During our extended conversation with CEO Martinez, he disclosed that the previous administration had prior access to climate resilience financing, which, according to his findings, they made no move to put to full use.
Here's How Dr. Martinez made the case that because of that lack of activity, Belize almost lost access to many millions of dollars in climate financing:
Dr. Osmond Martinez - CEO, Ministry of Economic Development
"In my presentation, I highlighted how GCF has given to Belize 8.02 million U.S. dollars through the RRB program under the IFAD program from Italy. We didn't have the capacity to spend, and that money was sitting there from 2017. So, we also, as a country, as a government, need to be responsible and move forward in terms of implementation. Other than that, GCF will always look at us and say, listen, you do not have the capacity to spend 8.02 million dollars. This is what we need to change, and we are changing that. I have been very clear with all my program managers in saying, listen, if you cannot deliver, you have to go. We need people who are serious in terms of delivering because the poor population, the MSMEs, and those who are being affected by climate change are being affected, and there is no time to play. We are serious about getting the job done. We almost lost the $40 million from IFAD, which has like $16 million coming from the GCF. And that project was to be completed in February of 2022. Now, when we look at it that February of 2022, we only had 2% implementation, and that is unacceptable. We have to be serious."
Daniel Ortiz
"Where was the failure?"
Dr. Osmond Martinez
"The failure wasn't within the government. The past administration, you know, under the Dean Barrow Administration. If that money was given to you in 2015, and you failed to implement and just purchase vehicles for your officers, nice furniture, I mean, any agent will be upset. GCF and IFAD were not happy. I mean, they are looking at Belize as one of the countries that have the poorest implementation in terms of the Green Climate Fund. Even Haiti has a better implementation percentage for climate finance than Belize. You know, and that's what we are turning around. No, no, we are serious. We are getting this job done and this is important. So, GCF looked at us and say, listen, you all are serious now. Well, I will give you a break. And we are showing them we're starting to mobilize that money. With that money, we are building the Nago Bank road. We are helping the Valley of Peace farmers. The Trio Farmers. San Antonio Farmers. San Jose, San Carlos, And I understand that there will be associations that will start to join that program."
