by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Apr. 25, 2024
Belize has lost one of its longest-serving members of parliament, Hon. Michael “Mike” Espat, Minister of State for Finance, Economic Development, and Investment, who passed away on April 22 due to heart failure.
At the age of 76, Espat, who had been facing health challenges, died unexpectedly at the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan, leaving behind a legacy that touched many aspects of Belizean life, from education to infrastructure and advocacy.
Espat’s political journey began in 1989, representing the Toledo East constituency for the People’s United Party (PUP). Throughout his career, he demonstrated resilience, serving the public even after a serious traffic accident in 2002 that left him hospitalized and in a coma for a month.
Before entering politics, Espat was an educator and principal of St. Peter Claver College in the Toledo District, where he shifted the curriculum towards practical knowledge, benefiting graduates in the South.
He was a pioneer in creating roads, improving land acquisition, and furthering educational opportunities, including helping to establish the University of Belize in Punta Gorda, thus expanding access to higher education for many.
His brother, Luke Espat, recalls Mike as a tenacious worker who was always on the front lines for the betterment of the southern communities, given that the political powers are mainly centered in the cities. “Mike has always been an aggressive politician for principle, for the people of the South, and he understood that it took a lot more to help those people,” Luke said.
Mike’s contributions extend on in the fight for the rights of workers in the banana industry and their protection from exposure to harmful chemicals, and his advocacy for the establishment of Bella Vista Village, which is now almost as large as Punta Gorda Town.
He was also known for his advocacy in agriculture, providing young adults with livestock and land, leading to successful farming initiatives. Moreover, he was vocal about the need for careful management of Mayan land rights and the importance of national border security, even securing a checkpoint on the Sarstoon River.
With Espat’s passing, a by-election will be called to fill his seat, a role that his son, with a lifetime of experience working alongside his father, has expressed interest in pursuing. “I think he has the character of his father. He has worked in the area, and he knows it well. And I think the people will respect that he will continue the hard work of commitment,” Luke added.
As the People’s United Party mourns the loss of one of its pillars, Belize remembers Mike Espat as a man who dedicated his life to service, serving the Price, Musa and Briceño administrations and leaving behind big shoes to fill.
Mike Espat’s death marks yet another loss of a PUP area representative during this term, following David Vega of Corozal Bay, who passed away from COVID-19 in December 2021.Vega’s successor, his sister Elvia Vega Samos, won the subsequent by-election.
Another remembered figure who died while in office is Agripino “Pino” Cawich, a PUP politician and Area Representative of Cayo South who served until his passing in 2003, just months after being reelected to government a second time.