Economy - Greater Belize Media

Recycling Plastics – Less Hazardous on the Environment

You’ve probably walked past a pile of garbage and cringed at the sight and smell. It’s not just an eyesore; it attracts pests and rodents that can spread diseases. A lot of the trash in Belize is made up of recyclable materials, like plastics. Plastic bags, for example, take ten to twenty years to break down, lingering in the environment. Studies show that plastics and microplastics have infiltrated all levels of the ocean’s food chain and are also clogging our drainage and waterways in Belize. Plastics can bind with harmful chemicals, known as persistent organic pollutants, which pose a threat to the reproductive systems, growth, and health of animals that consume contaminated food. Plastic bottles can take hundreds of years to decompose. In this edition of our Five Point Breakdown, News Five explores the issue of plastic waste and how recycling efforts can help mitigate its environmental impact. Here’s Marion Ali with the report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Plastics – they’re absolutely everywhere! Whether you’re at home, in the office, or shopping at the supermarket, you can’t escape them. They’re probably the most common items you’ll find in any building, unless there’s a ban in place and alternatives are being used. While many countries see plastics as a necessary evil, there are ways we can cut down on the plastic waste we generate. Dr. Arlenie Rogers, an Assistant Professor in Marine Biology at the University of Belize, suggests two key strategies: one proactive and the other reactive.

Minimizing Plastic Waste by Education & Recycling

Dr. Arlenie Rogers, Assistant Professor, Marine Biology, U.B.

“If we educate people, people will know, people will become more aware on how to recycle, but if we don’t have the right legislation in place, for example, a requirement where we have to separate our garbage into recyclables and garbage that cannot be recycled, then it’s going to be easier for people that collect recycling products at the landfill, or sorry, not at the landfill, at the transfer stations. And they will have less exposure to chemicals and other dangerous materials when garbage is all in one bag.”

Marion Ali

“One company in Belize wants to make a difference with the plastic garbage that we produce. Businessman Freddy Oriana is hoping to seek funding to be able to expand his Belize Recycling Company Limited at mile eight on the George Price Highway to be able to convert the plastic garbage into building materials such as plastic wood.”

Freddy Orellana, Owner, Belize Recycling Company Ltd.

“Mostly it’s the wood because you can make it different sizes and for different purposes too. You can build garbage bins, you can build chairs, you know, like picnic tables and things like that.”

Orellana shared that his company used to buy plastic waste to export to Guatemala, where it would be transformed into useful items. However, with the drop in purchasing prices, he’s had to hit pause on that part of the business. Despite this, he’s still happy to accept plastic donations, storing them with the hope that his recycling dream will soon come to life. His goal? To produce plastic wood as a sustainable building material.

Freddy Orellana

“If people want to bring it and donate it here, we process it and we file it and bail it and keep it. We visited various businesses in other countries, and they have strewing machines that have different molds, and we can use all the plastics to make this that we call plastic wood. You can add different colors, you can make different shapes. You can even build houses with it. This has a lot of benefits because it’s fire resistant, like bullets will be really hard to work through it.”

Orellana mentioned that plastic wood is actually tougher for bullets to penetrate compared to regular lumber.

(The Benefits of Building with Plastic Wood)

Freddy Orellana

“We had here a robbery at night and then somebody came with a gun and shot at the security guard, and then it went through the wood, but it wouldn’t go through this. So, this basically saved the person’s life.”

Luis Garcia, President, Belize Recyclers and Waste Management Association

“We’re gearing towards being that loophole between the private sector and government – that crossroads of building recycling opportunities in Belize. When we mean recycling, we mean doing recycling in Belize and selling recyclables out of Belize.”

Luis Garcia, the president of the newly formed Belize Recyclers and Waste Management Association, leads a group of over twenty passionate individuals and businesses united by a single mission: cutting down on plastic waste. They are currently exploring ways for Belize to make some cash by exporting plastic waste.

(Exploring Plastic Garbage as Part of Circular Economy)

Luis Garcia

“We have an interest from Taiwan of buying all the plastic bags from the banana industries, and we’re looking at tons of plastics there. So there is an interest there. There’s also an interest on the pet plastic, which is what is used for soft drinks. So we do have a lot of, interests that are already on the table, but we still need to put everything together and to make sure that we meet the volumes that make it sustainable. By just picking up a few crocus bags here and there, we just have to sell it to the nearest buyer, which would be Guatemala or Mexico. But if we can actually put everything together, all the efforts together and put policy in order, then we can actually build a recycling opportunity for Belize and develop recycling as a business and not just as an environmental willingness of people.”

Dr. Rogers believes that if Belize had laws requiring us to separate our garbage, it would make everyone responsible for not just reducing, but also organizing the waste we create, much of which is plastic.

(Separating Garbage Protects Recyclers)

Dr. Arlenie Rogers

“When we put our garbage in the drum, like in the cities and the towns, everything is in one. In other countries, their laws require people to separate their garbage. They separate organic waste, they separate plastic waste, they separate cans, they separate bottles. Everything is separated. So when the collection truck comes, it’s separated. If we were to have that in Belize, the people that are at the transfer station, the people that the recyclers, they would be less exposed to, you know, many chemicals that come with the garbage.”

Dr. Rogers thinks Belize needs to tighten up its laws for businesses that handle plastic containers. It’s time to get serious about regulating plastic use.

Enforcing the Laws on Businesses

Dr. Arlenie Rogers

“What needs to be done is to ensure that those companies that market themselves as producer of biodegradable products, that they are really complying, that they are indeed making biodegradable products. Secondly, Belize also needs to extend the enforcement of the Returnable Containers Act, because the Returnable Containers Act looks at glass and other beverage containers, and beverage containers are not only made of glass, they are made of plastic, they are made of metal. So if you want to minimize plastic, then the enforcement needs to be done on other companies and other distributors that are importing beverage containers that are producing plastic.”

Under current law, anyone caught importing restricted plastic products faces a hefty fine. They could be fined at least a thousand dollars or three times the value of the imported goods, but the penalty won’t exceed twenty thousand dollars. Marion Ali for News Five.

Experts Say Belize’s Lobster Stocks Dwindling

For years, Belizeans have casually remarked that the country’s fisherfolk were overfishing lobster. These opinions often stem from witnessing the mass sales of undersized lobsters. Now, the Belize Federation of Fishers (B.F.F.), a non-profit organization, has released data from the Belize Fisheries Project in 2024, confirming these concerns. The evidence shows that public sentiment is indeed accurate. Supporting the B.F.F.’s findings, their partner, Sea Around Us, has presented compelling evidence to the government, indicating that Belize’s lobster stocks are at risk due to irresponsible fishing practices and a lack of strict enforcement by authorities. The B.F.F. has even warned that without stringent measures, such as significantly reducing the number of fishing licenses, Belize’s lobster stocks could be depleted within three years! Here’s News Five’s Marion Ali with Part One of a three-part report on the state of Belize’s lobster stocks.

Marion Ali, Reporting

On a random day, personnel from the Belize Fisheries Department, accompanied by the GI-3 Unit of the Belize Police Department scour the waters offshore the mainland to conduct searches and raids. They are looking for persons engaged in illegal fishing, and because the lobster season is open, particularly undersized lobster. The open lobster season means that some fishermen will wantonly extract legal as well as undersized lobster. On this Sunday, in August 2024, the patrol visited two fishing camps within a ten-mile distance from Belize City and stopped the only fishing vessel it came across in that two-hour patrol in that area that afternoon.

Hampton Gamboa, Compliance Unit Supervisor, Belize Fisheries Department

“Everybody got license?”

Fishermen

“Yeah.”

Hampton Gamboa

“Bout how much pound ah lobster unu have more or less total, estimated, in terms ah weight, pounds?

Fisherman

“like 3 – 350.”

The patrols are led by the Fisheries Department’s Conservation Compliance Unit Supervisor, Hampton Gamboa, who is responsible for enforcing fisheries regulations and compliance in the blue spaces across Belize. The patrols have become a major part of an improved enforcement system, he said, partly because of the dwindling lobster stocks in the region, and partly because of the research findings that non-government organizations like the Belize Federation of Fishers and the Sea Around Us have presented to the government. Dr Daniel Pauly is a Professor, Marine Biologist and lead researcher for The Sea Around Us.

Dr. Daniel Pauly, Marine Biologist

“The point is to maintain the fishing effort – the number of fishers, the number of gear, the number of boats or whatever at a certain level, that’s called managing the stock and the stocks in Belize are not managed right. So, what is happening now is that the lobster population is down and cannot generate the catch that it generated before. And the only way you can overcome that problem is fishing less for a while. If you fish less for a while, the stock can recover and if it recovers, then it can generate again and a big catch.”

George Myvett, Technical Advisor, Belize Federation of Fishers

“If serious measures are not taken to reverse and or to essentially stop the status quo of allowing an open-access fishery to continue, then we’re looking at two to three years before the industry crashes. There has to be a cap on the amount of licenses. because obviously, the resources are not only finite, but they are really in decline.”

Dwight Neal is a marine biologist who worked for 20 years with the Belize Fisheries Department before departing the government service to work in the NGO community in protected areas management. He has a completely different position on the state of Belize’s lobster stocks, but he believes there needs to be proper management of our lobster stocks.

Dwight Neal, Marine Biologist

“I don’t necessarily want to project that kind of gloom and doom picture. I don’t think it’s as bad as that, but it definitely needs management. It needs urgent attention. What it requires is a combination of policy, management decisions and enforcement. And in most cases, we have the policy, and we have some of the management. Enforcement is a very expensive exercise, so while you can do policy and management primarily from a desk or from an office, enforcement, not so much. You need boats, you need bodies in boats, you need people to be out there.”

The Belize Federation of Fishers is headed by George Myvett, also a former Senior Fisheries Officer with the Belize Fisheries Department. He says the Federation relies on scientific research information provided by the Fisheries Project to form its position. The only viable way forward, he says, is for Belize to stick to its international commitments.

George Myvett

“We’re looking at the commitment that Belize has made to regional conservation efforts and one of those measures is to discontinue the harvesting of the four-ounce tails. This is so because the smaller size classes, the four-ounce tails (lobsters) have not had a chance to reproduce.”

Hampton Gamboa says the Fisheries Department has become more vigilant and has been enforcing the laws on its sea patrols, which sometimes include the Belize Coast Guard.

Hampton Gamboa

“Every tail that they have in their possession, lobster tail, has to exceed four ounces, and if it’s whole lobsters, then it has to exceed three inches in carapace length. So those are primarily what we look for as enforcement officers to ensure that the fishermen are in compliance with our laws and regulation.”

Myvett suggested that a two-year moratorium be implemented to give the lobster stock time to replenish itself.

In part two of this story, we’ll hear from two fishermen, who agree that there is overfishing of this valuable marine product.

This story was produced with support from Internews’ Earth Journalism Network.

Tropic Air Adds New Caravan to Its Fleet

Tropic Air has just expanded its caravan fleet with a brand-new aircraft. This week, the airline unveiled its fifteenth caravan, promising a consistent passenger experience no matter when or where you fly with them. Tropic’s owner and C.E.O., Max Greif, shared with News Five that as Belize’s largest airline, they take great pride in their service, even flying to less profitable destinations. Max took over the company from his father, John Greif III, and his business partner, Steve Schulte. Now, he’s implementing upgrades to ensure Tropic Air remains top-notch for the next thirty years. Here’s News Five’s Marion Ali with the report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

This brand-new V3-HJA single-engine caravan is now the latest aircraft in Belize. Tropic Air introduced this new addition to its fleet this week. Max Greif, the owner of Tropic Air, says this acquisition is part of a broader effort to make flying more reliable and enjoyable for passengers.

Max Greif, Owner/C.E.O., Tropic Air

“Our focus really for the past two years has been growth focusing on our core. What do we do well and making sure that we do more of it? And so we made the decision last year to become an all caravan fleet. Every time you fly Tropic, it’s on a grand caravan with air conditioning, with I.F.R. rating, which is instrument flight rating which allows our pilots to fly through weather. It allows us to anticipate difficult weather anomalies that could pop up, and at the end of the day, our value differentiator from our competitor is providing a premium experience. We’re the only airline in the country and really in the region that offers an all I.F.R. rated fleet, all caravan fleet, and all of our aircraft to have air conditioning.”

Greif purchased the company from his father, John Greif the Third, and his business partner, Steve Schulte, two years ago when COVID crippled the country’s economy and had a devastating effect on Tropic Air. Moving forward, Greif said that in the post-pandemic era, there is great potential for growth.

Max Greif

“There was a big jump after COVID, but we believe that there’s sustained level of growth for us to maintain. And really we saw the need for a 15th caravan. A lot of it comes from the fact that we have a very supportive government. All the work that’s been done by the Ministry of Tourism, as well as the prime ministers, the Ministry Minister of Civil Aviation. We see that we have a government that’s very supportive of growth and also ensuring that Belizean companies are protected. And so to the extent that that environment remains, we’re going to continue to acquire new aircraft. We’re expanding our cortisol terminal. We’re looking to break ground in Placencia. We have several aircraft that we expect to bring online next year.”

To keep their service top-notch across the country, Greif mentioned that Tropic Air even flies to less profitable areas. He highlighted how much the airline industry depends on tourism. In today’s world, where security is crucial for travel safety, Greif emphasized that Tropic Air prioritizes this aspect as well.

Max Greif

“We have four dedicated employees that are just for safety. We have an SMS program, a safety management system program. That is solely dedicated on ensuring that we provide the safest possible operations. Um, that recognizes our security apparatus. And it’s this healthy balance of ensuring that we provide the best possible experience, the best possible service, while maintaining a sense of safety and security. And we take the approach that the security level has to be commensurate with the threat. We have a zero tolerance policy of whether it’s through our cargo system, or whether it’s through any packages that are being carried by a passenger, and also we regularly have police inspections of our aircraft.”

Marion Ali for News Five.

Excessive Flooding in Canal

Tonight, Ray Cattouse, who lives at Mile Fourteen on the Philip Goldson Highway, is once again speaking out to the media. He’s worried about the environment and frustrated with his neighbor’s actions. Despite years of complaints to the Department of the Environment, his neighbor has been allowed to continue waste management operations. Cattouse claims these activities have polluted the creek on his property and now caused severe flooding. We visited Cattouse’s home today to see the damage firsthand. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the report.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Across the country, hundreds of families are grappling with the severe flooding brought on by Tropical Storm Sara. However, Ray Cattouse, who lives at Mile Fourteen on the Philip Goldson Highway, believes there’s more to the story behind the water invading his property. He points the finger at his neighbor who owns a carbonated beverage and hazardous waste disposal facility. A canal links the properties of Cattouse, Canul, and their neighbor Teichroeb. Last year, Cattouse reported a fishkill, which he claims was caused by pollutants in the water.

Ray Cattouse, Resident

“Because of that, I can’t give mister Teichroeb wrong for doing what mister Teichrob did. Mister Teichroeb block off the canal. So that the water pass through his place no more. I can’t give ah wrong. I woulda do the same thing. No, if the department of environment will tell you we can’t do nothing about that then you do what you could for yourself and due to that canal block off now, because this canal that flows through my property and mister Teichroeb property is the what you say the canal that the water used to pass through all the time on the natural canal, but now that is block, now the water have to find the way around.”

Cattouse explains that his neighbor blocked off access to the water on his property, which he understands since his neighbor also enjoys fishing in the nearby natural ponds. However, this has caused the water to change its course, leading to flooding on Cattouse’s land. While he acknowledges that the recent heavy rains might have made things worse, he insists he’s never seen flooding like this before.

Ray Cattouse

“We have a lot of water, but I’ve lived here since 2000. My parents have lived here since 79, and all the hurricanes and so we passed through. We never have this kind of flooding. This flooding just happened this year because the natural flow of the canal is black. And like I say again, I can’t beg mister Teichroeb to block out the water, make it go round, because the DOE say that they can’t do nothing about it. So he did something about his pond. And so with that now, like you see the whole area here is flooded because the two canals on either side of mister Teichroeb is too small to carry the water.”

The neighboring facility operates with the green light from the Department of the Environment, so it’s unlikely they’ll stop anytime soon. Cattouse mentioned that his property stretches at least half a mile, making it tough and costly to block access. He thinks the best fix would be to widen the culverts along the road to handle the increased water flow.

Ray Cattouse

“The resolution this time around is very simple, the culvert on either side of mister Teichroeb property. It’s too small to carry the water because the main flow of the water is block. No? But what the M.I.D. will have to do is to put two bigger culverts on each side of mister Teichroeb property. I’ll take you around there right now and show you the height of the water on both sides of mister Teichroeb property. Because the water can’t get through fast enough because the main stream going through mister Teichroeb land is blocked off”

In 2019, Cattouse took to the media to air his grievances about alleged air pollution emanating from Canul’s property. In 2023, Cattouse reported the alleged pollution of the creek. We reached out to the Chief Environmental Officer, Anthony Mai for a comment. He told us that the Department of the Environment is not aware of the current complaint but will investigate the matter. Britney Gordon for News Five.

Attorney Claims Immigration Dept. Wanted Him to Clients’ Meals

Rodriguez mentioned that right after his clients were detained, COPA Airline was covering their food and stay at the Global Village Hotel in Ladyville. However, one of the immigration officers who handled their case reached out to him, concerned that the meals weren’t being delivered on time. Rodriguez sees this as a potential lawsuit since his clients are under state custody.

Norman Rodriguez, Attorney-at-Law

“They’re being held by the state. Um, at the last time was Global Village Hotel. Yes, but I know that the, that the, at that point, it was the, the airline Cooper. Which took responsibility for the accommodation and the food. The immigration officer have made several attempts to get me to pay that, pay for the hotel accommodation, pay for the food. They come here almost every morning and tell me that they need breakfast and I tell them, you are the one have them detained. You are responsible for their welfare. So if anything goes wrong, you will have to answer to the court.”

Feinstein Discontinues $178 Million Lawsuit Against G.O.B. & Portico

In August 2023, developer Mike Feinstein and Stake Bank filed a claim against the Attorney General and Portico Enterprises Limited, the company behind Port of Magical Belize, seeking nearly one hundred and eighty million dollars in special damages for multiple breaches of their definitive agreement. Back in August 2017, the Feinstein Group struck a deal with the Government of Belize to build and operate the Stake Bank project, also known as Port Coral. At that time, the Barrow administration indicated it was considering granting Portico approval to build and operate a cruise ship docking facility near the Port of Belize. This twenty-five-year agreement was established before the Stake Bank Cruise Docking Facility Development Act came into effect in January 2018. Despite this agreement, the government approved another cruise ship docking facility in Belize District, leading to the controversial Port of Magical Belize. Feinstein argued that this move disrupted Stake Bank’s negotiations with financial institutions for project financing and with cruise ship operators for docking agreements, ultimately halting the construction of the Stake Bank Project. Feinstein sought several reliefs, including a declaration that the Government of Belize breached their August twenty-fifth, 2017 agreement, damages for breach of contract, and damages against Portico for inducing the breach, among other claims. Earlier this week, a notice of discontinuance was filed in the High Court, with Michael Feinstein stating he is “wholly discontinuing the action against the respondents in these proceedings”. However, litigation is still ongoing regarding the compulsory acquisition of nearly twenty-four acres of land on Stake Bank Island, with Feinstein suing the government over this issue.

UNICEF Supports Change to Legal Age of Marriage

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives made a historic decision to raise the legal age of marriage to eighteen. This change was sparked by debates during the 2023 National Youth Parliament. Today, we spoke with UNICEF’s Country Representative, Alison Parker, to get her take on this significant move. We also heard from Speaker of the House, Valerie Woods, for her perspective.

Alison Parker, Country Representative, UNICEF

“I think that is a fundamental one. For us at UNICEF, marriage is a legal contract, it is a legal document and a legal enterprise. Yes, it has to do with a love relationship but it’s legal. I want to ask if a fourteen-year-old is capable of making a legal decision and know what a legal contract is. Is a sixteen-year-old daughter and niece out there able to understand what that legislation means for them as a person and for their future. If we cannot answer that question then the age of marriage needs to be raised to an age where people are mentally, psychologically and culturally developed for them to understand what the contract is they are entering into.”

Valerie Woods, Speaker of the House of Representatives

“What happened at the House of Representatives this week is a testament of what young people can do. They were able to influence legislation and a meaningful one, raising the legal age of marriage which affects so many girls. It affects boys as well, one of the youth parliamentarian made the point that it was not only girls at that age being affected, it was also our boys. So, it is important to know that their voice has power.”

Elderly Woman Gifted New Home by Hand in Hand Ministries

Today, another family in Belize celebrated moving into a brand-new home, thanks to the Hand in Hand Ministries Building for Change Program. This amazing initiative finds people who need better living conditions and, with the help of volunteers and sponsors, builds them new homes. This morning, senior citizen Ana Campus was all smiles as she received the keys to her new house. News Five’s Britney Gordon brings us a heartwarming story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

This morning, sixty-nine-year-old Ana Campos received the keys to her brand-new home, a generous gift from Hand in Hand Ministries. She’s the five hundred and twenty second person to benefit from their Building for Change program. Ana shared her heartfelt gratitude for everyone who helped make her new home a reality.

Ana Campos, Homeowner

“I am happy that I got a new house. Thank God. I appreciate and thank everyone who put in effort to help build this new house. Hand in Hand, everybody.”

The new house is in the Holy Emmanuel area, right on the same lot where Ana Campos’ old home stood. Her previous house wasn’t suitable for her, her husband, and their two young grandchildren, making this new home a much-needed improvement.

Ana Campos

“I am thankful because I used to struggle over there in that small house. And now that we got to a bigger space, we have more space to move around. I’m so thankful to the people who help me build the house.”

The project was funded by Hand in Hand Ministries’ long-time partners, Belize Bank. Chairman Filippo Alario shared that Belize Bank staff went above and beyond, contributing their own time and resources to make this donation possible.

Filippo Alario, Chairman, Belize Bank

“We are committed to continue doing this over the years. Our staff has been absolutely instrumental. About forty of our staff members have committed their personal and family time to come on a weekend with rain, there was sun, and they battled the weather and they completed this place for Ms. Campos, so we are extremely excited, very happy.”

Belize Bank has been a partner of Hand in Hand Ministry for over thirteen years., becoming the first corporate sponsors for them.

Filippo Alario

“Over the years, we’ve been building, I think, about fourteen houses. Today’s a very special day. We’re giving a house to a very needy family, the Sanacampos. She’s elderly. She has an extended family. They all live here. And for us to be able to give her a house that now she can turn into a home, it’s It is an absolute privilege and it fills our hearts with hope. And I think that is what a home is, right? It gives you dignity, it gives you hope. And that is what we want to give them.”

Construction on the house kicked off on Friday, and by Wednesday, it was all set for the family to move in. The new home boasts a bathroom, a kitchen, a cozy living area, and two bedrooms. Rashida Bethram, Director of the Building for Change Program, shared these exciting details.

Rashida Bethram, Director, Building For Change Program

“With Hand in Hand Ministries, we believe in giving families a hands up rather than a hands out. And the purpose of the program is to give them a start. So the house is basically a shell. With the partnership with the bank provided an upgrade to the home where they get interior painting, they get a ceiling, they get electricals, they get plumbing and they also receive aluminum windows for the nice fine touch. And the Belize bank has also decided this year to do a fine addition of a veranda to the home.”

This home is the twenty-second home built through the ministry just this year. All the teams are dedicated to assisting Belize’s underprivileged population and providing safe, comfortable homes that will last them years.

Britney Gordon for News Five.

P.C.C. Granted Extension til May of 2025

The People’s Constitution Commission was supposed to submit its final report this week, but that’s been delayed. Chairman Anthony Chanona requested a second extension to delve deeper into the review. Today, Minister of the Public Service Henry Charles Usher confirmed that the extension has been granted, but no additional funds will be provided. The Commission is working with a budget of one point five million dollars and is tasked with delivering a report to the Prime Minister based on public consultations and recommendations for amending Belize’s Constitution.

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service

“The Chairman, after meeting with the commission, made a request to the Prime Minister for another extension. However, the legislation did not contemplate that. So, we had to go to the house yesterday to introduce and to read through three readings, an amendment to the section dealing with the extension so that we could give one final extension, which was approved by the house. It needs now to be approved by the Senate. Well, that extension goes up to May of 2025, for the final report to be submitted to the Prime Minister. The Chairman has advised the Prime Minister that he does not need any more money all he’s asking for is more time to have the stakeholders respond to the raw data and for them to put together the final report.”

Mayor Says St. Thomas Street was Decent Before B.W.S. dug it up

On Monday, we reported on the Belize City Council’s ambitious six-million-dollar plan to fix the damaged streets across the city. While this project is desperately needed, the council was initially unsure where the funding would come from. Despite this, work has already started. Repairs on Thomas Street, which has been in disrepair for about eight months, are now underway thanks to a collaboration between Belize Telecommunications Limited, Belize Water Service, and the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing. In an interview today, Mayor Bernard Wagner explained why the repairs took so long to begin.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“That street was never to be rehabilitated It was a decent street prior to it being dogged up by BWS. It was a decent street that was in our plan to rehabilitate that street. We have people living in worse conditions than on St. Thomas Street at that point in time. So we didn’t even have that as a planned street to rehabilitate, but one of the utilities companies, brought on by certain elements went out ahead without approval from us, dug the street up and that is when it went into a real sort of state that we had to know stepping on, then we stepped in and along with the BWS, Digi, and MIDH, we were able to. It’s a street that has been funded by the city. It’s just that they are paying up front and we, we, um, offset over a period of three years, but at the end of the day, it’s a street that is still being funded by the city with the, with the exception of course of MIDH who really contributed close to three hundred twenty-five thousand towards it.”

Reporter

“So the utility companies are putting in roughly?”

Bernard Wagner

“Three twenty-ve. Each company has committed to three hundred and twenty-five thousand. Again, it’s a sort of collaborative effort. But so as not to really bring any stresses on, the council’s cash flow. over one year period, we said we’ll spread it over a three-year period instead.”