Espat: early election won’t hinder municipal poll

With the country infected by election fever, politics and its attendant non-stop campaigning is running rampant. Over the weekend, the canvassers of every partisan persuasion hit the streets in force, and in Belize City, the People’s United Party held its previously postponed City Council convention to endorse incumbent mayor David Fonseca and his slate of ten. Without giving away any secrets, one high level P.U.P. strategist, told News 5 how they plan to keep hold of the reins in Belmopan.

Mark Espat, Area Representative, Albert Division

“Speaking for the government, I think there are two strategies in a re-election campaign. The first is to display to the voters that we have by and large, completed what we promised to do in 1998. That does not mean that every single thing has been completed. It may be that ninety percent has been done, but many things outside of the manifesto have always been done. I think the second front so to speak, is what will be done between 2003 and 2008, the launch what the new P.U.P. government, the manifesto, what that will be. I think those are the two areas of focus right now.”

“I believe that our committee and I, at least speaking for the Albert constituency, we have taken the advice of the Prime Minister to be ready at any time. We know that the municipal elections will be called on the fifth of March. By law it must be that day, and we are prepared for a general election before then on that day or anytime between now and when the election must be called.”

Janelle Chanona

“As a member of the P.U.P., do you think it would turn the municipal council into a sidebar, a second story?”

Mark Espat

“I don’t believe so. I think when I a voter is in the voter’s booth and faced with a choice between the People’s United Party slate for the City Council and the U.D.P. slate for the City Council, the choice will be as clear on a day when both elections are being held or any other day. And I think the choice is clearly to support the P.U.P. because of the record of the last four years.”

Joining Mayor David Fonseca in the March fifth municipal ballot are council candidates Yasmin Shoman, Marshall Nunez, Danny Madrid, Austin Waight, Eloisa Trujeque, Jenny Craig, Jacqueline Welch, Linsford Castillo, Rachel Montejo and Debby Vasquez.