Toledo West Campaign Trail Heats Up – One Week to Go to Elections 2020
Exactly one week from today, we’ll be bringing you live coverage from across the country of General Elections 2020. Leading up to November eleventh, we are following the candidates as they hit the campaign trail across the country. Tonight, we bring you the candidates who are contesting the Toledo West constituency. Over the weekend we visited Golden Stream to meet with the P.U.P.’s area representative, who is seeking re-election and the U.D.P. candidate in San Antonio Village. Here’s a look at how that went.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
Two educators are bidding to be the next area representative for the Toledo West Constituency in the General Elections on November eleventh:
Oscar Requeña
Oscar Requeña, P.U.P. Standard Bearer, Toledo West
“Oscar Requeña has been an educator for over twenty-five years. I have served my constituency as a teacher; principal; education officer; social activist. I have been involved with the credit union and many other community-based organizations. So, I have always had this interaction; this relationship with Toledo West.”
Simeon Coc, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Toledo West
“Dr. Coc is a seasoned educator. I have served Belize and my people in education for the past thirty-eight years; nineteen years at the primary level and nineteen years at the secondary level as principal and teacher. I also work part-time at UB as adjunct lecturer.”
Oscar Requeña is the incumbent – having served two terms – and seeking a third with the People’s United Party. He’s contesting the elections against Dr. Simeon Coc – a new comer to politics for the United Democratic Party. Requeña and Coc share similar key areas that they want to address in the division – from infrastructure to agriculture to women to health – these candidates say they know the people’s needs.
Oscar Requeña
“The first thing that needs to be done in Toledo West is the infrastructure. The public infrastructure is in a totally dilapidated situation. We certainly need to look at the entire economy of the Toledo District – creating new opportunities for our people. Health is also a major concern. The whole situation of education – we need to increase access – we need greater access to educational opportunities.”
Simeon Coc
Simeon Coc
“Most of the roads are in terrible condition – so they don’t have easy access to these roads. Technology as a part of education – because in remote areas we hardly have access to phone signals and internet. So, we want to improve that. We want to improve marketing of our farmer’s products – assist them with their farm roads and things. We need water. There are communities without any water. Rural electrification – we have students from remote areas and many times they are not able to study properly because they don’t have the basic power that they need.”
Going into this election both candidates are confident of a win. The pressure is on Requeña to deliver the constituency for the P.U.P. – but on Sunday, Requeña said, ‘what pressure?’ He believes the people will vote him in for another term. On the other hand – Coc believes he has been making a mark in the division and that will help to secure a victory for the UDP in Toledo West.
Oscar Requeña
“I feel very confident going into the elections that I will deliver a victory for Toledo West. Because I can tell you that I have maintained a relationship with our people. I have been able to support our constituents in various different ways – what has Oscar been able to do? We have small projects that we have done in the communities where we make repairs to the community centers; other public buildings; engaged in supporting schools and we work with churches and other organizations in the community. A big area that I have supported is education – every year I have one hundred and thirty students who I support to be able to go to school. When people are sick – Oscar Requeña is there. I am literally the ambulance taking our people to the hospital from the various communities.”
Simeon Coc
“Even as we speak, we have the bypass between Santa Cruz Village and San Jose. As we speak there is construction – this project has been up in the air for so long for almost twenty-five years and nothing has been done about it. I had to lobby hard and lobby hard I did. And finally, it was approved. Work on the first bridge that is already in place and the second bridge is now under development, under construction so that should be delivered shortly.”
So – who will it be it on November eleventh? The seven thousand four hundred and thirty-seven electors will decide.
Simeon Coc
“I am very confident that the people will choose the person who they see as the true leader. A person who can deliver. A person who is confident and a person who the people want at this time.”
Oscar Requeña
“Oscar Requeña understands the plight of the people; the needs of the people. Oscar Requeña is in the trenches with the people. So, I have the experience; the understanding of our people’s needs. I have the passion to represent and fight for my people.”
Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
