For years now we've been reporting on the significant problems with the construction of the Lake Independence Resource Center, a youth facility that will also be a Multipurpose Center.
Ground was broken in April of 2016 for the 4.6 million dollar facility, and almost four years later, we still haven't seen an official opening.
The UDP connected contractor Wood Brick and Stone fell into serious liquidity problems - and work was stalled for months. Then, recently, BIL, or Belize Infrastructure Limited was forced to take over the moribund project.
It's funded by the CDB and yesterday the visiting Director of Projects refused to make any judgement calls on what has been a deeply troubled project:
Jules Vasquez- Reporter
"It wasn't completed in time, there was a whole mess with the contractor, it's the community multipurpose center for Lake Independence area. And now it has been rebranded, it is named the hub. What is the status with that? Is CDB satisfied with the outcome? I don't know if it went over budget but I know that the delivery is years behind."
Daniel Best- Projects Director- CDB
"As with many of our other countries or all of our countries there are some capacity challenges here and there but we are satisfied with the overall delivery of projects here in Belize. And as a matter of fact this week, for the rest of this week, we have a portfolio review mission here from CDB. We are still discussing all the projects within the portfolio here in Belize."
Jules Vasquez
"But at the end of the day someone has to be accountable for the failures of that project. I understand there are margins for errors but at the end of the day it is the souvereign member that pays, it's their taxpayers who are defrauded."
Daniel Best
"Well, I wouldn't want to get into the details of that or any particular project. Discussions are still ongoing, you might appreciate that fact. As I mentioned, we are going to have a full comprehensive review of the portfolio this week and as we have experienced in all of the projects here in Belize there has always been a willingness and a spirit to correct whatever wrongs might have occurred."
Best is visiting from CDB headquarters in Barbados.
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