U.B. Chairman Says G.O.B. Should Gift Purchased Land for University Hospital

There is a protest planned for Friday morning in Belmopan where activist Nigel Petillo, the membership of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, and Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow will demonstrate in the wake of government’s recent purchase of a fifteen-acre parcel of land.  That property, acquired by the Ministry of Natural Resources at a significant markup, will be the site of the University Hospital.  The acquisition of the undeveloped acreage from businessman Kenny Zheng has proven to be controversial, since he bought the property in question from RECONDEV for a little under six hundred thousand dollars in 2018.  When Zheng sold it back to the government, the profit margin was eleven and a half times the actual purchase price.  On August nineteenth, N.T.U.C.B. President Luke Martinez wrote to U.B. Chairman Godfrey Smith, in respect of the proposed University Hospital.  Earlier today, Senior Counsel Smith responded to Martinez’s letter, explaining that the final decision to relocate the proposed site of the University Hospital rested with the Government of Belize via the Ministry of Health and Wellness.  Notwithstanding its disappointment with the government’s decision, Smith said that the board was willing to accommodate the proposed medical facility should the ministry change its mind. Elsewhere in his response, the U.B. Chairman made the point, quote, I believe that the board should reiterate its commitment to have the University Hospital built on U.B. land and seriously consider your proposal of asking the government to gift the purchased land to U.B., should the government maintain its decision to build the University Hospital on the purchased land, end quote. That issue will be discussed at an upcoming meeting of the Board of Trustees on September eleventh.