New streets appreciated… but still need work

It’s another episode of that long running drama called “progress brings problems.” The latest plot twist involves residents of one waterlogged Belize City neighbourhood who discovered that building streets involves more than just laying down a few feet of clay.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Several months ago most of the London bridges in the Raccoon Street Extension area were taken down and the swampy streets were filled to allow residents easier access to their houses. But recent rains have turned the clay into mud, making navigation difficult once again. And while no one wants to go back to the bad old days, the beginning of progress has left people with high expectations.

Shanda Talbert, Area Resident
“We noh have no problem with the street, we glad for the street because we use to walk on London Bridges, you know. All we want them do is like fix the street area more better and put more drainage areas so that the water can lead off of the street instead of going on to the street you understand, that is all we want them to do for we behind here, because we are glad for the street.”

The water not only has nowhere to go, but it clearly has become a health concern to those who must make their way through the dark green liquid to get home. When News Five contacted the Belize City Council, we were told that none of the persons we needed to talk to about the situation was in office but that the roads were only recently done and there is still the need to install culverts in the area that would allow proper drainage. We do not know when that work will be done, but the residents say they hope soon.

Shanda Talbert
“It’s just the water you know. And if you watch the colour of the water, it noh really nice and I have my kids, and the mosquitoes and stuff.”

Shanda Talbert says she has even helped to clear the drains to help the water flow, but to no avail. Jacqueline Woods for News Five.

Many of the low-lying areas in the southwest extension of Belize City were settled by squatters or legal residents who built houses before infrastructural improvements could be provided by the municipal or national governments.