‘Papa’ Mena Discusses U.D.P.’s Upcoming Special Convention
On Sunday at the ITVET in Belize City, the United Democratic Party will be holding a special convention to elect a First Deputy Leader. Belmopan Area Representative John Saldivar is contesting the post and is running against Patrick Faber of the Collet Division. Both camps have led spirited campaigns, but the outcome of several weeks of canvassing the respective constituencies will be determined by delegates of the party this weekend. Since vote seeking activities began in March, much has been said in the media where both candidates have been campaigning vigorously. Dangriga Area Rep Frank ‘Papa’ Mena is in Saldivar’s corner and shares his perspective on the political race.
Mike Rudon
“From what you’ve seen, both sides, just the way the race is being run and all the excitement which comes along with it, what’s your feeling on it?”
Frank ‘Papa’ Mena, Dangriga Area Representative
“Well you know I’m supporting Brother Saldivar. Democracy is healthy and I wish that we could one day grow to deal directly with the issues and not the personalities because Mike, you know I go back in the media system and me and you look pan things different eena wah lotta aspects but we could agree pan certain things and I wish we could reach deh. But until such time we only could pray for it. But I’m with Brother and I mi look forward for a healthy way forward and thereafter we cyant be hypocrite and seh we noh di got sohn bruises weh man di tek but yo wahn haffi do sohn healing. Dah di bottom line… I di look beyond this.”
Mike Rudon
“Are you concerned any at all, or maybe disappointed is the correct word, at some of the mudslinging? It’s common in every convention and every election across party lines, but there’s been a lot of mudslinging lately as we come to D-Day.”
Frank ‘Papa’ Mena
“I have to be concerned because it’s not a small position that we are looking at for this weekend, it’s the first deputy and if you could, if we wahn get nasty at each other at dehn level dehn bwai we wahn still have to go back and seh support… I noh find dat, I cyant cuss my hand and still use it, yo undastand. I cyant cuss my wife and still go home, yoh know weh ah mean. So, me look pan dehn thing as simple as that but it is what it is. It is what it is and life goes on. We have some deliverables to our constituency and that is what is first and foremost for me.”
Over three hundred delegates are expected to participate in the process come Sunday.
Patrick Faber seems to have been preordained to become prime minister by Dean Barrow. I hope he never wins that position. He is one of the most disgusting vile creatures to ever run for office.