According to Perez they have not spent the entire 33 million dollars as yet, but with the increase in construction materials and labor, they estimate that it will not cover the cost of project up to its completion. So who will pay for the rest? Perez said that will be determined once they meet with the Taiwanese government.
Jo-
"The Taiwanese gave a grant of 33 million dollars for this project - how much will it end up costing - and who will pay the difference? Will it be the government of Belize or the Taiwanese?"
Andre Perez, Area Representative Belize Rural South
"Alright so let us start from this point here it is correctly as you mentioned 33 million dollars that is a grant from the good people of the republic of China Taiwan and we are very grateful to them which in fact the ambassador had a very fruitful meeting with him on Monday morning at my office in Belize city and he is set to come and do a site visit very soon in the month of June. That is one but to make it clear that the contract for this hospital is strictly in the hands of the contractor which is the OECC, which is the overseas engineering construction company from Taiwan. So they hold the contract just as much as the roads in Sarteneja it is the same company that holds to do those roads so as such is being contracted here however they are the ones overseeing it as it relates to the funding as well so that speaks to the 33 million dollars that has been doing. There is a bills for quantity, and as such even though there is a rising cost in materials we are talking, cement, steel, aggregates just about everything including labor right now I am told that for a worker here to be hired you have to pay them well over $100 a day that is something that was not expected but it is here already so now we know there is going to be an added cost but it is something that the ministry of finance is working along with the OECC with the Taiwanese government to see how much it is going to be but I can assure you I heard someone say about 15 million dollars that is total way over board but we have not yet quantified as such what is the amount of but certainly it is not 15 million dollars."
Reporter
"So you are unable to confirm whether or not it is GOB or the Taiwanese that will cover?"
Andre Perez, Area Representative Belize Rural South
"Not as yet not as yet it something that is going to be looked at, but as the prime minister said either way it is going to finish correctly withe everything in place nothing is going to be cut short in this thing."
