Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Capital Weekly Page 1 No. 043 Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Online Publication HouseHUMMINGBIRD Passes Motion For HIGHWAY Rehabilitation t the first business ses- preparation, earth works, con- sion of the House of struction of embankments and Representatives, a loan pavement, construction of 8 new motion was tabled concrete bridges, installation of andA passed for the rehabilitation necessary drainage infrastruc- of the Hummingbird Highway. ture along the road and bridges, The loan motion is for US and installation of utilities struc- $12 Million (Bz$24 Million) from tures, street lighting and other the OPEC Fund for International protections and safety works”. Development (OFID), which The 8 new two-lane re- is only a portion (39 percent) inforced-concrete bridges with of funds secured for the reha- pedestrian sidewalks to be con- bilitation of the Hummingbird structed will replace a series Highway. These monies will of narrow, outdated, one-lane be expended, as spelled out in bridges along the route of the the loan motion, “towards the general mobilization and site The scenic Hummingbird Highway to be Rehabilitated Continued on Page 4 he first business session flooding (since the elections) matters to the promptness and Atof thethe new House Center of which impacted of the lives Robustof fami- adequacy of the Housegovernment’s re- Debate Representatives took lies particularly in the South. sponse to infrastructure and hu- place on Friday, De- If we had any doubt about manitarian needs resulting from Tcember 4, and it featured robust the new Opposition’s ability and heavy rains and severe flooding. debate on several issues includ- will to fight, we were quickly Not surprising, mem- ing the use of Petro-Caribe disabused of it. Member after bers on the government side, Funds for Flood Relief primarily member from the opposition led by Prime Minister Dean in Belize City prior to the General side took the government to task Barrow, were forthcoming and Elections, as well as the Govern- on issues ranging from Petroca- forthright in their response to ment’s response to more recent ribe spending to Immigration the issues and concerns raised. Senior members Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington and Hon. John Saldivar Baptism By Water were characteristically incisive, insightful and illuminating. New NEMO Minister Hits The Ground Running But it was the maturing and Hon. Patrick Faber debating still youthful member from in the House of Represenatatives Collet, Hon. Patrick Faber who had perhaps the most mem- ple were adequately addressed, orable moments of the day. and that is something he and Responding to the most this government did in the nor- senior member of the Opposi- mal course of business, not be- tion and the House, Fort George cause an election was coming. Representative Hon. Said Musa, When the member from Faber noted that his constitu- Toledo West, Hon. Oscar Reque- ency of Collet was one of the na attempted to make a case that hardest hit by the pre-election the Government was neglecting flooding disaster. Faber told to address infrastructure needs Musa that as an area representa- arising from the severe rains Story On Page14 tive it was his responsibility to and flooding in his constituency, ensure that the needs of his peo- Continued on Page 16 Page 2 Capital Weekly Wednesday, December 9, 2015 EDITORIAL TRANSFORMATION A DAUNTING BUT EXCITING PROSPECT The New Belize Civic Center he unprecedented three-term victory scored by the UDP in the General Elections a month ago affords the party an excellent op- Tportunity to consolidate the gains made in its first two terms. It is also fraught with the not so apparent dangers that almost invari- ably ensnare very successful governments. Front View of the New Belize Civic Center Design elize Infrastructure and other sporting events One of those dangers is the tendency to Limited (BIL), a pub- such as boxing and volley- become arrogant and overconfident, some- Blic sector agency of ball. Seats are individual the Government of Belize and are numbered by rows. thing which seems almost to be dictated by (GOB), has undertaken the The design also in- human nature, but which can nevertheless be design, construction and cludes post game rooms, me- management of capital pro- dia rooms, administration resisted through dogged self-discipline and a jects in Belize with current room and more concessions conscious effort to put in place mechanisms emphasis on sporting and space. The new Belize City other multipurpose facilities. Center will be fully air condi- to guard against collective departure from the BIL now embarks on tioned and fully handicapped principles upon which government and the the construction phase of accessible. The facility will the Belize City Center Are- be equipped with stage and management of public affairs are founded. na and Cultural Complex event performance space The other danger is that, having al- located on Central Ameri- and back of house facilities. ready accomplished so much by way of can Blvd, Belize City, Belize. The size and careful de- Contract has been sign of the building footprint visible development, the party in gov- awarded to the local JVCA and structural placement al- ernment might not have much to aspire of Medina’s Construction lows for a broader range of Limited/International En- vehicles that will now be able to, to inspire its leaders, to keep them vironments Limited and on to park under the building. motivated and focused on specific goals October 8th, 2015 contract sig- The interior function of the nature occurred for contract building was completed in and a clearly defined national agenda. price of BZ$32,940,261.34. accordance with FIBA stand- For the UDP, there is the unique This will include the civil ards and in conjunction with works of the grounds and approved consultancy input. challenge that the current leader, whose all FIBA certified equip- Exterior design al- political prowess and proficiency is un- ment. Construction period lows for multiple plazas to is twenty-four (24) months. accommodate recreational equalled, cannot constitutionally seek a The new Belize City sports and parks, including fourth term as Prime Minister. Whether Center Arena and Cul- two (2) outdoor basketball tural Complex design will courts, one (1) 5 on 5 soccer or not he can keep himself motivated qualify for world champi- field, skateboard parks just to enough and inspire the party to keep its onship women’s U-21 and name a few. It caters to host- U-19 world championship ing outdoor entertainments collectively foot to the pedal, its shoul- men and women events. with Security features, Po- ders to the wheel and its eyes on the well- There will be three (3) lice and Ambulance Zones. paved road ahead, is yet to be determined. interior practice basketball The Government of courts, and one (1) profes- Belize, through BIL, has This is a task and responsibility that sional center court. The de- committed to provide the will, admittedly, have to be shared by those sign allows for designated residents of Belize City and seating for up to 4000 for the entire Country of Be- aspiring to succeed Mr. Barrow as the new games and 5000 for indoor lize with an innovative, well leader of the party. The successful indi- entertainment events such equipped state-of-the-art as conventions, concerts Arena and Cultural Complex. vidual, to be anointed some time during this term, will actually have to take over as Prime Minister prior to the next election. It’s a prospect, indeed, an inevitability that is just as daunting as it is exciting. Only time will tell how well the UDP confronts and embraces the challenge and the opportunity. Side View of the New Belize Civic Center Design Wednesday, December 9, 2015 Capital Weekly Page 3 New Guatemalan President Visits PM Dean Barrow had indicated from as early as rial dispute. Both sides agreed Friend or6th November, 2015Foe to Belize’s to make a greater ?effort to en- Ambassador, H.E. Alexis Ro- hance cooperation and un- sado to Guatemala that he in- derstanding at various levels, tended to pay a courtesy call on especially in areas of security, the Prime Minister as part of a business, trade and investment. visit he is making to all Heads of President-elect Mo- State and Government of SICA rales extended a special and member countries and Mexico. personal invitation to Prime In a cordial atmosphere Minister Barrow to the presi- they both congratulated each dential inauguration in Janu- other for their respective recent ary 2016 and Prime Minis- victories at the polls. Prime ter expressed that he has Minister Barrow and President- every intention of attending. elect Morales discussed the bi- President-elect Jimmy lateral relations between Belize Morales was accompanied by Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales and Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow meet and exchange gifts at the PM’s Belize City Office he newly elected Pres- first official visit to Belize- in ident of Guatemala troducing himself to Prime might have made Minister Hon. Dean Barrow. some initial enemies Mr. Barrow received Tamong Belizeans as a result President-elect of the Republic of his pre-election remarks of Guatemala His Excellency about ‘reclaiming Belize’. But Jimmy Morales at the Prime that did not affect the mutual Minister's Office in Belize City. cordiality that attended his President-elect Jimmy Morales President Jimmy Morales and Prime Minister Dean Barrow Exchanging Gifts at the PM’s Belize City Office and Guatemala, including a way Guatemalan Foreign Minister, forward in respect of resolving H.E. Carlos Raul Morales; the our historical differences. They President-elect’s Diplomatic agreed to continue along the Liaison Officer, Rodrigo Col- path set out in the Framework menares; Guatemalan Ambas- Agreement and Confidence sador in Belize, H.E.