Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 6 of 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
P
pedro2
pedro2
P
I think some people have a fundamental problem with the philosophy that any development is OK since others did it earlier.

Each development must be considered anew in the light of what already exists, and that is the case anywhere in the world I've lived. Sorry if that disadvantages some latecomers, but that's the way it is.

Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,733
OP Offline
Irrespective of what has been done in the past, there exists the fundimental issue that any piece of land has a limit to the population density it can sustain. I think that is the basic argument here. There are those who feel that development is the answer to getting more funds to provide jobs and infrastucture. And there are those who feel based on the unique marine ecosystem that the AC has that more enphasis should be placed on investing in and providing the infrastucture and systems to protect that before development outpaces that ability.

Last edited by bywarren; 05/23/08 08:56 AM.
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 4,262
Offline
Belize-N-US: My comment was a stab at early morning hilarity. That being said...it is what many people think. My residence, Laguna Punta, was built around 1990...well before the building surge and well before most environment/intrastructure issues. Several years ago, it was proposed that a free floating Casino be built near the barrier reef. Such a boneheaded plan was obviously nexed. A building moritorium will never happen...but, its a pretty thought. Bill


Gone fishing!!
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 324
G
Offline
G
Street sweeper coming next...now I am really pissed

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,479
S
Offline
S
Coincidentally, this just showed up in the news:

Retired Wilmington street-sweeping machine to be put to work in San Pedro, Belize

By Sam Scott
Staff Writer


Published: Saturday, May 24, 2008 at 10:54 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, May 24, 2008 at 11:07 p.m.

This street sweeper will be donated to the city of San Pedro, Belize, a sister city of Wilmington. San Pedro recently got paved streets and the sweeper will perform the country's first ever street sweep. The city will have a street festival to celebrate.

All grime, dust and baked-on chewing gum, the working life of a street-sweeping machine isn't one of glamour. Retirement, though, hasn't been much sexier for the old man among Wilmington's curb cleaners.

Since the fall, the 1999 Athey "Topgun" model sweeper has sat largely forgotten among scores of other municipal vehicles at the city's operations center. Maintaining the aging vehicle had become a growing challenge after the manufacturer's demise forced workers to fabricate parts they could no longer buy.

But what is obsolete to a relatively rich American city might be optimal for a poorer relation. And Wilmington's aging asset may soon be reborn as a small-scale, Central American celebrity - the first street sweeper in Belize.

In March, the Wilmington City Council approved donating the vehicle to San Pedro, an island town on Belize's coast with a population of 8,400, which is also one of Wilmington's four sister cities. Now local officials are waiting for the town to wire $12,000 so they can order and make parts ahead of the arrival of a Belizean mechanic who will learn the ropes before the sweeper's trip south.

"They are going to close Main Street in San Pedro for a street dance celebrating the arrival," said Ed Paul, a local optometrist who is honorary consul to Belize. "The entire country of Belize does not have a street sweeper."

Until recently the country, which is about the size of Massachusetts, hasn't had much need for street-sweeping machines with few paved roads besides highways, Paul said. But two years ago, San Pedro covered its downtown with cobblestones, he said.

Progress, though, came with a problem, Paul said. Wind, runoff, and passers-by coated the newly paved streets with enough dust and sand from surrounding areas that a half dozen city workers had to regularly deploy with brooms and dustpans, said Paul, who resigned as a Wrightsville Beach alderman in 2005 to take the consul position.

He received the honor at the invitation of the former prime minister's wife after years of medical missions to the country. His relationship with the country helped result in the recent sister-city bond between Wilmington and San Pedro, and ultimately to the sweeper's international future.

When leaders from the island town toured Wilmington last June, they grew intrigued by the street sweepers.

"When they saw our street sweepers, they said, 'Hey, a great solution to our problem,'●" said former Sister City Commission Chairman Scott Czechlewski, communications director for the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce.

The visitors asked about help getting one, and the city eventually volunteered the Athey, which was already scheduled to be mothballed.

Even with its problems, the sweeper is still a deal for San Pedro, Paul said. Estimated to cost $12,000 to repair and $5,000 to ship, the town would still get a sweeper well below the price of a new model, which can cost more than 10 times that amount.

Still the question is when San Pedro will send the money. Wilmington officials said they are just waiting. Paul expected the funds to come two weeks ago - they didn't. But on Wednesday, he said the town was in the process of sending the money. He is exuberant about the deal.

"This is the absolute perfect example of how sister-city relationships work," Paul said.

Attempts to reach Elsa Paz, mayor of San Pedro, by phone and e-mail were not successful last week.

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,446
Offline
Let me get this straight, they retired it because in the US they cannot get parts for it. So they are paying all this money to ship something to Belize that you cannot get parts for, which has already been buggered up before even arriving here?

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,479
S
Offline
S
That would be correct, you were expecting something different?

To give credit, we do have some pretty good bush mechanics down here.

Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 8,868
S
Offline
S
Stop by the Town Council maintenance yard (just off the road to San Pablo) and see how the guys keep a whole bunch of ancient machines going and going and going....clever people.

Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 8,880
Offline
Any way to get Dita and Ed's trailer to piggyback on the delivery?


A fish and a bird can fall in love, but where will they build their nest?

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 324
G
Offline
G
That is the reason I brought it up...

Page 6 of 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Link Copied to Clipboard
March
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Cayo Espanto
Click for Cayo Espanto, and have your own private island
More Links
Click for exciting and adventurous tours of Belize with Katie Valk!
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 302 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums44
Topics79,199
Posts500,011
Members20,460
Most Online7,413
Nov 7th, 2021



AmbergrisCaye.com CayeCaulker.org HELP! Visitor Center Goods & Services San Pedro Town
BelizeSearch.com Message Board Lodging Diving Fishing Things to Do History
BelizeNews.com Maps Phonebook Belize Business Directory
BelizeCards.com Picture of the Day

The opinions and views expressed on this board are the subjective opinions of Ambergris Caye Message Board members
and not of the Ambergris Caye Message Board its affiliates, or its employees.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5