MIDH Minister: Infrastructure is Major Priority in Budget

Julius Espat

It is just about two months before the annual budget is presented in the National Assembly and in the coming weeks, the various ministers will be putting forth their reasons why they believe their ministries and departments ought to be given more spending power. Among the ministers who believe that their portfolio deserves to be among the top priorities in the national budget is Julius Espat for the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Housing. Today he explained to us why.

Julius Espat, Minister, MIDH

“If the Ministry of Finance does not see M.I.D.H. as a priority, then you’ll have problems because you will be interviewing every single minister and the first thing that will come to their mind is infrastructure. Because again, if we don’t put in the road works in the sugar area, the cane farmers will be protesting in Belmopan. If we don’t do the farm roads in the west and in the south, the farmers will be protesting. If we don’t assist the tourism areas where the tourists come in, then you’ll have problems from the tourism sector. There is no way government cannot invest in infrastructure. So in my opinion, it is a major priority. What we do is not only what you see here, but it drives the economy of a country. Without proper infrastructure, you don’t have an economy that can generate income. So that is our responsibility and in Cabinet you lobby as hard as you can for and on behalf of the people of Belize.”