British Honduras To Get Brand New Capital

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31061, 17 May 1966, Page 6

British Honduras To Get Brand New Capital

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter) BELIZE CITY (British Honduras) Plans are well under way for building a completely new capital in the Western Hemisphere a new and safer city to replace hurrican-devastated Belize City.

The site chosen for the new capital lies at the juncaon of two major highways at almost the exact geographical centre of the country. Initially, it will occupy <®ly 700 acres, but there is plenty of room for expansion. There are none of the swamps there which send building costs soaring in the old capital. The new site is between 200 ft and 260 ft above sea level and surrounded for miles by fine quality agricultural land.

The virgin bush has already been cleared and soil tests are almost complete. Sometime in July, workmen are expected to start building accommodation for the construction crews.

Tenders for the main projects are expected to be invited in September and contracts will probably be awarded in December. Work on laying out the streets, installing the first sewage system in the country’s history, putting in drainage systems and electric cables and pegging out the sites of public buildings is expected to get under way in January. The devastation wrought by hurricane Hattie in 1961, which caused a complete breakdown in the country’s administration, served only to emphasise the threat under which the inhabitants of the present capital, Belize City, have had to live every year during the hurricane season, from June to November.

It could happen again. In any case, there are harrowing memories of the past Before 1961, there was September, 1931, when during gala celebrations of the National Day a killer storm swept in, drowning thousands of the people, smashing houses like

so many match-sticks, and destroying valuable public records.

Nor, except at the very high cost,, could substantial cement buildings, of the type needed to withstand hurricanes, be built on a sturdy foundation on that swampy ground. The British Government has promised $ll million in grants and loans for the first phase of construction which should see from 5000 to 8000 people settled in by 1970. Most of them will be siphoned off from Belize City, which at present has one third of the country’s 110,000 population. Although the first stage covers only 700 acres, a total of 7050 acres is available. So far no name has been chosen for the new capital, but this will probably be done before the end of the year. The Prime Minister, Mr George Price, is thought to favour the name of “Mopan,” after the Mayan tribe which never surrendered to the Spanish invaders.