By Belize Live News Staff: Julius Espat’s early days as acting Minister of Home Affairs are winning him praise from an unexpected quarter, as former UDP chairman Alberto August publicly threw his support behind the new minister’s leadership of the Belize Police Department.
Taking to Facebook, August did not hold back in his admiration. “At long last, a breath of fresh air, sober mind and level headed direction at the helm of the Belize Police Department,” he wrote, adding a vote of confidence: “If it can be done, Julius Espat will get it done.”
The endorsement is striking, not least because of August’s own entanglement with the police in recent weeks. August had been charged under the Cybercrime Act following a complaint by former Home Affairs Minister Oscar Mira, a case that drew scrutiny because of the obvious conflict in having the minister responsible for the police also serving as the complainant. For a time, the matter was treated as an internal police affair.
Espat moved quickly to change that. After taking over the portfolio, he directed that August’s file be handed to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the office constitutionally tasked with deciding whether charges should move forward. Espat said he had consulted the Attorney General and other legal advisors before making the call, and stressed that the goal was to ensure the matter was handled in the fairest and most independent way possible. He even conceded that the way the case had been handled until then did not look good. The DPP responded warmly, describing the decision as a mature and professional approach, and one she hoped would be applied consistently going forward.
Seen in that light, August’s praise is perhaps less surprising. After being on the receiving end of a process he and his supporters viewed as heavy-handed, the former chairman appears to have found reassurance in Espat’s steadier, more independent hand.
Espat assumed the role after Mira stepped aside from Cabinet, a move that came as questions mounted over government payments to companies connected to Mira’s family. That matter is now before the Auditor General for an audit. Mira has firmly denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that procurement decisions are made by committees rather than ministers, and no findings have been reached.
For a police department that has weathered its share of controversy, the arrival of a new minister signaling a commitment to fairness and independence has been met with cautious hope. Espat himself has been measured, acknowledging the weight of the responsibility while making clear his intention to let proper process guide his decisions.
It is still early, and the road ahead is far from easy. Crime, public confidence, and the everyday demands of the job will all test the new minister in the months to come. But if the early reactions are any indication, including the rare praise from a figure like August, Espat has made a steady and promising start, and that, for many Belizeans, is a welcome development.
