If you're an avid news watcher, or if you live along Vernon Street in Belize City, you might remember the groundbreaking ceremony that happened at Berger Field.
Back in November 2012 - almost 11 and a half years ago - Herman Longsworth, a former Minister of Sports under the former Barrow Administration, made a commitment to the residents and athletes who call this football pitch home. It was supposed to be upgraded so that the community could enjoy a better sporting experience. But in the MANY intervening years, nothing actually happened, and the billboard displaying the supposed Berger Field of Tomorrow was eventually taken down.
This morning, a new concept was unveiled at another groundbreaking ceremony, and 7News was there. Daniel Ortiz reports:
The residents living near the Berger Field certainly experienced a bit of deja vu this morning during yet another groundbreaking ceremony for this well-known football pitch.
Anthony Mahler, the PUP Area Rep. and Minister of Tourism, has entered into a partnership with the Football Federation of Belize and the National Sports Council to provide the field with an important upgrade.
Hon. Anthony Mahler - Minister of Tourism & Diaspora Relations
"We wanted something out in this field that will be a replica for others going forward. We want it to be a pilot that we continue to build in our communities."
Sergio Chuc - President, FFB
"We are definitely committed to seeing this project completed as quickly as possible. And today, the commitment is coming from the Football Federation of Belize."
Hon. Rodwell Ferguson - Minister of Youth and Sports
"When the argument was the Ministry of Sports and Youth has the smallest budget, and I want to thank my colleague, Anthony, here. When I brought up the argument in Cabinet, I said, man, we have to increase this budget, no matter. And the Cabinet support was almost - I could say - 100%. They recognize that youth and sport are the future of this nation."
Bernard Wagner - Mayor, Belize City Council
"I am certain that the community in this neighborhood will really appreciate seeing this project comes to fruition."
Ian Cal - Director, National Sports Council
"This is the start of a continued partnership that we have built with various ministries, and in this case with the BTB, with Anthony Mahler, and Mr. Chuc from FBB."
The plan is to upgrade it into a premium, 5-a-side football pitch that's going to cost approximately 400 thousand dollars.
Hon. Anthony Mahler
"We want to have it as an official 5-a-side pitch, but still, we can have a tournament for 11-a-side as well. As I understand it, from the designs and the planning and the cost of turf, the bleachers and everything else, all the infrastructure, it will cause somewhere around $400,000 to $450,000."
But, the residents who would become the beneficiaries of the planned facelift for Berger Field would not be unwise to listen with a healthy dose of skepticism. After all, another elected politician broke ground on this pitch, and he and his partners at the time committed to a similar upgrade.
It turned out to be just another empty promise.
File: November 28, 2012
Herman Longsworth - Former Minister of Sports
"We intend to properly fence the perimeter of the field. We intend to raise and drain the field, grass it, or hopefully maybe even turf it, which might be the better way to go. I want to build a clubhouse of sorts, but most of all, what I want to do - and this is important - I want to create a monument of sorts that will honor every single football player that has come out of this field I have no interest in making anything off this except, the political popularity that will come with it, Jules. I am a politician."
But, that was then, and in today's now, these new believers in Berger Field say that have the cash in hand to get the upgrade done in a few short months.
Hon. Anthony Mahler
"Well, I think you have committed people to get this project done. You have the Minister of Sports, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Sergio Chuc from the FFB, and you have me. We have the monies already. We want to see this project completed. I think it is crucial for the upliftment of the Southside, and we have other projects that we will work on."
Daniel Ortiz
"This community has been promised before, and they have been disappointed."
Sergio Chuc
"Yeah, I was at the ground-breaking many years ago, and nothing came to fruition. But, I believe that this time, from our end, basically, we have our funding secured. Mr. Mahler, from his end, has his funding secured, and the Sports Council has just gotten an increase in its budget. So, I don't see what can stop us. The plans have been drawn and paid for already, between the Ministry of Tourism and the FFB. So now, we have the phase of sending out the tenders. It's an open bid."
The partnership that's supposed to execute this facelift will likely become a template for other sporting facilities that have fallen into disrepair.
Hon. Rodwell Ferguson
"With this being done, it's going to be a major accomplishment for Belize City. I've already asked the Director of Sports, Mr. Ian Cal, to give me an estimate of Rogers Stadium, and likewise MCC. With the support of the Cabinet, we know where we can find the funds to renovate those stadiums. So, as soon as we get it, we'll take it out to Cabinet to make sure it can be done. The time has come for it to be done."
Hon. Anthony Mahler
"I've said this before. I can't comprehend a couple of years ago that our under-13 went to CODICADER and won gold. That's is in all of Central America, and then 2 or 3 weeks later, our National took 4 from St. Kitts. Sorry, but it is real; there's a gap. So, we have to do more in primary school. We have to do more in high school, and even at the tertiary level."
Ian Gaynair - Veteran Football Athlete
"It's really good to see this. We never had this in my time. This was only sand. Over on that side had a big drain, where sometimes you run off, and it's in the drain that you get hurt. Deon and I grew up on this field, and we became very successful in the football game. I think, with this that's about to happen, all the young players from around here will end up on the national team, will end up becoming someone, will end up maybe in another country playing football."
The President of the FFB tells us that the next phase of construction is the tendering process to decide which company will be awarded the contract to renovate Berger Field.
