7 News Belize

The Roundabout Revealed
posted (December 20, 2011)
The Marine Parade roundabout, we've been fussing about it since work started in late September - and today was time to put or shut up when the structure was officially opened.

There we got the chance to put all our tough questions to the easygoing sponsor - the now ubiquitous Hans Bhojwani. Here's what he and the Mayor had to say:..

Jules Vasquez reporting
After four months of work - and a fair deal of public controversy - the roundabout structures are finally finished. But at the opening this morning, you might have thought, this was a replica of a nuclear reactor - because not a single present or aspiring city councilor dared to appear. The mayor did dutifully represent with her staff and was unperturbed

Zenaida Moya - Mayor Of Belize City
"We are here today to inaugurate two other monuments for this 30th Independence Anniversary, a Mayan inspired monument depicting growth of our nation at 30 years and over on Eyre Street another. According to Mr. Bhojwani West African inspired monument from the country Gambia signifying education, environment, energy and employment."

The ribbons were cut on both structures today - with Hans Bhojwani himself doing the honours on the Mayan one.

Zenaida Moya - Mayor Of Belize City
"Indeed this Mayan inspired monument serves as a tribute to Belize's very first inhabitants."

As for the other structure down at the Eve Street roundabout - it had a surprising dedication:

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"This is in the honor of Sir Manuel Esquivel. He among all the Prime Minister, as a businessman I admire him the most plus his honesty, his simpleness and his way of doing business, most admirable. I ask his daughter what is his favorite color? And she says green and so this was painted in his favorite color green. This represents energy, education, environment and employment."

And then to fill out the scene, there's the garishly inscribed Bhojwani Promenade which we are told is only the name of the sidewalk area - though, because of the overbearing signage one might think it is the name of the street.

And speaking of names - the roundabouts are inscribed with the Hans Nandini Bhojawni names - becoming the sixth and seventh structures in just a three mile radius ostentatiously bearing the name:

Jules Vasquez
"How do you respond to the other criticism that Hans and Nandini are taking over our city because you are not interested in charity, you are interested in publicity. You name has to be emblazon on everything."

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"This is a way I can collect from the foundation to build. You can challenge all the big business houses to come forward. If they call me, if they had that resentment, why not any one of them thought of doing something. I feel embarrass. When I come from the airport I have to cross two round-abouts which have my foundation slate. That is not a very good sign. Imagine our kids, they don't like this. The foundation is from my uncle and he will not give any money, for him Bhojwani means something."

Jules Vasquez
"However you name is in this city more than any other single person. More than George Price and you don't even live here."

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"This is one thing you cannot tell me because any day, any time you will see me walking around this city."

And while he'd challenge other business houses to do the same - fact is, this structure has been challenged for its aesthetics and its relevance:

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"Many people think this is a replica of Tikal where I have never been. I saw something similar to this in Mexico near Cancun where I went for Easter Holiday. Chichen Itza I think is the name."

He's referring to Chichen Itza in Mexico - to which it bears a slight resemblance - except instead of the Temple on top - this one has a sort of bell tower.

But with the balustrade like structure - rendered in school bus yellow it speaks more to Tikal in Guatemala - which doesn't bother this philanthropist:

Jules Vasquez
"But you accept that even though you didn't have Tikal in mind, it looks like Tikal."

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"A lot of people say that. But I have never been to Tikal. Next Easter I will go there. Maya is Maya and we are a part of the Maya world. How can you say this is Guatemala, today we don't like each other but in this world there are no two friends who will always remain friends and always enemy."

And while enemies may someday be friends, this structure may never be Mayan. The lurid yellow, the cracked stone face, the belfray (tower) - it just seems not quite right:

Jules Vasquez
"You will accept though that if for example I want to make homage to the Taj Mahal in India, I can't make something that doesn't look like the Taj Mahal."

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"How do you project this structure in the middle of the street, it will block the traffic. This is the best thing."

Jules Vasquez
"Yes but its yellow, it doesn't have the color. It's all off. I am saying even if it wants to be Mayan it's all off."

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"What are the Mayan colors?"

Jules Vasquez
"The Mayan color is limestone. It shouldn't have yellow on it."

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"That could be change. That's no problem."

But Bhojawni did concede that he does have a problem with the City council's assessment of his property taxes:

Jules Vasquez
"How do you respond to the criticism that you are doing this for a tax write off."

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"We have no tax write off. Who told you in this country we have a tax write off?"

Jules Vasquez
"Well people have to pay property tax."

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"No I have a case in the court. My property tax for the record let me tell you, I have a building which is empty; I use to pay $6,000.00 as much as Marina Tower was paying. One councilor that didn't like me and she was in charge and she raises it to $48,000.00. From $6,000.00 to $48,000.00 and then I check with Brodies to see how much they are paying at Marina Towers - $8,000.00 and then we fought and fought and it was drop to $20,000.00 which I paid then but now the building is empty. A lot of empty buildings are here in Belize City and none of them I will pay tax until I go to court."

Jules Vasquez
"So you haven't asked for settlement of that issue in exchange."

Hans Bhojwani - Benefactor
"That issue doesn't affect me, you know why? My grandfather always told me, 'you are blessed if you are paying the highest taxes in your country, in your city.'"

And so while he can pretend to be happy to pay taxes, and the city council pretends this is a legitimate tourist attraction we'll see how the city accustoms itself to this cross cultural, cross century mash up.

Bhojwani says his next roundabout will be in Belmopan - and it will be dedicated to the independent media.

As for our online poll on what the Bhojwani Promenade should or should not be named: well the current namesake is coming in dead last. Only 25 respondents or 16% of those voting think it should be named after Hans Bhojwani. 60% think it should be named after some historic figure and 25% think it should have no name at all.

The poll is still open at 7newsbelize.com and you can go on and vote now.

Nomenclature Poll
The sidewalk on Marine Parade is being named the Bhojwani Promenade – in tribute to the benefactor who has sponsored a number of roundabout sculptures in the city. Should the sidewalk/promenade be named after:

The Bhojwani's
A historic Belizean (e.g. G. Price, P. Goldson, etc.)
Be left un-named.

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