$2 Million to Repair Sugar Roads in Northern Belize

The Briceño administration is pouring two million dollars into fixing the sugar roads up north. As we’ve reported, many of these roads are in terrible shape due to weeks of relentless rain. Repair work has already started, but the weather is still causing delays. Today, Prime Minister Briceño announced that, on top of the one million dollars already set aside for road repairs, the government has earmarked an additional one million dollars. Besides the awful road conditions, the quality of sugarcane has significantly deteriorated over the years, leading to a drop in sugar production. Here’s what the Prime Minister had to say about these issues.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Yes we have the support of the cane farmers. We have done very well for them. If you remember, the previous government gave them four hundred thousand dollars. What we have done, we have signed a contract in December but we cant control the rain. It has been raining since October virtually nonstop. And, the only way we could fix these road is if it gets dry and we know that. But of course, there is impatience and I understand the impatience. What we have done is put another million on top of what we have signed. So, it is going to be two million. We have never put that kind of money and they know that and they are working with us. But even the factory is not going well for them because the cane has too much water. The content is so high. The ton of cane for a ton of sugar is way too high. Usually, we have about nine tons of cane for one ton of sugar. We are about eighteen tons of cane to one ton of sugar. The amount of mud that comes in is wrecking up the equipment of BSI. So maybe we should have held back a bit more for the conditions to change.”