Dear Editor,
I left my turf in the northern districts the past weekend of August 18, and took a peep at the West. Man, it’s gorgeous out there. From Belmopan to Benque you can see the development in infrastructure.
Only thing bothersome, whenever you make a modern road you have to allow for paved shoulders with traffic lanes’ lines properly painted, or cyclists and pedestrians are in serious trouble. This is one of the reasons, along with alcohol consumption, for the carnage on the highways.
The Camalote section is wide enough, but no painted lines. This has Mr. Colin Hyde complaining vigorously in his column, but no one seems to care.
The Cayo to Benque section does not have the same width, thus cyclists are more exposed to danger here. Also, bus stops should be on both sides of the road so that people do not have to run across the road whenever a bus is approaching. Plus, buses should only pick up and drop off people at the stops, no in-between places, which is extremely dangerous.
The creek that I so loved at Central Farm is drying up. The caretaker of a farm on the eastern side of the creek, Mr. Requeña, is upset because the little water that is left is being sucked up by enterprises using it for commercial purposes, especially road building.
Methinks that, that little wonder of nature needs special attention, especially from the university there; they don’t seem to care.
On my way I was informed that Mr. Belarmino “Mino” Rodriguez, Cuello’s Store’s former salesman of many years, had passed away.
He lived in San Estevan Village in the Orange Walk District, but was well known all over the country as a travelling salesman. First, with the now defunct Pacific Store belonging to the Chang Brothers, then for Cuello’s Store and lately, for G. Copo’s Imports.
I had planned to visit him when he was ailing, but the condition of the road discouraged me, it was that bad.
The next day I went to the funeral, and the road was a bit better, after being scraped. All the pavement that had been installed many years ago during Elodio Aragon, Sr.’s tenure as minister has disappeared.
San Estevan is a beautiful village. I understand it was once larger than Orange Walk Town. The houses are nice, but the streets are not paved and the dust is horrible. In this day and age, this is unforgivable. What to do about it is the million-dollar question. Who to blame is the easiest.
A cane farmer from Progresso Village, Mr. Pasos, told me that the road to that beautiful lake-side, sugar-cane-producing village, is so horrible that the vehicular repair is eating up all their income from the industry.
Help us, GOB.
Regards,
Romel Cuello