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Jules Vasquez reporting
Finally work has started on the dismantling of the decrepit City center.

The building was condemned years ago - but still the City Center endured mostly as a testament to government's inability to tear it down.

Francis Woods, CISCO Construction
"We have several operations happening; we have the cleaning out of the under floor, we have the taking off of the wall - that's the most skilled one and that one has to be done carefully because of safety reasons. We don't want those zinc dropping. We don't want those guys falling off the baskets. That one has to be very carefully done."

"There are 3 teams that will come in and do that. There will be cleaning out of the bleachers; all those bleachers has to be dismantled, packed up and taken to the Marion Jones stadium and we start dismantling of the main beams with the cranes. After that is taken down then we start breaking up all the floor work. All of that will be done manually."

The contractor is CISCO Woods and he says it should continue for 5 months. That's the time it will take for a dismantling, not a demolition because he says 90% of the material - even these rubbished shards of cement will be re-used.

But, it may go faster because CISCO is using manual labor for almost every aspect of this job. The only machine we saw was a crane - but inside there were no jackhammers, just hard labor.

Francis Woods, CISCO Construction
"What I've seen just in a day and a half is unbelievable. These guys are working way faster than we estimated."

He says they are trying to create as much employment as possible:

Francis Woods, CISCO Construction
"We thought the best way was to bring in as much labour as we can and work out a square yards/square meter price per breaking down the concrete walls, concrete floors, taking down the bleachers and that kind of stuff."

As is their practice, CISCO has again employed persons principally from gang or crime infested areas - young men whom no contractor would want to employ:

Francis Woods, CISCO Construction
"So far we have had very success with these guys. We found out that they are not lazy at all. They work hard. In fact this team that's behind me right scare me. When I came yesterday they started at 7am and I was worried, by 3pm when I came out I was scared to see how much work they had gotten done already."

"Our company certainly believes that there is no such thing as a lazy person - just unmotivated. Our team really knows how to motivate these guys and get things to work."

"We have absolutely next to nil trouble with these guys. They work and they work hard. They are glad for the chance to work. Maybe that's why they work because most people won't give them a chance. But we find that they out do a regular guy off the street by one and a half time."

And the man making sure they do that is their supervisor Mark Conorquie:

Mark Conorquie, Supervisor - work crew of 30
"Jules, I must say that they say Belizeans are lazy and those boys don't want to work, but Jules those boys work and they broke down this thing faster than a machine could break down this thing. They have so much energy. Right now I am happy to see and happy to be here to see that these young boys are using their energy on something positive and constructive."

"These boys are not bad boys, but everyone looks at them like they are bad. It is just frustration that they are facing. If you go an hang out with these boys - they are cool and peaceful, work hard and relax and just do their thing."

"I know that they look at us and say that we are lazy and just want to rob, but it's not that. We actually want to work. As someone opens a little game for us - I don't know how long this will stay for, you know what I am saying."

Fitzharris Howard got the subcontract to disassemble the bleachers - which are welded together:

Fitzharris Howard, Howard's Affordable Home Improvement - subcontractor
"Generally what we did was gone ahead and pull some of the youths from off the streets - the young man that would be on the street corner or just hanging out. We pull those kinds of guys and put them together and show them that they don't really have to be out there dealing with those things when there is a whole business machine going on here - you can be a part of this. Come and put your labour in and you will get your money out. That way you don't have to be out there hustling. You can make an honest wage." "Jules, if you look over there the man is trying to pull down the bleachers all by himself - but safety first, so they are working together. These are youths from different part of the neighborhood, even different parts of the country. Youths from way down in Seine Bight are coming and working for us trying to get things together."

"Guys, it's time to wake up and start to get around and stop watching the little Spanish man - trying to "jack" the Spanish man when he goes to work for a whole week because that man have 10-15 children waiting for that money that you are trying to take away from him. Go out and get your own money because it can happen and we just have to show the youths how to gap the bridge from a thug style gang banger to being somebody productive who wants to saddle up his belt and be a part of his society because this is we."

Woods says it's important also to give them buy into a project that will affect their neighborhood, their turf:

Francis Woods, CISCO Construction
"Because you are making a positive difference in the area the guys feel empowered. They like to see that difference. But when you use folks from the actual area it certainly makes them feel part of the project, so it gives them ownership."

One other interesting aspect of this project is the project manager, Reina Gonzalez from San Narciso. The 25 year old is a trained engineer - and now she's on a site managing and supervising the work of 80 men.

The petite 25 year old may cut a small trail - but her no nonsense approach gets much respect:

Jules Vasquez
"Is there any problems that you have with the men perhaps not respecting her or being offensive in any way?"

Francis Woods, CISCO Construction
"Not yet, but I've seen Reina in action and she is nobody you would want to mess with. That's for sure."

Fitzharris Howard
"I found Ms. Reina to be a lady - you stick to the books - it's not a male/female issue. As long as you stick to the books and take things accordingly like if certain thing are not set right and you say Mr. Howard this is the situation and if this is not working out or if this is working out or I can foresee this through or I cannot foresee this through."

"As far as the female/male gender issue - to me it's a welcoming thing."

She told us how she handles being the only female, and being the boss:

Jules Vasquez
"As the project manager, you are in charge of 90 men and you are a quite petite woman. How do you exert your authority over these 90 men?"

Reina Gonzalez, Project Manager
"I guess I've been taught that to get respect, you need to give respect right, so I address the guys with respect, approach them, explain to them. I just don't tell them to do this and that. I explain to them how to do and why they need to do it, so that they understand they whole concept on why I know they should do it in that way."

Jules Vasquez
"What made you decide to be an engineer knowing that you are entering a male dominated field?"

Reina Gonzalez, Project Manager
"I think that my motivation was that, precisely that. That it's a male dominated career, male dominated area and I wanted to show that females can excel in that area."

"My brothers and my dad have always encouraged me to be the best I can and what I see here - male dominated areas. The males are always at the top thinking that they can do it and females are weak. I decided to come back and show them that things are not like that. It's not always everything with strength. You always have to be a bit smarter for you to overcome those things."

Jules Vasquez
"You ever encounter any of these unfortunate situations where there are inappropriate remarks being thrown or not the adequate amount of respect because you are perhaps not as physically imposing or because you aren't a man? You encounter those and how do you deal with them?"

Reina Gonzalez, Project Manager
"Actually when I started you do get that. The guys behind your back making comments - a bit sexual sometimes but sometimes you just let it go. I ignore it, I come back to them and I talk to them with respect giving instructions on what to do and when they realize this woman doesn't go down with the comments they say well alright she deserves respect and that's how you show them. You don't give in to their comments. You show them that, alright, it's your comments, you are a male. It doesn't affect me."

And that kind of attitude also prevails at CISCO's other major work site - the Lake Independence Boulevard - where 200 men - many from rival gangs are working on one stretch of road.

Make sure to tune in tomorrow where we'll take you unto Lake I Boulevard, formerly Chetumal Street South where 200 men - most from different gang areas are spreading well over a hundred loads of clay every day using only shovels and pick axes.