Earlier on we showed you the Prime Minister meeting with the workers for the Southside drainage project.
The meeting was held in the City Center - the most decrepit and run down public facility in Belize.
Months ago, the Mexicans promised to repair it or build a new one. So which will it be? We qustioned the Prime Minister who was the one who asked Mexican President Felipe Calderon for assistance with the building in the first place. Here's what he had to say:..
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"My understanding is that they are raising with us the question of whether we want to tear this down and build a replacement structure here or whether we want to go elsewhere. you know that the land that's been in the news spotlight because of the squatting in the area of son call "Chetumal Street bridge crossing" a portion is reserve for basketball facility which was promise because we did so well in Cancun. CDB has already agreed to fund that. I though am thinking if we can get two, why not get two? Tear this down and pout something good here funded by the Mexicans and still do that other facility funded by CDB."
Cadet Henderson, CEO Ministry of Works
"I feel confident that we will end up with proposal totally funded by the Mexican Government for the complete re-construction of this facility to a Mexican design by Mexican architects."
Jules Vasquez
"So that means for the avoidance of doubt that what we see hear would be gone?"
Cadet Henderson, CEO Ministry of Works
"Well I am speaking pre-maturely on it, but like I say we've have enough discussion to get the sense that the Mexicans don't want to just take an existing architecture and enhance it but rather to come up with something that is more functional - that is more all-inclusive that caters more for parking instead of allowing all this street side parking."
Jules Vasquez
"Is it something that we might see within the life of this administration? or being as realistic as you can, maybe it will be after 2013."
Cadet Henderson, CEO Ministry of Works
"That's possible but I believe that with the focus we have in fact this initiative was initiated by the Prime Minister. I accompanied the PM last year on his presidential visit to Mexico and while the Prime Minister was in discussion with the president of Mexico, he pointed to me and said 'Cadet, brief us on the status on the civic center' and that was the birth of this idea."
Email
Print