By Belize Live News Staff: As he prepares to take charge of Belize’s police, new acting Minister of Home Affairs Julius Espat is already making clear the kind of approach he believes the country needs, and the kind he does not.
Espat, who keeps his role as Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing, has been handed the Home Affairs portfolio on an acting basis while a Cabinet colleague is on a leave of absence amid an audit. The ministry oversees the police, and Espat steps in at a time when violent crime and public safety are weighing heavily on the minds of Belizeans.
One thing Espat made clear is that he is not a fan of heavy handed, militarized policing. He said he does not believe putting soldiers in military uniforms on the streets with assault rifles is the answer. “I’ve always said it, I don’t believe that the military should be police men,” he said, adding that he is not convinced the country is ready for a hard line approach.
For Espat, the deeper problems lie elsewhere. “I think what’s lacking in our society is discipline and equitable distribution of funds,” he said. He argued that addressing those issues, and convincing Cabinet to take that route, would do more good than aggressive shows of force. He also questioned the lasting impact of tough crackdowns, saying past attempts have only worked for a short time before crime creeps back. “It works for a couple months, sometimes a couple weeks, and then it goes back, it’s like elastic,” he said.
Espat also signaled a willingness to work with everyone, including Commissioner of Police Dr. Rosado. He said the two have been in contact in the past and that he considers him a fair person, even though they have never had a long conversation. “It is my responsibility to sit with everybody,” Espat said.
An architect by profession, Espat acknowledged that policing is new territory for him, but said his background in planning and managing teams will help. He admitted the job is one of the most difficult the country has to offer, but vowed to assemble a team and tackle the challenge head on.
