Belize Explores Electric Vehicle Industry Collaboration with Taiwan

The Ministry of Transportation is working with its counterparts in the Republic of China (Taiwan) to fast-track Belize’s electric vehicle industry. Minister of Transportation Rodwell Ferguson and his team recently toured the island nation and gained insight into the country’s transport sector. The trip was as a part of a delegation comprised of Formosa Club members from Taiwan’s English-speaking Caribbean diplomatic allies. According to Ferguson, the main area of focus was adopting the use of electric vehicles to lessen carbon emissions. 

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport: “As what they do from time to time they send invitation for us to go and do a proper tour of Taiwan and their development and how it can be adopted in Belize. So myself and Minister Cervantes were there for about four or five days. We had several meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Environment and also we met with a company that makes electric motor vehicles especially buses. So we were able to discuss with these people to figure out how Belize can fit into their development. I know it’s going to be a lengthy process but it’s open up for us a small country to see what these countries are doing to advance their technology.”

Reporter: What are some of the areas that you would like to see adopted sooner rather than later here in Belize ? 

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport: “Well I think by the year 2050 there should be no more combustion engines in the world. Likewise the world might go fully emission free that is what they’re thinking about, the entire world. Taiwan has expressed that by 2040 there should be only electric vehicles in Taiwan and by 2050 they should be emissions free. Belize is a very small developing country has to consider the options and figure what is the way forward because it’s a very expensive venture to transform your entire vehicle fleet and to allow your people to be able to participate and continue to grow and purchase only electric vehicles maybe after a certain period. So I think Belize’s policy will have to be adjusted in relation to tariffs being put on vehicles because you have to transform an entire fleet then you have to find an incentive for those who want to bring in these electric vehicles.” 

Ferguson noted that upon his return the work commences to alter the country’s transport policy and make it more conducive for the evolving sector. 

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport: “Well I believe the policy has to be changed between now and the next year and a half two years because most countries are targeting the year 2030. So 2030 has to be a significant change of the kind of motor vehicles in the entire world and we will have to follow suit. Now they are really appreciate of our relationship with them so they are willing to share ideas and information. So if we develop that capacity then we will be able to have somebody to go to Taiwan to study and understand what they’re doing in terms of their transformation in the transportation industry and EV vehicles.”

Minister Ferguson was accompanied by Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State in the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management.