We first told you about the dispute over Creole Waggans on Wednesday, and since then, the story has taken on a life of its own, becoming fodder for morning shows, and part of the daily dialogue over race and class. As we told you, the owners of the popular discount store want to open up a new outlet at their new residence on E Street. But it’s met resistance from those who live in the neighbourhood – because they don’t want Waggans in their residential community.
The feeling – of at least of one senior City Hall employee – is that what King’s Park residents actually don’t want what he called “the low-class” clientele of Wagans traipsing through their neighbourhood. That’s the view that’s been represented but today, Maria Elena Sylvestre – a King’s Park resident for the past thirty years told us that it’s not about Waggans or its clientele, it’s about her community’s way of life – that they’ve been trying to get protected by law for the last three years.
Maria Elena Sylvestre, King’s Park Resident
“The position of the residents is that every Belizean is entitled to peace and quiet in their homes and to not really comment on the issues of Waggans or whatever the pros or cons may be, the facts are that three years ago the residents of this area, seeing the encroachment in their neighbourhoods, if you look at St. Thomas, if you look at Baymen Avenue, where it is just growing chaotically, we all got to together, we signed a petition, I think it is over a hundred signatures of the people of this area. It was designated from the corner of St. Thomas Street to the corner of Baymen Avenue and all the streets behind, including Caribbean Shores, and we had numerous meetings with the Mayor, the Town Planner, the City Councillors, and we requested that this neighbourhood be preserved. It is not too long ago that the neighbours created this beautiful park. We built it, we landscaped it, it was all donations from the residents, support from the residents, and the entire country of Belize enjoys this park.
But we all have the same desire; that when we come home there isn’t a huge container blocking our driveway, that when our children are walking home from school there are not put in danger of being run over by trucks and the preservation of our environment is what we have petitioned for. Not today, not last month, not six months ago – three years ago that we have been petitioning. We got all these assurances from the City Council that yes it would be done, yes you are going to get your zoning and now it is another ball game. We are holding the City Council, the Mayor, the City Councillors to their word. Do they have word or they don’t have word? Why was a building permit given to this gentleman knowing that an SI is sitting there for three years waiting for the area to be zoned. Those are the issues and for anybody to say that it is because we don’t want ghetto people, I don’t know what that word is. To be honest with you I don’t have no idea who in this country I would consider a ghetto person. I love people that are like my family in the south side so there is no question that any body in this area has that kind of mentality.
You only have to go behind Lizarraga Avenue and you can see the congestion, you can see the frustration of the people living on that street. I have a girl there that is like my daughter and she says her life is misery. She can’t get into her driveway, it is constantly a lot of noise.”
Jules Vasquez,
But that is not all Waggan’s fault, there is a number of businesses in that area.
Maria Elena Sylvestre,
“But the fact remains that that is what this business will bring. It is a constant traffic of trucks, containers, fumes.”
The owners of Waggans have reserved on camera comment. But they have pointed out to us that in that square block alone, there are at least four other businesses and the Guatemalan Embassy. More will be heard next week – when the community holds a meeting at the Lopez Mateo Park.
