Focus shifts to long term hurricane rehabilitation

With villages in the Belize and Orange Walk districts waiting for floodwaters to recede, and rebuilding efforts proceeding feverishly at San Pedro and Caye Caulker, the post hurricane focus has now shifted to longer-term economic recovery. Late last week Budget Minister Ralph Fonseca and Central Bank Governor Keith Arnold traveled to Washington, D.C. for discussions with the Interamerican Development Bank. Joined by Ambassador Lisa Shoman, the Belize delegation met with IDB President Enrique Iglesias and senior bank officials. The application process was initiated for a facility to fund cleanup and reconstruction and the IDB, together with the World Bank, will organise an international donors conference to be held in Washington in late November or early December. This meeting will seek to secure medium and long term funding for reconstruction projects.

In related news a team from the World Bank will arrive early this week to discuss the reconfiguration of the Municipal Infrastructure and Social Investment Fund projects to include new funding for hurricane rehabilitation.