Transport Ministry Inspects Belize City Bus Terminal for Upgrades

In related news, the Ministry of Transportation is continuing its efforts to modernize the public transport system and today, that journey brought officials to Belize City. Since March, the ministry has been conducting a nationwide tour of bus terminals to assess conditions and identify areas for improvement. This morning, Chief Executive Officer of Transportation Chester Williams, along with his senior management team, visited the Novelo’s Bus Terminal to get a firsthand look at the facility’s infrastructure. The team inspected passenger waiting areas, ticketing booths, and the bus loading zones, as part of their efforts to improve safety, efficiency, and commuter experience. CEO Williams spoke to our newsroom and stated that the ministry is committed to raising standards in the sector not just in Belize City, but nationwide. 

Chester Williams, CEO, Ministry of Transport: “What we’re looking at is to see the infrastructure of the terminals. We have been in the southern part of the country. We have also been in the west and so we’re in the eastern part of the country now looking at the infrastructure that the ministry has in this area.  As you would know the terminal is very important for commuters.  A number of persons pass through the terminals every day  commuting to and from work. And so basically we want to make sure that the terminal is in a state of cleanliness, looking at the bathroom facilities. We know that these bathrooms are used daily by women and in some cases pregnant women. We want to make sure that it is conducive for them to be able to use. We’re also looking at the other infrastructure, seating facilities and so forth for persons who are waiting for the bus to go about their business. I’ve also said to the Chief Transport Officer, under whose portfolio the terminals fall, to ensure that we develop a system where we can have, within the terminal, screens and these screens are going to  display the schedule of buses so that when a person comes to the terminal, they can go to the screen and they’ll see what time the buses are going to leave, which bus will leave at what time, and that way they can schedule more as how they want to commute or which bus company they want to use to go home. So it’s a matter of making sure we upgrade the system that we currently have. We cannot continue to work in such a way that things are done so haphazardly. People don’t know what bus run at what time and these sort of things. We have to regularize things. So that is one of the projects we’re currently working on at this time.”

Today’s visit in Belize City follows CEO Williams’ visit to the west and south. He spoke on the feedback he’s received so far and how he’s planning to address those concerns. 

Chester Williams, CEO, Ministry of Transport: “From my tour of the South and the West, I think the best terminal I’ve seen is the one in Independence. That terminal is in very good condition. Belmopan terminal is not too bad either but it do need some work. And so I have given some directive to see what we can do to upgrade it. We do have funds that are collected at the terminals every day. As you know that persons use, pay for the use of the bathrooms. And from the use of bathrooms we are collecting close to I think 60,000 monthly.  And so I have had a discussion with the financial secretary to see if we can get back some of those monies hat we’re collecting from the use of bathroom to maintain the facilities and he has agreed that that will be done.  Again, it’s a matter of making sure that we provide adequate service for people. I have not really gone into the Belize City one, but from where I stand I can see that there’s  work that needs to be done. Even in the compound itself, we need to see how we can upgrade it to pave it as the case may be. Belmopan one of the things that people complain of is that when the buses arrive, there are some of the buses that keep running and the fan from the engine just have the dust blowing in people’s face so that can be very unsanitary for people. And so I’ve spoken with the CEO and the Ministry of Infrastructure yesterday, Mr. Victor Espat, and he has agreed in principle to see what he can do to help us to improve that. If they can pave inside the terminal area it will alleviate the dust that affects people daily when they go to the terminal. So there are a number of things that we need to do to make sure we upgrade the service that we offer.”

Williams was also joined by Chief Transport Officer Leon Gentle and Deputy Chief Transport Officer Peter Williams.