UDP Calls for Public Utilities Minister’s Resignation

The United Democratic Party (UDP) issued a release on Friday, calling for the removal or resignation of Michel Chebat from the Ministry of Public Utilities.  In the opposition’s view, Minister Chebat has proven incompetency and complacency based on the recent power outages the country has been experiencing.  Additionally, the opposition is claiming corruption on the allegation that Belize Water Services Limited is subsidizing a private development.  According to the UDP, the private development is within the Cayo North division and there has been a proposal to inject seven hundred thousand dollars for BWS money into the private project.  Love News understands that it is a subdivision project where the developer was contracted to take charge of the installation of water and electricity connections, but now it is being diverted to BWS. Late this evening BWS issued a statement on the issue saying that the company recently expanded the water network within the impoverished Maya Mopan Area of Belmopan City and got requests to requests to evaluate the water infrastructure needs in the Maya Vista area of San Ignacio Town. BWS said quote, “It is important to clarify that while BWS spearheads and executes these public water supply projects, the expansion within privately developed areas requires funding from the developers themselves. BWS facilitates these expansions by providing the necessary cost assessments to developers, who must then fund the project before implementation can begin,” end of quote. The company added that each completed project provides greater access to water throughout Belize and helps to fulfill its socio-economic mandate.