The last building on the Belize City Council's Pound Yard Compound was taken down today but Deputy Mayor Anthony Michael says it was done with the full consent of the council. As you know by now, the Pound Yard Compound is now owned by businessman Arun Hotchandani and he has given the council more than a few incentives to leave.
He is helping them construct a new facility at mile four and a half on the Western Highway. And if that wasn't generous enough, we're told that Hotchandani is actually renting a building for the City Council to occupy until construction is complete at their new location.
Deputy Mayor Michael says the old office was simply unsafe. He says today what we witnessed were workers taking home pieces of the old structure. That too was done with the consent of Hotchandani.
If all goes well, Michael says the works section of the council should be at its new location on the Western Highway in about three weeks. The City Council hasn't given up full use of the pound yard as some materials and the service shop are still there along with a security guard.
Hotchandani plans to build a mall at the Pound Yard. He bought the compound from the Belize Bank which sold it after the Novelo's Bus Company defaulted on a loan on which the Pound Yard was used as collateral. The Pound Yard was sold to the Novelo brothers at below market value by the last PUP City Council.
