For nearly four months, traffic officers in the commercial capital, Belize City, have been doing their deskwork for the inspection of vehicles, for licensing and registration purposes, under a small open tent with only a top canopy.

In May, we had reported on public concerns over the deterioration of working conditions for the officers, who had for several years been made to work inside a dilapidated, rotten and leaky wooden booth.

The officers are now working under a tent placed in front of a food shop on Johnson Street, beside Constitution Park and in the vicinity of Matron Roberts Health Center.

Councilor for traffic at the Belize City Council, Dean Samuels, had told our newspaper back then that a new booth was under construction.

That was more than three months ago, and when we contacted Samuels again today, to again draw attention to the problem, he told us that they have been in discussion with Atlantic Insurance on a proposal for them to supply a Mennonite house for the use of the traffic officers.

When we contacted the insurance company, they informed us that management has not even considered the proposal yet, because they are awaiting documents from the Belize City Council to put on record that they actually own the property where they want to place the Mennonite house.

The rainy season is in full swing, and Amandala notes that during the recent downpours, the traffic officers were forced to stop working.

The poor working conditions are also an inconvenience to the driving public, who require the services and who must at times wait in the hot sun if lines are long, or who dodge the rain to get their papers processed.

Last October, Samuels confessed that it is embarrassing that the biggest municipality is offering those kinds of services, and that people should be in comfort and have their vehicle tested professionally, and get their license without having to worry about getting wet in the rain.

Ten months later, the problem has not been rectified.

Amandala