And that spending on transport was in evidence today when the IDB and GOB signed a grant agreement for five hundred and forty thousand US dollars to support the preparation of feasibility studies and social and environmental assessments for the rehabilitation of 32 miles of the George Price Highway. That is between Belmopan and Benque Viejo del Carmen. The agreement was signed in Belize City by Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Gina Montiel, Manager of the IDB's Country Department for Central America. Here are their remarks.


An official statement says, the grant will support the preparation of an investment program to finance the infrastructure works needed to upgrade and absorb growing traffic volumes on the highway. The IDB is also supporting the development of a national transportation master plan to address existing bottlenecks in the country's roads, ports, air travel and transit systems. If they have the courage, we'd encourage them to take a look at the bus system.

Channel 7

IDB and G.O.B. sign agreement to rehabilitate 32 miles of George Price Highway

Government announced in November 2013 that it will be spending seventy-six million dollars on infrastructure works across the country. This morning, the Inter-American Development Bank signed an agreement with G.O.B. for five hundred and forty thousand US dollars to support the preparation of feasibility studies and social and environmental assessments for the rehabilitation of thirty two miles of the George Price Highway between Belmopan and Benque Viejo del Carmen. The agreement was signed between Prime Minister Dean Barrow and Manager of the IDB's Country Department for Central America, Mexico, Panama, and the Dominican Republic, Gina Montiel.

Anneke Jessen, IDB Country Representative

"The Honorable Prime Minister and Miss Gina Montiel, the General Manager from the IDB Central America Department are here to sign a technical assistance grant from the IDB to the government of Belize. For the preparation of feasibility studies for a portion of the George Price Highway that goes from the Roaring Creek Bridge up to Benque Viejo."

Dean Barrow

Prime Minister�Dean Barrow�

"An example of the excellent relations that exist between Belize and the Bank, it also fits very well into the new overall emphasis on infrastructure that the government recently announced, so all together a good day for Belize and a good day for the IDB."

Gina Montiel

Gina Montiel, General Manager, IDB Central American Department

"Trying to help the country with a new program and this grant is going to allow us to prepare a very important project that is going to increase the productivity of Belize. We are really glad for the relation with the country, we have really strong portfolio and really good team here and I think we are eager to start working particularly under the guidance of the Prime Minister and the new emphasis that he has given to improve the infrastructure of the country."

IDB says transport is one of the four priority areas of its new country strategy with Belize. The other areas are education, tourism, and trade and tax policy.�

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