SJCU Cuts Ribbon on Biggest Upgrade in Its 80‑Year History

It’s a milestone moment for one of Belize’s most trusted financial institutions. Saint John’s Credit Union is marking not one, but two major achievements, the grand opening of its brand‑new headquarters on Buttonwood Bay Boulevard, and an incredible eighty years of service to Belizeans. The new building represents a bold leap forward after decades of steady growth. Paul Lopez was on the ground for the official launch and brings us the story.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

This morning, there was a real sense of pride and accomplishment as executives, staff, members, and special guests of St. John’s Credit Union came together for a major moment in the institution’s history. They officially unveiled their brand‑new, state‑of‑the‑art headquarters on Buttonwood Bay Boulevard, the largest infrastructural upgrade the credit union has taken on in its eighty years of service. For Board President Alvan Haynes, the opening isn’t just about a new building; it’s a powerful symbol of decades of steady growth and commitment to the Belizean community.

 

Allan Haynes, President, Saint John’s Credit Union

“Of course it is a big great excitement for us. It is a large, brand new headquarters building. It is an achievement that has been in the planning for years, probably ten, fifteen years. we started by moving in a rental location on the northside in 2018. Then we were starting to plan this COVID came along and we had to wait three years before we started again. But we pushed ahead.”

 

 

 

The new building is a major investment, fourteen million dollars’ worth. It spans thirty‑five thousand square feet, giving the credit union more room to run its operations, serve customers, and roll out modern financial technology.

 

Allan Haynes

“We outgrew our current office space on Bastra Street. We literally didn’t have room for anymore staff and the growth in the credit union was demanding more staff and better facilities for both staff and members and of course we are looking at future growth and trying to find a strategic location where it would be convenient and easy access for members to get to us.”

 

 

 

St. John’s Credit Union got its start in 1946, inside a modest classroom on Albert Street. At the time, it operated with nothing more than a handful of dedicated members. Since then, its membership has expanded significantly, and it now holds over hundred million in liquidity, a testament to its resilience and loyal membership base.

 

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City

“When you look at this new headquarters on Buttonwood Bay Boulevard you are looking at something Belize City understand well, and it is belief made visible. Many of us grew up knowing what a credit union represented. It is where your parents went because someone listened, where a small loan carried a big dream, where people were treated as members, not numbers.”

 

 

 

The move to Buttonwood Bay is a big part of St. John’s Credit Union’s plan to keep up with its rapidly growing membership. And while this new headquarters will serve as the main hub of operations, SJCU isn’t leaving its roots behind. The Southside office on Basra Street will remain open, making sure members across the city continue to have easy access to services.

 

 

 

 

Kareem Musa, Area Representative, Caribbean Shores

“The Saint John’s Credit Union has been around for eighty years. It has not just survived; it has thrived through very tough economic situations over those eighty years. And so today is a proud moment not just for the administration and staff but for all its members, all the thirty thousand members it serves. So, I am here as the representative for Caribbean Shores because it certainly is a welcome addition to the landscape, to our economic hub here.”

 

 

The credit union’s leaders say the new headquarters goes beyond bricks and mortar, it represents a push to enhance services, improve operations, and strengthen the financial security of its members. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.