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Signing off on a master Plan would mean restrictions on the ministers deals like land giveaways for votes and under the table deals with developers. We have Rock and roll joins next door to the Catholic church and doors swinging open into airport traffic with no side walks, schools in the mangrove swamp and subdivisions approved with out hope of infrastructure, we wouldn't want all that to change.

It's a bit late for a MASTER PLAN. The town is already built, what do you want them to do? bulldoze it all down and start again.

TRACKER - REALLY?

Somehow the town managed to claim not only the entire island, but all the little cayes around the island as San Pedro Town.
Elbert - as usual - hit the nail right on the head!!!

Tracker, a decade or so back there was a battle of the PUP and UDP for taxes paid to Belmopan or The town, if you lived out of San Pedro Town limits then your taxes where considerably cheaper paid to Belmopan. A good example is the Mata Grande Subdivision, old man Tutu paid tax for his coconut plantation (Mata Grande) on Ambergris Caye to the Capitol a total of 470.bz. He had subdivided it into approx. 70 lots and the town board annexed the land and assessed tax on it at more than a thousand per lot. then Tutus party unannexed it and he quickly paid the Capitol the 470. bz for the year, but not before he had collected from all the lots he financed at the higher assessment. He got away with this for several years. Finally the San Pedro Town Board annexed the entire Island and currently the entire island pays the town board property tax instead of to the Capitol but SPTB annexed illegally with out an ability to provide the services required for annexation so the game may still be a foot.

Sorry to be so far afield on this wonderful thread. Let me help it back on topic.
I go to town and back on it daily from my dive shop. The realestate alongside of the road is developing at a miraculous rate. Lots that have been crappy dumps since creation are being cleaned and landscaped.It's turned into an attractive drive and interesting building developments are popping up all along it. The refreshing development gives a new perspective on the value of these lots.

Elbert; how nice to hear some positive comments from you. Very refreshing!

ELBERT: As usual you are usually right. The raw land lots that could not be sold at a decent price before are now worth more as it will be less expensive to get materials to the sites. And people/developers will build in full awareness of the road (probably further back from front lot line) AND 2nd row back will be more valuable than roadside lots.

However, those of us who paid the high cost of obtaining building materials and built closer to what was considered a cart path have a different story. For those of you who like to chime in "PROGRESS" may not remember way back when we tried to simply get a grader up here once a year (after the rainy season) and were repeatedly told that couldn't happen "BECAUSE THERE IS NO ROAD." What was repeatedly reported to us was that a statutory regulation had not been passed. I guess one day - without it being gazetted - it must have been signed sealed and delivered. snicker


Thanks for the history lesson on taxes. Things like these questionable tax dealings, the bridge, the road, sewage, etc. are why we so desperately need a master plan.

For concerned, yes I still want to see the island stay as a great destination spot, and maintain it's small town feeling.
I have been down there quite a few times, and enjoy the trip and visiting as many resorts as I can. Now travel will be much easier going north, as well as going south. I invested because I love this place. I traveled the world and even been to Russia before the fall, than traveled to Poland and say the Big difference in both countries, is the excellent progress in Poland, with Russia doing very little at the to make changes. The year I traveled there was in 1976.
This was done by buss and train to Leningrad. What a eye opening during that trip.Included in the trip was Hungry, both East & West Germany, Yugoslavia.
Proper change is good for the island, and again if done with all concerned.
We can't please all, but we can make change a POSITIVE, not the other way around. OPEN YOUR EYES AND SMELL THE FLOWERS.

Just to add my two pennies worth on this subject - we have been back almost a week and aside from the
Pleasure of the road trip to town ( no pot holes but also NO dust coating the plants/trees and US!). we have already noticed a significant reduction in motorbike, bicycle and other people traffic along the ocean front in front of our house! It has all become rather more leisurely and quieter! Lovely!

Very true Nick, no reason to use the beach when you have a good road.