Over 70 Million dollars to transform the Coastal Road

Going south usually means taking the George Price Highway to the Capital, Belmopan and then onto the scenic Hummingbird Highway. In addition to a pleasant drive, the view and clean air are added extras to soak in on the way south. This is in stark contrast with the Coastal Road which sits about mile thirty on the George Price Highway as it is s perhaps one of the most dusty highways that drivers have been pleased to avoid in favor of the Hummingbird. But today as part of the road rehabilitation project, a $36,576,000 loan was tabled to rehabilitate from La Democracia village to the Hummingbird Highway at Mile 9. It's a lot of cash for a lot of road and while it had full Government support, the Opposition was not too pleased with the cost.

Leader of the Opposition: Madam Speaker nobody is question whether the paving of the Coastal Road is not a good project and it something that in principle we would support. I certainly question the amount being spent to pave the Coastal Road Madam Speaker. I mean we are getting a $33.4 million Grant from the UK and we are grateful for that and then we are borrowing another $36,576,000.00 US for a total of in Belize dollars $139,952,000.00 to pave 59 kilometers or 36.6 miles of road. If you were to take some kind of comparison of when we were in Government Madam Speaker we spent approximately $100,000,000.00 Belize to pave 5 miles of the Southern Highway and here we are now spending $139,952,000.00 to pave 36.6 miles of road Madam Speaker. If you were to take an average we are in effect spending $3,880,000.00 to pave 1 mile of road on the Coastal Road Madam Speaker and by any metrics you would take that is really a lot of money that we are spending."

Prime MInister Dean Barrow: " When the Leader of the Opposition talks about what engineering and the rebuilding will cost during their time in office. You must remember that was a long, long, long time ago he is talking about but on a serious note Madam Speaker he is asking me questions about enhancement communities in terms of details that I can't answer. You know I am always a fellow who will confess to my lack of knowledge in particular areas. I am no engineer, I am not expert, I am nobody capable of assessing these things. It is like again you are directing the question to the wrong person. What I can tell you is this. This money is coming via the CDB as a vehicle through which the British are making their disbursement. The best of the technical expertise of the CDB and of the British Government. It was them that decided how much this thing is likely to cost. The amount they had for Belize was such that when they were fishined that paving, that rehabilitation of the Philip Goldson Highway I was telling you about from mile 20 right down through Orange Walk and Corozal to the border is also going to come out of the British loan funds."

Millions to pave the Road to Caracol

The interest rate on the Coastal Road would be at 4.8 percent per anmum to be paid quarterly for the rehabilitation of 59 kilometers of road. But that was only one of two major roadworks announced. There was also a US $5,941,000 and US $20 million secured from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. The 5.9 million US is set aside for the Second Road Safety Project and the $20 Million US for 26 miles of the Caracol Road to be transformed from dirt to asphalt. This loan also did not sit well with the Opposition.

Orlando Habet Cayo North East: "Madam Speaker I believe that until we are prosperous to spend this kind of money in the wilderness we should concentrate on prioritizing our spending where we will get better returns. I believe that rural development: that includes the development of village roads, farm roads and other access roads are far more important for national development. I am quite certain that the tourist would be contented with a well maintained all weather road in Caracol thank you."

Leader of the Opposition John Bricenio: " I want to align myself with what the Honorable Member for Cayo North East said over the Caracol Road loan Madam Speaker. I in good faith cannot support this loan of $20 million dollars US paving the road to Caracol and the Honorable member from Cayo North East was right. I don't know if they are trying to confuse us in bringing different loans so we can't keep track of how much we are going to be spending on the Caracol Road because if you look at what has been presented to us right now Madam Speaker they are saying that this amount right now is only covering 64% of this portion of the road so they have to borrow another 36%. That 36% Madam Speaker is another eleven million two hundred and fifty seven thousand US dollars that has to be borrowed yet. There are so many other pressing needs in this country Madam Speaker. Look at our small farmers, we need to be able to assist them Madam Speaker. They can't get access to affordable funding, they can't get access not even to the local markets, there are roads and whenever it rains it is impossible. We need to be working with the productive sector Madam Speaker. According to breaking news I read the article and they are saying that the Government is going to spend ninety million US dollars to pave the Caracol Road. How can we justify this Madam Speaker? Yes we want the tourist to have a nice paved road, yes nobody denies that but we have more pressing needs Madam Speaker."

Prime Minister of Belize Dean Barrow: "I thought that going to Caracol was a kind of national desideratum if I can use that term. The benefits in terms of Tourism and the member for Cayo North East described it as wilderness. Man that is as I understand it some of the most pristine naturally, beautiful areas you can find in our entire country and what is happening out there or what can happen in terms of tourism. All the lodges that will go there and plus there is a security element to it as well but if they don't agree that doing the road to Caracol isn't in the national interest Madam Speaker then I can't argue with that and I will say only this much more, again in terms of the cost this is what the funding agents they come up with and sure there are other things we would like to do but those people lend you money just for what you want you know. Those people lend you money for what you want that when they think, that what you are asking to borrow for makes sense, that it has to be what they see as a huge priority for our country but if you all don't think it is Madam Speaker I respect your position and sit down."

The loan term is for 20 years. Five years is the grace period plus an additional 15 years to fulfill the loan agreement.

LOVEFM


PUP Does Not Support Loans For Highway Mega Projects

Two major infrastructural projects went to the house today.  That's the 36 million US dollar CDB loan for the Coastal Highway project and the 20 million US dollar loan for phase 2 of the Caracol Road project.  The Opposition Leader said it's too much money to spend on roads when there are so many other needs:

Hon. John Briceno - Leader of the Opposition
"They are saying that this amount right now is just covering 64% of this portion of the road. So they have to borrow another 36%, that 36% Madam Speaker is another 11,250,000 US dollars that has to be borrowed yet. There are so many other pressing needs in this country Madam Speaker. Look at our small farmers, we need to be able to assist them Madam Speaker. They can't get access to affordable funding, they can't get access to not even the local markets, their roads whenever it rains it's impossible - we need to be working with the productive sector Madam Speaker. Yes we want the tourist to have a nice paved road - yes nobody denies that but we have more pressing needs Madam Speaker. Look in San Pedro, San Pedro don't have a hospital. How many budgets they promised a hospital in San Pedro? Every year they promise that they are going to build the hospital."

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"I really am speechless. I thought that going to Caracol was a kind of national desiderato if I can use that term. The benefits in terms of tourism and the member for Cayo North East described it as wilderness. Man as I understand it, some of the most prestine nationaly beautiful areas you can find in our entire country and what is happening out there - or what can happen in terms of tourism, the lodges that we will put, plus there is a security element to it as well. But if they don't agree that doing the road to Caracol is in the national interest, Madam Speaker I can't argue with them."

And the exchange was very much he same for the debate on he Coastal Highway loan:…

Hon. John Briceno
"We are not questioning whether paving the Coastal Road cannot be a good project but what we're questioning Madam Speaker - certainly I am questioning, do we need to spend 139,952,000 dollars to pave 33.6 miles of road?"

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow
"Look you're talking about the best of the technical expertise of the CDB and of the British government. Da deh decided how much this thing is likely to cost."

Both those loan motions were passed today.  Government also pushed through legislation to adjust the offshore baking regulations to meet European Union regulatory requirements. You'll hear about that later in he news.

Channel 7