By Belize Live News Staff: Infrastructure Minister Julius Espat, who has long advocated for repairs to the deteriorating Belcan Bridge, found himself notably absent from a recent site tour led by high-profile officials, including the Prime Minister and the Taiwanese Foreign Minister, Dr. Chia-Lung Lin. Taiwan has pledged to fund the rehabilitation of the bridge, a critical structure in Belize City that has been in use since 1969.
Despite Espat’s extensive efforts to secure funding and prioritize the bridge’s repairs, he was not informed of Taiwan’s commitment ahead of the announcement. Speaking at a separate event, Espat expressed cautious optimism, noting, “It’s good news. That bridge urgently needs replacing, and if Taiwan is committed, we’re ready to act as soon as we receive the green light from the Ministry of Finance.”
Espat’s absence from the tour has raised questions, especially given his active role in infrastructure development. This isn’t the first time he’s been out of the loop on this project—tensions surfaced earlier this year between his ministry and the Ministry of Finance, delaying the bridge’s progress.
While Espat awaits further updates and a concrete financing arrangement, he affirmed that his ministry is prepared to move forward immediately once the necessary approvals are in place. For now, Espat is holding back expectations until he receives formal confirmation on the funding and next steps.
