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Today, Hernandez represented the consortium - and we had to ask the funders about the contractor who has become a lighting rod for controversy:

Jules Vasquez
"The funders have been criticized because the consortium on the project, one of the contractors in that consortium has been widely criticized in Belize for what I have seen as manifestly substandard work."

Steve Kosseff, Head, DFID Caribbean
"Okay, so all of the procurement is done in accordance with the highest procurement standards. CDB has incredibly stringent procurement guidelines and in deed in the context on this particular procurement was able to provide a no objection each stage of the process. I should also add there was an independent consultant that was involved in verifying the procurement process for this particular road project."

Jules Vasquez
"So you are confident that the 36 miles we will see here will be of a standard that you would drive on in the UK?"

Steve Kosseff, Head, DFID Caribbean
"Very much so."

Jules Vasquez
"There are public misgivings about one of the contractors in the consortium Mr. Imer Hernandez, I'm sure word must have reached you even in Bridgetown. There are concerns that Mr. Imer Hernandez' work is consistently sub-par and his involvement in this project has somewhat undermine the public confidence in the expectations that the road will meet the specifications you discussed. What assures the CDB that in fat what you spend or what Belize spends its money on it will get?"

Daniel Best, Director, Projects - CDB
"The entire procurement process would have gone through our procurement guidelines with a full review which matches international best practice, but which is also aligned with the multilateral banking community globally. Our procurement procedures are harmonized, so all the contractors and consultants on this project would have gone through a full procurement screening and further to that we just don't approve the project and leave it to Belize, there is ongoing supervision from the independent consultants, but also from CDB staff. CDB staff will supervise and through the use of technology we are going to stay in contact constantly, but also we are going to do visits to ensure that the designs are being constructed as was approved by our board of directors."

Hon. Rene Montero, Minister of Works
"We have check and balances. We have Polytec here, a an Italian consultant engineering firm that will be supervisory work and I can assure you that we are going to get value for our money. Also, we have our supervisory team from the Ministry of Works that will also be supervising and nothing will be accepted unless it's to the contractor's specifications, you see, and it is going to be paid according to what they complete. Once the consulting firm has given its okay, the Ministry will do also. There will be check and balances."

The project is funded by a US$36.6 million loan from the CDB; a US $34 million grant from the Government of the United Kingdom through the CDB-administered United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF), and a US$8.6 million contribution from the Government of Belize.