Marion Jones Still Unfinished Many Years Later

Carlos Quesnel Melendez

Turning to the Marion Jones Stadium…there was a soft launch just before the November elections. It is a project that dates back to 2008 and seven years later it has not been fully completed, depriving athletes and the public use of the facility. The Mexican government pledged financial support and came through with it, but the stadium remains incomplete. Ambassador Quesnel told the media that last year, Mexico handed over five million U.S. dollars through the Yucatan Fund for the construction works to be done at the sporting facility.

Carlos Quesnel Melendez, Mexican Ambassador to Belize

“As you know the Marion Jones project which is our major cooperation project was funded through the Yucatan Fund, a Mexican agency of cooperation. What I can tell you is that Mexico has done its part. We have delivered the money to the United Nations Office on Projects and Management and they are dealing with the Belizean government. The Mexican doesn’t…is just now hoping to see that the first stone be put there and we will be very happy when the construction stops. But the government of Mexico is not involved anymore in the process. It is something that UNOPS is doing by themselves; we will not get involved in that process though we are only interested in seeing the results. We will be very happy when this major work or major sports complex will be opened.”

Reporter

“How much is the money?”

Carlos Quesnel Melendez, Mexican Ambassador to Belize

“Mexico gave through the Yucatan Fund five million U.S. dollars. That has already been done so we are no longer involved in the management of the money.”