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Completing its second year, The Project acts as a social safety net and helps to put food on the table for many families, particularly from the South Side of Belize City. But the funding is finished so what's next for them? Well the Ministry of Works called a press briefing today and told the workers what's next:

Andrea Polanco Reporting
Today the Ministry of Works filled the Queen's Room at the Princess - bringing in over two hundred men and women employed by the Rejuvenation Project, which gives unemployed, low skill persons from the City's Southside an opportunity to earn a paycheck.

The packed Room was full of smiling faces, cheers, and hearty applause. So, why the high spirits? Well they'll get to keep their jobs - under a new project. Works Minister Anthony 'Boots Martinez told his workers that a few days ago he signed a loan through the OPEC Fund for International Development-for Southside poverty alleviation:

Hon. Boots Martinez, Minister of Works
"I went to Vienna, Austria last week and we held the signing ceremony last week for the second phase for the Southside project equivalent of US11 Million dollars."

Crowd
"Applauding."

Hon. Boots Martinez, Minister of Works
"And plus for that US11 million to spend government have to put in BZ8 million, so that's 30 million. You know it's a loan and it won't take effect until a month time that is because we must get the procurement process in order which means the signing of the contract. We have the scope of work already, for example: Central American Boulevard will hot mix from Save-U Supermarket to the corner of Caesar Ridge Road. Jane Usher Boulevard - we are finishing up with the relocation of the people that were on the boulevard, that should be completed in the next two weeks and Jane Usher Boulevard will be paved and also with drainage on the side and a park in the front. Neal's Pen Road from one end to the other will be pave all the way. Faber's Road will be resurface from the junction of the western highway all the way to Queen Charlotte Street."

"The lining of the canal from Yabra bridge to past the fish market in terms of both sides cement like what is out in town. Under the Southside project we already erect a new bridge by Curassow Street by South Creek, we are getting ready for us to put the approach to it for it to be usable, it is done Jules."

The scope of work under the Second Phase of the Southside Project focuses on three main areas: Infrastructure which covers drainage, street and drainage improvements, Land Reclamation and Improvement of Housing Units. The second area is Education, Training and Social Development and the third- Institutional Support, Audit and Supervision will all amount to thirty million dollars. Works done in all these areas will provide the workers with much needed jobs. This employment, said Minister Boots Martinez, is guaranteed to the people of the Rejuvenation Project:

Hon. Boots Martinez, Minister of Works
"The various component of the second phase of the Southside project, all the employees will be secure of their jobs, the scope of work will be different but we will be moving into different section of the work. I will be coordinating with CYDP, the people at Ministry of works as to the section of which we will fit in - in terms of the new scope of work."

This new scope of work, like many other projects before, will have tremendous impact on the social and economic welfare of the employers:

Hon. Boots Martinez, Minister of Works
"I can point to at least twenty people in this room who had nothing, had no skills, now they have a skill, they have their house, they have their land and they have their job. I will tell you that harmony have been one of the greatest assets of this project because we have people working from all walks of life, from all different areas and man it's a joy for me to watch people that use to have rival from other areas are passing and saying good morning and good afternoon."

And so it is over the years, the employees have become more than just workers to Boots Martinez, he said that his commitment is unwavering, because they are like his children:

Hon. Boots Martinez, Minister of Works
It's a joy for me to always say that everybody, all the employees and everybody that fit in this project is my children, so when they are not eating I am feeling it and I made a promise to them - all things being equal, I won't let them down."

The second phase of the South Side Project is expected to begin some time early next year.