Oppositon says he is not impressed with multi-million dollar infrastructure program

Francis Fonseca

At his press conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Dean Barrow unveiled a multi-million dollar infrastructure program to address deteriorating streets and roads in the country. Almost three million dollars have been allocated for immediate remedial works, and approximately seventy-six million has been committed to the entire project. P.U.P. leader Francis Fonseca wasn’t impressed. He says that the incessant rains have only highlighted what has been chronic neglect of infrastructure by G.O.B. According to Fonseca, while he welcomes any relief, he’s very concerned because he feels that P.U.P.-run municipalities are being short-changed.

Francis Fonseca, PUP Leader

“We in the People’s United Party obviously we welcome any and all relief that is being provided by the government of Belize to the many, many residents of this country, many citizens of this country who can’t access their farms in many communities across the country, people are unable to access their farms, children can’t get to schools because of the road conditions and the flooding. Many people here in the city…we know it well…many people’s homes have been flooded out and of course the road conditions have taken a serious toll on vehicles – many vehicles have been destroyed and damaged because of the road conditions. So we absolutely welcome any support, any assistance that the government is now prepared to offer – it is long overdue. At the same time I also want to make the point that we are demanding that there be an equitable use of those resources. I was certainly not satisfied with what I heard from the Prime Minister yesterday in terms of the support that will be provided to the municipalities that are governed by the People’s United Party, in particular Dangriga, Punta Gorda and Orange Walk town. It seems to us that these municipalities are getting the smallest share of the pie and that is certainly not fair because in some of these communities, particularly in the south, where I have been on many, many occasions I know that the conditions of the roads are worse than ever. So we want to place on the record very clearly that we are demanding fair and equitable treatment for those municipalities governed by the People’s United Party.”

Fonseca also criticized what he calls a bailout of the Mayor of Belize City with the proposed assistance by G.O.B., when he says nothing is being done of the villages all across the country.