P.U.P. Supporters Descend on Sugar City for Nomination of Candidates
In Orange Walk Town this morning, the mood was festive and upbeat. On the heels of the largest rally in this election campaign, party loyalists were joined by others to lend support to the four candidates. Of the four divisions in the district, three are held by the People’s United Party; the opposition party hopes to retain the seats in Orange Walk Central, South and East and break ground in Orange Walk North where the incumbent is the Deputy Prime Minister. The sea of blue was fired up as the candidates made their way to be nominated. Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
As early as eight-thirty this morning, supporters of the main political parties gathered around Orange Walk Town making final preparations for Nomination Day leading up to the November fourth General Elections 2015. The P.U.P. were first to make their way to the Immigration Department and the Magistrate’s Court near the police station to be officially nominated as candidates under the blue banner for the four divisions in the northern district. A sea of blue, hundreds of supporters dressed in their political T-shirts, made their way along the streets of Orange Walk Town chanting and dancing to the rhythm of the drummers. Incumbents John Briceño for Orange Walk Central and Abelardo Mai for Orange Walk South as well as Josue Carballo for Orange Walk East and Ramon Cervantes Junior for Orange Walk North.
John Briceño
John Briceño, P.U.P. Candidate, OW Central
“I’ve been doing this since 1993, but you never get used to that wonderful feeling once you sign and it’s official now. I am officially the candidate, the standard bearer for the People’s United Party in Orange Walk Central. I continue to work hard and visiting all the homes in Orange Walk Central showing them how the U.D.P. has failed the people of this country since 2008. They came with so many promises and they have failed us every step of the way. The people in this country, in Orange Walk Central are fed up of the U.D.P. and once again I have the confidence that once again they are going to give me their support to be their area rep once again. Well of course you feel the energy, the excitement, the commitment that our people are all fired up and ready to fight—fight for Orange Walk Central, fight for this country and we feel on November fourth we are going to have a new government. We are going to have a government that is going to be led by the People’s United Party.”
Bringing out a huge number of supporters from his division was Ramon “Munchie” Cervantes, who says that it is time for a change in government.
Ramon Cervantes
Ramon Cervantes, P.U.P. Candidate, OW North
“It’s a sign of the times, it’s sign that the tsunami of change is here and it will peak on the fourth of November and we will have a P.U.P. Government on the fifth.”
Duane Moody
“Sir with all that has been happening with your opponent, do you think that you are going to unseat this man?”
Ramon Cervantes
“Yes, not I. the people. The power of the people is what will be shown on the fourth of November and it’s the power of the people that will unseat my opponent. Our country is in a deep crisis, we are in bankruptcy, we have been left in huge debts and only a change in government will put us on a right [path to solving those problems and taking Belize back to development and prosperity for each and every one of us.”
In the Orange Walk East division, Josue Carballo is running for the first time as area representative. The councilor says that he wants to bring development and infrastructure back to the residents of Orange Walk East, who according to him, have been neglected by the current administration.
Josue Carballo
Josue Carballo, P.U.P. Candidate, OW East
“In the Orange Walk East we feel fire, we feel energy, we feel enthusiasm from our people. Orange Walk people are fed up of being abandoned, are fed up of a government that is discriminating our district. I mean we have millions being spent and not even one paved road in Orange Walk East. I mean that’s definitely a shame. Our government must know that Orange Walk East people are hardworking people that deserve better that deserve better healthcare, that deserve better education and most importantly, they deserve jobs. We deserve jobs, we deserve lands, we are Belizeans and we will ensure that when I get elected in Orange Walk East, the Orange Walk East is gonna get back its fair share of development, it’s gonna get its spotlight again in national development.”
The nomination process was rather quick for the People’s United Party. First, however, to register his name was Orange Walk South candidate, Abelardo Mai. He was nominated at the Immigration Department several blocks away on Tait Street. An agronomist by profession, Mai says that if elected, the Ministry of Agriculture must be separated from the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Abelardo Mai
Abelardo Mai, P.U.P. Candidate OW South
“No one wants to live in a country where forty-three of a hundred people wake up every single day not knowing where their food is going to come from. People don’t want to live in a country where twenty-five out of a hundred have no employee and those who have employment have very low wages. Nobody wants to live in a country where we are the fourth most criminal country in the world…nobody. The first thing we must do is separate the Ministry of Agriculture from the Ministry of Lands. Agriculture is far too important, far too great, far too impacting to have it shared. That cannot be. We will transform and make the agriculture sector competitive, efficient and effective so that we can lower the cost of food to the Belizean people.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
