Help For Housing and Infrastructure on Southside

Dean Barrow

While the fishermen plea for help, on Tuesday we reported that some eight million dollars in relief was issued to the National Emergency Management Organization to start efforts at reconstruction and rehabilitation following the ravages of Hurricane Earl. In addition to relief from major country donors and international organizations, some Southside Belize City-specific relief is also expected. Prime Minister Dean Barrow shared the details during his Independence Day address while also giving N.E.M.O. some kudos for the work it has already done.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“OPEC/OFID, who will provide the money, has also agreed, as a result of Hurricane Earl, an additional few million dollars, on top of the tranches that had already been slated for later in the year, to help with new home construction and landfill for Southside Belize. And talking about the Hurricane gives me a chance to say how well NEMO handled the coordination of the social recovery effort. Their operational model has been commended by the international team from ECLAC, which was in Belize to do the damage assessment that will underpin the loan quantum to be funded by the IDB and CDB to assist our national rebuilding program.”

The Caribbean Development Bank is also providing funding to replace the Calla Creek Bridge and San Ignacio-Santa Elena Low-Lying Bridge which were severely damaged during Earl.