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One person who has been intimately involved in how this integrated sewage system idea solidified is former UDP Minister and three time Area Representative for Stann Creek West, Melvin Hulse. Today he outlined in detail his role in the process that has been protracted and long delayed, much to the frustration of the communities living on the peninsula.

Melvin Hulse, Former Area Representative for Stann Creek West
"Back in 2008, we started to aggressively pursue, because out of the blue, you would never believe a place could have started to grow and tourism took off. So we brought in Herman Longsworth. He was the chairman of the BWS board then, came into Placencia and we have several meetings with him - Seine Bight Village Council, Placencia Water Board and Seine Bight Water Board - many meetings. We were looking to tender it out so that we could get the best job because it is a big job - from the point to Riversdale. Herman said that the most qualified people really in this country would be BWS. Because remember WASA was the first ones to start a sewage system in Belize, so he was given the design. The organization did a bill of quantities which is how many pipes, how long, how much it would cost - everything. So we now had it finalized to what it would cost."

Daniel Ortiz
"What was that number at that time?"

Melvin Hulse, Former Area Representative for Stann Creek West
"About 20 - 30 million. BWS was working it out. Then we managed to secure funds. Funds came from many sources. There is one that is a revolving fund. One of the organization said yes that they could help us with 10 million and when it is done, you pay back, so that money could be used in assisting somewhere else and that is the genesis of all of this; we had meeting with the financial secretary and all that. It was agreed. I heard all of the money was approved by the US and BWS said look here, because they figure they would get a grant. So they were just charging to do the job. Placencia Water Board is extremely successful. They built their office there next to the tank. BWS initiated the conversation around 2012, saying that if they would have to pay it back, that sewage doesn't pay. Which we know. That is a heavy dead money. We will need the income from the water systems. The water systems was done independently; Placencia ran their water system successfully. Seine Bight has their own water board and was running because they had their own tank and everything."

"That went on to about 2012. BWS agreed to do it with the condition that the revenue from the water goes to them."

Daniel Ortiz
"So you are saying that these independent water boards was collecting monies and it was used in the community."

Melvin Hulse, Former Area Representative for Stann Creek West
"It was used in the community for all the expansion and everything."

Daniel Ortiz
"And so they are asking for that revenue to go to them."

Melvin Hulse, Former Area Representative for Stann Creek West
"It is about 100-200 plus thousands a year. It's a lot of money. With all the up and down, eventually the money was given to BWS. Nearly 30 million dollars you know."

So, as you heard, Hulse, like the environmentalists, and the technical personnel at BWS, agree that there is urgent need for this integrated system, and that it is expensive. What he doesn't agree with the water services company about is the timeline of possibly another 5 years, and the uncertainty that all the funding is not present to start building this facility immediately. Here's how he explained that to us this morning:

Daniel Ortiz
"You said they have been paid for the project already. They have grants..."

Melvin Hulse, Former Area Representative for Stann Creek West
"Part of it is grant; government has been part of it, the US has been part of it, economic development was part of it - everybody was onboard because everybody acknowledge that it is urgent to put in a sewage system. The US and IDB and everybody. These people came in and were a part of these meetings you know. Everybody put in their pound to try and achieve this objective at the expense Placencia not getting the revenue they use to get - they sacrifice that along with Seine Bight and now BWS is saying maybe another 5 years. Well we've gone quite a few years and I really had a problem."

Daniel Ortiz
"What if BWS' position is that with all of these different funding agencies and capital sources, these different sources of finance, they still don't have enough money to afford this integrated sewage system. Would that be a position you would accept or you would reject?"

Melvin Hulse, Former Area Representative for Stann Creek West
"I would reject it because it was not the people in the peninsula who did the bill of quantities you know. I recognized and appreciate the skills and the ability of those people at BWS. It took a couple of months to do it. When that bill of quantities was finish, the chairman of the board came back to Placencia and met with them and say okay this is the bill of quantity. This is how much it will cost."

"Justify to us that your bill of quantities is flawed. Justify to us that two years of accumulated revenue that you've been collecting is not sufficient? Government will step in and do their addition. It's not like they (BWS) found any money. They have never found a dollar for the sewage system. Now all of a sudden we have to locate the source and maybe 5 year from now. Man we can't."

As we told you, BWS will commence a nutrient fate and transport study which will take 1 and a half years to complete. They are trying to ensure that they can scientifically prove that wherever they place the facility, it will not negatively affect the environment, or the shrimp farmers who lobbied for them to choose another location.