Ralston Frazer – An Independent Mayoral Candidate for Belmopan!
Ralston Frazer
A new mayoral candidate has emerged in the capital city. Today, Ralston Frazer launched his candidacy as an independent mayoral candidate for Belmopan. Frazer has served as a U.D.P. councilor and deputy mayor of Belmopan, and more recently, as the city administrator. The now-independent candidate believes that his two terms in Belmopan City Hall have prepared him for the mayoral seat. He is the third mayoral candidate, with Jacklyn Burns contesting for the U.D.P. and Sharon Palacio for the P.U.P. Here’s a snippet from his presentation to the media today in the capital.
Ralston Frazer, Independent Mayoral Candidate, Belmopan
“My decision to have done this is basically, and to be quite honest, in compliance to what I feel the call on my life is at this point in time. We all know from the national level and through-out that there is rampant corruption in our political arena and it is very sad. I do not consider myself a politician and I am not looking for a career in politics and I am simply responding to a call on my life at this point of time. Being in the belly of the beast as you call it, I have seen some stuff from a distance. I have in my own mind confirmed that what I was thinking before I entered this arena is indeed true, maybe not hundred percent accurate but you know how we say dah Belize, if dah nuh suh, dah nearly suh. I feel that the honesty and transparency that people on a national basis and particularly in this context of Belmopan have been calling for can only come when you get it from someone or some people who can separate themselves from party politics without holding any grudge.”
But one man who wasn’t enthusiastic about Frazer’s candidacy is former area representative John Saldivar. He took to Facebook today to cast aspersions on Frazer – claiming that there are skeletons in Frazer’s closet. Saldivar pointed out that Frazer’s changes of becoming mayor are slim to none. Saldivar isn’t happy that Frazer, who once ran under the U.D.P. banner, is now running as an independent – a move he sees as a direct threat to the U.D.P.’s Jacklyn Burns. His Facebook post says, “He has decided to be spiteful and try to hurt the chances of Jackie Burns becoming the first female Mayor of Belmopan. I am making this post because I am tired of ungrateful people, I am tired of people who feel entitled, and I am tired of self-righteous people…” But if the result of the General Election in Belmopan is anything to go by – the U.D.P. shouldn’t fear an independent – as the independent, a former U.D.P. councilor, didn’t factor into the race three months ago – the race was between the U.D.P. and P.U.P.
