U.H.S. ‘Came Up,’ but Belize Must Pay

But what Espat will readily agree to is the fact that UHS has since changed hands and has gone on to become an entirely new company with different ownership, all at the expense of the Belizean people.  What he argues, on the other hand, is that the prime minister, by being obstinate, has also gambled with taxpayers’ money to a less than impressive outcome.

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

“I can guarantee you, if Barrow would have made a decision for himself, his business or his family, we would not have been in the hole of seven hundred million dollars.  But because the decision was made with the people’s money, it is where we are at right now.  And so, any agreement done in secret I am not comfortable with and I am not in agreement with.”

Reporter

“As a business-minded individual, it has to pain you reflexively when you see that ninety million has to be paid but there is no asset.  The asset is happily owned and operated by other persons working for a profit, with no benefit whatsoever to the Government of Belize.”

Julius Espat

Julius Espat

“It’s painful, but that doesn’t stop the fact that you have to pay.  Boss, if you make an agreement with the bank and you made a wrong business plan and you erred in your business plan, the bank doesn’t care.  It’s a cold life out there once you sign an agreement you have to pay.  That is the rules of engagement.  Why are we fooling ourselves?  The prime minister supposedly puts himself in the position as one of the most learned attorneys in this country, but he has lost all the cases that we have taken to the international courts.  It’s just proving to us that all his decisions that he has made with the people’s money have been negative.  Wi di talk close to a billion dollars in the red you know.  We’re not talking of a couple million dollars.”