Like most parts of the country, Belize City was inundated with rain over the weekend but the City Council says flooding was kept to a minimum. CITCO says despite the nearly 2 inches that fell yesterday – you could have found dry spots in the normally flood prone areas of Belama and Jane Usher Boulevard. Deputy Mayor Anthony Michael told us why the city stayed dry.
Anthony Michael, Deputy Mayor
“There are some streets that have had some flooding but I must say that driving around this morning, and even yesterday on Sunday, I saw some of the water receding very quickly. We have some stagnation in some parts where we have the equipment out trying to reduce some of the flooding. The water is
running off.
We are doing our best Keith. Again I do not have to remain the Belizean people that we are right at sea level and so with the little amount of rain that occurs, we will have some flooding. What residents appreciate though is that as soon as the rain stops, they could see the water receding and that is the important part of it. I think residents will be more upset after the rains stop and the tide drops and you still see water stagnating in the city. I am proud to say that over the last two years we have done a lot of infrastructure work and that is a testament of the water receding right now. We will continue to work.”
But the rains have made an already bad situation worse in downtown Belize City. That is because the utility companies still haven’t finished preparatory work for the paving of Albert and Regent Streets. The rains have delayed work but more than that, Anthony Michael says Belize Water Services is now undoing some of the work it has already done.
Anthony Michael,
“According to my engineer, I was briefed this morning of the situation, BTL has apparently concluded their work. BWS has joined all their pipes and they did some pressure testing. Unfortunately, during the pressure test the meter dropped which showed that there is leakage. So they found three spots and they are going back in trying to repair those leaks before they actually start the compacting of the street. I spoke to Mr. Alvan Haynes from BWS and I indicated to them, along with BTL, that they need to go in and at least start filling some of the rots because vehicles are really taking a beating going through Albert and Regent.
If everything permits, if the weather permits and they get out there this week, the Ministry of Works coming in and doing their soil testing, we do the compaction, fixing Albert and Regent, we do not see why Albert and Regent should not be paved by the end of July.”
BEL also plans to change the lampposts in downtown Belize City but Deputy Mayor Michael says that can be done after the streets are paved.
