I am completely with you until you get to the part about "what's another $100-$200/year??". I am not on board with this approach. If you want to approach it this way then let's just tax every non-Belizean say $10,000.00 a year or make that a month or a day. From my, admittedly limited, perspective the whole point would be to build a sustainable voluntary organization that can meet the needs of the citizens at the lowest cost possible. Also, since it has been mentioned that those 4 or more miles north would have to rely on volunteers I see no point in taxing them if they are to receive no services. I like the per person approach but I am against new taxes and if this could be accomplished via donations that would be preferable in my view.

I also don't believe that you need to duplicate the hideously expensive "sitting around the firehouse all day" approach. Plenty of rural communities that have much larger service areas are adequately served by vountary organizations. Perhaps a case could be made for a dedicated buidling such as a fire house etc. which could be used for training and to house the equipment (and of course serve a social function as well).

I had no idea that the island was the beneficiary of folks like Dr. Gillis. Here is a physician and organization that are, eminently qualified, already involved and apparently willing to continue helping in this situation. There is a level of committment and experience that we should not let get away. I am not sure but perhaps we could somehow combine Dr. Gillis and his organizations help with an educational aspect that would benefit everyone by training and certifying in some way people that work in direct contact with our visitors.

I can tell you this from long experience (and it was long ago as well) that any emergency organization depends upon three things. Planning, training and communication. Without these elements any emergency system will fail.

Let me know if I can help somehow other than rambling along here on this board.


Captain One Iron