Santos Guardiola is getting new leadership—but not the kind of change locals voted for

The race for mayor in Santos Guardiola has been one of the closest battles in this year’s general elections. With 79.31% of the vote counted up to midday today, the advantage leans toward the National Party, leaving the Liberal Party narrowly behind. For many islanders, this moment feels historic. After 12 consecutive years under the same Liberal administration, a shift in leadership is something the community has been expecting—and demanding—for a long time.

Photograph by Javier Tejeda.

For many years, residents voiced constant frustration with corruption, mismanagement, and internal conflicts within the municipality. Many of those complaints came from people who worked inside the administration itself. The desire for a different direction is real, and the possibility of new leadership brings relief to many who felt ignored or sidelined for years. On that front, the potential change is meaningful.

But not all change is automatically good, and the current trajectory raises difficult questions—questions that matter not only for the future of the municipality but for the island’s environment and the people who depend on it.

A few weeks ago, we shared the story of the environmental disaster in Camp Bay, where investor Scott Miller, from Arizona, carried out development without the required environmental permits or studies. When the rains came, the runoff from that project poured directly into the sea. The images were devastating: drone shots, underwater videos, and photos showing the sediment clouding the water and suffocating the reef. The imagery was impossible to dismiss.

Following the release of the article and other content on this disaster, a live online meeting was held with BICA, the Roatan Marine Park, the BIHCPS, and the ICF, streamed on our Facebook page. During that discussion, a representative from the Marine Park explained exactly why the mud caused the reef to suffocate—and why the damage could be long-lasting. The conversation made clear that Camp Bay is not the only place at risk. Several similar environmental problems are emerging along the island, tied to development that ignores the consequences.

This is where politics and environmental protection collide—and where the story becomes more complicated.

Scott Miller is not a stranger to local politics. He has been a longtime friend and supporter of the National Party's candidate, even raising funds for his campaign. During this electoral cycle, Miller sent a message in a private group chat urging investors to help raise $160,000 in six weeks for this candidate's campaign. In his message, he emphasized that having him as mayor was essential to “protecting and growing our shared investment on the island.” His message reads as follows:

This upcoming election is too important to stay quiet. We urgently need to raise $160,000 in the next six weeks, and I'm reaching out to ask for your support. Having Sterling in the mayor's seat is not just about politics — it's about protecting and growing our shared investment on the island. With the right leadership, especially on the east end of Santos Guardiola, we have an opportunity to build it out the right way: improving infrastructure, supporting responsible development, and enhancing the quality of life for everyone. We can't guarantee a win, but with your help, Sterling has a real shot. He has a strong vision and big plans for the east end, but we need to fund his campaign to make this happen. Please let us know what we can count on from you by the end of the month. Every contribution, large or small, makes a difference. Thank you for standing with us. Scott.

Scott highlighted here goals like improving infrastructure, supporting responsible development, and enhancing the quality of life for everyone. But many locals and investors point out that these promises don’t line up with their experiences. Some investors say their properties suffered serious damage from runoff during the rains, something they felt could have been prevented with proper infrastructure. Questions have also been raised about responsible development, since several of his projects moved forward without the environmental licenses that are normally required. Instead of following the full legal process, he ended up paying fines as he anticipated after issues came to light. The runoff from those works reached the beach in Camp Bay, and it smothered part of the nearby reef as well as spilling into neighboring properties. For many people watching all of this unfold, the idea of “enhancing quality of life” feels out of touch with the reality they’ve lived. From their perspective, the benefits haven’t reached the community—only the developer.

You’d expect that after everything that’s happened, the team behind these projects would slow down and correct course. They had already approached several organizations to begin the proper process, but instead of pausing, the activity has continued. Just this week, Miranda Tate—the realtor brought in from Arizona—announced that she closed on a lot in Sunset Vistas on November 20th and promoted it on social media. In her post, she framed Roatan as more than a vacation spot, calling it an “incredible investment” and highlighting the world’s second-largest reef, vibrant marine life, and unmatched diving and snorkeling. For locals who watched that same reef get covered in runoff during the rains and eventually dying as a result, the contrast was hard to ignore. She also promoted tax benefits, investment incentives, and “improving infrastructure,” especially in areas being developed by the American developer she works with. But on the island, many residents and organizations have raised concerns that these projects are moving ahead without the environmental licenses normally required, with practices they view as unethical and harmful to the ecosystem.

Back to this candidate in question, he also traveled to Arizona during the campaign to meet with investors. Many saw it online. This wasn’t his first trip—he had been there previously in 2021 also meeting with investors further proving that he champions these projects whether they are ethically and legally done or not. The relationship between the two men is established and long-standing.

That connection is what raises huge alarms.

While voters may feel relieved at the idea of seeing the Liberal Party step out after 12 years, the candidate poised to take over is someone openly aligned with the very developer responsible for one of the most vile environmental disasters in Santos Guardiola’s recent history. The candidate has championed development as a key priority, but these events force us to ask: development at what cost, and for whose benefit?

From December 4th to December 7th, Miller will have one of his investors arrive on the island of Roatan bringing with him an investor tour, to purchase even more unethical developments. Locals of Santos Guardiola have confirmed they have alerted higher authorities in this matter as the local government is unable to resolve.

This moment demands a level of awareness from the community that goes beyond political colors. A new mayor does not automatically mean safer development, stricter oversight, or protection for the island’s ecosystems. If the municipality becomes a promoter of the same projects that threaten the environment, then residents cannot rely on the local government alone to safeguard their resources.

This is where the responsibility shifts back to the people.

Islanders must stay vigilant. They must report environmental violations not just locally, but directly to the national authorities—the institutions equipped to intervene even when a municipality will not. They must document, denounce, and keep raising their voices, just as they did when the Camp Bay footage went public.

This election marks a turning point. There is hope in the possibility of change, and there is danger in the direction that development may take. The island stands at a crossroads where decisions made today will shape the coastline, the reef, the communities, and the livelihoods of generations to come.

Photograph by Javier Tejeda.

If you care about your island, now is the time to stay engaged.If you witness unregulated construction, land clearing, runoff, or any activity that threatens your community or the marine environment, report it immediately to the national environmental authorities. Keep records. Take photos. Speak up. Share information. Demand transparency. Demand enforcement.

No matter who becomes mayor, the protection of Santos Guardiola will depend on the vigilance of its people. Change is happening—but it’s up to all of us to make sure it becomes the kind of change that protects the island, not one that puts it at risk.