Carnival Goes through Belchina This Year

While the Battle of Saint George’s Caye and Independence Day remain the twin towers of the September Celebrations Calendar, in Belize City, the Carnival Road March reaches those heights.  September ninth will see hundreds of revelers on the City’s streets and many more watching from the sidewalks and at home. But the usual route from the Yabra area through Central American Boulevard and into Princess Margaret Drive to end at Marion Jones Sporting Complex has become a concern.  It blocks access from both major highways into the City and the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital for the more than four hours. An alternate route through Vernon Street, over the Bel-China Bridge and through Cinderella Plaza unto Baymen Avenue, Princess Margaret Drive and ending at the Marion Jones has been tested and today, after weeks of countless meetings with stakeholders, it was finally approved by the September Celebrations Committee.  CEMO Coordinator Philip Willoughby says that he is happy that they were able to maintain much of its traditional south side route as possible.

Philip Willoughby

Philip Willoughby, CEMO Coordinator

“I am happy to repeat what the Deputy Prime Minister said that he supports the idea that the carnival road march should maintain its origin from the south side and traverse the city on the south side as well as the north side. From what I have heard and I read on social media that the route that was designed by myself is the route that is going to hold true. So I am grateful that I was a part of the process in terms of engaging with all the partners and stakeholders at the table, namely the Carnival Association, sat with the C.E.O. and others from the K.H.M.H., including the police…the first emergency responders the fire service and others. So in looking at it, all in all, the Carnival Association is happy, the band leaders are happy and they share that view and I am extremely appt that I was a part of the process to come up with another solution for another situation.”