Last week Thursday when we spoke with the Minister of Infrastructure Development & Housing, we asked him about how the weather can potentially affect the numerous infrastructure projects taking place across the country, specifically in the Cayo and Belize districts. Well, the Minister said that what it directly impacts is the cost of the projects, but the weather is always factored in by the contractors:
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development & Housing
"It's not affecting us that much, at least up to now we haven't had any complaints from the contractors. When you get a contract like this they know that they're going into the dry season and they try to do as much as they can during the dry and they know that they will go into the rainy season and to be honest with you, our rains with last year's experience have not been as normal as before. We have had less rains, the contract includes whatever they need to get the work done, what's affecting us more than anything else is the increase worldwide of fuel. That yes, has a direct impact on on the cost of the project and we're looking at that right now, but apart from that the contractors are capable enough to be able to handle the adversity. Now if you have it, it will be one or two days that they have a delay but the contractors don't want a delay because they want to finish it, finish at the best quality they can within the best time that they can because that way it is more profitable for them. We on the other side want it to be done the exact same way because we want the quality to b done properly and if there's a deficiency which that's part of everything you do they're held by a warranty period they have to deal with."
Highway Renewal Adds Extra Travel Delays
And with the constant construction comes the rehabilitation of the George Price Highway. If you're taking a drive from Belize City to Belmopan City, you would notice that you would need to be taking several stops near Chukka, then again near Kiki Witz. Well, the Minister says progress brings problems and there's more wait time motorists will have to factor in when they travel:
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development & Housing
"You will stop more because we haven't finished the the middle section, we haven't started the middle section between La Democracia and Hattieville so instead of those two, you will have about four. It's part of the process and then we will have I wouldn't say problems but you will have traffic backup in the city when the two bridges so progress brings problems this is one of the problems. We will be there to be able to minimize it and to in coordination with the Ministry of transport try to make it as easy as possible but when the Haulover was being done we had similar complaints that we will take an x amount of time to reach work and I used to go to cabinet and I would hear it from my cabinet members, I would hear it from texts from people that oh, I can't handle this traffic, we are in traffic for more than 5 minutes and then I would ask them have you traveled to Central America, have you been to Mexico City, have you been to Guatemala, have you been to El Salvador, have you been to other countries where every single day you're in the traffic for 2 hours so we're blessed in Belize and we have to appreciate those things and if you want progress you have to be able to be patient with some of the difficulties that come up."
Rural Villages Receive Water Infrastructure Boost
Yesterday the Ministry of Rural Transformation handed over $340,000 worth of water system equipment and maintenance supplies to 15 villages across the Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo districts which will enable these communities to have access to potable water. The donation consisted of water tanks, pipes, water meters, and plumbing materials. Here are the highlights from the handing over ceremony:
