Bernard versus Lui-Torres in Orange Walk
Our team also provides coverage of Nomination Day in Orange Walk Town. The P.U.P. controls that municipality and its slate was first to be officially nominated. There was hype, plenty energy, from the candidates and the supporters of Mayor Kevin Bernard’s team. In the afternoon, the U.D.P. went out in numbers through the streets of the town. Their hope is to unseat the P.U.P. council. Duane Moody has a report.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Fourteen Orange Walk residents, including two mayoral and twelve councillor candidates, making up the P.U.P. and U.D.P. slates, today officially entered their bids for the upcoming March fourth elections. Currently, the incumbent Mayor is Kevin Bernard. His team was the first to be nominated. This was followed by a parade through the streets of the town ending with a rally.
Kevin Bernard
Kevin Bernard, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, Orange Walk
“Definitely. Duane, today’s nomination march has energized the campaign. We will work hard to bring victory to Orange Walk. Today’s nomination is crucial because we have made ourselves officially as candidates to run for the P.U.P.—candidates that are driven for all, candidates that are dedicated and committed to the people of this town. We have worked for the people and we want to continue to work for the people of Orange Walk Town.”
Also thrusting his support behind Bernard and his team today was Orange Walk Central area rep, John Briceño. Briceño says that the turnout by the electorate is a clear indication that the P.U.P. will retain office in that municipality; and he predicted that there will be a change at the Central Government level.
John Briceño
John Briceño, Area Rep., Orange Walk Central
“In Orange Town for March fourth, we are definitely going to sweep in orange Walk Town. I have all confidence that Kevin is going to be re-elected as the mayor for Orange Walk and the six P.U.P. councillor candidates, they are also going to be elected—five will be re-elected and Gian Vasquez is going to be elected. I feel that across this country, the P.U.P. is going win. We feel it; we feel the change in the air. People want a change and they know that the change is only going to come when they vote blue from Corozal all the way to Punta Gorda. Whenever the prime minister decides to call elections that we are going to be battle ready to take them on. I know that the U.D.P. has a lot of resources; this afternoon you are going to see it. I know for a fact that U.D.P.s in all the villages is paying people, getting them ready so that they can show force. But they are fooling themselves because all the people that they are bringing in will not be able to vote for the town council elections.”
And if Briceño was right, money didn’t appear to be a problem for the United Democratic Party. A much larger crowd gathered on Liberty Avenue and moments later, the sea of red paraded through the streets.
Gaspar Vega, Deputy Prime Minister
“It’s just like they say, the taste of the pudding is in the eating. Today, I guess is the making of the pudding. It just shows that the people are really dissatisfied with the present administration of our municipality. That’s all it is saying. I think if you compare the crowd of this afternoon and the one from this morning, not only will you notice that the amount of people is maybe four-five times than what they had this morning, but this is Orange Walk town people and we make sure that that happens today because at the end of the day that we will only be fooling ourselves.”
Despite attempts to get comments from the U.D.P.’s mayoral candidate, Yvette Lui-Torres, she did not wish to so do. Still, the Deputy Prime Minister, Gaspar Vega says that he believes that there will be a change of color in the town hall following the March fourth elections.
Gaspar Vega
Duane Moody
“It is often said that the results of the municipals is almost a reflection of what is going to happen come 2017. Talk to us whether you feel if that is going to be the case here with it going red and sealing the deal for another term for the central government.”
Gaspar Vega
“With the work that central government has been doing right after the elections of 2012, it just shows to the people that this government is committed to work for the public, for the people of this entire country…every single person and we are not using the work, the infrastructure as any political gimmick. We have been working. All our policies—our projects that we have been putting through—the education policy, the poverty alleviation policy; they are not six months prior to the election…it is been all term and people are starting to realize that we are sincere and we still have the compassion for them.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
