U.D.P. holds City Council convention
It was a close run, but in the end Anthony “Boots” Martinez emerged as the United Democratic Party’s candidate for Mayor in the March third City Council elections. Martinez narrowly defeated Myrna Manzanares — seventy-six to seventy-four — at the party’s convention on Sunday. Manzanares and Denise Barrow are the only women on the eleven-member team which consists largely of political newcomers and behind-the-scenes supporters. The new faces include teachers Dale Anthony and Patrick Faber, Dion Lund, tutor; Brain Hall, formerly of the Belmopan Fire Service; Chester Sutherland, former security officer at the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport; Sydney Fuller, businessman; Albert Robinson, taxi driver; and Enrique Silva, formerly of the People’s Democratic Party. News Five was at Bird’s Isle.
Enrique Silva
“I am very grateful for the opportunity the U.D.P. has given me to run on their slate, because I believe that this is no time for us to be fighting with each other. It is time to be in unity in the fight against the big giants that is out there.”
Patrick Faber
“I have adopted a philosophy, one of Dr. Martin Luther King, right. He says, “When you find something important to you in your life, you hold onto that thing and you run with it until you die”. And my friends, that thing in my life is to provide good government for all the citizens of Belize, serving the United Democratic Party. That is why I am up here as a candidate today.”
Myrna Manzanares
“But all of those things that I think are so important to all of us in Belize City are not, are no longer there. That is the reason why I have dedicated my life to working in Belize City. So let us put back the spark in Belize City. Let me help to do that. Let me help to do that as a person, as the head of the team. I am here, I am giving myself to you.”
Anthony “Boots” Martinez
“I would like to personally thank Ms. Manzanares and all of my colleagues for giving me this opportunity to head the team and I will assure them that I will work, work, work. Thank you very much.”
While all of the candidates took the opportunity to introduce themselves at the podium and talk at some length, Denise Barrow, commonly known as “Sister B” gave the shortest speech of the day, saying simply, “I am honored to be here and I will work.”
