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Works on phase two of Police Barracks ceases

On Wednesday, August 26th, works on the second phase of the Police Barracks were reported to have resumed. This coincided with the official visit of Minister of National Security Honorable John Saldivar. The project, which had been stalled for several months, seemed to finally be on its way to completion. However, a few days after the visit of Saldivar, works on the barracks suddenly stopped.

The structure remains the same way as it was several months ago, when construction abruptly ceased. So far, only the foundation and some of the walls have been constructed. The two -story building, which is being constructed under Gaby's Construction Company is expected to house an educational and recreational facility for the San Pedro Cadet Corps, along with four rooms on the first floor. Meanwhile on the second floor the plan is to include two rooms to house police officers.

According to Councilor Gabriel "Gaby" Nu�ez, who is in charge of the construction, the present works at the moment being done at the barracks are all based on voluntary service. "Works on the building stopped for now, since on this last phase of the project, we are getting the work done based on volunteering/community service. We will be needing donations to complete the plumbing and electrical part of the construction and so we ask anyone who wants to help, to donate, they can do it at the offices of the Town Council," said Nu�ez. He mentioned that as of next week, more works will take place on the barracks, emphasizing that the assistance of the community will play a big role in finishing the facilities.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun

Work on Phase 2 of Police Barracks resumes
Nearly two years since construction first started, two companies have joined forces to complete phase two of the San Pedro Police Barracks. After an extended hiatus, construction has resumed to complete the long-awaited two story building. Once finished, the new housing should improve the living conditions of our current police officers, and may even mean more officers on the island.

The building in question has been the subject of many stories printed in The San Pedro Sun. From the original contractor declaring a shortage of funds, to delays due to medical issues and a lack of volunteer support, to questions regarding appropriation of funds donated by both the Ministry of National Security and the local business community, the barracks remain unfinished.

Completion of barracks to alleviate inadequate police housing

After two years of off-and-on construction, phase two of the San Pedro Police Department's (SPPD) barracks is near completion. The two-story wooden building features three divisions; upstairs will have a total of three separate bedrooms to accommodate three additional officers and downstairs will be divided into two sections. The completion of this building is eagerly anticipated by the SPPD. Officer in Charge of the Coastal Executive Unit, Superintendent Sandra Bowden, is relieved that the process is almost done. "It has been completed for the most part. They are just putting on the final touches. Hopefully by the end of the month, we can have the official handing over," said Bowden.

The issue of inadequate housing and space has been ongoing, even leading to some relocation of officers. According to Bowden, the office space for the DVU (domestic/family violence unit) inside the police department is not adequate. However, the good news is that the DVU will be transferred to the new barracks. The ground floor of the barracks will be divided in half, with one section to provide office space for the DVU unit, and the other half as a drop-in center. The drop-in center will be geared towards students and the public, offering resources like internet access that could help with schoolwork.

Second phase of SPPD Barracks nears completion

In less than a month, the San Pedro Police Formation will be provided with a brand new police barracks. Nearly two years since construction began, phase two of the police barracks project will finally be completed, providing additional space to accommodate more police officers as the Department seeks to increase its numbers on the island.

The building is apparently on its last phase of completion. According to Councillor Gabriel "Gaby" Nu�ez, who is still leading the construction, the building should be completed two weeks from Monday, May 23rd. "We just need to spend one week working on the ground floor and another week on the top floor, and by then the building should be completed," he said.

Nu�ez indicated that most of the finishing work will take place inside the building, while all the electrical and plumbing has been completed. "The painting of the building from inside and outside is one of the things left to do, along with some minor interior tasks regarding the floors and walls" he said. He added that the completion of the barracks was made possible thanks to the efforts of four main donors. "The completion of the barracks will now be possible thanks to the support of The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC), Castillo's Hardware, Gaby's Construction and the Government of Belize through the Ministry of National Security," he said. "However, we are still welcoming donations, especially to paint the building." Nu�ez indicated that even though they have projected to finish the structure in two weeks, they still need to come up with around $5,000 to finish the interior work. He added that the man power is being provided by the SPTC and Gaby's Construction at no cost.

Nu�ez admitted that the completion of the building has taken longer than expected, but says it is all due to the cost of materials that are brought to the island.