On October 30, 2026, Belize’s Central Building Authority (CBA) formally revoked the operational certification of the local San Pedro Building Unit, stripping the island-level body of all authority to review and approve construction plans and issue building permits for properties across San Pedro Island. The unprecedented decertification follows months of documented non-compliance with the national Building Act and formal national building code, which was formally tabled and passed in the House of Representatives for nationwide enforcement, according to CBA Chief Engineer Evondale Moody. The San Pedro Building Unit was originally established as part of a CBA decentralization partnership with the San Pedro Town Council, tasked with fast-tracking approvals for construction projects under 5,000 square feet to reduce bureaucratic delays for island residents and developers. But Moody confirmed that CBA oversight teams repeatedly uncovered unapproved overreach, including the unit granting permits for projects far exceeding the 5,000-square-foot threshold, alongside consistent failures to follow mandatory safety and documentation protocols outlined in the national building code. Multiple formal warnings, on-site advisory visits, and corrective action discussions with unit leadership failed to resolve the discrepancies, and the CBA was forced to replace three separate technical managers assigned to the San Pedro unit over identical compliance failures prior to the decertification announcement. In response to the sudden ruling, the San Pedro Town Council has issued a formal public statement demanding full transparency from the CBA, requesting complete supporting documentation including full audit reports and formal violation logs that justify the decertification decision. The council noted it has already initiated internal procedural upgrades to strengthen the unit’s operations, while emphasizing it remains committed to preserving its collaborative working relationship with the CBA to resolve the impasse. Moody stressed that the CBA is fully open to constructive negotiations with the town council to map out a clear compliance roadmap that would allow the San Pedro Building Unit to regain its certification as quickly as possible, noting the priority for the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing, led by Minister Julius Espat, is to ensure all construction permitting processes across the country are conducted with full transparency and adherence to national safety standards. For the duration of the suspension, all San Pedro Island residents and developers seeking new building approvals or permits must submit their applications directly to the national CBA office. The CBA also confirmed it will launch a full retrospective review of all permits previously issued by the decertified San Pedro unit to identify any unqualified or non-compliant approvals that may pose public safety risks.