And after lobbying year after year for his Ministry, MIDH has finally received a budget increase based on what the Minister says he saw this past Tuesday. A major highlight of this ministry has been the famous "starter homes" that have provided Belizeans with brand new houses while only having to pay a 25% of its cost. So that increase is to build more homes but also for the roadwork leading to these places.
Julius Espat, Minister of MIDH
"It was raised from 5 million to 8 million, so we got 3 million more and a separate 2 million was given to us for infrastructure for housing, what has happened is that with the 5 million, we were stretching it thin because we were not only building the homes but we were also doing roads reaching the homes and so now an extra 2 million was given to us so wherever we have a house that's in a really, in an area that hasn't been developed, we have the ability now."
"The John Smith Road, A two million dollar budget was given to be able to do infrastructure there in the housing development that they have, they have a housing development there that Minister Cordel had done for about 1,000 lots so 2 million dollars was allocated in the budget for us, so we can go and do some work there. So for the first time after 5 years of lobbying, complaining, beating, we got 3 million dollars, 5 million more, because it's 3 million for the houses and 2 million for infrastructure for the houses"
The minister explained that they have several factors to consider when they will decide what areas to target first.
Julius Espat, Minister of MIDH
"Right now, after the budget is read, the first meeting will be between the CEO, myself, the chief and the Housing Team led my Maurissa to look at what houses have been approved already meaning recipients that have been approved and what we are trying to do is to look at the houses that have lots that have easier access, because all of them have a need so we know that, everybody that has been approved they have a need so we're looking at is your house easier for us to reach and that would be the priority, apart from emergencies because we have also been helping people where their houses have been burnt down or somebody that's incapacitated or there're couple areas that aren't strict and so that meeting will be held right after the budget so I would say, ending of this month and then we will have a list of how many we can do and what the CEO and the chief normally do is they phase it out."
"Because we don't have enough contractors to be able to do everything at the same time, remember these are real low cost housing and the contractors are not making a lot of money, so we have to accommodate them and try to find a way maybe if its two in an area they can get a little bit more."
