Coastal Plain Highway Officially Inaugurated
More than forty-nine thousand residents, including three thousand daily road users now have access to the improved Coastal Plain Highway which has been transformed from an unpaved, gravel road to a modern, climate-resilient corridor. Today, after years of works, an inauguration ceremony was held at the Gales Point Junction on the highway to commemorate this significant achievement. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
For some months now, Belizeans travelling south have been enjoying the comfort of driving the coastal road as a quicker access to their destination. It is a project that began under the previous U.D.P. government and today, the Briceño administration officially opened the Coastal Plain Highway. The multimillion-dollar contract was awarded to Imer Hernandez, who was a supporter of the previous administration.
Julius Espat
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development & Housing
“The gentleman that you speak of was highly political – we are aware of that. But when I came in I have to be a responsible minister. And so what’s the purpose of taking away a contract and going to court and losing millions of dollars to the people of Belize. We made a decision and we’ll sit and explain to him what our priorities were, how we work, what we expected and he complied. You can’t ask for better than that.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
Prime Minister John Briceño
“It’s a milestone for the government of Belize and I think Julius said it best; this is not a blue or a red road. it is a road that belongs to all Belizeans. I pointed out earlier that whilst we had our concerns when the contract was being issued, as a responsible government, when we got in, we decided well we need to see how we can make it even better and we did that because under the supervision of Julius and his team we managed to save six million dollars for which was used to do some works on the Hummingbird Highway and also to do work in Dangriga.”
The upgrade of thirty-six miles of road is valued at seventy-eight million U.S. dollars and was made possible through a partnership between the Caribbean Development Bank, the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of Belize under the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund.
Sharon Griffith
Sharon Griffith, Operations Officer, Caribbean Development Bank
“The sixth road project services as one of the most advanced among the thirteen capital works projects funded under the UKCIF portfolio and is the first infrastructure works contract to be concluded. This was within six months of the original schedule and I wish to add completed within budget.”
Road networks and proper transportation are key to the development of a country. They provide access for various sectors, including agriculture, tourism and more.
Rodwell Ferguson
Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport
“Transportation makes an economy grow and if you noh have the proper infrastructure and proper transportation then the whole economy will become dormant and I am hopeful that with the coastal road you will see more activities especially for the people in the south from Toledo and Stann Creek and even the cost of living should go down, because the cost of transportation of the goods should be much cheaper.”
Julius Espat
“As you drive this way, you will see a lot of areas that are now starting to open up for potential tourist destinations. There is one that goes to western lagoon that’s opening up for residences. This area will flourish, but it also helps us with other road network.”
Villages and communities such as Gales Point Manatee and Mullins River are already experiencing the benefits of the Coastal Plain Highway. People, culture, history, and food are among the many features that Belizeans and international tourists will easily be able to enjoy.
Jason Altschaft
Jason Altschaft, Chairman, Gales Point Village
“We already have people setting up little rooms to do airbnbs, we got small restaurants that are starting. The speed bumps are all full with people right now selling cold coconut waters, mangoes right now and I think officially crabs this evening, so things will be kicking up as far as that. And again, starts small, but eventually it is going to grow into something big. Us being a maroon Creole community allowed us to preserve some of that history, not be watered down. But guess what, we are ready to explode now mien. We’ve got that history that culture, we’ve got that geographic environment so we’ve got everything right here that we just got to do it correctly.”
Minister of Infrastructure Development Julius Espat says that a proposal for the new highway to be tolled will soon be presented. The monies collected will be used for maintenance purposes.
Julius Espat
“The large trucks and materials coming from ASR, all of that with start using this. And so we are about to propose to cabinet to toll this road for heavy equipment and a system where the locals can pass without cost. It’s been done internationally and the profits from that we are hoping to use to maintain the road, to clean the sides of the shoulders.”
Transport Minister Rodwell Ferguson says that a bus route through the Coastal Plain Highway will soon be made available. Duane Moody for News Five.
