Belmopan gets new market
It is the place just about everyone stops when they get to the nation’s capital…And today a new and improved market, with a new name, the “Friendship Plaza”, was inaugurated in Belmopan. News 5 was there.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Today Belmopan residents witnessed the opening of their brand new market. The six hundred thousand dollar facility consists of twenty-seven stalls with their own kitchen facilities. The building replaces the one built in 1968 which had become dilapidated to the extent that it was a health hazard.
John Saldivar, Area Representative, Cayo South
“I am sure that all of us residents of Belmopan are happy to see the eyesore that was our market go. But of course, there are also a lot of memories that were attached to that old market. Many who were the original pioneering residents of Belmopan will recall that that was our first cinema right there at the old market and I used to watch movies as a little boy right here at the old Belmopan market. So there are memories, and I?m sure that this new market will bring it?s very own. And I am happy as the area representative for Cayo South, to see this progress that has been brought to our fair Garden City.”
The Belmopan City Council has been working on the project since their first term in 2002.
Anthony Chanona, Mayor, Belmopan
“The vision of the Belmopan City Council it to create a vibrant city by investing in people and facilities in consultation and collaboration with the citizens of Belmopan. We take this commitment very seriously and we will speak out on any issue, publicly or privately, if it affects anyone who lives, works or invest in our city. That?s how serious we take this commitment.”
Mayor Chanona says they are now working to create a public investment committee called the Belmopan Development Infrastructure Fund, or B.D.I.F., that will attempt to encourage Belizeans especially the market vendors to participate in the ownership of their city.
Anthony Chanona
“As all twenty-seven stakeholders of this new market will be given the opportunity to enter into higher purchase agreements, with a caveat of course, they can leave it in their families, their heirs and successors, if they choose to sell outside of that arrangement, they must sell back to the city that we can in turn offer this opportunity to other residents that might want to participate.”
Chanona says if B.D.I.F. is successful, it will allow the private sector to assume the council’s former role of managing business investments and allow them to get on with the politics of good governance.
The market was built by funds acquired through a loan from the Bank of Nova Scotia. Chanona says there was a specific reason why they did not decide to borrow from the Central Bank.
Anthony Chanona
“We believe as we aspire for greater autonomy and decentralisation, we must learn to paddle our own ship and relinquish the aprons and the financial security of the Central Government. But I must very quickly haste to add Prime Minister, that we do accept grants, gifts, and contributions.” (laughs)
Two other events took place at the ceremony: the swearing in of deputy mayor Clifton Hall and the unveiling of the Friendship Plaza Plaque in commemoration of today’s official ceremony.
