P.U.P. Launches its Power to the People Manifesto
The two major political parties launched their manifestos this morning within two weeks of the November fourth general elections. Now, manifestos are a traditional part of election campaigns providing the respective party’s platforms on national issues as well as pledges to the electorate. At the P.U.P. headquarters this morning, the release of the Power to the People manifesto was businesslike; the document is concise and in both English and Spanish. The P.U.P. wants to put a stop to nepotism, crime and the erosion of sovereignty. The party is also promising goodies such as a reduction in GST, freehold title to homeowners and jobs. Duane Moody reports from Independence Hall.
Francis Fonseca, P.U.P. Leader
“After eight years of one man rule, eight s of nepotism and corruption; eight years of growing poverty, gaping inequality, senseless crime and violence; eight years of failure to protect our national sovereignty and defend our territorial integrity. After eight years of failed U.D.P. leadership, Belize needs a change. Belize needs a new beginning.”
Henry Charles Usher
Duane Moody, Reporting
“It is time for the Belizean people to take a stand. It’s time all Belizeans be empowered. Power by one man is dictatorship. Power to the people is true democracy.” Those are the words of P.U.P. Leader Francis Fonseca at the launch of the party’s pledge to the Belizean population. Today at Independence Hall, the home of the blue party, area representatives and candidates for almost all thirty-one divisions gathered as for the release of its manifesto, entitled Power to the People 2015 through to 2019.
Henry Charles Usher, Chairman, P.U.P.
“A vote on November fourth for the P.U.P., is a vote for empowerment, it is a vote for you; it is a vote for Belize. So I ask you all to come out early on November fourth and vote for your candidate in your constituency, the candidate for the People’s United Party.”
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca
“Manifestos are documents, words on paper. To give life to these words, to give spirit to this document, we offer to you a team of competent dedicated servants. A P.U.P. team of thirty-one men and women—twenty-three of our candidates have never before served in government and bring their passion, their energy and commitment to complement the knowledge and experience of our other eight candidates.”
In the weeks leading up to today, the party launched several of its proposed policies on national issues, including a roll out of national health insurance nationwide and free education from pre-school to sixth form for the youths. In respect of the ICJ, the P.U.P. says NO.
Francis Fonseca
“The commitments that we have made to ensure that in each and every case we are able to have the resources necessary to carry out those commitments. For example free education from preschool to sixth form. When I was Minister of Education, we carried out that analysis already of what it would cost. It would cost about three million dollars more at primary school, eight million dollars at high school and around twelve million dollars at tertiary level because tertiary level education is the most expensive. The accurate picture is that we are looking at something like twenty-three million dollars in addition to the existing education budget to meet that commitment, which is absolutely achievable—not to mention all the waste that has been taking place over the last eight years.”
Statistics show that forty-three percent of the country is poor and with the cost of living at an all time high, people are clamoring for jobs, jobs, jobs. The P.U.P. says that it intends to create twenty-five thousand jobs, revert GST to ten percent and abolish income tax. Notwithstanding, the party also intends to enact a governance reform agenda if elected.
Francis Fonseca
“To reduce the cost of living which has become so burdensome over the last eight years under this U.D.P. government. We will reduce the general sales tax from twelve point five percent back to ten percent. We will appoint the thirteenth senator because we are not afraid of oversight. And again, to relieve the cost of living, to relieve the burdensome economic challenges that face our families on a daily basis under this U.D.P. government, we will move towards the abolish of income tax on all our working people and the working class. We will also put in place an affordable housing project that will provide quality house—quality housing across the country to our Belizean people. As we said last week when we launched the social contract, we will implement a very important, a very important governance reform agenda within the first one hundred days in office. Our every action, our every decision will be guided by you, by your interest, your family’s interests, your neighbor’s interests and your nation’s interests. It is time for the Belizean people to take a stand. It is time for the Belizean people to take a stand. It is time for all Belizeans to be empowered. Power by one man is dictatorship; power to the people is true democracy.”
Within the pages of the P.U.P. manifesto are also proposals that address crime, creativity and technology, the women’s agenda, tourism, agriculture, fisheries, rural development, foreign affairs, foreign trade and overall development. Duane Moody for News Five.
