And, two of those major infrastructural projects went to the house today. That's the 36 million US dollar CDB loan for the Coastal Highway project and the 20 million US dollar loan for phase 2 of the Caracol Road project. The Opposition Leader said it's too much money to spend on roads when there are so many other needs:
Hon. John Briceno - Leader of the Opposition
"They are saying that this amount right now is just covering 64% of this portion of the road. So they have to borrow another 36%, that 36% Madam Speaker is another 11,250,000 US dollars that has to be borrowed yet. There are so many other pressing needs in this country Madam Speaker. Look at our small farmers, we need to be able to assist them Madam Speaker. They can't get access to affordable funding, they can't get access to not even the local markets, their roads whenever it rains it's impossible - we need to be working with the productive sector Madam Speaker. Yes we want the tourist to have a nice paved road - yes nobody denies that but we have more pressing needs Madam Speaker. Look in San Pedro, San Pedro don't have a hospital. How many budgets they promised a hospital in San Pedro? Every year they promise that they are going to build the hospital."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"I really am speechless. I thought that going to Caracol was a kind of national desiderato if I can use that term. The benefits in terms of tourism and the member for Cayo North East described it as wilderness. Man as I understand it, some of the most prestine nationaly beautiful areas you can find in our entire country and what is happening out there - or what can happen in terms of tourism, the lodges that we will put, plus there is a security element to it as well. But if they don't agree that doing the road to Caracol is in the national interest, Madam Speaker I can't argue with them."
And the exchange was very much he same for the debate on he Coastal Highway loan:â€Â¦
Hon. John Briceno
"We are not questioning whether paving the Coastal Road cannot be a good project but what we're questioning Madam Speaker - certainly I am questioning, do we need to spend 139,952,000 dollars to pave 33.6 miles of road?"
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow
"Look you're talking about the best of the technical expertise of the CDB and of the British government. Da deh decided how much this thing is likely to cost."
Both those loan motions were passed today. Government also pushed through legislation to adjust the offshore baking regulations to meet European Union regulatory requirements. You'll hear about that later in he news.
Email
Print