Area Representative Honourable Andre Perez

After a five-year hiatus, the Holiday Lighted Christmas Boat Parade was held again in San Pedro Town on Saturday, December 14th. The event was revived by islanders Elito Arceo and Karen Canul, along with the San Pedro Tour Operators Association and Seaduced by Belize. This creative and colorful event was considered one of the best. The participating boats lined the eastern coast of San Pedro, illuminating the area with dazzling lights. Visitors and residents enjoyed the traditional event, which had been absent since 2019. The highly anticipated spectacle raised the bar for highlighting the Christmas spirit and concluded with a fantastic fireworks show in front of Central Park.

On December 5th, the Area Representative Honourable Andre Perez, Deputy Mayor Dianeli Aranda, San Pedro Town Council operations manager Alex Eck, and tourism stakeholders met to discuss upgrading the roads in northern Ambergris Caye. To address the situation, Perez said they have acquired 250 loads of hardcore material to make urgent repairs and restore access to affected areas. This is a short-term strategy, while a long-term solution is in the works.

On December 1st, another beach clean-up took place at the northern beaches of Ambergris Caye. Significant amounts of rubbish were removed from the area stretching from El Norte Bar to Tranquillity Bay. The initiative, led by local resident Elito Arceo, will continue next year to help keep these beaches litter-free. These northern beaches are popular nesting sites for sea turtles, so organizers urge visitors to refrain from littering, as it can severely impact nesting and the health of these pristine environments.

The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) presented five garbage compactor trucks to five municipalities on Thursday, September 12th, in the Capital City of Belmopan. San Pedro Town, Belmopan City, Caye Caulker Village, Hopkins Village, and Placencia Village were recipients. The assets help improve trash collection efforts in these popular tourism destinations.

Promoting healthy lifestyles in San Pedro Town has been an ongoing project for the current administration. On Friday, August 9th, Area Representative Honourable Andre Perez and partners organized another Mobile Health Clinic. Held at Central Park in the downtown area, the initiative is a collaboration between Perez’s office, the San Pedro Town Council, PAHO Belize, the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and the San Pedro Lions Club. Throughout the day, island residents benefited from health services, wellness screenings, evaluations, and free consultations with medical professionals from the island and the mainland.

The construction of the San Pedro and Caye Caulker General Hospital, a significant milestone for the islanders, has begun. The first piles of its foundation have been erected, marking the start of a project expected to improve healthcare services for the community significantly.

While Hurricane Beryl is not expected to hit Belize directly, the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) opened shelters in San Pedro Town and Caye Caulker on Thursday, July 4th. The shelters opened at 4 PM, with one in Caye Caulker at the Roman Catholic School and the Sagebrush Church and St. John Paul Youth Center (only for persons with disabilities) in San Pedro. If anyone needs to use the shelters in San Pedro, they can contact NEMO at 226-4824 or 614-5865 and 611-6603 in Caye Caulker.

A public meeting, a crucial step in the process, was held on Thursday, May 23rd, at the Lions Den to discuss the possibility of expanding the current boundaries of San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye. This Municipal Boundaries Re-Delineation Exercise campaign, led by the Department of Local Government, is being held across the seven towns in the country. The aim is to engage the local communities, recognizing their importance in shaping the future of their town, especially in areas where there are no readily distinguishable boundaries or traditional boundary lines are not definitive. The session saw many island residents voicing their opinions about the project and suggesting ideas for its successful implementation, emphasizing the significance of their input.