Earlier we told you what the city is doing about the drains in advance of the rainy season, but another related issue is the silt that has developed at the mouth of Haulover creek - the main river channel leading into Belize City. Historically that waterway is what brought settlers to this area in the first place. But experts say, that in 5 years or so, we could lose the creek altogether. And that's because it's chocking on its own silt.
When we last spoke to Mayor Bradley about the situation he said that the city doesn't have the 2 million dollars funds to dredge the area properly, and that in fact it is central government's job to do it. Today he took it a step further and throw central government under the bus for lacking leadership to get the job done. Here is how he put it.
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"Well I think that this is something that people have been saying for months now. I mean, like I go to Baron Bliss Park, I drive along the Southern foreshore, you see it. It's been reported on the media on numerous occasions and again you just need that leadership to just step up. We have a proposal in place, it's going to cost 2.5 million dollars. We have individuals who have even indicated to the council that they would voluntarily commit resources and energy and people who own dredging machines to do it free of cost."
Reporter
"But you lack the leadership."
Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor
"In many quarters, in navigation ways in terms of the river - that doesn't fall under our responsibility in terms of the jurisdiction and again, you just need the coordination and the leadership to just get it done. You need finances and you need just the political will to just say you know what we will bite the bullet, we will pay for this and we will have it dealt with. The waterways is the reason why Belize City was founded, because of the Mahogany that went up the river and if we allow Haulover Creek to dry up or to be silted in the way that it has been, it's going to be a substantial loss for Belize City - a significant part of our history and patrimony will be gone."
Residents of the area say they have never seen the harbour mouth so badly silted. We note that the images in our story are form our file, and since then it has gotten progressively worse.
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