In the wake of the murder of 4-year-old Oscar Velasquez and the national exposition of the deplorable living conditions in the Collet Area, Cabinet has appointed a south side task force. On Friday, the Prime Minister who chairs the task force took a tour of the area with a technical and political team. It made headlines in the Belize Times today, with the dramatic declaration "let there be light." But this is no Garden of Eden and the Prime Minister today said that drainage must come first.
Said Musa, Prime Minister
"The new infrastructure project that we are now moving into a feasibility to complete, will include the continuation of that to put in proper drainage, to ensure we maintain the wetlands that need to be maintained for drainage, but also to put in canals that will lead out to the sea. That is the only way we will be able to deal with this whole problem of London Bridges and so on, which of course as you know as fast as we fill areas, new areas, people move into new swamp areas so it is a continuous problem and I believe the only long term solution is to put in very effective drainage. It will cost a lot of money but that is what we are working on. Secondly, in the meantime of course, we do need to improve the housing conditions of people, the basic infrastructure. They need their streets, their drains, electricity, water, and so on and we are working on those in the short to medium term. But that is basically the new program for the south side that we are working on."
Jules Vasquez,
Are you being a tourist in the grief of these people? This is in your own back yard. London bridges are not a new reality, that London Bridge was not erected 2 weeks ago, this is a promise your government made 7 years ago. So is it a convenience, and a exploitative one at that, to go in there now and say well 'let there be light' when there are not even streets to put lampposts on?
Said Musa,
"Well I don't think we are going to get anywhere with this kind of cynicism."
Jules Vasquez,
But it's cynical to go in after the little boy was murdered.
Said Musa,
"Absolutely not. I was invited in there to see firsthand the problems that exist; it so happens that a photographer took my picture while I was going through the area. We had a whole team in there, including the head of the Belize Electricity Limited Mr. Lyn Young, a surveyor Mr. Roque Marin, Senator Bradley, and other people from the area, (we) were looking to understand the problems that these people are facing. And now if everytime I try to do a hands on approach to the problems facing our nation you will take this approach that I'm trying to exploit people, that's absolutely nonsense Jules; total nonsense. That is the only way we will be able to deal with our problems and why don't you look at the positive side. We are addressing the problems."
Jules Vasquez,
But you have campaigned in this area before?
Said Musa,
"I have campaigned all over this country in every district."
Jules Vasquez,
This problem did not develop two weeks ago.
Said Musa,
"This particular problem in the Antelope Street Extension is a recent phenomenon. It is the new areas where people have moved in, it is swampy areas, that we now have to address. As I said a while ago, as fast as we fill land, and Lake Independence is a good example, new areas are being developed, people move in, squatters if you like, and so the government can't ignore the problem. It is a reality we have to deal with it, it's a population explosion in Belize City."
Jules Vasquez,
But how does the problem expand? It doesn't happen overnight. I agree it happens in a very rapid succession but it doesn't happen overnight. This is a product of neglect and it's a product of your neglect and the promise that you made that you did not keep.
Said Musa,
"I don't accept that. I don't accept that at all. We have been dealing with this along with the Belize City Council but it's a growing problem but progress brings problem, that's a reality. As fast as we improve the infrastructure, the streets, the drains, new areas will require development. And to say that there are problems facing the government and we haven't yet addressed all of them is a reality of course, that will face any government."
Jules Vasquez,
And certainly until you do something you can accept people will say well we've heard it before because you promised it in your manifesto 7 years ago and nothing has happened.
Said Musa,
"What do you mean nothing has happened? Are you blind? What do you mean nothing has happened? From 1998 to now you mean to tell me..."
Jules Vasquez,
You said London Bridges would be...
Said Musa,
"Just take a little walk into Lake Independence and tell me nothing has happened. Take a walk into the new Collet Area where the drainage system was put in, millions of dollars spent in the upper area of Collet and you are telling me nothing has happened. Just look around you. Are you blind?"
Jules Vasquez,
Not at all Sir but I am saying that you promised to address the problem in a comprehensive way and instead you have addressed it with band aids while other projects have gotten far more munificent allotments from the government and far more generous attention.
Said Musa,
"If you are criticizing now the project that we did in the Fort George Area, as an example, I think you need to look at the bigger picture. That whole Marine Parade project will enhance not only the Fort George Area, it will go a long way in improving the infrastructure for tourism, and it will go a long way in improving the whole ambience of Belize City. Why do we have to be so grudging and carping about development? Why can't you look at the good side of positive things that are taking place in our country? Why do you persist in dumping on projects and put people in a negative mood as if though our country is going backwards when in fact the whole international community sees that Belize is one of the bright stars in this whole region. But you see we have a media that only looks at the negative, that only looks at problems without looking at the progress that we have made along the way and that's part of our problem Jules."
Jules Vasquez,
We have a philosophical difference and we could argue all day but my other point is...
Said Musa,
"You will use selectively what you want to use, that's part of the problem too. Why don't you use the whole interview? Use the whole interview we are having this morning..."
Jules Vasquez,
Unfortunately you are not in charge of the whole world.
Said Musa,
"And then I will give you more interviews."
Jules Vasquez,
Oh I thought you would give me a subvention.
The Cabinet task force will form a working committee with representation from both the UDP representatives for Collet and Port Loyola, as well as the PUP Representative for Lake Independence.
