But even if all those communities come to fruition within the next three years, the PUP still won't be close to hitting their promised goal of 10,000 houses. It was in their Plan Belize manifesto, and again in their Medium Term Development Strategy. But according to the minister, after two years in office, they've only managed to build over 200 homes. And he says the 10,000 figure was more of a fantasy than something tangible in this term in office.
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development & Housing
"By the end of fiscal, we'll have completed 262 units."
Courtney Menzies:
"And you guys are doubling down on this ten thousand, and I know the Medium Term Plan repeated it for the year 2023 to 2026, that's outside of your term, so by the end of your term, how close to do you think you'll get to that 10,000 goal?"
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development & Housing
"The 10,000 is not a number that I look at, I look at it everyday as to how the budget comes in. As you see the first two years, we got five a piece, this year we are getting hopefully because budget can be surprising at time so I'm hoping that by the time we go to debate it in the house, it will be 15. I have spoken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who have spoken with other lending institutions and they seem positive, we got a letter the other day from a reputable country that is interested in lending us very affordable rates. The prime minister and the Ministry of Finance and everybody is out there lobbying for other countries to see if we can get some grant and so we are working as hard as we can to get as much as we can."
Courtney Menzies:
"But do you feel like maybe you shouldn't have promised that 10k if you know you wouldn't be able to deliver it?"
Julius Espat, Minister of Infrastructure Development & Housing
"I believe in shooting for the stars and if you could reach the moon, then that's even better so you have to have an ambition, you have to have a goal, you have to try as best as. You can to reach as high as you possibly can and that's what we're doing."
Thirty four additional single starter homes are currently in construction.
