G.O.B. Says U.B. Land is Unsuitable for New Hospital

The Government of Belize is purchasing fifteen acres of roadside property for almost seven million dollars to construct of a new tertiary hospital in Belmopan.  While the Briceño administration is on record stating that the final figure is well below the initial price sought by Annie Zhu and Kenny Zheng, the acquisition still comes with a hefty price tag.  The proposed site, from the initial location where it was suggested, is causing quite a stir since the facility will no longer be built on property belonging to the University of Belize.  That piece of land which was set aside for the university hospital is a little over five and a half miles away from the George Price Highway and access to the undeveloped acreage proves to be a challenge.  Last April, approval was given for a modern national referral hospital to be built at a cost of forty-five million U.S. dollars in the nation’s capital.  One year later, the Cabinet approved the transfer of that facility based on a technical report presented by officials from the Ministry of Health and Wellness.  Earlier today, Director of Hospital Services Dr. Jorge Polanco and Chief Nursing Officer Lizett Bell outlined several reasons why the U.B. property was not suitable for the project.

 

 

Dr. Jorge Polanco, Director, Hospital Services

“Mrs. Bell and myself and other senior officials visited the site that was proposed which is part of the property of U.B. and indeed that visit really called our attention, the distance was very significant.  It was far, to put it that way.  From the highway, it was about nine kilometers.  It was an area that currently has no infrastructure, no water.  To reach that area we had to move through the adjacent area, Maya Mopan which is adjacent to a major part of Belmopan.  We immediately recognized that that is not the best site, simply because of the distance.  When we reached to the area, we noticed that there was no other access to get to that point.  There was no access from the Hummingbird Highway, there was no access from the Western Highway.  We had to pass through a depression which is a creek that would normally get flooded when the rains are significant.  So we said, if there could be another site closer to the highways that would be of much benefit.”