Zetina Criticizes Location of New San Pedro Artisan Market

The newly built San Pedro Artisan Market is tonight facing significant scrutiny. UDP Caretaker for Belize Rural South, Gabriel Zetina contends that two weeks after the grand launch of the market the area remains vacant. He is also questioning the government’s decision to relocate the market to a location that he says no tourists visit. According to Zetina, the artisans on the island spent years establishing their presence and developing a reputation at the current location. He argues they are not pleased with the new site.

 

Gabriel Zetina, UDP Caretaker, Belize Rural South

“This is what they are saying. It is completely different than what they are saying. I call it propaganda and its messaging because we don’t have any tourists coming. There is no incentive for them to come here at the back and that is why the artisans are not too happy with it. It took them years to build the reputation and get that current location where they are at known by the tourists and they did it all on their own. Now, if you are bringing the people here, one of the things you have to look at is the rent cost and the marketing. How will you attract tourist here. It is not only about having a nice building and kudos to them, but it is about at the end of the day, they have to be able to pay their rent and make a living for themselves and their family and if there is no tourist then the objective is not met and that is, I feel like that was done with no proper consultation.”

 

Mahler Says Development May Mean Some Inconvenience

 

And we put the concerns to Minister of Tourism Anthony Mahler. He says that development may mean inconvenience for some, but the bottom line is San Pedro cannot continue to be the premiere destination of Belize with eyesores around the town.

 

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism

“A part of phase one project  is a dock. And it slips so that they can get in and out of the area. But if you look at the other half that wasn’t done, it’s in a dire state. And so San Pedro can’t be the tourism mecca and continue to look like that. We have to make some major investments on that island for it to come up to a truly world class destination. We have world class, a world class reef in front of it – World Heritage site, and have other resources nearby but the infrastructure on the island needs to be vastly improved.”

 

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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