The construction of San Pedro's first public hospital will cost more than the 33 million dollars originally given by Taiwan, with reports circulating that it will surpass the budget by more than15 million. We had asked the prime minister before, and today we asked the area representative for Belize Rural south whether the funding is what's been delaying the project. He gave us a tour of the hospital construction site to show us why the cost increased. Jomarie Lanza has this story.
Voice of: David Schart, Project Support
"And over here we have restrooms, waiting area, and then you have your reception and through there you go through a double set of doors to access the clinic area where there are 4 clinic rooms, triage rooms and to the right we have the administrative offices and a sub panel electrical room. Through a next set of double doors we reach our pharmacy area, and the main access stairwell to the second and the roof level."
These are the first floor plans for the construction of San Pedro's very first public general hospital, a project that has been in the works for almost 2 years since it's ground breaking in March of 2024. We got a tour of the Hospital's skeleton today with construction still in its early stages. The engineer gave us a walk through of the 37,000 square foot structure, a chance to visualize the fully functional hospital that it will become within the following year. The project was expected to be complete by December but there were some delays in construction, and the public has speculated that one of those delays is due to funding. The area representative for Belize Rural south Andre Perez, says funding was never the hold back.
Andre Perez, Area Representative Belize Rural South
"I think the most important thing here is to give out the message to the entire community and the country about the importance of this hospital and how it is coming along and as you can see while it may be a bit delayed it is actually being done correctly and I think that is the most important factor that we must be focusing on that this entire structure of 37,000 square feet is built adequately and by all accounts we can see and you all can see that this is an impressive structure we have here."
Jo-
"You said it is going to be the second largest hospital close to KHMH?"
Andre Perez, Area Representative Belize Rural South
"As what I am told from the ministry of health it is going to be the words to quote it is going to be the largest hospital next to KHMH that is the words I got from there so it is going to be very large hospital."
"We all know the construction industry here in San Pedro is booming and as such one of the draw backs they are getting is it is delayed a bit but none to say that it is on target to finish by early next year."
Jo-
"So the sourcing of the labor is what caused the delay?"
Andre Perez, Area Representative Belize Rural South
"That is one of the components as well one of the components that is doing it and of course you have different departments involved with this we have of course the ministry of health, MIDH, PAHO is involved as well in making sure we do it to standard and of course there are some slight changes and amendments that need to be done that is to add to the delay but this is all quite normal for this project of such magnitude."
The hospital may be one of GOB's largest projects San Pedro has seen to date, valued well over the 33 million that was first proposed for its construction. The cost has gone up but by how much? Perez is still unable to confirm, but what he can say is that the project will be completed by April of next year.
Reporter-
"So what is the actual increase the overall?"
Andre Perez, Area Representative Belize Rural South
"Let me tell you something and you went around because you are chasing something that is a phantom that is exactly what happened and that is a classic case for the media to follow something somebody just created a fare up of 15 million dollars and you guys got caught up going around this is how you guys got caught, when the prime minister was asked about the 15 million he was like what where did that come from? It is mischief."
Reporter-
"But don't you think that by now he should be able to say what the actual figure is. He never gave a figure he said it may not be 15 but what is it?"
Andre Perez, Area Representative Belize Rural South
"Okay let me clarify something, when they told the prime minister about the 15 million he barked at it."
Reporter-
"He said he doesn't know about it."
Andre Perez, Area Representative Belize Rural South
"Exactly no one knows about it, however and as I said it earlier there is the discussion about the increase in terms of material, not only material but labor costs as well. Now what we are doing is 33 million dollars is allocated for this hospital. It is being built and continues to be built. The bills of quantity remain the same the discussion is that it is going to go a little bit more but we do not have the figure it is being looked at, at this point in time it is something that is being discussed with the ministry of finance to sit down with the OECC which are the contractors and the government of republic of china Taiwan to look at it but we have not quantified as yet but we are nowhere near 15 million dollars."
"But in no way because of funding this is delayed I want to make that clear."
