Today Courtney Menzies spoke to neighbors who are pleading for the road to be finally, properly fixed. Here is that story.

St Thomas Street recently got a much needed upgrade, but those streets that lead off of it are looking much the worse for wear, particularly Lizarraga Avenue. It's the street that runs behind the hospital, and anyone who has to use it know the potholes are more like craters.

For the residents and business owners, they can't divert from that route, and they say it's been years since the road has seen any construction.

Cleophus Lorde, Resident
"When people come here, you have a restaurant close to where I live, or when people go to the hospital, people complain about the street. I am wondering what is the reason why who is in charge of fixing the street doesn't come around here at all and see the street, the street is in bad shape, very bad. I am not complaining against anybody, but I am just saying, please come and get something done to the street."

Reporter:
"When was the last time you saw it fixed?"

Cleophus Lorde, Resident
"The past two or three years, something like that."

Dennis Anthony Burke, Owner, D-An-D's Diner
"We have major problems because when it dry we have the dust that goes all over inside because dust, you don't have anything that can block dust. You have the freezers that have to be fixed, we have all of the stuff inside, the tables the freezers, everything inside gets dusty. So I have like from one problem to a next. When it rains, some giant potholes as you can see. When it's dry, you have the dust and the dust, when vehicles come, the entire place is dusty. You have the neonatal care right over there. I have complained several times. I've complained to the deputy, the mayor, I've complained to ministers because all of them come to eat here. It's not a case where they don't see it, they see it. The reason why they don't do anything about it, I don't have a clue."

"For whatever reason, they will fix all streets but this street has remained this way for at least 12 years."

And they can't do anything except watch cars and motorcycles dip in and out or try to maneuver around the potholes. For the famed food spot, D-An-D's Diner, the owner says the road's condition is taking money out of his pocket.

Dennis Anthony Burke, Owner, D-An-D's Diner
"When vehicles drive down this street, if you guys would be here long enough to see, instead of going on the street, they drive on that side back there and then go around to avoid the potholes. And my business, obviously a lot of people say they don't come because of the potholes."

Reporter:
"So you're losing business because of this?"

Dennis Anthony Burke, Owner, D-An-D's Diner
"Positive."

"All I want them to do is their civic duty, their duty is to fix the street. I have to pay my tax, and I can't miss my tax, but when they're supposed to do their part, they don't do it."

Cleophus Lorde, Resident
"I learn some new bad words, I didn't know you have those kinds of bad words. People start cursing and this and that and start to yell, Mr Lorde, it's because of you they haven't fixed the street, I said, oh God. Me and everybody are friends. Back here needs attention and I am calling who is in charge of Works or City Council or the mayor, please come and look around this area, the street is in bad shape and this is where people take their sick, come for the coffin, what not. And while the coffin is in the box, while the dead is in the box, I guess the dead must be grumbling because it's in a hammock, but this isn't really a hammock, this is past a hammock."

And it'll take a lot more than a little gravel to fix this problem.

Cleophus Lorde, Resident
"This needs to be built. Back here is a swamp and the street doesn't need to be filled up and graded, it needs to be built up."

Reporter:
"Does it flood if it rains?"

Cleophus Lorde, Resident
"Because of the grading, it floods more and the street gets worse. This little rain that came just the other day, you see how it looks now, it gets worse. And I don't know if anybody comes around here but everyone must know about this because there's sick people in the hospital and it's very serious to be around. Please, I am just saying, please come and do something to the street."

Dennis Anthony Burke, Owner, D-An-D's Diner
"Actually, people have run into this drain. Look at it good. They run right into the drain to try and avoid the potholes, and they run into the drain. Stuck. I pull people out of this drain with my truck."

"I have neighbors around that tell me, Mr Burke, why don't you complain, I say I complain over and over. I say you know how Belize go, the moment you make too much noise, if PUP is in, he's UDP. When UDP is in, oh that's PUP, everybody knows he's PUP. I am not PUP or UDP, I am people. Neither party I'm with, and both of them have left this street here."