AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life Living in Belize "San Pedro Taxes What do you think?" Open Thread

It cracks me up, and also saddens me when a well intentioned person here posts an idea for island improvement and then gets berated by locals, or others on this board.

Amanda, and others, are trying to protect our little piece of heaven and keep it pristine for years to come. Thank you for caring. Count me in to help in any way.

I have visited with the Mayoress on numerous occaisions to discuss such things as public safety and education. I have donated FAR more to San Pedro than I ever have here in my own community. So have a LOT of other folks here that have given their hard earned dollars, blood, sweat and tears to various island projects.

When does a country get it's act together? I asked Rosalie Staines, host of the weekly "Oapn Paki" show once if the politicians ever get emberrased always needing "handouts" to run Belize. Do they ever think about swiping less and taking more pride in running things efficiently? It was an interesting conversation. Now that is another thread entirely for another day. I only hope the UDP is doing a much better job now.

San Pedro has one thing going for it that not many others worldwide have;
There are tourists and residents that care about it's welfare and her people tremendously.
But where do you draw the line. Many of us have donated for a police presence in the North end of the island. We have given to the schools and the library.
Where does charity replace a sound town council and GOB budget?
To keep a safe San Pedro, why in the world would you need to hire a private police force. And why should I have to pay for it as a visitor to the island other than through a hotel tax? I don't see Maui asking for money.

San Pedro is facing the same growing pains many communities world wideare facing, crime, education, traffic, population growth etc and all with a small budget to keep up.

Many Belizeans and San Pedranans don't like the "Ugly American" coming to town to try and change things. But how do you want it? Some outside perspective and help, or status quo? There was a thread here a while back where a US doctor wanted to be licensed to practice in Belize to help treat ill children. You would have thought he was coming down to start a gun dealership the way he was treated by some here. I have spent a lot of time at Ambergris Hope Clinic with Dr. Dan and Dr. Tina, and they sure could use some help. How does Belize want it? Sometimes I think the visitors to Belize love the country more than the people running it. Not every person moving there wants to make millions and then run.

Not every person from another country that buys a home or condo on Ambergris Caye is wealthy and owns a mansion. There is a way to set up a simple tax structure to even it all out. It will just take a lot of work to do so. But on the flip side of that. If I buy a house in San Pedro and pay $1,500usd per year for taxes, does my power go out, do the police never respond and does the fire dept. show up with more than Chief Garcia?

No one wants to see San Pedro go to hell in a handbasket so thanks to everyone there trying to improve our favorite place on earth.

Rant over.

Future San Pedro resident.

"But one of, if not the primary responsibility of government is protection of the public." -- bywarren

Ideally, that SHOULD be the mandate, but with out-of-control crime on the mainland (and spreading), it should be obvious that it is not.

1. Are there any crack houses on SP that you know of?

2. If so, when was the last time it/they was/were raided by police?

Oh, one more question for braata -- Why do you think that is?



"It would seem to me the logic would be to make sure the existing system could be "fixed" to solve the problem before creating another system. We are in more trouble than we realize if government cannot perform its responsibilities."

-- bywarren


The main reason I don't see additional funding as an answer, and this is only my personal opinion, mind you, is that I personally believe that any extra funding you provide to the SP police department will result in that same exact amount deducted shortly thereafter from the GoB budget. Of course, this is only my personal opinion and my two cents worth. But, no, to my mind it doesn't matter how much you whip SP residents on the back to ENSURE they cough up more, there will be no extra benefit to your municipality as a result of it, unless other things change, particularly control of the force.

One another note, one thing which I think could produce some great results in the short term if it were legally allowed would be to increa$e incentive$ for those policemen who excel at their jobs. When our kids do great in school we reward them with money, a laptop, an iPod, whatever, but how does a great Belizean cop get rewarded for a job well done? A plaque? His/her children cannot eat that.

I believe monetary incentives can be great incentives. And goodness knows our policemen could use them. When was the last time you looked at a policeman's pay stub? The problem, though, is still that the GoB controls the police and the paymaster, not the municipality and not the citizens group. And so, if you, Joe Citizen, tries to reward a particular policeman for a job well done, you will end up in jail accused of "bribing" that police man.

Which brings me back again to the suggestion that a private security force which you can control is the best answer.

Wendy, I just sent you an email just to show we are not always thinking differently. By

"It cracks me up, and also saddens me when a well intentioned person here posts an idea for island improvement and then gets berated by locals, or others on this board." -- reaper

Dear reaper and Casa whoever:

It also cracks me up and also saddens me when an arrogant jane-come-lately with a superiority complex comes to a foreign country assuming she knows it all. It really saddens me that people who sincerely believe themselves "educated" could be so ignorant, no matter how well intentioned and God-like they might want to believe themselves to be.

OK, I usually enjoy a good fight - mostly with words at my current age, but this is getting too down and dirty and off subject for me. I'm out of here.

And this brings a closing to the entertainment portion of this discussion.

Anybody that is seriously interested in the original question please refer to the poll questionnaire and email it directly to <sptaxpoll@gmail.com>

Wendy: You should attend this very important meeting here tonight:
Special Community Meeting
TONIGHT
Monday, July 21, 7pm
at the High School Auditorium.
This meeting is being held due to the recent problems with crime that have been
occurring in San Pedro and on Ambergris Caye.
The following people will be
at this community meeting:
Minister Manuel Heredia
General Lloyd Tillet, CEO Ministry of National Security
Lt. Colonel Omar Pullido
Commissioner of Police
Deputy Commissioner of Police
Commander of the Coast Guard.
It is important that as many people
as possible attend this meeting.

You could express your opinions directly in front of the community...they'd be sure to listen...

Amanda, I'm out of here too. Too Bad. It is obvious that there are those who have ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION of participating in developing a solution to a HORIFIC problem, but find a "I'm a lot Smarter Than You" dialog to be their daily pleasure fix. I salute you for your efforts and hope that you will be successful in gathering and directing a group of volunteers who will offer to assist the Mayor with the development of a plan to make AC an independant city state from the mainland. IMHO, If this were to occur great things will develop. If not, please ask the mayor if tourists will be able to apply for a "permit to carry". The Ugly American Tourist.

You have my permission to carry a belikin or a mojito - but not both at the same time!