In the heart of Belize’s capital, a protracted battle for fundamental infrastructure has reached a critical juncture. Residents of Belmopan’s Rivera area are issuing urgent pleas for electrification after enduring generations without reliable power access. This community, partially severed from main grid connections, represents a stark case of infrastructural neglect affecting daily life, education, and healthcare.
The human impact is profoundly illustrated through individuals like 84-year-old Imelda Najarro, who requires a nebulizer for asthma treatment but lacks electricity to operate the medical device. Her testimony reveals decades of unfulfilled political promises during election cycles, forcing families to adapt to darkness with candles for basic tasks like childcare.
Diana Pacheco, a lifelong resident turned community advocate, describes the educational disadvantages faced by children unable to complete homework without light or printing capabilities. Her negotiations with Area Representative Oscar Mira and Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) over two years have yielded minimal progress, with officials recommending private connections at prohibitive costs.
The crisis extends to approximately forty households where residents describe feeling ‘abandoned.’ Patrocina Herrera details the extreme measures required to care for her 94-year-old mother, including transportation to another district for oxygen treatments. Safety concerns compound these challenges, with darkness creating environments conducive to crime and limiting mobility after sunset.
Ironically, symbolic gestures like the gifted refrigerator from Representative Mira—unusable without electricity—highlight the disconnect between political theater and tangible solutions. As residents continue self-funded installations where possible, the broader community awaits systemic intervention from BEL, which has yet to provide a comprehensive timeline for full electrification.