As we told you yesterday, government sold the Belize City Fire Station - which also serves as the Department's headquarters.
They sold it to Atlantic Bank - whose main branch is across the street from the station. The sale price is 2.8 million dollars and the deal was concluded back in March.
But, the terms of the deal states that the Fire Department has to move up by December - and there's no way they can build a new fire station by then.
So, in the interim, this hugely important - around the clock department - will have to be seeking lodging for its large trucks and many firefighters.
Today, the PUP's area rep for Cayo South criticised the sale, bot for the price, but for the lack of planning:
Hon. Juluis Espat, PUP Area Rep. - Cayo South
"No it is not the value of the sale it is that your selling something and you don't have a replacement immediately when it is an emergency use, that is the concern I have, you are saying that you are selling this thing to get the little cheese so you can eventually build the building, an election the come when you don't know when it is coming so what will happen in that…to build a building of that type you are talking 18 moths before you start, 1 year before you design so you are talking 2 and half years before the building will even function, what happens in the meantime? So the $2.8 million dollars is not only to build a new building, what will happen with the 2 and a half years of rental, 2 and half years of rental? So where are they going? A parking lot? and park the poor fire station? I want to know what happens if a fire happens right now where will they come out from, where will they rent, where will they rent? …Exactly so how can you make a decision without having a plan laid out as to what is phase 1, phase 2, phase 3."
Jules Vasquez:
"But looking at the raw economics of it, as someone who… I know you are not a realtor but you deal in the business of property development, would you say $2.8 million dollars is a fair value for?"
Hon. Julius Espat:
"I think it is market value, I don't have no negative to say about the value."
A general location has been designated for a new Fire Station, but - as far as we know - there are no plans for it.
