While educating us on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, Faber brought our attention to the controversial new outdoor gym equipment at the Marion Jones Stadium. The equipment was promised to the Belize City Council, but ended up in the hands of the National Sports Council which is in Faber's Ministry of Sports. Belize City Mayor, Bernard Wagner called out the Minister of Health, Pablo Marin for playing political favorites with the donation. Today Faber weighed in...
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
"We worry about gun violence, we worry about road traffic accidents and all of these things when in fact the big killer in Belize are these diseases that we don't pay attention to and we continue to eat unhealthily and we don't move about and exercise every day. Please take a look at the outdoor gym that is set up there that is creating so much havoc. You will know that in fact this is a center for exercise in this city and its already installed right out there, so please go and take a look and capture it. It would be good if you can come later when it is in full effect and full utilization by the residents of this city."
Reporter
"Do you have any response to Mayor Wagner's?"
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
"I did make a response; it is to say that I certainly don't have anything to do with it. I didn't strong arm anybody. The minister asks me to come and received it. I am expecting the negotiations for it was done via the ministry of health, the minister and the director of the national sports council Mr. Jones. I happened to be in Belmopan after the cabinet meeting. The minister ask me if I could come and received the equipment, sure, but I support the fact that the equipment is here for the very same reason that it is hub, you can come here in the mornings and in the evenings and there is no other place in Belize City - I don't care what the mayor says, no other place in Belize City where you will find the kind of activity health wise that is going on here at the Marion Jones, so this is in my view the best place and if we are really serious about helping the residents of this city and putting it in a place where it is best, then you should have no quarrel with that and anything else to me is playing politics which I don't care to engage in with the mayor."
Email
Print