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Albert Street continues to change. Last week it got 12 benches and 12 garbage bins and today residents woke to find 12 new flower pots dotting Albert Street. Now, we’re all for fixing up the Albert’s, but hanging flower pots? Quaint as they are – those passers-by we spoke to felt it might be a bit much – considering that this is a main street not a promenade, and also taking into account the reality that – given the chance - city thieves would strip the paint off the sidewalk if they could. But Mayor Zenaida Moya is undaunted; she says it is all part of the effort to revitalize downtown Belize City.

Zenaida Moya, Mayor of Belize City
“We are revitalizing downtown Belize City and we’re doing our part as it pertains to even ensuring a beautiful look for even business houses along this area. We have been working very tirelessly to ensure that on the sidewalks and the streets, all the amenities are in place and that people will feel proud when they come downtown Belize City. Clearly along with the very beautiful planters and the garbage receptacles and the benches, we want to ensure that the business houses and any structure along that way are in fact beautified.”

Keith Swift,
Some people would say these are almost too nice for the downtown area, especially the floral arrangements because people will be stolen or tipped off or destroyed.

Zenaida Moya,
“Well those comments have in fact been made and it doesn’t speak well of us as a society if that is what is being thought of. But in fact it is considered a reality in some people’s mind. I also feel that the regular Belizean, the regular resident, the regular business owner or business operator that they owe it to themselves to assist in keeping these structures in place. If you somebody that is about to deface or in anyway vandalize these amenities, please stop those individuals. So I think everybody has their role to play. If we go to Chetumal, if we go to nice places in the Caribbean or even in Central America, we see beautiful things. Why can’t Belize City have such beautiful things?”

Mayor Moya says she has spoken to police about the possibility of installing cameras to deter vandals and thieves. She says that businesses along Albert Street will be provided with free paint to repaint their establishments. It will be up to the businesses to find the labour. The street lamps should be installed early next year. As for Regent Street on which paving was interrupted by rain and then the Christmas weekend – that should resume and conclude over the first weekend of the New Year.