Last year, the Taiwanese government donated 792 thousand dollars for the renovation of the National Assembly building. The building was completed in 1970 - and heading into its 54th year - it's showing its age.
So, conversions have been ongoing to see what all will go into the new design - which has to factor in many fixtures of modern Belize that didn't exist in 1970 - like a press press, and women who are members of the house and need a restroom.
Consultations were held today with the media and the police along with an architecture and design team from the MIDH. House speaker Valerie Woods gave us some details:
Reporter "What the Belizean public can expect from this newly refurbished building?"
Valerie Woods, Speaker of the House "Certainly. Accessibility, a more modernized institution, one that will facilitate more inclusiveness by way of having a lift for those who have mobility issues. And understanding that in 2024, the building, the institution, has to be remodeled in a way that it accommodates women. They didn't have them. We didn't have those amenities in place. Flow for both staff, for members, for media as well, recognizing that the media is an important part of the institution."
"And there has to be a space that is designed with that in mind and not an afterthought. So we've met with the Senate. We've had consultations along with the House Committee. We've obviously met with the media."
"We've met with the staff and the police. And we've done that because before we get to the point of final design, it was important that we didn't hand down something, but try our best within the parameters of the budget and the timeline to incorporate as much as we could from those who use the space on a regular basis."
"In terms of timeline, works really should commence late July, early August, thereabouts, depending on when we can successfully move over to George Price Center. And completion right now is estimated anywhere between late May, early June of 2025."
"In terms of, you said, competing interests. There are a lot of balancing acts that has to occur over the next year to ensure that we can't be everything to everybody. But the key needs that each of these groups have, be it media, public, security, staff, members, that the key needs that they would want out of their parliament, that we try to address it."
"And then what cannot be addressed, we look forward to a second phase."
The MIDH team has already come up with an initial design - which is now being adjusted to factor in the feedback from end users.
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Last year, the Taiwanese government donated 792 thousand dollars for the renovation of the National Assembly building. The building was completed in 1970 - and heading into its 54th year - it's showing its age.
"Certainly. Accessibility, a more modernized institution, one that will facilitate more inclusiveness by way of having a lift for those who have mobility issues. And understanding that in 2024, the building, the institution, has to be remodeled in a way that it accommodates women. They didn't have them. We didn't have those amenities in place. Flow for both staff, for members, for media as well, recognizing that the media is an important part of the institution."