During his speech at the opening of Mahogany Bay Village on December 6, 2017, San Pedro Mayor Daniel Guerrero made mention of a new local Economic Development Strategic Plan for Ambergris Caye. It’s the San Pedro Town Council’s plan with aims to transform Ambergris Caye into the number one island in the world.
The ‘Plan’, he makes mention, calls for the provision of encouragement of new investments, use of alternative forms of energy, recycling and implementing a green management system for more responsible tourism. Mayor Daniel also mentions that the plan will call for an integration of Belize’s cultural and social wellbeing into the community for the survival and promotion of our cultural heritage. The strategic plan, he says, calls for bold initiatives that require Central Government support in passing legislation. It will be interesting to learn more about the plan once it is revealed by the San Pedro Town Council.
Excerpt from Mayor Daniel Guerrero’s Speech
“It is certainly the right time for investors to invest in tourism in our country. Notwithstanding, we must keep the mantra of our Prime Minister and the Government of Belize to ensure that our scale investments are both environmental and economically sustainable. For that reason, the San Pedro Town Council, just this year, finalized its local economic development strategic plan for the island. This plan takes into consideration the Belize National Tourism Masterplan.
Our ultimate goal is for our island to eventually become the number one island in the world. Our strategic plan calls for very bold initiatives that require Central Government support in passing legislation, specifically as it relates to vulnerable communities like Ambergris Caye. But our strategic plan also makes provision for investors to do their share in executing their development plan.
One big aspect of the strategy is for us to encourage new investments to look at alternative forms of energy, reduce and recycle when possible and to implement a green management system in which businesses encourage their guest to be more responsible with the use of our natural resources. It is our collective and shared responsibility to ensure that we reduce our carbon footprints, all in an effort to ensure that our reef and rich marine ecosystem remains resilient for generations to come.
Similarly, our strategy also calls for the integration of our cultural and social wellbeing of our community. This is also in line with our National Cultural Policy, after all our tourism product depends on the very real survival and the promotion of our country’s cultural heritage. With this same token, we also try to encourage new businesses to look at the various ways to get involved in the social and civic wellbeing of our community,
…We can only see this an opportunity for our people and country as we position ourselves as the tourism mecca of the region. We continue to encourage and support these investments and both the local and national government must do whatever we can to ensure that these investments have a long-lasting impact in the lives of our people and country.”
