Minister & Mayor: downtown will be paved for Christmas
Albert and Regent streets have been a dustbowl over the past months. And while completion of the project has been promised time and time again, commuters have had to suffer through the months of disruption. And now December sixteenth is the new due date for the completion of the paving in downtown Belize City. Minister of Works Anthony Boots Martinez and Belize City Mayor Zenaida Moya both agree that the dust and gravel will be gone in time for your Christmas shopping. We met them downtown this evening, overseeing the long overdue project.
Zenaida Moya, Mayor of Belize City
“What we see right now is the actual earth work preparation whereby they will be basing the street with an aggregate mixture which is comprised of quarter inch, three quarter inch white lime, concrete and sand. So this aggregate mix will be the first base and then after that they’re gonna go to another treatment which will be the concrete treatment. And then thereafter we’re gonna go ahead with the actual placement of hot mix or what the engineers will call the asphaltic concrete. So it’s three phases and this is the first phase we are doing right now.”
Anthony Boots Martinez, Minister of Works
“This is called scarifying. They will be scarifying the street and they will be building up the street with a cement based layer to the level where the hot mix will be poured on top.”
Jose Sanchez
“So when do you expect to complete the works?”
Anthony Boots Martinez
“We have a work schedule from the contractor and works should be completed by the sixteenth of December.”
Jose Sanchez
“That’s assuming no rains and other delays?”
Anthony Boots Martinez
“That’s assuming no rains and other delays. But if you can see, especially based on the schedule the contractor is right on target in terms of scarifying in terms of the areas that is on the work list from Bishop to Dean Street that was scheduled for yesterday and today. And if you notice now they are going from Dean to South Street so they are a little ahead of target right now.”
Zenaida Moya
“It will be ready for Christmas, and it will be in a state where people want to come down and do their Christmas shopping. I know the merchants they have been very supportive and they have been one of the main stakeholders along with the actual pedestrians and the motorists who pass this way on a daily basis.”
Jose Sanchez
““Do you think this will serve as a model of a partnership between the ministry of works and other city councils?”
Anthony Boots Martinez
“Yes I think this is a model for government partnering with local municipalities. And I think that should be the way forging forward, politically for the country. And I think this is a good and wonderful partnership. And I believe we need to see more hand in hand working relationship in regards to a project like this because irrespective of what It’s the people that will get the benefit.”
The Belize City Council says that sections of Albert and Regent Streets will be closed from now until December sixteenth to facilitate the paving. We will not hold our breaths.
