Major Development Coming to Lake Independence Boulevard

There is an open call for businesses to submit ideas and plans for the development of a large tract of barren land in the vicinity of Lake Independence Boulevard.  To be overseen by Belize Infrastructure Limited, the project will be a partnership between the public and private sectors and will see the area transformed into a commercial hub on the south side of Chetumal Street Bridge.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano has more.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The Government of Belize has unveiled plans for a large-scale special development zone in the area of Lake Independence Boulevard.  The area encompasses fifty acres of consolidated government land which, along with adjacent private properties, will be guided by a master plan.  The vision for a private/public partnership will be realized through Belize Infrastructure.  Deputy Prime Minister Patrick Faber explains how it will work.

Patrick Faber

Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister

“You will remember that we built a new bridge at the Chetumal Street intersection with Lake Independence Boulevard and on the Lake Independence side, the south side, you will know that the government also acquired prime land at the foot of the bridge.  There’s private land on both sides of the government’s property there, but what we’re concerned about is primarily that land which is now crown land.  What we’re doing, firstly we’re enshrining the usage so that it can only be used for certain purposes, certain commercial and community purposes.”

According to Faber, a statutory instrument will be put into place to specify the purpose for which the lands will be used.  Likewise, an agreement will be signed prior to the presentation of the upcoming budget for the building of a new government facility in that area.

Patrick Faber

“As you may have heard, there are quite a few ideas that the government has had on its own, but pretty much things are still very flexible and we wanted to engage with private sector stakeholders, mainly for them to suggest for you to come up with ideas.  For you to share with us what plans you may see as being beneficial for this area’s development.  One of the things that is already planned and we are hoping to sign that into effect as early as Friday morning, just before we go to the House and the Prime Minister presents the budget for the fiscal year 2019/2020, we will sign a contract for the construction of a government complex, one of two that we hope to build there.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.