O.W. Stays in P.U.P. Fold

In Orange Walk Town, the home of the P.U.P. Leader, John Briceño, victory was predictable.  But the popularity of Mayor Kevin Bernard would give the party a further boost and secure a third term for him. The numbers in favour of the P.U.P. slate would swell in the range of two to one and in some areas not won before as in Orange Walk North, the Opposition Party secured wins. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

At the close of polling stations in Orange Walk Town on Wednesday evening, only eight thousand two hundred and ninety-nine ballots were cast of twelve thousand four hundred and one registered electors in that municipality. That’s according to the official results released today that says sixty-seven of the voting population decided either to return the incumbent P.U.P. Mayor Kevin Bernard to the town council or revert to the U.D.P.’s Phillip De La Fuente. After eleven hours of voting and another couple hours of counting, the results were out; Bernard and his team doubled the votes over De la Fuente and U.D.P. slate.

Hugo Miranda

Hugo Miranda, Returning Officer, Orange Walk Town

“Mister Kevin Bernard receiving five thousand two hundred sixty votes. Miser Ian Cal receiving five thousand three hundred and seventeen; Mister Flores Arana Rozel five thousand three and seventy-six votes; Sanchez Fernando, five thousand three hundred and eleven votes; Sheppard Ladrick ‘Mad Bull,’ five thousand five hundred and ninety-seven; Haresh ‘Indian Buay,’ five thousand fifty-four; Josue Carballo, five thousand three hundred and fifty-two votes. For the United Democratic Party: Phillip De La Fuente, two thousand five hundred and ninety-three votes; Cantun Ajasha, two thousand six hundred and ninety-eight; Cocom Jose Antonio, two thousand seven hundred and forty-seven votes; Sambula Derik, two thousand six hundred and nine votes; Usher ‘Chile’ Amado, two thousand seven hundred and fifty votes; Villeda Yara Cal, two thousand six hundred and twenty-four votes; Williams ‘Coolie Buay;’ two thousand nine hundred and forty-seven votes.”

And with that, the P.U.P. seven in Orange Walk were victorious as was predicted by political pundits because it is backyard of the Party Leader John Briceño in Orange Walk Central.  Going into the elections, the council was split—five for the P.U.P. and two U.D.P. councilors—with a small margin of victory in the municipality. Following the official announcement, Bernard spoke of the win.

Kevin Bernard

Kevin Bernard, Mayor-elect, Orange Walk Town

“I said this from the very beginning that this election would have been a big blowout for the U.D.P.; we would have won massively. That last election, we had lot of factors that affected us. Just before our municipal election in 2015, we had a very divisive Orange Walk East convention and it affected us because it was a month away from our next election. This election, we have done a lot of hard work. The council worked, myself, the deputy, my other colleagues…we were able to do a lot of work for the people and the people saw that we are capable to continue to lead them for another three years.   And I know that this team, which we were joined by Haresh and Fernando that we would have bring a big victory for the people of Orange Walk and I want to thank everyone for that. This had unity in it. All the old guard, all the people that were there before—the representatives came together. We were able to see Dave Burgos, Doctor Mendez, everybody that worked…come together and show support for this team and rallied behind us. And this team along with the powerhouse central…even the north, we were able to bring a victory in Orange Walk North, an area that we have never won at the boxes in Chapels. So this is a victory for the people, this is a victory for the People’s United Party.”

Bernard says that the win is testament to the work of the council, outside of fact that central government is ran by its political rival.

Kevin Bernard

“This victory was because of what the people saw that we were able to do. Sixty streets paved and a town council of a party that is in opposition and a government that has stifled us and has punished us for the past six years. We will continue to work.”

Duane Moody for News Five.