Resource and Resiliency Centre to be Constructed in San Ignacio

The C.C.C.C.C., headquartered in Belmopan deals with the environmental concerns of the entire Caribbean. On Wednesday, in San Ignacio, ground was broken for the construction of a resource and resiliency centre that will be working to reduce the carbon footprint of San Ignacio and five surrounding villages in the west. The construction is being funded by the Government of Italy and the project will involve the installation of L.E.D. lights. News Five’s Duane Moody was there and files this report.

Duane Moody, Reporting

A groundbreaking ceremony was held today at the Victor Galvez Stadium in San Ignacio. It kick-starts the construction of a community multipurpose and emergency centre in the heart of Cayo North, the division for current U.D.P. area rep, Omar Figueroa. The installation is timely, says the Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change because Belize as a small island developing and low-lying coastal state in the Caribbean is severely affected by climate change. The goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of San Ignacio and five surrounding villages in the Cayo District. That is being done through the installation of L.E.D. street lights in that jurisdiction. Figueroa says that the Cayo North Resource and Resiliency Centre was conceived years ago.

Omar Figueroa

Omar Figueroa, Minister of Environment, Climate Change

“It’s through a window of climate change collaboration. Belize is part of a group that is referred to as the Small Island Development States and even though we contribute minimally, in fact negligibly to the problem that is climate change, we are disproportionately affected. Just last night in San Ignacio, you saw a very intense storm come from a very brief period of time. And it is these kind of events that we will seen increase with intensity and frequency that we’ve seen over the past few years and we will keep on seeing that. We need to start thinking about adapting to these impacts of climate change and this building represents one step forward in what is the national plan to really enhance our own adaptation. The building will be able to, in times of disasters, actually house people. I think the capacity will be close to about four hundred people that can be housed here.”

The project is being funded by the Government of Italy to the tune of just under one point five million dollars and will serve as a headquarters for NEMO. It will also have an indoor basketball and office spaces for government departments.

Roberto Natali

Roberto Natali, Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy

“The great job of the centre, directed by Doctor Leslie and his staff, the Government of Belize and the Government of Italy made this miracle because this was important for this region and all together with collaboration and decision, we have made this. And we say today that this project and the others things that are already operating and I am proud that my country to contribute to this.”

The project will be led by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre. But Director of Sustainable Development in the ministry, Victor Alegria says that the project supports several millennium development goals.

Victor Alegria

Victor Alegria, Director of Sustainable Development

“One it touches the issue of health; sustainable development goal three. Sustainable development goal four on education, sustainable development goal seven on energy, eight on jobs, nine on infrastructure, eleven on livable cities, thirteen on climate change and most importantly seventeen in terms of partnership.”

Duane Moody for News Five.