GOB Looking to Crack Down On Building Standards

The Government of Belize is now planning to raise the building standards and implement stricter policies to diminish the damage that homes and other buildings sustain during natural disasters. And, that plan includes the North Ambergris Development Committee, which Prime Minister, John Briceño says was formed to oversee that future development projects are suitable for the north part of Ambergris Caye, where there is constant development.  In the wake of Hurricane Lisa, GOB concedes that the way buildings are being constructed is not up to the standards it needs to be, given the country’s geographical location which is prone to floods and storms.  PM Briceño says that the plan is in its initial stages, but they are hoping it can come to fruition.

Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister of Belize: “When we look at the development at San Pedro it has been sort of chaotic small streets and so and as a government we know now that development is going up in the north and we want to ensure that we could come up with some kind of planned development. From the time when I went to Mexico and we met there’s this group that was planning Tren Maya and have done work at Playa Del Carmen and all the Riviera Maya in planning out communities we were talking with them to see what we can do to be able to put some sort of development plan for North Ambergris Caye. So what I have done is kind of appointed an unofficial group of advisors, people that are in the tourism industry, business people, people from government it’s a small group that they are just in the initial stage just talking and trying to see what pan or ideas they can come with to be able to try to put some orderly plan for North Ambergris Caye but there’s nothing yet that we have agreed to or we have a budget or anything like that.”