David Gegg Launches Pre-emptive Strike on Port of Belize

A showdown over Belize’s port future is brewing tonight, as the public gets its say on a proposed US$450 million expansion of the Port of Belize, a project that could all but shut the door on the competing, long‑stalled Port of Magical development. But before the microphone even opens, developer David Gegg is crying foul. Gegg says the three‑minute limit for public comments is nowhere near enough time for Belizeans to unpack the real stakes, like whether major cruise lines will support a port they aren’t investing in, or what risks come with steering massive ships through the tight One Man Caye Channel. He’s also sounding alarms about possible contamination from the nearby sewer pond, warning that the environmental concerns deserve more than a rushed exchange. According to Gegg, the country shouldn’t be pouring its energy into this proposal at all. Instead, he believes Belize should be exploring other port opportunities before making a decision that could change the cruise and cargo landscape for years to come.

 

David Gegg, Developer, Port of Magical Belize

“As you know, I launched a port development project actually nine years ago come this March and we made tremendous progress with it. We are the only developer to have gotten an MOU with a cruise line and then things went south and we are trying to now send them back north. I’m not here to bash the Port of Belize project by any means. I think port expansion is extremely necessary. It is Belize’s gateway to development and it is very important but so is cruise tourism. I have the plans for Port of Belize. I said to Gustavo the pilot, Gustavo’s father, I want you to hover at two hundred feet above sea level – in the exact space as one of those ships. And he did that. We are flying in the helicopter,; we are hovering, Leon is in the left front seat. I am in the back. We look there at three o clock. What do you see? The Puma tank farm. And it is not there. It’s down there because you’re two hundred feet up here. So that’s at three o clock. And then you got ll the containers and the slamming and the banging between three o’ clock and one. And now they’re putting in silos and more containers and more cargo. And then he looks at that water body, the one up there to the top that looks so pretty and nice and blue right now. And he says what is that water body. I said Leon that is the sewer treatment lagoon for Belize City. He said, oh my God David, let’s get the hell out of here and we flew out.”

 

Reporter

“But you flew. You didn’t come by boat because if you came by boat you wouldn’t see that.”

 

David Gegg

“Yes, but the ships are two hundred feet high. That’s the point. You are two hundred feet above sea level looking down.”

 

Gegg Breaks Silence, Revives Port Magical Push

 

And after months of keeping a low profile following the Definitive Agreement fallout, developer David Gegg is making it clear that he has not giving up on his Port of Magical Belize. He maintains that his project is the only one that has the backing of the cruise industry and the one that will have the least impact on the environment. Rather than attending the public consultation tonight, he called out the press to make a direct plea to Prime Minister John Briceño.

 

David Gegg, Developer, Port of Magical Belize

“ Magical Belize move on because I know it’s the one, the only one that gained any acceptance from Royal Caribbean and from Carnival we were close to signing an agreement with Carnival and what thwarted that really was the fact that the government signed the acquisition for porta ese in the summer and that killed that. And I’m hoping that I will be able to resolve our differences  with the government and move on. I think it needs to happen in our mutual interest. So I wanna say three things to Prime Minister Briceno. First and foremost, you gotta fix this. This is a serious health hazard for the people of Port Loyola. Number two, I think the delusion of a cruise product in that setting or the Port of Belize setting needs to fade away. I don’t think a cruise component would ever get built there for all the reasons I’ve exposed and more. And then thirdly, Im inviting you PM  to take our Portico Cruise Development bill back to Parliament and get it passed.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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