It's a bit late to start tallying how many strapping mahogany trees the British shipped out during the era of colonial plunder, but bit by bit, we can console ourselves that they're paying it back. For the second time in three months, the British High Commission has donated a new pickup truck to a government agency. Last time it was the Ombudsman who got a traveling complaint caravan and today it was the Ministry of Economic Development, and CEO Hugh O'Brien told us it's more than a truck, it's a democracy machine.
Hugh O'Brien, CEO in National Development
"This specific case, this vehicle, is a part of a larger program for Belize to develop its National Development plan and complete its national poverty elimination strategy and national plan. And so both of those works are ongoing and this vehicle is in support of those mission."
Jules Vasquez,
So who will use this truck and what will they use it for?
Hugh O'Brien,
"This truck will be used by the Policy and Planning Unit to make sure they can reach out to stakeholders."
Jules Vasquez,
How does a truck help us in the vast scheme of things?
Hugh O'Brien,
"Jules this truck is only one small component of support that we are getting from the British government to support Belize's economic measures of stability, poverty reduction strategies, as well as our program to ensure that Belizeans all have good access to various facilities in life."
The input gathered by the technicians who use the truck will be factored into the poverty strategy within the national development plan.
