Mini roundabout installed on Princess Margaret Drive

There’s another roundabout in the City. The Belize City Council, along with Saint John’s College, today proudly unveiled the newest roundabout, sponsored by the Hans Nandini Bhojwani Foundation. It sits in front of the SJC campus and according to Mayor Zenaida Moya Flowers and SJC President, Frank Garbutt, the roundabout will provide much needed relief for the traffic congestion during the peak hours of the day. News Five spoke to them at this morning’s launching ceremony.

Zenaida Moya Flowers, Belize City Mayor
“Some of our councilors, myself and the S.J.C. faculty along with their president, Mr. Frank Garbutt had met to try and see what we can do in terms of working together as it pertains to needs that S.J.C. might have that the council can offer and we were able to work with them and of course, as it pertains to area that S.J.C. can work with the council that they were able to manifest itself. So this is one of the manifestations of that particular meeting.”

Frank Garbutt, President, St. John’s College
“We have been facing, for a number of years now, serious congestion and complaints from just about everybody so that today marks what will be a vast improvement for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers as well.”

Delahnie Bain
“How long have you been working along with the council to get this done?”

Frank Garbutt
“The project actually got initiated or began the planning—April first is when we had the formal meeting with the mayor and her councilors. From then we’ve been soliciting the private sector as well as the college through its own private resources with the council to see what you now see today come to fruition.”

Delahnie Bain
“There was a bit of controversy surrounding the Freetown roundabout, have you had any such concerns with regards to this one?”

Zenaida Moya Flowers
“No, no, I feel that now people understand the need for it, I think they’re utilizing the roundabout. You see sometimes the unknown makes people fearful and it’s only when they understand the implications as to what these particular initiatives will do that they will do that they will appreciate it. There could be traffic lights all over the place but are they really necessary at everywhere? You may need at certain intervals, structures like these which are self regulated, less costly in the long run to the council and to the community and it also beautifies.”

Mayor Moya Flowers says the structure that sits on the roundabout signifies unity.