The Tu-Bal Trade Institute at mile 10 on the Northern Highway doesn't get a whole lot of publicity but the organization is quietly doing important work. Right now, 130 students who could not get into other schools are enrolled at the institute. They are mostly youths from dispossessed communities on the southside of Belize City such as Lake Independence, Port Loyola, Collet and Albert.
But living in the city and going to school in Ladyville has proven difficult for many of these students, and that's why the school asked the Ministry of National Development to assist with two buses. The newly installed Minister of National Development seized upon that opportunity and today handed over one of those buses. Espat told us that the bus will make school that much easier for these students who've never had an easy life.
Hon. Mark Espat, Minister of National Development
"There are about 130 young Belizean men and women, principally from the Port Loyola, Collet, and Lake Independence Divisions who are enrolled here at Tubal and who have to travel back and forth everyday from Belize City. Rather than the expensive option of some type of underwriting or stipend, we decided to contribute actually two secondhand buses. They have an engineering department and so we're sure they'll keep the buses well maintained."
Bernard Adolphus,Tu-Bal Trade Institute
"It is a costly thing for the students and most of the students here are very very poor, like every other student they are poor. By having a bus here it provides them the privilege to be bused from Belize City to this location without any problems because when they are out there trying to hitchhike a ride, there are problems developing: fights, quarrels, and sometimes they can't even get on the bus so its very important. It is one of the best things that happened to Tu-Bal so far us by getting a bus for this location so the student can be mobile, its 10 ¾ mile, and we need that so we can get them in the classroom because we don't want them on the street. If they are on the street, it's a problem for our society."
The other bus has been committed, and it will be handed over shortly. Three representatives, Espat, Cordel Hyde and Boots Martinez spoke at today's donation.
