What Comes Next for the Ministry of Home Affairs?
Julius Espat’s three-month stint as interim Minister of Home Affairs has run its course, and he says it is now up to Prime Minister John Briceño whether he stays.
“I’ve mentioned to him if he needs my help, I am willing. But I’m not begging. And so he has to decide,” Espat told News 5.
Espat assumed responsibility for the ministry about three months ago under an interim arrangement. He was appointed after former Home Affairs Minister Oscar Mira was removed from the portfolio amid an audit of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The ministry had come under scrutiny over government procurement contracts involving payments below the $10,000 threshold, including contracts that allegedly benefited members of Mira’s family.
The audit has since been completed, but the matter remains within the established review process. Attorney General Maria Rodriguez said the audit is currently pending review by the ministry’s Chief Executive Officer, Francis Usher.
Meanwhile, Espat dismissed the suggestion that Home Affairs is a particularly difficult ministry for politicians to handle. “There’s no headache. That is work. A lot of men don’t like work. That’s the only difference,” he said.
During his time overseeing the portfolio, Espat said he gained a closer look at the Belize Police Department and its officers.
“I’ve met really good Belizean police officers. I’ve also met frustrated Belizean police officers. So it was a good learning experience,” Espat said. “We need to appreciate the people that are there to defend us. I think, just like politicians, they are beaten up sometimes unnecessarily. Not all the time they are perfect. But I think with what I have learned, there is hope. And I’ve seen it.”
Briceño has not announced whether Espat will remain in the portfolio permanently, or if Mira will be reinstated to Cabinet and resume overseeing the portfolio.