Building More Houses at a Time Instead of “One, One”
Julius Espat
The P.U.P. Administration campaigned on the commitment to build ten thousand homes. Minister Espat foresees the completion of at least one hundred and thirty homes by the end of April, with a budget of five million dollars. Still a far cry from ten thousand, Minister Espat says he will ask for a budget to build five hundred homes in the upcoming fiscal year. While an ambitious ask in a season of national economic constraints, building five hundred homes over the next four years would still leave the P.U.P. Administration short of building ten thousand homes in one term. Minister Espat conceded that his government may never be able to reach their goal of ten thousand homes. He noted, however, in an effort to assist the masses, the Ministry of Housing is beginning to explore the development of low income housing communities.
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing
“Like right now we are trying in Armenia to acquire a property that is very close to a village, which will be like a sort of a village expansion. And we are asking the Ministry of Natural Resources to identify plots that are close to existing communities. The argument with Mahogany Heights at the time is that it would have been better if you expanded Belmopan and use those same resources. It goes back and forth. But, we have to learn from previous experiences and find a way to move on. The reality is we can’t do it at the pace we would like to serve the amount people we would want, if we continue to with this one, one approach, because it is expensive. I have a house building in Arenal recently. I have another one in Chunox, so it is remote areas. Logistics become a problem. Finance becomes a problem. So, if you could build fifty houses for example, even twenty, in a specific area, it makes it more efficient, and you can even connect the utilities a bit more efficient. And so, that is the mindset we have present.”
Marleni Cuellar
“That is what you are working towards, not established as yet?”
Julius Espat
“Well we have acquired one in the Cayo District up to now. I think in the Orange Walk District there is one, in Orange Walk East I believe. There is one in Belize Rural North presently that we are working on by Boom, which is the one that will start pretty shortly. And then, we are asking and seeing, every constituency we want to establish a group.”
