The Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center has been on St Thomas Street for decades, but soon it'll be relocated to the capital city, where the children will have a lot more space and resources. Today, the Ministry of Human Development along with the Social Investment Fund were at Belmopan, where soon the construction of the new DMCCC will begin. Courtney Menzies was there for the groundbreaking ceremony and has this story. Ground was broken today in Maya Mopan, Belmopan, for the development of the new Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center. The facility is used to house children who are under the care of the state, but space was getting a bit cramped in Belize City - not to mention the threat of violence and natural disasters. All these factors led the Ministry of Human Development to come up with a plan to relocate. And according to the Minister, it took partnership to begin the process.

Dolores Baldaremos Garcia, Minister of Human Development
"We are very much invested in this but it wasn't only our idea, it was the Caribbean Development Bank, Social Investment Fund, a lot of partners who saw the vision for the future that we need to relocate the Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center. As you know, where it is just off St Thomas Street in Belize City, it's a very small space, it's very cramped because of the number of children and of course we want a place where children can be free and run, have an outdoor facility, we could have sports facility, we could have a little garden as I said, so we are very much invested in this."

"And as you know, it was Ms Dorothy Menzies, a private citizen at the time, she didn't have to do it but she had that care for children that goes so far in terms the citizens of our country contributing and giving back and who better to give back to than our children who are most vulnerable and most in need?"

And according to the Belmopan area rep, the first step was finding a location that could be expanded on when necessary. That's when he was pointed to a plot of land in the Maya Mopan area.

Oscar Mira,Area Rep, Belmopan
"When the CEO, Tanya Santos came to me and asked about an area where we could place the Dorothy Menzies Child Care Center, we were looking around and the chairman of Recondev suggested this area and we came and between myself and CEO decided that it's a very good area, big enough for expansion, it is an area that is going to develop very rapidly so sooner than later we won't be in the suburbs anymore, we'll be in the center of Belmopan so I am very happy and very proud that this area has been chosen for the new Dorothy Menzies Center."

"Just in this same area, we have identified land to build the new police department headquarters, so the headquarters are going to be here. There are also plans to build the new university hospital which is very close to this as well, as well as the National Forensic Laboratory, those are all projects in the pipeline that will be built here in this area as well."

And the new center is coming at a time when the Ministry is working to improve its fostering system.

Dolores Balderemos Garcia, Minister of Human Development
"Just yesterday we had the killing of a woman in Willows Bank and the child was found in a pool of water playing, now that child is in the care of our ministry as would have to be. And then of course we have revisited and revamped our protocols and regulations for foster care because as we know, we had that terrible tragedy in Spanish Lookout. But again I want to repeat that we're not putting down the Spanish Lookout community because they have been so good in fostering so we are very sad that that tragic situation took place but we have taken the opportunity to make sure we are beefing up and revisiting the regulations for putting children in foster care."

The total value of the new facility is 2.6 million dollars, and will include two dormitories, a laundry and storage area, a community resource room, a playground, and will include access for differently abled persons.