Dear Editor,

Heavy rains are causing serious flooding in Consejo Community located in the Corozal Distinct of northern Belize. As in years past, flooding has left hundreds of residents in this community unable to travel to town unless they have four-wheel drive vehicles.

Since this is the only road to nearby Corozal Town, it poses very serious concerns about food, medical needs, drinking water, and other necessary supplies. Noxious spillage from the local government garbage dump is bringing biohazard materials onto the road and is posing very serious health and environmental issues.

The biohazards spilling onto the road are known to contain mercury, heavy metals, various poisons, blood borne infectious materials, human waste, dead animal carcasses, and more into the waters covering the road and surrounding areas.

Last week, school children were stranded on stuck school busses for long periods of time near the bio hazardous dump. Workers trying to get to their jobs in Consejo have been seen walking and riding bicycles through these dangerously infected waters.

Many vehicles have been stuck in hidden sink-holes. As the high waters recede, that will only bring more problems with the deep mud and exposed sink holes and remaining bio hazardous materials that will continue to endanger travellers.

Regular travellers of the approximately 7-mile road say that the road is once again failing to withstand the heavy traffic it now carries as it is.It has a long history of being poorly constructed using less than road grade materials. The road invariably floods in the rainy season making it regularly impassable for many.

Consejo Village Council members wish to draw urgent nationwide attention to the continuing health and safety issues and neglected conditions on the only road between Corozal Town and Consejo.

Reliable sources have informed the Consejo Village Council that European Union funds previously contributed for Consejo Road upgrade in years past have been redirected over to other projects, and the Consejo Road project continually neglected.

Efforts are underway by the Consejo Village Council to escalate awareness of the seriousness of the regular biohazard flooding on Consejo Road up to both national and international levels in hopes of receiving committed financial assistance to rectify this continuing disaster.

Richard J. Zambito,
Secretary for Consejo Village Council