The Immigration Department is looking for a new building for its headquarters - and 7News has confirmed that Government is about to buy the Belmopan Chon Saan building for that purpose. Minister of State in the Ministry of finance Dr. Carla Barnett today confirmed to us that they are finalizing a price and it is just about a done deal. But, what about the whole issue of buying a property from the President of the Senate? After all, Li Mark Chang's family owns Chon Saan. Well, he told us that the building is too big for his restaurant - and he wants to move into a smaller building. He also added that he's giving a government a deal: they will pay half up front, and the other half at a later date.
Dr. Barnett also addressed that issue. She said that because the sale involves Chang - who is a UDP insider, she made sure that the highest standards in transparency were met. She says that they looked at three buildings, and selected Chon Saan as the most suitable. She concedes that government's valuator and Chang's arrived at very different values, but she says the final value is closer to the Government value.
She says the final purchase will include space for parking. Barnett says the Immigration Department needs a new building for obvious reasons, but also because they are supposed to a get a new two million dollar passport system - which the US will not donate unless it is housed in a new structure.
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