Minister of Health “This is the Best Option”  

Minister Bernard went on to explain why the land offered by the University of Belize was deemed inadequate, following a visit by the ministry’s technical team. By his estimations, it would cost the government seven million dollars just to build road infrastructure to the area, that excludes additional infrastructure which is necessary. Bernard says several land options were reviewed until they settled on the two parcels next to the Hector Silva Airstrip.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health

“To get to the site that U. B. Was offering could easily take fifteen minutes or longer.  This was a persuasive reason why Cabinet supported the proposal to relocate the hospital.  With no road or other infrastructure like electricity and water, imagine what it would cost to get all in all this in place. And how long will it take? Imagine the inconvenience and cost our nurses, doctors, cleaners, security personnel, and others who would work at this hospital would have to endure having to go an additional six miles to and from work every single day.  For all these reasons and more, the technocrats in the Ministry of Health made a presentation to Cabinet recommending that the location be changed to a suitable land near the highways.  Cabinet was convinced and requested that the Ministry of Natural Resources in collaboration with the Ministry of Health identify an appropriate location for the hospital.  Several options were presented and reviewed.  All private parcels and Ministry of Health ultimately settled on the two parcels on the roadside that were unencumbered and easily accessible.  The process of negotiations with the owner thereafter commenced at which point both parties obtain their own valuations based on comparative, comparable sales.  The Ministry of Natural Resources valuation was six point two million, while the owner’s valuation was for nine point three million.  Ultimately. The owner agreed to six point nine million, seven hundred thousand dollars higher than gobs valuation, but two point nine million lower than the owner’s valuation  for the record,  we in the Ministry of Health and Wellness are convinced that this is the best possible location for the hospital to be constructed.”