A planned revitalization initiative for Dangriga’s central town market, designed to modernize the coastal district’s commercial landscape and improve urban mobility, has left hundreds of informal streetside vendors uncertain about their livelihoods, just as the local community navigates a post-pandemic recovery for small business. The proposal, unveiled by the Dangriga Town Council, would relocate vendors currently operating in high-foot-traffic zones near the municipal bus terminal and along Ecumenical Drive into the underused central market square. Council leaders frame the move as a long-overdue upgrade that will bring the town in line with other major population centers across Belize that operate structured, successful public markets.
In an interview following a public consultation held Wednesday to address vendor concerns, Market Councilor Hilberto Bernardez outlined the multiple public benefits the council expects the overhaul to deliver. He noted that the current scattered layout of street vendors has created persistent traffic congestion along Ecumenical Drive, one of the town’s busiest arterial roads, and blocked critical access routes for emergency responders including police and fire services. Relocating all vendors to a centralized market will clear these roadways, easing through traffic and improving public safety for all residents.
Beyond infrastructure and safety gains, Bernardez emphasized that a centralized, organized market will also support Dangriga’s growing tourism sector. Visitors to the town frequently search for a dedicated market space to purchase local handicrafts, souvenirs, and traditional Belizean food, and a revitalized central market will meet that demand, boosting local economic activity in the process. He added that the current unregulated system, which allows out-of-town vendors to set up unapproved stalls anywhere in high-traffic areas, has created disorganization that holds the town back from reaching its commercial potential. Right now, the central market square is largely underutilized, lagging far behind the well-run, thriving markets found in Belize City, Cayo, Belmopan, Punta Gorda, Orange Walk and Corozal.
For the streetside vendors who would be affected by the move, however, the plan carries significant personal and financial risk. Many vendors rely on the constant foot and vehicle traffic near the bus terminal and Ecumenical Drive to attract the repeat and passing customers that make up their steady income. Moving to the central market square would cut them off from this reliable customer flow, vendors argue, and many fear their small businesses will not survive the shift.
As the proposal moves forward, the core challenge for Dangriga officials and vendors alike remains striking a fair balance between the town’s goal of creating a more organized, tourist-friendly commercial hub and protecting the livelihoods of the low-income small vendors who have built their businesses on the town’s busiest streets. The public consultation Wednesday marked the first formal step in addressing vendor concerns as the council refines its plan ahead of a final vote.