
    • Created current garbage pickup and disposal system
    • Purchased two (2) ATV bikes for garbage project
    • Established billing and collection system for garbage disposal fees
    • Purchased garbage cans for Village residents to initiate garbage collection system
    • Continuing subsidy of garbage collection system of approximately $1,743.00 per month to cover monthly deficits (garbage fees billed average $9,922/month, average expenses are $11,665 per month)
  • Community Center
    • Renovated restroom
    • Rewired Center
    • Repainted Center interior
    • Renovated room for pre-school
    • Continuing donation of free water
  • Police
    • Purchased a house for a police officer and his family
    • Continuing payment of monthly electric bill for police station
    • Continuing donation of free water
  • Sports Center
    • Built two (2) restrooms
    • Lighting of football field
    • Installed flood lights on basketball court
  • Water System
    • Purchased and installed computer system
    • Purchasd ATV
    • Purchased 2 additional pumps
    • Purchased emergency generator for Placencia water system
    • Installed connection between Placencia and Independence water systems for emergency use.  (Both Villages can now supply each other with water if necessary.)
    • Purchased and installed new pipeline across Placencia Lagoon after Hurricane Iris
    • Purchased new chlorinator for water system
    • Fenced pump house in Independence
    • Built a generator house for new emergency generator
    • Established bylaws for the governing of the Water Board (not yet approved by the national government)
  • Upcoming Projects
    • Fencing of cemetary
    • Installation of permanent garbage cans along Placencia Sidewalk
    • Fencing of pump house in Placencia
  • Miscellaneous
    • Purchased and installed computer for Village Council office
    • Continuing subsidy of Village Council Office
    • Continuing 50% discount to senior citizens (age 65 and up) for water and garbage fees
    • Continuing maintenance of Village cemetary (including fencing as an upcoming project)
    • Continuing payment of housing for community doctor
    • Continuing donation of $200 to bereaved Village families on behalf of Village Council

16 February 2004: 

First Annual Placencia Sidewalk Art Festival.  Kudos to the Placencia Peninsula Art Association which organized a wonderful Sidewalk Art Festival this past weekend!  (Anyone who thinks Belize doesn't have a vibrant arts community should have been there. ) 

Approximately 50 artists displayed art ranging from oils and acrylics on canvas, to beautiful ceramics and porcelain, photography and textiles.  (I'm now the proud owner of the painting shown at left, Pickney Shush, by Deborah Usher from the Dangriga area.)  The weekend was rounded out by a dinner theatre performance at Turtle Inn by professional magician Kevin Barnes, who also donated a special children's matinee performance Sunday afternoon at the Placencia Village Community Center.  (Proceeds from the Turtle Inn event were donated to the Placencia Humane Society.)  (Pictures of the Art Festival and the Magic Matinee.)

Government Broke?  Sales tax vendors received personal phone calls on the 29th and 30th of January informing them that sales tax would be raised from 8% to 9% effective Sunday, 1 February.  Tour operators, hotels and resorts that pre-sell tours and meals are left holding the bag for the additional 1% for vacations booked in advance.  The cost to register a letter doubled last Friday, 13 February, again without warning - the local post office received a phone call at about 3:30 p.m. and was orally told to put the increase into effect immediately.  According to the local post office, parcel post rates were also significantly increased, more than doubled in some cases. 

Road Work.  Notwithstanding the fiscal position of the national government, the Placencia Road right-of-way is now being surveyed, ostensibly in preparation for paving.  No word on where the money will come from - maybe all those registered letters and packages?

2 February 2004: 

Sales Tax.  Sales tax increased from 8% to 9% on Sunday, 1 February 2004.  Little notice was given -- the Sales Tax office phoned sales tax vendors on Thursday to notify them of the increase.

Local Elections.  Village Council elections will be held country-wide in March and April.  No official candidates yet in Seine Bight and Placencia Villages.  However, the Village Council Chair position in Placencia may be hotly contested.  Rumored to be candidates are Brian Yearwood, Graham Cabral, Glen Eiley and David Vernon.

Placencia Road.  Jose Coye (a/k/a Joe Coie), husband of Yvonne Leslie Coye, has become the new Minister of Works.  Yvonne grew up in Placencia (she is the sister of Norman, Eddie, Babe and Lewis Leslie) and the Coye family visits Placencia regularly, giving rise to speculation that Minister Coye may be more sympathetic to the need for paving the Placencia Road.  However, the Belize government's pockets are fairly empty, and sympathy doesn't make a very good paving material.

Arts, Hearts and Magic.  Valentine's Day weekend promises to be a fun one in Placencia featuring Placencia's First Annual Sidewalk Art Festival on Saturday, 14 February and Sunday, 15 February, sponsored by the new Placencia  Peninsula Art Association. 

Participating artists so far include Lola, Anton Leslie, Peter Poots, Titiman Flores, Earnest Garcia, Dennis Bryan, Lita Krohn, Mariuccia Levoni, Dede Aronian, Fiona MacFarlane, Richard Millet, Dr. Craig Patchet, Jessica Usher, Debra Usher, Christian Lebosse, Elizabeth Locke, Silion Chuc, Mary Berry, and Austin Sanchez.

The weekend will also feature a Saturday evening dinner theatre hosted by Blancaneaux Turtle Inn, featuring professional magician Kevin Barnes, direct from Las Vegas and Cancun, and a "Just for Fun" Magic Matinee on Sunday afternoon.  (Proceeds to benefit the Placencia Humane Society.)

Seine Bight.  Lumalali Seinbeidi is the new Seine Bight newsletter launched by local Seine Bight residents.  Copies of the newsletter can be purchased from local Placencia and Seine Bight merchants for 25 cents.  The January 2004 edition includes a Garifuna recipe for Thickiney (Stew Brown Flour) and articles on The Lancer's Ball, burning trash and the John Canoe (or wanaragua) cultural tradition.  Publishers of the newsletter are working to make on on-line version available.

Resorts.  It's official - the new owners of Nautical Inn are Molly Leggio, Billy Kent and Maxine Young.  Rum Point Inn is sponsoring a Tuesday evening "lecture" series focusing on Placencia's natural environment.  The program this Tuesday is a a 1/2 hour National Geographic Explorer film on the Sharks of the Belize Reef highlighting the Whale Shark Research at Gladden Spit and the Hol Chan Reserve.  A cocktail hour (with complimentary appetizers) from 5-7 pm precedes the program.  The suggested BZ$10 donation for each lecture benefits the Bevier Scholarship Fund.

27 January 2004:  Whale Shark meeting cancelled!!!!!!  According to Friends of Nature, The Georgia Aquarium has withdrawn its proposal.  However, no details other than these two facts have been provided.  It is not known whether the Belize Fisheries Department is still involved in any manner with this proposal, nor whether The Georgia Aquarium will go elsewhere for a whale shark exhibit.  Because we have been unable to obtain any email addresses for The Georgia Aquarium staff, persons interested in making their views known about exhibition of whale sharks at The Atlanta Aquarium should contact Cynthia Tucker, Editorial Page Editor, The Atlanta Constitution, phone, 404-526-5432, email - cynthia@ajc.com.

19 January 2004:  Whale Shark meeting postponed!!!!!!!  Meeting now scheduled for Tuesday, 27 January, 7 p.m. at the Placencia Community Center.  The reason given for the postponement is that the "team" from the Atlanta Aquarium cannot attend tomorrow, 20 January 2004.

If you would like to voice your opinion about this issue, contact information is given below, as well as information on the Georgia Aquarium and whale sharks in captivity.

Shark Research Institute Position on Whale Shark Exhibition in Aquariums

Local Placencia Peninsula Petition

17 January 2004

Whale Sharks:  Friends of Nature (FON), a conservation Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Placencia has entertained a proposal (whether formal or informal is not known) from a new aquarium (The Georgia Aquarium) scheduled for completion in  2005 in Atlanta, Georgia.  The Aquarium is funded primarily by Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot, as a "gift to the people of Georgia." 

(While couched in terms of "research," the specifications for The Georgia Aquarium indicate it's a money-making proposition.  Consider these facts about the Aquarium:

• Special events space will accommodate 1,200 for sit-down dinners
• Plaza space will serve 350 to 500 people for event luncheons
• Facility will accommodate more than 12,000 visitors for receptions.)

(See links below for more information about the Georgia Aquarium.)

A meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 20 January 2004 at the Placencia Village Community Center regarding the proposal.  In attendance will be Dr. Bruce Carlson of The Georgia Aquarium.  A picture of the notice, posted on the door to the Placencia Fisherman's Cooperative at the Placencia docks and in the middle of the Placencia Road by the soccer field is available here.

Lisa Carne, B.Sc. Marine Biology, resident of the Placencia Peninsula, is the author of the article reprinted below about whale sharks in captivity.  Lisa's article was published in Belize by