P.U.P. Deputy Says Petrocaribe Priorities Are Skewed

Julius Espat

P.U.P. Deputy Leader Julius Espat also weighed in on the mortgage giveaway which he says is pure nonsense. Apart from the shameless politicking, Espat claims that there is much better use for the Petrocaribe monies, which actually should be targeted specifically at poverty alleviation. We’re not sure paying mortgages for those who can actually afford mortgages is poverty alleviation, and Espat suggested that instead of the banking sector, the PM may want to look into sectors like health and education.

Julius Espat, Deputy Leader, P.U.P.

“If you want to have equitable distribution of the Petrocaribe money one of the best ways would have been for government to just reduce the price at the fuel tanks…then everybody would have benefitted across the board – you don’t have to be a minister, you don’t have to be C.E.O. in government, you don’t have to be a so-called caretaker – every single Belize would benefit if the price would come down from twelve to eight or twelve to ten…whatever the figure is. So that would be a proposal for equitable distribution, but this nonsense and it is nonsense about the mortgage…first you have to go pay it, so you still have to find the money to go pay it. Then you have to…I’ve sent some people in…of course they threw them back because they know they come from my area…but the list that you have to fill out and the forms you have to fill out and the bureaucracy that you have to go through…people are so disillusioned about it. It’s just another political ploy. There has to be a better way…education Mike. In my villages…you were there in St. Matthew’s where they are not paying the teachers. Right now remember the Minister said that he had given us some help for some scholarships? Well all of the people that I signed for have come back to me because the schools have said that the government is not honouring it. Health, education, basic services in the villages as you drive through you will see…that is where the money should have gone and should be going.”