Julius Espat urges GOB to do more for the poor, even as PM Briceno tries to calm him

Posted: Thursday, May 29, 2025. 5:03 am CST.

By Breaking Belize News Staff: On the final day of the national budget debate at the George Price Centre, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing Julius Espat delivered a passionate address that turned critical — not toward the Opposition, but toward his own party.

In a rare moment of political honesty, Espat said the Government has done “positive” work in areas like private sector support and education. But he made it clear that it’s not enough. He stressed the need for the Government to be more proactive in addressing poverty and health care gaps, especially through reforming and expanding the role of Social Security and the National Health Insurance (NHI) system.

Espat pointed out that Belizeans continue to suffer from the lack of affordable health services and said the country must not be complacent. He even shared the story of a campaign worker who had to pay $12,000 for a heart surgery — a cost that could have been avoided with broader NHI coverage.

Even as the Prime Minister was overheard trying to calm him off-mic, Espat stood firm. He argued that if Belize is truly a paradise, then it’s the government’s job to make it one for everyone, not just a few.

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The post Julius Espat urges GOB to do more for the poor, even as PM Briceno tries to calm him appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.

On the final day of the national budget debate at the George Price Centre, Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing Julius Espat delivered a passionate address that turned critical — not toward the Opposition, but toward his own party.
The post Julius Espat urges GOB to do more for the poor, even as PM Briceno tries to calm him appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.