PM Office to Move to New S.S.B. Business Center

Cordel Hyde

Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde today confirmed that the Prime Minister’s office will be renting a space in the new building.  Now, the Prime Minister’s office has, for over a decade, been situated inside the sir Edney Cain Building in Belmopan.  So why the sudden move to rent a space that News Five understands can cost up to fifteen thousand dollars monthly?  And to a building that will also house a call center?  According to Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde, the Prime Minister’s office inside the Sir Edney Cain’s building is also used for weekly cabinet meetings, but due to the large number of cabinet members and COVID-19 regulations, cabinet is unable to meet there.

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

“Yes I understand he is to rent, I am not sure what part of the building. But his office will come up here. Cabinet will come up here. Because, right now we will not be able to use the space that is traditionally used for Cabinet, because it is too small considering the COVID restrictions. So we have had to be meeting in Belize City, as opposed to Belmopan where the seat of the government sits. So we are going to return here, once that rental process is worked out. I believe it will be within a month or two. I am also told that is not going to cost the government additional money. We are going to give up an expensive rental we have with some private sector person. And that money that they were spending there will now be spent with the workers of Belize, in terms of payments to Social Security. Because, once he moves they will open up some space in the administration building. And some offices that we rented before will now be able to, some department that were renting before will now be able to use that.”

Paul Lopez

“So it is a matter of freeing up space, and not a matter of incurring additional expenses?”

Cordel Hyde

“Yeah it is not additional expenses as far as I understand. We won’t be spending anymore money than we are spending right now.”