Public speaks out on elections

In countless ads and only slightly fewer news stories you’ve heard what most of the politicians and candidates involved in Wednesday’s municipal elections have to say. For our last story on election eve we thought it might be nice to hear some voices from the people who, for one day at least, will have the last word.

Voter #1
?People are a bit concerned that there is the need for change and that something has to happen tomorrow positive for Belizeans, whatever that may be. I would just like to encourage everyone listening or watching to go out and vote. Everyone was born independent, Belize only got its independence in 1981, so make sure that whatever decision you make it?s one that you made as an individual.?

Voter #2
?You can?t expect fu see everything just develop just overnight. You have to give them an opportunity, so anybody weh wah sit inna position fu this thing, we di ask fu mek they vote P.U.P., because they really need the opportunity fu development, honestly.?

Voter #3
?Personally I would want to encourage all Belizeans to come out and vote, because if they don?t come out and vote and they live amongst the people who are in Belize, and this is their right, and this is the only time that they have to show if they don?t feel satisfy about something. I want to tell them that if they don?t come out and vote, then they are contributing to the underdevelopment of people.?

Voter #4
?I done decided who I am going to vote for …?

Janelle Chanona
?You will vote party or person??

Voter #4
?Well I am going to vote for the party, for the full party.?

Voter #5
?It would be nice for a lady run the City Council right now, and the only person who could do that is Zenaida and ih crew??

Janelle Chanona
?What impressed you most about what they had to say in their campaign??

Voter #5
?It?s just the changes that they going to put in and things like that. Right now the big issue is that you cannot get help from these sort of people that is in right now, so we need to put in someone who probably you might be lucky to get help from that person, you understand? So all I got to say to the public, whosoever is begging me for a dollar, or two dollars out there, if they don?t go red tomorrow, don?t even come back to me next day.?

Janelle Chanona
?You going to go to vote??

Voter #6
?Not interested.?

Janelle Chanona
?Why you?re not interested??

Voter #6
?I have no interest in the government whatsoever, because both of them do the same thing.?

Janelle Chanona
?And the independent candidates??

Voter #6
?Well everybody has their own mind; they do what they want to do. If they want to vote, they vote. But me, I?m not voting.?

Janelle Chanona
?Some people might say if you don?t vote you can?t criticize…?

Voter #6
?I?m not criticizing either. So that?s the bottom line.?

Janelle Chanona
?You going to vote tomorrow??

Voter #7
?No I?m not going to vote tomorrow.?

Janelle Chanona
?Why??

Voter #7
?Well because I?m just fed up with the government I can?t take this no more.?

Janelle Chanona
?Some people would say that?s why you should go vote??

Voter #7
?Well, I just tired of it. They don?t help me when I in need so help, so they don?t need my vote.?

Janelle Chanona
?The two parties??

Voter #7
?Well U.D.P. I don?t vote for them from I?m young … so only with the P.U.P., but I still would go to vote for them still. Give them a chance again.?

Janelle Chanona
?Even though you won?t vote??

Voter #7
?Even though I?m not going to vote … They don?t need my vote, they still going to win anyway.?

Voter #8
?yes I will be going to casting my vote.

Janelle Chanona
?What during this whole campaign, leading up to tomorrow has been the most important issue to you?

Voter #8
?I believe they took it to a further level than before, but I think they are just wasting time and money because if people have their minds made up they?ll vote for who they wish to vote regardless of all the propaganda that they?ve been carrying on here, wasting the people?s money and time when they could be doing something else more worthwhile with it.?

Janelle Chanona
?What is the issue you are going to be thinking about when you go into that ballot booth??

Voter #8
?Basically jobs, availability of jobs for the lower class people. And me personally, would like to see them do something for the homeless people here on the street.?

Voter #9
?The campaign shows who got the strength, campaign also show weh the support deh, especially like nomination day you see the P.U.P. crowd had a huge crowd, so P.U.P. all the way again; plain and simple.?

Janelle Chanona
?What?s the issue you think is most important to you when you decide who you going to vote for??

Voter #9
?Basically, when the U.D.P. mi inna power, they never really create no kinda job; that dah one ah the main issue fu me and I believe if the majority of the young people them work and have jobs where they could make a salary, then the crime wah slow right down completely.?

Janelle Chanona
?You going out to vote tomorrow??

Voter #10
?No, noh really … because right about now the people noh really di do nothing fu we; especially inna fi we areas weh we live …?

Janelle Chanona
?Weh you live??

Voter #10
?I live back a King?s Park and they not even come dah my house, for example, come talk to we or nothing like that.?

Janelle Chanona
?What was the one issue you wanted somebody to come and talk to you about? What?s happening in your neighbourhood??

Voter #10
?Well at least I mi expect somebody fi come tell me changes mi wah happen inna the neighbourhood or something like that, but nobody noh come seh nothing.?

Janelle Chanona
?So you just wah stay home??

Voter #10
?I just wah stay home and mek my day happy, home by myself.?

For the rest of us, the polls open at seven.