In the staid political climate that prevails, rare is the politician who dare to break the glacial party line.
But Mark Espat has been known to do just that in the past - and today in his charter speech as investment minister, Espat today rocked a boat that already on stormy seas.
The event was the launch of BELTRAIDE's annual plan - a first for an organization that is re-orienting itself under the new minister. And as part of his new agenda, Espat told the gathering and a nationwide radio audience that government must end its high handedness and consult if it is to encourage the right investment climate.
Hon. Mark Espat, Minister of Investment
"An effective and ongoing gauge of the investment climate can be the proposed Economic Council, with calculable participation of the private sector, the Churches and Civil Society. Under the banner of the new Ministry of National Development, Prime Minister Musa has committed to convening and chairing this Council. I am certain our private sector partners would agree that many hard decisions, such as the recent rebalancing initiatives, would receive a different level of participation and understanding were the social partnership functional."
"The right investment climate cannot be confined only the foreign investors. The time has come, perhaps under the charge of the Economic Council, for a Protocol that protects local investment in the same way that we have signed Investment Protection Treaties with major trading partners. Tax policy would form a pillar of this Protocol, assuring reasonable advance notice of changes, outside of major disasters. If charity begins at home, as is often said, so should the right investment climate start with risk-taking Belizeans entrepreneurs and industrialists."
"The right investment climate requires justice without color, justice without religion, justice without race, justice without wealth, justice without intimidation. That is why the recent court rulings, contrary to some opinions, be it the case of the customs officers or the gaming company, whether to do with a fence or with football, are beneficial to the right investment climate. Who can argue that the hallmark of the planet's ultimate investment market, the United States of America, is its system's willingness to place on trial President or Pauper? A healthy investment climate can have no sacred cows, least of all the government!"
"The right investment climate demands prudent fiscal and monetary management, particularly, in the case of Belize, with the issues of public debt, foreign exchange and deficit spending. Most Belizeans have come of age to the risk and reward scale. No risks, no rewards. But neither is recklessness rewarded in the end, even though a bubble may delay the pain."
Espat also spoke on Belize's trade imbalance - which is about 350 million dollars, he inveighed against those with well connected interests who can get special products.
Hon. Mark Espat,
"The trade imbalance cannot be ignored or worse justified on an expansionist policy alone - Belize cannot afford an import policy based solely on the purchasing power or political connections of a few. Our import policy must focus on those goods and services that we do not produce and what we can afford to import."
And while those were the eyebrow raising remarks - the business of the day centered on new administrative chairman Kay Menzies, a plan of action by Executive Director Lourdes Smith and a new motto: "making business happen."