Belize Real Estate Developer Stewart Krohn
A former Belize TV mogul turned hotel owner has published an open letter to cruise lines, especially Carnival Cruise Lines, and Royal Caribbean, which is intent on establishing a beachhead in southern Belize. Stewart Krohn is a U.S. national expatriated from his homeland and currently running a lodge in the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize. A “G” rated version of his letter follows:
“Having been involved for many months now in the campaign to keep cruise ships away from Placencia I can only look at the situation involving cruise tendering in Belize City with a mixture of amusement.
“I say amusement because the favorite mantra of those few people in Placencia not opposed to cruise ships has been “don’t worry, we can control them”. If it was not obvious then, it certainly is now. If the Prime Minister and Government of Belize cannot control them the Placencia Village Council does not stand much of a chance.
“Let us hope that the issue of cruise ships in the South is now laid to rest. “When I see what is happening in Belize City, I get the feeling that I am watching a mishap unfolding before me in slow motion. All I can do is hope I’m having a nightmare and will soon wake up.
“Let us understand something: the villain in this drama is the cruise lines. They have made an unreasonable set of demands on a group of people who have served them reasonably well over the last decade and a half. The reasons they have given for requiring larger tenders do not make a whole lot of sense, and seem to be inspired less by efficiency and safety than by the cruise lines’ innate nature to squeeze every penny and totally control all aspects of their operations.“I say disgust because the response of the tender operators and the Government has been one of abject acquiescence to the tormentor’s basic premise: “We run things,” say the cruise lines. “Please give us more time to comply with your demands,” say the Belizeans.
“Something, as they say, is wrong with this picture. In a previous correspondence I compared the situation in the cruise industry to that of a husband who berates his loving and beautiful wife.
“If anyone in Belize thinks that the cruise lines will stop taking more than their share of Belize once we buy some new tenders, then there’s a bridge over the Haulover Creek that I’d love to sell you.
“Admittedly, telling the cruise lines to shape up or ship out requires some fairly large political leverage. And realistically, Carnival, Royal Caribbean and NCL together represent a lot of capital.
“I read in the news that Carnival told the Prime Minister something to the effect that if Belize failed to comply with their new policy they reserved the right to decrease the number of ships coming to Belize.
“Wow, did I hear that correctly? DECREASE THE NUMBER OF SHIPS COMING TO BELIZE?
“What an intriguing idea. Why not gradually decrease the number of cruise ships coming to Belize, giving those people now employed in the Belize Hotels industry time to retrain and find new work in what will undoubtedly be an expanding overnight tourism industry.
In five years or so we can hold a ceremony bidding a fond farewell to the last cruise ship to dock in The Jewel.
“Our dignity restored, we could then get down to the difficult but rewarding task of building the kind of nation that WE want, not one that others seek to impose upon us.”
Sincerely,
Stewart Krohn
This article is right on the money. Belize doesn’t need cruise ships, that will eventually destroy it’s most natural treasures. The living reefs.
More people come here from all over the world & spend major bucks to dive, snorkel & relax. Cruise ships are here for a half day or so. There is not much major spending going on when the tourist are shipped in.
The country is better off catering for the retirement & real estate community coming from Europe, USA, & Canada. The impact will be far much greater as far as total $$$ spent in the country over the long haul. I have seen what cruise ships have done to the Bahamas. Totally destroyed what reefs they had in Nassau!!! Not good for Belize reefs.
I was a Commercial diver for 15 years. I started scuba diving in 1972. I have lived & dived all around the world. I know what I’m talking about when it comes to reefs & preserving them, & what destroys them. Cruise ships are one of them!
Way to go, Stewart-I feel exactly the same and I sincerely hope the people of Belize, wake up and take a stand NOW, on the Cruise Ships issue, as well as the Oil Exploration in our National Parks, WHAT?!, as well as the serious, serious issue of CRIME in our country-The people of Belize are this country’s TRUE NATIONAL TREASURE and they must stand up for their personal rights of a clean and safe place to live!
I just couldn’t thank Mr. Krohn enough on his letter to the news paper. He hit the nail on the head. I am a tour guide in Placencia and I totally oppose cruise ship. Mr. Krohn, I openly congratulate you on your sincere letter and lets join hands together and keep these cruise ship away from our shores.
Basilio Mes
Stewart Krohn is saying, in a letter to the editor, that our government needs fortitude and resolution in dealing with the demand of Carnival Cruise management that the boat tenders which offload passengers from their ships, have a minimum capacity of 150 persons. This would put our present fleet of boat tenders out of business.
Mr. Krohn used another word to say that Government should not allow Carnival Cruise to walk all over us, and, he advocates overnight tourism as a better way to earn tourist dollars. As a nationalist I have to support him.
I know that overnight tourism is more eco-friendly than cruise tourism. The ships do not always obey our laws governing the environment. Carnival should not be allowed to dictate to us in regard to the size of boat tenders, by suggesting that their ships will bypass Belize if we don’t jump when they require it or, they will go further. What are we going to do if they say they will not comply with our environmental regulations?
Larger boat tenders will suit the company and the passengers. The passengers will get ashore quicker and can spend more time on land but, it should be a matter for negotiation, not demand.
Yours sincerely,
C. B. Hyde
WELL, WELL, WELL Thanks Stuart but I still think the Gov’t did not get it, Carnival, Royal Caribbean et al needs to get out of our country, we have survived many years before they came into the picture and we will continue to survive without them. These companies only think about their bottom line and nothing else, they thrive on GREED. Whenever I read about whats going on with these cruise lines and my people the more I think they think we are stupid. We as a people can market our country worldwide, we should never become dependent on any one enterprise but instead diversify. Lets come together as a people and set our demands on them, either they comply or get out, better yet they need to be OUT we are capable of running our business and protect our environment as the cruise lines sure don’t protect our environment