There was much fanfare today at one of the city's busiest bus stops, as the City Council officially opened the modernized bus stop located on the Northern Highway adjacent to the Pallotti High School. Hundreds if not thousands of northern commuters will enjoy ample seating and shelter from the elements, along with increased security features at this new bus stop financed by the Castillo Group of companies. Today Seven news spoke with its Director, popular businessman Santiago Castillo, Jr. who said this is one of many community ventures the company is embarking on.
Santiago Castillo Jr. - Director SanCas Ltd.
"To start with it is right in front of the Santiago Castillo building - our headquarters and we look at it every day, our lunch faces what was the old bus stop and we look at it and we came up with the idea you know what let us modernize the bus stop and make it nicer for the Belizeans that wait there. This is one of the busiest bus stops. That's how the idea originated."
Jim McFadzean
"Is the bus stop sponsored exclusively by Santiago Castillo Ltd. or is it co-sponsored by the City Council?"
Santiago Castillo Jr. - Director SanCas Ltd.
"No it's exclusively by Santiago Castillo Ltd. We sign a contract with the city council taking out a 10 year lease on it because obviously we want to maintain and have it at least for 10 years so it was a total effort by Santiago Castillo Ltd., the city council was very amenable to our presentation of what we wanted done and the end of the day its cost the company $60,000 to build it."
Jim McFadzean
"Aesthetically its very pleasing to the eye but is it going to weather the type of graffiti and the type of abuse normally seen by people here in Belize."
Santiago Castillo Jr. - Director SanCas Ltd.
"Well that the first thing I am going to ask the Belizean people Jim. To try - we've done something nice for them, we are paying BEL a monthly electricity bill, we have to weld it up at night for everyone safety and all we are asking Belizean is to be civic minded and keep it nice. We just inaugurated it this morning and I already that some of the seats were dig up with a knife. So that's all we are asking and we are going to try to maintain in on a monthly basis to keep it beautiful."
Jim McFadzean
"Who did the construction of the bus stop? Was it locally built?"
Santiago Castillo Jr. - Director SanCas Ltd.
"Fully locally. It was Concept Studios, RG Welding and Maheai's Construction did the flooring which includes our Santiago Castillo logo on the floor and you can see on then top - Santiago Castillo Building on Tradition and that is the tradition of my father who started the company in 1926."
Santino's says his company's next community venture is the building of a city park, which they intend on completing by the end of the year.
Inspector Bodden Passes…
And before we leave you on this Friday evening, we do so with the sad news that Police Inspector Bert Bodden passed a few minutes ago. Bodden was the officer in charge of Special Branch in Belize City and he was also the uncle of our Monica Bodden.
The 46 year old Isnpector had experienced a series of heart attacks this week and had been on life support since yesterday.
Our deepest condolences to Monica and the Bodden family..
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