In the words of one GOH official, "Time is the number one enemy of the MCAH." For example, MCAH and Honduras-based MCC describe the transportation project as “very tight” and argue that they have no more than two or three months for slippage. Given the notoriety of delays in major infrastructure projects, this buffer seems very thin. Add to this the complications of a diligent resettlement process, and the situation becomes very tenuous. The test will come if and when the MCAH has to choose between keeping road construction on time versus completing the resettlement process as promised. The MCAH could technically request an extension on the compact, but this would require approval by the US Congress which already has a very low tolerance for MCC delays.
A side effect of the compressed time line is that, according to a number of respondents, “The MCAH is so worried about making up lost time on execution that they are not looking at the bigger picture.” In this case, the "bigger picture" includes fostering better civil society engagement and sharing information more effectively with government ministries.
Next Section: Weak Government Buy-In