15/11/2025
The Ambergris North Alliance (ANA) was formed in October 2024 by a group of concerned citizens who recognize that every person’s livelihood on this island depends on the island’s primary economic engine: tourism. Visitors who come to Ambergris Caye deserve to experience a clean, safe, and organized destination with world-class snorkeling, diving, fishing, fly fishing, and other natural attractions that have made this island famous.
Our main mission is to ensure that the North Road is a clean and safe area for both residents and visitors. Our monthly roadside cleanups have brought positive results through the hard work of our volunteers and the support of the Town Council. However, these efforts alone are not enough. Larger and more permanent solutions are urgently needed.
Last year we met with Minister Perez to request that the North Road be properly filled and graded and that culverts be installed to prevent flooding and erosion. We also met with Mayor Wally to ask for weekly garbage collection beyond the Indigo area, proper street lights, and attention to several other issues. We further have registered our dismay at the longstanding problem of large trucks that damage the road itself, travel at dangerous speeds, create incredible noise and further are usually without load-nets to protect other motorists and cyclists from flying debris.
Large sections of the unpaved north road are virtual lakes after rains, and the deep holes contain hidden boulders that are causing people to break down and suffer expensive damage at a time when most are struggling to get by. Attempts to address this have resulted in temporary fixes at best, and then only when the problems reach actual crisis levels. A year ago we met with officials and were promised 250 loads of “appropriate” fill (more suitable than what is available from our local quarry). To date this fill has not arrived and despite the promise made, our repeated questions about it have fallen on deaf ears.
Even more frustrating is the fact that, despite the worsening road conditions, heavy trucks continue to run all day, starting as early as 3:30 am, ironically carrying the same fill that could help stabilize the North Road. Instead of being used to build the road up, the constant heavy traffic grinds it down even further, deepening holes, widening ruts, and turning already bad stretches into hazardous routes for residents, workers, and guests. It is an avoidable cycle that grows worse with every load hauled South.
We also raised concerns about dredging within the Mexico Rocks Marine Reserve for a barge landing on a residential beach. This issue was dismissed without real consideration, even though it threatens one of our most important protected areas.
We have lobbied local officials, central government, BTB …….
Despite much dialogue, we have seen no significant improvement in these areas of absolutely critical and immediate concern.
We urgently need to make the safety of our residents and our tourism industry a top priority on this island.
ANA believes that the future of Ambergris Caye depends on responsible leadership, transparent decision making, and protection of the natural resources that support our community. We believe that the elected local officials and those in central government should face the island’s problems head-on before there is no longer anything whatsoever “bonita” about this island. We will continue to lobby for the health and well-being of this island and we implore our leaders to come to the table and work with us for the benefit of all concerned.
Photos taken on N Ambergris Caye yesterday.
