BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – The Belize Port Authority (BPA) said on Wednesday it has taken note of allegations suggesting irregular practices by multiple government agencies during the departure and return of vessels participating in the Legacy of Champions International Fishing Tournament held in Roatán, Honduras.
“The BPA categorically denounces these allegations as they relate to the Belize Port Authority. Our mandate is to ensure the safety of navigation in Belizean waters and to carry out our statutory regulatory functions in accordance with the laws of Belize and the applicable Regulations,” the BPA said in a statement.
The BPA statement comes after Jorge Aldana, who was on one of the nine teams that left San Pedro for the event, claimed on social media that “No Belizean should be charged to leave or enter the country by a private Belizean-registered vessel…
“Yet when we go to compete in fishing tournaments in Mexico or Honduras, we are charged BDZ$100 (One BDZ$=US$0.49 cents) by Immigration Department officials, BDZ$100 by public health officers, BDZ$100 by BAHA officers, and $100 by Port Authority officials.”
Aldana called the charges “unfair, unacceptable, illegal, and a corrupt scheme run by these public officers on Ambergris Caye.
But in its statement, the BPA said following a thorough review of the documentation submitted by the masters of vessels that departed Belize for the tournament and upon their return, the BPA can confirm “that there was no irregularity on the part of the Authority” adding that “all processes were executed in strict compliance with established procedures and in line with our legal obligations.
“Specifically, records show that the individual making these allegations was not a master of any vessel, but rather a member of the five-person crew on board a participating vessel. “
The BPA stated that, according to documentation submitted to it, the master of the vessel applied to depart from San Pedro on September 9, providing all required documentation, including the crew list, which identified Aldana as part of the crew.
“The BPA verified the documentation and issued a formal Departure Clearance to the vessel’s master. In accordance with the Belize Port Authority (Tariff) Regulations, the applicable departure clearance fee was collected, and an official BPA receipt (No. 122794) was issued.”
It said that upon the vessel’s return to San Pedro on September 16, BPA officers conducted the mandatory Boarding for Entry formalities applicable to all ships arriving from a foreign port.
“The BPA officer carried out the required inspection and completed the official BPA Boarding Form … duly signed by both the BPA officer and the master. The applicable entry fees were collected in line with the Tariff Regulations, and an official BPA receipt …was issued to the master.
“All documentation, including clearances, boarding forms, and official receipts, has been collated and securely transmitted to BPA headquarters for compliance review and record-keeping. These records demonstrate clearly that the Belize Port Authority acted properly, transparently, and within the law.”
The BPA said that it does not, under any circumstances, “condone irregular activities” and “therefore reject and denounce any such accusations made against our officers without evidence.
“We take this opportunity to remind all vessel operators and crew that the BPA’s procedures and documentation requirements are essential to ensuring maritime safety, security, and compliance within Belize’s territorial waters.”
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