Across Belize City, a pervasive infrastructure problem has turned into a growing financial burden for local government, as open and damaged manholes trigger a wave of costly lawsuits against the Belize City Council. As of late April 2026, council officials confirmed that ongoing maintenance claims and legal settlements linked to faulty manhole covers are draining municipal budgets, prompting leaders to elevate the issue to a top public works priority.
Last week, the council announced it had completed repairs and cover replacements for more than 400 uncovered or damaged manholes across the city, but officials warn the work will never truly be finished. In an address to reporters, Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner explained that faulty manhole infrastructure poses a continuous public safety and fiscal challenge for the municipality. “Manholes are an ongoing project. You will never end with manholes,” Wagner stated, pointing out that even during his public comments, he had already spotted another manhole requiring urgent intervention.
Beyond the direct costs of replacing damaged or stolen covers, the city faces steep secondary expenses from civil lawsuits filed by residents injured after encountering open manholes. Wagner noted that the municipality continues to take significant financial hits from these legal claims, pushing the council to overhaul its response protocols for missing or broken covers. Under new guidelines, the council now immediately places warning tape around any reported open manhole to alert residents of the hazard while arrangements for repairs are made.
To speed up response times, the city has also launched a dedicated community reporting mechanism that allows residents to flag damaged covers directly to public works teams via a dedicated WhatsApp line: 673-9055. In addition to calling on residents to use the reporting tool, Mayor Wagner is appealing to local stakeholders to help prevent further damage to manhole infrastructure. He urged business owners, taxi operators, and all motorists to avoid driving over manholes whenever possible, a practice that accelerates wear and tear on covers and leads to more frequent breaks and replacements. If damage occurs and goes unreported, the city ends up paying twice: first for the cost of a new cover, and again through costly litigation when accidents happen.
This report is a transcript of an evening television newscast, with all Kriol-language statements transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accessibility.