Julius Espat Gives PM Briceño His Unwavering Support

Julius Espat

There has been an overwhelming show of support for the leadership of Prime Minister John Briceño ahead of Friday’s sitting of the House of Representatives.  Earlier this month, Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow submitted a request for a no-confidence motion to be tabled in that House of Representatives at its next sitting, that is tomorrow.  Following a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, senior members of the Briceño administration came together in a show of solidarity with the prime minister.  That display of unity was followed by as many as nine releases from various arms of the People’s United Party, standing firmly behind Prime Minister John Briceño.  Earlier today, we spoke with Cayo South Area Representative Julius Espat.

Julius Espat, Cabinet Minister

“Our prime minister and our leader came under attack, trying to paint him in a position that we are not in support of him.  So it was our responsibility as a party to be able to show the Belizean people that that is not the case and how better to do it than the organs of the party.  So the releases did not come frivolously.  You are talking the United Women’s Movement, you are talking the marshals, you are talking [about] the youth movement of the party, you are talking the national executive, you are speaking of the different caucuses.  Here we have representatives of three different caucuses, the east, the west, the south and the north also.  So everybody felt that it was important for us to support the leadership of the party.  Why?  Because John Briceno represents us and we represent them and, collectively, we represent the people of Belize and therefore, we cannot allow him to be attacked if it’s not true and it is not true.  The work that the various ministries have been doing have been, in my opinion, exemplary.  The Ministry of Education has been doing an awesome job.  The Ministry of Defense has been doing their job.  The Ministry of Youths, and I was just reminded of how many medals we have won recently, MIDH, humbly, is doing what they need to do.  We do have mistakes, we do have things that are not perfect, but in the general aspect of things, we are doing a good job.  Why are we able to do that?  Because our leader allows us to function and we, in return, give him advice that the relationship is not hundred percent “yes sir.”  It’s not like that, we have debates in Cabinet, we have disagreements in Cabinet, but if you ask us, does he have our support?  Definitely, and that’s what happened.”