By Breaking Belize News Staff: Prime Minister John Briceño has declined to say whether the reported $928,000 construction cost of a new Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) substation building in San Ignacio is excessive, saying he lacks the technical expertise to determine whether the project represents value for money.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Briceño was questioned about the cost of the building, which a reporter said worked out to approximately $300 per square foot.
The Prime Minister said he was not an engineer and therefore could not provide a professional assessment of the construction costs.
He suggested that the relevant technical personnel would be better positioned to explain the expenditure and determine whether it was justified.
Briceño nevertheless observed that the building appeared to be well constructed.
He also pointed to the rising cost of construction materials, saying those increases must be considered when assessing the cost of infrastructure projects.
However, he stopped short of defending the reported expenditure or confirming whether the building was reasonably priced.
The questions surrounding the project’s cost come as BEL faces mounting financial pressure, including millions of dollars in outstanding payments to electricity suppliers.
Briceño did not provide a breakdown of the reported construction cost or indicate whether the government would seek an independent assessment of the expenditure.
The post PM Briceño declines to say whether $928,000 BEL substation building in San Ignacio is overpriced appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Prime Minister John Briceño has declined to say whether the reported $928,000 construction cost of a new Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) substation building in San Ignacio is excessive, saying he lacks the technical expertise to determine whether the project represents value for money. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Briceño was
The post PM Briceño declines to say whether $928,000 BEL substation building in San Ignacio is overpriced appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
