A lot has happened since we spoke to Engineer Roque Matus on Friday about what he alleges is plagiarism of his design for the Belcan bridge. He claims it was done by a foreign firm who was paid by funders of the project on behalf of city hall. That is a matter of great and pressing dispute - there are press releases, lawyer letters, and 7News right in the middle of the mix-up.
We'll examine it all - but we start tonight with the first oddity:the long, strong trip that the multi-multi million dollar bridge project took from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development - which builds all the nation's bridges - to the Belize City Council - which has never built a single bridge. Jules Vasquez got two quite remarkable interviews with the chief Engineer at MIDH and his Minister:
The design for the Belcan Bridge started at the MIDH in 2022:
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer
"Under the design and feasibility study for the George Price Highway we included the two bridges that we thought were important for us to replace, which is the Belcan and also the Belize City Swing Bridge."
"So we engaged NARCO to do that for us. And during that implementation process, NARCO also engaged M&M Engineering, as their sub consultant for the design of all the bridges."
They came up with this design - which was peer reviewed by both the MIDH and the CDB and proceeded with urgency:
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer
"We completed those design and feasibility in 2022 and a little bit into 2023. So at that point in time, because of the urgency of what we saw with Belcan Bridge, through discussions with my minister and also the CEO, they discussed that with the government of Belize, that we look at the Belcan bridge as an important challenge for us to replace because of its dire deterioration."
"So based on that, we got confirmation from the government of Belize that we could proceed with the procurement process for Belcan, right? That started in 2023. That started in 2023."
But, then there was a change - the project went from being locally to foreign funded:
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer
"It was during the procurement process for the Belcan Bridge that we, that I was informed that the government of Belize, through the Ministry of Economic Development, is looking at alternate funding for that structure. And so bids for that went out in September 2023, and those were due in October 2023."
"And it was not until when bids were submitted that I had to return those bids. I did not accept the bids from the contractors that provided bids for the Belcan Bridge because we were instructed that we were supposed to terminate that process because alternate funding would have been secured by the Ministry of Economic Development."
"We were also under the impression that that would terminate or involvement in that project."
"Reason being is that we were also advised that the implementing agency for that project for development would have been the City Council. Okay. So I was advised that I should provide our documentations in terms of the Belcan bridge to the Belize City Council. Those documentation included the design, feasibility study, the design report, the bill of quantities, the engineer's estimate, the Environmental Impact Assessment report, the environmental clearance protection plan that we received from the Department of Environment, and also the drawings, which I guess is the contention at this point in time."
"So all those documents were provided to the Belize City Council. Those were provided in PDF format, and those are provided in PDF form, because as a chief engineer, I'm aware that those documents can be edited. And so I had advised the CEO and the minister, or MIDH that we should not provide those in any other form or PDF so that we cannot be edited, because the design was basically completed and it was useful for it to be implemented in the form that we had received from the consultant."
"And so we presented those to the Belize City Council. And after that, I think a few weeks after we were asked to present the AutoCAD files for the drawings, and we were, we as a ministry, the MIDH, was very hesitant to provide those AutoCAD files because we knew how powerful that tool was and that those joints could have been easily edited."
"And we were also running the risk that the proprietary rights of those drawings could have been affected. Right?"
Julius Espat, Minister - MIDH
"And if we give the AutoCAD files, then we, we put out a warning, once you change it, which you can, once you alter it, which you can, then you have to be responsible for it. But if you alter somebody else's product and use the same product, then at least you have to acknowledge who the author is or who the designer is."
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer
"So we informed in writing to the mayor and I also, informed our minister and CEO in writing as to why we should not give those AutoCad files. However, thereafter we were still asked by the Minister of, by the Ministry of Economic Development, to issue those AutoCAD files to the City Council, which I did. But I did that with a letter indicating our concerns about giving those files to the Belize City Council."
In a release yesterday, the City Council said that the foreign firm hired to supervise the project determined that the Design Documents sent to them were incomplete, not suitable for construction or supervision, missing important components such as calculation notes, geotechnical and environmental reports, and key structural details needed for design verification and otherwise. The release says that is why the Council requested the detailed design drawings, namely the Autocad files. The release goes on to say, "Unfortunately, these drawings still did not include calculations, the various reports and still were missing details and dimensions as requested...they remained, quote "not good for construction or supervision... The foreign firm turned to a local engineer, quote, "to secure the additional information which also included improvements to the Design Documents." End quote.
But, the MIDH says it had already peer reviewed the bridge design - and was never contacted by the City Council:
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer
"If they had taken exactly what we received from our consultants that the government paid for and use it in its exact format, there was no there would be no problem. Absolutely no problem."
"Because the bridge was already designed, there was no need to carry out any peer review. I don't think there was any need because we had the Project Execution Unit carried out that peer review during the construction, I mean, during the design and also after the design was completed."
Jules Vasquez
"Is it of concern that the government would have paid for a design for the bridge when the bridge was already designed and peer reviewed by your office?"
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer
"Yeah, in my opinion. In my personal opinion, yes. I think it's a waste because honestly, just we've been here. I've been here for the past 28 years working at the Project Execution unit, and we have implemented many projects over the past 20, 25 years. And the team of engineers that we have at MIDH are competent enough to review the designs presented by foreigners and also by locals."
"And I can't understand or perceive as to why another peer review was required. I think if something was in question, maybe they should have come back to the MIDH, because we have competent engineers here that have reviewed many bridges before. So to pay for another peer review, I'm not sure why that was done. I didn't even know that that was undertaken, honestly."
Julius Espat, Minister - MIDH
"But what is true is that our ministry is is, in my humble opinion, the, the adequate ministry to execute projects of that type because of the experience that we have, because of the professionalism that we have."
But, it was sent to the City Council - which Moody says he finds "strange and appalling":
Jules Vasquez
"How unusual is it that the the Belcan Bridge, which is on a span of road, that as far as I know, MIDH is responsible for, which is Central American Boulevard between the two highways. That's the domain of MIDH. How unusual is it that the executing agency would be the city council, who's not really been in charge of that road and has never overseen the construction of a bridge?"
Evondale Moody, Chief Engineer
"From my personal perspective, I think it's very unusual. Honestly, as I have mentioned, you have been here for 28 years, and for that entire time it is the Ministry of Works, formerly Minister Works now MIDH that has implemented all bridge structures in the country. All. There haven't been any structure in the country that has been implemented by any other agency within Belize. None. And so it was very, I would say, strange and appalling to myself for us to be advised that another agency would be the executing agency for the Belcan, especially based on the fact, as you have mentioned, that the Phillip Goldson Highway and the George Price Highway, including Central American Boulevard, falls under the jurisdiction of the Chief engineer."
"So as you said, it's very unique. It's a unique situation. But those instructions were given to the MIDH, and those are what I will follow through with."
Julius Espat, Minister - MIDH
"We did our job. I have said this in the past. I think you have interviewed me in the past, and we have said it quite clearly. We do what is requested of us. And if the Ministry of Economic Development, in their wisdom, has decided that they want somebody else to implement the project, we, we don't really have a problem with that."
And, despite this controversial and cloudy start, Espat hopes for a happy ending:
Julius Espat, Minister - MIDH
"Even though it it is not a perfect scenario. And even though I, I'm biased because I believe in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, but I am part of a government. And if the Ministry of Finance who decides who will do the project, make a decision in their wisdom, I will have to respect that."
"Because put it this way, Jules, anybody wants to build a bridge and put it under their, their portfolio. They're excited. It's it's an exciting project. Why would the city council not want to be a part of it? So in their inexperience they're taking on this responsibility. And and that's why the errors that you see happening are happening. It's excitement."
"Maybe the city council does not have the experience that MIDH have, and maybe that's why some of the initial errors were made. But with the scrutiny that you are putting on and the and and the microscope that they will be under, the, I can nearly guarantee you that they will have to produce something that is worthy of the Belizean people. That's the hope."
And while that part of the story takes us up to the project getting to city hall, from there it was taken over by the city council's project supervisor - a foreign firm - which Roque Matus claims plagiarized his design. They claim otherwise and have threatened Matus with a defamation suit. Who's right and who's wrong? Tomorrow we'll have that part of the story. Plus a closer look at City Hall's 3 page press release that says a whole lot but fails to disclose that they contracted - through the Taiwanese funders - to pay that foreign firm almost 900 thousand US dollars for their services.
