Port Loyola Area Representative Anthony "Boots" Martinez garnered national attention when he put in a $4 million constituency budget to central government in January of this year. $1.2 million dollars of it was to address dire road conditions in the city's most populous division. In an environment of widespread political duplicity, it seemed to be a genuine effort but Belmopan failed to move on Martinez's groundbreaking gesture.
Now, as the heaviest rains of the year pours down on this dispossessed community, that inaction by central government has blossomed into a veritable disaster for residents. Keith Swift reports from Jane Usher Boulevard extension.
Keith SwiftReporting,
It might be hard to believe but this mud I am trying to trudge through, just look at my feet, is actually a street. It is a street where people, where children and make that school children have to pass through everyday. And this is not in some village or some rural area, this is in Belize City and these residents are fed up with getting stuck in the mud.
Kareen Young, Area Resident
“We are poor people. We are not pigs. This is like pigs in a pen right here where we are. We are like pig inna pen. “
“I live by the bungalow house down there and I have to go passed it everyday. I have to walk on it everyday. I have to go through people house everyday because their yard is developed better than the street.”
Frederick Flowers, Area Resident
“My little sister can’t go to school because the street is wrecked and thing. You can’t even pass. You can’t go in your clean suit to go to dances and school and thing. You have to take off your tennis and wash your feet at the public pipe up so. This is a lot of stress. “
Denvor Wade, Area Resident
“Every morning I struggle to come out with my car. I can’t come out at all or come in. I have to park my car on the next street. Every morning I got this same problem over and over.”
KS: So you can’t park your car in your own yard?
Denvor Wade,
“I parked it there last night because there was no rain but this morning I couldn’t get out. Almost every morning I bogged down.”
Kareen Young,
“We want to do something about our street because our kids are suffering. Our kids are suffering behind here.”
And the children behind Jane Usher Boulevard Extension are suffering in more ways than one. Today is a regular school day for most kids but not for 6-year-old Jamil Crawford who missed school because of the impossible mud on his street. Gay Usher is his mother.
Gay Usher, Area Resident
“I can’t handle this situation no more, no more. Right now my little went to school and he came back muddy. My daughter who goes to Gwen Liz couldn’t even go to school this morning. When they come out they have to use plastic bags on their feet. Sometimes they don’t reach anywhere and they have to come back.”
KS: Your son didn’t go to school because of the mud?
Gay Usher,
“Yes because of the same situation with the mud problem. He was already dressed and everything and he went and had to come back because he was messed up so he has to stay home today because of the street.”
KS: Are you serious? Your son is stuck home from school because of mud?
Gay Usher,
“Yes because of this situation.”
Children not in school and residents as virtual prisoners in their home. It’s indeed a dire problem and one on the doorsteps of Port Loyola Area Representative Anthony “Boots” Martinez who was today in the mud with his constituents.
Hon. Anthony “Boots” Martinez, Area Representative
“I think this is outrageous. I think that the government has a social obligation to the people of this country and I think they must heed the cry of the people of this country. The Prime Minister always says that the common enemy is poverty and it’s a social problem. I must say Keith that people like argue and so but we in Port Loyola pay our fair share in taxes and when we pay our taxes we pay it upfront. We pay it upfront so at least we need the basic services. Here you are now and nothing is being done in Port Loyola. No money is being spent in Port Loyola. No money has been allotted to the area representative or no other institution to address the needs in Port Loyola. And here you are now we are talking like we are in this good good country, oh no. Oh no.”
“At the end of the day I just believe that we are being done a disservice in Port Loyola. I think the government needs to wake up and make sure that we get the basic goods and services which we need in Port Loyola because the people are punishing in this division.”
They are punishing - knee deep in mud and just plain fed up.
Gay Usher, Area Resident
“I think we just get fed up. We need help. We need help. Its like no attention we are getting back here; none at all.”
They are asking for attention or at the least some sand and gravel.
About 250 residents are affected by the mud including 80 school children many of whom could not go to school today. A government official today explained to 7NEWS that since the start of November, Belize City has received 2.56 inches of rain which is unusual for this time of the year. GOB says there is an engineer analyzing the problem. We note and for clarity stress that the area affected is not the area of Jane Usher Boulevard where residents are being relocated from and the residents affected are not squatters. The government spokesperson said both central government and the city council would look into the problem.
7NEWS produced for broadcast and Edited for the internet by Keith Swift